Gakuen Redux

[mikey]

Gakuen Redux download
http://atp.manga.sk/games/gr/gr.htm
or http://www.renai.us

Gakuen Redux OST download:
http://rapidshare.de/files/37240684/Gak ... T.zip.html

First of all, I would like to say that it makes me very sad that things turned out the way they did and this kinetic novel will probably never reach the audience it was intended to reach. I apologize to those who do care, but no one can expect me to do this just because I can.

This project has gone through many troubles and I am the more happy that we were able to establish its final form and finish it within the timeframe we finished it in. I would like to thank my whole team for their efforts - for working instead of talking and solving problems instead of asking questions.

Second, I would like to simply say this project is a kinetic novel. It has no choices, no colors and no dialogue. I think it would be a pity if you'd expect something that the project is not. Also, the writing style is different, so reading too fast is not recommended. So just take your time to tune to the concept, adjust to the presentation and hopefully you'll be able to enjoy it the way it was meant to be.

Have lots of fun, everyone, and now summer begins for me.

[Icekiss]

Where does one download the non-Windows version? The download links seem to point to a split exe file.

[Kikered]

Yeah, the downloads point to an executable and three .rar files. I'm not sure if you can run the executable on a non-Windows machine, but the end folder seemingly contains all the folders necessary for cross-platform playing.

As for the game, it sounds interesting from the synopsis. I'll start on it after going through the background information.

[PyTom]

The first .exe file is also a .rar file, downloading it to a Linux system an un-raring it will work.

[Otaku Dash]

Yet another game release from Mikey. ALthough it may be diferent I still can't wait to check it out.
Downloding now.

[Icekiss]

Thanks, that worked.

I have started reading it, and interrupted, to write down my first impressions.

Pro:
-Ren'Py has been beautifully customized. Everything reflects the fact that this is a real visual novel, instead of a "choose your own adventure". I guess we have PyTom to thank for this. It looks very, very good
-The background music is wonderful. I can fully understand mikey's wish to read this slowly to get the full effect out of the text. But the background music is what made me do it. I catch myself pausing after reading each screen just to enjoy the music for a few seconds more!
-I read the background information about the school system of J-country, and it is very well done. It has a professional, and very authentic feel to it. I am sure it will help me getting the most out of the story. Wonderful idea!

Con:
-The grey text on the sketched backgrounds is a tad to light in my opinion. I have to concentrate on correctly recognizing it, which takes a part of my concentration away from the story, the music, and the pictures.
-I find myself reformulating sentences in my head because there are quite a few that have an awkward word order, grammer or choice of word.

If you are interested, I am willing to go over the script after I have finished reading the novel. You could then diff your version with mine, and decide which changes to keep.
Even though English isn't my native language, I think I have a knack for it.
If you, on the other hand, stand by the policy of not changing a released product, I won't bother.
Interested?

I'll withhold any comments about the story itself until after I've finished reading. Besides, I don't want to spoil it for anyone else just yet.
I'm curious whether I will find out what made mikey's initial post sound so reluctant...

That's all for now. I'm off to make dinner...

[mikey]

If you, on the other hand, stand by the policy of not changing a released product, I won't bother.

Yes, it's sort of complicated (see below).

I'm curious whether I will find out what made mikey's initial post sound so reluctant...

Hmmm... not in the game though. It's more a message to some of the supporters from my home country. Essentially this project was made for them. But now it's in English. Still, no hard feelings, I know they understand.

[Icekiss]

(see below)

??

[mikey]

??

It has to do with translations. English wasn't the original language.

[PyTom]

-Ren'Py has been beautifully customized. Everything reflects the fact that this is a real visual novel, instead of a "choose your own adventure". I guess we have PyTom to thank for this. It looks very, very good

Honestly, most of the design of the menu was mikey's, and he also came up with all the wordings. I just implemented it.

One of the side benefits of writing Ren'Py is I get to play games before everyone else, and so I played GR last week. I think the game epitomizes the adage "good things come to those who wait". In everything from the development process to the story to the eas... well, I'll let mikey detail this if he wants to.

[Icekiss]

@mikey: That much I gathered.
What I don't understand is: What has the fact that the game has been translated to do with the question of whether or not you are willing to modify the game after it has been released?

[mikey]

Generally I like to have things "off my chest" once I release. Save for bugs. Comments, suggestions and similar I usually try to implement in future releases. As for this release, it's really better to look at it globally. Perhaps after you finish it, the cryptic reasons will become more understandable. I hate to be this secretive, but just give it a chance please.

[Icekiss]

I am playing it right now, no worries there.

All I am saying is, that there are grammatical mistakes, and inconsistent use of tenses, and a few times were simply the wrong word was written down - I twice saw "ensure" were "assure" should have stood.

And all I was offering was to go to through the script and fix them. And grammer has decidedly little to do with cryptic reasons for comments. As I already said, I withhold any story comments until I have finished reading the novel.

Before writing this comment, I decided to stop at the very next line of narration I would change. This is it (the third one after deciding to do so): "Also I think I was a lot more helpful around the household." -> "I also think I was a lot more helpful around the household."
There are lots and lots of things like that in the script - Present tense, were past tense should have been used, a comma were a new sentence should have started, and so on...
Its not really THAT distracting, but fixing it would make the whole thing feel decidedly more polished.

Did I get my offer across this time? It really doesn't bother me much if its not accepted (less work for me), but it's weird to offer something, and something completely different is rejected...

[mikey]

The complicated thing is I wrote it in a special style (with all those not ending sentences, repeating words, jumping tenses and similar) which absolutely works in my language. But I'm afraid that no matter how good the translation it won't capture the spirit completely. The thing about it is that if I would want to express what I wanted to express in English from the start, I'd use completely different situations, and even settings. BUT. I also wanted to keep some of the original in the English version, even at the expense of strange words and sometimes wild sentence structures. I do admit though, that sometimes you can hit a rock in the grammar, but that's my mistake and I accept it. Still, I like to have the game as it is, with its glitches, if only to remind me how it all was and what I could do, but did not do. It is admittedly a rule with its own strange logic, but it works for me and I think this attitude has enabled me to make those games I made. For me as a person it also means I simply need to know that it's over so I can refocus and/or just take a mental break. I don't know whether that answered the questions or explained things, just PM me and I'll explain more personally if you want.

[Icekiss]

Thanks alot for explaining it. I think it's gotten through my thick skull now.