#if they decide to use the honkai character i'm thinking of as the basis for someone else cough cough sandrone

[aromanticasterisms]

actually. realizing the god that died in the oasis was in fact the previous hydro archon and that focalors in fact had nothing to do with her death. i'm crushed

[eddsworld-the-masquerade]

Info post!

Thank you everyone for your feedback on the demos! I am very happy you all came to like it. Don't feel discouraged from sending any new feedback though, since it's gonna be awhile until I get back to work (I'm in exam hell 'till mid May), might as well use the time to advantage.

Most of you seem more interested in game/visual novel format, therefore in this post I'll talk about features I mean to implement, or think of implementing. I'll also talk about possible updating schemes (chapter basis vs. all-at-once), let me know what you think about those. For those who won't get intimidated by text, I'll leave some WIPs for artwork at the very end :3

Discussing game features!

Random events Now this is something you've already experienced in the demo, albeit in its rough form. Since I'm planning a kinetic/linear story (aka there won't be a choice system) because writing a branching story is going to kill me, this serves as a sort of replacement. Due to random chance being involved, random events will happen only during "moments of respite", so to speak, when there is no danger and no consequences for the main plot. Random events are mostly "character flavor", additional moments that, if you miss, won't hinder the major story, but they do add fun little details to characterization. This should mitigate possible unfairness while still bringing some replay value to the table. I plan on implementing a scene list, where you can view names of all encountered/unlocked scenes, sort of like achievement list.

Turn based battles This one is more ambitious but not entirely impossible. There are tons of tutorials on battle system in Renpy and even codes already written and running. Battles could be another way to make up for lack of choice system and thus lack of gameplay. Plus, the script outline already features numerous fighting scenes, and given it's VtM, I feel battles could be implemented organically. I'm mostly thinking of watered down Darkest Dungeon, or, if you're hip, Honkai Star Rail. The amount of "water" is yet to be decided, but it should be relatively simple both for me to implement and for you to play through. Don't know if I'll add anything that could be called "leveling up characters" but I am thinking of making battles skippable in options. This is still mostly an idea, and I'll need to make some tests first to see if I'll be able to implement this in actual game.

Updating schemes!

First things first, I'll need to write the entire script. The reason why I don't want to make it chapter basis is, based on my past experience, there's a high chance I'll figure out some changes needed in previous chapters as I work on next ones, so I go back and edit them accordingly. And this works best if I'm writing the full thing back to back, without publishing. Release when it's ready. This should take me a year, give or take, again based on past experience (it's almost the same amount of writing I had to do back then). I understand it's quite long but I don't feel comfortable changing this workflow of mine :(

Now, for actual game development, there are two options:

All-at-once Basically the same as with the script. I develop the entire game and then publish it in one piece. Personally I feel this would work best for me, but it would increase the already big enough wait time to around two years, best case scenario. Probably two and a half, or even three. I understand it's hard to wait that long, which is why there is a second option.

Chapter basis I develop a chapter (insert all the text, art, animation, music, etc.), publish it, then proceed to work on the next one and release it when it gets done and so on. Sort of like game patches. Bendy and the Ink Machine style if you remember that thing. You redownload the project and continue from your last save. This gives me a bit less control but also makes you wait significantly less for main story content.

Please let me know which option you would prefer.

As a thank you for reading this huge wall of text, here are some WIPs as promised :D

Part of the short comic on your regular Tord and Edd shenanigans

Something tarot themed! Missing Cat (The Star) for now. I'll probably change the composition for most of these.

Rough concepts for Tord's wAcKy family. Also him pre-embrace

Some Matilda animation. Girlboss

[antimatterz]

Enyo! Thank you for the kind good luck you sent in your reply. My Dan Heng is getting stronger. I just maxed some of his relics and he started dealing 2000 damage. I don't know what to say but I am happy. I want to pat him in the head and praise him and the others for doing their best today. And welcome to the team Sushang! I finally decided to level her up after I lost Tingyun to her in Jing Yuan's banner.

Also, the fic made me melt especially Blade's. He sounds so cute in it. It makes me want to tease him. Not only him but also Dan Heng. Sampo is all over you and embarrassing you one way or another with his loud dramatic comments to even tease him. I don't think I can tease Jing Yuan, I'll be too busy blushing at him just existing. Him smiling as soon as he sees you online again, that soft and gentle look in his eyes and you're at loss of words.

I’m delighted that you got inspired with that random musing. I just can't help think of them being “alive” and hearing you through the screen. Me who thinks that my stuffs toys are alive, I might as well delude myself that they have “life”. And the delusion worsens when something out of the ordinary happens with your favorite character and you think they are responding to you in some way.

Maybe it's just a stroke of luck for my Dan Heng but he needs to take responsibility for dragging me to Honkai Star Rail. This man did not only made me dream of him but also made me fall for his looks, his voice, voice overs, and something about him being knowledgeable and his reserved personality. I guess, I found my ideal type already. I can't help but stress that he came home thrice as I prayed he'll come home — imagine pulling on a 5 star banner for a 4 star character. That's me too on Silver Wolf's banner when I saw Dan Heng in it. So, I don't know how to feel if he leaves the astral express when he becomes Imbibitor Lunae. I might still be able to play him, yes, but I feel sad thinking about it. Wahhh...

ooh yes i remember being so proud when dan heng hit his first 1k ! i yelled about it to my friends who don't even play hsr? they were like enyo chill out who even is dan heng 😭 ( which resulted in me spamming them with pictures ofc ) and aaa i feel you !! sometimes i randomly praise them when they do good damage, let me be delusional and pretend they can hear me ok ? and ooh is sushang a good ? i got her e6 as i was pulling for tingyun and i'm like, should i use her ? the fact that she summons a whole angry chicken is so funny shdhjs

i'm glad you liked it ! it was kinda written for you since you inspired me to write it hehe. i had so much fun imagining this scenario with them ( and i already got a follow-up request on this so i'm not done with this self aware au ^^ )

okay but i do that too ? the entire life stories my plushies have to hear on a daily basis is insane but i can't help it they're such good listeners lol. we can be delusional together nonnie, it's okay !

i'm the same,, i've been playing genshin since release and my brother one day went like "yo the developers of genshin brought out a new game, did you already download it ?" and i was like nahh but i got curious, did some research, saw dan heng and was like DUDE i'm gonna play this game,, and then i found out he was one of the free characters and i think i ascended from happiness sjdjfh he's just so perfect and i fully relate to you. his looks, his personality, his voice, he's just so hhh i'm down bad for him nonnie ;_; WAIT HE'S GONNA GO ? okay i was already afraid of that happening but i'm not ready for it to ACTUALLY happen help ??