Unity Price for Freedom: Avarice [Build 34.2] [Team Dead Deer]

[Jonathan Y]

Thanks so much! It can be hard to see how we went from 5-star reviews and like, it's actually kinda funny too. If you look at our reviews we go all 5 stars from the bottom then a 4, 3, then 2 and 1 haha, countdown style.

But after I personally get past the comical side of it, and personally with how my mind works is I sit and think on it. Some simply want something that we're not making and aren't going to make. One said we have worse writing than CoC or TiTS and no offence (love you Fenoxo!) I don't think... so... lol. Those games have some great erotic stuff but narrative-wise, that's just there to be more fetish fuel.

But a few do bring up some interesting points that makes me stop and think. And the repeated "too linear" thing is really sticking with me. I would HATE to have;
"This is a branching story path"
"your consequences matter"
"x didn't like that"
"JAAAASOOON! ... he must have visited the clown"

Pop up to let people know that there are non-linear stories in our games.



Already written up a ton of them, you will see them pop up around the town from time to time having girls time, shopping, eating, etc haha. It's not added to the game yet but there are two aftermath states for WhisperingBrook where you can go back and revisit and see how life begins to adapt to your decisions there.

Oof, they accused you of worse writing than CoC ? Damn, I can imagine how that must've felt, but as I said, I think you need to know what to take to heart and what to teach yourself to automatically filter out. I can't even imagine what being a dev feels like.
I think most users here on f95 are used to lore and story being a foreplay/bonus to lewd content, whilst I see Price for Freedom as being the complete opposite, hell if I'm being honest, I mostly skip the h scenes ( which I know is a shame from my part since their so well done ) because I'm more interested in the story.

 

[Deleted member 770309]

To me it does not really feel like much of a RPG yet since there is zero customization of your character other than there name and choosing there clothing colour cause customization that is a big thing for me in a RPG being able to make a custom character choosing there name and what they wear but i will say this the art is damn good though and the the music is spot on and the game has the harem tag so that is another plus. So i am sort of in the middle of this i want to get a feel of the game by playing it now but at the same time i want to wait for a real custom character to make my own.

 

[BupoTiling03-Retired]

To me it does not really feel like much of a RPG yet since there is zero customization of your character other than there name and choosing there clothing colour cause customization that is a big thing for me in a RPG being able to make a custom character choosing there name and what they wear but i will say this the art is damn good though and the the music is spot on and the game has the harem tag so that is another plus. So i am sort of in the middle of this i want to get a feel of the game by playing it now but at the same time i want to wait for a real custom character to make my own.

I think you misunderstand what an RPG is. Separate from character-customization. Just saying.

 

[Valaska]

To me it does not really feel like much of a RPG yet since there is zero customization of your character other than there name and choosing there clothing colour cause customization that is a big thing for me in a RPG being able to make a custom character choosing there name and what they wear but i will say this the art is damn good though and the the music is spot on and the game has the harem tag so that is another plus. So i am sort of in the middle of this i want to get a feel of the game by playing it now but at the same time i want to wait for a real custom character to make my own.

Unfortunately, we're not able to afford that much customisation, and we planned it out that way. So, for RPG's that would be similar to what we want to accomplish RPG and customisation would be something like Witcher, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, and other games where it more sets you in the role of an actual established character.

Divinity Original Sin 2 would be a good example based on what we would have LIKED to do, have a pre-done character you can't edit with options to play your own... but we just don't have the resources for that option. First and foremost I wanted Redic to be his own character with his own backstory, wants, needs, etc... but the player can work within his archetype.

 

[Deleted member 770309]

Unfortunately, we're not able to afford that much customisation, and we planned it out that way. So, for RPG's that would be similar to what we want to accomplish RPG and customisation would be something like Witcher, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, and other games where it more sets you in the role of an actual established character.

Divinity Original Sin 2 would be a good example based on what we would have LIKED to do, have a pre-done character you can't edit with options to play your own... but we just don't have the resources for that option. First and foremost I wanted Redic to be his own character with his own backstory, wants, needs, etc... but the player can work within his archetype.

I don't mind that i that sounds reasonable but i was more of hoping of choosing how he looks and what he wears and his name of course.

 

[Valaska]

I don't mind that i that sounds reasonable but i was more of hoping of choosing how he looks and what he wears and his name of course.

Heck yeah, would be awesome if we could have that option but it's just too much for our team size. I actually struggled with allowing the character to rename the MC because I felt it would make people go "well... why can't I play them any way I want to? Does he have a character or not?"

I think taking the option away now would be bad, but yeah it was something I was considering not having at the start but I got overvoted haha.

 

[Deleted member 770309]

Heck yeah, would be awesome if we could have that option but it's just too much for our team size. I actually struggled with allowing the character to rename the MC because I felt it would make people go "well... why can't I play them any way I want to? Does he have a character or not?"

I think taking the option away now would be bad, but yeah it was something I was considering not having at the start but I got overvoted haha.

Dude that is my dream game a RPG with harem and some incest in there pure gold right there. But i get it man maybe one day.

 

[Valaska]

It seems like year by year we are closer to something like that. Unreal 5 has some amazing world generation options out there with so many premades/prefabs that it's possible someone could just ignore making anything in the world and focus on character customisation etc. Even then it'd be a ton of work but with games like WildLife taking off so much, it might be a potential thing in the future.

 

[Jonathan Y]

It seems like year by year we are closer to something like that. Unreal 5 has some amazing world generation options out there with so many premades/prefabs that it's possible someone could just ignore making anything in the world and focus on character customisation etc. Even then it'd be a ton of work but with games like WildLife taking off so much, it might be a potential thing in the future.

Though I'd imagine you'd lose a portion of potential buyers due to the more demanding system requirements. I mean most fans who play H games probably are used to less demanding engines such as ren'py, rpg maker, unity etc.

 

[NoStepOnSnek]

Though I'd imagine you'd lose a portion of potential buyers due to the more demanding system requirements. I mean most fans who play H games probably are used to less demanding engines such as ren'py, rpg maker, unity etc.

You'd also gain potential buyers among the people with the disposable income for decent machines who think RPGM is kinda clunky and VNs aren't real games.

 

[Jonathan Y]

You'd also gain potential buyers among the people with the disposable income for decent machines who think RPGM is kinda clunky and VNs aren't real games.

Yes but as I said, I imagine since most H-games developers use less system demanding engines, most people who are into H gaming probably do so on older and slower systems, and thus won't like the idea of having to upgrade their systems.
And the newest Rpg maker engine isn't clunky in my opinion, and Vns aren't supposed to be games in the first place, it's literally in the name, a visual ''novel''.
And lastly, the definition and what counts as ''disposible income'' is very subjective from person to person so I won't even get into that

 

[Valaska]

Yes but as I said, I imagine since most H-games developers use less system demanding engines, most people who are into H gaming probably do so on older and slower systems, and thus won't like the idea of having to upgrade their systems.
And the newest Rpg maker engine isn't clunky in my opinion, and Vns aren't supposed to be games in the first place, it's literally in the name, a visual ''novel''.
And lastly, the definition and what counts as ''disposible income'' is very subjective from person to person so I won't even get into that

That's one of the things with Unreal 5, some models running real-time in it right now have more complexity than XBOX360 characters in a single row of eyelashes, and it runs MUCH faster. Wildlife actually takes more resources since it is on Unreal (4) rather than 5, so 5 will really open stuff up to developers for making extremely detailed worlds with their assets.

Games like Wildlife and Carnal Instinct (even subverse) do prove there is a pretty big market and most people have reasonably powerful rigs these days. So there's a definite future in demanding games.

We'll be sticking with 2D for this project obviously haha. 3D games demand having at least 2 3D asset artists if you're serious.

 

[Jonathan Y]

That's one of the things with Unreal 5, some models running real-time in it right now have more complexity than XBOX360 characters in a single row of eyelashes, and it runs MUCH faster. Wildlife actually takes more resources since it is on Unreal (4) rather than 5, so 5 will really open stuff up to developers for making extremely detailed worlds with their assets.

Games like Wildlife and Carnal Instinct (even subverse) do prove there is a pretty big market and most people have reasonably powerful rigs these days. So there's a definite future in demanding games.

We'll be sticking with 2D for this project obviously haha. 3D games demand having at least 2 3D asset artists if you're serious.

I see, well I'll admit, if in the future, you guys will create and work on another project as worthwhile and captivating as Price For Freedom, then I guess that'll be a pretty good incentive for me to upgrade my system.
Speaking of which, have you guys already discussed what comes after Price For Freedom ? Probably too early to ask tho, I've been a patreon for a while but haven't looked through old posts and discussions so idk if this was already asked.

 

[Valaska]

I see, well I'll admit, if in the future, you guys will create and work on another project as worthwhile and captivating as Price For Freedom, then I guess that'll be a pretty good incentive for me to upgrade my system.
Speaking of which, have you guys already discussed what comes after Price For Freedom ? Probably too early to ask tho, I've been a patreon for a while but haven't looked through old posts and discussions so idk if this was already asked.

We'll definitely still keep creating after PFF:A, 3D might be out of our scope for a while though, it all depends on how we do. But I think we enjoy having 2D since we have the talent that handle it.

As for the future after... all of the internal team sort of have ideas for what they'd like to make next. We've had 2am talks about what would be neat to do after. I would like to do a platformer with an overworld you travel around and with set dungeons, but also some procedural ones, etc. Arbuz likes the idea of something RTS-like, deck has his own thoughts on what he'd like to see next but he was thinking hack and slash might be neat. I forget what Cheese said. Most everyone on the team spitball ideas from time to time what the next extry in Price For Freedom would look like.

Once we get done we'll have to have a sit down to seriously talk about what would be the best route. Could even be another game building off what we learned in this game and trying to iterate and improve what we did here. At the moment it's just fun theorycrafting. One thing I learned in the games industry before the project was as soon as you are finished the first build, developers almost always start talking about what the next game will be lol.

 

[Jonathan Y]

We'll definitely still keep creating after PFF:A, 3D might be out of our scope for a while though, it all depends on how we do. But I think we enjoy having 2D since we have the talent that handle it.

As for the future after... all of the internal team sort of have ideas for what they'd like to make next. We've had 2am talks about what would be neat to do after. I would like to do a platformer with an overworld you travel around and with set dungeons, but also some procedural ones, etc. Arbuz likes the idea of something RTS-like, deck has his own thoughts on what he'd like to see next but he was thinking hack and slash might be neat. I forget what Cheese said. Most everyone on the team spitball ideas from time to time what the next extry in Price For Freedom would look like.

Once we get done we'll have to have a sit down to seriously talk about what would be the best route. Could even be another game building off what we learned in this game and trying to iterate and improve what we did here. At the moment it's just fun theorycrafting. One thing I learned in the games industry before the project was as soon as you are finished the first build, developers almost always start talking about what the next game will be lol.

Oh bummer, though I know a project won't be good unless the people making it are emotionally invested, I personally was hoping for a more story-driven format rather than a gameplay focused one, I mean, I feel like if you guys make gameplay your main selling point, you'd have a very hard time distinguishing yourselves from what's already out there, ofc you could do it with enough work and skill, no doubt about it, however there are so many good hack and slash games, platformers and good RTS games already out there, thus as I said, it would be difficult to find the formula and execution of said formula that allows it to stand out. However story-wise, Price For Freedom is distinguished enough to have good potential for reaching even higher heights.
Or that's just my two cents anyway, admittedly pretty biased since I like to read rather than play, but yeah I still wanted to give my input. Anywho, will you guys make a pool for fans to give their opinion on the subject ?

 

[Valaska]

Oh bummer, though I know a project won't be good unless the people making it are emotionally invested, I personally was hoping for a more story-driven format rather than a gameplay focused one, I mean, I feel like if you guys make gameplay your main selling point, you'd have a very hard time distinguishing yourselves from what's already out there, ofc you could do it with enough work and skill, no doubt about it, however there are so many good hack and slash games, platformers and good RTS games already out there, thus as I said, it would be difficult to find the formula and execution of said formula that allows it to stand out. However story-wise, Price For Freedom is distinguished enough to have good potential for reaching even higher heights.
Or that's just my two cents anyway, admittedly pretty biased since I like to read rather than play, but yeah I still wanted to give my input. Anywho, will you guys make a pool for fans to give their opinion on the subject ?

Oh, all of them would focus on narrative too. My own I have a whole story arc in my head for it, but a lot of it would be told via the world too, but also upfront dialogue and storytelling too.

It makes me curious how Arb wants to handle RTS with story, he said that there were ways he could see keeping it with story and such and explained it. It sounds interesting but I feel it would pull back from the narrative obviously. We plan on improving the current game's gameplay too, we want it to be an enjoyable all-rounded experience.

Potentially, in the future, it would be pretty interesting to see what people would want to see. At the same time we are making things we like so it might be down to what the team is feeling, within reason of course.

 

[Jonathan Y]

Oh, all of them would focus on narrative too. My own I have a whole story arc in my head for it, but a lot of it would be told via the world too, but also upfront dialogue and storytelling too.

It makes me curious how Arb wants to handle RTS with story, he said that there were ways he could see keeping it with story and such and explained it. It sounds interesting but I feel it would pull back from the narrative obviously. We plan on improving the current game's gameplay too, we want it to be an enjoyable all-rounded experience.

Potentially, in the future, it would be pretty interesting to see what people would want to see. At the same time we are making things we like so it might be down to what the team is feeling, within reason of course.

That sounds exciting, in that case, I'm looking forward to supporting you guys and see what you come up with. Best of luck, though judging by what you've accomplished thus far, you don't need it, because I'm sure it'll be awesome

 

[BupoTiling03-Retired]

Though I'd imagine you'd lose a portion of potential buyers due to the more demanding system requirements. I mean most fans who play H games probably are used to less demanding engines such as ren'py, rpg maker, unity etc.

Unreal Engine is scalable. Up to dev to either allow customization through UI or just allow people to edit their INIs without overwriting anything unnecessarily.

That's one of the things with Unreal 5, some models running real-time in it right now have more complexity than XBOX360 characters in a single row of eyelashes, and it runs MUCH faster. Wildlife actually takes more resources since it is on Unreal (4) rather than 5, so 5 will really open stuff up to developers for making extremely detailed worlds with their assets.

Games like Wildlife and Carnal Instinct (even subverse) do prove there is a pretty big market and most people have reasonably powerful rigs these days. So there's a definite future in demanding games.

We'll be sticking with 2D for this project obviously haha. 3D games demand having at least 2 3D asset artists if you're serious.

Only if they take leverage of these features. You can get away with just one 3D-artist, depending upon poly-count.

 

[Valaska]

Unreal Engine is scalable. Up to dev to either allow customization through UI or just allow people to edit their INIs without overwriting anything unnecessarily.

Only if they take leverage of these features. You can get away with just one 3D-artist, depending upon poly-count.

Haha yeah true, I used to do low to medium poly models back in the day... the first games I worked on were these mobile games, it was supposed to be a tower defense 4x for cellphones way back in ye olde day (smartphones not clamshells) and I made some cool stuff!

Then the trust fund baby hit on our lead marketing guy's girlfriend, bought a CryEngine license because he was convinced Crytek provided the mobile version of Cryengine despite our lead programmer PLEADING with him not to do it but he was listening to the new dude who seemed to control his brain. Then the marketing director mooned him on skype and quit, the lead programmer got fed up with CryEngine BS and trying to make it mobile, and eventually the game turned into a rip-off of Audio surf and to this day I shamefully still get about 50¢ a month from royalties.

 

[8bitKink]

God damn the comic is at 353 pages already? Impressive, keep it up!