VN Ren'Py Completed SandStorm (EraStorm Saga #1) [v2.01] [GleenX Studio]

[GleenXstudio]

I tried a new style of rendering, quite photographic.

I hope you will like it, some scenes will be made that way in the next update.

 

[Yamura]

Does dev intend to bring back Zaya, or are we to conclude she actually might be the goddess in one of her disguises? Or is that one of the mysteries yet to be unraveled in later episodes?

 

[JJJ84]

I'll not elaborate much for obvious reasons, but I can at least say that in episode 2 you will be asked which ending you got during the first episode. And if the player has not played SandStorm before, he will start from a default ep1 ending .

View attachment 1428037

Interesting.
Not sure following is something you can answer, but when Episode 2 asks which ending the player got with Episode 1, I'm assuming it's gonna also include which LI MC chose.
With the default Ep1 ending (for those who never played Sandstorm, or for example if the player somehow loses Ep1 saves and don't want to play again), will the LI choice for Ep 1 ending be made by default?

 

[GleenXstudio]

It's an interesting topic I'm willing to discuss but from a technical point of view only.
Who, what, and how it carries on to the second episode, if any, you'll discover that in due time .
For the very curious ones, there are already some renders about Episode 2 that are published on my twitter, patreon and discord channel, so you can have a slight idea of what's going on, the new casting, the setting... even though I have clearly avoided publishing anything related to the transition/links between both games.

For technical and weight reasons, the 2 games are independent and separated, they won't even share the same topic in F95 .
It means that if you wanted to transfer a save from one game to another, you will have to do it manually, and as the name of the games are different, not really sure it can work that well. I didn't try but doesn't look smooth. 90% of people will not take the time to do that and I'm afraid it will create a lot of bugs for those who are courageous enough to try.

Therefore, I was thinking about another option which is :
At the start of SnowStorm, you will be asked if you played and finished SandStorm before.
NO => You will start Ep2 as if you got the "default ending" from Ep1
YES => Select the Ep1 ending you want to start from, out of several options.

In SandStorm, there are 5 endings. The 3 obvious ones, for each LI. Then 2 others. The "default ending" is one of the 2 others. The stats won't carry over, they matter to decide the ending you get and indicate how well you played but that's it. What is important is which ending you got, which will sum up your actions during SandStorm adventure. I don't count the early bad endings if you fucked up big time , those will be introduced soon btw .

The one thing I'm still undecided about is :
1/ if I let free choice for the player to select any of the endings he wants to start from (even if he didn't really get it in Ep.1),
2/ or if I make some code or keyword stuff (that you get from first episode endings), and that you have to enter to unlock the option in Ep2

If you guys have an opinion or insight about that, I'll be glad to read them.

 

[JJJ84]

The one thing I'm still undecided about is :
1/ if I let free choice for the player to select any of the endings he wants to start from (even if he didn't really get it in Ep.1),
2/ or if I make some code or keyword stuff (that you get from first episode endings), and that you have to enter to unlock the option in Ep2

If you guys have an opinion or insight about that, I'll be glad to read them.

Don't know about others, but I think probably option 1 will be better (doesn't matter for me either way though), for those who haven't played Ep.1.
I mean, if the player didn't play Ep.1, how will they be able to get the code/keyword? I mean yes I guess someone can add it in the Ep.2 game thread's OP itself but feels like unnecessarily jumping through hoops to get the same thing with Option 2.

 

[GleenXstudio]

I mean, if the player didn't play Ep.1, how will they be able to get the code/keyword? I mean yes I guess someone can add it in the Ep.2 game thread's OP itself but feels like unnecessarily jumping through hoops to get the same thing with Option 2.

You misunderstood a point.

In both cases, 1/ or 2/, if they didn't play ep1, they can start from the default ending. That one doesn't need code/keyword.
I would even say that for people who haven't played episode 1, it is probably the better option for them.

The difference is for people who played ep1, whether I give them some reward for actually completing and getting an ending in episode 1 (option 2), or if I make it easy for everyone (including me as it means less coding to make^^) and I allow everyone to chose where to start from (with the recommendation to start from "default ending", if they didn't play SandStorm)

 

[gregers]

The one thing I'm still undecided about is :
1/ if I let free choice for the player to select any of the endings he wants to start from (even if he didn't really get it in Ep.1),
2/ or if I make some code or keyword stuff (that you get from first episode endings), and that you have to enter to unlock the option in Ep2

If you guys have an opinion or insight about that, I'll be glad to read them.

I would consider what would be gained from picking the second option. On the surface level, all it does is make the new game less welcoming to newcomers and those who haven't taken the time to fuck around and find all the endings of the previous installment.
(Especially if this involves entering a code or keyword to unlock an option, making it very obvious to new players that they're not getting the full options. If it's done by loading a save it will be less blatant, but more technically fiddly.)

Trust that any such codes would be posted here immediately, so it will be largely a cosmetic choice at least as far as forum-dwellers are concerned.

 

[JJJ84]

You misunderstood a point.

In both cases, 1/ or 2/, if they didn't play ep1, they can start from the default ending. That one doesn't need code/keyword.
I would even say that for people who haven't played episode 1, it is probably the better option for them.

The difference is for people who played ep1, whether I give them some reward for actually completing and getting an ending in episode 1 (option 2), or if I make it easy for everyone (including me as it means less coding to make^^) and I allow everyone to chose where to start from (with the recommendation to start from "default ending", if they didn't play SandStorm)

Interesting.
If it isn't spoilers, can you elaborate a bit on what sort of rewards you mean with Option 2, perhaps using an example?

 

[Raife]

In all Honesty, this still bothers me to no end, that i feel like i want to slap everyone of you, because you still "misuse" the Definition and Meaning of NTR.

Mike -- you're right, of course, in all the particulars of your argument/heroic rant. To my mind, anti-NTRism brings out some the most hilariously goofy/boneheaded responses in these forums.

But... needless to say that (1) complaining that anti-NTRism/inaccurate NTR labelling is wrong on F95 is a lost cause, and (2) you will end up getting gang tackled by anti-NTR fanatics like Butch and Sundance confronting the Bolivian Army.

I admire your elan... but I'd suggest that discretion is the better part of valour.

 

[darksorrow]

Can someone elaborate a bit on the "rape" tag for this game?

 

[LustButNotLeast]

Can someone elaborate a bit on the "rape" tag for this game?

Well, till now there have been at least a pair of major rape scenes.
One with a major LI who remains shaken by MC's forcing behaviour, and one longer rape scene with a secondary character in a pool, with the MC "forced" by a magic artifact.
And there are some scenes where the rape looks implied and suffered by secondary male characters.

 

[darksorrow]

Well, till now there have been at least a pair of major rape scenes.
One with a major LI who remains shaken by MC's forcing behaviour, and one longer rape scene with a secondary character in a pool, with the MC "forced" by a magic artifact.
And there are some scenes where the rape looks implied and suffered by secondary male characters.

Thank you

 

[Lol00000]

How do I get evil points?

 

[ghosthaunted]

How do I get evil points?

Be Evil?

 

[COOLERD3]

It's an interesting topic I'm willing to discuss but from a technical point of view only.
Who, what, and how it carries on to the second episode, if any, you'll discover that in due time .

The one thing I'm still undecided about is :
1/ if I let free choice for the player to select any of the endings he wants to start from (even if he didn't really get it in Ep.1),
2/ or if I make some code or keyword stuff (that you get from first episode endings), and that you have to enter to unlock the option in Ep2

my 2 cents.
1. I would like to see something carry on, just not only for the story but for your LI. (Here´s an idea: same trait or looks or fell could embodied some character, or maybe like " Shayera Hol" from "Hawkman" if you know what I mean. THe myth and reencarnation or something like that could be cool.
Besides, here´s another idea: If you do it well, the 3 games could be tied into one throu cycles of one generating the other, in a loop, where the ending is the begging and the begging is the ending.

2. About your indecition.
1 is the option.
Why?
a.Less coding mess for you (time you could devote to something more important, storywise)
b.Easy to undertand for the new player. Less is More.
c.Keys stuff is never a good idea, and your game, as far as now is not a puzzle one. If it is, it could be. I still prefer something more than a key t-shirt for ending the first game.
d.Options is good, but no at the beggining of a game. If you could make the "episode one import process automatic" then great, but if not, don´t bother.
e. From free option 1, the new and the old player, have the better illusion of control over the story. Even if they want to play the 2 chapter all wrong, or different form what he did in ep 1. (how so? or Why?. Maybe I dont like your ending for Ep.1, so I`ll play ep. 2 avoiding all about it directly.

That´s what I though about at first glance of what you are proposing. I would need more data to polish something more coherent with what is in your mind.

PS. It good to see your progress in photography, but keep in mind that photography is not about filters only, is about framing, lighting, and telling the story from an unique perspective. YOURS.
Keep studing games like
"Broken Dreamers" "AoA" "Summer´s gone" "Callisto" "Chasing Sunsets" just to name a few with great photo.
"Prince of Power" for one more related to snowstorm.

 

[GleenXstudio]

 

[Zawarudo94]

This is actually a fantastic game with great dialogue and an interesting story. Great renders too. Looking forward to the future of this game and snowstorm. Only thing I'd say is that there are a lot of missed opportunities for good sex scenes regarding NTR that aren't present. Since you can only pick one path at a time scenes can be sparse, for those who self insert and can't stand NTR maybe have an option for it but including more NTR scenes for non-focus girls could help to provide some breaks from exposition in the game.

 

[delacroix2]

Unavoidable rape - Nora (0 evil points) ??....

 

[JJJ84]

Unavoidable rape - Nora (0 evil points) ??....

Nora rape is avoidable if player takes the Good path (instead of being evil).
In that case, Nora becomes MC's lover.

 

[GleenXstudio]