VN Ren'Py Zero End [v0.2.4d] [Stolen Rose]

[Gorse]

Some fan sigs for "Zero End":

Keira - Fan-Signature
300 x 124 px / 0,81 MB



LINK: https://attachments.f95zone.to/2023/01/2374876_ZEsiG1.gif
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Rayne - Fan-Signature
300 x 124 px / 0,89 MB



LINK: https://attachments.f95zone.to/2023/01/2374877_ZEsiG2.gif
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Victoria - Fan-Signature
300 x 124 px / 0,91 MB



LINK: https://attachments.f95zone.to/2023/01/2374878_ZEsiG3.gif
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Alice - Fan-Signature
300 x 124 px / 0,76 MB



LINK: https://attachments.f95zone.to/2023/01/2374879_ZEsiG4.gif
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Selina - Fan-Signature
300 x 124 px / 0,8 MB



LINK: https://attachments.f95zone.to/2023/01/2374880_ZEsiG5.gif
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Swansong - Fan-Signature *
[* as requested by Subnero ]
300 x 124 px / 0,75 MB



LINK: https://attachments.f95zone.to/2023/10/3019152_ZEsiG6.gif
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Spoiler: How to use sigs in your signature

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​

So y'all: don't hesitate to use (up to two of) these sigs in your signature.

You'd support the further development of this quite thrilling game a bit as well...​

Hope you'll ENJOY! ​

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Stolen_rose, thanks for your game & good luck with the further development! Cheers!
​

 

[Stolen_rose]

Those are amazing! Thanks a lot

 

[Frostvred]

Stolen_rose

I'm slow picking up on this one. But DANG!
You've come out swinging hard on this one!

I've had my share of reading and playing Werewolf and VTM(never went too deep with Mage though),
And reading a Bunch of the "darker" DC comics/novels in the past.
So I gotta say you do indeed manage to give similar vibes, in one way or another.
I'd dare say, you also got somewhat of a Lovecraftian feel to it as well.
(Especially, during certain event around the "do not go into the forest after dark" parts, the way you handle it.)

You've done well to avoid "plagiarizing", and instead make a bunch of lore of your own that slightly "tips the hat",
but not too much. (sign of respect and recognition?)
(I imagine that must have taken you a while! And maybe even well before starting this VN? Like past material?)

I'm looking forward to see how you'll handle stats in this VN/Game, and how they'll affect a playthrough,
apart from what you've already mentioned about resiliency etc.

Without "tooting your horn".. G'Damn, is all I can say!

I've got some questions for you though. And I know you already said it won't have that much impact in a playthrough.
But. As an example, I'm a idiot that "have to" do multiple playthroughs if a VN/game interest me enough.
Each for every "solo route", "loner route", "horndog route", and lastly potential "thruplets" and so on.

Truly, How vitally will the choice of deities affect a playthrough on the "Li" part? (also maybe "alignment"?)
Will characters react to the MC differently depending on the chosen deity, and what they have of their own?
(this would be really cool, but might be unnecessary lot of work?)
Will it be worth doing one playthrough for each Li, with each deity, AND each alignment state?
Or will there be a potential to get every scene possible while doing one per deity, and be carefree about what Li, and alignment?

After reading through all past pages, I don't feel it's "crystal clear" enough to make the completionist in me happy.
So I'm sorry for making you "repeat yourself" using different words! ><

Also, sorry for this wall! But I rarely ever write only a couple lines.
As I rather just sit in my corner and shut up, if I don't have much to say at all!

Cheers!

 

[Stolen_rose]

Thanks for the kind words!

You've done well to avoid "plagiarizing", and instead make a bunch of lore of your own that slightly "tips the hat",
but not too much. (sign of respect and recognition?)
(I imagine that must have taken you a while! And maybe even well before starting this VN? Like past material?)

I started writing the story about a year before the first release, so I had a lot of time to develop it while learning rendering, photography, etc. Honestly, one of the most interesting things about this story's creation, to me, is that the theme of inner struggle that is basically omnipresent wasn't something I set out to do. It just emerged naturally. I love it when the creative process still finds ways to surprise you after so many years.

As for your question, the short answer is no, you don't need to do a playthrough for each LI with each deity and alignment. Deity and alignment are not meant to determine which LIs are available or change the dynamic with them*

Alignment will probably impact the main character's relationships the least as it's mostly a visual representation of his mental state, or rather which side of his inner struggle is "winning." While it will play a role later in the game, it will be a personal thing between him and himself.

With deities, there will be special interactions with characters in the world or situations, but these are all for flavor and not always the "best" outcome. The only one I'd say is relevant to a specific playthrough is Aphrodite for the horny playthrough, but even then it doesn't affect the relationships with love interests, just the more casual encounters.

As for getting every possible scene, it really depends on how you define that. The way I go about it is mostly that the same scene plays out differently with a certain deity choice or with enough points in a certain stat.

*There are some exceptions to this, but for that I'll have to get into how I planned to structure my endings. There are "Major" endings, in which you reach the end of the story and feature the main LIs(or solo), and "Minor" endings that branch out of the main story early. Some of these "Minor" endings will be with side LIs, and those will have steeper requirements as I consider them "special endings." I'll make those clear when one of those endings becomes available.

Hope that clarified some stuff. If I failed to cover anything or wasn't clear enough, let me know.

 

[Frostvred]

Hope that clarified some stuff. If I failed to cover anything or wasn't clear enough, let me know.

Thank you!
You went well above expected!

You managed to give me the answers I was looking for. But also.. Now I've got even more questions!
But I think that'll be on realm of spoilers, so I'll refrain from asking!

I actually neglected to see the potential of that certain stats would impact relationships, or how the "NPCs" would react.
I should have realized as it's somewhat already shown. ><
Like strength would be a stat that is "valued" by a certain character, and the future interactions with them.
Also, I got a feeling intuition is another stat that has already been vaguely "dug into" already, with a different character.
(I was contemplating seduction as well, but that one I've chalked down to was more of a case of the chosen deity.
As it was more of a case of the NPC having the seduction for that scene, not the MC.)

I've only done 3 runs so far, Aphrodite, Astarte and Luna.

Spoiler: unnecessary rant

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So still got a few more to go.

It can make a lot of interesting playthroughs and combinations.

This can get really convoluted at some point though. ><
I hope you don't plan on going too "nuts" on "hard requirements" stats wise?

At least now, I'm fairly certain, in my case, shifting my priorities would be most beneficial.
Sorta "learning the ropes". And do a "Aphrodite - Horndog" playthrough first to get a vague idea of how things "could go".

Thanks again for your answers!

It's making me look forward to future updates even more.
Not to mention future "world building".
You've got some really interesting things going on, that I've got a feeling we've barely "scratched the surface" of so far!

Cheers!

 

[Stolen_rose]

Spoiler: unnecessary rant

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I hope you don't plan on going too "nuts" on "hard requirements" stats wise?

Thanks for that little story, it was very cute. Pet stories always brighten my day.

Nah, I won't go crazy on the requirements side. It's supposed to be an extra layer that gives flavor and immersion, not a challenge.

 

[Frostvred]

Nah, I won't go crazy on the requirements side. It's supposed to be an extra layer that gives flavor and immersion, not a challenge.

That's Great to hear!
Can get overwhelming trying to plan out a run, if a stat requirement is too high..
But of course, if someone were to leave one of the stats at it's base 10 point through out a playthrough, it would be entirely on them, if they cannot meet a, let's say, "soft" 13 - 15 requirement. ^^
That was just example numbers, not a suggestion. ><
So far, I felt it was hard not to increase points evenly. But that may be me personally.
So don't think it would be a huge issue to find some form of balance.

I really like how nearly all(if not all?) choices taps into an aspect of the character, and shape him accordingly.
Only natural after all, that if one where to for example; choose to slug someone. The punches will be more effective over time.
Or if using sarcasms constantly, they will eventually roll out like second nature for every given situation.
And so on.

Spoiler: not a suggestion, just some thoughts

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Hope you won't be giving yourself too much of a hard job keeping track of everything,
as you're pretty much putting "character development" to the next level!
And honestly, it's 'exciting' to see!
It also helps knowing that the MC, is not some "inner ego" of the player.
But a character of his own, already set on a path, but under some "influence" by the player's choices.
I've already had questions in my mind, such as;
'How much can I eff up this guy's life?'
or the stark contrast;
'How can I help him achieve his goal?'

Also hope I'm not "hyping" it up too much!

Spoiler: Furry critters

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And thank you for engaging with the community!
We may be pesky pirates at the end of the day. But not all are rotten to the core! ><

Cheers!

 

[Stolen_rose]

The alignment system does kind of work like that. I think I've mentioned around here somewhere that it's "mercy" vs "severity," but those don't always coincide with good and evil.

Spoiler

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Honestly, it's not super hard to write the story, accounting for various possibilities. It's testing all of it that's difficult.

I've already had questions in my mind, such as;
'How much can I eff up this guy's life?'

That's also the forefront question in my mind whenever I sit down to write

 

[Frostvred]

The alignment system does kind of work like that. I think I've mentioned around here somewhere that it's "mercy" vs "severity," but those don't always coincide with good and evil.

Honestly, it's not super hard to write the story, accounting for various possibilities. It's testing all of it that's difficult.

That's also the forefront question in my mind whenever I sit down to write

Oh yeah.. Now that you mention it, I do believe I saw you mention that about the alignment system! ><
My memory isn't as good as it used to be in the past!

And yeah, I totally agree.. "Necessary evil for the better of good". And all that..

I wouldn't have a slightest idea how much work you have to put into it all.
But, know, that so far you've done great!
Can't say I've had any "hiccups" anywhere. I do tend to "try everything atleast once", even in some VNs.

I bet you're having tons of fun writing it all! ><
Maybe even at points write something that'll make you question your own sanity and so on!
Like a case of, "Maybe it's not a good idea to leave this in there!". ><

Also, it may benefit you to request a Developer tag here btw... (if you haven't done so already)
Seeing as you're hanging around here anyways!
I don't know how that stuff work though sadly.
I did read somewhere that all you gotta do, is send in a ticket though.
But, don't trust my memory!

 

[RicksTheBricks]

looks like a cool game, it has a neat banner

 

[Stolen_rose]

Also, it may benefit you to request a Developer tag here btw... (if you haven't done so already)

Thanks. I got a shiny new badge

 

[Frostvred]

Thanks. I got a shiny new badge

Congrats!

'Looks good on you!'

 

[skyrfen]

I was to write a "review", but given the early version and rather small amount of content, I decided against it.

And since the dev frequents this thread, I will keep it succinct and to the point:
I like the premise of the game, but I am skeptical of its future. Why?

The author openly states the game will be complex in its narrative as the development moves forward - that's always welcome in the sea of half-assed DrPinkCake-wannebe clones that re-use the same DAZ models... Anyway, given it's a solo project (at least it seems so), this approach of branching story can get overwhelming pretty quickly, even to the experienced artists. The attempt of balancing several plot points is a non-trivial task that many failed upon in the past.

Second possible point of "potential failure" can be seen the moment you start a new game - you're greeted with a selection of seven (7) "deities" you can pick from. Each has one (1) attribute they boost (+ some extras, but more on that later) and that's it. The information is sparse, so as a player you have to experiment with what "ability" affects what. Don't get me wrong - leaving player to their own devices is appreciated... if the game has enough depth to let you explore a completely new facade. For now (game version: 0.0.1c) certain skill levels allow you to make one (1) "special"/"extra" decision. Yeah, that's all. Oh, and certain animated scenes are locked behind a specific deity you pick on the start of the game.

Thirdly - the "required FOMO". As one commenter mentioned - some of the dialogues or scenes are dependent on some rather ridiculous requirements that even a slight deviation from will result in missed opportunity or content... just because you didn't pick that specific path. These can be fine-tuned, so it's an easy "fix" to implement, but I hope that as the game gets more developed we won't be forced into an illusion of choice. Besides, games are supposed to be fun, not requiring me to plan my moves and levels for that one LI (Love Interest).

To sum it: I honestly hope that this game develops into something unique. I really do. I just don't want it to crumble under its own "potential weight".

 

[Stolen_rose]

Those are very valid points and things I have been considering since I started developing the game. I'm aware of how a project can spiral out of control, and, as such, I keep those things in mind every time I sit down to write. I'm very careful not to create too many branches, especially so early in the development cycle. One thing I do to alleviate this issue is to close up branches once an "arc" has been completed and another begins--unfortunately, I can't go into detail here as I'd need examples and that would get spoilery.

Deity choice and stats are mostly for flavor and to make replays more interesting. They're indeed not very present or impactful in the first release. One reason for that is that the first release is one part(1/3) of a chapter and when I design the game, I plan by the chapter. The other reason is that I didn't want to flood the player with too many choices that have little to no impact.

I guess I could have designed the game without the stat system, without action sequences, without deities, but that wouldn't be as exciting to me. I work on the game every day after hours and during the weekends because I just love doing it. After having to do the game design for monetization-ridden mobile games for 8 hours to serve the bottom line of my overlords, being able to work on something I love without having to think of all that keeps me sane. It very well may not end up perfect, and I don't expect it to, but I hope it'll end up enjoyable.

I could go on, but, ultimately, there's nothing I can write here that would serve as indisputable proof that this project won't spiral out of control. Best thing I can do is to keep working on it.

Thanks for your message!

 

[JohnF95zone]

I believe you because you believe yourself. I have no doubt in you because you have not doubt yourself. It is because you believe and have no doubt ( being confidence ) that you embark on this journey in the first place.

... I'm very careful not to create too many branches, especially so early in the development cycle. One thing I do to alleviate this issue is to close up branches once an "arc" has been completed and another begins...

It shows in the game first release that there aren't many branching and I hope it will remains like that moving forward.

... Deity choice and stats are mostly for flavor and to make replays more interesting...

This is how I see it, the Deity System is a specialization that offers variations to certain scenes/scenarios/events in the game. I doubt that a scene can have up to 8* variations but I think the most sensible approach is just 2 variations ( deity active/on vs deity inactive/off ).

The story/narrative will be the same regardless of the deities because there is no route/branching based on the deities. It is like selecting your character to be an Archer instead of a Barbarian in an ARPG games.

*8 variations, although there are 7 deities in total, the 8th one is no deity ( the 'Dark Soul' mode per se ).

... It very well may not end up perfect, and I don't expect it to, but I hope it'll end up enjoyable. ...

Yeah, just keep rockin'. Make the game that you like and enjoy the most at the comfortable pace using the tools that you are most competent at. There is no single game that is liked ( or hated ) by everyone, and I know for sure there are at least nine types of players that will not play this game ( there is nothing you can do about it, and you shouldn't do anything about it ):

Spoiler: Nein Nein Nein Nine

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Actually looking back, it is just easier if I just list the potential players that will enjoy this game: Rational open-minded character focused, story oriented optimistic adult games players.

... indisputable proof that this project won't spiral out of control. ...

At least I see 3 signs or hints in this game first release that are proof enough to me:
1. Gallery lists 5 chapters ( with placeholder for replays ).
2. All 8 deities are already set.
3. Gameplay foundation and mechanics are set ( subject to tweaks, refinements and enhancements ).

Based on these, I say the game already has bounded context, so I don't see a reason why it would spiraled out of control. IMHO it will take a significant amount of time to develop because this game being a one-person-show production.

Thank you for reading my simple-minded observations and opinions!

 

[memonto_mori]

 

[Stolen_rose]

It's coming, don't worry.

 

[ostrogotihichun]

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Hello!
It's finally done, after sOmE amount of crunch. The reason for the crunch is that I need to leave today to visit my progenitors and the plane departs in a few hours. Didn't want to have the release looming over my head the whole time. I'll be back in a week.
That being said, the final stats are as follows:
Images: New -- 1433, Old -- 761, Total -- 2194
Animation count: New -- 12, Old -- 5, Total -- 17
Animation in seconds: New -- 55, Old -- 10, Total -- 65
Wordcount: New -- 24 606, Old -- 17 500, Total -- 42 106
Early Access post will be up in a bit. Hope you have a wonderful week and that you enjoy this new release. I'm off to pack my bags.
--SR


note : the general release on 31 march

 

[ostrogotihichun]

out for $5 tier on patreon

 

[RandomGuy99]

This game will need a walkthrough. There is good number of paths