VN Ren'Py Paracosmic Reality [v1.8.0 Main] [Jiggly Stone Studios]

4.40 star(s) 24 Votes

How do you feel about sandbox/hybrid-sandbox games? (Pick 1-2)

  • I prefer sandbox games above all else.

  • I don't mind them if they are done right.

  • I generally avoid, but will make exceptions.

  • No. Burn em all to the ground.


Results are only viewable after voting.

Hordragg

Lesser-Known Mesmer
Donor
Compressor
Apr 2, 2019
2,949
10,630
i also recommend you pack images and audio in rpa files for distribution. could probably save some space with that. :)
As has been pointed out by Smrdgy already, packing the game assets into an rpa file won't do much for compression; it mostly leads to said assets being harder to access. Which may or may not be seen as a boon.

Another valid point they brought up is the importance of rpyc files. These should only ever be recreated in very rare circumstances, by the developer, after having populated the . If you don't feel like reading the Under the hood article they linked: Ren'Py compiles a script by associating each line with a name – in case of labels it's said label's name, for regular lines it's basically a number. These names are in turn referenced by the save files as well as by persistent storage. Apart from the values of the defined variables, the former tracks each visited line of your playthrough allowing you to continue or rollback from the saved point, while the latter tracks each line ever visited allowing you to CTRL-skip through already played parts. Having the rpyc files be recreated on the user's end will lead to new names on all but labels, thus breaking most saves and the ability to skip over already seen lines (given default settings for the latter).

However to make a drastic change in size, the dev should consider converting the images into webp instead of jpeg.
No.

WEBP's strengths lie in supporting transparency and still looking fine on low quality settings. And while It does well on less detailed, uniformly coloured areas, photorealistic renders aren't it's forte. In fact, on most quality setting above it's default (see also ), modern JPEG encoders like mozjepg an it's de-facto successor jpegli have it beat; meaning lower file sizes at the same DSSIM values or lower DSSIM values at the same file sizes. So, unless everybody here's fine with Sylvie loosing a part of her freckles – which I am not – WEBP should only be used for the actual compression – and even then:geek:
 
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JigglyStone - Fero Seele

Paracosmic Reality Dev
Game Developer
Apr 27, 2018
295
764
Did you post that here, because I didn't see it.
I did mention it a bit back, here.
It will be going monthly, but it should also be understood that the update sizes will adjust accordingly. They will be smaller, there's no doubt about that, but I'll do my best to get as much content in as I can with said monthly updates.

The big thing is that I need to get into that routine of dropping the updates regardless of where the content is at rather than pushing to a finish point in the game and soaking up 3-4 months.
It was a small while ago. Further back than I remembered. My apologies for not making that more evident between then and now.

As for my dad undergoing surgery and all that, I've mentioned it in some of the more recent posts, but I mostly put out a notice on my patreon/substar/discord.

For context, he ripped his rotator cuff about a year ago. Due to BS, he was only able to just get into surgery for it back in late July. 2-3 weeks into recovery, he ended up tearing it again. Though this time in a different place entirely... He underwent a second surgery last Thursday, and while the surgery went well, the news afterward didn't. The new/second tear wasn't just a tear. It was a complete and total destruction of the cuff. If you've seen those videos of someone smoking pork and then just burying their hands into it and shredding the fuck out of it into pulled pork, that's the inside of his shoulder right now. Completely irreparable.

His only recourse now is that he's going to be undergoing a third surgery next month to get a reverse shoulder implant. Basically, a metal implant that inverts the ball and joint socket so the ball is on the shoulder and the socket is on the upper arm. This "should" restore roughly 80% of his mobility.

I've been having to take up all of the workload at work since late July. Which has been about 3 job sites now and ended up pushing myself to the point of herniating a disk in my neck. Numb fingers, all that fun stuff lol.

I've since recovered, but work still resumes with my having to do a 2-3 person job on my own. Time for working on the game has been scarce and what little time I do get, I'm often so burnt out from work that it's a struggle to stay awake, let alone continue working away at my game.

It's a tough point in life for me right now, so just please bear with me guys.
 

JigglyStone - Fero Seele

Paracosmic Reality Dev
Game Developer
Apr 27, 2018
295
764
Oh ok no worries, hope your old man gets better soon.
Hopefully he'll be a lot better after the recovery from the third surgery lol. We are in the process of pivoting our work that we do as well. We've always been carpenters with a side of handyman stuff. Him 30 years strong and myself 10-12 years but I've been on the jobsites since before I could walk lol.

I hate the work and he can't do it anymore, so we're working on pivoting things into doing product fabrication and sales lol.

Should that take off, my stress and general workload are going to be massively lessened, which will be REALLY nice. xD
It'll mean tons of more time for working on the game as well.
 

Groniklo

New Member
Apr 13, 2023
2
1
I've just discovered this little gem. It's short but it's interesting. Very captivating plot and beautiful graphics. Also very cute girls. Enjoyed it a lot, it's going into my "top shelf" bookmarks category.
 

Smrdgy

Newbie
Nov 12, 2018
18
53
WEBP's strengths lie in supporting transparency and still looking fine on low quality settings. And while It does well on less detailed, uniformly coloured areas, photorealistic renders aren't it's forte. In fact, on most quality setting above it's default (see also ), modern JPEG encoders like mozjepg an it's de-facto successor jpegli have it beat; meaning lower file sizes at the same DSSIM values or lower DSSIM values at the same file sizes. So, unless everybody here's fine with Sylvie loosing a part of her freckles – which I am not – WEBP should only be used for the actual compression – and even then:geek:
Ah, thanks for the correction, I haven't worked with webp yet, so I just assumed wrong, when I've seen noticeable size difference in a few games when the devs have switch from jpeg.
 

PushMyButton

Newbie
Jan 22, 2023
97
208
That's really weird o.o unfortunately I'm not great with the android related stuff. (Packing it was significantly more of a pain in the ass than packaging the PC/MAC stuff.)

I'd recommend that you first attempt to redownload it, just incase your download is corrupted.

Failing that or if no one has any other suggestions, I can look into re-packaging it for you, but I can't promise it'll fix anything.
I don’t quite understand why the website says 1.8 but the game itself
 
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excalibertypo

Active Member
Apr 10, 2020
507
400
now thats what i call a small update image_2024-09-05_123204147.png lol. wake me up when we finally have a finish story, anyway nice work dev
 

JigglyStone - Fero Seele

Paracosmic Reality Dev
Game Developer
Apr 27, 2018
295
764
Well, I downloaded the game and played a bit and that was the end of the version or did I go down a different branch or something, there is no content for this or what?
The content for this update started out with MC heading to his room to take a shower and ended with Sylvie going for a walk. If you haven't seen that bit yet, then you might actually have a copy of 1.7.0 instead somehow.
 

Ashira13

Active Member
Jan 31, 2024
577
875
The content for this update started out with MC heading to his room to take a shower and ended with Sylvie going for a walk. If you haven't seen that bit yet, then you might actually have a copy of 1.7.0 instead somehow.
the content of what was downloaded from op yesterday actually ended with the MC giving sylvie a phonewhen i played i. so maybe whe wrong version was uploaded? screenshot0001.png ,
 
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PushMyButton

Newbie
Jan 22, 2023
97
208
the content of what was downloaded from op yesterday actually ended with the MC giving sylvie a phonewhen i played i. so maybe whe wrong version was uploaded? View attachment 4004443 ,
here is the point said dude I also had it after a shower and lunch or dinner the main character gave the girls the phone and that's it end of version
The content for this update started out with MC heading to his room to take a shower and ended with Sylvie going for a walk. If you haven't seen that bit yet, then you might actually have a copy of 1.7.0 instead somehow.
 
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JigglyStone - Fero Seele

Paracosmic Reality Dev
Game Developer
Apr 27, 2018
295
764
here is the point said dude I also had it after a shower and lunch or dinner the main character gave the girls the phone and that's it end of version
If you experienced that part, then you've finished v.1.8.0m.

Please see the full quoted response I gave to Havik79 as to why the content is less per update now.
It's a tough point in life for me right now, so just please bear with me guys.
Unfortunately, that's just the cut of things right now. Things are going to be slim for the next few updates until we've navigated to a better position in life. We're getting there, slowly but surely.
 
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4.40 star(s) 24 Votes