Ren'Py Maeve's Academy [v0.6.1] [Hatchet Games]

[FP00]

I really don't know. As far as I'm concerned it only involves any appearance of minors in a game, in any shape or form, no matter if they appear as an NPC background character for one second.

To this point I'd rather not risk it. It's not the first time they change rules out of the blue and we can't know if it was the last time.

And it sucks, we actually had something planned for Lilith.

We had in mind Lilith being a mother and reveal the daughter later on (one of the reasons she's so sleep deprived). We totally threw it to the trash bin after those policy changes.

It'd work if the daughter was also 18 but I understand your caution.

Double-checking the terms of service, it looks like pregnancy is allowed but not the depiction of minors; it says not depicted in a sexual way, so a background NPC can be argued to be fine, but it's written so vaguely I understand the caution regarding the depiction of any minor.

So, with that in mind, if I'm reading the rules right, you can have characters be impregnated and even show a pregnant belly, but only the actual birth and resulting baby would be the things Patreon would have a problem with.

So, as a mechanic, pregnancy would be right out, but as part of the story and characters having to deal with being pregnant, it should be fine, especially if you're not going beyond nine months from the point of insemination.

 

[Hatchet Games]

Normally character design is pretty stable and only sees change for stuff like new story arcs

Totally right. This happens in games (in common games or NSFW sometimes) when the product is done.
Thing is the product is not done, and as every work in progress, many things can change, including designs.

Not every time you need something to distract backers with because you're having writer's block or whatever.

Yeah, it's definitely because I'm distracting patreons so I can get away with more money.
Or maybe, just maybe, I do care about the quality of the game before anything else.

 

[Galmerion]

Redesigns are bound to happen as the development progresses, but if im being honest i still prefer the firsts designs. Good to see that the game is advancing, let's just hope it doesn't fall into development hell as other games. The art is top-notch. As other people has said, when you try to customize Angelika the game crashes. Having said those things, i look forward to the next update

 

[Greily]

Totally right. This happens in games (in common games or NSFW sometimes) when the product is done.
Thing is the product is not done, and as every work in progress, many things can change, including designs.



Yeah, it's definitely because I'm distracting patreons so I can get away with more money.
Or maybe, just maybe, I do care about the quality of the game before anything else.

It doesn't have to be about money. It could be about fans losing interest while the game is moving at a snails pace due to constant re-works. Let's be real, you don't have to do what every other developer does but how many games on this site have constant art direction changes while the story is actively being developed? It bogs down the development cycle it causes confusion and disappointment among fans, it's not efficient.

I wanna see you succeed because I would like to enjoy the game. I just don't want to get invested in something only to have it edited out or rearranged.

Each time I see an update for this game I'm happy to see new content. I don't want to restart the game again this time though. I'll wait til the first update that doesn't have reworks in the patch notes. Good luck, I sincerely wish you the best and I'm looking forward to more.

 

[FP00]

Wait, is that a good wow or a bad wow regarding what I wrote about Patreon pregnancy rules?

Anyway, to join in the discussion about the designs, I think the current character designs and characterizations are more or less nailed at this point. This is a great game with funny characters and amazing art, and all I want to see art-wise regarding the characters is seeing them in more outfits either as part of the plot or them just changing their daily wardrobe (I love the outfit designs and would love to see Maeve don her bounty hunter outfit again).

Other than that and a desire to see pregnancy be successfully weaved into the story in a way that doesn't endanger the devloper's Patreon account, I have no real complaints about the current direction of the game, and I am looking forward to seeing where the story goes.

The only bugs I've encountered were Ange's swimsuit being gone and Dahila's nude boobs remaining in place when her character moved around in her scene with Maeve.

 

[AnubisBrasil]

Translation into Brazilian Portuguese.

https://f95zone.to/threads/anubis-brasil-traducoes-para-pt-br.225053/post-14840514

 

[Karnewarrior]

I feel with the current talk of character designs changing mid-development, that I should point out that a character changing their appearance three, four, even five times during the development is not abnormal, even in VNs. For example, Emi in Katawa Shoujo changed her appearance like three times during the development of that project, including a full-on change of artist. Saber from Fate/Stay Night had several design changes, one of which included a penis. Mercy from Overwatch was two different characters at one point!

I don't think it's fair to accuse Hatchet of milking the game just because they changed designs partway through. That shit happens all the time. Most of the design changes in AAA games just aren't visible to people outside the development cycle because they aren't Early Access.


My take on it is that Hatchet should be happy with the character designs. If that means changing them, fine. I, personally, think the designs we currently have are more than sufficient, especially considering the competition, and redesigning the characters is not a particularly fruitful use of time. However, it is certainly not scamming or a distraction - considering most of the time on the latest update was likely spent in code or writing considering the tens of thousands of words also added - and if Hatchet feels it's necessary, he's the fucking dev and I intend to shut up and color.

If Dwarf Fortress can spend literal decades in active development using fucking ASCII glyphs, Maeve's Academy can afford two or three months every year or so updating character designs and artwork. Something tells me Hatchet is not planning on including eyelash simulation for Maeve's blink cycle.


...
Hatchet, put the pen down, that was not a request for eyelash simulation-

 

[ardarg]

Sometimes more is less. In this case it is definitely less.
old new

Design is a downgrade but honestly I don't really care about it I just think it's a good pointer to the dev becoming way too infatuated with revising every single part of their game for the sake of doing it and nothing else, which then becomes a forever loop that turns ends into development purgatory, burnout, and finally an abandoned game.

Word of advice do not become obsessed with everything you think is wrong with your product because you're really solving issues that only you see and nobody else. Or at the very least focus on adding content over changing existing content because for over 2 years of development this has a pitiful amount of the former. Update, at least on mobile: has been shipped completely broken with missing images, broken animations, and slowing that requires restart. If there is more than one person working on this best believe the future of this game is cooked

This whole situation is kind of like Kamuo where there's very clearly talent but they're a quality freak who hates their own work after looking at it for more than 10 seconds because they see a million micro faults that aren't there.

 

[Karnewarrior]

That's a matter of taste, though. I actually prefer the new design - it has more character.

While I agree that perfect is the enemy of good, good enough is the enemy of good too. Hatchet caring about the quality of his game shouldn't be avoided out of fear it'll be a slippery slope.

 

[ardarg]

That's a matter of taste, though. I actually prefer the new design - it has more character.

While I agree that perfect is the enemy of good, good enough is the enemy of good too. Hatchet caring about the quality of his game shouldn't be avoided out of fear it'll be a slippery slope.

If I were to comment on the current design of this character I would say it looks extremely cluttered and the shading is inferior. It almost looks as if it was thrown together last minute.

Anyway you saying that it's a matter of taste brings me to another point which is can you actually say that the writing or art quality of this game has improved/deteriorated over the past 3 versions rather than just "changed" or become different.

 

[FP00]

If I were to comment on the current design of this character I would say it looks extremely cluttered and the shading is inferior. It almost looks as if it was thrown together last minute.

Not really? There is some more detail, and the frown is a bit wider, but there is nothing really wrong with the design or shading.

Honestly, the changes are so minor that I really don't understand what is the fuss regarding it.

 

[albila]

I feel with the current talk of character designs changing mid-development, that I should point out that a character changing their appearance three, four, even five times during the development is not abnormal, even in VNs. For example, Emi in Katawa Shoujo changed her appearance like three times during the development of that project, including a full-on change of artist. [...]

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Emi is quite one of the best example you can use in these type of situations. From the original concept to what was the final product, it had quite the changes, design-wise. Concept was roughly the same, but the art was changing between realities until it found its final place. (っ- ‸ - ς)

Obviously, we're talking of a game (Katawa Shoujo) that took, from small concepts to a full playable game, about a decade or so to be completed by a bunch of people that were united by mere chance, but the topic is the same; not a single game we play is the same as the very first alpha/beta, let alone concept. ( ⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝);

And let's not forget, this wonderful and beautiful game we're discussing on this thread/topic, is still work in progress. There's a lot of stuff not being implemented yet or missing from previous versions, and designs being changed is something that will happen, because that's the art of creating something from scratch.
Einstein didn't publish its first concept of the Theory of Relativity, it took him years to finally have the job done. (๑>؂•̀๑)

 

[harem.king]

I think because people complained about the 1st art rework, it resulted in a 2nd art rework to try to make the complainers happy

 

[Core_guy]

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Emi is quite one of the best example you can use in these type of situations. From the original concept to what was the final product, it had quite the changes, design-wise. Concept was roughly the same, but the art was changing between realities until it found its final place. (っ- ‸ - ς)

Obviously, we're talking of a game (Katawa Shoujo) that took, from small concepts to a full playable game, about a decade or so to be completed by a bunch of people that were united by mere chance, but the topic is the same; not a single game we play is the same as the very first alpha/beta, let alone concept. ( ⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝);

And let's not forget, this wonderful and beautiful game we're discussing on this thread/topic, is still work in progress. There's a lot of stuff not being implemented yet or missing from previous versions, and designs being changed is something that will happen, because that's the art of creating something from scratch.
Einstein didn't publish its first concept of the Theory of Relativity, it took him years to finally have the job done. (๑>؂•̀๑)

I guess people want another Koikatsu game huh? Something simple instead of quality desings.

 

[FP00]

I guess people want another Koikatsu game huh? Something simple instead of quality desings.

It is a topic done to death, and honestly, it feels like nothing can please them. The designs are good, possibly the best version; if they need tweaking, that is the developers' decision.

So in the interest of moving the topic away from this, let's talk about something else, like how Hatchet could include pregnancy without risking their Patreon or who will be claiming Arthur's virginity first (A lust crazed Anges, a feral Maeve or Elizabeth with the steel chair!).

Something substantial and not another unproductive argument about the designs.

 

[Greily]

I think I like all the designs. And bringing Katawa Shoujo as an example, while a good example of progression of art design. I did not say I dislike the designs, I dislike how long it takes. Let's also point out that Katawa Shoujo was a more traditionally developed doujin soft type project. They were not drawing monthly memberships from patreon were they?

I understand that triple AAA game design progress is less visible more or less. But they also get you to at least pre-order up front. If I pay 5 bucks a month for 2 years that's 120 USD.

For an unfinished game?

I'm not supporting this game atm so I don't complain about that. But think about it? A studio that gets paid all at once for a game is gonna bust their ass (typically) to produce a product that will satisfy their fans investment be that monetary, emotional and/or time.

Now all this aside, I did say I would come back to check it out later when there's more progress. I even said I was looking forward to it.

I'll likely buy a copy of it when it's available as long as it doesn't take 10 years to develop, I may forget it by then...

 

[RAZER702o]

y'all having problem with angelika socks??

I'm having problem on Dahlia's eyes

 

[Destroy08xx]

hasn't it also been rewritten a few times?

Most likely nope. After Patreon's addition of new rules I decided to remove any plans related to impregnation.
God knows what other rules they could implement out of the blue.

I've seen other game devs using apart from SubscribeStar, also using Buy Me a Coffee, Ko-Fi and Boosty(

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). Wish game devs would kick Patreon done and humble the shit out of them.

 

[Destroy08xx]

I think I like all the designs. And bringing Katawa Shoujo as an example, while a good example of progression of art design. I did not say I dislike the designs, I dislike how long it takes. Let's also point out that Katawa Shoujo was a more traditionally developed doujin soft type project. They were not drawing monthly memberships from patreon were they?

I understand that triple AAA game design progress is less visible more or less. But they also get you to at least pre-order up front. If I pay 5 bucks a month for 2 years that's 120 USD.

For an unfinished game?

I'm not supporting this game atm so I don't complain about that. But think about it? A studio that gets paid all at once for a game is gonna bust their ass (typically) to produce a product that will satisfy their fans investment be that monetary, emotional and/or time.

Now all this aside, I did say I would come back to check it out later when there's more progress. I even said I was looking forward to it.

I'll likely buy a copy of it when it's available as long as it doesn't take 10 years to develop, I may forget it by then...

You should know that some games have millions of dollars of funding for them. Not even that guarantees that gamers are happy. People need to stop acting soo entitled over games that they are pirating. Do you want the game dev to keep working hard for free?

 

[weewoozesty]

I really don't know. As far as I'm concerned it only involves any appearance of minors in a game, in any shape or form, no matter if they appear as an NPC background character for one second.

To this point I'd rather not risk it. It's not the first time they change rules out of the blue and we can't know if it was the last time.

And it sucks, we actually had something planned for Lilith.

We had in mind Lilith being a mother and reveal the daughter later on (one of the reasons she's so sleep deprived). We totally threw it to the trash bin after those policy changes.

You could make a side branch/patch for them and just release it to Subscribe Star/Fanbox, afiak Fanbox is fairly chill with stuff. Just throwing ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks at this point.