Ren'Py Lucky Paradox [v0.10.2] [Stawer]

[Stawer]

Plenty of games do this automatically, they just don't announce it or ask the fans if they should do it. Ideally it gets done incrementally - so they keep putting out "regular" updates but each one includes some improvements to the old content (like adding music or sound, cleaning up early rough dialogue or little continuity / flow issues.) At some point they replace the model for a particularly low quality early character.

Lucky Paradox is honestly showing it's age a lot at this point. When I first played it the art style was different but it didn't hit me so hard how it looks really out of date (the way it does now.) So on one hand, I think a significant graphics overhaul would be a major advancement for the game. Even as a smaller fix, at least freaking ship the game with higher res / quality renders - because I am convinced at some point the dev compressed the *shit* out of the image files. Several of the early scenes have weird slightly blurry / not crisp patches that I definitely do not remember being there on my first couple play throughs years back.

However, I'm also a realist, and from my perspective, development on this game has slowed way down. That makes me think it's unlikely the dev is going to sink significant time/effort/funds into improving the art significantly. I wish things were different, because this game was kind of special and unique when I first discovered it. But it is starting to take forever to go anywhere... I remember playing this maybe 2 years ago or a little longer, then trying it again about a year later and again a month or two ago. Literally most of the same dead ends that I hit ~2 years ago, are still there. The screen that shows the LIs is just like completely littered with messages indicating X or Y is not available yet in this version or you have reached the end of the existing content. Mind you, this is not a game in it's first or second year of development, it's like... 5 years old at this point.

The first two years of development I could barely dedicate time to the game, right now the updates are almost 10 times bigger than back then, plus I already made a general improvement to the game with much better UI (old one was very archaic), each update brings new features, including new interactions and some secondary girls, gallery, etc... that takes time. this is not a linear VN, I have always wanted to keep the player's freedom and that requires a lot of testing.

At the beginning the patches were only 2000 words, some without animations, the graphics were much worse than now and there were many more problems, but they took less time to be released.

Right now my focus is on adding the content that was missing for years, I don't plan to make a remaster, at least in the short term... Maybe touch up some old scenes, but I don't know yet if I should spend time on that.

I also think that even though the game already shows an age, I feel that the positive thing is that I want to keep that unique style in the game. The easy way would be to switch from HS1 to HS2, and do something with more generic models and stuff, but I feel that would kill the soul of the game.

 

[Stawer]

Please remaster later after the game is done and then go back and fix it. I think many over look the start of avn's/games more so for a new dev as the dev is learning the craft.

I know this, but as a creator there is always that temptation to fix your “sins of the past”, there is a lot of learning in this over the years.

But I don't plan on making a remaster, right now I'm focused on finishing the story.

 

[Joey's Conscience]

My intention is to progressively improve the animations and when I feel more comfortable to revisit the old ones of the game, add sounds, etc...

But at the same time I have this internal conflict about making a “remaster” of the first half of the game, which would put on hold the release of new content (This can take a long time, between problems in saves and other things), or continue releasing new content.

Actually, I would also advise against remastering old content, at least for the forseeable future. It's always a huge gamble, one that more often than not doesn't pay off. I was thinking more on the lines of improving the scenes that are yet to come.

It's not that I think your game looks bad, or dated, or anything, I do think the renders hold up really well, and it's an overall great looking game. It's just that after you've been playing these games for a while, watching the same riding scene for the 100th time over dozens of games gets really old.

I feel the newer devs are catching up to this, and more and more newer games are trying to go beyond the standard engine stuff. I know it's something that takes a lot of work, and for a story heavy game like this, it might not be a top priority. I was just asking out curiosity, if that was something that was on your mind at all.

 

[Stawer]

Actually, I would also advise against remastering old content, at least for the forseeable future. It's always a huge gamble, one that more often than not doesn't pay off. I was thinking more on the lines of improving the scenes that are yet to come.

It's not that I think your game looks bad, or dated, or anything, I do think the renders hold up really well, and it's an overall great looking game. It's just that after you've been playing these games for a while, watching the same riding scene for the 100th time over dozens of games gets really old.

I feel the newer devs are catching up to this, and more and more newer games are trying to go beyond the standard engine stuff. I know it's something that takes a lot of work, and for a story heavy game like this, it might not be a top priority. I was just asking out curiosity, if that was something that was on your mind at all.

Yes, for now I'm trying to experiment and learn as much as possible, and I want to improve the animations gradually

Animations are a complicated issue, since you can make a very detailed and long animation, but the weight of the game increases considerably as well, I want to keep a balance in that sense, since an ambitious game like Lucky Paradox tends to have a high size by itself.

 

[Soulpuppet]

Since you're talking about animations. The one that really needs fixed is Prims blowjob. Compared to the rest of the game, It's pretty bad. I was sure it would of been fixed but I think it was forgot about lol.

 

[Stawer]

Since you're talking about animations. The one that really needs fixed is Prims blowjob. Compared to the rest of the game, It's pretty bad. I was sure it would of been fixed but I think it was forgot about lol.

taking notes*, although I'm currently working on a huge update, so I'll have to postpone it for the next next one xD

 

[Soulpuppet]

taking notes*, although I'm currently working on a huge update, so I'll have to postpone it for the next next one xD

I know you're working hard on the next update. I'm a patreon . Can't wait for the new girl btw. Just thought I'd bring up that animation since you were on the topic of them here.

 

[divingmedic]

Yes, for now I'm trying to experiment and learn as much as possible, and I want to improve the animations gradually

Animations are a complicated issue, since you can make a very detailed and long animation, but the weight of the game increases considerably as well, I want to keep a balance in that sense, since an ambitious game like Lucky Paradox tends to have a high size by itself.

There is an AVN on here that is really popular and the does not have any animations in it. He says he can spend 6-8 weeks cranking out animations for a short update or spend 6 weeks making a long update without the animations.

 

[Stawer]

I know you're working hard on the next update. I'm a patreon . Can't wait for the new girl btw. Just thought I'd bring up that animation since you were on the topic of them here.

Working on the post rn, so will be ready in 40 min on Patreon

There is an AVN on here that is really popular and the does not have any animations in it. He says he can spend 6-8 weeks cranking out animations for a short update or spend 6 weeks making a long update without the animations.

Time management is always a problem

but he is right to choose between those extremes, in my case I prefer to look for a balance between the two

 

[Kenji X]

Does anyone know if the recent update is going to be made public?

 

[Stawer]

Does anyone know if the recent update is going to be made public?

Next month, when the next update is finished, the previous one will be released for free

 

[Digteren]

Android girl is here!

 

[Stawer]

Android girl is here!
View attachment 3772629

at least Alia has better blowjobs skills

 

[Opa Wants]

True, hard to get a blowjob from a vacuum cleaner.

 

[zeerin]

You know what always makes a game better? Not being able to actually work on character stories without others butting in with no option for avoiding it.

 

[tmu500]

exciting game, keep up the great work.

 

[Cartageno]

You know what always makes a game better? Not being able to actually work on character stories without others butting in with no option for avoiding it.

It can be annoying at times, yeah, but it is one of the pitfalls of free roam games that can hardly be avoided - unless you just want a couple of kinetic novels running in parallel where you just choose which chapter to read next. And in a way that is what always tends to happen in stories, only here at a more meta level: it just doesn't work as it is planned, so you have to adapt

 

[zeerin]

It can be annoying at times, yeah, but it is one of the pitfalls of free roam games that can hardly be avoided - unless you just want a couple of kinetic novels running in parallel where you just choose which chapter to read next. And in a way that is what always tends to happen in stories, only here at a more meta level: it just doesn't work as it is planned, so you have to adapt

I wouldn't even consider that a pitfall. Give the player a dialogue choice to say "I'm sorry, I'm busy with something else right now", and bam. Problem solved. Persona 4 (example off the top of my head) does that. Sometimes characters will invite you out, but you have the option to decline the invitation.
An actual pitfall in this game is that you need to advance Primrose to a certain level (ew) to continue on Sasha's story. But then that system is rarely used again (the only time off the top of my head I can remember is related to various things at the Shogukuni, but I played like half the game a couple months ago and am only now doing the stories of the characters I don't care about). So you can end up with narrative dissonance when (example) you know Maud was Hanna Berrie's mentor from Sasha's story, but then in an event for a different character, the MC has no idea who that is. An even bigger pitfall is when Primrose tells you the story about the white strawberries, and then the moment Iris gets there, the entire ass white strawberry story Primrose tells you is basically retconned.

 

[MasterWizard1]

I wouldn't even consider that a pitfall. Give the player a dialogue choice to say "I'm sorry, I'm busy with something else right now", and bam. Problem solved. Persona 4 (example off the top of my head) does that. Sometimes characters will invite you out, but you have the option to decline the invitation.
An actual pitfall in this game is that you need to advance Primrose to a certain level (ew) to continue on Sasha's story. But then that system is rarely used again (the only time off the top of my head I can remember is related to various things at the Shogukuni, but I played like half the game a couple months ago and am only now doing the stories of the characters I don't care about). So you can end up with narrative dissonance when (example) you know Maud was Hanna Berrie's mentor from Sasha's story, but then in an event for a different character, the MC has no idea who that is. An even bigger pitfall is when Primrose tells you the story about the white strawberries, and then the moment Iris gets there, the entire ass white strawberry story Primrose tells you is basically retconned.

If Sasha's story needed Prim and Layla to continue her story then I would think it means they are relevant for Sasha's story right? You learn Melanie is Hanna's mentor from the first time you see Hanna in Prim's story too and the second event in Prim's story about Melanie he doesn't recognize her because he's never actually seen what she looks like. The white strawberries isn't retconned at all. Prim explains what she knows of them which is very little. She doesn't know what novas or really much about mayors at all outside the rumors said in the town. She only knows they were grown by her father and her mother ate them. And Iris shows up because she is looking for them since she has the same condition that Prim's mom had, but there are none left. Prim was reminiscing the past about the strawberries during the picnic event while Iris shows up to actually find them. And the rest is explained in the story. Some events can be avoided because it is optional content while others can't because it is important content for that character's main story.

 

[zeerin]

If Sasha's story needed Prim and Layla to continue her story then I would think it means they are relevant for Sasha's story right? You learn Melanie is Hanna's mentor from the first time you see Hanna in Prim's story too and the second event in Prim's story about Melanie he doesn't recognize her because he's never actually seen what she looks like. The white strawberries isn't retconned at all. Prim explains what she knows of them which is very little. She doesn't know what novas or really much about mayors at all outside the rumors said in the town. She only knows they were grown by her father and her mother ate them. And Iris shows up because she is looking for them since she has the same condition that Prim's mom had, but there are none left. Prim was reminiscing the past about the strawberries during the picnic event while Iris shows up to actually find them. And the rest is explained in the story. Some events can be avoided because it is optional content while others can't because it is important content for that character's main story.

You only get half points for what you said about Sasha's story needing Primrose. Just because a story doesn't *supposedly* need a different character for it, that doesn't mean that there doesn't need to be narrative cohesion. Why are you assuming I'm referring to when you actually meet Maud? I never said that. I was referring to a different event entirely where you see...see? hear? whatever, you "see" Hanna getting spoken to by Maud and the MC doesn't know it's Maud, despite already knowing about Maud from Sasha (if you do Sasha's story first). You can make the argument "well MC can't be sure it's Maud, having never interacted with her before", but that would be a bad argument when context clues tell you the player very blatantly that it's Maud.
The white strawberries were absolutely retconned. They weren't grown (intentionally) by her father until Iris comes. When Primrose tells us the story of the white strawberries, she says that her mother and father liked to picnic in the place he proposed to her and that, because he liked strawberries, her mother would usually bring some. Then one time, he'd left some strawberries on the ground (by accident, I'm pretty sure?), and eventually they'd sprouted and were a lighter shade (I'm pretty sure it said pink, but maybe not immediately). When Maurinne saw that, she started taking care of the plants and they kept getting lighter and lighter until they turned white. Then, after the accident, nobody continued to take care of them, and the patch died out.