RockRobin - Band Manager (Demo)

[Aleema]

Thanks for playing, dstarsboy!! I suppose it is long? Seraphine's was way longer. xD If you think the demo is long, then the full game will just make you go O_O. Not really, though, it won't be super annoyingly long. But just for an idea, the character paths (if you pursue a guy) are around 50k words each, and the story itself isn't factored into that.

I agree that having photo backgrounds is the worst of three options (drawn, 3D, photo), however, based on the length of the game and the sheer number of BGs I need, having anything but photo is an unrealistic option. Considering most stock drawn BGs out there are for Japan, that isn't even a viable option since I'm setting the game in America. Commissioning work like that is impossible, because I has no moniez. 3D would require way too much work on my part, something I have not learned or wish to learn for the hundreds of BGs I need ... basically, photo is my only option.

As for the text speed, adjust it yourself in the preferences, you lazy bum!
(The first thing I do for every game I play is switch the text speed to instant, so that is just my preference, but it's my game, so why not start with my preferences!? xD)

[MiSi]

(Simon)
Oh, by "too much talking" I just mean, there are sometimes rather long descriptions of what happens or long dialogues which could be cut short. but maybe you just leave it as it is... I often have the same problem with other texts (even in German (since you mentioned, I'm an "English as a second language" reader ))

[Aleema]

Ah, yeah, I get what you mean. The problem is that I'm setting up nuances and tension between characters, and if you're reading just for the gist, that might go completely over your head and seem like just a bunch of chatting. I'm very conscious about what I make the player click through! The only conversation I can think of that should be cut is the very beginning after Robin is thrown in the street and a guy offers her a cigarette.

[MiSi]

No, no... please, don't change anything, I like it nevertheless... ( I'm just not that patient (the worst thing an author can do to me is describing the place of the setting in 50-100 lines ))

[Aleema]

No, I totally know what you mean. I do a lot of skipping and skimming myself. For every novel I pick up, I read every word on the first page ... and then I skim for a chapter or two until I give a damn. =P So I get you, I get why you would skip over a paragraph on description (we are a TV/movie society today), but I would feel cheated by the author if they never wrote the description in the first place. So even if everyone skips it, I still gotta write like someone won't. ;_;

[MiSi]

Heh, that makes sense, indeed

[nefferinthia]

Aww, Aleema, I'll have you know I read every last word in the demo! Even the clever 'public opinion' section~! The new demo is also really great and I'm getting so excited to play the full game!! >u< (At least the new Pokemon games can keep me entertained til then xD) I thought the feature of adding your own music to the jukebox was a lovely little touch too, by the way!

[LondonIvy]

Just so you know, as far as I know that's a pretty rare way to read novels. XD I may not read every. last. word. of a visual novel, but skipping whole chapters in a book? For me personally that's only if there's something wrong with the book and I've only ever heard of anyone else doing that if there's something wrong with the book. XD Like Harumi said, I read every last word of the demo. Then again, I love reading and am rather used to reading a lot. However, the only text I would call extraneous would be the part where the man gives Robin a cig after she gets kicked out. I thought it was a weird scene because I thought it would lead somewhere (like he would be significant later) and it didn't.

Wonderful demo. I'm so excited about this game.

[Aleema]

Aww, really? Every word? I bet you caught all of my typos then. x_x I skim (not skip!) the beginning of a book because I don't feel invested in what is going on, and since it's my personal entertainment I don't feel obligated that I owe the book anything by reading every word even if it's just prologue. But I find that once I do get invested in the characters and story, I go back and read the parts I skimmed, with a new appreciation. I did this with the Harry Potter series. Totally dropped the first book and read the second, loved it, went back and read the first. I guess I'm impatient to get to story and not the introduction of the setting!

Thanks, Harumi! Someone mentioned the jukebox! xD That thing took more time than it deserved, and I'm proud I got it working, shuffle, loop, and all. Thank you!!

I agree, LondonIvy, about the cigarette man scene. It will be "significant" in a way later, in that person will become a character. BUT I still totally agree with it being a conversation that could totally be cut. It's not like them sharing a cigerette was very important, it was just planting him in the player's minds. Thanks for your kind words!

I feel motivated to work on the game today.

[Machus]

Yay! A new demo!

Can't wait to play through it =D

IMPRESSIONS: It's showing growth. More character sprites and the mini-game, which is okay. Overall good improvement.

I loved the way that Sterling was portrayed as not-a-total-jerk in the flashback. It makes me wonder if he is going to end up as a complete enemy. Good story development, I think.

[Aleema]

hah, an "okay" minigame is better than a sucky one! (or none at all!) So I'll take it. Not sure if this is clear, but the mini-game grid will increase in size and cards the higher up the venue you select. The bar is really baby easy, so I can see an "it's okay" response to it. Hopefully, you'll grow out of it very soon, though.

Glad you played through both versions, thank you! O_O I'm also glad you liked the extra scene included. It was funny how close it was to the old demo's end, but it was dramatically the best closure, but I shoe'd it in this time to show people: Robin's not completely an assface for liking him. She's still an assface, just not a COMPLETE one. xD

[DarkIcyWarrioress]

THIS LOOKS SO AWSOME!
HOW DO I DOWNLOAD!?

Oh, Demo, right. Kay. I can't wait till it's finished!

[Aleema]

^ lmao, sorry it's not done yet.

[sporkysan]

Played the new demo instead of sleeping. I have to say, I love it. I was already in love with the first demo and this one is even better. I would definitely buy this game if it wasn't free. I guess I'll just have to settle for throwing money at you through a donation.

I really like the flashback scene about the rain. It was beautifully written. I was half hoping that it would inspire Robin to write a new song.

I did however hit a weird glitch. I don't know if you are aware of it, but if you have Robin write a song before she writes "War" the game does not keep track of it. If you keep the game, after she writes War, the song disappears. Even if you sell the song for money, the money disappears as well. Just a heads up.

I like the idea of the minigame, but there seems to be a few issues. For one, the time keeps counting down for about 3 seconds after I'm done. So there were a couple of times that I should have extra points added to my score, but I just got a flat 150 points. Also I was wondering how we are suppose to get 175 points for the small venue. Do I have to do the mini game in 15 seconds? That seems unreasonable.

Uh... I know I mostly mentioned bad things about the demo, but that doesn't reflect the way I feel about. It is just easier to criticize than to praise. But you deserve lots of praise.

[Aleema]

Thank you for the heads up on the glitches! These are likely my fault. Any variable that I don't set after the start of the game gets reverted back to the initial setting after you reload. I tried to move all the relevant variables, but it seems I missed a few! I don't get enough bug testing with reloading since the debuggers usually go at it once. So thank you!

Balance with the mini-game was hard. -_- 175 as the standard was the only thing I felt comfortable with at the end of the testing, because it was just too easy to complete it. Further in the game, you will be able to buy a fog machine and a laser machine, and when you do, those cards will be available for every venue you can go to. If you match these cards, you get a bonus! I think it is 25/50 points. So if you have those cards, then it is possible to get even a score of 200, if you complete it.

While testing the minigame, I had some players who thought it was too easy, and some that thought it was too hard. If my time limits don't make the game fun, then you can switch it to "easy" from the preference menu so that all countdowns are doubled. If it's all just BS to you, then you can turn it off, too. :3 All of the times and scores were made in the consideration of all the venues as a whole, so just the ones featured in the demo may feel odd, I can understand. But I'm also not confident in my balance and will continue to take input on what is easy/hard/just plain unfair.

As for the time discrepancy, I will definitely look into it. There were some times when I played and there was 1 second lost (not 3, though), so I know what you're talking about. If I can fix it I will, but if not I will add a buffer of a second or two.

Thank you for your continued support with the game, sporkysan. It really moves me how supportive people can be, and reaffirms my decision to do this. I can only hope ... that the final game is not a disappointment. It's easy to romanticize something you don't have in your hands just yet, so I seriously hope that I at least meet some expectations presented to us.