Ori, Ochi, Onoe.

[miriam]

Yep. I've been using python with OpenGL to make realtime 3d stuff and wanted some easier way to handle mouse, keyboard, and sounds. That brought me to pygame.

I was up at my parents' place reading more about it when my youngest niece (10 years old) came down to Mum & Dad's to chat with me. I showed her what I was doing and the picture of Eileen in the RenPy demo caught her eye. She asked what it was and I followed up so that I could tell her (that's what I meant about stumbling across RenPy and ren'ai accidentally). I downloaded it and some of the stories from renai.us archives and went home to check it out more (she'd left already, bored with all my downloading and reading)

Little did I know what was in store for me. I have always loved non-linear stories and the potential of computers for that kind of storytelling. (In fact, the reason I've been fiddling with python+3d is to make non-linear 3d stories.) Suddenly I had opened this door on all this amazing ren'ai. Everything I saw delighted me. And then I watched Ori, Ochi, Onoe...

You never think you are going to have one of those pivotal points in your life and it always catches you by surprise. Here I was surprised several times over a few days, and then got another massive blast this morning when I watched Ori, Ochi, Onoe.

Nothing expresses it better than a breathless, "Wow!"

[mikey]

Ah, thank you so much. Comments from players are always a great motivation and also a confirmation for us, that the things we do have a meaning. It's the old cliche that says when just one person finds it worth the time, then that's already enough. But it's true, and as DaFool said, each and every time it's really special. That's why every single comment is so valuable, because it lets us know this. So thank you again, for playing O3.

[c.s.marshall]

Mikey.

to you and of course the whole team: *thanks* for the great entertainment - an absolutely fantastic job! Been through multiple times now and got all endings except one. That's just having to wait until I have some time to play it again ... and again ... and ... well

I commented to PyTom on the 'small' (barely visible) visual enhancements, like the slightly moving background. The steam, the particle job ... but those were all parts of a whole, truly amazing package and I especially liked one certain ending which reminded me of my own life ...

Seeing a few "yeah, but ..." comments here I must add that one always will find *something* to comment on as nobody and nothing is perfect. Avoid those points in the next project and you will run into others - that's life.

O3 is damn near 100% and much better than *many* other expensive game or tool. It shows that a group of really involved people can weld together something that easily beats paid 'professionals'. Just like an underground band that plays its gigs with a real hard bite, you really made my day.

Guess what ... writing this just made me trash my plans for today - I have to 'go play' again. I'm hooked

[mikey]

A technical note first, you should use the

tags to close that one spoiler you mentioned, because it will ruin the game for anyone who reads the comments. Thanks for understanding.

Anyhow, thank you very much, it's great to see people playing. I actually don't really know what to say except that ^_^. And if you're just missing one ending, feel free to use the cheat - hopefully you'll like the few extra work-in-progress and early stages design pictures that will be unlocked when all endings are reached. It even shows how the game went through its phases, just recently I looked at them and it felt very nostalgic

It's nice you appreciated the little things, I didn't want the game to be overflowing with them, just a touch here and there, in fact in the first plans I didn't want anything animated, and wanted the game completely flat. But then BCS joined and we adapted the graphics design for her style, so in the end it came out this way.

Avoid those points in the next project and you will run into others - that's life.

It's so true, but also in a good sense. Maybe it comes from the fact that all people have so different perceptions and different states of mind when they play. Surely you can't please everyone and maybe even trying to please as many as possible is the wrong way. With O3 it's actually a game where I wouldn't have an incredible lot to add, polishing and enhancing its graphics even more I think that wouldn't bring anything. So I'm really happy with how it is, even with its small faults that people point out. I didn't put them there on purpose, but I don't think you can consider any game perfect unless you start to like the imperfections - but that's too philosphical for this hour ^_^.

I'm also happy that your first post here is in the O3 topic - so welcome to the forums! And have lots of fun with all the other games that are here, maybe even with all the OEL games. They're definitely worth it.

[DaFool]

With O3 it's actually a game where I wouldn't have an incredible lot to add, polishing and enhancing its graphics even more I think that wouldn't bring anything. So I'm really happy with how it is, even with its small faults that people point out.

It's very polished...in fact it is still among the most polished / "professional" OEL game thus far. But the good thing is that we realize that level of polish is achievable, and once we hit that we can sit back and let the other qualities take over. I think I always had this game in mind when working on projects.

The argument then becomes if people who aren't related skillwise can achieve this. For example, you mentioned you worked in the games industry previously. So O3 may be 'amateur', but was made by a 'professional'. Other games that were impressive were made by programmers or writers or artists who swear by their skills. OEL manga has a similar situation -- with the vast majority of participants having worked in the graphic arts at some point. Doujinshi is no different with professional mangaka still publishing under amateur labels. Narcissu is also such an example.

Sorry for hijacking the topic somewhat, but O3 still is a technical benchmark so discussion of it leads to more general theories. Basically the point I wanted to make was related to this quote:

It shows that a group of really involved people can weld together something that easily beats paid 'professionals'. Just like an underground band that plays its gigs with a real hard bite, you really made my day.

In many instances we were / are 'professionals' at one time or another, with skillsets similar to what we do, if not for a living, then for a dedicated study / hobby.

[c.s.marshall]

DaFool,

My statements should be seen more of a comparison between 'freelancers' and 'company employees': Instead of a company setting where certain employees get a (well-paid) job to do, a crew of independent thinkers/workers created such a masterpiece on their own account and within their own mindset.

The comparison with an underground band says it all: you can play guitar for twenty years and perhaps be the best guitar player worldwide (a pro in your area) ... and still rather play in such a band instead of going 'professional' with a record contract and everything, simply because that would 'narrow your horizon' ...

I hope I didn't put my foot in it ... 'cuz you'll be seeing me quite frequently

[mikey]

For example, you mentioned you worked in the games industry previously. So O3 may be 'amateur', but was made by a 'professional'.

Well, I quit precisely at the time when the firm changed from a bunch of people working on a game to a game dev company (bought by a new owner, the usual). We had two people who worked in real game-making companies before, but the rest was first-timers. At that time I heard it quite often that I left just when things were turning for the better and we were slowly getting the hang of it, but it just came like that. So actually I was never in the pro-phase, if anything for O3 PyTom, Renesis and BCS are more professional than I am, since I don't use any of the skills that I did in my previous job when making games now. I didn't write the story back then, nor was I the producer or even director. Most of my time was organizing things, getting acquainted with the production process, writing design documents and such things - I can't program, draw/model, animate or compose music (I dropped out of music some time ago). Basically the project was set already and there was a clear vision of what it should be, so I had very little creative influence on it, not to mention later on the project was overhauled, so there isn't anything really that exists from my time. But I'm not downplaying that time, every experience counts - I just don't want people thinking I was some kind of Hideo Kojima who has a studio that does what he tells them to. If anything, it was frustrating to see how much influence mainstream and sponsors have on the final shape of your game and even the hopes I might have had when I started with that magical situation of being in a team that was making a game were quickly exchanged for that working reality. Maybe it made me love my own projects even more because of it, because I was finally able to write and didn't need to make compromises - and if the price was simple graphics and short stories, well, I will gladly pay that.

[Taleweaver]

...I just don't want people thinking I was some kind of Hideo Kojima who has a studio that does what he tells them to.

Funny. I would LOVE people thinking I was some kind of Hideo Kojima. Isn't it strange how nobody gets what he wants? ^_^

[Ignosco]

For O3, the situation is the same, but slighlty different. There are style concerns, yes,...

but while there are only 3 names of save games (Part 0, 1 and 2), in 5 places in the game, if you save them in that specific spot, the names of the 5 special save names will form the "motto" of Ori's love.

Actually, I remember that being mentioned on the O3 thread, but I've got no idea how to solve it... I never even found one of the special save names... Edit: I've got 4 out of 5 parts... 'My loneliness' (First screen in part 2), 'I realised they were just' (When you tell Onoe about Ori and you hear about Ochi) 'Deep and meaningful to me' (When Ochi calls you at work) 'But when I felt her love' (First time you meet Onoe, from the line 'Over the next few days Onoe and I quickly became friends') ... Has anyone got the 5th part?

Sorry about bumping the thread, but it seems like this easter egg never got solved. Did anyone figure this out?

[Guest]

Just a quick comment to add that this game... is AMAZING! I've been downloading and playing quite a few of these games recently, but this game was the very first of it's genre I ever tried and it is still my favorite!

I'm really not sure what other comments I could make that haven't been made before, so I think I'll leave it at that, except to say - Thank you for all of the effort put into this. It was a blast!

[mikey]

Ignosco >> Just to point this out, the save names stop after that one in Part 2, so you'll probably want to look around the beginning for the missing one. It's actually the first part of the message that you're looking for. If you still have troubles, PM or spoilertag it - but you're very close, I'm impressed! A hint: The parts of the nessage are structured according to the place in the game where they appear - so whichever is closest to the beginning of it, is the first, the one that appears second in the storyline is second and so on.

Guest >> Thank you for the kind words, I'm glad you liked the game. Even a few lines from people who played are really great motivation for us. Thanks!

[Ignosco]

Thanks for the clue - I just found the final part . It was a difficult easter egg to solve - because O3 is written in such an emotional style, the message could be hidden on almost any scene, but it was very satisfying to find at the same time .

I spent a fair bit of time checking the endings (particularly 4 and 7), without realising the message was always on the main 'path'.

Hopefully it's alright to post this:

The final part of the message is hidden

in the introduction scene, where you see Yoshiyuki's apartment, starting from 'The only thing I wanted was peace'

The completed message is below:

My thoughts always seemed deep and meaningful to me. But when I felt her love I realised they were just my loneliness.

It's a really fitting message for the game as a whole, and it really captures the essence of both Yoshiyuki and the whole VN. Thank you again to everyone from ATP projects for making this wonderful game .

[mikey]

Ah thanks! And this is probably the last of the easter eggs as well.

[monele]

I've given O3 a new try. I remember getting a few endings (mostly the bad one though...) back when it was released but I quickly gave up because I had no idea how to do what I wanted. Choices seemed to need an omniscient knowledge to be done right and... it still feels the same :/...
I'm trying again, but I'm on the verge of simply giving up and spoiling myself by reading the whole thread for simple answers ^^;...

So far, I've had a Ori ending (doesn't seem like a "best" ending, if there is any), the bad ending, again and again ;o;... I remember getting some Ochi ending back when it was released but I haven't found it this time around.
I just finished with the Onoe ending. I read everyone says it's the easiest one and it's one of those I just could never have found on my own I think (except randomly of course). It's silly but I kept seeing "Onoe is too young" as something negative towards her, hence not good for her ending. So I kept choosing "There is Ori" because it felt like a nice compromise (having feelings for Ori being obviously not the right one...).
I kinda see how it makes sense now, as a... "least worse choice" but... I dunno, it never registered before ^^;...

O3 has the same effect on me as the other game you made with the garden thingie. It only made sense after being spoiled and... even then, it was not always obvious what to choose ^^;... This makes me sad because I really like the games you make but I can't seem to align myself with your thoughts pattern :/.

Ahh, and now I read that the elusive "Part II" is the best thing ever... but how the hell do I get there? XD... *mumbles*...

Oh dear gods o__o.. I just realized I got the Onoe ending on sheer luck!... The first choice, the food choice and the part of town choice were all playing a role!! @_@... I just kept using the same ones because I noticed it allowed me to get further in the game (and not get the very early Onoe ending)... gosh... I'll just keep reading the spoilers I think ~_~;...

[mikey]

Waaaah... don't spoil yourself, use the cheat for the walkthough diagram!

Press Shift+W anytime in the game to get a PDF with the paths.