Thank you for checking out the demo! We'd greatly appreciate any feedback you have to offer us!
Thanks, folks!
Really enjoyed the demo. The art and assets are really nice and the music highlighted the ambience it's portraying. The dice rolling is a really nice touch and opens a lot of options for re-playability!
I tried to stress test the encounter with the 3 mercenaries and found that the encounter is unwinnable (most likely deliberate design) but I felt that maybe the writing could make it seem like this an impossible encounter. (I did save scum to try and win the encounter lol)
I'm curious if there will be any accessibility options regarding the Font? It was a little difficult for me to know if I was reading it right at times.
I'm really looking forward for further updates and the full release, love your groups projects!
That bit with the mercs has gone through a couple of changes, hah. You -could- succeed at first, but the paths really led to the same outcome (and it felt wrong to let folks succeed, then still end up... there). I'll look over the writing again and see what I could adjust to make it feel more like it's fruitless no matter what.
I'll take a look at the font too! Some letters do look odd. I just have to find something that matches the spacing correctly so it doesn't cause the text to fall off the screen.
Thank you for the feedback!
Hi! I loved the gameplay through the whole time, and really am looking forward to play the full release version!
I wanna say 2 things for feedback, I hope this will help you guys for making the game better, and if you don't think it's useful, just ignore me cuz it's just opinions.
1. don't make the dice useless
it's the thing that other guys pointed about, so I guess you will consider this one seriously.
I also tried the 3 mercernaries scene's dice part through save scum(because it's made by renpy and it's super easy to try), and I made conclusion that the player can't succeed the dice.
please consider erasing the dice part on there and not doing this again unless it must be used for some reasons.
because cheating on player doesn't feel good, and it makes us to doubt the game system, I don't think this is good way to do.
fixed consequences are inevitable and I know, but then don't use dice system there it feels so untrustful and useless effort.
it's not a pleasant experience when my effort is useless in game!
2. consider making the dice system more attractive
I don't have any experience on baldus gate 3, but I heard that their game is super great, and one of the reason for that fame is through dice system.
they told me that in BG3, you can expect the failure in rolling dice, because it also give you interesting situation.
so if you succeed the dice, it's great and if you fail, still there will be another situation coming and it makes you very enjoyable.
on the demo I played the dice and failure doesn't have any value, no interesting things. so I think you could consider making the dice system more attractive through some interesting reward not only for success but also for failure.
oh and also I didn't expect that dyne (obviously your fursona) would play the role for protagonist, and a little worried, but I believe you have some greater plan on your mind.
well that's everything I had after I finished demo! loved the prologue, it dragged me so well, can't wait to play the completed version. the story absolutely got me and I love there are things that I could recognize through the experience with Endless Bounty and Engaging Destiny. I hope this game's progress go along well!
Thanks for the input! I think I'll do an update in the next few days to handle that whole situation then. Seems to be a consistent thing for folks to dislike, at least ones that are save scumming.
I -do- plan on adding failure stuff that's interesting too, because it's almost like it's not worth even having a succeed/fail system if all folks are gonna do is save and try again and again just to succeed. Gotta let them know that success isn't -always- gonna have the most fun option, haha.
Though, this has made me consider something else that could be fun to discourage that kind of thing too... While Renpy makes it easy to do save/load, it's just as easy for me to work with it and come up with something~
And what about Dyne has you worried? I'm curious cause it was something I was a bit hesitant on at first. I've just wanted to do a project with him as the protag for a while, and I figured this would be a fun start.
Again though, thank you for all the input!
well about dyne worries, I think it's hard to explain but... it's obvious that he is your fursona, and it feels so different compared to facing other characters.
so like, on Endless Bounty and Engaging destiny your OCs feel like some special element, just some surprise and fun for the devs and I feel it's ok and cute, but if these characters play major role in the story... I don't know, it feels some... like some powerful presence try to intervene? lol I don't think I can express it well.
but I don't wanna just say that "it is bad thing" or "don't do this, it's not recommended". because I think dyne is quite attractive character in many aspects. so I hope you can get through the difficult parts and make it nice!
Okay, I really like how you're incorporating characters from past works as it is always nice to see character development of, otherwise, minor characters into characters with stories to tell, but...
...While I enjoyed the prologue up until the encounter with the humans who's dice are rigged (and, yes, I reloaded nearly a hundred times before I quit playing) and then, many hours after I was no longer angry and curiosity got the better of me, I decided to see what failure entailed, but... It was like you jumped straight from a heartbreaking bad end to what I felt like was being thrown into an entirely different game with familiar faces that can be summed up as "create a party based on who you're gonna end up sleeping with" using only the barest of details as to why... Β―\_(γ)_/Β―
...And that leads me to the question of are we to presume this game is going to pursue a polyamorous route or is Dyne in an "oPeN" marriage with Cornelius (so, sleeping with everyone will be his shtick)? Of course, that raises questions 'bout how committed Zandahrell is to Lairen, since... It sounds like copulation is a must for that race to be... Functional? Granted, to each their own, but these are dynamics I'd want to know more 'bout before committing to a fuller version of the game, but that just really brings me back to the transition from Lairen to Dyne...
Basically, the transition needs work AND, to be honest, if you started with a story of how Dyne came to learn all 'bout the Lavadi, what they can do for him, how they're summoned, etc., which happened to lead to something or someone that starts a flashback about the final days of Lairen and Zandahrell, which then goes back to Dyne setting out on this quest, it'll feel less like we're getting the short end of the stick with Lairen as well as make the adventure of Dyne & CwBs seem, IMHO, less out of place.
Keep in mind, the Android version of the demo had zero flaws (unless you count humans with rigged dice), so serious congrats there, plus the art is gorgeous and the music is spectacular as usual... However, I always appreciated the animated aspects of the CGs in Endless Bounty/Engaging Destiny, so I hope youβre able to incorporate that (which is not to say the scene in the demo wasn't heartwarmingly amazing, just y'all are kind of known for animated CGs), but if not, that's okay (though I do hope you'll consider it)... Umm... I think the layout and D&D-esque aspect is fun and has a lot of potential (but save scumming is inevitable, so making fail options more enticing just means the number of saves I make will double, since I'll just pursue both and simply continue playing from whichever outcome I find more desirable in the end), but since we didn't get to level/allocate stat points/increase bonuses/affect stats with stuff/etc., it seemed very... Inconsequential? But I get it, it is a demo and I'm sure those stats will really matter in the full release (and more so than I decided my travelling partying based on who I want to see get it on)... Oh, but I absolutely loved the CODEX feature and hope it'll be, or continue to be, more elaborate in the full version of the game (although you might want to consider adding a section to the CODEX to explain each stat, their purpose, how bonuses work, etc., if only as a reliable point of reference).
...Beyond that... Just excited to see where this game goes~ π
Thanks a bunch for all of the input! I actually went ahead and adjusted the 'Flee' part to remove the dice rolls completely. I'll go back up and touch up the narration for that too most likely. It seems to be a common issue in the feedback I'm getting, so... It's updated now! I just wanted to show off the system more for the prologue and didn't figure it would cause that much grief. Seems I thought about that all the wrong way, hah.
I'll end up adjusting the prologue a bit too, most likely. Or at least make it more apparent that it's a prologue? Prologues are intended to set up the story later, and since I only got so far with the demo, it's not super apparent yet. I kinda like the idea of starting with Dyne, doing a flashback, then continuing the story with him, so I'll think about that a bit more.
There are story aspects that will become more apparent later on in regards to the character relationships too, but again, I think I need to put some more work into the 'before we leave for the adventure!' bit, hah. But this story isn't exactly about... getting into a relationship with your party either. We'll see some growth between characters and bonds changing, and other stuff can happen, yeah, but it's more like... casual sex with friends (or seeing something between part members!). The focus isn't meant to be on the NSFW content, that's why I made a toggle for it. It's a fun addition, but it's not the focus for a change.
Endless Bounty didn't have animated CGs, but it had other animations.. Engaging Destiny, well.... that was a whole different beast. We don't really intend on doing animated CGs for this one, but who knows what'll happen, cause we both end up going a little harder than we mean to at times x3
In regards to stats, the guys tend to bring different things with them, and that'll impact how things play out. Status effects will impact this later on too. For example, the 'Wet' status impacts player Defense (I didn't really get to show that off though). Not sure about what I'll do in regards to other items or equipment though. More stuff to think about and determine how to work it in or if it's viable!
You gave me a lot to think about, and I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know your thoughts! I'll certainly be looking at these things more to decide how I can improve things even more.
Honestly? I really liked how the story transitioned from the clumsy, idealistic Lairen to the mature, pragmatic Dyne. You really get a sense of their differing personalities. Lairen had so much potential to grow and love to give before his life was cut short. His passing was a real tragedy where his innocence and incomplete training gets him killed without his bodyguard, just because he wanted to surprise his lover.
Whereas Dyne's a much more mature adventurer who takes a well-prepared, no-nonsense approach to the journey. He prepares the best he can and surrounds himself with skilled mercenaries that complement each others strengths and who compensate for his shortcomings. He's a real adult who knows what he's doing and how to achieve his goals.
Sure it's a little brief, and the intro hits hard but it's supposed to be tragic. And it sets up (what I assume to be) a core theme of this story, where no matter how hard overthink something or prepare, you're going to be caught in situations you could have never anticipated. Where your skills fail you and where your only option is to play things by ear. Which makes sense in how you can only pick two out of three of Dyne's potential companions to make the journey with him. For every victory your present members net you, there's undoubtably going to be a role the missing member tragically isn't there to fill, just like in the prologue.
Xou know, I don't know why no1ne else has done this yet π€ there are a couple VN's that are similar to or based on tabletop games, but none that quite encompass that feeling of adventure, nor any that have the risk that fans love and hate with bad dice rolls π really enjoying what I've read so far~ β₯οΈ
Not sure if this has already been suggested or not, but it might be nice to be able to hover the cursor over each of the stats and get a little description for them, like: luck, health, knowledge.
Personally (I'm writing this when I haven't finished the whole demo yet, so I may have to go back and edit some things later, I wanted to write this more than anything because there is a scene that I think needs to be corrected and with my memory, I was afraid that I ended up forgetting hahaha) I have been liking the game so far, from the mechanics with the dice to the way in which you have represented it artistically, the characters are extremely lovable and interesting, it is true that I miss the back button a little the texts (I tend to be a little clumsy and sometimes I skip a page without finishing reading it lmao) I appreciate all the care you have also put into the different possibilities depending on whether the die has had a much larger number than necessary or if you have barely managed to pass it.
About the mistake I saw in one scene, when Lairen was searching for food in the forest and started raining it said "[…] The cold settles in quickly since he is still wet from falling into the river earlier." the thing is I succeed in that scene, so Lairen didn't fall in the river, I tried to go back to that scene and doing it again just in case I was wrong and I was playing the route when Lairen indeed fallen (I was curious about what happened if you failed) and even then there was the same text saying Lairen had fallen into the river.
One last question, will Lairen always be the bottom? As I said before, I haven't finished the demo so I don't know if there will be many more nsfw scenes, but so far that seems to be the case, I'm asking this more than anything out of curiosity, there aren't many games where the couples are switch and personally The dynamic of this couple would fit quite well, it would be a shame if it didn't, anyway, good job, the game is super well done! < 33