Map Update, Slave Trainer, & Improvements to Castle Design

That screen shot is quite hot. I would be rather keen to see the slave training in the main game. At first you could dress it up as 'etiquette' training, getting Alexia used to taking orders from either or both demons. As it progresses and Alexia becomes more resistant you could move on to blackmailing her to help her husband in his quests. Obviously Rowan would see the effects (and reap the benefits) but as he himself becomes more corrupt he could join in. Alternatively you could use her as a hold over him to complete his quests to try and prevent her corruption.

Hey Curtis, :) I've thought a lot about ways I could get around the problems, but I think this makes more sense. The other thing I've been thinking about is that not everyone likes trainers, so it isn't really fair to force them to have to play that aspect anyway. By moving it out of the main game, it allows a lot more leeway with what can be done in the trainer, and will make for a better experience, I think. Since no one seems to have any strong feelings, I'll probably just stick with Rowan. Being able to choose would be nice, but can't really afford to do it, maybe in future if things ever improve. About battles, nothing has been decided on that front. Once there's enough content in the game, and the first one has been added, we can see what surviving a loss would look like and make a decision from there.

Lord Arioch

I was interested in how you'd integrate the slave training aspect into the rest of the game. If you think it'd be better to have it discrete, it's probably for the best. I did have a stupid idea, but I want to hurt myself for even suggesting it. It could all be a dream. In the past, succubi were used to explain things like wet dreams; it was believed they were trying to seduce people in their sleep/dreams. Perhaps that is part of the magic of the castle. Rowan could have dreams in which he trains slaves. He might do things that he wouldn't otherwise do because "it isn't real/it's just a dream." Later, he could learn that the trainees are sharing the dreams and being shaped by them. At that point, depending on how corrupt Rowan has become, he can decide to continue the training or choose not to train them in the dream realm. It would also allow a break from the core game mechanics because things are strange in dreams. Rowan could have a set number of actions, and there could be a day/night split. Usually, I think "it was just a dream" is a lazy cop out, and part of me hates myself for even suggesting it, but I think it might work if the dreams turned out to actually be real. If it is made a non-canonical side game, I do think Rowan should still be the trainer. I'd say that maybe the trainer can be selected by the player, but that could multiply the amount of art needed by a substantial factor. NTR is one of those fetishes that people seem to feel very strongly about. Having someone other than Rowan be the trainer might turn off some people. If it's non-canonical, it wouldn't matter if Rowan was acting out of character. I have looked over the design document, and I do have one suggestion. While I think it's fine that there'd be a game over if you run out of gold or moral drops too low, either of which could cause your troops to depose you, either due to lack of pay or loss of discipline, I'm not sure losing a single war should be a game over. For example, assume you've conquered every nation but one. If you lose that war, you should have plenty of room to fall back and regroup. One trope I kind of hate in fiction is that the good guys can lose again and again and always bounce back, but if the villain is defeated once, makes one mistake, it's game over. If the bad guys are in an advantageous situation, they should be able to recover from a single setback.

Curtis S.

Hey kaos, It is a shame as there are some good things about it, but I know it'll work better like this in the long run. I would just like to say though, in response to some of your concerns: Firstly, there is no reason at all why there can't still be story lines in the trainer. We have all the sprites and backgrounds anyway, so it's easy to add new scenes to give training a narrative, with choices and different endings depending on how you choose to train the character. Secondly, in the new system you still assign NPCs to work in areas, you just don't have to micro-manage, and they add a passive bonus. So again, there's no reason why, if you assigned Alexia to work in the tavern, you couldn't run into her there. Lastly, the way morale is handled is being completely re-hauled in the new system, and while it will generally need to keep being balanced, that particular problem should vanish in the next release.

Lord Arioch

Thank you for all the hard work! This game is looking interesting, but kind of bummed to see the Trainer route being pushed to the side. Would have been interesting to see in the game, but on the other hand it would have needed some tweaking regardless. Alexia is a big reason of keeping me interested, then when you added on exhibitionism as part of the training. Beautiful redhead with green eyes and that? Sold! When the Trainer part was talked about, it sounded great. Still does, but after the first taste did have some concerns. Takes forever to build up gold to pay for her training and then takes time to level her up. If you need to hit 100 to level her up, if you hit 10 every week for her depravity or obedience it would take you 10 weeks to do that. So, 500 gold just to hit one level. Week to week was bad, so day by day is better. Hopefully costs go down in the beginning, for lower tiers at the very least. Can climb back up later. Narratively, think the idea still could work. Jezera and her twin could have convinced Rowan that some training was needed for her. Like Alexia is a simple country girl, not ready for the big time in a castle. Could have kept it simple, to more minor stuff at first. Rowan would reluctantly agree and you'd have the Etiquette and Obedience training basically. Tasks could be kept to simple things, like Library work and Cleaning. It wouldn't seem so wrong or bad and make things seem okay. Though Rowan's corruption and Alexia pushes both further on. Rowan assigns the training more at the behest of the twins, so doing more daring things. Either that, or while he's gone they could do it and when Rowan gets back he runs into the effects of her training. At that point if his corruption is high enough and the twins convincing enough, he allows it to continue. Albeit a bit reluctantly. Though could also threaten to take power away from him as well as Alexia. Bit of a double whammy, where they're true demons manipulating him. Though could see how Rowan doing it all does look bad. Just that if he's becoming corrupted, why wouldn't he be a bit more willing to corrupt his wife? Anyway, if Rowan continues to be the trainer or if it's someone like Andras while he's gone. Either way is fine if some aspect of the trainer bits hang on. Guess with an alternate trainer, be a bit like NTR stuff on Rowan. While he's gone, they play with his wife and make her into more what they want. Rowan can enjoy the perks, but maybe not as much as the twins do. Just hope that maybe be a way to incorporate some of the Trainer side game back into the main game. Like you run into Alexia at the tavern, or dancing, or in the brothel. Maybe even showing off that gorgeous body for a few coins too! All depending on where she is at in her training, though might be rather difficult. Which is why cutting it out and putting it to the side is a bit of a shame. Still interested in this game and will be keeping an eye on it. See how it develops more, as so far can't do a whole lot. Wander around, explore, but hard to offset what happens in the Castle to much. When morale tanks and unrest starts, can't do anything but just keep watching the whole thing go down in flames basically. Keep at it and thanks again for all you do! Your artist does an amazing job on the CG's, so that's gonna help keep me onboard! Take care and don't burn yourselves out.

kaosfear

Yup, you'll still have relationships, they'll just take the more traditional RPG route of being determined by things you say / how character feels about your actions, etc. (think Bioware). And there will still be corruption, of course. :)

Lord Arioch

Thank you for the update! Will there actually be some in-game (canon as you say it) relationships with characters? Like capturing members of Rowan's adevnturing group? And corruption, of course. It's just slave trainer part was useful for displaying it.