VN Ren'Py Completed Something to Write About: The Author [Ch. 7.1] [STWAdev]

4.50 star(s) 124 Votes

ben_sylar

Member
Apr 26, 2019
276
585
Well, constructive criticism will be welcome by most devs, it depends on phrasing and insistency. If you (general "you") feel compelled to write "I've told you three times now how to fix your mistakes, but you just won't listen" (actual quote from an actual thread, now deleted, probably because of dev harassment, but I still had it in a private convo) when you want to change the basic premises of the game (this was a VN vs Sandbox argument) - just don't. Move on.
Not what I do. I'm more about things like: MC behaves like this because of plot reasons, a real human being would at least have the option of reacting like this. I'm not sure it comes of as constructive at all, because I usually forget to mention the things I like about the story.

The best example is the lady from my profile pic. I love that story, but the way that MC reacts to her BS just feels wrong to me.
 

Cartageno

Devoted Member
Dec 1, 2019
8,616
14,631
Not what I do. I'm more about things like: MC behaves like this because of plot reasons, a real human being would at least have the option of reacting like this.
That of course depends on whether the MC is a human being ;) Which he is in this game as far as I understand, though I think it's never explicitely stated.

But yeah, I see your point. Some railroading has to be done when telling a coherent story, but some omissions are just bad.
 

Avaron1974

Resident Lesbian
Aug 22, 2018
25,265
86,546
Is there really not any audio in this game?
Some devs find it a waste of time.

I've seen devs run polls on audio and general census is not many people actually give a shit. A lot play with sound muted, some play listening to their own music and some just find generic porn sounds to be cheesy as fuck.


As for music ... Royalty free music is widely used and not all that great so to have decent music in your game means paying and for new devs that aint happening.
 

ben_sylar

Member
Apr 26, 2019
276
585
That of course depends on whether the MC is a human being ;) Which he is in this game as far as I understand, though I think it's never explicitely stated.

But yeah, I see your point. Some railroading has to be done when telling a coherent story, but some omissions are just bad.
That railroading tho is unnecessary if your story is good and consistently so. What you call railroading is what I would call a flaw in the story, one that would be fixable if the writer would spend more time and effort on it.
 

Cartageno

Devoted Member
Dec 1, 2019
8,616
14,631
That railroading tho is unnecessary if your story is good and consistently so. What you call railroading is what I would call a flaw in the story, one that would be fixable if the writer would spend more time and effort on it.
What I mean by this is that for example in some game with a horror background "Fuck this, I'm outta here" cannot be an option, because then there would be no story to tell. Even though it would be a reasonable position for a human unequipped to deal with the situation to take. Also, you cannot just walk to the bar, you cannot skip your work day in many games. And it can be broken down further than my pretty extreme examples. Of course, sooner or later we can start talking: shouldn't there be an option to split with the fiancée if things are going this badly? Probably not, since it would change the whole dynamic of the situation and require an entirely different story. Of course you are correct that a good story would be able to justify you staying with her, but the option isn't there. (And of course, "over justifying" a thing, even if not directly, may make people resent a "forced decision" even more.)
 

STWAdev

Member
Game Developer
Jan 14, 2020
309
2,007
Well since you're all chatting I'm just going to drop in real quick. Since I don't like necroing this thread for other game stuff I'll just say that progress on the next game is going well, no I don't have a date. I appreciate all the comments and discussion you all have had about this game. I'm around, but I try not to revive my own thread too much, seems rude. Discord and Patreon is where you'll get most upcoming sneak peaks, though I may sneak some into the Daz thread over here.

Also have an Aoife for on topic purposes.
ComeToBedAoife_edit.png
 

Cartageno

Devoted Member
Dec 1, 2019
8,616
14,631
Well since you're all chatting I'm just going to drop in real quick. Since I don't like necroing this thread for other game stuff I'll just say that progress on the next game is going well, no I don't have a date. I appreciate all the comments and discussion you all have had about this game. I'm around, but I try not to revive my own thread too much, seems rude. Discord and Patreon is where you'll get most upcoming sneak peaks, though I may sneak some into the Daz thread over here.

Also have an Aoife for on topic purposes.
View attachment 1103064
Any of the ladies is always welcome.

For On Topic purposes of course.
 

Shyguy1369

Active Member
Dec 14, 2018
592
1,244
Well since you're all chatting I'm just going to drop in real quick. Since I don't like necroing this thread for other game stuff I'll just say that progress on the next game is going well, no I don't have a date. I appreciate all the comments and discussion you all have had about this game. I'm around, but I try not to revive my own thread too much, seems rude. Discord and Patreon is where you'll get most upcoming sneak peaks, though I may sneak some into the Daz thread over here.

Also have an Aoife for on topic purposes.
View attachment 1103064
A little Irish lass is always welcomed ;)
 

ben_sylar

Member
Apr 26, 2019
276
585
What I mean by this is that for example in some game with a horror background "Fuck this, I'm outta here" cannot be an option, because then there would be no story to tell. Even though it would be a reasonable position for a human unequipped to deal with the situation to take. Also, you cannot just walk to the bar, you cannot skip your work day in many games. And it can be broken down further than my pretty extreme examples. Of course, sooner or later we can start talking: shouldn't there be an option to split with the fiancée if things are going this badly? Probably not, since it would change the whole dynamic of the situation and require an entirely different story. Of course you are correct that a good story would be able to justify you staying with her, but the option isn't there. (And of course, "over justifying" a thing, even if not directly, may make people resent a "forced decision" even more.)
To the horror story: give a reason why they can't leave. To the fiancée part: give me a reason why those people whould choose to be together. Give me the option to skip my workday and all the consequences that follow. Don't just serve me excuses, give me actual reasons. If your story only works because implausible BS is happening it's not a good story.

I stand by those words because most of the stories I wrote where shit because of those same reasons.
 
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Walter Victor

Forum Fanatic
Dec 27, 2017
5,735
19,744
To the horror story: give a reason why they can't leave. To the fiancée part: give me a reason why those people whould choose to be together. Give me the option to skip my workday and all the consequences that follow. Don't just serve me excuses, give me actual reasons. If your story only works because implausible BS is happening it's not a good story.

I stand by those words because most of the stories I wrote where shit because of those same reasons.
Choices are always good for the player. Not so much for the developer. The reasons are obvious. A developer, especially a new one, can get overwhelmed with keeping up with all the divergence. In real life, choices confront us every day. There are an infinite number of them that we encounter in a single day. Most are unconscious choices, but they are still there. [Do I scratch my nuts now or 5 minutes from now?] Try coding all of those choices into a game. [You might want to make the nut-scratching avoidable.]

A developer should have a plan for the game. That plan will necessarily involve forcing the players down certain prescribed paths. There is no avoiding it, if the developer wants to remain sane, and does not have unlimited computer power and time.

Of course, we don't have to like the developer's plan. We also have choices. One of which is to play some other game.

The problem is that the developer's complete plan (assuming there even is one) is rarely revealed to us at the start of a game. So we often find ourselves playing some game that looks very promising, only to have the developer expose some part of his plan that causes us to say, 'What the fuck?'. This will undoubtedly cause frustration after we have spent hours embroiled in the game. We need to realize that in this pastime, like in real life, shit happens, and act like adults. I know, that's asking a lot, but it is what is needed for all of us to retain our own sanity.
 

Kame-Sennin

Engaged Member
Aug 29, 2017
2,846
3,509
I just finished the game , I got solo ending with Aoife , Its a shame that MC haven't got a taste of Camila or Aoife's hot aunt but maybe on DEV's next game
 
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Cartageno

Devoted Member
Dec 1, 2019
8,616
14,631
To the horror story: give a reason why they can't leave. To the fiancée part: give me a reason why those people whould choose to be together. Give me the option to skip my workday and all the consequences that follow. Don't just serve me excuses, give me actual reasons. If your story only works because implausible BS is happening it's not a good story.

I stand by those words because most of the stories I wrote where shit because of those same reasons.
Yes, if the story gives a compelling reason, I agree that would be best, but depending on the reader it may still feel forced and railroaded. Can't leave the town overrun by zombies because no vehicle works anymore and the next town is too far? Sounds outlandish to me, won't happen. Can't leave because your wife and kids have to be rescued? Well, have they? At the risk of being an asshole (and that should be an option, too), I can't help them, I'm outta here.

Or small things like WV mentioned: do we really want an option to skip the coffee date with Samantha (random girl name)? Do we need an option on whether we like to drink something hard in the evening when there's no in-game reason to? Dev can't do it (I refer again to WV), the story won't advance or even screech to a grinding halt.

In the end I get what you mean to a degree I think. One of the things I like about good sandbox games is that I can go around town, work a little to have money, spend it, meet with people who are not yet advanceable in the plot just to meet them, have nothing real happening as an option. The option to grind even if you don't have to. This sometimes is more rewarding to me than the non stop action other games have or especially badly made sandboxes where everything you do will advance the story without further input. I also complained in reviews that I don't want to grab a pupil's breast first chance in some teacher game. We're not that dissimilar methinks, it's just that somewhere there is a line we have to accept. In Real Life (some virus notwithstanding) I have the option to just hop into my car and drive for a short holiday to the mountains to get a break from it all. My boss won't like it but the option is there. When grocery shopping, I can punch random people. Maybe less outlandish: I can take up a new hobby and try to learn the violin (pray that I won't do that) Not all of that can be transferred into a game. Some basic borders within which to act need to be set. And no story, however good, will give enough reason for all of it, it just needs to make it plausible that almost any MC would go along with this.
 

Avaron1974

Resident Lesbian
Aug 22, 2018
25,265
86,546
I just finished the game , I got solo ending with Aoife , Its a shame that MC haven't got a taste of Camila or Aoife's hot aunt but maybe on DEV's next game
Camilla is never going to be a love interest, the aunt is going to be a partial LI in the third.
 
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cxx

Message Maestro
Nov 14, 2017
60,194
30,134
I've seen devs run polls on audio and general census is not many people actually give a shit. A lot play with sound muted, some play listening to their own music and some just find generic porn sounds to be cheesy as fuck.


As for music ... Royalty free music is widely used and not all that great so to have decent music in your game means paying and for new devs that aint happening.
most sounds are door knock, door closing and those usual pornsounds (which sound better on actual porn). music if there is is mostly general plim-plom and players mutes both usually before playing game or soon after starting.

Also have an Aoife for on topic purposes.
H O T T I E !!!!!!!!!
 

HornyyPussy

Message Maven
Apr 26, 2020
12,841
30,038
Well since you're all chatting I'm just going to drop in real quick. Since I don't like necroing this thread for other game stuff I'll just say that progress on the next game is going well, no I don't have a date. I appreciate all the comments and discussion you all have had about this game. I'm around, but I try not to revive my own thread too much, seems rude. Discord and Patreon is where you'll get most upcoming sneak peaks, though I may sneak some into the Daz thread over here.

Also have an Aoife for on topic purposes.
View attachment 1103064
Insta-boner......
 

Avaron1974

Resident Lesbian
Aug 22, 2018
25,265
86,546
Partial huh? Top half or bottom?
That was the devs words, I don't know what it means either.

I'm guessing she's probably going to have the MC tied up in her sex dungeon and ride his pole every now and then before she lets her daughters have a go and, well, you know how romance hits you when you are held captive in a sex dungeon.

One day during a session of whip the guy and make him cry he realises he loves the violent daughter type, declares his undying romantic feelings for her and they get married to live sorta pleased for a while until she gets bored and murder death kills him.

Thats fine as long as its one of them, what third ?
This is the first of a planned trilogy.

It looks like the 3 MC's are going to be the 3 friends mentioned by the MC with him being the first and I think Valentine is next.

The second is very similar to this one, date sim romance based. The third will be slightly different and based around the Irish mafia of which Aoife's aunt is one of the heads.
 

HornyyPussy

Message Maven
Apr 26, 2020
12,841
30,038
That was the devs words, I don't know what it means either.

I'm guessing she's probably going to have the MC tied up in her sex dungeon and ride his pole every now and then before she lets her daughters have a go and, well, you know how romance hits you when you are held captive in a sex dungeon.

One day during a session of whip the guy and make him cry he realises he loves the violent daughter type, declares his undying romantic feelings for her and they get married to live sorta pleased for a while until she gets bored and murder death kills him.
sometimes i get scared of your imagination.....
 
4.50 star(s) 124 Votes