Chevalier ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama] (Now with twitter!)

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Saibraeus
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Chevalier ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama] (Now with twitter!)

#1 Post by Saibraeus »

True character graphics pending!
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General Overview
Access: Free
Length: Demo [12,000 words] || Overall [Pending]
CGs: Demo [14] || Overall [Estimated 25+]
BGs: Demo [10 excluding variations] || Overall [Pending]
Estimated Completion Date: -- TBA
Routes: 3 [Possibly 4 depending on circumstance]
Endings: 7 [Estimate]

Demo Progress:
[First draft: 100%] - [Editing: 100%] - [CGs: 100%] - [GUI: 100%] - [BGs: 95%] - [Sprites: 100%] - [Coding: 0%]

Synopsis

Chevalier follows the story of Kyul Chevalier, a demon tamer residing among demons. Naturally, this makes him quite a few enemies and very little friends.

Preoccupied with his own troubles, Kyul has isolated himself from the world at large. That, however, is soon to change when the demon prince Signum comes knocking at his door. Signum gives him two choices: Join him in taking down the king or deal with war at the Chevalier doorstep.

As Kyul finds himself forced out of his self imposed isolation, he will have to weigh his priorities between his personal goals and his newfound role as kingmaker. Whose philosophy on leadership can he agree with? Who does he back? Perhaps it's no one at all? Most importantly, does the political world really matter that much to a hermit nihilist whose only wish is to right a wrong before passing on?


Setting

The realm of Kaios is more commonly referred to as the underworld. It is a place where survival of the fittest is the rule of thumb, and a clear hierarchy is established among the demons who reside there.

Kaios is ruled by one king, followed by a multitude of "princes" who are strong demons that have amassed personal armies great enough to make a proper challenge to the throne. These princes run their own courts, which can be likened to pocket universes that they rule over like gods (with some restrictions). In order to become a prince, one must acquire a magical seal that will allow a prince to bind lesser demons into their service. Likewise, becoming king means to take the king's seal and integrate it with a prince's own.

Aside from prince courts, there are also the noble houses, which function similarly on a much lesser scale. The noble houses, however, cannot be completely sealed off the same way prince courts can be, and they cannot bar a prince (or princess) from entering if he or she pleases.
Nobles in Kaios are free demons that are powerful enough to avoid being bound, as well as having acquired a little territory of their own, and yet do not become princes for whatever reason.

Having mentioned seals above, it should be said that these magic seals are of vital importance to princes and nobles. Reading a seal will grant insight on its owner's magic and personal spells, and breaking it will cast the owner from their standing. Additionally, a demon who has their seal destroyed will only be able to utilize primitive spells. Thus, seals are guarded zealously and only conjured when necessary.

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This is all setting info that won't be explicitly explained in the novel unless necessary, but I've written it out here for clarity/interest sake.



Characters
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Questions

Is there a character or something about the plot that you like?

Do you have any suggestions for someone who's making a VN for the first time?

Is there anything you'd like to see or hope not to see in this game?
(It will likely be a mature rated game though, just not a super romance focused one so no R18.)

How do you feel about seeing the same character in two wildly different stories? (Ex. Kyul as the MC here and an NPC/Route in another setting completely)

What sort of things do you like to see in a development blog?

Anything else you'd like to say? (Questions, comments, advice etc. are all welcome!)



Misc:
Screenshots!
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Click below for twitter development updates!
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Credits:

Programming + General Life Advice: Mitoky
Cowriter: Crystal
Sound Design + Composition: EvaRanger
Art, Writing + Organization: Saibraeus
Last edited by Saibraeus on Thu Dec 31, 2020 3:22 pm, edited 15 times in total.

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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#2 Post by MilanaWalters »

Oooh i love the art!! The armor and colors are very beautiful! though im a bit disappointed by the usual feminine looking MC in the bl game again :( its so hard to find a bl game with muscular and short haired protagonists

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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#3 Post by Zelan »

Does it matter a lot whether the main character's name is changeable when they have a thoroughly set personality?: I prefer characters with a set personality; most games with "self-insert" MCs tend to be boring. (One exception to this is Queen's Crown, but it would take a lot of work to make similar choices and branches.) As for the name - I think a lot of people would appreciate a nameable protagonist, but I've always preferred just using the default name.

Kyul (as with all demons) is a shapeshifter, so theoretically I could also make this game GxB-- would having that option be a big deciding factor for your interest?: I tend to prefer GxB over BxB, but I would play it either way, really. You might be able to reach a wider audience with protagonist gender choice; on the other hand, people might be angry that it's not purely a BxB game. I don't know for sure. (Also, consider the extra art and coding that this would entail.)

Is there a character or something about the plot that you like?: NOA. He's my child now, I've adopted him. Also, the plot as a whole seems awesome - it seems like you've put a lot of thought into your world building, and exploring morality sounds absolutely rad.

Do you have any suggestions for someone who's making a VN for the first time?: Be careful of feature creep. Also, as much as I adore this idea, this seems like a huge project and it might be a good idea to start with a teeny practice game so you can get the hang of what goes into making a VN.

Is there anything you'd like to see or hope not to see in this game?
(It will likely be a mature rated game though, just due to subject matter and the exploration of ethics. It's also not a very romance focused game.): Not romance focused is fine with me (although I'll admit, I'd probably be a little disappointed if I didn't get at least one kiss CG somewhere along the line). I guess there's nothing in particular that I would absolutely want to see besides "everything that you've already written," so there you have it. c:

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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#4 Post by Saibraeus »

@MilanaWalters
Thank you for the feedback!
I've actually played very little games as far as the BL genre goes, but the ones I have played have incorporated something of the sort? But that may have been Nitro Chiral's general style coming into play.

Unfortunately the story became what it did due to Kyul's design, as he's been around for many years, so changing him too drastically will change the whole tone of the game for me as the writer/artist. I did flirt around with the idea of making a different kind of protagonist in terms of look and feel, but in the end I'm drawn towards this one. To be honest, I also had similar concerns regarding Kyul's likeability in terms of design (even in the roleplay setting he originally was conceived in, not many people like feminine boys.), but hopefully his personality will outweigh the predictability of his looks to make him a likeable-- or at least relatable-- character in the end.

@Zelan
Hello!
Thank you for your feedback.
I also enjoy characters with set personalities, and Kyul will definitely have one that's firmly cemented from the get go. It will change over the course of the story, naturally, but that was why I was concerned about names. Since he's already a character in his own right, I wasn't sure if people really liked that option. I know that I personally never change the preset names in any of the games I played, and I didn't want to add anything unnecessary that I didn't need.
But if you think it's a useful feature then I'll look into implementing it!

As for the issue of gender, that's part of my dilemma. The characters themselves are all very old characters of mine, including Kyul who has always been a boy first and foremost. I suppose I should just decide on whether I want more people to play it or be true to what I have.
Though I think those who prefer pure BxB games aren't particularly drawn to Kyul's design (he's very androgynous) so.... It's hard to please anyone, really. Haha!
I was kind of hoping he's androgynous enough that he can pass off as a girl or will only need minor edits in the CG art, but the coding will be an issue (I think). So you're definitely right, I'll take it into consideration.

Thank you very much! Noa's presence is so dwarfed by the others that I'm glad someone likes him. :' )

I'm actually a part of another group who's making their VN right now, so I've been dabbling around and doing some groundwork before I really get into it.
I was kind of hoping that the demo would be like a mini trial game for me, so I've been trying to keep it from branching off too terribly. Demos are usually singular routes with more limited choices, am I correct?
I wish I had a little more time, but I'll be finishing up university and gearing up to apply for my dream art school in about a year and a half. I'm hoping to finish this project in the time I have left, but if it becomes too much I'll definitely start at a more basic level like you suggested. Maybe I can make a mini one episode game with a few of the characters for practice.

Ah, as for the romance itself-- There will definitely be one or two kisses! Since love is such a strong driving or hindering force, romance will be a part of it but more as a supporting feature rather than front and center, that's all.

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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#5 Post by runadial »

Does it matter a lot whether the main character's name is changeable when they have a thoroughly set personality?
I have absolutely no preference either way. I tend to feel more immersed in the story as myself though when I am able to make the protagonist's name changeable. But this won't change my thoughts on the overall storyline nor the characters - including the protagonist - in the end, personally.

Kyul (as with all demons) is a shapeshifter, so theoretically I could also make this game GxB-- would having that option be a big deciding factor for your interest?
I have an interest in both otome and BL genre games, so this won't make much of a difference for me, but it's always an option if you - for example - want to appeal to more diverse audience. As a side note though, I do have a friend who would probably be interested in this story, but they aren't comfortable with LGBT content, so in that case I'm sure they would say to make the protagonist's gender changeable or fluid.

Is there a character or something about the plot that you like?
I'll be honest that I am not too into political plotlines, but the fantasy element is really getting to me. Uh, if I had to choose a favorite character, so far it would be Cyra (I love the name, by the way!) because I just lean towards playful characters in general, and his quote in his profile cracked me up. However, if it's in regards to appearance, then definitely Kyul or Raphael because I'm a sucker for long-haired people, haha.

Do you have any suggestions for someone who's making a VN for the first time?
My first and foremost advice is: don't push yourself. Making a solo-developed game is a lot of work (more than you might initially think). Letting ideas of dialogue and word choice flow into you instead of you searching for those is another one of my advice. It may take a while, but it will make your game more flowing, so to speak. Also, memorability of the routes, both writing and art wise. What makes a character unforgettable? Why should I hold this character dear in my heart? What contribution do they make in the overall story? What theme or message is this route trying to convey? Other than that, just enjoy yourself as you're creating it!

Is there anything you'd like to see or hope not to see in this game?
I'm okay with mature content. I just hope to see the story unfold and the art - you have a very beautiful art style! Fantasy romance is something that appeals to me as well, so that'll also be one of the reasons to play, even if it's a secondary element (I prefer it that way, I'd say). I like Kyul's androgynous appearance. I admittedly am a fan of femininity and androgyny in boys, haha. You know, people like Ranmaru Mori or Takenaka Hanbee from Sengoku Night Blood.
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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#6 Post by Zelan »

Saibraeus wrote: Sat Sep 30, 2017 2:45 pm@Zelan
Hello!
Thank you for your feedback.
I also enjoy characters with set personalities, and Kyul will definitely have one that's firmly cemented from the get go. It will change over the course of the story, naturally, but that was why I was concerned about names. Since he's already a character in his own right, I wasn't sure if people really liked that option. I know that I personally never change the preset names in any of the games I played, and I didn't want to add anything unnecessary that I didn't need.
But if you think it's a useful feature then I'll look into implementing it!

As for the issue of gender, that's part of my dilemma. The characters themselves are all very old characters of mine, including Kyul who has always been a boy first and foremost. I suppose I should just decide on whether I want more people to play it or be true to what I have.
Though I think those who prefer pure BxB games aren't particularly drawn to Kyul's design (he's very androgynous) so.... It's hard to please anyone, really. Haha!
I was kind of hoping he's androgynous enough that he can pass off as a girl or will only need minor edits in the CG art, but the coding will be an issue (I think). So you're definitely right, I'll take it into consideration.

Thank you very much! Noa's presence is so dwarfed by the others that I'm glad someone likes him. :' )

I'm actually a part of another group who's making their VN right now, so I've been dabbling around and doing some groundwork before I really get into it.
I was kind of hoping that the demo would be like a mini trial game for me, so I've been trying to keep it from branching off too terribly. Demos are usually singular routes with more limited choices, am I correct?
I wish I had a little more time, but I'll be finishing up university and gearing up to apply for my dream art school in about a year and a half. I'm hoping to finish this project in the time I have left, but if it becomes too much I'll definitely start at a more basic level like you suggested. Maybe I can make a mini one episode game with a few of the characters for practice.

Ah, as for the romance itself-- There will definitely be one or two kisses! Since love is such a strong driving or hindering force, romance will be a part of it but more as a supporting feature rather than front and center, that's all.
Looks like we have a similar taste in main characters! And yeah, I usually don't change the default name either but it seems like a great balance between nameable protagonists and a set name is just to have a default. It's not too hard to do with Ren'Py if you find the tutorial, I think. c:

The issue on feminine/androgynous and masculine MCs in BxB games is pretty divisive, I think. A lot of women who play them like the more feminine and submissive MC, whereas a lot of people, particularly gay men, who want a better representation for gay relationships in BxB games would like to see more masculine MCs. You're not necessarily 'wrong' if you use one or the other, but you will definitely appeal to somewhat different groups. (I should mention, though, that while Kyul looks more feminine he doesn't seem to act very submissive, so you might still get some fans from the group who normally dislikes feminine MCs.)

OK listen I love hellhounds and honestly those beautiful ears and that shadowy mist around him plus the A++++ personality like how could I not love Noa

Some people define demos differently, but the way I've always done so is that it's the beginning portion of a game, enough to let you get a taste of the story and be interested in it but much further than that. As such, there's technically no hard rule that a demo has less choices, but since common routes tend to be where you meet the characters and explore the world, there are usually less choices by default. c: Think of it like when you read a book and there's a sneak peek for the next one at the end - it'll give you a chapter or two to catch your interest.

Oh, wow, good luck at art school! :D I'll bet you can get a lot done before then, but if not, a smaller game with the same characters sounds cool. (This is also what some people will do instead of a traditional demo, so it's like getting two birds with one stone.)

Awesome. That's a good way to do romance, in my opinion.

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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#7 Post by Saibraeus »

@Runadial

Thank you so much for the advice!
I've had quite a bit of inspiration with this cast and I'm very familiar with them through roleplay, so I do have a lot of ideas coming to me naturally. I've taken your advice to heart though, and just let it rest some days when I'm not feeling it.
I'll definitely double check with my intentions/purpose for each scene/route while I'm going through the process. It's been pretty fun so far, nonetheless!

Ahh, you're one of the few and far between who likes androgynous boys then. I like writing them as my main character but I lean towards characters like Signum, so honestly I've been waffling on who to go with.

In the end I think I'll stick with Kyul and go ahead with this idea as a whole.

@Zelan
Oh, yes I'll definitely be implementing Kyul's name as the default when I go for the nameable protag route.
I honestly haven't opened up Renpy to mess around with yet but I should really do that soon..!

Kyul is definitely not a weak protagonist by any means. I actually made him with the idea of exploring a character who has to grapple with being too justified by his own power; but usually I guess as fans go, it's hard to say. Some might not like the deviation from troupes (knowing exactly what one is getting into), but after some consideration I think it's not something for me to worry about. Since it's a matter of taste, I'll stick to what I like personally.

I love hellhounds too!! Haha, there's not enough of them around.

Ohh, I see!
Thank you for your advice again! I'll probably work on this as a demo first in mind, and then if it picks up some interest I'll work on the full routes.

Thank you!
=======================================================

On another note, I've been doing a lot of writing as well as background roughs and Kyul's other hellhound roughs!

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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#8 Post by PMscenarios »

I'm not a big fan of high fantasy (as in about princes, nobles etc), but I'm interested in the pitch, especially the world, and I like the art.
I'm also in the group that prefers more masculine protags, or you could say I prefer playing the aggressor over the submitter, but I've never let the main character's design in itself stop me from a story.
You also seem to be putting less emphasis on the romance, which makes it even less of an issue. As long as he's not a door mat (and he doesn't read to be), I don't mind the protag.

Does it matter a lot whether the main character's name is changeable when they have a thoroughly set personality?
I don't care. What's important to me is that the protag is well-defined, there's a reason for his choices and he gets to have agency in his choices.

Kyul (as with all demons) is a shapeshifter, so theoretically I could also make this game GxB-- would having that option be a big deciding factor for your interest?
I'd be more skeptical with an otome pitch, since it often means the "boy option" is an afterthought or something put in to increase interest, but you're going the other way around, so..

Is there a character or something about the plot that you like?
I like Noa and Raphael, they seem interesting. I'm especially interested in the demon taming aspect - how that influences the society, how that world is built up, how are the demons treated? etc
And I'm interested in if you're inspired by the history of classification of demons and the hierarchy of hell, especially Michaelis' power hierarchy (I have been reading up on this for my own project).

Do you have any suggestions for someone who's making a VN for the first time?
it's a lot more work than you think, the juggling of roles is quite significant, and things you think are easy will be incredibly hard. Also, no matter how small scale you think you've narrowed it down to (you mentioned making a demo), it will still be way more work than you expected.
Remember a demo should be a slice of your game and give players an idea of what they will get - not just an intro.

Is there anything you'd like to see or hope not to see in this game?
(It will likely be a mature rated game though, just due to subject matter and the exploration of ethics. It's also not a very romance focused game.)
The big things for me are:
protag that's not a doormat, but aware of his own motivations, goals and reasoning
secondary characters that go beyond stereotypes (Sigma currently reads very standard bl/otome game "playboy" character) and that there's depth behind the curtain
I -hate- when the protag is defined as straight and then forced into a homosexual relation, like a lot of Nitro Chiral games do. The "I'm not gay but I guess I've come to like this person" is a scourge that needs to be eradicated.
It's fine if he rejects ppl, but don't make it bc of how they present. (this is more a general rant, not aimed at you, there was nothing that indicated you were pitching this)
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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#9 Post by Dovahkitteh »

Beautiful art and awesome premise. Really caught my eye ^^

Does it matter a lot whether the main character's name is changeable when they have a thoroughly set personality?
For me, no. If the character has a fairly strong personality to begin with, I find a changeable name to be a little weird more than anything. They may be the protagonist, but they're still a set character, like any other one in the game.

Kyul (as with all demons) is a shapeshifter, so theoretically I could also make this game GxB-- would having that option be a big deciding factor for your interest?
No. There are plenty of GxB games out there already. You certainly still could, if you wanted to take the time, but that also adds in the complication of extra art, dialogue changes, and in my opinion, different dynamics. I'd say focus on just BxB.

Is there a character or something about the plot that you like?
Raphael is flippin' gorgeous, and I like his cool, collected-sounding disposition. I'd definitely team up with him first :3

Do you have any suggestions for someone who's making a VN for the first time?
Don't let the scope creep out of hand, and don't take longer making it than necessary. Many creators (including myself) find their interest to wane in projects over time, even promising ones, as new ideas pop into your head for different games and concepts. Get it done to the point where you're satisfied with it, then move on; don't get stuck in a rut of always wanting it to be something more.

Is there anything you'd like to see or hope not to see in this game?
Sexy scenes... *shifty eyes*
More seriously, you set my hopes pretty high for character development by saying Kyul's going to have to break out of his shell and "Examine his personal life philosophy," so I'd expect to see him fairly different at the end of the game than at the beginning. Character development can be really satisfying if done right, so I'm hoping to see him really bloom into something interesting. ^^

I'm assuming each of the guys you listed will be a route? What % of the story is focused on romance as opposed to other drama?
Also, how long is the game going to be? Sorry if that was noted somewhere else, I didn't see it~
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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#10 Post by Helios »

This looks very promising. :) I agree with Dovah about Raphael, and the BxB issue; We already have plenty of otome games. You could use those resources elsewhere.

Also, you might be interested in asking one of the mods to move your thread out of the 'Idea' sub-thread to gain more exposure in the main 'Work in Progress' section.

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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#11 Post by Saibraeus »

@PMScenarios

Hello! Thank you for your interest even if it's not normally your cup of tea!
I think based on the other suggestions, I'll most likely be sticking to BXB. In all honesty I feel more comfortable writing it than GxB, haha. I wasn't aware that most games slotted in BXB as just an afterthought though.
It surprises me a bit, but maybe I've just hung out in circles where BXB is usually the norm so it's strange to realize it's not as popular as I'm used to.

I actually have not heard of Michaelis' power hierarchy, so I'll look it up shortly!
The power hierarchy in Kaios I've outlined more or less in detail in the beginning post, but I should mention that everyone below the lower ranks work either as servants bound to the nobles/princes or free vagabonds that have no voice or justice in the grand scheme (a bit like outlaws). Kaios itself is a demon realm though, so Kyul is definitely an oddity that I'm unsure if I properly conveyed. Hopefully a better sense of how everything works will be laid out in the game.
It's really quite hard for me to know how much to tell and how much to try and show instead. I think that's been my biggest challenge so far in writing this.

As far as the work goes, it certainly is! I finally started looking into the coding and... Whew, I might have to hire someone to do the more complicated stuff for me.
Same goes for writing! I know everyone warned me about the load but I feel like I have to add in a little more just to convey a little of what I didn't manage to get to.
Thankfully it's been a blast so far so I'm glad I started nonetheless. I'll definitely keep your advice in mind as I go through this.

Oh-- as far as Cyra (Sigma) goes, he's definitely more than what I have in his summary. Whether that's good or bad remains to be seen, however.
Actually, I think I might not have sold his original impression enough so I think I'll go back and work on that as I go progress on...

As for the protag, duly noted! Thank you for your feedback and guidance!


@Dovahkitteh
Thank you very much! I'm glad it sounds interesting to you.

Yes, it look as though I will be sticking to the BXB premise so thank you very much for weighing in on that.
Honestly, as I said above, I'm surprised that it sounds like there's comparatively very few of these games?

Raphael probably won't appear much in the demo from the looks of it, but I know for a fact he has a big part in the rest of the game so hopefully he'll deliver, haha.
To be honest his design and Signum's are probably my favouri..te.....

Thank you for the advice!
I've definitely been mildly battling the problem of having new ideas lately, but it's been fun writing it out so far.
I think your words will be super invaluable to me in the long run, especially when I think every creator gets into the mindset of "This sucks and I should just give up."-- I'll power through it and come to terms with what I end up with.
I've actually been hanging onto it while I've been writing lately. This is my first time actually writing a novel, so just writing what I can and going back through it later has been very helpful advice to keep things moving along.

As for what you'd like to see:
I did flirt with the idea of making an R18 game when I first made this, but I also wanted something presentable for my first game that I can show others. I might make a patch later on for it though-- perhaps when my anatomy gets better, hehe.

Yes, Kyul will definitely be changing quite a bit. Thank you for looking forward to it!

Each of the guys will be their own route if all things go according to plan, that's right (Though I think I'll be omitting one or two if I can find a way to do so naturally). I think if I had to put it down, I'd say about 30-40%? That might be a bit generous.
Love is a huge motivating factor for one of the characters, but love in itself is not something that's front and center. The story so far isn't focused on Kyul trying, thinking of, or even falling in love with anyone, but more as what might naturally progress as you carry down each route. I personally had some problems with some other VNs where the love feels very rushed and abrupt, and I want to both convey and pushback against the immediately feeling of limerence that's a trademark of most otome novels. As much as I love the idea of being head over heels in love with someone, I also want to be able to convey love in its different forms: from being stable through trust and comfort, whether the couple realizes it's happening or not, to being an impulsive need/want that's difficult to ignore, to being almost a terrifying thing in and of itself. If I can have my way without losing sight of the plot itself, I'd like to pick into a little bit of all of that when it comes to the romance of the game.

So in short, it's really hard to nail down a percentage! The romance is tied in with the drama, whether stemming from, guided, or altered by it.

No worries! I didn't write it down anywhere because I wasn't sure of the scope I was working with in the beginning. I'm very new to the VN scene and haven't played nearly as many a I should have so I wasn't sure what all the wordcounts mean.
At the moment I have around 10k words for the demo, so I wager the demo itself might be around 15-20k words. Adding together all the other routes, I'd say...
A lot, really. Maybe around 50-60k? I haven't nailed down completely what I plan to do after the main route so I'm not really shooting for a wordcount so much as I'm trying to get everything to flow into a natural story.

Oops, so much for keeping the scope in check. T__T''


@Helios
Thank you very much!
My interest really lies in BXB too so I'm not sure whether I'm glad there's few or nervous about that, haha.

Ah-- I considered it, but I'm also not sure if I'm fully committed to everything that I've written yet.
I'm definitely not committed to the graphics and a little iffy on the summary.

Either way, I'll note the mods when I'm a little more sure of what I have.
Thank you!
Oh-- I also love your username, hehe.

=================================================================

Not many visual updates this post because I've been doing a lot of writing and CG mockups (I'm not sure if people like seeing those for fear of potential spoilers?)
So here are some of Kyul's expressions instead~

Image

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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#12 Post by Zelan »

Woah, the middle one in the bottom row certainly looks... intense... it's a cool expression, though. ^_^

For CG previews, it's really up to you whether to show them (although I'm sure the people following this thread will have their opinions). Whether it's considered a spoiler really depends on how much it shows. Like if, say, there's a scene where Noa is badly injured and you draw a CG of the character bleeding out on the ground with Kyul desperately trying to tend to him - that gives away a very high-stakes part of the story, and you'd probably want to keep that to yourself. On the other hand, if there's a scene where Signum is talking with Kyul in an attempt to get Kyul on his side and you draw them talking, that'd be fine since we already know about that based on your summary. In fact, it probably wouldn't matter WHAT they were talking about, even if the subject is a huge spoiler, since all that we see is the two characters; we have no idea what they're talking about.

Like I said, though, some projects never show any CG previews, and that's fine too. ^_^ Whatever you want to do.

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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#13 Post by Helios »

Saibraeus wrote: Sun Oct 08, 2017 7:25 pm (I'm not sure if people like seeing those for fear of potential spoilers?)
You could always hide them using spoiler tags. That way people like me who like to avoid them can still browse the thread for staying up-to-date with the non-spoilery bits. Zelan makes a good point, too: it's better to not post CGs which are too revealing. That detracts from the emotional impact of seeing them for the first time in-game.

Also, about the username - Thanks. =)

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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#14 Post by Reinoka »

Wow, this project looks really amazing.

Does it matter a lot whether the main character's name is changeable when they have a thoroughly set personality?
It doesn't matter to me. There are other people who like it, but I don't think excluding it would affect their enjoyment of the game.
Personally, if I had a character with a set personality, I'd have the name unchangeable as well.

Kyul (as with all demons) is a shapeshifter, so theoretically I could also make this game GxB-- would having that option be a big deciding factor for your interest?
Once again, it doesn't matter to me. I play both GxB and BxB games, and I can also confirm that there really is many more GxB than BxB games out there.
From a creator's perspective, I guess it would be good to include more than one type of relationship as long as it made sense with the story and setting, but it's really not that necessary, especially taking in consideration the extra art, dialogue, ect. that would be required.

Is there a character or something about the plot that you like?
First off, the art is absolutely gorgeous. The character designs are especially well done, unique and beautiful. I like all of them, but I think Cyra is my personal favorite in both design and personality. I also really like the shadowy effect on Noa and Raphael's accessories.
I know some people have said that Kryul is too feminine, but honestly, I think he looks just fine. All of the guys are to some degree 'pretty', and Kryul is not a warrior but a noble and a magic user, so he would look more refined than a hellhound like Noa or someone who carries around multiple swords like Signum.
Anyway, as for the story, I really like the setting and how developed it seems to be. Also, I'm a big fan of stories that revolve around royalty/succession/rebellion, especially ones that include magical elements.

Do you have any suggestions for someone who's making a VN for the first time?
I haven't made a VN before, but I know it's a lot to take on, especially alone. If you ever find yourself unsure about a direction you're taking or something of the sort, don't be afraid to ask your friends or just anyone who is willing to listen.
Also, may I ask if you plan on making more VNs after this, assuming that everything goes well? I know it's probably too soon to ask, but I was just wondering because you seem to have a lot of talent.

Is there anything you'd like to see or hope not to see in this game?
(It will likely be a mature rated game though, just due to subject matter and the exploration of ethics. It's also not a very romance focused game.)

Well the characters are all very interesting, so I hope to see a lot of development with them. Also, based on the synopsis you gave us, I believe this game will have a branching plot, which would be really cool. I don't mind that it's not romance-focused, especially with the intriguing story, though I like at least a little romance. If there is some romance, which I'm assuming there is, may I ask if all the characters shown are pursuable?

Once again, I have to say that everything you've shown so far looks great. I'm really excited to see how this turns out.

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Re: Virtue Conflict ♦♦♦ [BxB] [Fantasy, drama]

#15 Post by Saibraeus »

@Zelan + Helios

Thank you for the input and advice!
I think I'll keep the CGs to myself as I think it works best to see it in the narrative as they appear. Even the mundane ones have an impact I'm going to try angling for so hopefully everyone can experience them the same way instead of in differing contexts T__T

@Reinoka
Thank you very much for your input and compliments aa ;__;

I think I'll most likely stick to BXB as this project is already getting a little out of han..d... ha..ha...

Also the point you brought up about Kyul is very true! He certainly isn't much of a melee type combatant and he's actually lot shorter than the main cast so that kind of adds to his whole support mage/healer mage archetype.
I hope I don't disappoint!

I'm actually going to be putting my all into this one project in the year and a half I have left before I seriously start working on my portfolio for art school. In a way, this will be a practice portfolio for me as I want to get into concept design which is essentially making a setting/story myself and showing my creative process in that.
If all goes well and I finish my portfolio, I do want to make some smaller games for fun perhaps one per summer vacation or something! But at the moment the only concrete plan is to make this one as good as I can as a testament to myself.
Thank you for the encouragement though T__T!! There's been talk with my girlfriend about a more lighthearted/comedy/shorter novel if we both finish our projects (She's working on another one with a big group while I'm doing mine solo)-- so it's not off the table!

As of the moment, all the characters except maybe Noa is romanceable.
Noa is kind of in a strange position in terms of character development-- I'd LIKE to make him a romanceable route but he's also very much tied as a supporting character to one of the others so it really depends how manageable everything is in the end!
And yes, this will be a branching game. At the moment there's three main routes (Cyra, Signum, Raphael) and then perhaps Noa as a shadow route if I'm not burnt out by the end of it.

Thank you for the support!

=============================================

On another note, the demo draft is done at around 12k words but I'll probably be editing because I haven't portrayed one of the characters as much as I'd like.
I'm not sure if that would actually help or hinder, to be honest-- Do people usually skip routes if they don't like the first impression of a character, or is it more common to finish for completeness' sake? Maybe it depends on how well the rest of the routes are written?

Writing wise, Signum's route is fully outlined and Raphael's is halfway there (Ending done though~)
Cyra I'm hitting a mild block with but I do have some plans for him. I'd say he's about 30% outline wise.

As for usual image updates:
Image

I'm only posting this one BG mockup but all of them are actually sketched out (10 for the demo alone, yikes) so all that remains is lining and polishing.
There's 14 CGs in this first bit alone (Maybe 13, and also half of them might be in more muted colours but that remains to be seen)
4 are sketched out so far~~

Aaaand lastly here are some demon seals!
Gold: Signum
Blue: Cyra
Purple: Raphael
Red: Kyul

Image


Kyul's motif is the red rose, as a small nod to my favourite historical family.

On another note, midterms is upon me so I apologize if my responses come even slower.
I try to post some kind of update with each post but it's getting down to where I've got to be more secretive now, heh.

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