Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Friendship/Romance]

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Voz
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Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Friendship/Romance]

#1 Post by Voz »

In a different world over a lifetime ago, some young and geeky friends made a rough VN about mermaids and magic. The pandemic kicked up my love of storytelling again, and since I was already doing it for fun, I figured I would see if this particular flavor of story was still appealing to folks round here~

Welcome to the proper thread for Aquae ~Crystal Clear Waters~
a fantasy/adventure visual novel.

Image

Completely free to play as was the original though now with a much more vivid and expanded world to explore. Still mostly kinetic though now with the ability to change certain course of events through the player's actions and choices. While romance isn't a main focus, it is now an option.

The original story was broken up into three separate arcs.

Presently, Arc 1 is approximately 18.5k words and average 1.5-2hrs read time.
( Available to read here - viewtopic.php?f=11&t=64920 )

Presently, Arc 2 is just starting!

The entire script itself is clocking in at 56,761 words and counting.

itch.io

Image

The winds of fate rush in with the summer breeze.Travelers the land over come to take part in the annual festival and celebrate the lasting time of peace after previous years of war and strife. As paper lanterns begin decorating the coastlines above, there surges a troubling shift of tides through the underwater haven of the nerida below.

Join Kaizarel - the wayward prince of the isles - as he embarks on an exciting night at the summer festival. Where he meets friends both new and old, including a mysterious stranger with rare purple eyes just like his own. In his attempts to discover the connection he and this strange visitor have in common, Kaizarel instead finds himself embroiled in both the politics of land and sea, as well as unearthing family secrets long buried beneath the sands.

Will history be re-written, as waves upon the sand?
Or will bloodshed remain?

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kaibook.png
frainbook.png
amebook.png
ryribook.png
Early Character Concepts
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screen_1.PNG
screen_2.PNG
screen_3.PNG
screen_4.PNG
screen_5.PNG
Questions for Lurkers:

The original story was released in arcs. After the release of ARC I, would you rather have the story continue to be released in chapters or would you rather wait for a complete game?

Does interactivity affect your level of enjoyment/engagement in the story? Does romance?

UPDATE 7/3/22 - ARC 1 RELEASED!
Last edited by Voz on Mon Apr 24, 2023 2:42 pm, edited 26 times in total.

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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#2 Post by Voz »

It's almost been a whole year since deciding to start this madman's solo mission. Happy to report that there is almost a tangible demo to be had! Possibly in time for this thread's one year mark in June or before, even!! 8D
Arc 1 Progress!

Character Assets - Approx. 60% completed. Facial expressions required for most sprites.
BG Assets - 100%
Music Assets - 100%
Cut Scenes- 50% completed. CGs are all rough sketched out and needing refinement.
Script - 100%

That said! Before I drop anything, perhaps some of you enterprising lurkers wouldn't mind signing up for some beta reading? Please inquire within!

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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#3 Post by Voz »

Updating with some concept art for Frain! Just a quick redraw of his turnaround in mermaid form to have for my reference.
Mer!Frain Turnaround
Mer!Frain Turnaround
At this rate I'm also adding more CGs by the day. ~20 original illustrations sketched so far and counting for the first arc. The feeling is supposed to invoke somewhat of a storybook, and I think having more illustrated moments helps create that more vividly.

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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#4 Post by Voz »

Updated the OP with some quick character cards of main four characters. The relationships you choose to nurture can matter just as much as the ones you neglect! There's an assortment of other bright and colorful characters that will each leave their own impact on the fate of the story depending on how the player has Kaizarel and his friends interact with them. Magic, mermaids, romance, action and adventure~

Questions for lurkers:
1) Does the story spark interest?
2) What character(s) appeal to you the most?
3) What would you like to learn more about in their world?

Looking forward to your feedback friends!

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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#5 Post by Voz »

Update time again friends!

I've been debating if this should go to WIPs eventually. I think I'll make a proper thread there the closer the first arc gets to proper completion. More than anything I'd like to start hearing some impressions and feedback from folks but... lol

As shown in the sample screenshots, the biggest focus of the first arc is this magical night at the summer festival. Fireworks, food, and of course - dancing! Attaching the rough sketches that are placeholding where the polished CGs will be. I even find myself debating adding a few more CGs to give these moments more depth and intimacy. Three out of the four possible love interests are affected heavily during this portion of the story.

So, would you care to dance? : )
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frainkaidance.png
ameliakaidance.png

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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#6 Post by papillon »

I was actually just about to ask if you wanted this topic moved into WIP proper, as it has enough content to qualify!

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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#7 Post by Voz »

papillon wrote: Sat Apr 16, 2022 4:52 pm I was actually just about to ask if you wanted this topic moved into WIP proper, as it has enough content to qualify!
It would be much appreciated! :D

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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#8 Post by Voz »

Small update! Amelia is the only one left out of the main four that needs all her expressions done, on both her base outfit and her festival dress. I continue to add more CGs despite my drawing hand's best interest lol We are now up to ~25 CGs for the first arc alone!

Meanwhile, enjoy some main menu updates.
menu1.PNG
menu2.PNG

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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#9 Post by Wudgeous »

Ooh! The name of the project caught my eye, and the menu screen and pretty artwork kept me reading! I'm really surprised no one else has commented; if you had an itch page up, I would have already followed you so I could get first dibs on downloading the demo.
I'm a bit busy with three other projects at this very moment, but I'd love to check in again soon. <3

1) Does the story spark interest?
Sure! Granted, I'm not sure what the story is *about* because the information posted has been rather sparse, but I'm curious enough to learn more.

2) What character(s) appeal to you the most?
Definitely the merpeople, Frain and Ryri! I love their designs and, I mean, merpeople will be the main draw of the game, I think. :D

3) What would you like to learn more about in their world?
I'd like to know who the main character is lol... Is it gonna be a faceless self-insert type deal, like interactive fiction, or is Kaizarel the protagonist? I honestly can't tell. Aside from that - I'd love to learn more about the undersea culture and how it clashes with the surface world.

Best of luck with your project, keep at it!
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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#10 Post by Voz »

Wudgeous wrote: Mon Apr 25, 2022 6:20 am Best of luck with your project, keep at it!
The excitement when I saw that this thread had a reply! And it wasn't from me!!
It really made my day! Maybe even my week ^^

All the praise is appreciated! Especially on the art front. Though I especially appreciate your point about the lack of information on the audience end. Nearly all your questions are touched on in the story, but I realize that my lack of a summary and further non-development related info on the page here makes that hard to discern haha. I've tried to edit it as such. Thank you!

Kaizarel is the protagonist! The catalyst for the story is when he meets Frain at the summer festival. He's is immediately drawn to him as Kaizarel realizes Frain is the only other person he's ever met that has the same rare color of purple eyes that he does. This chance meeting starts the chain of events that will alter both the land and sea for both better and worse.

Best of luck with the projects under your belt too!

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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#11 Post by Voz »

Hello again lurkers!

Happy to report Amelia's expressions are almost finished! Also enjoy the new and improve character bios in the OP. Big power play on my end leaving all the mustashio'd gentlemen for absolute last. My avoidance of detailing facial hair has gotten me to clean up some of the CGs proper. Though this is bringing up concerns that I'll just be forever stuck in a cycle of redoing and upgrading the same first 30mins of the game ad infinitum :lol:

Progress is progress!

For example and our mutual enjoyment, have a smarmy Ryri-
firstmeeting_ryri.png

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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#12 Post by Kokoro Hane »

Aquae.... that is a visual novel name I didn't think I would hear again! I remember playing the original two parts when I first got into Ren'Py and enjoying them, and sad that Part III never came out. They were what really made me like the Kinetic genre and showed me how solid a VN could be without interactivity. Whilst the new art style may take me some getting used to, it's already beginning to grow on me the more I look at it (Frain and Ryri's are especially my favorites here). Anyway, gonna keep a close eye on this, I look forward to finally seeing this story come to completion! For now, I shall play the originals as I await. Good luck!
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Crystal Captor: Memory Chronicle Finale [COMPLETE][RPG][#1 in So Bad It's Good jam '17]

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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#13 Post by MarkusLappalainen »

Voz wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 4:33 pm
Heyo Voz! If you are in need of a (paid) composer, I sent you a friend request on Discord =) Would gladly have a chat with you!
Have a happy day! 8)
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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#14 Post by Voz »

Kokoro Hane wrote: Mon May 02, 2022 6:11 pm Aquae.... that is a visual novel name I didn't think I would hear again! I remember playing the original two parts when I first got into Ren'Py and enjoying them, and sad that Part III never came out. They were what really made me like the Kinetic genre and showed me how solid a VN could be without interactivity. Whilst the new art style may take me some getting used to, it's already beginning to grow on me the more I look at it (Frain and Ryri's are especially my favorites here). Anyway, gonna keep a close eye on this, I look forward to finally seeing this story come to completion! For now, I shall play the originals as I await. Good luck!
Teenaged me would be elated to hear about how Aquae still stuck with you after all this time. I know it stuck with me too, obviously lol

I was the lead writer at the time and I've always felt sad that the story never got it's proper closure either. I drew then too, but my style has never been very anime so I never did anything more than character concepts behind the scenes.

Though I don't know if I'll ever live up to the spectacular job our colorist at the time Kaorien did. I'll say that her skills as a painter was probably one of the biggest reasons for the look and feel Aquae 1.0 had. ( The Acies scene in particular is still my all time favorite and present desktop background lmao ) I have no illusions that I'll be able to replicate anything close to her particular brand of magic, but I AM thrilled with how the characters are looking as well as all the new CGs I'm getting to plan and create <3

Edit: also linking Rei, artist responsible for the character art in the OG

All that to say - thank you for remembering us! I hope to both live up to and improve on it's memory. I look forward to hearing your feedback as an OG reader especially :D
Last edited by Voz on Mon Jul 04, 2022 12:49 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Aquae - Crystal Clear Waters [Fantasy/Adventure/Romance]

#15 Post by Kokoro Hane »

Voz wrote: Tue May 03, 2022 2:55 pm Teenaged me would be elated to hear about how Aquae still stuck with you after all this time. I know it stuck with me too, obviously lol

I was the lead writer at the time and I've always felt sad that the story never got it's proper closure either. I drew then too, but my style has never been very anime so I never did anything more than character concepts behind the scenes.

Though I don't know if I'll ever live up to the spectacular job our colorist at the time Kaorien did. I'll say that her skills as a painter was probably one of the biggest reasons for the look and feel Aquae 1.0 had. ( The Acies scene in particular is still my all time favorite and present desktop background lmao ) I have no illusions that I'll be able to replicate anything close to her particular brand of magic, but I AM thrilled with how the characters are looking as well as all the new CGs I'm getting to plan and create <3

All that to say - thank you for remembering us! I hope to both live up to and improve on it's memory. I look forward to hearing your feedback as an OG reader especially :D
Yes, the original Aquae stuck in my memory all this time, it's one of those early VNs on my Ren'Py journey I still look upon fondly and consider very important! Which is why when I saw the name again I was like NO WAY! And clicked immediately.

I have no doubt you will do well with this new one, so I am excited to watch the progress! Will you be doing arc releases like the original as you go along or go all in and drop it as a complete release?
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Piece By Piece [COMPLETE][Spooktober VN '20]
RE/COUNT RE:VERSE [COMPLETE][RPG]
Since When Did I Have a Combat Butler?! [COMPLETE][NaNoRenO2020+]
Crystal Captor: Memory Chronicle Finale [COMPLETE][RPG][#1 in So Bad It's Good jam '17]

But dear God, You're the only North Star I would follow this far
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