DevLog Update

Thanks. I dont doubt the relationships behind the scenes will continue to be influential to me and to the game itself. 🤙

Aaryn

Thanks for taking the time to continue this conversation, Aaryn - I really appreciate the insights into the game and its developers. May you continue to be great friends, and may the game continue to go from strength to strength! (And the emotional stress on the players not be TOO overwhelming!)

Sebastian

I do trust the guys I work with--i trust them to an insane degree. Because of the personal nature of this story, I really had to let my guard down. These guys are friends of mine above all else and I truly love them to death for the relationships and the exchanges that we have. But to truly play their roles they way they do, they had to actually know me and my personality. If you know that aspect, the story doesn't have as many twists and surprises because it really is a product of me. These guys are really good about tossing out ideas and calling me out on poor ideas but ultimately they respect that the decision is mine to make on this particular project. It is my baby and it's my passion but there's an amazing balance there of them respecting that yet calling it out or shouting ways to improve it--or areas where i could push myself and do better. I trust these guys because they're friends by the true definition of the word and they continuously prove that to me in their dedication and the contact that we have. Yes, they have particular skill sets that mostly help bolster mine or counter my own weaknesses but at the end of the day, i just need people by my side that i trust and genuinely love spending time with. You can't go wrong with that man. And if the story works, it's because there was enough connection between us to make that shit work. Hell, and if it sucks...least i made some bombass friends along the way. I think the scientific observation on cliffhangers is correct. We see this time and time again on the forums or the Discord after an update and people start to speculate. That forces other people to consider plot lines but it also gives people who may have missed something, a chance to catch up. I really do think it works and it's fun to write :)

Aaryn

I've always been a fan of organic evolution. Particularly in this case: having the other writers working on the project has obviously increased that, but it's also worth saying that that's a very brave decision you made, and shows a lot of trust in the guys you have working with you. So congratulations on that, I can't help thinking that many creators would say, "This is MY baby! Go away" Incidentally, I saw an item yesterday that explained that, scientifically, people are far more likely to retain memory of a task that's interrupted than one that's completed. So maybe those cliffhanger endings really do lead to people having a greater awareness of where the story's at, and to think about the evolution of the story beyond that point, more than I gave them credit for. Mind you, all that said, I still enjoy playing back through the game. :D

Sebastian

So one thing that i've done throughout the story is I rarely plan fine details ahead. There's major plot lines to things and I plant conversations with minor details in them and stuff but I rarely plan a major direction to go with those. I've sorta always looked at the pointless banter between the characters as a way to drop some background information, world-build, and open a few doors that i may link back to later. But since i dont write the entire outline together, i think that may give the story a chance to breathe. So after an update, i usually chill for a few days, and reset my head. One thing that happens during that time is it gives the momentum of the story a chance to settle down and i can be less emotional about the story and take it in the direction it wants to go while I'm not stressed out. So i always write the next section of the outline with a fresh set of eyes than what I wrote the last chapter with. It also gives me a chance to think back to things i've hinted at before that may have seemed unimportant but now I can pull them back into the story as use the early reference as foreshadowing. IDK if that's a good idea or not but it feels like it works so i keep doing it. The other part here is that the early stages of the game were all me and my own ideas; one perspective. Now I have other guys working with me. Sometimes i can share an idea and they'll have a better one. So the story may actually turn in a different direction because I literally let someone else steer for a short period of time

Aaryn

Truth is, although there'll be a period of thinking about it, it'll fade fairly quickly, particularly if there's a long wait until the next instalment. I always go back and play some or all of the game to that point before playing on - but I will second-guess, to an extent, what's going to happen as I play. (Usually the reality in Str8! is better than my imagination.) It takes something with the universal pop-culture clout, like The Simpsons Who Shot Mr Burns or South Parks Who is Cartman's Dad to generate enough momentum to bridge the gap between (series, in those cases). I know you play Space Corps XXX - sure, it's got structural differences to Str8! - but how do you find yourself thinking when you come to the end of a part, and over the break until the next part?

Sebastian

heh, balancing this is insanely hard to do. I think I speak on behalf of the entire group when I say that. I'm very much someone who struggles with balancing things like this and the rest of the team is just amazing at having my back. We all gonna take a break after this though...

Aaryn

Omg I can't wait for the next update xD I hope y'all aren't overworking yourselves for it though ❤

Heh, I wont tell you how to play it :p I've often wondered how the reaction is to newer players that can binge the game as opposed to those who have been around forever and played it episodically. I'm kinda partial to the cliffhangers because I think it forces us to consider things before the story gives us the real answers.

Aaryn

There's one thing that's always played on my mind, and it involves the act that splits the game into two streams early on. Whatever happens, I'll play the game, and of course I'll continue to support it (at least until the exchange rate for the Aussie dollar is three blades of grass - so, a few more weeks) - but I ain't promising to play it through in one go! I can only handle so much anxiety before curling up in a corner and whimpering!

Sebastian

Always try to keep it moving. A lot of that is just the learning process too. Plus, team members have really good ideas and these guys know how to execute stuff too. I fucking love them

Aaryn

I have not commented in a while but I like this, you are always finding a way to make things better for us, THANKS.

One thing that I came to the personal realization of a long time ago is that supporters and the public (depending on who has time to vote, comment, click a like, etc) will be inconsistent. It's kinda like the wind blowing. If I wrote a story based on public opinion, the story would have been very generic and probably turned this game into another sex-filled,smut-fest; making it a carbon copy of most other adult games within the genre. I think if the vision for the game is good, it's better to go with your own gut and your own vision, because hopefully that's consistent. People may not like a given segment of the story but I think if there's a purpose to a divisive change or event, then the public (who may have disagreed with that at the time) ultimately sees the purpose and they agree with it. One of the meaningful comments I get every once in awhile is when people just trust you as the writer. They have no idea where they're going but they sorta just close their eyes and let you take their hand and they just go with it. That's a cool feeling. Especially with characters like this; with a game like this that looooong AF. This is an investment! The time is takes to comb through this story is an investment. And ultimately people are terrified that that invstment won't be worth it when the credits roll

Aaryn

I feel you on that... With my story, when I published new chapters, I was also like how people would react? Mostly cause of the dramas and the cheezy things that two lovers could do (or not do)... But your game is amazing BECAUSE of those differences! And that's why I'm so much into it (and not only me as I can read other posts) ... If they just want pics of dicks , there are enough porns on internet. You bring more , much more!

Theres still a decent amount left but we def over the halfway point by quite a ways

Aaryn

😅 Whew!! What a relief!! 😁👍🏻

Fishhook

I actually felt really good about how those scenes turned out for as amateur as I am at this. But they weren't easy scenes to write. I feel like they were pretty heavy scenes for the genre of game that people THOUGHT they were playing. I even remeber seeing a comment on one of those YouTube videos calling it "pointless drama" but I laugh at those comments now because I feel like those scenes really defined this game and gave it an identity that other games didnt have. Those scenes were game changing... update v017 needs that feel again so its intimidating to me.

Aaryn

You should be more confident... Honestly, those parts were great... I mean it was like I was the one lying to Mikhail and I could feel how bad was Zack during that moment... And it's not only for those specific writing parts... Even the lightest talks are great , like the ones we had at the dining room in the college.... Anyway again and again and again, CAN'T WAIT FOR the next! haha :) Courage and good luck!

I feel ya. I sorta dread that too. I've spent sooo much time with these characters that i know a day will come where I'll have to leave them. But I hope I can enjoy the time I have with them and we can enjoy the time we share over the characters. Until then, i can almost promise you that you're gonna laugh and cry with these idiots hopefully a few more times before you see an "end ." But good news, there will be a "continued" after this update and not an "end."

Aaryn

Heh, I hope we'll all get through it. I'm anxious with you. Theres a few parts of the story that have been intimidating to write (the lie to Mikhail in the shower, the bar, the park)... I felt the same way about this update...the same writing intimidation. But that's probably just cause I still dont trust my own writing ability yet

Aaryn

It's been the most intimidating update to write yet. Things in this update are on the original handwritten outline and I think it's safe to say that all have been foreshadowed throughout the game. So while theres hopefully surprises, I hope that you'll look back and see that it all made sense and you'll be surprised that you didnt see it coming

Aaryn

Uh, yeah ... about that “ominous ‘to be continued screen’... I’m starting to have a real love/hate relationship with that thing! First I’m mad because it means I’ve played the whole update. Then I’m glad because it means there’s more game coming. Then I’m worried because someday it won’t be there: just some kind of “The End” thing will be in its place. So I don’t know what to feel! So just keep updating or making new content after the end or something. Ok? Thanks! 👍🏻

Fishhook

Yeah, hoping so too. On the post-update break, I may be able to put more posts and show off the process more. Lot of people have asked about that in the past

Aaryn

Thank you for the update! It's really cool to know about the other side and hell yeah coding is really annoying haha! Anyway, the way you present the next update makes me feel so anxious to try it! More emotional although I've already been touched so much for the previous updates... Dang... Hope I'll get through this haha!

All these posts about "important" and "emotional" continues to make me very nervous about playing this update!

Sebastian

Glad to see an update! Nice to see a little into how things are set up and put together. Hopefully things keep running smoothly and you get to see your vision completed soundly. Thanks again!

Bellibel

#AccurateAF

Aaryn

*******haha, people have no idea how hard this is to do when you have no idea what you're doing. ****** haha... I like your strange humor....Aaryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy :DDD :p

andy

haha, people have no idea how hard this is to do when you have no idea what you're doing. If you guys want to know what it looks like behind-the -scenes over here, put a blindfold on and set your house on fire....that's pretty much me stumbling through the game development workplace.

Aaryn

Nerd to the rescue! 🤓 Lol - I did the same thing for ages... the perils of non-coders making games.

RanliLabz

Thanks Fish. I appreciate the support. I hope this one is just as unpredictable as the previous ones. I think it's definitely a rollercoaster. It's one of those updates that we're shooting for every possible emotion by the time you see that ominous "to be continued..." screen

Aaryn

Holy fuck, you def have my attention. I still have a ton more images to finish and then code in. If i can get this to work, you may shave a ton of time off this update. I fucking love you!

Aaryn

This is why I like devlogs - I think I can save you some time... (8 hours of it!) ;P You don’t need to code in the images individually - just shift-select all the images you’re adding in their folder, select Copy Path in the topbar, and simply paste into Renpy! If you subsequently move them to another folder, you’ll need to change the path - but that can easily be done with find/replace within renpy :D

RanliLabz

The quality of work you guys do is so incredible, that we don’t have to even worry about that. And those of us who have been riding along on this roller coaster of a story, have learned to just buckle up and hang on, because wherever it’s going is unpredictable, but amazing anyway. So relax and just keep enjoying the process. Glad you’re feeling better, too! That makes everything more fun!

Fishhook

ehh Don't be, look at what yall done, its really good

I'm sooo scared of hype. Hope it's worth it

Aaryn

Hype Hype Hype, really glad everything is working out for yall, wish you the best of luck and can't wait to see what happens next!

Thanks, same here :)

Aaryn

Thanks for the update! Love that so much effort is going into it all! 👍 Can't wait to see it when it's ready.