VN Ren'Py Abandoned The Intoxicating Flavor [v0.10.6] [PixelsLab]

4.00 star(s) 151 Votes
Oct 22, 2017
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Just realized I hadn't had a look at this thread for some time, and BAM I missed a hell of a lot of streams, where I always wanted to see another after the first way back. :cry:

Hmmm... so, I'm in the beginning of Chapter 2.

Nothing makes sense. If I could read Russian, maybe it was possible to understand something. As it is, a confusing story, addled with bad grammar, typos and completely disjointed writing, it's quite difficult to comprehend what the story even is.

I'll probably give it a try sometime later, because right now, I'm cringing too much, it simply makes my skin crawl.

The renders are good, yes, but I can't say what's happening because I can't understand most of what is written and what I understand makes no sense. It's a pity.
While it is some time since I played the beginning, I remember starting the game and then putting it off several times before finishing the available content. There was something about it that got me to retry it every time it hit the latest updates, but I needed a few retries until I was hooked.
For the story was intriguing and the renders nice, I'm sure it must have been about the English which also got in the way of the story. Besides the already mentioned grammar fix, the English gets WAY better down the line when PixelsLab was able to start solving the translator/proofreader situation, though.
So I definitely recommend hanging in there, it'll all smooth out soon enough. ;)
 
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PixelsLab

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Mar 17, 2018
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Hello everyone!

I'm sorry I've been missing for a week. Because of the streams, my back hurt a lot, I had to take a break from the computer, and after the rest, I started creating animations for the first chapter. It turned out 2 animations of 288 frames each. (Very long render) I think tomorrow or the day after tomorrow I will return to streams.

I have a question. What do you think about continuing to work on chapter 9 while redoing the first and second? The truth is that my work on the first chapter is almost finished. There is about 20% left. I think I could finish everything before the end of the month. Those who were on the streams saw that we were already coming to an end. But editing takes a lot of time, because we want everything to be great, right? In addition, I want to rework most of the second chapter and remove the damn mini-game of tennis! Maybe I'll add a gallery if I figure out how to do it. You've been asking for this for a long time. In general, there is still a lot of work. So I thought, shouldn't I continue the story?

For example, like this: I make a new update, send it for translation-editing, and while I'm waiting, I'm working on the first chapter. What do you think?

Another problem is that after updating the first chapter, all of your saves will fly off, that's for sure. That's why I want to release the entire edited part at once. So that you do not have to replay the game several times.

I'm waiting for your opinion!
 

Arldor

Member
May 15, 2017
146
363
View attachment 1819326


Hello everyone!

I'm sorry I've been missing for a week. Because of the streams, my back hurt a lot, I had to take a break from the computer, and after the rest, I started creating animations for the first chapter. It turned out 2 animations of 288 frames each. (Very long render) I think tomorrow or the day after tomorrow I will return to streams.

I have a question. What do you think about continuing to work on chapter 9 while redoing the first and second? The truth is that my work on the first chapter is almost finished. There is about 20% left. I think I could finish everything before the end of the month. Those who were on the streams saw that we were already coming to an end. But editing takes a lot of time, because we want everything to be great, right? In addition, I want to rework most of the second chapter and remove the damn mini-game of tennis! Maybe I'll add a gallery if I figure out how to do it. You've been asking for this for a long time. In general, there is still a lot of work. So I thought, shouldn't I continue the story?

For example, like this: I make a new update, send it for translation-editing, and while I'm waiting, I'm working on the first chapter. What do you think?

Another problem is that after updating the first chapter, all of your saves will fly off, that's for sure. That's why I want to release the entire edited part at once. So that you do not have to replay the game several times.

I'm waiting for your opinion!
Well, as for the gallery, you can check the mods in this thread and forum and maybe cooperate with them. As for 1 and 2 chapters, in my opinion (but I'm not a patron, so it has little weight), end and release them together. Alos, for example, you can write plot/dialogs and send for translation while you're rendering scenes for chapter 2. It will cut the time for the next update.
Anyway, waiting for the result, good luck
 

Kakato

Engaged Member
Feb 25, 2017
3,340
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Well, Dev can take all his time, as long as I get loaded updates in the end. Waiting is not a problem because he's a good communicator and doesn't play the Silent Card like Most Devs out there.
 

RandomGuy99

Well-Known Member
Nov 11, 2018
1,573
2,157
View attachment 1819326


Hello everyone!

I'm sorry I've been missing for a week. Because of the streams, my back hurt a lot, I had to take a break from the computer, and after the rest, I started creating animations for the first chapter. It turned out 2 animations of 288 frames each. (Very long render) I think tomorrow or the day after tomorrow I will return to streams.

I have a question. What do you think about continuing to work on chapter 9 while redoing the first and second? The truth is that my work on the first chapter is almost finished. There is about 20% left. I think I could finish everything before the end of the month. Those who were on the streams saw that we were already coming to an end. But editing takes a lot of time, because we want everything to be great, right? In addition, I want to rework most of the second chapter and remove the damn mini-game of tennis! Maybe I'll add a gallery if I figure out how to do it. You've been asking for this for a long time. In general, there is still a lot of work. So I thought, shouldn't I continue the story?

For example, like this: I make a new update, send it for translation-editing, and while I'm waiting, I'm working on the first chapter. What do you think?

Another problem is that after updating the first chapter, all of your saves will fly off, that's for sure. That's why I want to release the entire edited part at once. So that you do not have to replay the game several times.

I'm waiting for your opinion!
remove the mini games. generally no body like the mini games in VN
 

boulimanus

Active Member
Jun 10, 2018
857
1,100
Another problem is that after updating the first chapter, all of your saves will fly off, that's for sure. That's why I want to release the entire edited part at once. So that you do not have to replay the game several times.
Well, as much as I'd love to see the continuation, invalidating previous saves is a big impact for me as I have many of them used at several points in the story so I can easily replay a scene, or sometimes even just a few frames.
So I'd personally prefer all the rework in one go, both 1 & 2. But otherwise it's fine I'll simply wait until it suits me.
Was wondering also if you planned to make a switch of some kind, where we could see either the old or the new version. It would be cool, in particular if changes are important (like some reframing for example that we know has been done).
 
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Ottoeight

Forum Fanatic
Mar 13, 2021
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Just my 2 cents:

- the tennis table scene was really nice, and meaningful for the plot: if you want to remove the game, please keep it as a scene;

- everybody favours chapter 9 over early chapters reworked, believe me. Moving forward with the plotline should always be Devs' priority: you're writing a visual novel, after all.

Those devs who are reworking over and over their visual novels' early chapters are simply killing their own games. You're telling a story, therefore people wanna know what happens next, firstly.
 

GentleMaster

Newbie
Oct 26, 2019
47
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View attachment 1819326


Hello everyone!

I'm sorry I've been missing for a week. Because of the streams, my back hurt a lot, I had to take a break from the computer, and after the rest, I started creating animations for the first chapter. It turned out 2 animations of 288 frames each. (Very long render) I think tomorrow or the day after tomorrow I will return to streams.

I have a question. What do you think about continuing to work on chapter 9 while redoing the first and second? The truth is that my work on the first chapter is almost finished. There is about 20% left. I think I could finish everything before the end of the month. Those who were on the streams saw that we were already coming to an end. But editing takes a lot of time, because we want everything to be great, right? In addition, I want to rework most of the second chapter and remove the damn mini-game of tennis! Maybe I'll add a gallery if I figure out how to do it. You've been asking for this for a long time. In general, there is still a lot of work. So I thought, shouldn't I continue the story?

For example, like this: I make a new update, send it for translation-editing, and while I'm waiting, I'm working on the first chapter. What do you think?

Another problem is that after updating the first chapter, all of your saves will fly off, that's for sure. That's why I want to release the entire edited part at once. So that you do not have to replay the game several times.

I'm waiting for your opinion!
While playing the game I can't really remember ever noticing any areas that were in desperate need of an instant redesign. The game is great and I love the renders, so my preference would definitely be to continue the story.

The tennis game never really bothered me and is sort-of intricate to the story. You could remove the game/chance-aspect of the tennis-game and turn it into a choice. But removing the entire scene would be a shame.
 

vmaks

Active Member
Sep 13, 2018
910
4,535
do the continuation of what is there to think. do not fall into the trap of perfectionism forcing developers to polish the project to the ideal (along with delaying the release), and fans complain that the developer is starting to pull money
 

Forgotted

Well-Known Member
Sep 1, 2020
1,921
1,574
Interesting ideas.
I'm not sure where your main target market is and age group. I would guess USA for location. I'm not trying to be stuck up, that is just a guess.
So, it's summertime in the USA so I might also guess that less gaming is going on as people are outside more and the days are longer. My outside chores take many hours each week now. I would suggest that you release shorter updates until October-November. This will keep existing patreons happy enough, give you time to start reworking the first couple of chapters which might pick up more new patreons, and maybe give you time to think ahead a bit for new content.

Surely most of your existing patreons want you to focus on new content, but you already have those patreons so this would be a bit better opportunity to WoW any new folks that try out your game by the rework.

Since the mini game is there, just leave it. You can come back and remove it later on when you have a chance. This sounds like you are already planning on adding almost too much to your workload.

After all that, a bit larger release that requires a restart might be more tolerated at the start of winter and might even be a nice refresher for existing players.


But then again...I'm just goofing around, and as somebody else mentioned,
I'm not an existing patreon so don't put too much into what I say.
Cheers and Take Care
Thank you for all your efforts
 

D9074

Active Member
Feb 21, 2021
718
1,326
View attachment 1819326


Hello everyone!

I'm sorry I've been missing for a week. Because of the streams, my back hurt a lot, I had to take a break from the computer, and after the rest, I started creating animations for the first chapter. It turned out 2 animations of 288 frames each. (Very long render) I think tomorrow or the day after tomorrow I will return to streams.

I have a question. What do you think about continuing to work on chapter 9 while redoing the first and second? The truth is that my work on the first chapter is almost finished. There is about 20% left. I think I could finish everything before the end of the month. Those who were on the streams saw that we were already coming to an end. But editing takes a lot of time, because we want everything to be great, right? In addition, I want to rework most of the second chapter and remove the damn mini-game of tennis! Maybe I'll add a gallery if I figure out how to do it. You've been asking for this for a long time. In general, there is still a lot of work. So I thought, shouldn't I continue the story?

For example, like this: I make a new update, send it for translation-editing, and while I'm waiting, I'm working on the first chapter. What do you think?

Another problem is that after updating the first chapter, all of your saves will fly off, that's for sure. That's why I want to release the entire edited part at once. So that you do not have to replay the game several times.

I'm waiting for your opinion!
are you only planning on reworking chapter 1 and 2 and then carrying on or you plan to rework it all over time?

i personally never found a problem with the first chapters to where i thought it needed to be done again, i personally would just love to carry on with the story as its interesting. thats just my opinion though and i respect whatever you do as some want their best work out there.

only problem is with reworking 1 or 2 chapters is if it looks really good then suddenly goes down in quality people will ask questions.
 
Oct 22, 2017
374
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I like new content as much as the next guy, but I'd like to see developers I like to get more patrons and be more successful too.
For that first impressions are important.
When a game is finished, its overall state is important.
For the occasional replay, I also like a game's beginning being on par with its ending quality-wise.

So - redoing your game every few months isn't good, then I'd prefer to stick with one level of quality and apply changes in the next game.
While I wouldn't have said this game needed a rework when I saw the old and new images in comparison though, the new ones look so much better. And we already have the evolving quality throughout the game.
Therefore I think you should do this rework like you planned and release it in as few blocks as possible to reduce necessary restarts.

I'd also say, you should keep the table-tennis scene even if you chose to remove the game which I didn't mind back then.

As for when to work on and release the rework - I'd vote for not doing it alongside with story continuation but either now or at the end. Especially for you mention to have the first chapter almost done, I'd say just keep working on the rework until it's done.
If this is a possibility for you, I'd say to try to get the English translation optimized now too and give that part a rework too.
 

cxx

Message Maestro
Nov 14, 2017
59,984
30,027
there are games with worse grammar (finished 1 recently and currently playing 1) than this.
 
Oct 22, 2017
374
983
There are.
And in a lot of them, it hurts to read the text.
For a slide show, ok, but for a story-heavy mystery plot ...
Arguing there are worse products isn't really great advertising for this game.

PixelsLab had problems with his translator(s) in the beginning and the English gets so much better later.
For a better first impression, it would most likely be beneficial to get the English to the level we currently have.
There were already multiple people in this thread that had a problem with the combination of the evolving story and English in the first chapters.
And for there is already a rework being done, that seems like a good time to adjust that too - if possible.

Ultimately, this was just an idea to maybe combine those two in case PixelsLab had something like a language overhaul planned at some point, no must-have.
 
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4.00 star(s) 151 Votes