Re: [WIP] Maid of Midsummer - updated JULY 11, 2012

[HikkiPanda]

fun gameplay is way more important than realism for me ^^

[Arcanum]

Oh my gosh , I'm loving Seth even more *g* For him, I'd work even for free… haha *blushes*

I think it's important for the player to have fun, and not to do a… chore. So writing something so close to real life might not be good at all - we (or at least I) want to play a game, and not to be an actual maid, so *g* Working really hard to have to earn money is kinda off putting.

For me, it's better to have a somewhat large choice of items that you can buy and, while not being able to buy all of them, get your favorites, than having a small number of items that you'll be able to buy, but have to sacrifice all your free time working for them. Unless you maybe implant some sort of system that allows you to keep the items you've already got through another gameplay: then, I think it's a good idea to make them actually harder to buy, so having them being more expensive/earning less through the week would make sense.

[babyfish]

@Snowblossom: Yeah, with the current schedule system, the PC actually has a lot of free time to do stuff, like shop, attend events, meet people, and so on. Or she can work overtime. I already mentioned the incentives of overtime about a page back, where you get to perform tasks specifically for a certain person, which will result in rewards, a better reputation, and better relations with the person you're helping. So freetime can be fun, but so can work.

@Arcanum: I guess I should let you know right now that I have a bunch of items planned, with various uses. None of the buyables are particularly important... except for a dress. You'll need a dress if you want to attend a certain ball... *cough* More on that later. =3 Most of the other items though are optional, but still helpful.

[sayuri]

Honestly, if you can put enough writing into this game, I'd be happy to pay upwards $15 for it. Art is fantastic, all the characters sound awesome... majorly excited for it!

[HikkiPanda]

Have you read 'Emma' or 'Shirley'? Maybe you can read that for a reference about maid's life, I don't know if it will be a good reference though ^^;
http://www.mangatraders.com/manga/series/553

and

http://www.mangatraders.com/manga/series/4209

[babyfish]

I actually read both Emma and Shirley after starting the project to have some idea of how a 'maid story' might unfold. I definitely loved both of them. Kaoru Mori is rather well-known for all the research put into the story, art, and elements of Emma, which is amazing in itself. Of course, I could never reach that level of authenticity, nor do I really want to for this game. Both works did help me gain a bit of inspiration, however.

[babyfish]

Still working on much of the gameplay aspect of this project, but I can tell you that it's coming along pretty nicely.

Right now I'm wondering if people would be interested in testing out for bugs, gameplay balance, and general enjoyability in a very bare-bones demo of the game. ...Once I'm ready to have it tested, that is. Let me know your thoughts.

In the meantime though, here are a list of some fun-facts about the quirks of the dateables... some of which might or might not be relevant in the actual game. They're interesting facts, I'll give them that.

Seth
-Very poor eyesight, is completely hopeless without his specs.
-A chronic insomniac - He absolutely can't relax when there's work to be done.
-When he is able to sleep, he tends to get nightmares about work.
-Is dependent on sugar and caffeine to support his workaholic habits.
-Is a bit of a shut-in, tends to live in his office. He once got himself blinded for a full day after stepping outside for the first time in two weeks.

Alexius
-Gets very emotionally involved while watching plays. For example, he cries at tragic scenes, cheers on the hero, and berates the villain. Even being the Crown Prince, he has gotten kicked out of the theatre on occasion.
-Once nearly got himself killed trying to escape through his bedroom window using the classic rope-of-bedsheets method. Luckily, he mastered it within the next few tries.

Gabriel
- He seems to be more in his element at night than he is during the day. Not a morning person, and in fact prefers to stay out of direct sunlight. Tends to sleep like a rock until noon.
-Is constantly finding new ways to distract Seth from his work.
-Is scared to death of Katya.

Luke
-Along with his forgetfulness, he is very easily distracted. He tends to end up getting lost while following butterflies, strangers, and leaves flying in the wind. It doesn't help that he has a subpar sense of direction.
-Spaces out frequently, even during conversations.
-Is constantly late for appointments - He easily loses track of time.
-Tends to misplace things frequently.
-Has a habit of walking into things.
-A bit clumsy.
-And so on...

Dante
-Seems to be on friendly terms with birds, rabbits, squirrels, and other manners of small, cute, furry critters. It appears that he sympathizes with hedgehogs most of all.
-He's fond of plants, too.
-Strangely enough though, he's scared to death of cats.


Edward
-A proficient fencer and a deadly marksman. Seems to be skilled in knife-throwing as well. Furthermore, for some reason, he happens to know all the pressure points on a person's body.
-He's strangely knowledgeable about poisons.
-No one has ever seen him sleep. Ever.

Katya
-Scared to death of roaches. (Hates to admit it)
-Not very good at cooking. (Also hates to admit it)
-Has a bit of a sweet tooth. (Also hates to admit it.)
-Is very fond of sappy romance novels. (God help you if you mention it in front of her.)

Hope that provided a bit of insight for you guys. XD

[Arcanum]

*raises hand eagerly* I'd love to test it. Each post you do makes me more and more excited. I can't wait to meet those characters! Although I don't know them yet, I feel empathy for them already. You seem to have gone a long way to give them particular quirks and traits, and that makes them very real.

[Snow Blossom]

Alexius
-Gets very emotionally involved while watching plays. For example, he cries at tragic scenes, cheers on the hero, and berates the villain. Even being the Crown Prince, he has gotten kicked out of the theatre on occasion.

But wouldn't he have his own private theatre? :3

Dante
-Strangely enough though, he's scared to death of cats.

NOOOO DANTE WHYYY????!!! Cats are merely furry balls of ultimate cuteness!!!

And Katya's such a tsundere lol.

[babyfish]

@Snow Blossom: Even if he did, he'd get kicked out of that one regardless. XD

@Camille: Alrighty then, I'll let you know when I have a test version ready. ^^ Glad you're excited, I am too. =3

[RemnantDream]

I love how this is coming. I can't wait to play it :D
I'd be willing to test it as well, if you like ^^

Gabriel:
-Is scared to death of Katya.

She does seem rather intimidating o.o

[sayuri]

I'd also love to test. I'm pretty good at criticism, lol. And this project is also on the top of my stalk list.

[ririruetoo]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW~! I CAN'T WAIT TO PLAY THIS GAME!!!!!!!! It's free right?? Hopefully......Neeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!^_^

[ririruetoo]

Anywho, since English is my native language, I'll be very happy to test!! ( I also am good at spelling, and that sort of thing)

[Hayzel]

All your men are extremely attractive...I might have to play this <3