Ahamkara's Wish
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- Thread starter Night Mirror
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So I've gone all the way down the rabbit hole on this video thing, trying to figure out what I can do to improve playback (for some players) and reduce overall size. I might possibly have a solution for both, but I'm not sure I want to do either.
First, very briefly, playback. So far only one user has reported any video playback problems, with the sex animations running a low framerate. I can't see the issue myself, so that makes troubleshooting it mostly impossible for me (how can I test if a fix worked if I can't see the problem to begin with?).
This seems to be a conflict with the version of Renpy the game is currently using, 8.0.3. Good news, there is a new major release that just came out, 8.1. And looking through the code repo fixes, webm VP9 (the video encoding format used for this game) seems to be one of the many fixes in 8.1.
But, do I want to move the engine forward again to maybe solve this issue? Engine updates mean no patch only file (saves should be fine (although there is a weird new security thing in engine with saves?)), and since I managed to fuck up the last patch only file, that would be two releases in a row with no patch only. Also, possible issues from the engine upgrade. Not sure yet, need some more time to think it over...
The second issue has been my ongoing (and constantly failing) battle with video size. At the moment, video makes up the majority of the projects overall size. The full game is 1.07GB and video makes up 683MB of that size, (meaning that all image + scripts are about 348MB).
(Also, tangent, Renpy 8.1 adds much better support for Live2D, which would make videos around 200MB, but I still have no way to use the Live2D assets from Unity in Renpy)
However, I do have a way to reduce video size that I haven't used yet, cutting it in half (literally), I can change the video resolution. Instead of 1080p, I can make it 540p, half the size. This translates to videos being 387MB instead, bringing the whole game down to just under 800MB.
But, it comes with a major negative, two actually, quality and complexity. There is a very noticeable dip in quality by cutting out half the pixels (things look more blurry (see the example below)). If you're on a smaller screen, like android, seeing the drop is nearly imperceptible, but on a 4k monitor, it looks like the screen has been smeared in vasoline.
To be clear, this lower size video would be an optional download (a "compressed" version of the game), and the main download would remain with compressed images, and 1080p video (and an uncompressed image patch). But just reading that sentence you might already see my biggest concern here, complexity.
I maintain 3 different versions of this game: the working project, pre-compressed, and patch only. While working on the game I am constantly making sure assets are in sync across these different versions. Now I would be adding a 4th copy into the mix, low res video, which still needs all the assets and testing of the other versions. And I just don't know if saving 300MB is really worth all the extra effort.
Anyhow... let me know if any of you guys are interested in having an even more compressed version available, or care if I update the engine.
As always, thanks for being awesome!
First, very briefly, playback. So far only one user has reported any video playback problems, with the sex animations running a low framerate. I can't see the issue myself, so that makes troubleshooting it mostly impossible for me (how can I test if a fix worked if I can't see the problem to begin with?).
This seems to be a conflict with the version of Renpy the game is currently using, 8.0.3. Good news, there is a new major release that just came out, 8.1. And looking through the code repo fixes, webm VP9 (the video encoding format used for this game) seems to be one of the many fixes in 8.1.
But, do I want to move the engine forward again to maybe solve this issue? Engine updates mean no patch only file (saves should be fine (although there is a weird new security thing in engine with saves?)), and since I managed to fuck up the last patch only file, that would be two releases in a row with no patch only. Also, possible issues from the engine upgrade. Not sure yet, need some more time to think it over...
The second issue has been my ongoing (and constantly failing) battle with video size. At the moment, video makes up the majority of the projects overall size. The full game is 1.07GB and video makes up 683MB of that size, (meaning that all image + scripts are about 348MB).
(Also, tangent, Renpy 8.1 adds much better support for Live2D, which would make videos around 200MB, but I still have no way to use the Live2D assets from Unity in Renpy)
However, I do have a way to reduce video size that I haven't used yet, cutting it in half (literally), I can change the video resolution. Instead of 1080p, I can make it 540p, half the size. This translates to videos being 387MB instead, bringing the whole game down to just under 800MB.
But, it comes with a major negative, two actually, quality and complexity. There is a very noticeable dip in quality by cutting out half the pixels (things look more blurry (see the example below)). If you're on a smaller screen, like android, seeing the drop is nearly imperceptible, but on a 4k monitor, it looks like the screen has been smeared in vasoline.
To be clear, this lower size video would be an optional download (a "compressed" version of the game), and the main download would remain with compressed images, and 1080p video (and an uncompressed image patch). But just reading that sentence you might already see my biggest concern here, complexity.
I maintain 3 different versions of this game: the working project, pre-compressed, and patch only. While working on the game I am constantly making sure assets are in sync across these different versions. Now I would be adding a 4th copy into the mix, low res video, which still needs all the assets and testing of the other versions. And I just don't know if saving 300MB is really worth all the extra effort.
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Anyhow... let me know if any of you guys are interested in having an even more compressed version available, or care if I update the engine.
As always, thanks for being awesome!
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Is doing two versions a lot of extra work? (High/Low Res versions).
Seems tricky to make a one size fits all option. Generally I'd say they should be treated as very different issues, Androids don't care about High Res and need to be mindful of size, 4Kers likely have storage to match their screens, if they don't, they need to sort themselves out, size is the trade off for that level of resolution.
Though TBH I don't notice too much difference between these images on a 27" QHD monitor, but it should be noted my eyes are fucked, everything looks blurry all the time to me
, the only difference I can note is the black of the outline looks a little washedout on the low res version, if it wasn't a side by side I probably wouldn't notice.[do you have another comparison image with the split down the face or another detailed section, I might not be noticing the Res Drop because it is across the leg.]
aaronminus
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- Oct 13, 2021
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Speaking as a player, I’d never see myself downloading the ultra-compressed version. An 8gb thumbdrive is like 2 dollars… and to me the visual tradeoff is very noticeable. Personal vote is to make the engine upgrade, despite the lack of patch files.
It’s a dang shame the Live2D ripping process doesn’t work…
Night Mirror
Have you never applied for a Developer or Modder Tag?... whatever applies to this project.
Have you never applied for a Developer or Modder Tag?... whatever applies to this project.
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Anything extra is always additional work. I have to make a special version of the game to use it (mainly for Android), which means additional steps and checking to make sure those versions work. How much work? I dunno, most likely a few more hours of play testing. Also extra steps for asset validation.
Here is just the Low Res (Screen Left) and Hi-res Compressed (Screen Right)
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Storage size isn't a huge limiting factor for me either (this one project is around 200GBs for me, so 300MB is whatever (technically even more space as I now need extra versions of the same thing)), but it is a concern for many players.
I'll test it out at the very least, I don't expect too many issues (if any). It is frustrating for me to lose support for some players (such as the 32bit version going away), while trying to support newer platforms. Much more of a headache then I want.
I did indeed ask way back at the start, and after a month of waiting, the response was, we don't give projects like this a dev tag (even though, at least imo, I have done WAY more in terms of work and time than a lot of people who get a dev tag, but whatever) and they said they'd give me a mod tag instead, which never happened.
I don't honestly care all the much, so I haven't invested more time or effort on it.
I always figured it would take some extra work but I thought it would just be a case of one version ran through 2 different compression settings with the majority of the "work" being done by the computer, with maybe a quick proofing while you dialed in the optimal settings. I'm surprised to hear it could potentially affect how the versions work, not sure I can quite wrap my brain around that.
I really have to press my face against the screen to see the difference, I'm not sure I understand the need to run this type of art as high res as it is mostly block colour, if there where lots of details like individual hairs then I could understand, but as it stands I think I might actually prefer the low res version since it adds some texture to the skin and reduces the outline.
But again I should note my eyes are shit so mileage may vary.
TBH High res has ruined some of my favourite porn, I was happier when I couldn't see every wrinkle & blemish
I think you should ask again, having a tag could make communication with your players easier, as it helps you stand out as the owner of the thread rather than a random who might be mimicking the Devs name. And for what it's worth I think you deserve a Dev Tag, it seems to me this project goes beyond the scope of general modding. But either should be an improvement from a thread ownership perspective.
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Any path I take, will need it's own copy of the game for release, so they all need to go through testing (I mean, I don't need to test, I could just yolo stuff out, but even with testing I still miss stuff...). Most likely the way I would do it is keep the 3 working copies I currently have (Master, Compressed and Patch) and add a 4th low-res video that only has video. After I've done the major testing, copy the compressed assets/scripts (not video) to the low-res video project and test to make sure things didn't break (or videos aren't missing).
I don't fully re-compress the game with each release, compression takes hours and hours, so I usually just keep a running copy of the compressed game and add assets to it as I go (same with how I build the patch only file). Again, any was I do it is additional work, and at the moment, not sure if that work is worth it.
I can certainly see the quality loss in the video files, and it is something I wouldn't be happy with as a player. I could offer the high-res video as a patch (the same way I do Uncompressed Images), but honestly I prefer it to be part of the main download instead of an extra step.
The plus side of making "Compressed" it's own download line is then people will stop asking for the compressed version (I mean, no they won't, but I can always hope...)
Day 33, before going into Tricia's house there's a missing dot. "Because it's a freeze ray".
Day 34 I believe the image with the text "Planetina picks you up and flies you off to the doughnut shop." uses the compressed image, even with the uncompressed pack installed.
Day 35 after having sex with Beth, there's an age check at the dialogue "I-I don't know, maybe...?". It checks whether age is set to "thiry-five". The dialogue in case that option is triggered also isn't completely sensical imo. I'm assuming it was intended to be a joke from the start of the game, where you can choose your age to "stay 35". Next scene at the dialogue "You can't be serious, Summer. Really, Jerry?", it just uses Summer instead of what the name for wild Summer is set to.
Day 36 there's a bunch of wrong dialogue pertaining on which Summer you chose for movie night. I believe only the first check of which you chose is set incorrectly.. Same day later even if old Summer is sleeping, Morticia still uses wild Summer's name in the dialogue after "D-dare you to lick our big sister's pussy!". Later in the scene, when choosing where to cum, the choice also uses wild Summer's name instead of Summer's (both the creampie & whether to cum on her after that).
Day 37 at the start of the shower sex scene, when wild Summer walks in it uses normal Summer's name.
Day 34 I believe the image with the text "Planetina picks you up and flies you off to the doughnut shop." uses the compressed image, even with the uncompressed pack installed.
Day 35 after having sex with Beth, there's an age check at the dialogue "I-I don't know, maybe...?". It checks whether age is set to "thiry-five". The dialogue in case that option is triggered also isn't completely sensical imo. I'm assuming it was intended to be a joke from the start of the game, where you can choose your age to "stay 35". Next scene at the dialogue "You can't be serious, Summer. Really, Jerry?", it just uses Summer instead of what the name for wild Summer is set to.
Day 36 there's a bunch of wrong dialogue pertaining on which Summer you chose for movie night. I believe only the first check of which you chose is set incorrectly.. Same day later even if old Summer is sleeping, Morticia still uses wild Summer's name in the dialogue after "D-dare you to lick our big sister's pussy!". Later in the scene, when choosing where to cum, the choice also uses wild Summer's name instead of Summer's (both the creampie & whether to cum on her after that).
Day 37 at the start of the shower sex scene, when wild Summer walks in it uses normal Summer's name.
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Fixed.
Nope that is uncompressed, but agree that it looks blurry, will put a note in the art list to possibly improve it.
Yes, it is one of the very few age check jokes in the game if the player left the default age check in place. Wild Summer name fixed.
Will look into.
Fixed.
Just wanted to say that this is probably the best thing on this site. I haven't played the original, so I don't know which part is your magic or Ferdafs', but there is some good shit in this. Morticia is adorable (in her pervy way), the first time between her and Morty is the cutest thing ever, the animation, dialogue, everything! But I digress. The whole thing is well put together. One of my few complaints is that, since this is a linear game, there are a few scenes that can be skipped but still remain 'canon'. I understand why this is done, but there is some stuff that leave a bad taste in my mouth
Especially the scene with alternate personality in MC, but even more so the Hypno Tortoise scene. I guess my main fetish is consent
I also noticed some inconsistencies in the dialogue when a character acts as if I chose something different at some point, but nothing major, and there are also some janky animations here and there. But overall, it's lovely.
I look forward for the next release, keep up the good work!
Especially the scene with alternate personality in MC, but even more so the Hypno Tortoise scene. I guess my main fetish is consent
I also noticed some inconsistencies in the dialogue when a character acts as if I chose something different at some point, but nothing major, and there are also some janky animations here and there. But overall, it's lovely.
I look forward for the next release, keep up the good work!
Hi personally I think what minimises the work load on your end is a better option which that option is I could not say but juggling four different builds of the same thing is a bit more than a handful. As for the quality personally I would say the effort to reduce the 300mb is not really worth the time and frustration. Just my two cents though. Thanks to both of you for being awesome.
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For now I'm still unsure about the low-res video version, but I am leaning towards making it an option for r3.9 (whenever that happens). It is extra steps, added processes, and more testing, that has marginal benefits at best, but it does have benefits.
However, until I go through the process of actually making it for release, all I have are guesses about how impactful it is (or isn't). I may try it for r3.9 if things aren't so hectic I don't even remember what I'm working on, let alone doing extra things for it. And if it doesn't work out, it isn't something I have to keep doing.
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Glad you enjoy it! Always nice to hear that people like the game!
For a few scenes I have tried to work in "alternate" paths around them such as the Mr. Meesex event. And, I did consider doing something different for potion events (I actually did cut them back slightly (by removing the plot point from Morticia's event foot fuck), and fit them into a single day to try an minimize them).Especially the scene with alternate personality in MC, but even more so the Hypno Tortoise scene. I guess my main fetish is consent
But the problem here (as is often the case) is mainly future story. Even if I could/did want to write an alternate day for the potion stuff, I don't know where Ferdafs is going, so cutting out Anti-Morty is problematic at best and catastrophic at worst.
For hypno tortoise, no one has ever had an issue with it, so I've never even considered an alternate for it. Luckily, since Morty makes them all forget, the scene really doesn't have any impact on the plot at all and can be skipped (if not avoided). I could change it from "Skip" to "End" and make it a conical avoid (I think there are only minor call backs to it on day 13?) instead of a, it still happened. I'll put it on my list.
It is a big game and we are trying our best to have as few of these as possible, but they do slip through from time to time. If there are any specific ones you can recall (or even the general place it happened), it would help greatly if you could say where/which lines felt out of place. Obviously, you don't have to, but player feedback and bug reports have been immensely helpful in improving this game.
Iceloo
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I hope Ferdafs will give some love to Reka soon.
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Day 17 "Midnight Snack" Beth thinks "He want's to put it in my butt again?", firstly, wants, not want's, secondly she thinks this without morty saying anything, not sure if that is intentional but it sounds like she is responding to something he says.
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Beth's line is a response to the option in the choice menu (which is implied that Morty is speaking the dialogue "Maybe I could put it in your butt?". However, if you're running in Full AutoMenu (which I assume is the case here?), this choice line doesn't appear. Most AutoMenu interactions don't include the choice text at all, and choice text is not repeated as character dialogue.
I've added the dialogue lines into the AutoMenu for this instance and will (at some point) review all of them looking for this issue.
If you aren't using AutoMenu, and just found the choice not to feel like dialogue, that is a more complex issue that I don't have a great solution for. I'd prefer not to repeat text where possible (so players aren't re-reading the same thing over and over), but I can see how it's omission can be confusing.
Thanks for letting me know!
PlayboiHotshot69
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- Dec 13, 2020
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Reka is a baddie. I just want more of her; hopefully Ferdafs will deliver.
This is so much better than the original, thanks for making it
Iceloo
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I shared the WIP so i'm sharing the final version too
