Changeling [Otome][GxB][Supernatural/Paranormal]

[Esh]

1. Does the plot interest you?
Yes! I've always been a fan of the supernatural/urban fantasy, so this is right up my ally. I'm already a little too invested in figuring out the mysteries in Nora's past.
2. What about the art?
I think the art is quite pretty-- particularly the expressions.
3. Is there any character that stands out to you right now?
I'm somewhere between Ewan and Danny, I think. Normally, characters like Danny don't draw my attention, but I have a feeling I'm going to like him. If nothing else, I think he's going to be fun to tease. Ewan is more my usual speed. There's nothing I love more than sarcasm and leather jackets.
4. Do you have any questions? Comments? Feedback?
Oh, boy, do I. I've played the demo (congratulations on that, by the way!), which is how I ended up here, actually. So I know a bit more about the game than what's posted here, but I'm curious about a few things. A) What is the time span of this game? Personally, I tend to be a fan of slowburn relationships, which can be hard to pull off when you've only got a month or so and are trying to deal with paranormal drama to boot! B) What is the extent of the relationships? I've played VNs that leave off just after the relationship begins, then maybe shows an epilogue. And those are fine! I've enjoyed many a game with that sort of ending. But I find that it's a lot easier for me to get invested in a couple if I can see how they interact past the honeymoon stage. C) How far into the school year is Nora when she arrives? From the demo, it seems like classes have already started, but is it still the beginning of the year?

Anyway, those are my big questions for now. I hope you continue to have a good time working on this project!

Hey - glad you found your way over here from the demo. I haven't had a chance to update the thread with the link yet! (I totally did not completely forget about doing that. Nope!)

I'm glad that the demo piqued your interest, though!

To answer your questions:

-I totally agree with you about slow-burn relationships being fun to read...and the fact that they can be hard to pull off. Especially in a visual novel format where you'd have to really chop the the story up to be able to show something interesting happening every day for a long period of time - or you have to have frequent skips of a few days there and a week there. I've tried to do my best of having the story cover a reasonable amount of time without dragging it out or having weird lulls in the plot and "missing days".

Nora and her family arrive in Pine Hollow toward the end of October (Halloween takes place a little over a week after they arrive). The individual routes vary in the amount of time they cover but it's pretty much a span of two and a half to three weeks. As of right now, they all end no later than mid-November but it's possible we may space that out in later edits. The non-relationship aspects of the story escalate fairly quickly by necessity, and that make it necessary to increase the speed at which the romance develops as well. I felt that, since these are high school students, it's still believable for them to get attached to each other fairly quickly. I think the game is long enough content-wise that the romance doesn't feel too rushed.

The flow of each relationship so far (I've only got three routes to completion or near completion) has been really different. Some characters are clearly a couple long before they reach the point of saying "Yup, we're a couple now." Where others really only reach that point during the story resolution. I've really tried to make each relationship happen naturally instead of forcing a formula where they all follow the same format.

We'd really like to have epilogues that unlock at the completion of the romantic endings, so that players do get to see how the relationship is beyond the start. For me, that is an important part of the story is well. (I also would really like to show where her relationship with her brother is by that point as well). If we're able to do so, the epilogues would probably be set a month or two after the ending - so either during the holidays or winter break or something.

I think that answered all your questions! Thank you for taking the time to post. <3

[peachteas]

I totally agree with you about slow-burn relationships being fun to read...and the fact that they can be hard to pull off. Especially in a visual novel format where you'd have to really chop the the story up to be able to show something interesting happening every day for a long period of time - or you have to have frequent skips of a few days there and a week there. I've tried to do my best of having the story cover a reasonable amount of time without dragging it out or having weird lulls in the plot and "missing days".

Nora and her family arrive in Pine Hollow toward the end of October (Halloween takes place a little over a week after they arrive). The individual routes vary in the amount of time they cover but it's pretty much a span of two and a half to three weeks. As of right now, they all end no later than mid-November but it's possible we may space that out in later edits. The non-relationship aspects of the story escalate fairly quickly by necessity, and that make it necessary to increase the speed at which the romance develops as well. I felt that, since these are high school students, it's still believable for them to get attached to each other fairly quickly. I think the game is long enough content-wise that the romance doesn't feel too rushed.

I think before I went to college I might've disagreed about anything significant being able to happen between people in the span of a few weeks. Having since experienced some very intense relationships within that time, I think two and a half/three weeks sounds just about right for this setting And, especially since I've only been out of high school for around a year and the experience is still fairly fresh in my mind, I agree that it's particularly believable for high school students!

The flow of each relationship so far (I've only got three routes to completion or near completion) has been really different. Some characters are clearly a couple long before they reach the point of saying "Yup, we're a couple now." Where others really only reach that point during the story resolution. I've really tried to make each relationship happen naturally instead of forcing a formula where they all follow the same format.

I'm actually really pleased that the relationships sound like they're all going to be so unique! I love writing, and relationships have always been one of my favorite parts. But man, it can be difficult to make each one different and interesting to read! I definitely appreciate all the hard work that you're putting into this.

We'd really like to have epilogues that unlock at the completion of the romantic endings, so that players do get to see how the relationship is beyond the start. For me, that is an important part of the story is well. (I also would really like to show where her relationship with her brother is by that point as well). If we're able to do so, the epilogues would probably be set a month or two after the ending - so either during the holidays or winter break or something.

That sounds really interesting. I'm looking forward to these epilogues if you're able to put them in! In regards to the relationship with Spencer, I'm actually about as interested in that as I am about the LIs. It reminds me a little of DA2 in a way. As Hawke, your relationship with your party members was important, but so was your relationship with your family. I don't think the game would have been so emotionally hard-hitting if the player didn't also get invested in the fate of the Hawke family as a whole and not just the MC. If Carver survived instead of Bethany, it's difficult to get him to stop being so damned bitter but the challenge was half the fun!

I think that answered all your questions! Thank you for taking the time to post. <3

And thank you for answering them!

[Yali]

I've played the demo and I've adored it! I was so excited for it I was literally squealing all the time while it was downloading
As for the questions:

1. Does the plot interest you?
I'm super interested in what has happend with Nora and Spencer in their childhood! You wrote the sibling dynamic so well that those two intrigue me up no end. And the combination of modern world and supernatural is always exciting, can't wait to see how it will play out in the setting of Changeling.

2. What about the art?
Art is gorgeous, especially the backgrounds. This one background with the bridge, stream and forest? At the very beginning, when Nora is describing the neighborhood? Perfect. I was simply enchanted by it, so now I want to live there lol
And I really like your artstyle when it comes to sprites. It's very unique. My most favorite sprite might be Nora's, she has some cute expressions.

3. Is there any character that stands out to you right now?
I found myself interested in all the characters, actually. I have to confess I was really indifferent towards William before, but aww he's such a cinnamon roll. While my favorite is still Marc, there's not much revealing about him in the demo, and all the others managed to pique my interest. No, seriously, if nothing major happens that can change my opinion, I'm not sure in what order I want to play other routes.
And I really adore the Lewis family. While it's obvious that Spencer is the huge part of the plot, I hope we'll get to see more of their parents.

4. Do you have any questions? Comments? Feedback?
Music is good, I guess. It doesn't stand out but it's pleasant and manages to create the needed atmosphere.
With you spoiling us with weekly updates on tumblr I already was super hyped up about this game, but now I can't wait for it's release and, more importantly, for the Kickstarter.
Keep up the good work! :3

[Esh]

The flow of each relationship so far (I've only got three routes to completion or near completion) has been really different. Some characters are clearly a couple long before they reach the point of saying "Yup, we're a couple now." Where others really only reach that point during the story resolution. I've really tried to make each relationship happen naturally instead of forcing a formula where they all follow the same format.

I'm actually really pleased that the relationships sound like they're all going to be so unique! I love writing, and relationships have always been one of my favorite parts. But man, it can be difficult to make each one different and interesting to read! I definitely appreciate all the hard work that you're putting into this.

We'd really like to have epilogues that unlock at the completion of the romantic endings, so that players do get to see how the relationship is beyond the start. For me, that is an important part of the story is well. (I also would really like to show where her relationship with her brother is by that point as well). If we're able to do so, the epilogues would probably be set a month or two after the ending - so either during the holidays or winter break or something.

That sounds really interesting. I'm looking forward to these epilogues if you're able to put them in! In regards to the relationship with Spencer, I'm actually about as interested in that as I am about the LIs. It reminds me a little of DA2 in a way. As Hawke, your relationship with your party members was important, but so was your relationship with your family. I don't think the game would have been so emotionally hard-hitting if the player didn't also get invested in the fate of the Hawke family as a whole and not just the MC. If Carver survived instead of Bethany, it's difficult to get him to stop being so damned bitter but the challenge was half the fun!

One thing that has been important to me is demonstrating that no two relationships are the same even if one person in the relationship is the same. The dynamics change based on how the people play off each other's strengths and . And different people can really bring out different sides of each other. I hope I'm able to show that each guy brings out a different side in Nora and that contributes to how the relationship develops. OuO

It's also been important for me to keep Nora's world from revolving around the love interest. So I wanted to give her a problem that the guy could not solve for her or really even help solve. And that's Spencer - reconciliation has to come from within the people who need to reconcile. No matter who Nora gets involved with, he can't fix her relationship with her brother. She has to do that. Again, I hope it's something that continues to resonate with people as they play each route. <3

Thanks again for your thoughts! <3

[Esh]

I've played the demo and I've adored it! I was so excited for it I was literally squealing all the time while it was downloading
As for the questions:

1. Does the plot interest you?
I'm super interested in what has happend with Nora and Spencer in their childhood! You wrote the sibling dynamic so well that those two intrigue me up no end. And the combination of modern world and supernatural is always exciting, can't wait to see how it will play out in the setting of Changeling.

2. What about the art?
Art is gorgeous, especially the backgrounds. This one background with the bridge, stream and forest? At the very beginning, when Nora is describing the neighborhood? Perfect. I was simply enchanted by it, so now I want to live there lol
And I really like your artstyle when it comes to sprites. It's very unique. My most favorite sprite might be Nora's, she has some cute expressions.

3. Is there any character that stands out to you right now?
I found myself interested in all the characters, actually. I have to confess I was really indifferent towards William before, but aww he's such a cinnamon roll. While my favorite is still Marc, there's not much revealing about him in the demo, and all the others managed to pique my interest. No, seriously, if nothing major happens that can change my opinion, I'm not sure in what order I want to play other routes.
And I really adore the Lewis family. While it's obvious that Spencer is the huge part of the plot, I hope we'll get to see more of their parents.

4. Do you have any questions? Comments? Feedback?
Music is good, I guess. It doesn't stand out but it's pleasant and manages to create the needed atmosphere.
With you spoiling us with weekly updates on tumblr I already was super hyped up about this game, but now I can't wait for it's release and, more importantly, for the Kickstarter.
Keep up the good work! :3

The bridge background is one of the first ones I did, and it's still one of my favorites. I'm glad someone else likes it too! OuO

Regarding William - I feel like he's the one who doesn't make much impression on people initially. I hope that players end up liking him though because, like you said, he's such a cinnamon roll. And he has such a sad back story as well.

I'm glad you like Nora's family! I honestly really like writing their dynamic. They're just fun. Courtney (the mom) shows up a lot in all the routes so far. I really need to work on putting Shane (the dad) in more. He gets a bit neglected in favor of Courtney. Probably because that's where Nora gets all her cheekiness so it's fun to have them interact. LoL

I'm really hoping we can get the kickstarter up by the end of March. I'm not making a definitive schedule for it yet thought but hopefully we'll nail it down in the upcoming weeks and make the announcement. I'm working on a trailer right now though.

My video-editing skills are still in the fledgling state so it's pretty slow going. LoL

[Diadorim]

1. Does the plot interest you?

Somewhat, it's a little too young for me, I suppose. It depends on how well the plot is crafted and executed. At this point it's the plot with the twin brother that would interest me most.

2. What about the art?
Getting there, but for a commercial project, it is still lacking. It doesn't feel very lively or magical.

What jumps out at me at first glance:

- Colouring. The colouring is rather muted and bland resulting in a somewhat unattractive whole.
The white people all have basically the same skintone/feature colours. Try to vary more in cool and warm at least.

- There is too much use of a singular colour per object/area. You can try to do more with complementaries in highlighting and shading. Also take into account coloured light (also lighting in general) and especially bouncelight, for instance (and example would be their house surrounded by autumn coloured trees...yet there is no bouncelight on the house at all.

- BG art is often sharper/cleaner than character art which makes it look odd. There is also very little use of depth of field and atmospheric perspective in bg which could add a lot to believability and attractiveness.

-try to make the colouring of the bg and characters uniform/harmonious. A common issue with amateur projects is that colour palettes are created individually per character and bg, instead of seeing it as a whole. This also goes for designs.

3. Is there any character that stands out to you right now?

Going the romantic route I would only be interested in Danny, probably.
I find most of them are too similar in visual feeling/identity. Their features are sometimes almost interchangeable.

4. Do you have any questions? Comments? Feedback?
I think it's commendable and worth of praise, for not quite ready for commercial succes.

[Esh]

1. Does the plot interest you?

Somewhat, it's a little too young for me, I suppose. It depends on how well the plot is crafted and executed. At this point it's the plot with the twin brother that would interest me most.

2. What about the art?
Getting there, but for a commercial project, it is still lacking. It doesn't feel very lively or magical.

What jumps out at me at first glance:

- Colouring. The colouring is rather muted and bland resulting in a somewhat unattractive whole.
The white people all have basically the same skintone/feature colours. Try to vary more in cool and warm at least.

- There is too much use of a singular colour per object/area. You can try to do more with complementaries in highlighting and shading. Also take into account coloured light, for instance.

- BG art is often sharper/cleaner than character art which makes it look odd. There is also very little use of depth of field and atmospheric perspective in bg which could add a lot to believability and attractiveness.

-try to make the colouring of the bg and characters uniform/harmonious. A common issue with amateur projects is that colour palettes are created individually per character and bg, instead of seeing it as a whole. This also goes for designs.

3. Is there any character that stands out to you right now?

Going the romantic route I would only be interested in Danny, probably.
I find most of them are too similar in visual feeling/identity. Their features are sometimes almost interchangeable.

4. Do you have any questions? Comments? Feedback?
I think it's commendable and worth of praise, for not quite ready for commercial succes.

(I'll be playing the demo to see if I still agree with my own feedback after playing it )

Thanks for your thoughts - I am definitely always evolving and growing as an artist so it's good to hear feedback that will help me improve.

Backgrounds are definitely not my forte so I'm hoping to commission someone help with those - which will hopefully help liven them up. I've done my best with the art but I definitely have a ways to go as an artist. LoL I'm glad to hear your like Danny though. He's a sweetheart. <3

Thank you for sharing your comments and recommendations. I will do my best to improve everything enough to make it worthy of being a commercial project! <3

[Diadorim]

Thanks for your thoughts - I am definitely always evolving and growing as an artist so it's good to hear feedback that will help me improve.

Backgrounds are definitely not my forte so I'm hoping to commission someone help with those - which will hopefully help liven them up. I've done my best with the art but I definitely have a ways to go as an artist. LoL I'm glad to hear your like Danny though. He's a sweetheart. <3

Thank you for sharing your comments and recommendations. I will do my best to improve everything enough to make it worthy of being a commercial project! <3

You're welcome I hope I didn't come across as harsh. I'm a bit scramblebrained (recovering from sickness) so etiquette is not my strong point atm.


I played the demo and have a few minor things:

The story is fun so far. More fun then I expected, yet I'm also curious how this plot will unfold and if it can keep the feeling of mystery intact for a while.

The writing flows along pretty well too, though I find it occasionally a bit redundant. It's not a major gripe though. It could perhaps use more description of physical behaviour/radiance/presence/attitude of the characters (the kind that underlines their personalities)

As mentioned with the colouring, you can really do instant improvement by using more bouncelight in your work For the complementaries, I did see it a bit in the bridge bg in the beginning! It had also the beginnings of atmospheric perspective. It migh benefit a little bit from some lightrays coming through the canopy.

Expressions on characters are lovely. I like them on Nora a lot especially! Really well done (also Spencer's slightly remorseful sideway glance for instance. It's those little things of extra effort that really can make a project shine )

Tidbits:

The black line frame around the text box and avatar box is very heavy and drowns out the delicate vine pattern in my opinion.

I think in chaper three after Nora goes 'sleepwalking' and I choose to defend Spencer, the music restarts as Dad says : "Are you sure about this, Nora? I mean, you're the one he left there..."

The paranormal club room's white wooden panelling is very bright, especially considering it's a dim lit room and the rest of the furniture is dark.

Danny's face is a little off. I think it's the alignment of his chin in respect to the rest of his face?

For Mark the hollow of his neck is very dark and a bit too exaggerated.


Also I think it's already really praiseworthy you are tackling backgrounds while not your primary forte or interest Everybody's gotta start somewhere and you took the leap and are in for improvement, so that's already great in itself

[Esh]

You're welcome I hope I didn't come across as harsh. I'm a bit scramblebrained (recovering from sickness) so etiquette is not my strong point atm.


I played the demo and have a few minor things:

The story is fun so far. More fun then I expected, yet I'm also curious how this plot will unfold and if it can keep the feeling of mystery intact for a while.

The writing flows along pretty well too, though I find it occasionally a bit redundant. It's not a major gripe though. It could perhaps use more description of physical behaviour/radiance/presence/attitude of the characters (the kind that underlines their personalities)

As mentioned with the colouring, you can really do instant improvement by using more bouncelight in your work For the complementaries, I did see it a bit in the bridge bg in the beginning! It had also the beginnings of atmospheric perspective. It migh benefit a little bit from some lightrays coming through the canopy.

Expressions on characters are lovely. I like them on Nora a lot especially! Really well done (also Spencer's slightly remorseful sideway glance for instance. It's those little things of extra effort that really can make a project shine )

Tidbits:

The black line frame around the text box and avatar box is very heavy and drowns out the delicate vine pattern in my opinion.

I think in chaper three after Nora goes 'sleepwalking' and I choose to defend Spencer, the music restarts as Dad says : "Are you sure about this, Nora? I mean, you're the one he left there..."

The paranormal club room's white wooden panelling is very bright, especially considering it's a dim lit room and the rest of the furniture is dark.

Danny's face is a little off. I think it's the alignment of his chin in respect to the rest of his face?

For Mark the hollow of his neck is very dark and a bit too exaggerated.


Also I think it's already really praiseworthy you are tackling backgrounds while not your primary forte or interest Everybody's gotta start somewhere and you took the leap and are in for improvement, so that's already great in itself

I didn't think you were overly harsh. And, in any case, even harsh feedback has value. Sometimes we all need a wake up call to get us back on track. While backgrounds aren't my forte, I'll be the first to admit that some of them (particularly the school ones, Nora's front yard, etc) were really rushed in order to get them done for the demo so they need a lot of improvement. Especially when coupled with my general lack of knowing what I'm even doing. LoL

On your other points:

--I do agree the story has areas where it gets repetitive. I noticed it a lot watching someone read it during a let's play of the game. Some of that is due to repeated edits and adjustments to the main character's backstory. I feel like it's really noticeable during the chapter three club scene. I really hope to smooth those areas out a bit.

--The black frame on the text box was lighter originally but I recall not liking the overall impact. I cannot remember what it was about it that I didn't like, though. I designed it quite a long time ago. I can play with it more though, and see if I either remember what I didn't like about it, or if I can improve it.

--Agree regarding Danny's face and Marc's neck. Elliot's face also has a bit of the alignment issue. Those are definitely things I want to tackle to see if I can improve at some point.

Anyway, thank you for taking the time to give me some feedback and pointers. I really appreciate it! Positive feedback is always great since it's always nice to get praise and encouragement. But constructive criticism is really important for improving the final project so I really am grateful any time someone takes time out of their schedule to post some.

Thanks again!

[Amberbaum]

1. Does the plot interest you?
Yeah, this sort of plot is used very often and got quite frankly stale, with a few exceptions. Like magic science and agencies. Basically, what you did. Normalize and rationalize it. This way it won't suck and doesn't become the next Twilight or something. Real folklore and not some weird-ass anime Valkyries that ride on moonstone unicorn are always appreciated. :3
2. What about the art?
Very pretty. The art is consistent. The lips feel too pronounced.
3. Is there any character that stands out to you right now?
Hm.....can't really say. I'd say the MC by being such a typical high school student. She accuses another girl of being petty while appearing petty herself, whines about smallish things like taking out the garbage, blows things out of proportion, gets judgemental, tries to be snarky and is afraid of spiders. So....your average 17. Oh and she doesn't appear independent to me, especially the way she constantly thinks about what others could think or feel or the fact that she sat there and cried after her brother ditched her. I guess day one is a bit special so her senses might be heightened and.... I don't really like the way she fainted like a cliche heroine at the end of the demo. Still, I can't find myself thinking of her as obnoxious. Other then her maybe Marc? He reminds me of David Bowie and I like David Bowie :3
4. Do you have any questions? Comments? Feedback?
The majority of the music is very fitting and pretty, but ...... I could have sworn that some of the music was made by the person who made the soundtrack for World's Dawn. Unfortunately it makes me feel like I am playing World's Dawn and not your VN o_O . Sorry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ociYsvgjy6g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0gUNCrHbE8

[Esh]

1. Does the plot interest you?
Yeah, this sort of plot is used very often and got quite frankly stale, with a few exceptions. Like magic science and agencies. Basically, what you did. Normalize and rationalize it. This way it won't suck and doesn't become the next Twilight or something. Real folklore and not some weird-ass anime Valkyries that ride on moonstone unicorn are always appreciated. :3
2. What about the art?
Very pretty. The art is consistent. The lips feel too pronounced.
3. Is there any character that stands out to you right now?
Hm.....can't really say. I'd say the MC by being such a typical high school student. She accuses another girl of being petty while appearing petty herself, whines about smallish things like taking out the garbage, blows things out of proportion, gets judgemental, tries to be snarky and is afraid of spiders. So....your average 17. Oh and she doesn't appear independent to me, especially the way she constantly thinks about what others could think or feel or the fact that she sat there and cried after her brother ditched her. I guess day one is a bit special so her senses might be heightened and.... I don't really like the way she fainted like a cliche heroine at the end of the demo. Still, I can't find myself thinking of her as obnoxious. Other then her maybe Marc? He reminds me of David Bowie and I like David Bowie :3
4. Do you have any questions? Comments? Feedback?
The majority of the music is very fitting and pretty, but ...... I could have sworn that some of the music was made by the person who made the soundtrack for World's Dawn. Unfortunately it makes me feel like I am playing World's Dawn and not your VN o_O . Sorry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ociYsvgjy6g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0gUNCrHbE8

Hey there! Thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts!

This kind of plot does get used a lot - to me, one of the fun things about writing a plot like this is that it forces you to try to find ways to make it interesting or to make old tropes into something funny. I don't know if we manage to pull it off in this story but we'll certainly keep trying. OwO

As for Nora being independent - sometimes I think it comes down to people defining things like 'independent' or 'strong' characters differently. To us, strong characters have moments of weakness and independent characters can still cry and get upset when people are jerks to them.

We also view 'independent' as meaning that the MC maintains goals that are separate from the love interest even after the character route is established and the story somewhat focuses in on that relationship. In a lot of romance stories, the main character tends to start revolving around the love interest to the point that she almost has no real goals or plot line of her own (or they're heavily sidelined in favor of the love interest's plot). Everything she wants is centered on how she feels about this one person. If the love interest walks away from her - she crumbles because there's nothing else to her life at that point. But that isn't the case for Nora. Romance is a part of her story, but only part. And while she certainly has her moments where she cries or freaks out, or starts to crumble...she also always tries to power through.

That said, we're definitely always looking to fine tune the story and character development. If Nora ever comes across as weak willed or co-dependent, we absolutely want to fix that because that isn't who she's supposed to be. We'll definitely bear in mind that if we describe Nora as independent, we also have to make sure she never loses that drive to overcome even when she's in the midst of a genuine crisis. Or just dealing with her cranky brother. LoL!

Thanks for your remarks! We really appreciate hearing your feedback. ^_^

[JBShields]

I sincerely hope that y'all get on Steam. I just played your demo and its amazing! Best wishes y'all!

[Amberbaum]

As for Nora being independent - sometimes I think it comes down to people defining things like 'independent' or 'strong' characters differently. To us, strong characters have moments of weakness and independent characters can still cry and get upset when people are jerks to them.

We also view 'independent' as meaning that the MC maintains goals that are separate from the love interest even after the character route is established and the story somewhat focuses in on that relationship. In a lot of romance stories, the main character tends to start revolving around the love interest to the point that she almost has no real goals or plot line of her own (or they're heavily sidelined in favor of the love interest's plot). Everything she wants is centered on how she feels about this one person. If the love interest walks away from her - she crumbles because there's nothing else to her life at that point. But that isn't the case for Nora. Romance is a part of her story, but only part. And while she certainly has her moments where she cries or freaks out, or starts to crumble...she also always tries to power through.

Oh, I see. I like that and I really hope that me talking on how I view Nora's actions or her thoughts didn't sounded too condescending. Too me it was more like stating a fact but not finding it annoying or being displeased with it. It's just how it is and that's okay. I just think she really is your average 17 year old (minus being a "cryptic") with normal thoughts and you tend to be kinda vulnerable at that age. If I think about it, it's good that she is the way she is. It allows character development on her part and her just simply growing up. Maybe even faster then the rest of her "normie" same-age teens.

That said, we're definitely always looking to fine tune the story and character development. If Nora ever comes across as weak willed or co-dependent, we absolutely want to fix that because that isn't who she's supposed to be. We'll definitely bear in mind that if we describe Nora as independent, we also have to make sure she never loses that drive to overcome even when she's in the midst of a genuine crisis. Or just dealing with her cranky brother. LoL!

I don't really think you need to change her, tho? I mean I kinda rolled my eyes when she fainted, but if that's her....then yeah. It's not like she is a blushing damsel so it's fine if she faints once in a while after seeing something like that.

[Esh]

As for Nora being independent - sometimes I think it comes down to people defining things like 'independent' or 'strong' characters differently. To us, strong characters have moments of weakness and independent characters can still cry and get upset when people are jerks to them.

We also view 'independent' as meaning that the MC maintains goals that are separate from the love interest even after the character route is established and the story somewhat focuses in on that relationship. In a lot of romance stories, the main character tends to start revolving around the love interest to the point that she almost has no real goals or plot line of her own (or they're heavily sidelined in favor of the love interest's plot). Everything she wants is centered on how she feels about this one person. If the love interest walks away from her - she crumbles because there's nothing else to her life at that point. But that isn't the case for Nora. Romance is a part of her story, but only part. And while she certainly has her moments where she cries or freaks out, or starts to crumble...she also always tries to power through.

Oh, I see. I like that and I really hope that me talking on how I view Nora's actions or her thoughts didn't sounded too condescending. Too me it was more like stating a fact but not finding it annoying or being displeased with it. It's just how it is and that's okay. I just think she really is your average 17 year old (minus being a "cryptic") with normal thoughts and you tend to be kinda vulnerable at that age. If I think about it, it's good that she is the way she is. It allows character development on her part and her just simply growing up. Maybe even faster then the rest of her "normie" same-age teens.

That said, we're definitely always looking to fine tune the story and character development. If Nora ever comes across as weak willed or co-dependent, we absolutely want to fix that because that isn't who she's supposed to be. We'll definitely bear in mind that if we describe Nora as independent, we also have to make sure she never loses that drive to overcome even when she's in the midst of a genuine crisis. Or just dealing with her cranky brother. LoL!

I don't really think you need to change her, tho? I mean I kinda rolled my eyes when she fainted, but if that's her....then yeah. It's not like she is a blushing damsel so it's fine if she faints once in a while after seeing something like that.

You didn't sound condescending at all! No worries there. OwO I genuinely appreciate that you took the time to post. It means a lot! <3

Her fainting is more of a springboard for later jokes and teasing. And also because I do think there is kind of a trope where the heroine will delicate swoon into the arms of a man when something shocking happens. But Nora falls face first on the floor completely unobstructed by the waiting arms of the nearest hot guy. Because he actually doesn't catch her (or even attempt to) and no one else gets to her in time. That part didn't make into the demo though since it ends right when she passes out.

But Ewan's route does have a running joke where he's constantly going "You're not going to faint again are you? ~___~" LoL

Regarding making changes, though... Mostly, I just sometimes worry that when I reply to people - which I do to explain where we're coming from or just let people know we heard them - that I come across as dismissive to feedback. And I don't want anyone to think we're doing that. We really do take all criticism under consideration. We don't *always* change things because of it, but I never want anyone to think we didn't take their feedback to heart, that's all! <3

[Amberbaum]

Yeah, I understand . Don't worry about it on my account. Do what feels comfortable to you and what you enjoy. You don't have an agenda and your Vn is not offensive. If someone wants to change something then that because of personal taste, but in the end it's you who gets to decide what should be done.

And people who demand for things they like or changes because something offends their sensibilities (like getting triggered by onions) can crawl into a hole.