Ren'Py Randel Tales [v1.6.9-3 Final] [Ero Sandwich Studio]

[rance4747]

He has not. We simply have two artists now. Our main artist is currently working on doing the art for the Twig routes coming out in a few months, so we're having our second artist rework some older low-quality art and make some new scenes every now and then.

For example, in 1.6.9 we reworked a scene from the introduction:
View attachment 4007599
View attachment 4007600

Replacing old art-style to the more detailed one removes the charm of the game a bit, sadly. Personally I liked the contrast between gentler tones and rounder friendly shapes that give the game a fairy tail like look with a grotesque options and story lines.
Cyntya and MC are probably the worst offenders. Redhead's sprites straight up look uglier, while MC turns from a village fool that can go either way during development to giving depressed feel straight up. At least give an option too keep the old character sprites please.

The old scenes that are less detailed are far warmer looking too. This looks like something from a compleatly different game alltogether.

 

[RinEst_]

Cyntya and MC are probably the worst offenders. Redhead's sprites straight up look uglier, while MC turns from a village fool that can go either way during development to giving depressed feel straight up.

Those... are by the artist we've always had though.

The old scenes that are less detailed are far warmer looking too. This looks like something from a compleatly different game alltogether.

Sure. The old scenes are better.

 

[vilewe7570]

Those... are by the artist we've always had though.

Sure. The old scenes are better.
View attachment 4012734

1. Sword on the right is shinier but does it have to shine like Sting?
2. Meh it's more detailed on the right but old man in doorway
3. Going with the old one on the left as the hero having dark and gritty aw shit look is better than the right has a more it's raping time with anime protagonist going oh, please be gentle
4. Shiny treasure on the right but the side ribbons make it look like a mimic
5. I'm starting to notice a lot of the new art has this weird white outline... Sandwich while more detailed looks waxy
6. This is more a tits vs ass thing but the old one has her tongue sticking out in ecstasy
7. Lastly the new one on the right as fitting her in a tight closet looks off

 

[RinEst_]

1. Sword on the right is shinier but does it have to shine like Sting?
2. Meh it's more detailed on the right but old man in doorway
3. Going with the old one on the left as the hero having dark and gritty aw shit look is better than the right has a more it's raping time with anime protagonist going oh, please be gentle
4. Shiny treasure on the right but the side ribbons make it look like a mimic
5. I'm starting to notice a lot of the new art has this weird white outline... Sandwich while more detailed looks waxy
6. This is more a tits vs ass thing but the old one has her tongue sticking out in ecstasy
7. Lastly the new one on the right as fitting her in a tight closet looks off

Sure

 

[ldacombat123]

Those... are by the artist we've always had though.

Sure. The old scenes are better.
View attachment 4012734

I acknowledge that the old version is better. The only thing I see that the new version does better is showing more details. However, after all, the old version has a strangely appealing quality despite being much simpler.
For example, in the old version, there is only one loaf of bread drawn, while the new version adds a person holding it. The first thing that comes to my mind is, "Is it really necessary to draw an additional person holding the loaf of bread?"

 

[The_fallen_dragon]

Those... are by the artist we've always had though.

Sure. The old scenes are better.
View attachment 4012734

only thing the ones on the right have are better composition. The ones on the left have a better feeling and style to them.

edit
just notice i said left in the first sentence.

 

[Leox1x]

I haven't played this game for some time....is there new content after the MC leave the village or is just rework content ?

 

[TuturuNisa]

Those... are by the artist we've always had though.

Sure. The old scenes are better.
View attachment 4012734

Im gonna give my opinion as an actual artist (and art director), becuase i dont think many people here that dont like the new stuff know how to explain why. Ive played the game with the original artstyle, but this shots are the first time ive seen the artsyle change, so I know the personality of the characters and how the old arstyle tackled their designs.
Screenshot by screenshot:
1- Undoubtely better. Like anyone that says thats not really the case is out of their fucking mind. I also think that it stays in a similar artstyle to when the characters were better drawn in the original style (like the mc in screenshot 3)
more than the crude photoshop first drawing that the original was (really great for your artist to have improved so much, major kudos to him or her)

2- Much better, better composition, the new artsyle actually works for the uncle, I think it still captures the same feeling as the original character, but actually well drawn.

3- This is actually were we start running into problems. The MC lost what I think made the original artstyle special and not just a replication of a mediocre anime. If i had some time I would actually try to make for you a drawing with a mix of both so we get a better quality drawing that still captures the style of the original MC (the facila expression is a little bit to neutral now also). I think this is the most egregious change, BUT the scene as a whole has changed drastically, again, the guy in the back just looks now like a random anime character, there could have been a happy medium of the two designs. The composition is also worse, yes, the forest in the bg is much better now, but changing the colors has drastically chnaged the whole mood of the scene (same with the shadows hitting MC's face in the original which i think were really nice as a mood settler). Fnnily i do think the original shoulder strap coloringwas superior in quality to the new one, that looks a little bit cartoony and out of place with the rest of the drawing. The enemy towering over the MC is also better as composition and what you want the player to feel in that scene.

4- Exactly the same as screenshot 1 with the sword. Million times better and actually respecting the artyle when it was drawn well in the original.

5- This one is interesting. The new one is great... BUT as a second image to reference the first, so you can start with the new one, and the scene moves along you show the original. Now, the original can be imporved a lot quality wise to be more in vain to the new artsyle, but i do think its posing is really powerful, and the tongue detail is a super nice touch.

6- Another really interesting one. IMO here i prefer MUCH more the new one, it tells a lot more story wise, its better drawn, it has a really cool composition... it does have a different vibe though. From what i remember, this teachor was a clutz right? so being inside a small locker made sense with her character. But then, i dont think the chage of scenery is totally unreasonable either. The glasses stuff, did that character design trait change or she just lost her glasses in tha scene now? Im usualy not a huge fan of characters with glasses (and i have glasses lol) but thats a matter of opinion and its one of those design choices that can be interesting for a character, so if she doesnt have them anymore, could be a pity in this case (IIRC she is the only female character with them right?).

I would like to see how the characters do look now in normal dialogue. Have they chnaged? For example would love to see the transition to the new artsyle of this last character, but in a normal pose, to know better ifeverything has received themore random anime style of the MCin the forest shot which indeed would have been a pity, becuase while it could have been imporved the original drawings, the characters when well drawn, did have a lot ofcharm in the original artstyle.

And when i mean the original artsyle when it was well drawn i mean stuff like this banner:


I think this is how characters should look in the actual game and scenes, and the MC, right now in that forest screenshot, doesnt look at all like even the same character as here.

 

[The_fallen_dragon]

Ok so, after the kidnapping gabe and mc with the goblins, i cant seem to do anything else and i followed the walkthrough, whats going on?

 

[Sanon441]

At the end of the intro, what does this choice mean? "yes/no(recommended)"

 

[sadfasdsfsfdsfds]

Im gonna give my opinion as an actual artist (and art director),
[...]
I think this is how characters should look in the actual game and scenes, and the MC, right now in that forest screenshot, doesnt look at all like even the same character as here.

More or less I agree with points. Especially with point 3 and 5. Also now itch.io miniature looks like it came from totally different game.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate listening to the feedback (one of the previous ones of mine included "there is same face syndrome when it comes to a few characters"), and the fact that MC looks less and less like a 14-year-old like he looked a few times (I guess the change of MC also helps with Patreon nagging). I also understand having multiple artists and that each has their own unique artstyle and that maybe they want to try something new. I also get that changes in artstyle can happen due to finding the old one difficult to work, hard to maintain or Patreon, finding it doesn't fit the mood (although here you can change the artwork later in game - start with old and as the story gets serious shift to the new) or even some other thing.

But I feel like the new artstyle (presented in screenshot above) lacks the soul of the original. I liked the "simplicity" (for lack of better word) and "cartoony" look of the old one. It was certainly unique among the games using either as realistic art as possible, or as anime looking one as possible, or the one using already existing 3D models (art is hard, I give it to you, hence my love for hand drawn games). The other game I can think that has similar artstyle is Maeve's Academy and IIRC there were already some discussions in that thread about artstyle changes.

All in all - I will still follow this project, cause I really like it and I think it has potential (and I hope it won't get ruined *cough cough* Knightly Passions), but I really hope that You Devs will manage to find a happy medium that will make all parties happy.

RinEst_ can't wait to see what you folks cooked for that 1.7 <3

 

[Boss129]

Those... are by the artist we've always had though.

Sure. The old scenes are better.
View attachment 4012734

i play the old version and for old was better

 

[Belphegor007]

Those... are by the artist we've always had though.

Sure. The old scenes are better.
View attachment 4012734

I don't want to be mean, but the third image is straight fucking garbage and if your game looked like that at launch I would have never gave it a shot.
I hate all the beta images on the itch.io page
I played the game for what is on the OP not the new style and it clashes so fucking hard with the tone and the rest of the art.
Like I do love the characters and story but in a porn game if I don't care about the porn or art then I could just play a RPG or JRPG.

 

[closetpervert904]

The music in that trailer was awful

 

[Valdazz]

Has MC gotten stronger yet or is he still weak?

 

[Belphegor007]

Has MC gotten stronger yet or is he still weak?

They are still finishing up the side and character content for part 1 so he isn't going to get stronger yet.
Part 1 is clearly supposed to be the start of his journey and ends with tragedy and his resolve to leave and gain more strength for revenge.
It seems like they tend to tell a story following a normal heroes journey style structure so I imagine most growth will happen during Part 2.

He does get stronger throughout part 1, but there are many times where he is in over his head and gets wrecked while other times he wins with allies and guile.
It's best to view the game as an actual story or video game unlike a more traditional porn game where the protagonist will suffer zero issues.

 

[lolwhatxd]

Nice game so far
But needs more anal

 

[Wedge]

Uhm... Came across a rather game breaking bug, I guess?
During the Elf Village Questline, when you ask Scarlet about magical Seals/Signs and she asks you to pick out the correct one, the game simply won't move forward after selecting a Seal/Sign. It just stays there on the parchment with the seals, unable to progress.

Anyone encountered same and/or know of a fix?

 

[HentaiGamerN00b]

Those... are by the artist we've always had though.

Sure. The old scenes are better.
View attachment 4012734

Im gonna give my opinion as an actual artist (and art director), becuase i dont think many people here that dont like the new stuff know how to explain why. Ive played the game with the original artstyle, but this shots are the first time ive seen the artsyle change, so I know the personality of the characters and how the old arstyle tackled their designs.
Screenshot by screenshot:
1- Undoubtely better. Like anyone that says thats not really the case is out of their fucking mind. I also think that it stays in a similar artstyle to when the characters were better drawn in the original style (like the mc in screenshot 3)
more than the crude photoshop first drawing that the original was (really great for your artist to have improved so much, major kudos to him or her)

2- Much better, better composition, the new artsyle actually works for the uncle, I think it still captures the same feeling as the original character, but actually well drawn.

3- This is actually were we start running into problems. The MC lost what I think made the original artstyle special and not just a replication of a mediocre anime. If i had some time I would actually try to make for you a drawing with a mix of both so we get a better quality drawing that still captures the style of the original MC (the facila expression is a little bit to neutral now also). I think this is the most egregious change, BUT the scene as a whole has changed drastically, again, the guy in the back just looks now like a random anime character, there could have been a happy medium of the two designs. The composition is also worse, yes, the forest in the bg is much better now, but changing the colors has drastically chnaged the whole mood of the scene (same with the shadows hitting MC's face in the original which i think were really nice as a mood settler). Fnnily i do think the original shoulder strap coloringwas superior in quality to the new one, that looks a little bit cartoony and out of place with the rest of the drawing. The enemy towering over the MC is also better as composition and what you want the player to feel in that scene.

4- Exactly the same as screenshot 1 with the sword. Million times better and actually respecting the artyle when it was drawn well in the original.

5- This one is interesting. The new one is great... BUT as a second image to reference the first, so you can start with the new one, and the scene moves along you show the original. Now, the original can be imporved a lot quality wise to be more in vain to the new artsyle, but i do think its posing is really powerful, and the tongue detail is a super nice touch.

6- Another really interesting one. IMO here i prefer MUCH more the new one, it tells a lot more story wise, its better drawn, it has a really cool composition... it does have a different vibe though. From what i remember, this teachor was a clutz right? so being inside a small locker made sense with her character. But then, i dont think the chage of scenery is totally unreasonable either. The glasses stuff, did that character design trait change or she just lost her glasses in tha scene now? Im usualy not a huge fan of characters with glasses (and i have glasses lol) but thats a matter of opinion and its one of those design choices that can be interesting for a character, so if she doesnt have them anymore, could be a pity in this case (IIRC she is the only female character with them right?).

I would like to see how the characters do look now in normal dialogue. Have they chnaged? For example would love to see the transition to the new artsyle of this last character, but in a normal pose, to know better ifeverything has received themore random anime style of the MCin the forest shot which indeed would have been a pity, becuase while it could have been imporved the original drawings, the characters when well drawn, did have a lot ofcharm in the original artstyle.

And when i mean the original artsyle when it was well drawn i mean stuff like this banner:
View attachment 4016471

I think this is how characters should look in the actual game and scenes, and the MC, right now in that forest screenshot, doesnt look at all like even the same character as here.

I'm not an artist, i can communion with most of the statements, specially with 3 in which in a practical sense you suggest a to do of the best of two worlds (the only one i can't be ok with is the 6, because it doesn't seem to be drawn from a human perspective but a camera perspective, it doesn't make sense specially when the narrative iirc she was hiding from doing cleaning labor and in the new one she seems to be asleep in the same storage room from she was hiding to begin with)...

Spoiler: Destructive Critic

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Now the Constructive Critic opinion of a nobody about Art is... Considering that you RinEst_ can have now the luxury to have two Artist and seeing the differences of them and what they can do better each one, then in my vulgar non professional opinion of a nobody in the world of Art is to do the same the Team Venus Noire did in SoC, that is organizing the artists, one does the draws beginning from the sketch to later give a panel detailed without color and the another is in charge to put colors of that draw, in that way they could have consistency in the art that not only the fans liked but in the colors that suited better. Now if you put the Old Artist to effort in his/her Art doing the sketch by stages until having something detailed that the new one can comprehend and put colors on it perhaps you can have good results that can maintain as most ppl happy.

But I'm nobody on this shit... Remember that.

 

[ReignBloodark]

Heya, I think I encountered a bug? Its during the elf village quest where we go to scarlet asking about seal and she has us choose the seal. Problem here is no matter which one I choose the game just stops, i can rollback and stuff but cant move past this part.