VN Ren'Py Shattered Dreams: Redemption [v0.3] [Nebula Dreams]

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Ciaran8023

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Jun 4, 2018
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I think it's less the pacing and more the transitions themselves. I did note in my comment earlier that some of the transitions felt a bit more jarring than usual due to the scene it transitions to, sometimes being zoomed in or so which makes it so you have to take a second to realize what you're looking at, which isn't as natural as transitioning into a wide-shot that's more easily recognizable at a first glance.
 
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Nebula Dreams

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Dec 6, 2024
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Curious what you guys think of the pacing of the latest update (0.3). Got a discord buddy telling me he thought the pacing was bad in 0.3 but was fine in 0.2 ( I haven't played it yet going to in like 1 - 2 days finally)

Some things he said

" the events are all over the place they dont really follow much logic "
"the only events that do follow some sort of order are the story mafia ones , because the others make fuck no sense"
" Mc is one time hanging out with the best friend next he is banging a chick then he is randomly recording music with the idol "
" the new update feels much more random sort of like one of those slice of life anime "
"In other games you see MC making plans or gives you hints about what the MC will do in the upcoming days"
"while in Shattered Dreams its just more in your face oh a girl randomly calls you well better get to that the only girl I felt that had some decent good follow up is the girl that wants to keep things slow, you see the MC actually making plans with her"
"with the others its just mostly randomly during any day or anytime they feel like it"


Again none of the above was from me but I thought it be an interesting conversation to have. As I don't recall anyone mentioning pacing issues when 0.3 dropped
I pretty much agree with MiltonPowers response, and I also agree with Ciaran8023 that transitions are definitely something I can improve on.

To add to that, when your friend says it feels like an anime slice of life, he’s not necessarily wrong, because those scenes with the girls and at work are, for the most part, slice-of-life scenes.
The MC doesn’t plan those scenes ahead of time — sometimes it’s a girl who suggests a date, sometimes it’s him, and yeah, maybe the next scene he’s at work with Mina.

And I think it would be weird for the MC to suddenly stop between two scenes and start planning out his dates or work moments — he’s just living his everyday life and doesn’t need to plan in advance what’s going to happen.
Same for the girls — I don’t think they’re planning weeks ahead that they’ll want to go on a date with the MC on a specific day. It’s more like, if they’re free and feel like it, they’ll suggest something.

Because that’s always been how it works in 0.2 and 0.3 — for example, Maddison invites you over in 0.2 through a message in the afternoon for that same evening, and she does it again in 0.3 when she invites the MC over because she finally has free time.

Aside from that, some transitions can definitely make the pacing between two scenes feel too abrupt, and it can make it seem like we’re jumping too quickly from one moment to another. That might be where that feeling comes from — or maybe it’s just a difference in how we see things.
 

AlexMpog

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Oct 17, 2022
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" the events are all over the place they dont really follow much logic "
"the only events that do follow some sort of order are the story mafia ones , because the others make fuck no sense"
" Mc is one time hanging out with the best friend next he is banging a chick then he is randomly recording music with the idol "
" the new update feels much more random sort of like one of those slice of life anime "
- honestly I dunno what he is talking about here.
All the major scenes look absolutely natural to me - if we're talking about the overall story pacing, per se.
The only issue I had was with the transitions between scenes - which I told ND about. Sometimes, one scene ends and we immediately jump into another. Personally, I'm used to smoother transitions.
And another one that can fit here is the scene where MC makes a deal with Luca about quitting the Bar. That scene appears later in the game as a flashback, but it wasn’t really that confusing.

"In other games you see MC making plans or gives you hints about what the MC will do in the upcoming days"
"while in Shattered Dreams its just more in your face oh a girl randomly calls you well better get to that the only girl I felt that had some decent good follow up is the girl that wants to keep things slow, you see the MC actually making plans with her"
"with the others its just mostly randomly during any day or anytime they feel like it"
I'm sorry, what? :)
Did he give any examples where MC makes plans and gives us hints? Sounds like some sort of fourth wall break. I can barely count the number of games like that on one hand.

This party seems to be an event that always happens, because in my case I was dragged there by the friend you play basketball with, and that's where I met Ella.

By the way, the party was really boring, please don't invite us again :ROFLMAO:.
As long as Ella is at the party, I won’t complain - I’ll attend it anyway. :cool:
 
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metamorphMP

Member
Jan 6, 2024
353
771
Curious what you guys think of the pacing of the latest update (0.3). Got a discord buddy telling me he thought the pacing was bad in 0.3 but was fine in 0.2 ( I haven't played it yet going to in like 1 - 2 days finally)

Some things he said

" the events are all over the place they dont really follow much logic "
"the only events that do follow some sort of order are the story mafia ones , because the others make fuck no sense"
" Mc is one time hanging out with the best friend next he is banging a chick then he is randomly recording music with the idol "
" the new update feels much more random sort of like one of those slice of life anime "
"In other games you see MC making plans or gives you hints about what the MC will do in the upcoming days"
"while in Shattered Dreams its just more in your face oh a girl randomly calls you well better get to that the only girl I felt that had some decent good follow up is the girl that wants to keep things slow, you see the MC actually making plans with her"
"with the others its just mostly randomly during any day or anytime they feel like it"


Again none of the above was from me but I thought it be an interesting conversation to have. As I don't recall anyone mentioning pacing issues when 0.3 dropped
I'm late for a party :)
To me his arguments sound odd, too far fetched. I think dude just had a bad day :KEK:

Story is pretty logic and pacing is fine. No random calls from girls either, if you on a girl path, she texts you, if you're not - she doesn't. I did notice a few abrupt transitions between scenes here and there too, as guys mentioned, but nothing critical.
This party seems to be an event that always happens, because in my case I was dragged there by the friend you play basketball with, and that's where I met Ella.

By the way, the party was really boring, please don't invite us again :ROFLMAO:.
But Ella was there :oops:
I would go to the party again :cool:
 
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Dessolos

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Jul 25, 2017
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Well finally found the time to play the update I blame Baldur's Gate 3 and Oblivion Remastered.

I loved the Jennie stuff the most. Starting to open up a little more to Maddison even tho she needs alot more time. I can't wait for more Ella. Don't know what it is about Lena I really liked her in the first updates but in this one I am starting to like her less she went from my 2nd favorite to my least favorite. Mina is great as always , tho for a second got me thinking wasn't gonna like her at first when she got mad at the MC.

About my friends pacing issue. I can see where he is coming from only on 2 parts otherwise I don't get it. Those 2 parts would be after the first lewd scene with Lena is over it kind of jumps to the a scene with her in the bathroom. I think it was the next day I forgot I played this part a few days ago.

The other part I see an issue with is on the Jennie's path after she goes home , it jumps to another scene with her the next day. Which to me both of these scene felt a little random like they came out of no where.

I think if it was something more like Lena lewd scene > something else > Lena Bathroom scene and Jennie movie date > something else > ( text message or mention of the meeting her the next day) > meeting Jennie and Lucy it would of felt alot better to me. But those are more minor nitpicks nothing major and definitely not a big deal like my friend made it to seem since 90% of it made sense or was fine to me. I think just having 2 different scenes back to back of the same LI / character is what makes it feel off to me unless something was talked about in the last scene with them.
 
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PickerLewd

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Dec 22, 2022
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The truth is that I haven't noticed the transition problems that many people claim :).

In a serious case, I think Nebula could just add a black image with a white text message explaining the transition, such as "the next morning", "3 hours later", etc.
 
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Nebula Dreams

Member
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Dec 6, 2024
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The truth is that I haven't noticed the transition problems that many people claim :).

In a serious case, I think Nebula could just add a black image with a white text message explaining the transition, such as "the next morning", "3 hours later", etc.
There’s sometimes a fade to black with a description of how much time has passed between the two scenes and/or the date.

But I see what he means — especially with the scene with Lena in the living room and then the next day in the bathroom.
It could’ve been smoother to have a scene in between those two.
 
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