Proof of Life #71: More about HC3
Added 2021-04-05 16:49:27 +0000 UTC--This post will be made Public because it contains important information on HC3, and I want everyone to be able to see them--
Hello guys and gals, N_Taii here!
Happy Easter for those who celebrate it, and I wish you a good Monday for those that don’t! : )
Random thought: what would aliens think of us if they saw that we’ve made a tradition out of gifting each other happy bunny figures just to tear them down later and devour them? They’d be pretty appalled, I guess. Unless they really hate bunnies.
Anyway!
About HC2’s development
I should be done with the content of Update 8 either today or early tomorrow. Several scenes, some long, some split into shorter ones. Overall, the sex content should be quite satisfying. Well, I hope it will.^^
After that I have the testing and bug-hunting left, walkthrough, saves, etc… Then I’ll have a few days remaining to start implementing the reminiscence room and add more freeroam events in earlier Updates. I’m kind of hesitating as to what should take priority: the reminiscence room or polishing the beginning of the game? I’ll make a poll later to ask your opinion.
About HC3 in general
Someone had posted a list of do’s and don’ts, in another forum. I’ll take some of those suggestions and answer them to give you a general overview of what I have in mind.
1. Be more concise and to the point with the story, while preserving its depth and interest
-That's something I've had in mind for a while. I want to have less filler Updates and a more steady story progression. For example, reducing the intro to a few events and cutscenes, and avoid long sequences with no sex content like I did in the beginning of HC2. All in all, I want to revert back to something akin to HC1 story-wise.
2. Less extra-characters. having too many of them might explain why the players are less involved with the main characters
The plan for now is to have 2 main characters and 2 side-characters, and try to let the story revolve around them as much as possible. Of course, I still plan on having randoms show up from time to time when needed for the story.
3. More H content from the get-go
Count on it! It will probably be in the form of freeroam events and short scenes with random extra-characters for the beginning of the game, but I want more to implement more lewd^^
4. Having well-defined personalities for each of the main and side characters
Yes. I already have a few ideas in mind. No spoilers though.
5. Make more use of freeroaming events. Everbody seems to love it and it's a good way to implent more h content and character development from the get-go
-See answer to point 3
6. Invest in parallex mapping and sprite enhancement maybe
-The end goal I have with my game series is to have a well-established style I could call my own. For this, the main idea is to invest a lot more into visuals and comission more artists to take care of pixel art assets. Not only for sexual elements, but also for everything seen on screen (trees, house, interior, etc...). I reckon this is going to take a huge amount of money (custom visuals aren't cheap when there's so many of them) and time. Thus, please don't expect to see a fully customized game when HC3 comes out, but I hope to make this a reality at one point in the future. Also, I want to have slightly different sprites for HC3. Ideally, it would be something akin to the game "Octopath Traveler" sprites, but bigger. In Octopath, the sprites are 32x32pixels, I want mine to be 50x50. That's just an idea for now though, and I'll have to speak with the artist about it : )
As for parallax mapping, I already did it for HC2's main map and all the house's interiors, but I want to get better at it with HC3.
(For those that don't know, parallax mapping means to use editing softwares such as photoshop or gimp to edit a map and improve its visuals, as opposed to making maps with the very basic map editor of the RPGMaker engine).
7. Add a gallery from the start
Yup. It might make the Updates slightly smaller in terms of content at the beginning, but it's something I want to do as well.
8. Keep your hands off minigames and fighting systems
After thinking about it for a while, and for the reasons I have mentioned in point 6, I have decided to give up on implementing combat in HC3. I'll use the resources to improve visual assets instead. (This doesn't mean I won't ever implement it, but it won't be for HC3. There are more important things to take care of first^^).
I'll keep the card mini-game though. It will be optional, easy to implement, and will replace any other mini-game. Also, I think it'll be fun : )
Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful week!
N_Taii
Comments
I will also menteion that side characters is good to use if youre stuck or have a writers block. Focusing on side characters then can loosen up the creative process. Its a Balancing act. Also dont forget to take a small break once in a while. Getting burnt out can have a severe impact. Just be carefull not adding 99 side characters :P Oh, im not meaning to sound negative. Im rooting for ya.
Amaranth
2021-04-07 16:07:56 +0000 UTCIt isn't that hard to set up, actually. However, I would need to hire more voice actresses for that. Something I'll have to think about, but it might very well find its way into the game : )
N_taii
2021-04-06 16:24:28 +0000 UTCWell, producing a game I'm satisfied with is one of the most important things for me : )
N_taii
2021-04-06 16:20:28 +0000 UTCYes, balance is everything. Be it for games, movies, work, or everything else^^ I'm going to try my best so HC3 feels balanced : )
N_taii
2021-04-06 16:19:22 +0000 UTCOh, I only meant making a shorter intro for HC3. I don't want to touch the story of HC2 at all, otherwise the story might not make sense anymore. I will simply add new sex events (but not full scenes I guess).
N_taii
2021-04-06 16:15:49 +0000 UTCmore ambient sounds would also be really cool I think. Especially in this medieval/fantasy like setting sounds like rivers, forests (birds, bees, frogs,...) really add to the whole scenario. Or indoor sounds like crackling fireplaces, smithing sounds and so on. I feel this together with some better art could really change the atmosphere of the game
Pete
2021-04-06 11:05:20 +0000 UTCI absolutely love the the free roam part of the game. More concise story is a super +, especially with more H from the get go. I absolutely love the sounds and sound effects. Could there potentially be more moaning sounds on the way? I'm not sure how easy it is to set that up, but I personally mix and make music, so I wouldn't mind helping with that!
LoM
2021-04-06 09:22:00 +0000 UTCIndeed! And if I made it this low, you can too!
N_taii
2021-04-05 23:52:39 +0000 UTCNaked and alone with no prospects at the bottom of a ditch?
tpogs
2021-04-05 23:29:00 +0000 UTCWell you could change nothing and I would still be happy with my pledge. The fact you're listening to feedback and improving is just amazing. Keep it up! :)
shpee wang
2021-04-05 21:42:16 +0000 UTCIt isn't really my bucket list, but someone else's that well summarized my own resolutions for the next game. The card game will also be a way for me to develop something different once in a while ; )
N_taii
2021-04-05 21:28:06 +0000 UTCYes. I need to make them feel more connected to the MC in one way or another, as well as adding depth to their backstory. Little by little, I'm learning from my mistakes^^
N_taii
2021-04-05 21:26:46 +0000 UTCThat could be an interesting concept actually. I've heard of NTR dungeon crawlers, but nothing quite like what you've described. As for the coding, we all start somewhere. 2 years ago at this date, I never thought I could ever make anything that looked like a game, yet here I am^^
N_taii
2021-04-05 21:18:10 +0000 UTCIt's as Pete says, I usually always follow a set schedule, although the priority will always be to release an Update when it's ready, and not something half-finished. But yeah, I had school stuff during the past year, so there were delays because I was doing my Master's degree. I graduated at the end of last year, so now I should be able to always meet deadlines.
N_taii
2021-04-05 21:13:41 +0000 UTCYeah, I think most people who have played the earlier games wouldn't mind a longer intro because they know what's to come. However, for new players, they don't know what they're getting into. They see a lot of dialogues, few sex scenes, they don't really know what's to come, so they judge based on early content and drop the game. I want to avoid that by compromising, which means shortening the intro a tad bit but trying to keep it long enough so the characters can grow on players. Still, the game will remain freeroaming, with 4 days and a night/day cycle, and I'll add a few quests to get people to familiarize themselves with the world and the characters.
N_taii
2021-04-05 21:11:04 +0000 UTCI know, I agree with you : ) I don't forget the fact that my game is a sex game, and it should always be developed in a way that highlights the lewd aspects. As for everything else you mentioned, I have the same opinion, although it's easier said than done (I always have great ideas when I start a game but I always have to compromise at some point because the development isn't going as I expected or because I have other ideas along the way, etc...^^).
N_taii
2021-04-05 21:04:43 +0000 UTCI dont ,mind a few side characters here and there but one has to be carefull not to add too many. The focus is not about the side characters but the main ones. Adding some side characters can flesh out the story and sometimes make it more interesting but if you add too many Players will only get confused and have a hard time keeping track of the story. Theres also a risk that some of the side characters can feel a little flat and not really needed. Also since its a H-game my advice is not to spend too much time on the buildup or start. A story is nice and makes the game more interesting but making it too long in can make players loose interest since its a H-game after all and people are mostly in for the H-scenes.
Amaranth
2021-04-05 18:59:40 +0000 UTCOoh, yeah. That would definitely be a good way to set the scene and include some relevant early-game H scenes.
Signtist
2021-04-05 18:11:18 +0000 UTCYeah, I suppose that might help tide people over if they need that. I've never been interested in vanilla scenes in an NTR game; it always feels like they're just putting the H scene in for the sake of there being an H scene. I don't need a scene to show that the married couple love one another. I'm not against having the scene in the game, it just doesn't do anything for me.
Signtist
2021-04-05 17:57:07 +0000 UTCwell said! I can only approve of that!
Pete
2021-04-05 17:48:09 +0000 UTCLove your bucket list! I think these are really good aspects to focus on for your next game. Also really glad you decided to not invest into combat but rather into art and other content. AND I think its great that you decided to implement the card game. Feels like a good compromise (no combat, but a nice card minigame). Looking forward for some fun matches to escape the NTR madness from time to time ;)
Pete
2021-04-05 17:44:02 +0000 UTCGotta say I agree with less side characters. Solana works pretty well but the others kind of fall flat for me tbh. I would prefer less characters but more depth to each corruption. That's my two cents at least.
shpee wang
2021-04-05 17:41:37 +0000 UTCJust about everything sounds good to me. It's all about finding balance - having an introduction and slow build-up is good but playing too long before any H-content can be draining; having a large world and many characters is good but they need to have distinct personalities and we need to spend time with them so we care about them.
LinenZero
2021-04-05 17:40:02 +0000 UTCThanks :)
Mr. V
2021-04-05 17:37:03 +0000 UTCI dunno about number 8. I think mini-games and combat systems can be fine as long as they are adding to the story, the atmosphere, or pacing of the game. If I ever made a lewd game I'd want it to be a dice based dungeon crawl. You see two rooms, in parallels, the one the MC is in and the room his Rival is in, each roll a die to over come the rooms obstacle, be that a trap or a monster and add their stat bonus to the rolls. Then you can add in female character that give bonuses and negatives and gain affection points when you or your rival take them. The game becomes kind of a race broken up into chapters, get to the end first and the MC gets the cool McGuffin that gives him a buff, the Rival gets there first and he gets a McGuffin that makes him better at stealing the ladies. Man, I really need to sit down and iron that out one day. I could prolly make all the art assets but I don't know a damn thing about coding a game.
tpogs
2021-04-05 17:37:00 +0000 UTCthere are set days each month and N_Taii informs his patrons if there is a delay. But that actually happens very, very rarely.
Pete
2021-04-05 17:34:02 +0000 UTCSo I agree that a slow build up can be really excellent for NTR. But I had a real big problem with some of the HC2 early mini-games. Particularly the one where you had to chase the rabbit or whatever the hell it was. They really tanked the pace of the game.
tpogs
2021-04-05 17:26:45 +0000 UTCI agree with you that an ntr game needs a strong buildup but I also think that a adult game can’t go on forever without any h content. To be honest if I hadn’t played the first game and knew the quality of what was coming I’m certain I’d have dropped the game during that endless intro. In my opinion he should take all the time in the world with the main characters but there got to be something else in the beginning. Be it flashbacks or side characters.
Mr. V
2021-04-05 17:21:16 +0000 UTCI’m kinda new to your Patreon and I’m not trying to pressure you. I’m just curious about the release dates. Is it always the same day of the month or is it more like “it’s ready when it’s ready” ?
Mr. V
2021-04-05 17:13:37 +0000 UTCI absolutely loved the beginning of HC2. Dunno if that's an unpopular opinion or not. The game certainly took its time to get to the major H scenes, but good NTR needs a strong buildup, and I think HC2 did that perfectly. I spent hours in the demo for the game getting to know the town and its residents, because I knew that the game would make good use of them all, and it did! I certainly don't think there needs to be any major change to the formula in regards to those aspects. As for the minigames, they've been hit-or-miss with me, but I like that card game from FF you mentioned, so I think that's a good way to have some sort of puzzle without it being a new thing every time.
Signtist
2021-04-05 17:01:37 +0000 UTC
