My first game

[Bonepenny]

Hi guys

tl;dr
I want to make a game and I want it to be awesome, read the plot.

normal version

I've been playing adult games for some time now and I've never came across a game that will fully satisfy me so I decided to make my own game.
I've read some threads here trying to find out where to start and now I know that laying out a solid foundation and deciding on what game I'd like to make will be the best way to begin.
I want to make a story-driven game with branching plot and interesting and appealing characters set in a fantasy world. I want this game to contain such features as crafting, fighting and upgrading player's house. I know that it won't be easy and I'm aware that one should start small and build up ones experience before delving into such project, that's why I want my first game to be sort of an introduction to the world and characters, like a first chapter of sort and after that having gathered the experience I'd like to start creating a proper story and game.
I'm more of a writer than anything else, I cannot draw better than kindergartners and I'm not good at coding. And while the latter can be fixed (I already tried making a simple game with ren'py to get a general hang of it) the former won't be as simple. That's why I decided to use assets made in honey select but I'm a bit worried about legal issues regarding this approach. I know that there are plenty of free daz assets but I don't like this style of art and I would consider it last resort.
So far I planned out the main plot and prologue as well as a few characters with their backgrounds and initial design. Now it's just a matter of writing dialogue, making character sprites and backgrounds and coding it into a game...

Spoiler: Plot

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I'm writing this post to actually ask some questions.
1) What about legal issues of using honey select sprites in my game?
2) What do you think about this fragment of plot and setting?
3) Do you have any suggestions regarding tools I could use to make my work easier?
4) Would you even like to play a game that is plot-heavy but rewarding?
5) I didn't want to make this post too long so if you have any questions feel free to ask.

Thanks for your time reading it.

 

[Zachy]

1) Well I have no idea about this, since I've never used HS models on my games. But I think you won't have any problem, since I've seen games like Mythic Manor and Lab Rats that use HS without problems.

2) Well, so far so good. Of course it can't stay like that; but since I'm not a writer, I cannot suggest anything right now.

3) I dunno. You haven't specified wich engine you're going to use (you said that you knew some python, but I didn't read anything about definitely using ren'py). IMHO, this would seem as a good RPGM game to me.

4) I'd love to, haha!

5) I have no more questions

Good luck!

 

[RedPillBlues]

> After some time he started raping the maids and beating them.
>Despite how it looks this game probably won't contain any rape

What?

Also Plot sounds fresh, but I personally hate honey select models in games even though I'm a huge fan of Illusion.

 

[TheDragonoyd]

Ooooohhh, i love violence and gore.

I hope you get around to make this game; it seens fairly interesting. And, don't worry too much, most great ideas have once being nothing than, well, ideas. If you are adapting your skills to fit your vision, then you're on the right track.

 

[Zaon]

I've come to like HS models over time, but they need to be used well. Most HS models I find irritating, but there are a few select counter-examples of doing it right, so it definitely is possible. However, while they can look good if you use them right (and possibly with some post-processing) I feel they don't fit well with a serious tone in a game. They look a bit too cartoony and.... porny? I don't really know how to describe it, just saying you should consider the tone of your game and if the visuals match the tone you're trying to create.

Also, I hate false advertising. If you put raping, beating and killing into the plot description but then have the game not feature any of it people will be upset, and rightly so. If you insist that it's there for story reasons and have the character maybe mature and see the error of his ways, etc. then it's fine, but I would put it in YUGE letters on the first page that it doesn't actually contain any of that. In fact, in that case I'd probably leave it out of the game description and make it more vague, something like "mistakes from his past" or "his cruel and savage behavior towards women" or something generic like that. Otherwise it's just pervbaiting :X

 

[Winterfire]

The plot does not contain any reason for most of the features you have listed, one suggestion I can give you is to avoid putting useless features or things that are not really needed as this will only lead to a waste of time for both you and the players.
Classic example: Movement in RPG Maker when it is not truly necessary.

 

[おい！]

1) What about legal issues of using honey select sprites in my game?

As far as I know there are no legal issues with using Honey Select models etc............. Illusion do not officially sell their games outside of Japan and have never chased anyone who has pirated their games or used their sprites.

 

[DownTheDrain]

I want this game to contain such features as crafting, fighting and upgrading player's house.

Sounds like it'll be RPGM then, as I haven't seen anyone do that well in Renpy.

That's why I decided to use assets made in honey select but I'm a bit worried about legal issues regarding this approach. I know that there are plenty of free daz assets but I don't like this style of art and I would consider it last resort.

Ugh, I hate Honey Select models in any game that isn't Honey Select.
I suppose they'd make for great sex animations if those can be extracted and you'd have plenty of weird and fancy clothing options. Definitely not for me, but go for it.

After some time he started raping the maids and beating them. When his father left home for some time, our protagonist went on complete rampage, strungling one of his slaves to death. Father returned to see his son commiting various attrocities to their stuff and decided to banish him and strip him from all his noble rights.

If the MC is supposed to be a complete asshole that's fine. If you want him to eventually redeem himself and players to actually like (or at least tolerate) him that might be difficult to write. Maybe tone that down a notch.

 

[Bonepenny]

> After some time he started raping the maids and beating them.
>Despite how it looks this game probably won't contain any rape

What?

Also Plot sounds fresh, but I personally hate honey select models in games even though I'm a huge fan of Illusion.

I am not a big fan of rape, gore or violence but as I wrote later I am willing to add some of it to the game as an option if people request it.

Ooooohhh, i love violence and gore.

As I said above, I might add some elements of it into the game but it won't be the main focus of it, more likely a clearly shown option that you can avoid easily.

I've come to like HS models over time [...] However, while they can look good if you use them right (and possibly with some post-processing) I feel they don't fit well with a serious tone in a game. They look a bit too cartoony and.... porny? I don't really know how to describe it, just saying you should consider the tone of your game and if the visuals match the tone you're trying to create.

I wanted to use honey select because of the amount of customisation options and clothing, but I want this game to be a bit darker than most games using those assets so I'm no longer sure about that. Maybe you have some other suggestions about sprites I can use? (I'd really appreciate if it wasn't daz tho )

Also, I hate false advertising. If you put raping, beating and killing into the plot description but then have the game not feature any of it people will be upset, and rightly so. If you insist that it's there for story reasons and have the character maybe mature and see the error of his ways, etc. then it's fine, but I would put it in YUGE letters on the first page that it doesn't actually contain any of that. In fact, in that case I'd probably leave it out of the game description and make it more vague, something like "mistakes from his past" or "his cruel and savage behavior towards women" or something generic like that. Otherwise it's just pervbaiting :X

Thanks for this suggestion. You guessed that I'd like the MC to be able to redeem himself, but also I'd like to give players the choice of which path they would follow. I'm planning on making three different paths showing three different approaches to MC's revenge plot and one of the paths could be focused on trying to understand his faults and change.
As I said before, I can put this more violent content as an optional choice and it would be avoidable.

The plot does not contain any reason for most of the features you have listed, one suggestion I can give you is to avoid putting useless features or things that are not really needed as this will only lead to a waste of time for both you and the players.
Classic example: Movement in RPG Maker when it is not truly necessary.

This part of plot that I wrote here to vaguely show you my concept for prologue/early game stage to demonstrate what this game is about just don't contain my plans on how I want to further develop this concept. In my mind it makes sense, because I know what I want to achieve.

Sounds like it'll be RPGM then, as I haven't seen anyone do that well in Renpy.

Nothing is really set in stone, because those mechanics wouldn't be presented untill later in the game and those mechanics definitely won't be implemented in prologue/first chapter. I wanted to make this game in ren'py and if this means sacrificing some concepts I wanted to have then it's fine.

Ugh, I hate Honey Select models in any game that isn't Honey Select.
I suppose they'd make for great sex animations if those can be extracted and you'd have plenty of weird and fancy clothing options. Definitely not for me, but go for it.

Do you have any suggestions on what other assets can I use then? I'm ready to try anything to improve the game experience as nothing is really decided yet.

If the MC is supposed to be a complete asshole that's fine. If you want him to eventually redeem himself and players to actually like (or at least tolerate) him that might be difficult to write. Maybe tone that down a notch.

Everything you wrote is true, MC is an asshole and he can stay this way for throughout the game, but he can also redeem himself. I'd like to let players decide so I want to make three paths for them to choose from.

Thank you for all of the replies.

 

[DownTheDrain]

Do you have any suggestions on what other assets can I use then? I'm ready to try anything to improve the game experience as nothing is really decided yet.

No suggestions, we just have different preferences in style. I just started messing around with Daz3D because I like the look.
I also avoid games with Honey Select models even if I like the genre and setting. You can make nice bouncy breasts with it but the faces are questionable, skin details are borderline and hands and feet look terrible.
There's also the fact that I can create a complete Honey Select character in like 5 minutes and then pose her and bang her in any number of ways, so I feel much less motivated to fight my way through your story to be rewarded with sex.

Everything you wrote is true, MC is an asshole and he can stay this way for throughout the game, but he can also redeem himself. I'd like to let players decide so I want to make three paths for them to choose from.

That's fair, as long as you can write him as a likeable asshole.
Maybe have him coerce the maids instead of taking them by force and make the strangulation an accident. That way players can decide if they want to continue towards darker themes or try to turn things around.
If you start out as straight up murder rapist there's really nowhere left to go.

 

[Bonepenny]

There's also the fact that I can create a complete Honey Select character in like 5 minutes and then pose her and bang her in any number of ways, so I feel much less motivated to fight my way through your story to be rewarded with sex.

That's a good point. Nevertheless if I make a story that is worth playing for and treat sex scenes just as a bonus reward then I hope even you could enjoy my game to some extent despite using honey select assets. Of course as every game maker I'd like to have an artist creating custom assets for me, but right now I have to go with whatever I have at my dispotition.

That's fair, as long as you can write him as a likeable asshole.

I don't really want him to be likeable at all time. I'd like to give players the choice to change his character if they want. I'm thinking about making three paths where one is him being a complete asshole secound for MC being indifferent and just wanting to reach his goal even if it meant hurting others and the last one being a path of redeem but I have to think about that some more.

Maybe have him coerce the maids instead of taking them by force and make the strangulation an accident. That way players can decide if they want to continue towards darker themes or try to turn things around.
If you start out as straight up murder rapist there's really nowhere left to go.

This is a great idea, thanks!

 

[lancelotdulak]

To make what you describe you need to use unity or unreal engine. That will be a learning curve. But so will 3d modelling and rendering.

Id strongly suggest not wasting your time with rpgm. Compare unity and ue4. Pick one and start learning how to do things in it. In Very broad strokes: ue4 has higher end graphics and is I'm home more powerful but a very bad use interface and smaller community relatively. Unity is much easier to use, has a huge usebase and seemingly infinite assets. Both are incredibly powerful in comparison to the bad old days.

Or you can use renpy and make it a visual novel and sorta fake the crafting etc.

If you're nervous about learning to code go download visual basic and make some stuff. Then dive into your engine of choice. But do and play with whatever engine... Don't rely on tutorials. Use tutorials to find out how to do specific things as you try

 

[Winterfire]

I disagree on UE4 having higher end graphics, it'd be more correct saying it has higher end graphics out of the box and probably better performance on those post processing effects but this is just a guess.

 

[lancelotdulak]

I disagree on UE4 having higher end graphics, it'd be more correct saying it has higher end graphics out of the box and probably better performance on those post processing effects but this is just a guess.

Im not dissing unity and their new push into HD gives me serious hope for the engine. But go look at Wild Life. You literally cannot do that in Unity. And ive never seen unity come even CLOSE to UE4 when it is used for bleeding edge graphics. Id absolutely LOVE if unity caught up with UE4 though.. i could delete it. The UI is a frigging idiotic nightmare