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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:38 am 
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Group Play is a weekly event in which one game is selected to be promoted within the forums to be played by us as a group. It provides an opportunity to promote some smaller games that would otherwise get lost, promote discussion and promote creativity.

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This week's game is "My Life as a Water Droplet" by Redeyesblackpanda!

You can find links to the game here: My Life as a Water Droplet

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There are some rules to follow in the following discussion about the game.

- In your primary comment on the game, please try to mention one thing you liked and one thing you think could be improved. This is in the spirit of giving both encouraging and helpful comments to the creators. You may of course go beyond this with praise or critique. I can't enforce this rule, I'll just silently judge you.

- Please try to do one play-through or enough of the game to develop a solid opinion. Some things can be commented on early on, but things like plot might be best left until you finish the game.

- There is no rule as to whether you post here only or in the completed game topic. Feel free to do as you like. This is just a space to discuss this game while playing it at the same time as others.

- Please try to think about the game play as a whole, as well as the different parts that make up the game.

- Please be respectful to the game and creator. You don't have to like a game, but you should be respectful to the effort.

- Please follow the forum rules.

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If you would like to make your own suggestions and haven't already, please feel free to PM them to me.

These are the current guidelines for suggestions:

- Anyone can send me 3 games (VN, KN Sim, whatever, just from these forums or related to) that they think are worth playing by PM.
- There can only be three suggestions per person and if a game gets suggested multiple times, they still only get one draw.
- You may suggest your own games.
- For now they must not be 18+, just because we want to encourage everyone to join first up. If it goes well, maybe something can be arranged for the big kids.
- Please try to make sure the game is short (around a max of 30,000 words). It isn't a hard and fast rule, but it's easier to make time for smaller games and it will give this a greater chance of success.
- They must be free and preferably available on all 3 platforms, again for easy access.

And with that, let the games begin!

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Last edited by Auro-Cyanide on Sun Jun 10, 2012 11:04 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 8:27 am 
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Quote:
It provides an opportunity to promote some smaller games that would otherwise get lost


Maybe we shoud've set a date requirement on the smaller games so we don't end up doing it for the newest games who haven't had a chance to get "lost" yet. See Ripples, small but big hit. Oh well, can't be helped. :-)

Is anyone interested in a stream of this? I can do so around 8 PM GMT for those interested.


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 8:43 am 
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Applegate wrote:
Quote:
It provides an opportunity to promote some smaller games that would otherwise get lost


Maybe we shoud've set a date requirement on the smaller games so we don't end up doing it for the newest games who haven't had a chance to get "lost" yet. See Ripples, small but big hit. Oh well, can't be helped. :-)

Is anyone interested in a stream of this? I can do so around 8 PM GMT for those interested.


I got a mixture of new and old games suggested, this one just happened to be chosen :) I think that's fine. Age has nothing to do with a game deserving to be played after all and suggestions are open to everyone.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 9:18 am 
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Ha, got True ending on first try :D
I wish I got assignments that required me to make a game.

Cute story. The backgrounds worked well. Too bad there are no sprites and no music. Especially the music :(
There sure are some strange droplets in your game. Magical voice of magic and voices? Lol
How exactly does the conductor guide the stream? It's like a train? But isn't he in the middle of it? Eh, I'm thinking too hard about this, sorry, ignore it. ^^'


It's kind of hard to say much about it when you probably didn't have a lot of time to make it? Can't really complain about the simple look. It's not that distracting anyway.

We are supposed to respond in this thread, right?


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 9:33 am 
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*giggle fit* panda will be so surprised to see so many downloads of this... :twisted: That said, without the GP I doubt this game would even get that many downloads since it's "ew, educational!" That alone would probably steer off most players.

Arelune wrote:
We are supposed to respond in this thread, right?
Yeah, that's a little vague point. I'm sure creators would like a few comments in the original thread. Auro, your thoughts?

P.S. Also, I'll try to join your stream, Applegate, if something doesn't come up.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 9:49 am 
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@CheeryMoya, oh yes, I should clarify that. I have linked this topic to the original completed one now. I think people should definitely feel free to comment in the original topic if they want to, but this can be a space for discussion as well. I don't think there is an entirely correct answer, as it's good for both to get promoted, one to promote the game, and two to promote a space that will promote these games. So whichever people feel comfortable with, or both :)

I finished the game. I got the true ending first go and then worked my way through the other as well. I think the thing I liked most was the humour. It was odd and a little non-sensical, but pretty amusing. The characters came across really well considering there were no sprites, their voices were well done. The thing I think that could be added is definitely muuuuuuusic~ I think that would just add a lot of atmosphere to the piece.

I actually liked the spring ending the best :D D-Rop was my favourite! Plus, as soon as he said his final words THAT song popped into my head, which filled in for the music XD
~When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best
When I lay me down to die
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky~

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 3:49 pm 
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Just mentioning that in about ten minutes I'll stream this VN for those who may be (or may not be) interested. Timezone constraints limit me to do it much later, and I'm none too keen on weekend broadcasts. You can join the fun here, and I'll be serving some music and no live commentary, because I am a right rotten commentator!

Also, I haven't read this yet myself, so I wouldn't know what to do. walkthrough dangit etc.

EDIT3:

And then the first becomes a hyperlink. Internet hates me today.


EDIT4:

And done. I liked the story, personally. Best read it again and this time in a more reviewerish mood rather than just read it out like a fool because no one was listening.


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 4:34 pm 
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Spoilering everything just to be safe.

How exactly does the conductor guide the stream? It's like a train? But isn't he in the middle of it?[/quote]

See, at first I was like that too. I was like FFFF if you die when you evaporate, shouldn't you be dead too when you seep into the ground/underground express/spring/whatever? Since you lose your shape and blend in with the other water droplets completely. And then I was like how the fuck does a drop of water have red hair. And then I remembered that I was playing a talking water droplet and promptly bashed myself on the head for being stupid. And then the game was like "omg how does a water droplet blush". orz

But yeah, I like the cute, self-aware humour and the way the game never takes itself seriously. I loved the snarking at the end when you get to choose whether or not to go back to the title screen, that was great.

I agree with Cya that music would improve the experience - and more than music, sound effects would have really helped. Especially in a game like this, you could have had a lot of fun with all the different water sound effects in the different environments. Maybe a different watery sound for the different characters might even make it cuter. Like gushing steam for the conductor and a delicate little gargly effect for the red head, for example.

I thought the True Ending might've been funnier if it turned out that they were turned into something like miso soup instead of ramen, just to fuck around with the characters a bit. And it could still have the same message too, like "even though we didn't get turned into ramen, I still enjoyed our time together" thing.

Also, I got the true ending on my first try too, which means that this game might be a little too easy to figure out. I mean, sure, be nice and you get a nice ending is a great message to send, but it really seems too obvious. I'd also like to have numbered endings, if possible? I'm the 100% completionist kind, and I spent a lot of time afterwards trying to get all the endings, and it was a bit frustrating without some kind of notice that I'd already gotten all possible endings.

I really liked some of the backgrounds - the spring in particular was goooorgeous <3


In any case, it was a cute little experience. *thumb up*

Also, I'm noticing a trend of people doing VNs for school projects and I highly approve. *the other thumb up*

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:04 pm 
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CheeryMoya wrote:
without the GP I doubt this game would even get that many downloads since it's "ew, educational!" That alone would probably steer off most players.
Ha! funny thing is cuz it said it was educational was the reason i checked the thread this morning. I didn't even know this got picked for the group play until I saw the comment section. But maybe I'm just wierd that kinda likes educational games, i dunno lol.

Anyway, with that said I played the little game, yay I got the good ending!

What I Liked:
I liked that it was educational, even though it didn't really feel educational. I mean it was still fun and not like boring or anything. I also thought it was an interesting subject matter, can't say I've ever come across a game about a water droplet, and I doubt I ever will (unless the creator makes another one lol).

I thought the story was cute, it had humor, it was intersting, and i learned a bit about water. Overall I enjoyed the little story.


What I didn't Like:
Maybe some music to add to the atmosphere a bit? Other then that, not bad for a school project!

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:29 pm 
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1. You know what's weird? On the way home this game popped into my head (never played it, but remembered the screen shot of the main menu).

2. WTF I DIED
AFTER BECOMING DOG URINE. But then I transcended and became one with the universe, so... best bad ending ever?


I agree with everyone's comments above, actually. I enjoyed the humor, it was a little offbeat and helped move things along. But the most obvious problem is this is a very static VN. The addition of music and sound probably would have been the single biggest improvement.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:16 pm 
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Oh my gosh, I loved this!
Little Red Haired Water Droplet was tripping the part of my heart usually reserved for orphans! I guess all the droplets are orphans in a way... :mrgreen:

What I liked:
The brisk dialogue, straightforward plot, and the fact that despite it being educational, it was fun to read. The droplets all had obvious personalities, which I thought was neat since there were no visuals or facial expressions to take cues from. I laughed when D-Rop said "Good... bye... my man..." LOL! I imagined the water droplet version of Bob Marley. I also liked that photos were used versus drawn artwork. I think it lended a really nice existential quality to the whole thing.


Suggestions for Improvement:
First of all, I would really, REALLY like to see this polished and re-released with voice acting and sound effects of all the different water. The right music could help it along too, although I don't think I would mind not having music as long as there was a full range of watery sounds. I just think it would be pretty cool to hear the droplets speaking with a sort of echo effect on their voices to make it even more existential. And LRHWD could have a cute and small voice... aww...

Plot-wise, I think it's weird that our hero wasn't freaking out about the dissolution of his body in the Underground Express... but I don't really know how it could get around that point without changing the story significantly, so I guess it's a moot point. I was just expecting something like in Evangelion, "WHERE'S MY BODY, DID I DISSOLVE IN THE LCL?!" type of thing.


saguaro wrote:
2. WTF I DIED
AFTER BECOMING DOG URINE. But then I transcended and became one with the universe, so... best bad ending ever?


I was confused about this. At first I thought they were going to become urine, but then it said they were on a leathery surface. I wasn't sure if that meant they were on his tongue, like he was panting, or if they went through his skin and onto his nose?

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:36 pm 
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The leathery surface probably refers to the tongue, I think. That part could use a bit more clarification, I think.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 11:44 pm 
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That was... an interesting read.

Most people probably already said this, but:

What I liked
The dialogue. Well, unless you're being a jerk. D-drop was awesome even though I have no idea what happened.
I mean, if a dog laps them up, shouldn't they become urine or something? Or did they get stuck on the tongue?


Suggestions
Music! Sounds of rushing water would be good on the Underground River Express. Atmospheric?

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PostPosted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 1:04 am 
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Quote:
I agree with Cya that music would improve the experience - and more than music, sound effects would have really helped. Especially in a game like this, you could have had a lot of fun with all the different water sound effects in the different environments. Maybe a different watery sound for the different characters might even make it cuter. Like gushing steam for the conductor and a delicate little gargly effect for the red head, for example.


Oooo, I didn't think of the sound effects like that, but that would be pretty cool! Especially the idea of having them be 'voices'.

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PostPosted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 1:31 am 
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Woah, I break my computer for one day, and this happens! :shock:

Thanks for all the comments. I didn't release it with music, because I didn't really have time to, but now I feel a bit guilty about it...
I've got projects that I'm working on right now that are of more interest though, so I don't think the game will be seeing an update. That being said, if anyone wants to mess with it for kicks, that's fine. I left the script in the download, since I was lazy. :lol:

Ah, and at this point, I can't keep track of downloads. Haven't gotten that built into download.vnovel.com yet. :3

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