August 25 Update
Added 2024-08-25 17:00:06 +0000 UTCThanks for the huge response to the last post - glad to know people care about the game. ^-^ No action will be taken on the combat system immediately, not least because I'm spread very thin, but you will eventually hear more about the battle busts as TLS moves toward completion.
Meanwhile, today's post is dedicated to another one of my old objectives that I have finally completed: improving the first impression of the game. Generally speaking, graphics are more important than writing or any of the qualities I'm able to bring to the table, and I understand why players might not want to take a chance on an RPG Maker game. So I have put some real effort into making the prologue look pretty, hopefully losing fewer new players when the game launches.
So there's stuff like having bridges/ropes/etc that you can walk both below and above. Does this make the game better? Not really, but it's something you can't do normally in RPG Maker, so it's a plus.
The title screen has also been shuffled around so it isn't in the default position. Thanks to Rachnera, Annikath, and Lamsey for helping with this. Lamsey is also the one to thank for the new sprite of Simon, which was more than I asked for but will hopefully help sell the big transition after the prologue. ^-^
I wanted to finish all of this and combine it with the optional dungeon, but right now it's looking like that won't be possible. I am pretty tired and it has been too long since an update. I am considering doing an update for all of the new combat mechanics and maps, so that can all be polished prior to the optional dungeon update.
Maybe sooner than later. We'll see.
Comments
Hear me out, louder even more windy wind. But all kidding aside these look like great improvements!
WaxerRed
2024-08-27 03:51:03 +0000 UTCGreat decision to improve the prologue! It looks so much better.
DankPotatoes
2024-08-26 12:42:28 +0000 UTCThat picture makes me want a secret path in the Incubus Emperor's castle that leads to Riala's quarters. Where she has a picture of Simon.
Captain Hair
2024-08-26 01:51:44 +0000 UTCThe combat looking visually appealing will do a lot to make it look not standard rpgmaker fare of lower quality. I wouldn't know going under a bridge is something really impressive when I first picked up the gayme but high quality art at the beginning would communicate something with more quality than I had. I will say unless the game looked ridiculously incredible artistically and otherwise, there is no possible universe I would have continued playing the game past the prologue unless I was told ahead of time that the prologue was parody and to play past it. As a result, I would support some sort of note about parody/etc. at the start since I think the reveal is still effective even with warning that this isn't the average nsfw gayme.
Dmitry F
2024-08-26 01:05:11 +0000 UTCGraphics has always been a nice to have, but not necessary for me. Still really happy to see an update to prologue, makes the game feel more homogenous in terms of quality.
Alistair
2024-08-25 21:55:46 +0000 UTCPersonally, graphics arent as important to me as everything else, so as long as the art's not terrible, I'm happy. I don't play these things specifically for how pretty or not they are.... That said, if the heroine designs all suck then, yeah... it's kinda hard to stick around. It's a fine line for sure I suppose.
Long Tran
2024-08-25 21:01:34 +0000 UTCI love these new statues! Would be cool to have them available for the hq somewhere down the line. Amazing work as always SL!!!
Rhinedog1963
2024-08-25 19:43:17 +0000 UTCYou know..... If I wouldnt have been very specifically told to play for at least 30 mins before yaying or naying it, I would have launched the game, played for 5-10 mins, rolled my eyes and moved on and no custom graphics would have convinced me otherwise. If you really think that you are bleeding player base due to your intro, maybe a foreword to the game, a "Creator's welcome" if you will, is needed. Not to spoil the gag, but at least to hint that there is more to the game than just a cookie cutter nonsense.
Dark Art
2024-08-25 19:43:11 +0000 UTCHaha, I remember reading that comment. I do worry that many players won't even realize it's a highly customized thing, but I hope it has an effect on some more familiar with the engine.
Sierra Lee
2024-08-25 18:33:23 +0000 UTCYeah, we're on the same page here. I hope that the early maps, new busts, and combat additions get more players to give the game a chance long enough to get hooked. I don't know how much effect it will actually have, but I want to give the game the best chance I can.
Sierra Lee
2024-08-25 18:31:57 +0000 UTCThose look amazing!
Okcorral
2024-08-25 18:19:31 +0000 UTCI agree with everyone that polishing the early game to hook in players makes 100% sense. Even if Kai himself definitely doesn't deserve that much love. > So there's stuff like having bridges/ropes/etc that you can walk both below and above. IIRC, Cthulhu saves the world (which is not a RPGM game but tends to be lumped together with them, like a lot of low resolution indie retro JRPG) has a dev comment that goes like that: "In the first level, there's a suspended bridge. I spent so much time altering the map system so it could support both going under the bridge and walking on it. And I was quite proud of the result. And then I realized that, in the current level design, the characters never actually walked under that damn bridge! So, I changed the map a bit so that they did. Because I hadn't done all that for nothing!" Thus, while I'm not sure the ability to walk under bridges really change anything for the average player's perception of the game, it's apparently a big deal among indie devs.
Rachnera
2024-08-25 18:08:23 +0000 UTCCongratulations to the team for the effort, the title screen looks really nice!! And good job on improving the first impressions. Every friend that I've "pushed" TLS into was not really digging the intro, and we're all aware this is intentional, sure, but it made me wonder how many players, without that guidance/knowledge, are lost before the twist... wait, maybe we will get to know this percentage in the future with steam achievements!
Decarabia
2024-08-25 17:41:28 +0000 UTCPolish is a massive thing for games like this, and some people get put off by things being too "rpgmaker forward". The goal when appealing to those types is to distract from that long enough that they find something that hooks them, then they generally disregard the medium and just think of it as good
Treeman4
2024-08-25 17:34:47 +0000 UTCUpdating the prologue was a good call. It looks good!
Grim8P
2024-08-25 17:22:49 +0000 UTCWow, that's a huge difference. Looks banger. Don't sell yourself short Sierra, the writing, characterization, and music are my three fav things about the game and what got me hooked. Gotta say, I'm continually impressed with how much you put into this project over the years. Glad to be a supporter.
Abso Haram
2024-08-25 17:21:04 +0000 UTCThank you for everything you do. Even though you're spread thin you're still giving an amazing game love and I greatly appreciate seeing every update you have the energy to send out. 💖
Sovereign
2024-08-25 17:06:31 +0000 UTC
