One More Chapter 1 Survey

I don't doubt it's been said before, but I'd like to see you take a hybrid option, where corruption affects what choices you have within a scene, rather than forcing actions. Unfortunately this would also be the most work for you, so I don't think it's realistic to expect this level of scene everywhere, if it was implemented I guess I would like to see it for key scenes, with your primary method deciding the rest. It's worth noting for discussion's sake that both the choices you've put forward significantly affect the tone of the game. Corruption defining consequence is going to put the focus heavily on consequence but limit the amount of choices you can implement that matter, while free choice is going to put the focus more heavily on player choice and the summation thereof, while also removing some of the weight from individual choices. In the balance, I guess that makes defined consequences the more thematically appropriate option. But that isn't the whole story. Choices out of scenes are going to matter as well. And I've got no information to work on on that front. I will say that I think defined consequences for corruption would polarise the way people are going to play the game, with limited choices pressuring players to shoot for the extremes in order to see the most content down their chosen path. That said, I think that's going to happen anyway, I know I tend to choose one road and stick to it in cases like this. I can't speak for others on this topic, but I think it's a fair assumption. The fourth option is a mix of the two, based on the scene. Scenes where the player character is an equal or instigator in the scene feature more choice, and scenes where the player character plays a more reactive role, or doesn't have much ability to act, feature character reactions based on level of corruption. I'm a big fan of anything that gives you more ways to deliver content and scenes that feel varied. After all that I arrive back at the idea that for the majority of scenes, you should stick with how you originally conceived of the game playing, but you've now put it to a vote, and I'm not sure how binding you consider those. And that I think is the end of my rambling. Regardless of how things work, I don't doubt that when I play the end product, I'm going to enjoy it.

UnusualAlias

Wow, compared to a few months ago, things are certainly starting to pick up user wise. Look at all these comments! Nice survey again, YT. If you've ever played Despair Labyrinth while it was being developed, there was tons of content. Thankfully the dev had saves that were transferable so it removed the grind of having to get back to where you were just to see the new content. If I were to speed run my way to the next chapter just to see the new stuff, I would find myself starting to resent it. There's a good set of jobs there, I look forward to seeing what's chosen. I'd prefer not to see the priest one though, just doesn't do it for me. I bet it'll be either the wench or advertiser. I like the CG question, I'd prefer having a choice as to how the scene progresses. Anyway, sweet survey and I look forward to seeing that upcoming lore post!

InsaneBrain

This is kind of a cool idea, a password to skip to chapter 2 for playtesting sakes. You could always just replay the game if you wanted to have a particular stat setup or something.

thswherizat

If transferring saves is an issue, you could always go back to the old school way and just use a password system instead.

TFLlama

wow this would make the game perfect lol

habibo

I for sure think having the corruption affect things would be good, makes your earlier choices about things actually feel like they are affecting Aylia's character, but at the same time that does run the risk of going "Oh I have to go back and play all of that just to see the alternate version of that scene? Not worth..." Of course it could have the opposite effect of "Neat I can go back and play it again to see what happens on the other path!" It's just a matter of making the choices actually matter enough to make it worth playing through a second time.

Renmaru

I think the best option should be to let corruption determine what actions Aylia is willing to take but give the player a choice in how she thinks and responds to those actions. For example, if Aylia is propositioned by a male NPC and her corruption is high enough the player gets to choose if she acts reluctant and is embarrassed by the situation or if she is enthusiastic and encouraging to the NPC. If Aylia does not have high enough corruption the player can choose to act violently towards the NPC, slapping them for making such a rude proposition, or the player can choose to have her react in a way that defuses the situation, flirting and making promises she has no intention of keeping. Each possible choice could then impact Aylia's overall corruption score. I realize this may be a lot more work and is probably not feasable but I believe it solves the problem of the player feeling they have no choice while maintaining the importance of the corruption system.

Talion

Look at all the discussions! I love it!

YummyTiger Gaming

In my opinion, Aylia shouldn’t be given any straightforward corruption choice. Corruption shouldn’t be freely picked but rather forced upon her, for example by a choice she doesn’t foresee the outcome (she takes a job as a waitress which turns out to be a job as a striper, she makes a bet she thinks she cannot lose) or by a cunning plan from Bogwort. She can’t willingly choose corruption, one doesn’t choose corruption without being already corrupted, she has to be dragged into it. So, she can’t decide whether she lets the guy undress her or not, one way or the other the decision should have already been made prior to that point. Some say it should be both, one option being greyed out if the corruption is not high enough. I disagree, it would mean that the more corrupted she gets the more free will she has. I know it make sense from a certain point of view (it frees her from her prudeness) but I see corruption more as a curse that compels her, that feeds on her embarrassment to arouse her and push her even further into a humiliation she has to explore. The only straightforward option she (the player) should have is to opt out of an extreme fetish.

Darian

Job was the sign job because I've seen the waitress job tons of times, bodyguard doesn't particularly appeal, and the church angle appeals even less. Sign job could have all sorts of humiliating potential to it

bsnick

1) Corruption level, but I prefer it if you give the player all choices, but the character may object, or 'come to her senses' rather than do what you select if her corruption isn't high enough. Why is it always corruption? These meters make it seem like being more adventurous is a bad thing. Why not call it 'Prissiness' or 'Frigidity'? Then it descends as you become more open to sexuality. Heck, with this sending the character into a non-consensual situation can even raise the Prissiness level if they aren't below a certain amount. Ahem. Pet Peeve.

bsnick

I'm with you on option #3: I don't care which one you guys pick. I got some sexy ideas for them all! Woohoo!

YummyTiger Gaming

Who doesn't like a turboslut nympho? In all seriousness, thanks for the detailed feedback, I really appreciate it.

YummyTiger Gaming

Yes, I think Aylia would definitely be able to drum up some business. Especially when Bogwort starts offering suggestions for how to attract more people. :-)

YummyTiger Gaming

Well, she had her first taste of modern booze in the prologue. My guess is ol' Bogwort will try and get her to have a few more tastes...

YummyTiger Gaming

I have my own vision, absolutely, but I like to add a little spice. These surveys let me do that. For example, I can do ANY of those jobs and make them work. I have fun ideas for all of them, but I'll put preference on the job chosen in the survey. So, it will still be my spin, but you all have a say in it as well. As for the H-scene question, this is really to see what people's mentality is in regards to these things. I'm very far on the corruption side, and sometimes I wonder if I'm removing too much choice from the sex scenes, so this question will let me know.

YummyTiger Gaming

Well, technically I can make any of those jobs work. So, it is really kind of what you all want to see the most.

YummyTiger Gaming

I think the job question is a bit unfair. We'd need to know the story leading in to it. Who her friends or contacts are or her status or whereabouts.

SuperBunnyBun

My opinion on the survey: 1. I, personally, don't mind replaying the game, as it will be a few months between chapters, so it won't hurt to have a reminder. 2. I think its a double edged sword- You are going to make the game more sweet with this type of options, but you just remove the whole idea behind corruption in the first place. If you want to show off more of the art, don't shy away from making situations more forceful. Either way I think you better keep it corruption orientated. (Also James gives a great opinion on this one). 3. I generally don't have an opinion on this one. Chose whatever the patrons/you want. I doubt anyone will be disappointed in whatever the result is. This is it, pretty much. Great work, YT!

Just because I like to bloviate, here’s my thoughts. For question #1, it’s a tough call. YT, you’ve stated your vision for the game involves slow corruption for Aylia, which is just fine (I mean, there’s a fairly obvious rival option with the prudishness and modesty of an alpha bonobo, for the folks looking for quick H payoffs, lol). It’s a bit tougher to go the slow route when the player can simply click the “turboslut nympho” option every time. That being said, some players may be put off by an apparent need to grind corruption points, as another Patreon put it (of course, there’s always CheatEngine for those players – Aylia’s Pride stat gets a boost when she receives the Peasant Dress, which makes it a fairly simple value to find and tweak). Ultimately, I find myself agreeing with the “both ways” approach, though with more weight given to the level of corruption to date – e.g. options either greyed out or not displayed at all if the corruption has not progressed enough. If that route is taken, I’d leave all options open, rather than locking some of them when corruption gets too advanced, just to allow players a little more control over what they’re watching. For question #2, I already said my piece on the other status. Save transfers matter not a whit to me. For some other games I’m playing during development, like The Last Sovereign, saves allegedly transfer over fine between releases, and I start all the way over anyway. Maybe I’m just weird, though. For question #3, I went with the walking billboard, just because the tavern wench is pretty much a trope now (and I’m not really sure if a somewhat haughty Eliandre priestess would particularly go for dispensing mugs of ale). I can see her doing some advertising for the right sort of merchant, and I can see plenty of opportunity for her to be exposed or taken advantage of. The deacon option offers some interesting possibilities around church politics and possible church corruption, plus it has the added angle of letting Aylia show that she’s apologetic to the Divines, so that’d be a close second for me. Bloviation quota satisfied for the day. Carry on.

Your view makes great sense, in the way of making gaining corruption more dynamic, and not dependent on bigger events. I think Yummy might of already set the way it works, but this thought of yours is brilliant.

I agree with the "balance" preference others encouraged on the first question. I voted for the "having a choice" option, since I haven't seen that in many H RPGS (that I've played, anyway). I don't want to be given the control over EVERYTHING, though. I think it's important that past actions influence events, but I want to be given power over some of those actions, if you get my drift. As for first job, sign-spinning seems the most likely, as anybody can do it, and well- Aylia got them tig ol bitties, which any business owner can see the value in.

fryfry

The way I see it, it could be both player choice and corruption based. For example, the option to let her breasts be exposed could be available, but the player would be unable to choose it because her corruption was too low; only when her corruption is high enough could the player choose the option to let her breasts out. This way the options you choose in H-scenes could lead to higher or lower corruption. Choosing to reject the corrupt option could lead to a small bonus in her virtue, while letting it happen could further corrupt her. I don't know if I was very clear. Anyway, either choice sounds great =) Looking forward to it!

Slarry

I went for the tavern wench job, but quite a lot of possibilities here as well. "Damn! these people just don't seem to care about my advertising. Now what can I do to make it more interesting?" =D Things could go quite a lot further from there, whether intended or not.

TheNetsrac

Ultimatly I belive in your own reasoning rather than ambigious surveys Yummy ;] You are a smart guy and I belive you know what to do ;]

Angmir

Since 1st was the most important one I will adress it further here. ........... It shoudl acotualy be a mix of the 2 options given. Sometiems it makes sense to give yuo a direct option durring the H-scene and it should be done. And sometimes such choice should be result of the previous actions, but not necceseryly a Lewdness metter, but direct actins leading to that thing. For example Aylia was teased a lot before the scene and she became very horny, so she is more submisive than normaly. Or instead she was pissed on someone harsing her and she is more definat now.

Angmir

I agree that she shouldn't suddenly act like a prude... maybe have the "no" decision change from the shy/prudish one to a plain refusal due to her simply not liking the person?

Secular Reason

That's why I suggested what I did... Even a complete slut has someone she won't fuck, even if it's just because she hates their guts as a person.

Secular Reason

I'm with this guy. I think a mix of the two would be best. You choose, but having a "lewd" type of stat is what allows the option for the more perverted choices. That way the player can still refuse the advances, (or at the least certain things) from people they don't want, yet the character remains "in character" not becoming a complete slut from a few clicks. It gives choice, without making it unrealistic, or completely uncontrolled.

Secular Reason

Hard choice for the job, but I went for tavern wench. I know, it has been already done many times (partly because it makes quite a lot of sense in a RPG) but hopefully this will lead us to a drunk Aylia scene -which I love- where things get out of control and the patrons take advantage of her in public :D

Well the first question was really difficult for me, I really like the idea of decisions that influence other events, but I really dislike a "lust/lewdness/whatever" stat where you get to a magical barrier of say, 500 , and you wake up and all of a sudden you fuck with everything that moves , whilst yesterday you still didn't want to give that blowjob to that one guy who asked. It just often is really hard to make it so that it still feels right. So I like the idea of decisions which influence one or two scenes, but not the idea of having a stat that just exchanges your MC with a braindead whore at a certain point.

Don't forget the public exposure with the streetsalesman job ;)

waffel

I like having the choice, especially as sometimes I just want to deny a certain npc because I don't like them, even if it's outside how I'm playing a character. That being said, it can be jarring to have an option/reaction completely out of character for who she has become. Would it be possible to have varying levels of influence with a +/- 1 level where we can make a choice, if it is outside that, prior choices dictate? Not sure how sound an idea that is as I'm not sure how much gradient there will be in decisions as we get farther in. For the save compatibility issue, if it is a relatively easy thing to manage it is nice to have, if it requires trimming features or serious delays to production a note to that effect as to why compatibility isn't there and I'll be more happy not having it. For the job, I was torn between tavern wench and deacon, although the street advertiser is a intriguing option too. The bodyguard seems out of place unless you have her showing serious fighting capability to her client, at least as we've seen her dressed so far, she wouldn't be very marketable in that position. (Although I suppose a pervert who has a bodyguard more for show might happily go for her).

Aetrun

Now that I've done the quick survey I wanted to give my proper opinion on the important question. I think that it's part of the fun and replay-value of these games if the scene is different depending on the choices you've made thus far. It wouldn't really make sense to me if you are playing Aylia as a more proper character and she suddenly lets her top fall off. Alternatively, it would also be weird if you have her playing the mega-tramp and she suddenly has a prudish moment. So I think it should be based on her character's state in the overall game.

thswherizat

Aww I wasn't the first one to fill out this survey :(

thswherizat

the first few questions were straightforward, I wasn't sure how to answer the question about saves since they are already causing you problems and as for Ep2 occupation.... the possibilities for any of jobs could be great, arrrgh mind blown just thinking about the potential!

Nice survey, not sure my calls are the best, but oh well... :)

Dehkia

Hey, thanks for putting up the survey. Just did it.

ArdenW