The burden of choice. Need Help!

[paust.alex]

I've been trying to make a game myself for a very long time, I had a huge number of scripts and in the end I settled on two options. But even now I absolutely can't make a final choice, because each of these options has its undeniable pluses, and the disadvantages. My head is just exploding from the constant thinking and weighing, so I want to ask for your help.

The first option is a standard college game in the University of Magic. If I were to describe this story in a nutshell, it would be if Hogwarts was in the Witcher's universe. So there will be all sorts of elves, monsters, demons and other fantasy crap.
The second option is a college in the present day. But the story itself will have some features that I've never seen before or anywhere else. If I were to describe the plot in a few words, it would be Daddy Goes to College. Because who says a student can't be 30 years old?
So what's my problem. If we talk about the fantasy version, I'm confused by the fact that it will be very far from reality, it will be something that can never, ever happen. There would also be problems with MILFs, because I can't imagine women in the world of magic looking more than 27 if they can slather themselves with rejuvenating ointments or drink some elixir of youth. However the might be GILFs and other characters whose age is a couple of hundred years. Honestly, when I think about all the features and plot twists, I get very interested and intrigued, but the detachment from reality is bothering me very much.
If we're talking about the college in the present days, the main plus would be that these events could theoretically happen to any of us and, to me, fantasizing about what might happen is much more interesting and satisfying. There will be no magic, but everything will be very clear and understandable And there will also be MILFs.

 

[MissFortune]

The MILF problem is rather easy to solve with some imagination. Let's say these rejuvination ointments/potions exist in their universe, what are some reason's why they wouldn't want to take them? It's fantasy, as you said. You can make the rules, to some degree.

Perhaps the government made anti-aging elixir illegal for population control, and the only way to get them is via illegal means (think drug dealers), but the dealers are known to dose them with mind-control/etc. ingredients or lace them with hyper-addictive drugs, or something of the sort. Or perhaps they weaken their powers or take months of their total lifespan with every dose. Doing something like that allows you to either leave it as is, or bring it in as a side story. A side character/friend of the MC falls into the elixir and not realizing it was laced, making her spiral downward into depravity or helping her out of it depending on the choices of the MC - or again - something of the like.

What's more interesting to you? What do you feel you can write better, which would you enjoy creating more? Because at the end of the day, there's no point in doing this if you aren't enjoying it.

 

[F4C430]

Because who says a student can't be 30 years old?

Absolutely no one. There's nothing wrong with going back to school later in life.

but the detachment from reality is bothering me very much.

Since when are games bound by reality?

 

[desmosome]

but will there be NTR and non virgins?

 

[Sphere42]

What do you actually want to write? Both in terms of plot/story and sex/fetish content. For example a corruption story is way easier to justify as a game in the fantasy setting where you can make up all kinds of spells, potions, demon contracts etc. On the flip side a psychological manipulation approach requires accurate portrayal of personalities and social structures and you don't want nudist wood elves distracting from it.

MILFs are incredibly easy to justify even without fantasy races. Fertility cults, nobility who "enhance" their bodies to show off, actual mothers who take pride in their figure and use magic to preserve that rather than the teen girl, storing mana as curves, and that's just a bunch of standard tropes.

 

[paust.alex]

What do you actually want to write?

I want to write something that will be popular and interesting to people, because I like both scenarios.
I'm more concerned about the "popularity" of the fantasy genre, because I personally think the "modern" genre is much more popular. Let's say the popularity and sales of GTA 5 is much higher than Skyrim and The Witcher combined.
However, if you look at movies, fantasy is more popular.

Both in terms of plot/story and sex/fetish content.

Yes, the story, the scenario, the same scenario as in anyfantasy book or movie - you enter a world of magic and begin to learn something, both about yourself and about the reality around you. No seduction or hypnosis, honestly I don't see any point in it and I have absolutely no interest in it.

but will there be NTR and non virgins?

Yes, there will be NTR and non virgins.

Since when are games bound by reality?

By reality I mean the place of action and the world in which everything happens. The events of the present day, current affairs, it seems to me, it will be much closer to the average user than some fairy tales and fantasies about magic and dragons.

 

[Sphere42]

I want to write something that will be popular and interesting to people, because I like both scenarios.
I'm more concerned about the "popularity" of the fantasy genre, because I personally think the "modern" genre is much more popular. Let's say the popularity and sales of GTA 5 is much higher than Skyrim and The Witcher combined.
However, if you look at movies, fantasy is more popular.

That's pretty much dooming your project from the start if you're really trying to put popular trends before your own vision. And your methodology is terrible, a narrow set of individual AAA products and a poll on a pirate forum. Even if you do grab accurate analytics from somewhere that doesn't tell you why something is popular and what you can offer in your project to stand out. Your example of the 30yo student is fairly unique but as-is it's a superficial background fact, you need to actually do something interesting with the character concept for it to be worth playing.

Yes, the story, the scenario, the same scenario as in anyfantasy book or movie - you enter a world of magic and begin to learn something, both about yourself and about the reality around you. No seduction or hypnosis, honestly I don't see any point in it and I have absolutely no interest in it.

I was just using those as examples for things games often do very poorly/unrealistically for the sake of simple game mechanics. Because you did not give any examples as to what the content would actually be like. Why would I play this game instead of GTA or Skyrim? Considering the site we are on, how and with whom would we be having sex? If you're going to write a highschool romance anyway idgaf about a Harry Potter skin and the modern setting would be less jarring and easier to get right. If it'll be a harem fantasy offers better explanations for the loose sexual norms and a greater variety of waifus. You give no information so the replies you get are useless.

 

[Doorknob22]

There would also be problems with MILFs, because I can't imagine women in the world of magic looking more than 27 if they can slather themselves with rejuvenating ointments or drink some elixir of youth.

Maybe they can't? Problem solved.

Seriously dude, if you want milfs in you game find some excuse to get them. "rejuvenating ointments tear your soul away", "elixir of youth numbs the mind" etc. Or they can simply not exist.

I remember an ad for a roleplay game in the 80's. It said "No elves". Their fantasy setting had no elves, dwarves, dragons etc. just had the critters they wanted. You can shape your world the way you want to.

 

[paust.alex]

Seriously dude, if you want milfs in you game find some excuse to get them. "rejuvenating ointments tear your soul away", "elixir of youth" numbs the mind etc. Or they can simply not exist. Easy, really.

The problem with MILFs in general isn't that big, there's a problem with one particular MILF - the MC's mother - because she will have to look young for the sake of the plot, like Mercy from Overwatch, who is 37, but look 20. As for the others, it's simple - all these cosmetic medicines are expensive and the cheap ones are less effective.

Because you did not give any examples as to what the content would actually be like.

There is not much need for this now as it is unlikely to say anything. The only thing that interests me now is what people want to see. Something happening in the present day - with all it's problems and peculiarities. Or something detached from current reality. Basically, events will take place in our world, the world will look like the 21st century. As an example of what it would look like, you could take The Irregular at Magic High School or Versatile Mage.

 

[Sphere42]

There is not much need for this now as it is unlikely to say anything. The only thing that interests me now is what people want to see. Something happening in the present day - with all it's problems and peculiarities. Or something detached from current reality. Basically, events will take place in our world, the world will look like the 21st century. As an example of what it would look like, you could take The Irregular at Magic High School or Versatile Mage.

Is that 21st century New York, or 21st century Tokyo, or 21st century central Africa? Harry Potter is set near the end of the millenium but most of the plot could just as easily have taken place in the 13th century with only superficial changes to the muggle world and wizard copies (e.g. more "horseless" coaches instead of the steam train).

 

[MidnightArrow]

Just do both.

Make your main character a creative writing major who turns all the IRL hot girls he wants to bone into fantasy women in some shitty self-insert fantasy story. The main character becomes Dirk Hardblade, rogue. The slutty girl becomes a succubus, the country girl from a ranch becomes a centaur, the bitchy rich girl becomes a haughty elf, etc, etc. If it's not real in the story who cares if there's no age potions or whatever? It's obviously just some dude's self-insert spanking material.

 

[Jofur]

While I'm nowhere near actually developing a game, I've had similar issues when thinking settings for potential ideas.

On one hand, as a player overall I prefer modern and realistic settings since it's so much more immersive and plays of on a lot of my real world desires. For example in real life I desire to bang the cute and friendly cashier in my local grocery store, but not the imaginary elf girl who runs a potion shop. I might fantasies about it, but I don't desire it in the same way I do something "real".

On the other, from a creative perspective developing a fantasy world and populating it with unique races and characters, and using the setting to stage creative scenes that could never happen in a mundane modern setting is pretty alluring, a setting where you can let your fantasies run wild and do all the stuff you wish other creators would touch on.

So do you create a game you would love to play yourself, even if it's not that inventive or unique, or do you create a game you would love to develop? Tricky question.

 

[anne O'nymous]

I'm more concerned about the "popularity" of the fantasy genre, because I personally think the "modern" genre is much more popular. Let's say the popularity and sales of GTA 5 is much higher than Skyrim and The Witcher combined.

What mean absolutely nothing.

There's way more difference between those games than the sole fact that GTA V use a modern setting. They don't share the same game mechanisms, don't have the same level of marketing behind them, and obviously the pure "free violence" aspect of GTA V is something appealing for the youngest (while making everyone talk about the game). GTA V also have an online mode, and need way less investment from the player than the two other games.

What would have meant something, is to name Summertime Saga or WVM, among others. The most successful adult game, and the best starting game ever, that both take place in a modern setting. This make me wonder how serious you effectively are in your approach ; you want to choose the story that have the most chance to success (an approach that always failed so far), but you haven't took the time to look at the market you want to jump in.

 

[paust.alex]

but you haven't took the time to look at the market you want to jump in

No need to jump to conclusions. Of course, the first thing I did was sort games by likes and weighted rating, chosing fantasy, school setting, incest, supernatural in the tags and compare.

On one hand, as a player overall I prefer modern and realistic settings since it's so much more immersive and plays of on a lot of my real world desires. For example in real life I desire to bang the cute and friendly cashier in my local grocery store, but not the imaginary elf girl who runs a potion shop. I might fantasies about it, but I don't desire it in the same way I do something "real".

That's exactly what I was thinking about. That's why I'm afraid that despite all the variety and freedom that the fantasy genre can offer, people may find the simple and plain mundain life much more appealing.

 

[anne O'nymous]

No need to jump to conclusions.

Then why using GTA V, a game totally unrelated to the two you compared it with, when you could have used DarkCookie's 26,825 patrons, 10.000 more than the second most successful game author, and 20.000 more that the tenth ? It would have been a more relevant argument, because directly linked to your project.
This being said, Adeptus Steve earn US$ 20.000 more each month, with his fantasy setting.

Of course, the first thing I did was sort games by likes and weighted rating, chosing fantasy, school setting, incest, supernatural in the tags and compare.

Oh, er... Well, I'll not say it twice in less than one week, so it's something totally irrelevant.

 

[paust.alex]

Then why using GTA V

This is just a generalised example.

Oh, er... Well, I'll not say it twice in less than one week, so it's something totally irrelevant.

Obviously, in each of the topics I went to patreon and subscribestar and looked at how each game was selling. This comparison was far from in favour of fantasy.

 

[chainedpanda]

The Witcher delima is a fairly simple solution no? The Witcher already has mages, and with the lore that Witchers are no longer needed, you can continue that trend by creating a mage school in order to train future defenders or some shit no?

As for the MILF problem, it is a very simple solution. There are plenty of lore friendly creatures in the Witcher universe. Some of which can shapeshift and use magic, they can easily fit into a magical school. Two off the top of my head are Dopplegangers and Dragons. Secondly, you can have school staff which aren't teachers/mages. Such as cooks, maids, etc, or simply have a town outside of school with a milf innkeeper, bard, noble woman etc.

 

[desmosome]

Just do both.

Make your main character a creative writing major who turns all the IRL hot girls he wants to bone into fantasy women in some shitty self-insert fantasy story. The main character becomes Dirk Hardblade, rogue. The slutty girl becomes a succubus, the country girl from a ranch becomes a centaur, the bitchy rich girl becomes a haughty elf, etc, etc. If it's not real in the story who cares if there's no age potions or whatever? It's obviously just some dude's self-insert spanking material.

That... that actually sounds really fun and original.

 

[MidnightArrow]

That... that actually sounds really fun and original.

It does, yeah. I kinda want to give it a go myself but I already have like eight projects on my plate.

 

[moskyx]

That... that actually sounds really fun and original.

Yeah, well, no. It's called 'Dungeons and Gremlins' in BaDIK and it's not exactly fun (and yours wouldn't be original)