I've been reading through all the comments to my last post and want to take a moment to thank everyone for their warm wishes and personal story. It reminded me of something that I knew but had forgotten in the news. There is nothing wrong with having dark fantasies, even sharing them with a loved one. Losing the distinction between reality and fantasy is a threat to everyone but finding proper outlets for them can give you safe outlets for them. I have decided to continue developing Harem.
If memory serves me correctly I had included a readme in 0.6a and I'll end the conversation by quoting something I had said long ago. (if not, it will be in 0.6b).
"This is dark fantasy. If at any time you watch a scene and think 'That's a good idea' you should stop playing and get some therapy. Or at least a good hooker."
Since making the last post I've been doing a great deal of writing, nearly 60 pages worth of content in just a little over a week. But I've still been out of the code for months and it is going to take me some time to review what needs to be done to even get a timetable for 0.6b. I'll post updates as I get a grip on the situation.
But delay might give me an excuse to do something that needs to be done. Never let a crisis go to waste as they say. My understanding of VX combat has grown tremendously since starting Harem but an issue with the game is that character stats and progression are fixed by the save, not by the game. So character from earlier saves don't behave quite how they should. While people have tried to help me create scripts to get reset the characters, they've created issues of their own (for example Ralph renaming himself mid-game). Wiping the slate clean and forcing new games would make the game much easier from a code perspective. I would provide 'typical' saves from the end of 0.6a packaged with the 0.6b release for the people who wouldn't want to replay everything. I will post a poll for it in the next few minutes.
Note : Even if we do this now, I can't guarantee that it won't happen again in the future. I have been learning the engine continuously over the last two years and I doubt that process has ended.
Great news man! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat news indeed!
ReplyDeleteNo problem, my friend. I have no problem with you deleting all the old saves. After all, playing the game from starting again has its own fun, too.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, no pressure on you from my side. I really like this game and am patient enough to wait for few more months.
Best of luck!
I also have no problem with starting new game, but can you add more choice-based quests? I mean we have a lot of girls at the half of the game, why don't give them some more useful skills outside combat? For example - some hunt missions for day or week. Random reward or so. random encounter during this mission.
ReplyDeletePlus we have a full city to explore, hope there will be a lot of non-combat stuff to do.
And what about Fortress upgrade? Shouldn't be too hard, as i know)))
It's only my opinion and suggestions, don't take it close to your heart, and thanks for the great game!
If u will need any help, just call us, your players!)))
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by choice based quests. If that means sidequests it's something that has come up before. I agree they'd make the game better, but so would finishing the game :). Any time I spend on Harem I have to choose between working on the main quest or side quests and have chosen the main quest almost always.
DeleteBut 0.6c should be more of what you're talking about. The player has been on rails since some time during 0.4 and for a brief period at least there will be more flexibility in what to do and more choices. But not during 0.6b, it's essentially finishing the existing arcs.
i think he means "quests that can be finished in either a good or evil way" like Fable series quests and the "take control of her mind or not quest"that you made. and i 100% agree. those quests are the most fun ;).
Deletespecking of that quest,it annoyed me that,after you control her mind,she still complains and asks you to release her all the time. it should of been that she becomes under your complete control and only says what you like. hope you fix that ;).
Ah ok. I wasn't able to add many choice options in 0.6b. It's by an large another on-rails section and when I did they felt forced. 0.6c will add quite a bit more hopefully.
DeleteAnd in response to Terra. Initially I had written her that way but she turned into an incredibly boring character as a result. Puppets are fairly boring to talk to. Especially considering how important her character became, she needed to be more complex.
DeleteEssentially 0.5 and before she was free to yell, scream, and insult you as often as she wanted but you could simply take control of her as necessary. Made for better writing. And the conditions of her bondage will evolve in 0.6b and c.
You know, as far as side-quests and open-world stuff go... Let's face it: You're not a game-development studio, with writers and artists and scads of flowcharts, etc. I'd much rather have a game where you're more or less on rails the whole time, especially since you've got two different paths to take. Sidequests are just going to add exponentially to the difficulty of developing the game, even if you just make them totally stand-alone episodes that are never referenced again in the game.
DeleteThe story and gameplay are good enough to keep all these people coming back for updates; save the sidequest ideas for little mini-sequels! ;)
Or do the side quests when you are done with main :)
Deletei think you can make here quite entertaining by adding quests/side quests that she will only help you in if you control her,you can make here extremely revolting and argues a lot if you dont and a mindless puppit that obeys you in ANYTHING if you do.you can also make her tell you some secret info only if you control her. i think it will be more entertaining and diverse this way ;).
DeletePersonally, I think the story is better with Terra able to rebel and exhibit remaining/renewed will & rebellion. As previously noted, puppets are boring.
DeleteAs far as being on rails, I have no problem with that. The Dark path puts you on the Highway to Heck, the Light path..... well, you have a shot at redemption, and it makes for a good subtext on the responsible use of power.
Side Quests? Maybe. My vote is for limiting them to "Loyalty" quests for each girl. Unless you have a massive (MILLIONS of Dollars) development budget and a full studio it's just not realistic to over complicate the game. And if it comes down to Side quests or Main story..... I'm gonna vote Main Story. It can be fleshed out later with sidequests once you know what tale you're trying to tell.
personally,i think that it just removes so much immersion. the main theme of the game is mind control. the most famous rule for mind controlled ppl is to be puppets to their masters.however,i think i can suggest two solutions that will satisfy all parties:
Delete1:Make it so you can have 3 different results(No mind control,mind control with freedom,puppet mind control)instead of two. for example,have a visual presentation of her will power and mind(like a fountain,a well,etc)in addition to the throne so that if you only sit on the throne she will be like she is today. if you sit AND corrupt the other presentation then she becomes a puppet.if you want(although only if it doesnt require much change in the story),you can add a forth ending where you only destroy the other presentation and leave her insane.
2:if TC doesnt like this idea then i suggest a "Mass Effect"esque mind control. the indoctunation in ME left you unable to refuse your master's(the reapers) orders but you still had a personality in everything else and could act normally except in very specific cases.
Space- she sure has been fun to write that way. And the loyalty thing sounds a lot like what 0.6c is already sketched to be.
DeleteFFTW - The problem with puppets is that whenever the master gets busy with something else, they lie there motionless until he returns. Boring.
1. - It would be interesting, but I don't want to have to write every sequence involving Terra 3+ times. Right now the mind control is (and will probably remain) a leash. She's free to run around as she sees fit but if she gets out of control a sharp yank on the leash will bring her back to heel. Rather than changing that Ralph will be trying to change the 'what she sees fit' part of it.
2. Who is TC out of curiosity? But that doesn't sound like a good idea. What I'd usually call a compulsion rather than straight up mind control. I'm very happy with the way that Terra is turning out on the dark path but I could definitely use that in the future. In fact, I think a character or two that would fit that perfectly.
TC(Topic Creator) is you >_>. as you wish, thanks for all your work anyway :).although i would like to know if you played the Mass Effect series as i most likely did a bad job in explaining the "mind control"(AKA Indoctrination)theme. if you didnt then i advice you to do(AWESOME series) or at least watch a few YT vids about indoctrination to have a good idea about it.
Delete"This is dark fantasy. If at any time you watch a scene and think 'That's a good idea' you should stop playing and get some therapy. Or at least a good hooker."
ReplyDeleteLol got a good laugh at the last part but for them people even a hooker is to good for em ;P.
And it's good to see you are making use of the time to fix thing up but still take all the time you need since it better to have something go slow but work properly then fast an be bugged to the moon and back :o then again if it is bugged that much it might be the jubbi messing with ya ;P (lol been reading to many naruto fan fiction)
Advanced warning, with the number of changes in 0.6b this probably will be a buggy launch after an annoying long testing phase.
DeleteGreat news, of course! And I for one don't need old saves to work; it's been long enough that by the time the next update comes out, I'll probably be in the mood to replay the game. Of course, that may change if updates start coming more quickly.
ReplyDeleteI have 0 problems with playing through from scratch for a new version, so re: saves, do what you gotta do.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're feeling over the funk~
And yea, many tears were shed in joy this day.
ReplyDeleteI'm okay with playing through from scratch, but I'd prefer to have prepackaged save files that assume the party did things right for their alignment path and maybe scummed encounters a bit for better gold/equipment.
ReplyDeleteSo very very happy to hear, Ker! That was tough stuff you went through, and I'm glad things are sorted out.
ReplyDeleteNow that you're back in the game, have you thought at all about launching a kickstarter, if you're still interested in monetizing?
It has some cons (steep fees, takes awhile) but it'd be a great way to monetize/spread the word out. Of course, it would mean you'd have to settle on some sort of tangible project/end goal.. which is another complication..
If I monetize it wouldn't be with kickstarter (or offbeatr) for just the reasons you mention. I may use fast-spring or another independent software sales site and sell some donation options through there.
DeleteBut it would be incredibly bad form to try to monetize right now considering that I all but vanished for the last four months.
But you had completely legitimate reasons for putting your work on hold, and honestly, you do this stuff for free. I don't know about others, but I'm very thankful for that, but it's also entirely your decision if you want to monetize it or not. You shouldn't have any qualms about making decisions what and how to release your work. Some of us know a good thing when the see one, and would support your work regardless.
DeleteAlright, let me start by saying this: I don't what this whole castro incident is, and frankly, that's not important,(at least, on a local level). What is important, however, is how you're responding to it.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to say this, hoping you'll take the time to think about this. Anyone old enough to play this game should understand the difference between reality and fiction, and anything that occurs in games like this, is a tale;one that should be told from start to finish,(not for the sake of the critic, but for the writer themselves.)
However, I have to disagree on one caveat on what occured. Personally, I believe that slavery should be practiced again, though not what most people think of slavery as.
See, during the time between the greek and roman empires, slavery was more of a penalty for prisoners of war, or commoners who could only improve their lifestyle by being sold and trained for the aristrocrat of their time. Also, slavery wasn't obtained at birth, and lasted for a period of years,(plus, was normally as cruel as ralph is in game, while following the light path).
However, the two common types of slavery known now,(born slavery, and (EXCEDINGLY) cruel debt slave treatment were popularized by the slave trading in america, and the human trafficking news and enslavement heard of today.
All history and preferences aside, your story is a ficticious work of literature, and should be finished for your own reasons.
Can you say EXACLY for god's sake in which way something absolutly disgusting like slavery is for you accetable?? What you say about Ralph light path is false,slaves in ancient time were just cattle for their owners,they were seen as objects and treated like that,and even if some master was less cruel,always a mster he was and was his concience and not the law to spare the victim SOME(NOT SURELY ALL) horrible things of being a slave. Slavery is not something that needed or needs(beacuse also exists although illegaly and in new forms like forced labour or forced prostitution or else) to be "regulated" or "temperated" like one can thik for example of capitalism,slavery had and has to be destroyed in all his forms as one of the worst violation of human rights ever existed. If you really think so too(as any people in a civilized world should) and I simply have misunderstood your words sorry,but if so isn't i suggest you first to go read this http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/ and if that does not works to go looking for a psicologist. Sorry for being so long and if i misunderstood,but something like this said about reality and not about a game has to be cleared totally.
DeleteThis is why I've never used the good/evil terms in Harem. The main character is evil on both routes without question. Slavery is immoral, evil or whatever other negative term you want to use. You are playing a character committing atrocities regardless of path.
DeleteOn the good path you at least feel guilty about it and forced into it by fate. You try to make the situation as good as possible for those enslaved and to save the world as a result. But the character is still evil.
The concepts are exciting to imagine but horrible to enact. Which is why this is a fantasy/fetish game.
All that being said, please end this conversation now. This blog is about the game and the comments are as well. If you want to argue something like this find another place to do it.
Just don't tell me where. I really don't want to know.
Glad you got back on track.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry if you have to retcon anything or change anything previously done, you should do whatever you feel comfortable with.
PD: TBH I never played the evil route, I'm not that kind of player, but I value when a game gives me the option to misbehave, even if I never pick those options.
Ha. Well that took a while.
ReplyDelete