WiP Questionnaire

[PyTom]

I can get by with a "read before posting" thread for WiP - provided that what we put in there has a few teeth. If you can't show some sort of progress - and at least some semblance of a story - we will move the thread to the ideas forum. If you can't give an idea of the sort of thing you're looking for, then we will consider locking the thread until you do.

And so on - basically, prompting people to answer the questions they didn't answer in their first post.

[Sapphi]

Then I suppose if there are no further objections, we'll once again move back to trying to decide what sorts of questions we'll want to put on this Read Before Posting Your Work in Progress sticky, huh?

[sake-bento]

Might I suggest something fairly simplistic?

Plot summary, two screencaps, and a word count for good measure? It's a minimal amount of effort for someone who's already got some progress done, but it would require at least taking a couple free sprites and writing ten words just to "pass," if all you have is a spur of the moment idea.

[Celianna]

^That's VN specific. I would not be able to show a word-count for my project.

Screenshots sounds good though, as well as a premise summary (not plot summary).

[PyTom]

Screenshots sounds good though, as well as a premise summary (not plot summary).

I think it needs to be a little more than a premise summary - I'd like there to be more than a list of characters and a setting. Really, I want to see the answer to the question: "What happens after we finish meeting the characters?"

[sake-bento]

I think an estimated word count would be okay, too. After all, if you make your VN in Flash, it's a lot harder to get a word count. The purpose of a word count is to show proof of progress beyond mocking up a couple screens. We don't need an exact number.

[Celianna]

Screenshots sounds good though, as well as a premise summary (not plot summary).

I think it needs to be a little more than a premise summary - I'd like there to be more than a list of characters and a setting. Really, I want to see the answer to the question: "What happens after we finish meeting the characters?"

My answer would be:

"The gameplay starts."

That's all I can say. Again, when you phrase it like that, certain people wouldn't be able to answer your question. A premise summary is something everyone can do, and that's all that's really needed.

@sake-bento: I'm not making a visual novel, and dialogue is something that I'll add later on in the game (since it's not needed to play it), so again, I wouldn't be able to give you an estimate.

[J. Datie]

What about number of lines of code done for the gameplay heavy games, instead of wordcount?

[PyTom]

"The gameplay starts."

That's all I can say.

But if you're in production, you can say more than that. For example, you can explain what sort of gameplay starts. You can talk about what the story is (or stories are), and how the gameplay feeds back into it.

So there's a lot of things to talk about, and I think they're useful when it comes to giving the reader a feel for what you've accomplished and where you're going.

[sake-bento]

What about number of lines of code done for the gameplay heavy games, instead of wordcount?

Linecount works pretty well as well, I'd think. Again, the purpose is just to make sure you didn't spend a couple minutes on some mockup screenshots and call it progress.

[Celianna]

But if you're in production, you can say more than that. For example, you can explain what sort of gameplay starts. You can talk about what the story is (or stories are), and how the gameplay feeds back into it.

So there's a lot of things to talk about, and I think they're useful when it comes to giving the reader a feel for what you've accomplished and where you're going.

But that's exactly what you would describe in the premise question. I don't know why you want to be specific and say; "What happens after the characters meet?" when you accomplish the same thing, while still including all sorts of games, with the premise summary.

@sake-bento: I am unable to check 'line-count' or 'script' with my engine, again, I'm not making a visual novel where word count or even script count has any sort of importance. The closest thing that I can show you would be a screenshot of a work-in-progress system such as this.

My point would be: stop making it so specific when there are more games other than VNs being posted here.

[sheetcakeghost]

Why don't we make different requirements for different sorts of games? A VN could require a word count while a sim game might require a small demo or at least proof of functioning code? It is true that VNs aren't the only thing Ren'Py can make.

The creator of the game can just pick what they think theirs falls under, or submit under both. (RockRobin, for example, would be a simulator game even though we could probably submit it as a VN due to the massive word count we have, but that's because RR is a band simulator and a romance game.)

I am a little leery on the screenshots. You can have a proper WiP and have no actual art made if you're doing a pure VN. The screenshots would just be the place holder art.

[sake-bento]

The guidelines are not black and white. Obviously if your game doesn't fit into such measures, you'll have other ways to show proof of progress, which you've shown you are capable of. The reason we use VN-oriented suggestions is because this is, primarily, a visual novel forum. There are two other projects in WiP I can think of that probably wouldn't have a meaningful word count just yet, but are obviously well along in their development cycles. Guidelines are simply a template for people to show off their work. And like all templates, they can be modified to fit the needs of the user.

[Celianna]

The guidelines are not black and white. Obviously if your game doesn't fit into such measures, you'll have other ways to show proof of progress, which you've shown you are capable of. The reason we use VN-oriented suggestions is because this is, primarily, a visual novel forum. There are two other projects in WiP I can think of that probably wouldn't have a meaningful word count just yet, but are obviously well along in their development cycles. Guidelines are simply a template for people to show off their work. And like all templates, they can be modified to fit the needs of the user.

Yes yes, guidelines, not requirements

I'm perfectly capable of showing off my progress and pimping out my own thread - but fitting into requirements is a whole 'nother matter.

[sheetcakeghost]

Okay, so perhaps we should take a moment and all list what we think counts as a complete game. Where is the point where one of us would be willing to lend an honest hand.

For me, I want to see a character roster, a branching plot outline, at least two entire scenes written for each character, and a complete description of what the game is, where it's meant to go, how it's meant to feel, and how you intend on people to play it. Art isn't too important unless the game is meant to be stylistic, and pretty pictures doesn't mean a good game.

If your project isn't a VN then you can omit the plot outline and the written scenes, but I still want all of the rest of the above mentioned.

Now, I want those things because I'm a writer, and if I'm going to help you, that's the important information.