#game dev musings

[electracupide]

Hi, um so i was looking around the vn development tag and i found one of your blog posts and I was like. That . Is. Totally. Me, so I decided to send a message to you!

Before even starting my visual novel (which i still even did not finish the first day) I've gone through lots of stages, It took me 4 YEARS to start my own VN, and there has been alot of changes to me and my Visual Novel, I mean it is impossible to not right? I would struggle alot due to procastination or life really.

I've drawn many sprites of my characters, theres probably 4 or 5 of them( I am still re drawing them)

Something I would recommend is to keep your ideas in some type of notebook and return to them later.

Genuinely buying a notebook and writing down my ideas on what to do really helped me out.

I would write, scene ideas, character lore, plot ideas, some gameplay things, and i would make a list on things i needed to draw, what cgs would go well with the first day or what cgs of characters i could make for players to get to know a character.

This helped me out on making my ideas clear, because i had them all over the place, I think i may or may not forgot a few :c

Something else i would say is that, you should know the programme you are going to use.

Brainstorming on ideas and making backgrounds or characters seem really easy when youre learning to code for the first time (now i dont know your knowledge on these stuff, but just in case)

I had no idea on code, i remember spending my whole evening and night on figuring out why the hell my audio wont play out...

So having a prototype will help you out, you had a blog saying you were on artists block and oh boy do I relate to that..

Learning coding (and learning the software) to take your mind of off your artblock will help alot.

If you worry about there not being any images is ok!

Its literally the half of what VN is but having placeholders for those images will make you get progress on your work! And thats what matters!!! You can go over the art after!! If you are worrying about what other people will think of your art, just remember that those will just be placeholders (and remember that you are doing this for yourself)

I don't know if this helped, made sense or Iam just being delusional but I hope it did.

Dont feel any pressure, your mental and body health matters still.

Have a great day!

Oh thank you! This advice is actually quite useful! As for your advice, I actually do have quite a good amount of ideas for my visual novel written down in my app notes! (I started working on it back in February, so I have slowly added more and more over time) Obviously I don’t have a script yet, but over the months I have written down a good amount.

For example, I already have the story plot down and how the visual novel ends. I also over time have fleshed out some characters and their lore, as well as world building. I also wrote down some game mechanics I want to include for future references. (As well as looking up various videos on visual novel development for advice) I do in fact, have my characters designs all done and down, I just haven’t drawn them out properly yet.

In short in terms of design and planning I have roughly around 30%-ish I think done? (30 sounds like a lot but it really isn’t) The only thing I need to do really is write out the game’s prologue and character routes. (I’ve actually already started writing the prologue, albeit I’m only 13 sentences in) As well as draw some stuff.

I do have some assets done? I started making a title-screen (though it’s not finished) and a dialogue box as a test. I have the story down, including how the game ends, as well as other various character/worldbuilding details and lore. I just haven’t actually written my story down yet out yet- (To metaphorically describe it, I have the ingredients, I just haven’t made the cake yet)

I do know where I’ll likely get my assets from, for example in terms of game music I’ll likely use DOVA-syndrome since some dev’s I follow recommend that. I’ve also been told itch has some good assets for game dev’s aswell.

In terms of coding, I do want to attempt to try that at some point again, so later on when I make the actual thing, I’m not just confused on how to code. I’m scarcely familiar with code, I learned minuscule about it back in my middle school and high school days- (the most I re-call is about functions, JavaScript and Python T-T it’s been years since I actually coded so I’m likely a little rusty)

I’ve heard a lot of developers use Ren’py which from what I heard, is fairly easier to use compared to other programs because it is great for beginners. (I think there are some tutorials online on how to use it and its code. I’ll have to look into them sometime.)

Overall I’m trying to balance taking breaks and working on my visual novel (more often than not I sometimes forgot to work on it.) Lastly as for CG’s, I might work on them last—mainly because writing is my main priority, (of course I do squeeze drawing in stuff aswell, I try to do both)

Anyway, once again thanks for the advice! And I will keep this mind for future references!

[slugcatmusings]

So I was throwing myself back into hell again (starting to replay the Watcher), minding my own business, when I suddenly had a flashback to that one lore pearl from Subterranean (it’s the teal one, I think), and went “wait… wait a second.”

“If you leave a stone on the ground, and come back some time later, it’s covered in dust.  This happens everywhere, and over several lifetimes of creatures such as you, the ground slowly builds upwards.”

Implying the dust falls from the sky, since the Void Sea is what lies below, right?  So… if it’s falling from above, somewhere…

(Endgame region spoilers below the cut)

There are falling stars in Outer Rim.  The sandstorms here have the same green as the stars in it.  There are things in the background apparently called STARCATCHERS.  The architecture here is OLD.  It’s Depths architecture, the same civilization that predated the Benefactors/Ancients/whatever you want to call the iterators’ creators by who knows how long, and it’s being buried in the sands by the ever-blowing sandstorms.

I looked at Shattered Terrace next since it’s the other ending-related endgame area and… 

It’s newer architecture, more akin to the architecture we see in the base game, but it’s falling apart.  Bits of rubble are floating off in defiance of gravity, while other parts of it have collapsed and been worn down into the dust you see blowing on the wind. 

In Outer Rim, we see the ground being built up with stardust.  In Shattered Terrace, we see the world dissolving.  The two endgame areas of the Watcher are representations of the beginning and end of that very cycle of the world that Moon explains to us with the Subterranean pearl.

[st-just]

I have the vague idea for a fantasy rpg that just kind of splits the Protagonist duties - you *yourself* are some spymaster or knight-commander or whatnot, and your interaction with the gameplay is the politics and conversations and relationship building on one hand, and the giant metaphysicial choices and grand pivotal battles on the other.

But then for the party-based dungeon crawling tactical combat your party is basically your *agents*/inner circle, who are the ones you actually send out on retrieval/assassination/tomb-raiding missions (and who are your absolutely necessary bodyguards when you actually have to go in person).

Probably works better with a modern/sci fi setting where radio links and remote mission control make more sense. Though giving you the option to (as an ops team) betray yourself (as PC) could be fun.

[sha-brytols]

hrghghghgh wynne...

[letmeremindyouvn]

@catskets recently held a 72 hour Murderboy Mayhem game jam. I was not able to complete the game in time, but I still finished and published it, so here it is. ^^

Plot: You wake up and find yourself on a romantic dinner date with a mysterious man, who introduces himself as Zecharias. You have no memory of ever meeting this man, or agreeing to go on a date with him. You have to figure out what's going on before it's too late.

This game acts as a spinoff for my other games: Let Me Remind You and Be My Muse. It features the same yandere love interest as both games: Zecharias, but takes place at a different time.

This is my first completed game. :D I'm so happy I finished it.

Content:

4.2k words

3 endings

WARNINGS:

This game contains blood and fictional depictions of corpses. It also features a character that manipulates the player. Viewer discretion is advised.

[starsinthecode]

talking to my friend about if netrunning Pritch had been in dxhr and how hard that'd of gone narrative and gameplaywise.

feel like jensen being able to use game mechanics to request assistance in hacking enemies or weapons would have been sick but i can see how that'd ruin the one man army fantasy and would require the whole game being more structured around the prominence of their partnership to sell it

But allowing pritch to netrun alongside jensen's missions would allow for some amazing interactions and dialogue.

since cyberspace somewhat reflects real world structure with the relative placement of networks and devices, it'd be sensible to bring Pritch with you to missions to allow him to physically jack in on premises and the first minutes are you having to find/make him a safe place to go catatonic.

made funnier by the fact he's probably fucking useless physically but as soon as he's electroscaping he's a fucking samurai

but could easily become multilayer drama with assisting each other, one or the other in trouble and having to choose who's mission goal to prioritize and potentially losing an important contact or data. imagining the possibilities....

[boomania-a]

how good is your ZZZ muse at the arcade games?

Basil is good at Snake Duel and Soul Hounds III

Devona is exceptionally good at Bizarre Brigade (can last up to 50 waves solo for some fucking reason) and Mach 25

[dokidokitsuna]

So Team Ninja won the Splatfest by a landslide...that's pretty surprising. '_' Because I was on Team Ninja, and for me that was the most miserable Splatfest in recent memory. ⊙_⊙;

At one point I'd lost 10 matches in a row...and it was then I decided, if the game was going to continue to match me with allies who can't play (I'm sorry, but that's the nicest way I can put it. If I'm putting in 110% trying to survive a 3v1 while ALL my allies are getting picked off repeatedly in their own 3v1...what do you call it????) then the best way for me to help my Splatfest team win was to stop playing entirely. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ By continuing to queue up for lopsided matches that I had no real chance of winning, I was just handing points to the other teams. Might as well let everyone else do the fighting without me and my Curse in the way...

And in the end I guess it worked: despite having only 21% of the vote, we demolished the competition in all categories. Clearly we had some talented players on our side...I just never got to meet any of them...TT_TT

[crossgartered]

I think I'm having trouble deciding how to adapt the Scylla part - or, to be more specific, Odysseus's decision to sacrifice the men and have Eurylochus light up six torches.

Taking Epic by itself, the audience doesn't know why the six torches are significant, and most reactors I've seen don't realize what exactly Eurylochus is talking about until well into Mutiny, having a belated revelation that six torches = six men. Some animatics make this association stronger than others, especially when Eurylochus has his own realization.

In the Odyssey, Odysseus is telling Alcinous the story, and so it is apparent from the get-go that six men will die, and it's not quite as ... deliberate? Torches to aim for are not involved, and since he's getting his info from Circe, the death of the six men seems inevitable even as he asks for a possible way to get around it.

So, since you're playing as Odysseus in my Epic fangame, I guess I'm having trouble figuring out how much the player should know.

Do we have Odysseus think about how the torches would be bait, and then pass them out, with you choosing the recipients?

Or do we keep it as vague as the musical itself, with Odysseus just thinking he needs to pass out the torches and then the player realizing that the people they picked were the ones who died?

Or is there some other way to go about it? Decisions, decisions.

[electracupide]

damn it, I’ve been working on this character sprite for 3 months, how am I still not done??? 😭 I should’ve finished it earlier but then artblock hit (I still have 3 more sprites to draw unfortunately….*sighhhhhh*)

the progress on this thing is unfortunately slow…

[wesleyscreaming]

do you like bugs??? do you ever feel like a bug??? do you ever start metamorphosing into a grotesque bug monster and decide that the only logical thing for you to do is score a date with your crush before it's too late????

PERFECT! then you'll love our game metamorph!!

it's a small indie game that we're developing for a conference in 8 weeks. follow @metamorphgame for updates (but mostly shitposting).

[abyssembraced]

Holy fucking shit Ōkami sequel announced?

[aubrietarose]

It's amazing how bugs can sneak in to even the "simplest" video game. My pause screen was turning up half-hidden behind the screen fade if you hit ESC during a scene transition. 😅

Fixed now, but it's mind boggling how many things can go wrong with programming!

I have huge respect for the folks who make games. Solo or with a team, small or large, there's so much that goes into it.

[zerothefool0]

The recent reviews for your restaurant are...

[1 Star] Not good, to say the least.

"Hardly even edible. Was it even food, or did they serve me the grease trap?"

"made me feel ill. felt like I was eating mud. would not recommend."

"It just wasn't very good. You can't just mix stuff up and hope it'll work."

[2 Star] Ambivalent.

"The food was weirdly dull, like the chef was missing some spices."

"was okay. didn't taste like much. kinda reminded me of plain oatmeal."

"A crucial ingredient was missing! Try adding something next time."

[3 Star] Neutral, more or less.

"It was good, but not exactly anything to write home about. I'd definitely eat here again, though."

"was good. middle-of-the-road food. good if you're on a budget."

"It was OK. Didn't look half bad!"

[4 Star] Mostly positive!

"It was really good! Will definitely be eating here again soon!"

"was delicious. food looked good. wanna eat more."

"Just what I was looking for! Now THIS is artisan cooking!"

[5 Star] Overwhelmingly positive!

"It was absolutely delicious. Every bite was cooked to perfection."

"was amazing. mouth watered the entire time. will only ever eat here again."

"The best food in the world! Absolutely incredible!"

[fagtainsparklez]

as someone's whose not at all into genshin what's with diona i like hearing tea 👀

love how there was absolutely no further elaboration needed. it’s That Fucking Obvious 😭

[letmeremindyouvn]

I apologize for not posting or replying asks much recently. I've been a bit sick on and off, and lately a vtuber I enjoy watching, Mysta, announced his graduation, and I've been grieving.

Sadly, I wasn't able to reach the goals I had for July, which is complete character sheets for all the characters, make a black character sheet people can fill out, make an updated demo for Be My Muse, and empty my ask box.

I'm hoping I'll be able to finish all of these by the end of August. With the additional goal of making a Discord server for these games. ^^

Thank you so much for your patience. ;w;