Lemma Soft Forums

Hi, this is my WIP game, called Check Out.

Intro

Check Out is a digital board game about a clerk working in a health food store trying to make money & all the interesting characters who enter the store. The tone of the game is lighthearted & silly. The game does NOT have many backgrounds like a VN. In fact, it only has one, (the game board). In the board are spaces for the tokens, cards, & a score sheet. There is still text at the bottom of the screen though like a regular VN.

Check Out is also a simulation game. It depicts events that actually happen in the world of retail. Most of the characters in the game are based on real customers in a real health food store in Santa Clarita, CA.

Goal

Goal of the game is to make as much money as you can with the time you have left. Story-wise, the clerk only has an 8 hour shift, but actual game time is done in rounds & turns like an RPG.

Gameplay is boiled down into 3 steps. It's not hard.

• 1) Meet a customer in any of the 3 departments in the store.
  2) Negotiate or flirt w/ the customer to convert them into a buyer.
  3) Check them out at the register to make a cash conversion.

It's not easy either. There are characters & events in the game that will prevent you from getting your goal. The most dangerous one is the health inspector.

Ending

The game ends when you finish your shift, & your cash is still above zero. The health inspector can also shut down the store & end the game if he gives you too many citations. In the end you get a final report, like an income statement. (Again, this game can actually be a simulator for a store, but that would be boring.)

This is my 1st Renpy game. Right now the game is a Renpy hobbyist's dream. Don't know if there is a market for this type of game, not just Check Out but digitized board games in general. Critiques are welcome.

Note: The health inspector card is actually wrong. 2 citations will shut down the store, not 3.

Wow, I've never seen a board game in Ren'Py before, so you've definitely got the corner on that market. There is a similar title (digital board game) on Steam called 7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat, but it seems to be the only indie game I've been able to find with the concept.

Is there an overarching story or arc throughout the game?

Oooh, I'll definitely be following this. Is it a commercial game?
I've never seen a board game made with Ren'py, so I'm very interested to see the outcome.

Cool! Very unique concept you've got. Any plans for replayability, or is it sort of like a high score attainment goal game?

Thank you so much for your interest in the game.

Story-wise, there is no arc for the clerk/player. His story is to survive the 8 hour shift all by himself, pure & simple. Even the 1st hour is hard because you start with NO money.

However, there are events that change the clerk & the dynamics of the game. For example, later in the game, the clerk who can't even get a lunch break develops a bowel problem. This event affects ALL his negotiations & flirtations with the customers. This only happens, of course, if you draw the "Bad Bowel" card, but the event can be corrected by finding the key to the bathroom.

Some characters also change in time to become new characters, & this is a more noticeable arc. The game also becomes more climactic in the end because the deadliest, the sexiest, & the most mysterious characters all come out.

Check Out will be free for beta testing, so I can get feedback. If I have enough interest in the game, I'll release it as a commercial product. If not, the final game will be free to download. The game is a barometer for me in deciding whether or not to make similar games on Renpy.

The game is a high score/"surive the day" game. You only get 1 life, so you don't get to replay a level. The game only lasts approximately 15 minutes, but there are many endings, (i.e. do you get busted by the cop for bootlegging or do you become the manager of the store.)

Thanks again for your interest & feedback, really appreciate it. I'm simultaneously creating a rule book, so many aspects of the game can be explained. ; )

Check Out is now ready for beta testing. Please go to the Demos & Beta Testing section & download a copy of the game plus the rulebook. Thanks again for all the support.