Ren'Py The Headmaster [v0.16.4] [Altos and Herdone]

[Cartageno]

I am definitely in the "slow burn, need to get to know the characters first" category myself. A "boobies, let's fuck" game usually isn't oing it for me because if I just want scenes without context (which I sometimes do), I will usually go to regular porn because graphics are better. The problem of course is not only that everybody's expectations are obviously different but that a story driven slow burner has to have a story that keeps you captivated to even reach the scenes.

And since we're all pretty impatient people it gets worse in games in development where you not only have to get through the in game time but also through the dev time. This can arguably be worse in non-linear games like this than in a standard VN where it is easier to judge what will happen next (we might tell in a "sandbox" that we are close to having quality time with character X - but will will not know when her content will be expanded on update wise, whereas in a linear VN with branches it is easier to get). However I would argue that this is a problem on the player side. If the final product fills the bill, everything's fine with me. Patreons who pay during development may easily disagree though.

 

[Lurker452]

I am definitely in the "slow burn, need to get to know the characters first" category myself. A "boobies, let's fuck" game usually isn't oing it for me because if I just want scenes without context (which I sometimes do), I will usually go to regular porn because graphics are better. The problem of course is not only that everybody's expectations are obviously different but that a story driven slow burner has to have a story that keeps you captivated to even reach the scenes.

And since we're all pretty impatient people it gets worse in games in development where you not only have to get through the in game time but also through the dev time. This can arguably be worse in non-linear games like this than in a standard VN where it is easier to judge what will happen next (we might tell in a "sandbox" that we are close to having quality time with character X - but will will not know when her content will be expanded on update wise, whereas in a linear VN with branches it is easier to get). However I would argue that this is a problem on the player side. If the final product fills the bill, everything's fine with me. Patreons who pay during development may easily disagree though.

In general I agree, but the catch is this: how many of these games ever get to a "final product" and how many years does it take to get there? I haven't been playing games like this for long (just a few years), but I've seen far more abandoned than finished.

I really like The HM (and I love Lucy!), but I want to see more progress. I was particularly disappointed, for example, that after the fundraiser storyline and aftermath you can still only get a HJ from Lucy on the weekends.

 

[red_faced]

I would be very pleased if following tags existed:
- slowburner (there are many hours of relation building with characters before sex scenes),
- story driven game (story above sex),
- characters' realistic behavior (women usually don't love you for nothing),
- fuckfest (almost all characters jump on MC cook almost immediately).

They would save me a lot of searching (I'm fan of first three)

I'd also like if there was a"Straight Sex" tag that you can exclude when you're looking for purely lesbian games.

 

[Pervertx]

In general I agree, but the catch is this: how many of these games ever get to a "final product" and how many years does it take to get there? I haven't been playing games like this for long (just a few years), but I've seen far more abandoned than finished.

I really like The HM (and I love Lucy!), but I want to see more progress. I was particularly disappointed, for example, that after the fundraiser storyline and aftermath you can still only get a HJ from Lucy on the weekends.

Yeah, for quick fap you might as well just go look at regular porn. But I agree, so many of these never get finished. High hopes for this one, there were others that had similar themes that were really good but are now abandoned, unfinished.
I remember there was this one where you were the new guy at school, with dozens of characters, and the end goal was to score with every girl, but it was never finished. Forgot what it was called. It had you teaching sex to some of the girls, including a pair of twins? And your sister's best friend had a crush on her and you could play with that. it was all based around school days.

 

[Dragon59]

Yeah, for quick fap you might as well just go look at regular porn. But I agree, so many of these never get finished. High hopes for this one, there were others that had similar themes that were really good but are now abandoned, unfinished.
I remember there was this one where you were the new guy at school, with dozens of characters, and the end goal was to score with every girl, but it was never finished. Forgot what it was called. It had you teaching sex to some of the girls, including a pair of twins? And your sister's best friend had a crush on her and you could play with that. it was all based around school days.

Yeah, after trying to make a sequel, centered on his "Eric" character as a TA in med school, he rebooted the original. He apparently wants to return to the med school sequel, but people seemed to prefer the earlier story.

I am not likely to deal with any high school ( I mean "college" for Patreon) or college stories. The closest I have is a "space academy" story where everyone has been ad adult for some time (like grad school). I have my own evil plans on how to mess with the school paradigm....

 

[Marvini]

I remember there was this one where you were the new guy at school, with dozens of characters, and the end goal was to score with every girl, but it was never finished.

School, love and friends? I'm also a fan of this game

 

[Dragon59]

School, love and friends? I'm also a fan of this game

Originally School, Love, & Cousins before Patreon cracked down.

 

[Cartageno]

I had a suspicion you were talking about that game, I just did not remember the "crush on sister" storyline. I do remember the Cities Skylines maps though. But as usual, a remake (for whatever reason) of an unfinished game usually spells doom.

 

[Xantoser]

In general I agree, but the catch is this: how many of these games ever get to a "final product" and how many years does it take to get there? I haven't been playing games like this for long (just a few years), but I've seen far more abandoned than finished.

I think the main problem in this case is that a single developer (or too small developer team) creates too many characters for him to handle. Too many single developers want to make a game which requires a team of several people. In short: they are overambitious.
Also, I have an impression that many underestimate how much time and resources freedom of choice and non-linear plot costs. Not to mention that freedom very often stays in opposition to the quality of the story. In order to write a good story with believable character progression, a writer needs to control the order of the events within a story, which of course stays in opposition to freedom of choice. I don't understand why many players treat non-linearity as a holy grail and consider linearity and single ending a flaw itself.

 

[Madmoiselle Chiffre]

School, love and friends? I'm also a fan of this game

...and the next update 2.9 is anounced for the end of July.
So this game is allthough even alive like The Headmaster does.
Locking optimistic forward for Headmaster update to 0.15.x .

 

[Madmoiselle Chiffre]

In general I agree, but the catch is this: how many of these games ever get to a "final product" and how many years does it take to get there? I haven't been playing games like this for long (just a few years), but I've seen far more abandoned than finished.

I really like The HM (and I love Lucy!), but I want to see more progress. I was particularly disappointed, for example, that after the fundraiser storyline and aftermath you can still only get a HJ from Lucy on the weekends.

Ok, I hoped of some more progress of other characters too.
The fundraiser wouldn't have been my first idea to update the story, but it was the result of a patreons poll.
So we have to be satisfacted with what we got.

Anyway, the most important thing for me is that the game continuose to be developed and doesn't die a too early death. And in this regard, I have the feeling with that rather the developer dies (and hoping not in the too near future, which I hope not) than the game The Headmaster.

 

[Cartageno]

I think the main problem in this case is that a single developer (or too small developer team) creates too many characters for him to handle. Too many single developers want to make a game which requires a team of several people. In short: they are overambitious.
Also, I have an impression that many underestimate how much time and resources freedom of choice and non-linear plot costs. Not to mention that freedom very often stays in opposition to the quality of the story. In order to write a good story with believable character progression, a writer needs to control the order of the events within a story, which of course stays in opposition to freedom of choice. I don't understand why many players treat non-linearity as a holy grail and consider linearity and single ending a flaw itself.

Yes, indeed, many new devs overdo things - or lose control during development. My suggestion to any aspiring dev would be to make a short story, maybe a night out with some LI and see how the evening goes, to get a first idea, also at what else goes into writing a game.

As for your last question however I can answer that to you, at least for me and my perspective. I am not interested (here) in watching a story unfold, I want to have some agency when sitting on my computer. Yeah, lying on the couch for flix and chill is all fine, too, but here it just doesn't reach me. And the more options the better - notwithstanding the small detail that too many options will make the game grow out of hand, as we discussed. And it is nice to have some thread holding the bits and pieces together, after all, a total sandbox where I can fly to China and try to corrupt a Buddhist monk would most certainly mean no real characters and stuff, but yeah, kinetic novels (or quasi kinetic novels) just don't do it for me. I've tried them and they failed me. Probably also because I tend to put myself into MC's shoes (unlike people who will play this game as an outside observer like in a book or movie) and I want to earn my sweet little victories, not have them handed to me on a silver platter by just clicking through a story.

And thus we end in "a dev needs to find the sweet spot on the scale". Unfortunately it may be different for almost everybody.

 

[Pervertx]

...and the next update 2.9 is anounced for the end of July.
So this game is allthough even alive like The Headmaster does.
Locking optimistic forward for Headmaster update to 0.15.x .

Wait, it's still alive???

 

[Dragon59]

I had a suspicion you were talking about that game, I just did not remember the "crush on sister" storyline. I do remember the Cities Skylines maps though. But as usual, a remake (for whatever reason) of an unfinished game usually spells doom.

Aiko had a crush on your younger cousin, and you could help her manipulate your cousin in order to do a "Cosby" on her.

 

[Pervertx]

Eh, close enough. Cousin, roommate, whatever

 

[Madmoiselle Chiffre]

Wait, it's still alive???

Yes verily yay!
View attachment Life could not better be.mp4

 

[Derbyshir3]

Yes verily yay!

And now I have to go watch The Court Jester again. Thank you. My day just got better!

 

[Pervertx]

Playing more of Headmaster. Is it possible to get 4 influence yet?I did stuff for three of them but not the Gym teacher.

 

[ccxvidonaferens]

Playing more of Headmaster. Is it possible to get 4 influence yet?I did stuff for three of them but not the Gym teacher.

Max Influence available at the current build state (Ver 14.2 Public) is 13 I believe. Members of staff give more than asingle point of influence. You earn it for different favours and tasks as the story progresses. There is a walkthrough accessible through the 'Do not press' button in the replay menu if you need further details.

 

[Pervertx]

Loving this, especially messing with little innocent girls like Rachel and Priti. Hoping to get my hands on Faye at some point. Also it's hilarious how he's totally perving on these girls but keeps justifying with "diagnosing" their problems. The "religious nut" in this case is totally in the right, but we can't let her win!