nottravisgames

News, news and more news!

Added 2019-09-05 16:02:44 +0000 UTC

I have some news! In case you haven't gathered :)

General gubbins

So I'm still rendering away, which I'm sorry about, but it is looking good. Like really good. I don't why it's all suddenly clicking but every render I seem to touch is just so much better than anything I've done before. It's not as though I've upgraded anything either. Probs some more experience and Jaffa cakes?

Anyhoo.....*cough*

Some of you were curious about what my actual system rig was. So...(and please don't laugh too hard...)

Anyway, that isn't what I wanted to talk about.

Progress

Quite rightly you want to know about progress with Four. So, I've still more renders to kick out then it's off to playtest. I've more playtesters than before so we shouldn't get any of those annoying bugs. Given the complexity of the game and the number of paths (36 at the end of Four) it does get harder to pick them up so more eyes on it will certainly help.

But that's not the principle reason I want more playtesters tbh. It's about sex. Well my artistic (oooo get her!) work on it. Y'see I'm really quite happy with what I've done - but that's not really the point is it? No point in me being content if you guys won't be. So what I'm also looking for from my playtesters is quality review. Is it hot? Does it work? Are they...shocked?

Shocked? Um...There are a couple of scenes which are a bit....hardcore? Like very. Now that's fine. I've got gates in place so that you should never see anything you don't want to. You know me by now and content choice is -very- important to me. But even so I want some feedback on the scenes before it goes out wider. There's a lot of stuff in Four I don't think has been done anywhere else so....Let's say I want to be happy you guys will be happy y'know?

Anyway, I'm hoping to get those scenes out some time next week parcelled up and we'll see what people think. Which then leaves me...

The remaster

Um...I've sorta got better at the art since I started. Like a lot better. I shudder when I look at One and Two these days. Parts of them just look awful and indeed grainy.

So I had a little play around with the old scenes just to see what they would look like if I did them now.

Er...very different. Very. Have a look at what I mean. (in each sequence the remastered one is shown first vs the current version)

It's like looking at a different game. You'll notice I haven't changed the actual scene. Just the background and lighting.

Now I'd always planned to remaster at the end. But the longer I leave it the more I'll have to do, especially if I plan on changing the colour scheme and backgrounds like in the above (and I so prefer the new look to old grey walls).

Y'see the thing I can't quite get my head around is why H5 isn't played. And comparatively it isn't and it doesn't seem to matter how good the writing is. Oh, it's a factor for sure, but when you consider Bored Pilot alone has smarter content than most releases it's obviously not an important factor to many.

Sex and pictures on the other hand are important.

Now I'm a writer first and foremost and nothing is going to change either the story or indeed the way I tell it. Nothing will change the content either. But given that the adult content is going to explode shortly there is a very real risk that the earlier graphics and the UI, to an extent, will put people off despite that- and H5 is a game to be played.

Y'see it doesn't matter that I have to spend say four times as much time to make a piccy as a super rigged dev. That's not a factor in peoples consideration. No one goes "well considering she's got an etch-a-sketch and a packet of crayons that's not bad" (well except you lot!). No, they look at other game's graphics and go "That's poo...".

So , once Four is out and people hear of all the naughties - interest may well be regenerated in the game - until they open it...and it's not much use saying "yes but in Chapter Four it looks great!" because that won't I suspect cut it. People don't have patience.

So I want to remaster before I release Four.

Now I realise this will go down as well as Marcus offering you vitamin tablets (and what is it with you guys not trusting him?) but I feel it has to be done. You've all seen what the game could look like. Indeed should like.

I know this is will be an unpopular call. I know that. I know also it will cost me patronage and cash. I know that too. But the longer I leave the remaster not only will it take more and more time to do later down the line (and thus delay the next game - plus bore me to tears as I redo absolutely hundreds of images for an audience that's already played the game), but it also doesn't change the fundamental structural image problems we have at the start of the game. Structural problems that prevent people playing it.

There is an upside to you in me remastering now of course. For a start no more grey hallways, plant room etc and the whole thing will pop more and put H5 more on a level with other games image wise.

But how long will it take?

I'm not sure. I want to finish Four and get it to playtesters first and there is a lot in One, Two and Three that are quite passable. It's mainly some of the internal Vanguard shots, the hallways, the plant room and the MC's room that are the main problems I think. Although the rest could no doubt be improved they're not as critical really.

I -think- I can do it for the end of September. If I can't I'll let you know before the end of the month so you can consider your patronage for October. I'm not going to milk you guys or make you feel scammed. And if I can't make the end of the month we'll have another discussion more generally anyway.

Don't hate me too much? I do try...