Proof of Life #118: Yet another progress report, #6 this time
Added 2022-03-14 22:29:52 +0000 UTCHeya you beautiful people, N_Taii here! I'm writing yet another progress report for all my Patrons out there, so you see I'm still hard at work so I can release a first playable demo ASAP.
HC3's Story: I keep torturing myself over it in the shower. I have stated in my bucket list for HC3 that I would go for a simpler story, akin to the one in HC1. However, the more I think about the story, the characters, and the settings, and the more I find it hard to settle for something too simple. HC1 was a shot in the dark, I didn't think it'd ever get popular, so I went with a straight-forward story with little depth, because I didn't want to think too far ahead.
For HC3, I know I am going to bring it to completion, and I know the length is going to be about the same as HC2, and the scope would be far greater because I have poured a fair amount of time and resources into the visuals and other side aspects. The story being the medium through which the game progresses, a barebones story would be like putting a tiny engine on a huge machine and expect it to run properly.
However, one thing I was more satisfied in HC1's story that I thought lacked in HC2 was the NTR as an instrumental part of the story. In HC1, the demons needed to corrupt the women to get what they wanted, while in HC2, it simply felt like a side-story. Had Celis and Aywin not been corrupted, the story would have barely changed. In HC3, I really want to incoporate the NTR of the two main heroins into the story, and make it part of the goal for the antagonists.
One other reason why I am not too inclined to do a really simple story is because I, as the dev, find it boring. It just isn't fun to develop because it doesn't require much thinking, and because players get less involved in it. After all, I really like to discuss the story and the characters with people : )
So I'll do my best to juggle the needs for a simpler story for some, and me not wanting it to be too simple.
HC3's Map: The first part of last week was dedicated to incoporating the maps into the game. So far, I'd created them, but hadn't properly included them in the game. I have added doors that properly open sideways and upwards, passages from one map to another, separated the different rooms and used the same system as HC2, where a room would be completely blackened if the player was outside of it, improved the maps' visuals so they would be a bit less immersion-breaking, etc...
Now, for all the maps that I have added in-game, they have pretty much reached their final version and are ready to be played.
Then, I've added several new maps, such as an eastern-style public bath (upper left corner), with a dressing room and all that. Perfect for some new juicy scenes ; )
You might have noticed the windows are just holes for now. I'll fix that soon enough, but I'm waiting to have properly finished all the interior maps before getting to the see-through windows.
HC3's Art: Good progress on the pixel art side of things. Now, all the sexy animations have varying breast size, small, medium, and big, and the artist is making sure to add a new female model for the smaller red-haired girl. The antagonists as well as the MC's sprite sheet are also being done right now.
One bad piece of news though: the artist for the portraits, who is now in charge of the banner, said he is so busy he wouldn't have the time to finish it in March, and it wouldn't be until April when he sends me the first version. No big deal, I can still work on the game without it. I might just have to release the first HC3 version with a plain old RPGM background, that's it.
HC3's Gameplay: Tiny little thing to mention about the gameplay: some people have voiced their concerns that having to navigate a city might be a bit confusing at first, especially not knowing which building is what, and what door can be opened. So, as you can see in the bottom left and upper right maps, I have added tags on doors and other tiles, so it is obvious at first glance what door is usable, and where it leads. I've also used it for some items that can be interacted with to make them stand out a bit more.
....Aaaaannd that should be it for this PoL!
Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful week!
N_Taii
Comments
Oh yeah, I was just using them being adventures as an example. Glad to hear that my example gave you an idea though. :)
TheWanderer
2022-03-22 00:17:54 +0000 UTCI will definitely keep the slow burn, that's for sure!^^ However, I feel that a few things could have been removed here and there in HC2 and it wouldn't have taken anything from the game, so I'll have to better manage that in HC3.
N_taii
2022-03-21 21:26:39 +0000 UTCSlow burn is the best, and a more complex story lends itself to that. HC2 was a great, and I certainly wouldn't mind another game of that complexity. I'm sure some people weren't huge fans, but that's going to happen regardless.
Signtist
2022-03-19 12:36:52 +0000 UTCThank you for the kind comment! : ) Thing is, I believe a great story can be made through the shared effort of players and writers together, which is why I wrote down what I felt about it, so it could be further debated. It's true that, at the end of the day, I will be the one deciding the story, but it is also my duty to gather opinions, read them, analyze them, and decide what to do with them. The fact that some people would rather a simpler story is a fact that I can't ignore, so I'll always keep it in mind when writing it. I already scrapped some script ideas based on that, but I don't think going too simple would be a good idea. Anyway, I shared it here, and I got valuable opinions thank to it, so it's a win-win situation!^^
N_taii
2022-03-16 23:14:31 +0000 UTCLove u too, no homo!^^
N_taii
2022-03-16 23:06:08 +0000 UTCThank you! : )
N_taii
2022-03-16 23:05:20 +0000 UTC@TheWanderer While I understand why you think blackmail is too easy, I feel like it is also a good way to explain why a seemingly pure and loving character would engage in sexual acts with an antagonist all the while maintaining their purity. This would help make the players feel empathy towards the character without judging them too harshly, setting up the way for a possible redemption arc. I have already thought of several scenarios for the NTR triggers, like obligation, sense of duty, empathy, guilt, favors, blackmail, etc... To be honest, the sister and mother already have their own roles, and none of them is an adventurer. However, your comment gave me new ideas for the NTR.
N_taii
2022-03-16 23:04:54 +0000 UTCYou're right. I just didn't think of any good scenarios. You're idea is definitely better, even though I like blackmail
Snowman9712
2022-03-15 18:25:26 +0000 UTCI get that you want please people with a simpler story and all but what I want to say is, do what you believe is the best. Don't block yourself for days trying to simplify a little part of the story. work on the story how you like, if you like the story it's going to show in the game. We can feel the passion in your games and story. I don't want that to go away because some people found the story too complicated... Anyway as long as you put the story you like first then try to simplify or cut some details to make it simpler. You've done wonderful work so far, you've proved it with the first 2 games I don't want the quality of the story to suffer for people wanting a simpler story. I believe you in your story, you proved it twice with good writing you can do it a third time. Cheers
TheOneAndTheOnly Jess
2022-03-15 13:48:30 +0000 UTCI love you bro keep being amazing!
Abuus
2022-03-15 09:37:35 +0000 UTCWhatever you do, it will always enjoyed by me. So please give your best, with your style and art. Thank you
2022-03-15 09:09:44 +0000 UTCThe blackmail route is just too easy. Far better, in my opinion to go the slow corruption route like you mentioned but exclude blackmail. If I recall correctly, we have the mother-like and sister-like characters in the game. As an example, for slow corruption, the mother is a former adventure, and the sister is a new adventure. Maybe the OP isn't but has a friend/rival/antagonist who is and convinces the Mom-like to come out of retirement for some quest. Couples weeks go by and comes back and the OP notices the mom is acting a bit different. The slow corruption part started by some event on that quest and now is woven into the OP's story as he notices the strange new behavior and tries to unravel the mystery.
TheWanderer
2022-03-15 03:59:07 +0000 UTCI think a mixture between HC1 and HC2 would be best. I think HC1 was way too simple and the corruption also happened to quickly, which made it not as believable as HC2. I really liked HC2 because the corruption was slow and it really felt like a slow corruption, whereas in HC1 it just happened and then it happened more often. Storywise HC2 was good, but I think the whole thing with Möre (or however you write her name) was a bit too much. I liked the whole concept of the plants making the citizens more likely to do something sexual, but the whole deity was a bit much for me. I think if you can make a believable story with the female characters being blackmailed without going all in too quickly and rather being slowly corrupted, I am confident that you'll create a nice story, e.g. the antagonist has something that could cost the king/queen their crown and the princess and blackmailed into doing sexual things to him in order for him to keep this to himself; the orphan's job as captain could be in danger and the gnome could do something to the owner of the inn to keep her job or something. The priestess could be manipulated/tricked into thinking her god wants her to do something for the antagonist(s)? Something like that :)
Snowman9712
2022-03-14 22:48:33 +0000 UTC
