Elven Relations 2: Mermaid Liaisons

[azureXtwilight]

Yaay! Finally! A sequel! I've seen this idea at the ideas dump corner and glad that the idea is already fixed!

I really loved the first one, and I'm eager to see more!

(But I don't really like Kei doing sumthing behind Takuya's back... )

[teankun]

I'm doing what seems to be the obvious plan, although it's a bit more work than some of the other options: the game allows you to carry on from any of the ER1 endings.

More specifically, ER2 will detect which ER1 endings have been reached on this machine, using Ren'Py's MultiPersistent technology (which I had the foresight to build into ER1 ), and allow you to continue from any of the ER1 endings that you've reached. If no ER1 data is detected, then it'll carry on from ER1 Ending 8.

I was wondering how it was going to continue, but that idea is ingenious. I did not know you could do that with Renpy. That is very original and creative: an VN game with not only multiple endings but multiple beginnings.

But what if I continue from an ending where Takuya and Tohko were together?
Ah, yes. In that case, Tohko will still be around; if Kei tries to pursue her, then he'll be going behind his best friend Takuya's back.

Does this mean there could be a love triangle? Please do. I enjoy stories that involve two male childhood best friends fighting over their female childhood best friend (like Macross Plus).

I will admit one hang up I had about ER1 was that is seemed to convenient that when Takuya asks Kei back which girl he prefers he says “Tohko” unless Takuya says “Tohko” of which Kei says “none of them.” So, if you go for Tohko in #2 after Kei says “None of them” in #1, does that mean he was lying or just changed his mind?

Can you give any idea how intense them fighting over her would be? Would fists fly? Maybe you could use the combat mode but instead of the party verses monsters or bandits have it between Kei and Takuya.

Finally, will Tohko simply dump Takuya or would she feel confused or uneasy about best friends turning against each other? (Again like Macross Plus) Give me angst. I really go for angst.

Will there be combats like in ER1?
I'm not sure yet. If you feel strongly one way or the other, let me know.

Besides what I mentioned before, do have the party fight monsters and the like.

[Tsundere Lightning]

Excellent. Though I'd curious as to how you'd handle Kei/Tokho/Tayuka, seeing as Tohko and Kei both don't seem the cheatin' type.

Nor the poly type, if Tokho's tsundere streak is any indica... AAAARGH I'M ON FIRE!!!

[herenvardo]

Ouch! I have already read something about the sequel, but didn't see this thread 'till now (well, haven't been around too much lately). I can't forgive myself for taking so long to reply...

I can't add too much to what has already been said: your approach to the sequel looks amazing, and unsurprisingly you managed to surprise me (and I guess many others as well).
I wanted to post, however, because of this:

Will there be combats like in ER1?
I'm not sure yet. If you feel strongly one way or the other, let me know.

As an RPG'er with a WoW'ish avatar it's quite obvious that I'm all in for combats ^^. However, I feel that those purists who don't like RPG-ish stuff in VN's as much as us shouldn't be left out. That's why I thought, since the first time I played ER1, that making the combats optional was one of the best choices ever taken: I strongly encourage you to keep that choice, so you can make everybody happy.
Also, since there are comments here saying both that combats were too hard, and that they were quite easy, I'd like to suggest adding a difficulty choice (and, if you add it, don't be afraid of making the "hard" choice really hard ), but that's more up to you. And a final suggestion, although it may be tough to implement: it would be great if the combats could be watched even when no fighting them (ie: let some kind of AI fight for the player if s/he chooses not to fight her/himself).
Well, that's just my opinion on the topic. I really hope, regardless of what you finally choose, that ER2 will be at least as good as ER1 was

[chronoluminaire]

Well, development is proceeding. The script plans were more-or-less finalised at the end of January, and I started writing script at the beginning of February. I seem to be averaging about one chapter/episode per month, which puts the expected release date something like mid-summer But I hope to make it worth the wait!

SunKitten is producing me the most AWESOME character art I've seen from her I really want to post some examples here, but I don't have any backgrounds to put them against yet. I'll post a couple of teaser screenshots in a month or two, but for the moment you'll have to believe me on how very cool the characters look

Thanks all for your enthusiastic responses! I'm really excited about the game and really enjoying writing the script, but it does encourage me greatly to know that people here are excited about it too

(But I don't really like Kei doing sumthing behind Takuya's back... )

Don't worry. You don't have to. That's the beauty of the choices you get to make in visual novels I'm not keen on it myself, but it's a route I want to provide for those who do want to see what'd happen.

I was wondering how it was going to continue, but that idea is ingenious. I did not know you could do that with Renpy. That is very original and creative: an VN game with not only multiple endings but multiple beginnings.

I suppose so. It just seemed obvious to me (particularly since I included the MultiPersistent data in ER1), but yes, having an eightfold branch in the first scene is more divergent beginnings than most VNs provide!

Does this mean there could be a love triangle? Please do. I enjoy stories that involve two male childhood best friends fighting over their female childhood best friend (like Macross Plus).

Then you'll enjoy one or two of the Mermaid Liaisons paths

I will admit one hang up I had about ER1 was that is seemed to convenient that when Takuya asks Kei back which girl he prefers he says “Tohko” unless Takuya says “Tohko” of which Kei says “none of them.” So, if you go for Tohko in #2 after Kei says “None of them” in #1, does that mean he was lying or just changed his mind?

Hmm. I think the idea was that Kei's thoughts and actions would be influenced by little subtle cues from Takuya; Kei was never that into fiercely competing with Takuya, particularly over girls, so before Kei started developing feelings for Tohko himself, if Takuya seemed to be going that way then he'd divert his attention elsewhere.

EDIT: Oh, wait, I misunderstood. If Kei said in Elven Relations that he wasn't interested in Tohko, but then in Mermaid Liaisons he decides to pursue her? Then yes, it's most likely that he changed his mind. A year and a half has passed, after all

Can you give any idea how intense them fighting over her would be? Would fists fly? Maybe you could use the combat mode but instead of the party verses monsters or bandits have it between Kei and Takuya.

Finally, will Tohko simply dump Takuya or would she feel confused or uneasy about best friends turning against each other? (Again like Macross Plus) Give me angst. I really go for angst.

Interesting ideas. I'm not sure if I'll use them, but there's definitely going to be potential for angst on a couple of the game's routes!

Excellent. Though I'd curious as to how you'd handle Kei/Tokho/Tayuka, seeing as Tohko and Kei both don't seem the cheatin' type.

Nor the poly type, if Tokho's tsundere streak is any indica... AAAARGH I'M ON FIRE!!!

Nyuk nyuk You're certainly right about poly. As for cheating, well, it doesn't come exactly naturally to anyone involved, but unfaithfulness is something that by all accounts rather sneaks up on people.

As an RPG'er with a WoW'ish avatar it's quite obvious that I'm all in for combats ^^. However, I feel that those purists who don't like RPG-ish stuff in VN's as much as us shouldn't be left out. That's why I thought, since the first time I played ER1, that making the combats optional was one of the best choices ever taken: I strongly encourage you to keep that choice, so you can make everybody happy.

Thank you! Yes, based on everyone's responses here I plan to include a combat engine similar to in ER1. The combats:
* Will be optional like in ER1
* Will be (in some/most cases) more relevant to the plot than in ER1
* Will of course have a two-way relation between the characters' feelings towards Kei and his and their actions in combat, as in ER1
* Will hopefully have the textual non-minigame version more relevant and less repetitive than in ER1
* Miiight have a difficulty setting in preferences as per herenvardo's suggestion - I like the idea, at least
* Probably won't have an AI alternative, because that'd show players how to beat them

I had hoped to include some small element of character progression - like Tohko acquiring a new spell in-between combats, based on your choices, or something like that. However, the plot isn't really lending itself to that working out particularly well. I might still find a way to fit it in, but it's looking more like my dreams of a hybrid ren'ai VN with combats and character customisation and advancement will have to wait for my turn-based tactical ren'ai game that I plan to write with the UnitEngine some time in 2010.

Well, that's just my opinion on the topic. I really hope, regardless of what you finally choose, that ER2 will be at least as good as ER1 was

That is my aim, in every area

[monele]

There's not a thing in all you write that doesn't scream "This is going to be GOOD "

Honestly, all your design choices appeal to me a lot and it keeps rolling that way with each new post ^_^... *happy fan*

[BCS]

This makes me think of the Mermaid girl from Nocturnal Illusions ... ;d

What's the percentage complete on the script so far?

[Wushu Mastermind]

Wooohooo I can't wait! It will definitely be worth all that time. That just means it'll be extra good!

[azureXtwilight]

Hmm... Can I you put the mermaid's pics? I wanna see the art!

[Zatch]

Yeah! Mermaid Picture XD. I can't wait to play this. I loved the first one. XD

[chronoluminaire]

What's the percentage complete on the script so far?

I'm updating the numbers in my signature every now and then. The script's somewhere between 25% and 30% done.

Hmm... Can I you put the mermaid's pics? I wanna see the art!

Hmmmm. I will post a preview pic with some mermaid art. But I think it makes more sense to show humans and elves in the first preview pic, and mermaids in the second. I'm planning to post about one preview pic a month, which means you'll get three or four before the actual release.

So to start off: no background, no text, but I'd like to introduce you to Hirana, as well as letting you see the new looks of Takuya and Tohko.

[musical74]

Hello Hirana!

I STILL think Kei goes on a date with mermaid, fire mage Tohko finds out, and really goes after Kei for daring to date one of those horrid water element people!

Good to see that things are progressing! Wonder how much of a role will Takuya will have in ER2....similar to the role Kei played in ER1?

[Samu-kun]

Woah hah! I don't ever recall Tohko's breasts being that huge! o_o

(gets fire blasted)

[azureXtwilight]

Tohko looks more mature XD
And Hirana's an elf, right...?

[monele]

Tohko looks more mature XD

Agreed. But it's just looks of cour--BLAST

Hirana's looking good