VN Ren'Py Light of My Life [Ch.9 v0.9.1] [Naughty Road]

[naughtyroad]

Already played through twice. I'd like to know what effect each choice has on story line. I'm OCD and AuDHD. Not knowing is driving me insane. Admittedly short drive, though.

LOL.

Trust me, every option that is of true consequence (as in, you miss out content or lock out characters because of it) is noted in the game. All the little stuff, jeepers, that's impossible to document. There's many thousands of options in there, and many have little effects and call-backs down the road, even I wouldn't know where to start now.

So while we're at it, let me put a little paranoid thought in your head: if I wouldn't know where to start, what about the person making the mod? Do they know where to start? You know what? In fact...

They don't.

The one that did a walkthrough mod for Light of my life back then just chose random options in the game, without ever looking in code at the consequence of those choices. They didn't care. They were actually locking out content in the process and giving you a horrible time with the game.

Let that sink in: walkthrough mod makers don't have a magical insight in the paths through the game. Most of the time, they're just winging it. And in the process, they close off random bits of good stuff in the game by discouraging you from going there, while you do the job of convincing yourself that whatever that other option was you avoided, it must be shite for not having a green color.

Keep in mind, most of the time those walkthrough mods are not made by fans of the game (Light of my Life's one sure wasn't). They're made by people that want to flash their "donate here" buttons to people who, for one reason or another, convinced themselves they need one.

And they're made with the least possible effort. Because who's gonna find out it's crap? The player that follows the walkthrough mod?

So, instead, I offer this promise, from me as developer that loves it when people love their game, to you as a player that is looking for a game to love: I'm never ever trying to screw you over to hide the good stuff from you in some weird meta-game of gotcha. I want you to see all the cool things I made.

So this is the secret for this game: be a decent human being to the people you like in the game (with no need to smarm your way into their panties either), and you'll get everything they have to offer. Or ignore them if you don't like them, and then the game will inform you when you're about to lose them, so you can make a deliberate choice.

For this reason though, and because I understand where your pain is coming from even if I don't share it, I'm putting some walkthrough options in my next title from the get-go, while it's still manageable.

 

[chadstewart8567]

LOL.

Trust me, every option that is of true consequence (as in, you miss out content or lock out characters because of it) is noted in the game. All the little stuff, jeepers, that's impossible to document. There's many thousands of options in there, and many have little effects and call-backs down the road, even I wouldn't know where to start now.

So while we're at it, let me put a little paranoid thought in your head: if I wouldn't know where to start, what about the person making the mod? Do they know where to start? You know what? In fact...

They don't.

The one that did a walkthrough mod for Light of my life back then just chose random options in the game, without ever looking in code at the consequence of those choices. They didn't care. They were actually locking out content in the process and giving you a horrible time with the game.

Let that sink in: walkthrough mod makers don't have a magical insight in the paths through the game. Most of the time, they're just winging it. And in the process, they close off random bits of good stuff in the game by discouraging you from going there, while you do the job of convincing yourself that whatever that other option was you avoided, it must be shite for not having a green color.

Keep in mind, most of the time those walkthrough mods are not made by fans of the game (Light of my Life's one sure wasn't). They're made by people that want to flash their "donate here" buttons to people who, for one reason or another, convinced themselves they need one.

And they're made with the least possible effort. Because who's gonna find out it's crap? The player that follows the walkthrough mod?

So, instead, I offer this promise, from me as developer that loves it when people love their game, to you as a player that is looking for a game to love: I'm never ever trying to screw you over to hide the good stuff from you in some weird meta-game of gotcha. I want you to see all the cool things I made.

So this is the secret for this game: be a decent human being to the people you like in the game (with no need to smarm your way into their panties either), and you'll get everything they have to offer. Or ignore them if you don't like them, and then the game will inform you when you're about to lose them, so you can make a deliberate choice.

For this reason though, and because I understand where your pain is coming from even if I don't share it, I'm putting some walkthrough options in my next title from the get-go, while it's still manageable.

Thank you. I really appreciate the sentiment. Food for thought, I guess. I really do love the game. I'm totally emotionally invested in it. Came for the fap, stayed for the story. It's beautifully written, the characters have more depth than most VNs I've played, and the graphics are top notch. I can tell you poured your heart and soul into this. I cried on more than one occasion. It's one of the best VNs, if not the best VN I've ever played. It's deep, emotional, and heartfelt. It's kind of a slow burn, but I think it makes it even more emotional, intimate, and arousing when things do heat up. I'm currently on my 3rd playthrough. I still haven't played the second one but am excited to do so.

On another note, you said "shite". May I ask what country you're from?

I'm considering developing my own VN, but there's a lot I'd have to learn before doing so. Any pointers on where to start? I can edit text of existing VNs but that's about as far as I've come.

Looking forward to your next title. I also plan on playing First Contact.

 

[naughtyroad]

Thank you. I really appreciate the sentiment. Food for thought, I guess. I really do love the game. I'm totally emotionally invested in it. Came for the fap, stayed for the story. It's beautifully written, the characters have more depth than most VNs I've played, and the graphics are top notch. I can tell you poured your heart and soul into this. I cried on more than one occasion. It's one of the best VNs, if not the best VN I've ever played. It's deep, emotional, and heartfelt. It's kind of a slow burn, but I think it makes it even more emotional, intimate, and arousing when things do heat up. I'm currently on my 3rd playthrough. I still haven't played the second one but am excited to do so.

On another note, you said "shite". May I ask what country you're from?

I'm considering developing my own VN, but there's a lot I'd have to learn before doing so. Any pointers on where to start? I can edit text of existing VNs but that's about as far as I've come.

Looking forward to your next title. I also plan on playing First Contact.

Cheers, and thank you for the kind words.

I'm Dutch, so I got to pick up my English from all over, which is probably why you'd be forgiven if you can't really pinpoint the location of the characters in the game; there's influences from all over the English speaking territories in there.

I'd definitely recommend trying your hand at it if you want to make a VN, I personally feel it's the most fun an adult can have by themselves.

If you are planning on looking at First Contact, that'd be my recommendation on how to start. For me, First Contact was a quick and dirty one-shot meant as a training project to figure out the tools and build up some skills, and to walk into every pitfall every first time creator is bound to make and be able to walk away from it clean. It's not really sexy, it's very rough around the edges, and it's all just built around a single gag, but it gave me a chance to hit the ground running (or at least, not falling down flat on my face the moment my feet touched the ground) when starting LomL.

I do not recommend starting with the "big idea" that's been in the back of your mind for years, if there is one. Save that for the second title, or the third. To be honest, Light of my Life was supposed to be a second, larger stepping stone towards my big idea, and I figured I'd spend about two years on it, but then the characters started talking to me along the way and they wanted to take their time with it, and here we are, nine chapters in, and I can't even remember what my "big idea" was back then.

 

[BrunoReus11]

Is it possible to close a route (like Brooke's) and just focus on Macy and Denise?

 

[chadstewart8567]

Is it possible to close a route (like Brooke's) and just focus on Macy and Denise?

I highly suggest you don't. There's some pretty steamy content you'd be missing if you lockout Brooke's path. You can, however, lockout Brooke's path if you choose to.

 

[Count Morado]

Is it possible to close a route (like Brooke's) and just focus on Macy and Denise?

You can choose for Lou to be romantic with all possible interests - Macy & Denise, Brooke, Sierra, Sara, Zarah - none of them, or any combination thereof. The only thing you cannot do is have Lou choose Macy or Denise without choosing both.

 

[BrunoReus11]

I highly suggest you don't. There's some pretty steamy content you'd be missing if you lockout Brooke's path. You can, however, lockout Brooke's path if you choose to.

And do you miss any content with Macy and Denise if you lockout any of the other paths?

 

[Count Morado]

And do you miss any content with Macy and Denise if you lockout any of the other paths?

I literally answered this question and you "liked" the comment.

Also:

 

[BrunoReus11]

I literally answered this question and you "liked" the comment.

Also:
View attachment 5406120

My bad, thanks.

 

[chadstewart8567]

Seriously... Why are there so many comments/reviews (mostly bad) about character appearance? I don't get it. At least they're better than 50% of the games I've played with cookie cutter, click and paste characters from honey select or some other character database. They're original and unique, which drew me to the game in the first place. Someone was even bitching about Macy being a moody goth chick with piercings and tattoos. Isn't that the point? I absolutely love her, but I'm also into that kind of thing. She's so tsundere, it's adorable.

 

[Count Morado]

Why are there so many comments/reviews (mostly bad) about characters appearance?

United States fashion and entertainment industry (as well as other cultural, social, and political forces) for 100+ years pushing a certain ideal look, personality - not just in the US, but around the world. As such, it has become ingrained into expectations on what is considered "beauty."

Anything further and we'd have to go to off-topic to discuss because the womens' appearance complaints aren't really about the game and, thus, neither is the explanation.

 

[naughtyroad]

Well, I think there is a point to make which isn't entirely off topic, and that's that because so many visual novels out there just keep reusing the same character models, that shapes the expectation for some of what a VN character should look like. To them, it grates when a VN doesn't go that way. IDK.

For me it was one of the key goals I wrote down when starting this VN. No cookie-cutter models straight out of a Daz asset pack (along with no creep MC, no roofies presented as romance, and no obscure choices screwing you out of content).

 

[FuriousGreg]

Seriously... Why are there so many comments/reviews (mostly bad) about characters appearance?

Welcome to the intertoobs

I'm happy NR is making what he likes. My big complaint is just the number of clicks during conversations is a bit excessive, the back and forth that doesn't involve a choice or original render could be condensed a bit.

 

[chadstewart8567]

Welcome to the intertoobs

I'm happy NR is making what he likes. My big complaint is just the number of clicks during conversations is a bit excessive, the back and forth that doesn't involve a choice or original render could be condensed a bit.

This is just my own personal opinion, and I could be reading way too much into it, but I think NR wants to bring attention to the currently displayed image or gif. I've noticed things only because NR placed a seemingly superfluous choice during a scene, effectively pausing the game and allowing me to really study the image or gif on screen.

 

[naughtyroad]

This is just my own personal opinion, and I could be reading way too much into it, but I think NR wants to bring attention to the currently displayed image or gif. I've noticed things only because NR placed a seemingly superfluous choice during a scene, effectively pausing the game and allowing me to really study the image or gif on screen.

I definitely spend a lot of time going back and forth over the dialogs to get the rhythm feeling right, if that makes any sense. That sometimes means a short pause or a "uhm..." or something else.

And the second component is that sometimes I need a frame or two to work up to the right emote, either because it was just used (I try to avoid reusing an emote until at least two other emotes have been used for that character so it doesn't feel like their dithering back and forth), or because the one builds off the other (like with Macy, where you'll often see shock followed by anger), or because I need to sync up the emotes again when two different dialog paths merge back together, like after a choice or in response to earlier choices.

And yeah, if there is a special render in there, it deserves a "tah-dah" moment I think.

 

[Mr_Stubbs]

This week in one sentence: still processing some feedback from the demo, put up a blog post (well, two), created three new sets from scratch, and scoped out the final bits of chapter 1 (and even wrote an outline of the dialogs). For those that didn't see the blog post: I'm not releasing the demo just yet as it needs a little more body, so right now I'm wrapping up all the content first and releasing a complete chapter.

 

[FuriousGreg]

I definitely spend a lot of time going back and forth over the dialogs to get the rhythm feeling right, if that makes any sense. That sometimes means a short pause or a "uhm..." or something else.

I think that in this kind of medium where you use a 'click' to advance rather than an automatic, timed advance it's difficult to impose a particular rhythm. Most people read in their head much faster than would say the words on the screen, they get the gist of the exchange rather quickly without the need for a 'click' to get the response. I think you could eliminate maybe a quarter or a third of the clicks and still keep the pace and beats of the back and fourth of the conversations by including both parties in most of the exchanges.
For example instead of "I like this pasta you made, it's really good!" 'click' "Thanks" 'click'... to "I like this pasta you made, it's really good!" "Thanks" 'click'... and reserve the 'click' "statement" 'click' "response" to beat moments and where the response is important. You don't lose anything by reducing the number of clicks, especially in the parts that are just banter and not story beats. I'm not suggesting eliminating the banter because it's great and adds flavor to the whole experience I'm just saying that when it comes to storytelling and 'clicks' less is more.

 

[naughtyroad]

I think that in this kind of medium where you use a 'click' to advance rather than an automatic, timed advance it's difficult to impose a particular rhythm. Most people read in their head much faster than would say the words on the screen, they get the gist of the exchange rather quickly without the need for a 'click' to get the response. I think you could eliminate maybe a quarter or a third of the clicks and still keep the pace and beats of the back and fourth of the conversations by including both parties in most of the exchanges.
For example instead of "I like this pasta you made, it's really good!" 'click' "Thanks" 'click'... to "I like this pasta you made, it's really good!" "Thanks" 'click'... and reserve the 'click' "statement" 'click' "response" to beat moments and where the response is important. You don't lose anything by reducing the number of clicks, especially in the parts that are just banter and not story beats. I'm not suggesting eliminating the banter because it's great and adds flavor to the whole experience I'm just saying that when it comes to storytelling and 'clicks' less is more.

Sound nice in theory, but I'd say pull up ren'py, write the conversation, and try it out. I think you'll find the mental load of reading that bit of conversation becomes a lot higher because now all of a sudden your brain has to do a lot of work trying to figure out who said what when while also processing the visual information, and not getting any outside cues like it would when the figure on screen also changed, or having parts of the conversation separated by a physical action like clicking (or pressing space, which is what I prefer). It is not like reading a book.

And you only ever feel that when you actually try it out on screen, which I why I said "try it out" (I didn't mean it as a "well you do it then if you think you know it all" ).

A big part of my editing process is going "whoa, this one line is doing a lot of lifting and I find I have to do a couple of takes to get it, it should be split in two". Having too many units of information on the screen at the same time does not make for comfortable reading.

For me a major reason for a VN to lose me, is when it's throwing walls of text at me; at some point the monkey at the back of my brain goes "boooring... click", even if it's well written text, and then I start hugging that ctrl key and it's all over.

 

[chadstewart8567]

I tend to agree with NR's take on this. Too much exposition, particularly all at once, leaves me searching for that Ctrl key. I end up reading more than paying attention to the visuals. I don't necessarily like reading in the first place, which is why I started reading VN's and for the simple fact fully-animated, interactive movies are scarce in this, shall we say, genre. I prefer porn with a plot, not just fucking. It's also given me the opportunity to improve my reading skills while being entertaining and engaging. I like feeling like I'm part of the story and not just a bystander or onlooker. VNs do that for me whereas other types of media don't. I guess it all just boils down to personal preference.

 

[HornyyPussy]

Gotta admit though, it took me a while to try this due to the models. Fortunately someone who's opinion I trust (at least when it comes to VN's...) convinced me to try it and DAMN am I glad he did!