Question about early stages of a game.

[M$hot]

Hello everyone, I have a quick question that would be helpful for me to have an answer to.

When a game is in early stages (0.01 - 0.03 kind of early) what do you prefer?

option 1: 3 of many girls fully playable from beginning to end
Option 2: all girls met but very little content with each
Option 3: Other (please explain)

I ask because I'm taking tentative steps towards building something myself (won't be a patreon thing because I won't be on that 'its my job' thing) and I wonder where peoples preferences lay. I personally think I would prefer having a few fully fleshed out girls. That however is just my taste and I don't want to be the only one that enjoys it. Thus.

Thanks for taking the time to read and/or respond!

 

[Droid Productions]

I personally think I would prefer having a few fully fleshed out girls. That however is just my taste and I don't want to be the only one that enjoys it.

That's your answer, though. Do what you love, not what you think others want you to do. Anyway, your instincts are right here; you can always expand on the core group later, but if nobody finds the initial group interesting, there's not much motivation to stay for the rest.

 

[M$hot]

That's your answer, though. Do what you love, not what you think others want you to do. Anyway, your instincts are right here; you can always expand on the core group later, but if nobody finds the initial group interesting, there's not much motivation to stay for the rest.

Haha, I do plan on doing what I love, but I already have most things thought out so if there was a strong majority leaning towards 'let me meet them all' I think I can make that work in a way that I still enjoy.
But I do appreciate your reasoning, just waving at a bunch of girls might not be as enthralling as getting to meet and seduce a few instead.

 

[JRD]

Option 3

Personally I feel that each game should have it's own pace and style. Some games I've played focus on certain characters by dev choice, others are dictated by sub polls. Some of these games are fantastic, others not so much.

Per what Droid Productions said above, do what YOU feel is right. The best games are made by teams that have a development plan, interesting plot/writing, and solid art from day one. From what I've seen some of the best titles start small and build up as people see quality work develop over time (A House in the Rift is a great example of a game that seemed to take off in support after about 4-6 mos).

Best of luck with your project!

 

[somebodynobody]

It really depends on what the game is doing.

I am in the middle ground, a decent portion of the intended love interests, too few to overwhelm, but enough that they can all get content. So instead of a game with 30 interests all at once, maybe you meet 5 in the first version and do something like Love & Sex second base where the new people get added in but fit in the story too.

As mentioned by the other posters, your game, your choice. Unless you want to throw it to polls and stuff like that.

In the end, what matters isn't just the amount, but are the characters fleshed out personality wise and do they do enough to give an emotional attachment to the player. Of course also the "are they pretty enough to look at".

Take light of my life for example, obviously not super model looking characters, but the personalities draw you in.

 

[M$hot]

Thank you both JRD and somebodynobody

What I'm hearing (And correct me if I'm wrong) is 'do your own thing and hope your passion turns into a game others want to play' and 'However many you add, make sure it's engaging.'

I was leaning towards a bit of a Sandbox game in the vein of SoaB but with more plot (not a lot, but a bit more) and better English. Plus I kind of want to make the relationship development a bit more natural, give each girl a bit of a distinct path on how to improve with her, so it's not just 'buy her shit, show her your dick and get laid'.

I think I have my answer but I will still keep this question up for a while because I am interested to hear from more people, can't go wrong with more advice now can you?

 

[JRD]

What I'm hearing (And correct me if I'm wrong) is 'do your own thing and hope your passion turns into a game others want to play' and 'However many you add, make sure it's engaging.'

I was leaning towards a bit of a Sandbox game in the vein of SoaB but with more plot (not a lot, but a bit more) and better English. Plus I kind of want to make the relationship development a bit more natural, give each girl a bit of a distinct path on how to improve with her, so it's not just 'buy her shit, show her your dick and get laid'.

I know it's a cliche about making the game for yourself and hoping others follow suit, but that really seems to be how some of the most enjoyed titles go.

What you noted above about distinct paths for each character that avoids the "quest"-based reward-driven system sounds like a great way to approach development.

I apologize if my first reply was blase or strayed from the initial topic. My point is that the best projects seem to keep things focused and moving with a few key characters, but the pacing has to fit the project as a whole. Know where you want things to end from day one and you should be good.

 

[M$hot]

I know it's a cliche about making the game for yourself and hoping others follow suit, but that really seems to be how some of the most enjoyed titles go.

What you noted above about distinct paths for each character that avoids the "quest"-based reward-driven system sounds like a great way to approach development.

I apologize if my first reply was blase or strayed from the initial topic. My point is that the best projects seem to keep things focused and moving with a few key characters, but the pacing has to fit the project as a whole. Know where you want things to end from day one and you should be good.

Cliches are cliches for a reason though, there is usually a decent enough core of truth to them. And well, if I have to work on it I best enjoy it, especially since I won't monetize, it's entirely a passion project, I should have passion for it.

It is sort of a quest (you do have to reach a milestone by doing things after all) but I'm planning to have it be sort of open ended, if you're going to give a woman a compliment, it could be in almost any location you meet her after all.

What I meant with distinct paths is more that an only child without parents is probably quite aware on how the world works and not too interested in slick words and hollow gestures, whereas the town bicycle will spread for any dude with a nice smile. And some girls may take a lot longer to get her to the point where she's willing to do something naughty. One might like kindness where the other likes bad boys. So it would at least be a bit of a dynamic system, where it's not 'step 1, step 2, step 3, succes' for each girl. The town bicycle would be the instant gratification kind of person whereas another is much more effort but then hopefully also much more rewarding to finally get with.

Your first reply seemed to suggest 'there is no path that is wrong on it's own, as long as you are passionate about the path you're taking, that was my conclusion at least. So thank you again

 

[Avaron1974]

You are never going to get universal agreement on anything nor will you please everyone.

You need to decide what kind of audience you want and what kind of content you want and take it from there.

If you are planning on a large amount of girls it will boil down to how good you are at writing. I've seen fantastic writers with a large cast still manage to give them all unique personalities and do it damn well, i've also seen the reverse.

I'll give you the same advice a writer/dev I look up to (yes I look up to everyone, i'm aware i'm short .... before someone I know turns up and mocks me) gave me, start small and build up from there.

 

[M$hot]

You are never going to get universal agreement on anything nor will you please everyone.

You need to decide what kind of audience you want and what kind of content you want and take it from there.

If you are planning on a large amount of girls it will boil down to how good you are at writing. I've seen fantastic writers with a large cast still manage to give them all unique personalities and do it damn well, i've also seen the reverse.

I'll give you the same advice a writer/dev I look up to (yes I look up to everyone, i'm aware i'm short .... before someone I know turns up and mocks me) gave me, start small and build up from there.

True, I learned in hotel school 'a hotel/restaurant for everyone means a hotel/restaurant FOR nobody' If you try to please everyone the result will not be particularly pleasing to anybody. But I figured there could be some value in knowing which way people generally lean.
I have a pretty clear idea of what I want, but what I don't know is how well I can actually get my vision onto paper. Nor how long it will take.
I don't think I'm a great writer so that will take a good chunk of effort. And yeah, I want to have a big cast but not going to add anybody until I know who they are and how they fit into the story. Not just going to add someone for the sake of another set of boobs.

Starting relatively small sounds good. (And I'm a bit over 6'5"/197cm so I look down at most people, please don't take it personal )

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[namiv]

Hello everyone, I have a quick question that would be helpful for me to have an answer to.

When a game is in early stages (0.01 - 0.03 kind of early) what do you prefer?

option 1: 3 of many girls fully playable from beginning to end
Option 2: all girls met but very little content with each
Option 3: Other (please explain)

I ask because I'm taking tentative steps towards building something myself (won't be a patreon thing because I won't be on that 'its my job' thing) and I wonder where peoples preferences lay. I personally think I would prefer having a few fully fleshed out girls. That however is just my taste and I don't want to be the only one that enjoys it. Thus.

Thanks for taking the time to read and/or respond!

What engages me is wide range of characters (as a completed game) that at least half of them are introduced early in that game.

its always good to work on characteristics of the character and from the start means more time to do exactly that.
as for progressing into characters, i prefer no rushing.

the first character that has gotten F**ked is the least attraction in the game because player looks pass her.

having some soft scenes spreaded among the characters helps the player to follow the game from early stages into the final.

 

[Obscure]

Gotta ask though...

How do you get 3 girls playable from start to finish in a 0.01?

Like you have to have a sex scene on release. But how little content is one girl that you have the entirety of 3 in your first release?

 

[M$hot]

Gotta ask though...

How do you get 3 girls playable from start to finish in a 0.01?

Like you have to have a sex scene on release. But how little content is one girl that you have the entirety of 3 in your first release?

Well, since most girls will be their own story (I do plan on some overlap) their progression doesn't automatically call for needing other characters just yet. So you can fully flesh out their story. I'm not planning for one girl to be very little content, rather I'm trying to have a beefy 0.01 so people can get a proper feel for what I'm trying to build. I'm in no rush, so if it takes me several months to get ready I'm cool with that. A large part of the initial time will be UI and building the world (story, locations) which players never really get to experience as content, so rather than rush something out with little content because 'it has already taken so long' I'm aiming for a good chunk of content upon release.

Does that answer your questions?

 

[somebodynobody]

It also matters on how you make a character. Now starting small at say 3 characters, assume the game is done in 10 releases. Your cast will be in total 10, 9 LI and 1 MC. The intro of the other 6 LI happen over the next 2 releases. These first 3 are paramount, even if they aren't the "best" of the LI they are the ones who should have the most content and thus be the most long term interesting.

So as an example (names are just ABC)

Alice would be the girlfriend type. Someone you romance and try to get the player to grow feelings for, she can be either a long burn, a stairway to heaven (increasing each sex act one at a time like Kiss>Pet>Fondle>HJ>FJ>TJ>Oral>Vag>Anal), or the one where kinks can be used, consensual roleplay via maledom/femdom/switch, BDSM, etc.

Beth would be the stereotypical nerd/ugly duckling/adorable who is actually a beautiful swan if you remove her glasses, which of course she trips and falls off a pier since she can't see without them. This one is mainly to attach the MC with a protective shell, whether she is an unapologetic otaku, mathalete, or just someone who got picked on a lot.

Carah (Sarah with a C) is the "easy" one, whether she is into free love, getting money for handjobs, or just doesn't see relationships as others do, this one is to allow more "advanced" sex scenes early but also make a player want to "tame" her.

The point of this Ramble is you will need good writing and make sure they are all different. If every girl says "I love your dick" or "Your dick is so good/huge" or instantly fall in "love" they start to blur together. This also goes with if they use similar language/terminology.

 

[M$hot]

It also matters on how you make a character. Now starting small at say 3 characters, assume the game is done in 10 releases. Your cast will be in total 10, 9 LI and 1 MC. The intro of the other 6 LI happen over the next 2 releases. These first 3 are paramount, even if they aren't the "best" of the LI they are the ones who should have the most content and thus be the most long term interesting.

So as an example (names are just ABC)

Alice would be the girlfriend type. Someone you romance and try to get the player to grow feelings for, she can be either a long burn, a stairway to heaven (increasing each sex act one at a time like Kiss>Pet>Fondle>HJ>FJ>TJ>Oral>Vag>Anal), or the one where kinks can be used, consensual roleplay via maledom/femdom/switch, BDSM, etc.

Beth would be the stereotypical nerd/ugly duckling/adorable who is actually a beautiful swan if you remove her glasses, which of course she trips and falls off a pier since she can't see without them. This one is mainly to attach the MC with a protective shell, whether she is an unapologetic otaku, mathalete, or just someone who got picked on a lot.

Carah (Sarah with a C) is the "easy" one, whether she is into free love, getting money for handjobs, or just doesn't see relationships as others do, this one is to allow more "advanced" sex scenes early but also make a player want to "tame" her.

The point of this Ramble is you will need good writing and make sure they are all different. If every girl says "I love your dick" or "Your dick is so good/huge" or instantly fall in "love" they start to blur together. This also goes with if they use similar language/terminology.

I do agree with you there. I'm not sure how you got to 10 releases (I personally have no idea yet) but I do know I won't put everything in 1 release. Total cast I'm hoping to have is bigger than that but I do agree that you have to pick the starting girls wisely. If people go 'nah, cute but nah, nice tits but meh' then it's not ideal.

I do fully agree with you that they should (and they will) all have their own personality. Not each girl will be equally easy to seduce and certainly not in the same way. However, on a large cast it wouldn't be weird to have 2 girls that both like to be treated respectfully, sweetly without much pressure being applied and you always make time for them. There are some women with similar personality simply based on reality. So then at least they have to be aesthetically different and/or have a very different backdrop (if one lives in a slum and the other on billionaire alley that also differentiates.)
Right now I'm working on some backstories for the characters so dialogue between her and MC can be in line with their personalities.

Thank you for your insight though, extra input never hurts!

 

[somebodynobody]

I do agree with you there. I'm not sure how you got to 10 releases (I personally have no idea yet) but I do know I won't put everything in 1 release. Total cast I'm hoping to have is bigger than that but I do agree that you have to pick the starting girls wisely. If people go 'nah, cute but nah, nice tits but meh' then it's not ideal.

I do fully agree with you that they should (and they will) all have their own personality. Not each girl will be equally easy to seduce and certainly not in the same way. However, on a large cast it wouldn't be weird to have 2 girls that both like to be treated respectfully, sweetly without much pressure being applied and you always make time for them. There are some women with similar personality simply based on reality. So then at least they have to be aesthetically different and/or have a very different backdrop (if one lives in a slum and the other on billionaire alley that also differentiates.)
Right now I'm working on some backstories for the characters so dialogue between her and MC can be in line with their personalities.

Thank you for your insight though, extra input never hurts!

The example of releases and character amount, was just to make the point. It had no bearing on anything other than as an example, plus easily dividable, it could have been 12 releases to simulate 1 a month, 100, or whatever, however the more releases you have the less you have to worry on not enough time to makeup content on newer characters, but more to worry on keeping the player attached for that long.

Absolutely people can have similar outlining personalities. 2 or 5 people not wanting to be smacked around, or saying thank you when they are given a gift is fine and is part of realism.

However what you said about slums and billionaire alley, this influences a person's word choice and more personal personality, also what they grow up with. Think of music, if you grew up through say the 90s on gangster rap you might have word choices that are different than someone who went through the same time frame and listened to grunge, or classical.

(take nothing I say as wanting you to change anything you are doing)


No problem on insight, I look forward to seeing how your game turns out whenever it does.

 

[M$hot]

The example of releases and character amount, was just to make the point. It had no bearing on anything other than as an example, plus easily dividable, it could have been 12 releases to simulate 1 a month, 100, or whatever, however the more releases you have the less you have to worry on not enough time to makeup content on newer characters, but more to worry on keeping the player attached for that long.

Absolutely people can have similar outlining personalities. 2 or 5 people not wanting to be smacked around, or saying thank you when they are given a gift is fine and is part of realism.

However what you said about slums and billionaire alley, this influences a person's word choice and more personal personality, also what they grow up with. Think of music, if you grew up through say the 90s on gangster rap you might have word choices that are different than someone who went through the same time frame and listened to grunge, or classical.

(take nothing I say as wanting you to change anything you are doing)


No problem on insight, I look forward to seeing how your game turns out whenever it does.

Ah, yeah, that makes sense, 10 people, 10 releases (Although I prefer the 24 people and 3/4/6/8 releases (24 divides super well))

And yeah, you're absolutely right, different people talk in different ways, and that's my main goal. Similar personality does not equate to similar person because of the backstory, their tastes, possible damage from an ex that has them less trusting.
My goal is mainly to write somewhat believable dialogue and relationships. It could easily take 10, 12 conversations irl to go from acquintance to friend. I don't want to be hyper-realistic because it is still a porn game, but I do want to make relationship progression more realistic. The town bicycle and the naive virgin schoolgoing girl can't very well spread their legs in the same timeframe.

And don't worry, I hear what you say, I value your input, but I'm still going to make my game. I'm openminded though, if I hear an idea that's better than the one I currently have, I have no problems adding it into the process.