Planned Game: Estate of Arousal - Feedback

[DynamiteJoe]

Hey, after being here these days chatting around and making polls to decide the game I'll be making, I think I finally have it.

As the thread title says, the game is called "Estate of Arousal".
It's a game I actually started some time ago but since I was working as the artist for another game I put it on indefinite hold due to lack of time. It's a simpler game meant to be my first (of many I hope), before I get into longer game ideas. I've been revising the game idea these last couple of days and changed a few things. One of them being the MC, originally planned to be a Male MC, now a Futa MC. I'm open to the idea of maybe making it optional if there is enough interest, but that basically means double the art so it would be something for much later.

So, what is it?

It's a VN style sandbox game where the MC joins an experiment for testing an advanced AI integrated in a luxurious mansion to transform it into a fully self sufficient home. The MC and a group of women will have to live isolated in the mansion for 3 months to fully test the AI and the mansion capabilities. The MC just saw a chance to live in luxury surrounded by hot women, said "heck yeah" and signed the contract. However, is there more than meets the eye? *drama sound*

My goal is to make sex or sexy things part of the gameplay itself. For example, yes, minigames are planned but they won't be just generic chores for gaining points, my goal is to incorporate sex or some sort of temptation in them. Oh, and the period of "3 months" is a placeholder, might change at some point, though in general I want to keep the game light and relaxed.
It will have a theme of harem and corruption but won't be slow burn, the action will start pretty much day one. Also huge dick and proportions are going to be a main theme, including stuff like stomach bulges, cumflation and so on, which could also be optional if enough people want it. Originally, I planned for some stuff like mind control and dubcon content but it's getting too annoying to have that kind of content on western platforms so I removed those, but if possible I could try making some external patch for those who want that.

Another change, since I didn't have much time I originally planned to make it using AI art. Here is a screenshot of the game last time I worked on it:



I had already all the characters and several locations of the mansion but now I'm planning on making them on Daz, which is where I normally do my art. Actually, today I was testing some things in Daz, one thing led to another and I started to work on the Daz version of that blonde character you see up there (Sindi). it's unfinished but here is what I got so far to give you an idea of what to expect:



Here I think would be one question. I'm up for making my art in Daz as always, but while making the polls and talking about adult games and so on, it was a common topic people preferring 2d or anime/comic styles than the typical realistic-ish 3d in Daz. I can't draw anything I'd consider decent and I can't pay an artist so, if I went for the 2d route, it would be AI.
What would you prefer? Continue with AI? Make it in Daz?

And what do you think in general about the game so far?

 

[Jaike]

Here I think would be one question. I'm up for making my art in Daz as always, but while making the polls and talking about adult games and so on, it was a common topic people preferring 2d or anime/comic styles than the typical realistic-ish 3d in Daz. I can't draw anything I'd consider decent and I can't pay an artist so, if I went for the 2d route, it would be AI.
What would you prefer? Continue with AI? Make it in Daz?

That's the usual case of zonies pushing for their favourite art style, kinks, or whatever. Daz is probably the most popular art style for western devs and many successful games use it. It's a perfectly fine option. Just that it's a common topic doesn't mean the complainers aren't a minority, most of them likely hyper sensitive weebs. Though 2d AI can be successful too, obviously, the hatedom for that is bigger.

The best choice is the art style you like most, you're the most experienced in, and so on.

 

[Icarus Media]

What would you prefer? Continue with AI? Make it in Daz?

This?

 

[DynamiteJoe]

That's the usual case of zonies pushing for their favourite art style, kinks, or whatever. Daz is probably the most popular art style for western devs and many successful games use it. It's a perfectly fine option. Just that it's a common topic doesn't mean the complainers aren't a minority, most of them likely hyper sensitive weebs. Though 2d AI can be successful too, obviously, the hatedom for that is bigger.

The best choice is the art style you like most, you're the most experienced in, and so on.

Well, going by just the first page of that list, seems to me like not even half of those games are made with Daz and most of those seem to have at least some stylization for their characters.

But yeah, I think I get what you are saying.

I mean, even if choosing in a "vacuum" of just what I like and can do, it's a bit of a hard choice for me since I do enjoy 2d and 3d, not sure I can say which one I like the most. If I had to say one clear advantage of one over the other, is that I tend to like hyper content a lot and I feel 2d fits better for that kind of content.

So, on one hand using AI has that advantage. It is faster, though not as fast as some would think, it does take time generating images until you get what you want or the closest thing, and then doing any necessary editing. Also, even though I'm not good enough at drawing for making the art of a game myself, I'm good enough to make my own rough sketches and then use the AI to improve them instead of just letting the AI do everything. It is also less tiresome, working on 3d stuff so much does take a toll on my hand and back, while I can set up to work on my PC remotely and do a lot of the work comfortably and then sitting on the PC for editing.

On the other hand, there is something I really like about the more realistic 3d look... not sure what it is. Looks "meatier"? I realize it can also be achieved with drawings but I feel it's more difficult. And I get much more control of my scenes and characters.

So, you see the list of pros for each one and you'd think the decision is easy, I probably should go for AI. But for me, the part of having much more control weights a lot. (also why I really don't make a fuss about AI and not thinking it will replace artists aaaanytime soon). I mean, I'm still limited by the assets available and making them do things they aren't made to do increases my workload a lot more, but I get full control of the scene, camera, lighting, expression, posing, etc, etc.

So yeah, it is a difficult choice for me, and that's why I was hoping some external feedback would help with that. Can't deny a big part of me choosing Daz for the game by default is the stigma involved with AI.

 

[Jaike]

Well, going by just the first page of that list, seems to me like not even half of those games are made with Daz and most of those seem to have at least some stylization for their characters.

Correct, buuuut:
Daz (or very similar): at least 10 games
HS or HS2: 5 games
Manga style 2d: 4 games (both western and Japanese)
Western style 2d: 4 games, this category is imo too loose because it includes traced real porn and western cartoon style...
AI 2d: 1 game

That's just from the 1st page, so out of 30 games, and close to half of them are Daz.

There are good reasons to pick something other than Daz, but the hatedom for Daz is pretty irrelevant because games that use it do pretty well. It's just a small group of people who sniff each others' farts.

I mean, even if choosing in a "vacuum" of just what I like and can do, it's a bit of a hard choice for me since I do enjoy 2d and 3d, not sure I can say which one I like the most. If I had to say one clear advantage of one over the other, is that I tend to like hyper content a lot and I feel 2d fits better for that kind of content.

That is a good point, 2d does permit more deformation or exaggeration without the uncanny valley kicking in.

Though it's less an issue in the futa fandom, or at least I think so, they're pretty used to hyper in 3d too.

On the other hand, there is something I really like about the more realistic 3d look... not sure what it is. Looks "meatier"? I realize it can also be achieved with drawings but I feel it's more difficult. And I get much more control of my scenes and characters.

So, you see the list of pros for each one and you'd think the decision is easy, I probably should go for AI. But for me, the part of having much more control weights a lot. (also why I really don't make a fuss about AI and not thinking it will replace artists aaaanytime soon). I mean, I'm still limited by the assets available and making them do things they aren't made to do increases my workload a lot more, but I get full control of the scene, camera, lighting, expression, posing, etc, etc.

Spoiler: full control indeed...

You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.

 

[DynamiteJoe]

Correct, buuuut:
Daz (or very similar): at least 10 games
HS or HS2: 5 games
Manga style 2d: 4 games (both western and Japanese)
Western style 2d: 4 games, this category is imo too loose because it includes traced real porn and western cartoon style...
AI 2d: 1 game

That's just from the 1st page, so out of 30 games, and close to half of them are Daz.

There are good reasons to pick something other than Daz, but the hatedom for Daz is pretty irrelevant because games that use it do pretty well. It's just a small group of people who sniff each others' farts.


That is a good point, 2d does permit more deformation or exaggeration without the uncanny valley kicking in.

Though it's less an issue in the futa fandom, or at least I think so, they're pretty used to hyper in 3d too.

Spoiler: full control indeed...

You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.

I'd say there are "levels" in the futa fandom, and I feel most would like as far as something like Rigid3d or RadRoach would do. But now I'm remembering IceDev's work that I like so much I hanged posters with some of his renders in my sub in Subnautica and I think he is reeeally popular as well. Which also makes the case that you don't have to make mostly animations for people to like your works (he does make animations but not as many as the other 2)
Right now I'm not even sure how far I want to take it in this game. Originally was thinking going for as much as RadRoach, but now that I remembered IceDev and someone else reminded me of Smash Daisaku in another thread, I'm feeling like really pushing it. Which again makes difficult deciding what to use for the art....

(Sorry if I'm rambling and maybe not making too much sense, it's actually why I like asking for feedback and see what other people think, helps me remember and think about things in different ways hopefully helping me homing in what I really want and should do. Also, thanks btw)