Doki Doki Literature Club! [BxG] Free Download September 2017

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TS_Dan
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Doki Doki Literature Club! [BxG] Free Download September 2017

#1 Post by TS_Dan »

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A free romance game available now!

http://ddlc.moe



Hi, Monika here!

Welcome to the Literature Club! It's always been a dream of mine to make something special out of the things I love. Now that you're a club member, you can help me make that dream come true in this cute game!

Every day is full of chit-chat and fun activities with all of my adorable and unique club members:
Sayori, the youthful bundle of sunshine who values happiness the most;
Natsuki, the deceivingly cute girl who packs an assertive punch;
Yuri, the timid and mysterious one who finds comfort in the world of books;
...And, of course, Monika, the leader of the club! That's me!

I'm super excited for you to make friends with everyone and help the Literature Club become a more intimate place for all my members. But I can tell already that you're a sweetheart—will you promise to spend the most time with me? ♥



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Doki Doki Literature Club is being produced by Team Salvato, a brand-new development studio hoping to make our mark on the OELVN community right from the beginning. The game has been in development for over a year and contains more than 75,000 words of irresistibly cute and charming dialogue for you to enjoy. Each chapter, you will play a short poem-writing minigame and grow your bond with the club members who enjoy your poem the most. As the club members slowly come out of their shell, you will hear them compare your poem to your previous ones, or even complain that you're trying too hard to impress the other club members! Start to finish, the game is 4-5 hours long for seasoned VN players, but you can bet there is plenty of replay value.

Dan Salvato - Writing, coding, music
Twitter - YouTube

Satchely - Character art
Twitter - DeviantArt

VelinquenT - Background art
Twitter - Pixiv


FAQ

* Why/How is this game free?
Because this is our first game, we want to make sure as many people as possible have the opportunity to play it. We are also using a pay-what-you-want model with some bonus content available at the $10 mark, and we also offer some physical merchandise such as posters and keychains. While we plan to continue making games, any financial support will provide us with a greater budget for future development!

* What game engine are you using?
None other than the wonderful Ren'Py. Much of this game would be nearly impossible to create using other VN engines.

* Where can I learn more?
Just keep an eye on this thread and the website! I will be happy to answer questions, but sometimes I may choose not to go into detail in fear of spoiling certain components of the game.[/size]



This game is not suitable for children
or those who are easily disturbed.


 
Last edited by TS_Dan on Fri Sep 22, 2017 1:35 pm, edited 7 times in total.

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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [Romance][BxG] Coming August

#2 Post by parttimestorier »

This looks very cute, and I'm definitely interested in seeing how the poem-writing mini-game works! You don't seem to have given any information about the protagonist - are they a self-insert type character? Also, does the warning that it's "not suitable for those who are easily disturbed" mean there will be some darker elements as well as the cuteness?
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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [Romance][BxG] Coming August

#3 Post by BunnyAdvocate »

Congrats on coming so close to finishing your VN! The artwork looks gorgeous, I wasn't expecting it to be so pretty~

I'm sure it'll be a great story, and I expect there may be some fun surprises in there (:

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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [Romance][BxG] Coming August

#4 Post by Mikomi »

Wow, this game looks really nice and well put together! The artwork looks especially nice. I do agree with some of the comments, though- I'd like to know more about the protag. Is he the silent, self-insert type or a defined character? I'm fine with either, I just like knowing.

Good luck on this!

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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [Romance][BxG] Coming August

#5 Post by TS_Dan »

Hello again!

For my first demonstration of Doki Doki Literature Club, I'd like to show off the simple animation system we have in place:

Gameplay GIF

As you can see, the character currently speaking comes forward in focus, and the characters elegantly fade as they enter or leave the scene. Among those are some additional little touches of animation that really help convey the emotion and dialogue of the character.
parttimestorier wrote:This looks very cute, and I'm definitely interested in seeing how the poem-writing mini-game works! You don't seem to have given any information about the protagonist - are they a self-insert type character?
The protagonist is in fact a self-insert type character (and thus, the player also gives him a name, which is why he is named Dan in the above gif). While I'm often a fan of protagonists with a complete personality, DDLC goes for some things that are more or less only possible with self-insertion.
As for the poem mini-games, the way it works is admittedly pretty simple. You're given lists of randomized words, as you can see in one of the screenshots, and you click on a total of 20 words to use for your "poem". Each club member has her own preferences on writing style and topics, which sometimes clashes with other members, so choose your words wisely. Each member can respond negatively, neutrally, or positively to your poem. Whoever likes your poem the most will spend some extra time with you in the club, and you unlock a CG of them!
BunnyAdvocate wrote:Congrats on coming so close to finishing your VN! The artwork looks gorgeous, I wasn't expecting it to be so pretty~
Thank you, and I'm glad the art is leaving good first impressions! I'm very proud of the club's talented artists. :)
Last edited by TS_Dan on Fri May 19, 2017 4:19 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [Romance][BxG] Coming August

#6 Post by TS_Dan »

I'm back! Today I'd like to show you something special about the in-game CGs.

Gameplay GIF

There are a few CGs in the game that are gently animated to make them even more pleasing to the eye. These are usually reserved for scenes with a high character bond, so work hard to impress your favorite club member if you want to see her sparkle!

Finally, to help set the mood just a little bit more, I'll share this little music sample for our timid and mature Yuri.

Audio Sample

Thanks and see you next club meeting!

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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [Romance][BxG] Coming August

#7 Post by TS_Dan »

Hi everyone, Monika here! I've been hard at work preparing the the Literature Club for new members. As long as I'm there, I promise to make the Literature Club a place you'll never want to leave!

Anyway, we have a great new trailer for everyone to check out! Are you excited?



Thanks for watching, and I'll see you again soon! Toodles~
Last edited by TS_Dan on Thu Jul 27, 2017 6:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [Romance][BxG] Coming August

#8 Post by TS_Dan »

Hi again! I have a couple more updates for you today.

First off, I'd like to share one of the many great backgrounds our background artist has made for DDLC. I always feel like backgrounds don't get enough attention/appreciation, and I especially feel that way after seeing how much hard work my artist puts into them.
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The above is Sayori's bedroom. Sure, it's a little messy - and it's had the same decorations and weird stuffed animals for years now - but I'd say that's just like her.

I also have a new audio sample for everyone to enjoy!

Audio Sample

I don't want to give away too much of the music, but this is one of my favorites, so I just have to share it. Sometimes things in the clubroom get a little tense, but at the end of the day, this lovely track comes in to let you know everything is okay after all. Monika won't let anyone bring you down!

Thanks and see you next club meeting!

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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [BxG] Free Download August 2017

#9 Post by TS_Dan »

Hi everyone, it's a bit lonely in here but I'm back anyway! Today I'm going to talk about how Doki Doki Literature Club handles character poses and facial expressions.

Each character follows this approximate pattern:

1 basic pose
1 alternate position for each arm
1 special pose

This typically equals five poses: Basic, right arm, left arm, both arms, and special.
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In the game script, we simply denote these as "1", "2", "3", "4", and "5", respectively.

Meanwhile, every character has a ton of facial expressions, usually over 20 per character! We denote these as letters of the alphabet: "a", "b", "c", etc.

Natsuki is pretty moody, so she has the most expressions. Here's a downsized example of an "expressions cheat sheet" we use when scripting the game.

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We can use any combination of arm positions and facial expressions with the number-letter notation, such as "1a", "4q", etc. This leads to a massive number of combinations that help make our club members highly expressive! Natsuki comes out on top, with a total of 155 possible combinations.

Here are a few nice and expressive screenshots for you to enjoy!

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Thanks and see you next club meeting!

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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [BxG] Free Download August 2017

#10 Post by Googaboga »

The game seems wonderfully put together and I'm certainly interested in seeing what the warnings are warning about, aha. Good luck finishing up the game! I'll be giving it a go at some point :].
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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [BxG] Free Download August 2017

#11 Post by MarkusLappalainen »

I second the curiosity for the content that warrants a warning :D This looks beautiful, also visually coherent (based on the screenshots). What platforms will you deliver? PC only or?
Have a happy day! 8)
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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [BxG] Free Download August 2017

#12 Post by TS_Dan »

Googaboga wrote: Thu Jul 27, 2017 3:35 am Good luck finishing up the game! I'll be giving it a go at some point :].
Thanks very much for the interest! I promise it will be worth your while.

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MarkusLappalainen wrote: Thu Jul 27, 2017 5:23 am What platforms will you deliver? PC only or?
DDLC will be available for PC and Mac. I would love to have a mobile release, but some of the game's story is dependent on certain things not possible on mobile.

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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [BxG] Free Download September 2017

#13 Post by TS_Dan »

Hi everyone, Monika here! The Literature Club is almost ready to open its doors! Can you believe it? I'm super excited to share all the hard work we've put in...and super nervous!

First off, I want to mention that we're revising our opening day to September 2017. I'm sorry to have to nudge it back a little bit! But we're working our schedules alongside a handful of really popular internet people who will be premiering their Literature Club experience - more on that a little bit later! (^_−)☆

As a little apology gift, I want to share some new art with you! Are you ready?

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Holy cow...Yuri, I think you're spacing out a little bit again! Aren't you getting kinda close? (I'm not jealous...I'm not jealous...)

Putting that aside, we recently let some people into the club a little bit early to get some feedback. As President, I'd like to take the opportunity to read and respond to their thoughts~

It's surprisingly immersive, the characters are well-written and I find myself caring about them.
Aww, that makes me so happy! I love my club members and hope to see others care for them as much as I do.
I don't think the game would've been the same had you not mixed the music the way you did for several scenes.
This one surprised me! Well...we do have some cool stuff we do with the music, so I'm really glad people are noticing the hard work we put in there~
Everything about it is great. Especially the things that are terrible.
I...wait, what? I'm sorry, I don't really know what to make of this one!
I won't be able to sleep tonight.
Wow...you must be really excited! But the club isn't going anywhere, so try to get some rest, okay? ~♥

Okay, everyone! It looks like that's all we have for today. Thanks so much for your continued interest in the club, and I'll see you again soon! Toodles~

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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [BxG] Free Download September 2017

#14 Post by cheongzewei »

Oh man..... Oh man.
Alright. You. You are a madman, and a genius, but still a madman. Masterfully done.

It's funny. I should dislike Monika, but I honestly don't. We're all human, and I wasn't expecting for her to actually be such a loveable character.
Makes me wish there's an alternate ending. You know? I mean, don't you think she deserves it? We can hope for an update I guess.

There are so many things in this game. So much god damn polish. There's even truly a very noteable amount of content that won't ever be seen by most players in the game. It'll take several replays to see everything, and all this in a free game.
I honestly, honestly will be looking forward to your next work. Thank you for making this. Thank you for having Monika be a kind person whom actually leaves valuable advice. Just.
Thanks.
@Monika.
Say, if you're reading this. Let me ask. If a fake person can become real, was the person a fake in the first place?
Edit, Disclaimer: I'm just someone whom got access early. Yeah this is a new account, but that's because I just wanted to give some feedback. I am friends with the artist.
Last edited by cheongzewei on Thu Sep 21, 2017 11:37 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Doki Doki Literature Club! [BxG] Free Download September 2017

#15 Post by BunnyAdvocate »

cheongzewei wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:26 am Oh man..... Oh man.
Alright. You. You are a madman, and a genius, but still a madman. Masterfully done.
A brand new account praising the twist in a VN that hasn't been released yet?

I don't have any issue with friends or family of the dev sharing their thoughts on a VN, but shouldn't that relationship be be mentioned somewhere amidst all the praise?

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