Honey Rose: UFE (Stat Raising+beat'em all) - released!

[Pehesse]

Hello everyone!

I've been wanting to create a topic about my project here for quite a while, but I was waiting to have a trailer ready before jumping in. Well, now that the trailer exists, allow me to introduce:

...and to start off, here's said trailer:

Now for some details about what this is all about!

Honey Rose: Underdog Fighter Extraordinaire (or Honey Rose: UFE for short) is a life-management sim, presented as a visual novel, with beat'em all bits. It's the story of Red, a university student by day, and aspiring masked-fighter in the great tournament by night. She requires your help to balance the needs of her dual life, and to keep it all a secret from everyone she knows!

It looks like this:

The game plays most of the time as a visual novel, presented through the main character's eyes, Red, ponctuated by brief bouts of 2D beat'em all action, against one or multiple opponents depending on the situation.
You are tasked with helping her decide how to spend her time during each day of a 6 month calendar, each of those choices affecting where you go, who you meet, and ultimately, what happens.

The beat'em all segments are designed to be accessible for everyone: they are stat driven, meaning by increasing your stats in the visual novel segment you increase your performance during battles without needing to rely on excessive player skill. The fights are dramatic beats to the story, but they are not designed to be a complex player vs player fighting game - it's a strictly player vs AI environment, where defeat is part of the narrative process. Losing a match isn't a "game over", it just means you'll get your next opportunity later during the calendar!
There are also multiple difficulty modes to allow for several kinds of player experiences, ranging from an easy/narrative mode where the battles require little to no player skill, to a challenging mode that's the opposite. Difficulty modes determine the outcome of some events and the moves/AI available for your opponents, it's not an artificial stat increase!

The plot follows a macro arc (the overarching 6 month calendar with some events set to happen on certain dates), but also several micro arcs, which are player choice driven: when and where they'll happen can vary from playthrough to playthrough, and the aim is to offer players with ultimately different experiences with each new run.

Your goal as a player is to balance two sets of stats, along with two overall game progression gauges.
- the academical stats determine how well Red performs during tests, each stat being related to a different class
- the physical stats directly affects how well she performs during fights, with strength increasing damage dealt, defense decreasing damage taken, and speed increasing her overall reactiveness to your input.
- the reputation gauge is an indicator of how well-liked both Red and Honey currently are. Your aim is to get that gauge as high as possible by performing well on tests and putting on great shows during the tournament matches.
- the suspicion gauge is an indicator of how much people suspect that Red and Honey really are the same person. If the gauge ever gets maxed, your playthrough's over as you're found out prematurely!

The game being mainly a VN, it's got plenty in the way of characters to meet and discussions to have. Here are some of them: from left to right, they are Red's Coach, and her closest friends Curtis, Karine and Alice.

There are many more to meet, but to avoid lenghtening this post, I'll let you discover their profiles and more on the game's site here: http://pehesse.fr/honey/

As a few last details: the game's entirely hand drawn and animated (I am not posting too many gifs here to showcase said animations to avoid killing your bandwith, but you'll find many, many available examples on the site or the other news hubs for the game, such as twitter or tumblr), and is made by a single dev (myself) using Construct 2, with a soundtrack by genius composer extraordinaire, Morusque, of which you can listen to some excerpts here: http://pehesse.fr/honey/music/

I'm currently aiming for a mid to late 2016 release, and the WIP status is about:
-visual novel segment: 80% done
->character animation: 100%
->background assets: 100%
->event assets: 60%
->script: 70%
-match fights: 50% done
->character animation: 3 done 100%, 3 to go
->background assets: 100%
->FX and other assets: 100%, but might be redone
-one vs many fights: 10% done
->character animations: 1 done, 5 to go
->background assets: 0%
-soundtrack: 100%
-sound effects: 30%
-menus, gamepad support, utilities: 25%

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I think that about covers it for a start! Now, for the questions:

-between this, the trailer and the game's site, do you think you have a clear idea of what the game is?
-are you interested in playing this game?
-what about it entices you most?
-what about it repulses you most?
-would you be interested in helping test a prototype right now, considering of the whole 6 month calendar, with about 80% of the visual novel mode complete, 50% of the tournament matches done, and none of the random one vs many fights that ought to pepper the days, or would you rather wait for a more complete actual "demo" for a first impression?
-When it'll be done, I'm strongly considering releasing this game using a "pay what you want" model (similar to Bandcamp's), with a suggested baseline of 9.99 dollars, but no minimum/maximum cap. Would you be interested by such a pricing model? Would that make you more likely/less likely to want to try the game?

I'm very interested in any other thought or question you have to share about all this, so I hope I'll be hearing from you Thanks in advance!

[Lesleigh63]

It looks wonderful - love the art.
My only problem is I have no interest in being a lady fighter (just doesn't interest me) - so I'm probably not your target audience.
I hope your audience does find it, because it looks incredible and pretty professional.

[Pehesse]

It looks wonderful - love the art.
My only problem is I have no interest in being a lady fighter (just doesn't interest me) - so I'm probably not your target audience.
I hope your audience does find it, because it looks incredible and pretty professional.

Thanks a lot for your feedback either way!

Not sure if that'll sway you, but you're not expected to "be" Honey in this game: she is her own person, and the player is tasked with helping her, clearly defined as a separate entity (what you are, exactly, in the realm of the game, is up to you to decide/interpret, but you are definitely *not* Honey, and many design, aesthetic decisions and even events stem from this fact). The way she adresses the viewer in the trailer is very much like the way she adresses the player during the game. So maybe there might still be something in this presentation for you yet, but if not, no worries

[gekiganwing]

-what about it entices you most?
-what about it repulses you most?

Your distinct art style is fascinating, and it caught my eye. I like a variety of art aesthetics, especially 2D drawings which are not photorealistic.

That said... think carefully about whether a good number of people will purchase your video game. Ask yourself whether your combination of story, gameplay, and art style can find an audience. Why do I say this? Because I remember hearing talk about how Winter Wolves' two Vera Blanc games did not sell well across several services and platforms. There's a thread here on Lemma Soft from 2011 asking why people didn't purchase the two games.

-would you be interested in playing a prototype right now, considering of the whole 6 month calendar, with about 80% of the visual novel mode complete, 50% of the tournament matches done, and none of the random one vs many fights that ought to pepper the days, or would you rather wait for a more complete actual "demo" for a first impression?

I'm *not* an expert regarding this. But if you ask my opinion, I believe you will benefit by releasing a demo when you think it's ready. Make sure it represents your product, and make sure that has been playtested for bugs and errors.

-When it'll be done, I'm strongly considering releasing this game using a "pay what you want" model (similar to Bandcamp's), with a suggested baseline of 9.99 dollars, but no minimum/maximum cap. Would you be interested by such a pricing model? Would that make you more likely/less likely to want to try the game?

Again, I am *not* an expert. That said, I think you should start by setting a competitive price. You will likely benefit by asserting that your video game has value, especially when it's first released. Be willing to offer occasional sales, and slowly lower the price. However, don't give the impression that there will be a sale every few weeks, or let the price decrease too soon.

Are you already active in indie game communities? If not, take some time to search for some forums where indie creators talk about selling and marketing their products. Look at the discussions, participate when you're ready, and be prepared.

[Pehesse]

Many thanks for your input, Gekiganwing!

Your distinct art style is fascinating, and it caught my eye. I like a variety of art aesthetics, especially 2D drawings which are not photorealistic.

That said... think carefully about whether a good number of people will purchase your video game. Ask yourself whether your combination of story, gameplay, and art style can find an audience. Why do I say this? Because I remember hearing talk about how Winter Wolves' two Vera Blanc games did not sell well across several services and platforms. There's a thread here on Lemma Soft from 2011 asking why people didn't purchase the two games.

I'm here specifically because I believe some of the audience for this game will be frequenting this place, but this is far from the single place I've shown and talked about the game. I'm certain the audience exists, as I've already engaged with some of it, the issue is more to *reach* it all and raise awereness! But then again, this is a very general concern for all media developers, not simply games

I'm *not* an expert regarding this. But if you ask my opinion, I believe you will benefit by releasing a demo when you think it's ready. Make sure it represents your product, and make sure that has been playtested for bugs and errors.

You're absolutely right! The question I intended to ask was not whether I should release a demo, but the timeframe and contents of said demo. Allow me to rephrase:

Would you (as in, all interested readers/potential audience) be more interested in first demo-ing the game through a prototype available *now* (literally: if you say yes, I'm sending the download link!), already very playable albeit with some missing content: the aim, then, would be to get a feel for the game, as much as it would be assisting me in testing it... or wait for an actual demo several months from now, with more content/polish but way less room for iteration on player feedback, since everything will need to be more or less locked down by then?

Another way to ask would be: are you interested in participating in the testing process?

As you say yourself, playtesting is crucial, and not something I can do on my own, for self evident reasons . I'm dependant on the interest and willingness of testers, and my original question was a way to reach out to them!

(and I've now edited the question in the OP to more accurately reflect that!)

Again, I am *not* an expert. That said, I think you should start by setting a competitive price. You will likely benefit by asserting that your video game has value, especially when it's first released. Be willing to offer occasional sales, and slowly lower the price. However, don't give the impression that there will be a sale every few weeks, or let the price decrease too soon.

Are you already active in indie game communities? If not, take some time to search for some forums where indie creators talk about selling and marketing their products. Look at the discussions, participate when you're ready, and be prepared.

That's an interesting input!

To be honest, my question stems from the desire to *avoid* this classic model of base price+sales, as I have strong disagreements with the current industrial and economic model surrounding the medium. I would like, as an experiment, to position the game not as a "product" to be "bought", but the sum effort of an iterative process during which its audience can pitch in at multiple times (Patreon, testing versions, etc). I'm more interested to know if people would be willing to play something, then "reward" the author at the height of their own perceived enjoyment, rather than applying a unique pricetag which will *not* accurately reflect the game's actual value for different people, least of all me

If there is no interest in this experiment, then I will of course fall back to the default pricing model with an 8.99 euro/9.99 dollars pricetag, but I consider this a last resort. My aim for Honey is for the game to meet its audience, and finance an upcoming project through its reception, and I estimate I will have more success by trying a different approach rather than the classic one. It is important to note, however, that I can try experimenting, then fall back, but not the other way around, again for obvious reasons, not the least of which being the respect I owe to the early buyers and followers of the project.

Think of it as a reverse Kickstarter model, where instead of asking for a baseline sum, with potential for more, in exchange for a promise, I'm asking for any kind of commitment, with potential for anything, in exchange for a complete game

As for your last question: yes! The game also has a thread on TIGsource, I'm posting frequently on tumblr and twitter (daily for quite a while, though I've slowed down to refrain from spoiling everything), and I'm quite active in a number of other indie-centric communities since the project's early days. I came here now, however, as I believe this forum to be the bastion of interactive fiction presented as visual novel, and I hope to raise some awareness and engage with the audience I was talking about above

Do you have any other ideas of where I should try going? I'll create an IndieDB profile soon, but I'm open to all other suggestions.

Thanks again for all this food for thought

[Pehesse]

Merry Christmas everyone!

I'm currently working mostly on the beat'em all segment, so not much in the way of visual novel updates, but that'll change soon enough Until then, have a great end of year, and see you in 2016!

[sessurea]

This looks really fascinating! It's unlike anything I've ever seen before, and I know a lot of people would kill to play a game like this. Seems like the type of thing that could blow up on Tumblr (I know I'll do my part to spread the word there!). And that animation is gorgeous.

[Pehesse]

This looks really fascinating! It's unlike anything I've ever seen before, and I know a lot of people would kill to play a game like this. Seems like the type of thing that could blow up on Tumblr (I know I'll do my part to spread the word there!). And that animation is gorgeous.

Wow, thanks for the kind words, and thanks as well for any help you can provide in spreading the word, on tumblr or anywhere else couldn't ask for a nicer christmas gift, so really, thanks a lot!!

[Pehesse]

Raising this thread from the grave for a big occasion: a new trailer, and a brand new Greenlight page!

Without further do, here's the trailer link: https://youtu.be/c9ndJ_-35JI

...and the greenlight page: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/f ... =699660225

And there you have it!

[Googaboga]

This looks fantastic! I gave it an upvote :>.

[infel]

I agree, this game looks really amazing =D. I hope it's compatible with Mac. Even if it's not, I'll upvote it. Looks really good =D. Love the art as well by the way =D.

[Pehesse]

This looks fantastic! I gave it an upvote :>.

Thanks a million!

I agree, this game looks really amazing =D. I hope it's compatible with Mac. Even if it's not, I'll upvote it. Looks really good =D. Love the art as well by the way =D.

...and thanks as well!

About Mac compatibility: I honestly don't know! I'm building the game using Construct 2, which has a Mac exporter so I have mac builds of the latest versions, but I don't currently have mac testers, so I have no idea whether they work or not! Much older mac builds didn't, but the exporter has been updated since then, and I have no indication on whether it'll work now or not. I'd actually be very interested to know, so if you want to try out a current test build, let me know!
If Mac exports don't work, there will be another alternative - the game can be exported as a website, meaning I can upload it and it can be played directly through a browser. I'm not convinced this is the right direction to go overall as it causes heavy browser load (and I don't know how a website would handle the pressure of multiple ongoing connections), but that's always an option to consider!

[gekiganwing]

I'm glad to learn that this project is active, and that it's arrived on Steam Greenlight. I also appreciate how much detailed information is on its SG page.

Right now, Honey Rose makes me think of a small-scale Tokimeki Memorial with a distinct theme. In other words, the main character has a goal, and they use stats / time management to improve themselves until they reach that goal.

[Pehesse]

I'm glad to learn that this project is active, and that it's arrived on Steam Greenlight. I also appreciate how much detailed information is on its SG page.

Right now, Honey Rose makes me think of a small-scale Tokimeki Memorial with a distinct theme. In other words, the main character has a goal, and they use stats / time management to improve themselves until they reach that goal.

Oh, it's very active, I just spend more time working on the game than talking about it!

I'll confess to not having played Tokimeki Memorial, but from what I know of it and how you describe it, I'd say that's exactly it! You have two long term overarching goals (graduating, and reaching the top of the tournament), and a succession of short to mid term goals as the game progresses (tests, matches) for which to plan your daily activities. Lastly, there are immediate reaction events to throw wrenches in your plans, and have you devise countermeasures ASAP - thieves, random battles, or simply social life events!

[Pehesse]

July certainly has been an exciting month - first, Honey got Greenlit, and now, she has a demo! It's all here:

https://pehesse.itch.io/honey-rose-unde ... aordinaire

If you try it out, I'd love to hear about your experience! I'm looking for any kind of feedback: if you've got positive stuff to say, great, but any and all criticism is also welcome and will be taken into consideration to polish the final game into the best thing it can be!