Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

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Cinderspark
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Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

#1 Post by Cinderspark »

Overview

Reaching is a visual novel project wherein the player attempts to befriend a girl with clinical depression.

You'll be with her through bullying situations, highs, lows, and a bunch of other situations, and sometimes you'll need to know when it's time to just back off and leave her alone for a bit, because clinical depression is different from situational depression.
While this game will be made on Ren'py, this game will not be a dating sim. You can't date her. She doesn't magically get better and confess her love to you. All you're working for in this is to help her.

The point of this game is to look at depression from an outside eye. It should be remembered that every case of depression is different, and while this shouldn't be used as a guide, it may get you thinking.

Characters

Lyra:
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Our Female MC. Her personality will be shaped by your choices.
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Aria
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Aria is a lonely girl who suffers from clinical depression. She's sweet, and truly selfless, but has no self esteem and would rather make excuses for others than say they wronged her. She has no friends. Would you like to be the first she makes at this school?
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Kendall
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A punkish girl with a true zest for life. She lives with her father, her parents being divorced and her mother being a bit uh... constantly drunk...
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Lucas
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A very smart kid. He's recently realized that he's gay and wants to understand himself and those around him. He's very sweet, and always means the best, but sometimes he gets too caught up in himself to notice things that are going on around him.
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Adam
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A flirty nerd with a bit of a cruel sense of humor. He cares, but can be very abrasive. He values his friends a lot, and can often come on strong to anyone who doesn't know him very well.
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Minor Characters
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Mr. Applegate
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Mr. Applegate is the Psyche teacher. He's pretty cool, actually, and he always has a new fun project for us to work on. In exchange, though, he always expects a lot out of his students, and will not tolerate goofing off or slacking. Outside of class, he always puts in the extra effort with his students, and will gladly put in extra time to help them understand the material, or just chat with them about problems at home.

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Screenshots

ImageImage
ImageImage
ImageImage
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Team
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Assisted by Empish (Coding)
Me (Writing and scripting)
None Yet(Music and SFX)
Me (Sprite Art)
Me (Background Art)
Me... (GUI Art)
Me... (Concept Art, Editing)
Me... (Editing)

(yeah I need help...)


Planned Features

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Image145+ events, of which about 80 will be accessed during any one playthrough.

Image4 main characters to meet and understand, each of which have different wants, needs, problems, and more!


Image 3 Personality Modifiers

- Kind / Mean (How nice are you to the people around you? Are you the friend to everyone? The Bully?)
- Excitable / Calm (How levelheaded are you? Are you the life of the party, or the rock in the storm?)
- Curious / Apathetic (How often do you go out of your way to ask questions? Are you more likely to accept the easiest answer?)


Image 2 Life Variables

- Stress (How stressed out are you? Maybe you should take a personal day? Other things are sure to suffer if you don't rest.)
- School (Your family likes it when you're doing well in school, and it's the only way you'll make it to college!)


Image 6 Relationship Modifiers

- Kendall (Kendall has been there for you for a long time. She may not want to share! Are you paying attention to her?)
- Adam (Adam is loyal, but quick to see betrayal. Make sure he doesn't feel left out.)
- Luke (Luke will stay out of your way, but maybe you shouldn't let him?)
- Aria (Aria doesn't really know how to form connections. She stays in place unless you pull her forward with you. It's very easy to leave her behind.)
- Inclusion (How much is Aria a part of your group? Maybe she could help them while you help her?)
- Family (Your family loves you unconditionally. Almost. Maybe make sure they don't see a reason to... step in?)


Concepts I'm playing with, but will not be implemented for the demo

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ImageA "Friendless" Mode, which will remove all 'friend' options, and give you the ability to focus wholly on the other variables
ImageA second storyline wherein MC is a male. Of equal length to the female storyline, but with entirely different contents to each event.
Image A songless Mode, where you never meet Aria. What changes when she's not around?
Image "Challenge Codes" Where you can start the game off with alternate stats for an easier or harder experience. (Like starting off with -30 family stat, or having Aria actively dislike you with a -20 trust stat.)

Stats


Overall Progress: 22.4%
Writing: 48%
Sprites: 9%
BGs: 18%
CGs: 2%
GUI: 50%
Music: 15%
Programming: 15%

Stats as of
2/11/18 *12:09 AM*
The game contains 208 dialogue blocks, containing 2,473 words and 12,795
characters, for an average of 11.9 words and 62 characters per block.

The game contains 13 menus, 17 images, and 26 screens.
(No longer accurate, because I did a lot of stuff by hand. I'd say I have about 5k words of notes now finished, and ready to start coding for the first chapter.)

Music currently in use

Image scott buckley "Solstice" (Creative Commons)
Image scott buckley "Life Is" (Creative Commons)

My Questions to You!

ImageDo you have experience with depression or know someone who does?

ImageDo you like the characters?

ImageWould you play this game?

Image Are there any situations you'd like to see addressed specifically? (ie. what would happen if...)

ImageAny thoughts/concerns?
Last edited by Cinderspark on Wed Feb 14, 2018 11:53 pm, edited 20 times in total.
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Re: Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

#2 Post by Empish »

Glad to see you posting this!

I have depression myself, though it is well-controlled now. I did not have it during high school though, but developed it afterwards, so this will be interesting to me.

I do like the characters at first glance, though I'd need to know more to be sure.

I will definitely be playing this game once it's out. :]

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Re: Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

#3 Post by Cinderspark »

Thanks for replying! I know we were talking about it a bit on discord, but this helps pull it all together so you can see its scope a bit.

Hopefully this game will help people out a bit. I've had it most of my life, and it's something that weighs on you after a while, especially when it happens so early that you don't have a 'normal' to compare it to.

I'm gonna do my very best to do these characters justice!

And thanks! I'll do my best to finish it and put it out for you guys to play!
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Re: Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

#4 Post by gekiganwing »

Cinderspark wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2017 3:59 pmYou can't date her. She doesn't magically get better and confess her love to you. All you're working for in this is to help her.
That's an interesting point of difference. I like the "friendship only" angle, and I believe that for some people, it's a selling point. I think there are people who gravitate toward downbeat fiction which emphasizes a lack of escapism, commercial elements, cuteness, or romance.

One thing that worries me about this premise is darkness-induced audience apathy. That can happen if a story features a relentlessly dour world which seems beyond saving, or if a story has unpleasant / unsypathetic characters in major roles. How will your VN keep readers interested in how the characters deal with their problems?
Cinderspark wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2017 3:59 pmLyra: Our Female MC. Her personality will be shaped by your choices.
That's another interesting point of difference. How much input will the reader have in shaping Lyra's personality? Will more than a few choices have an obvious outcome? How many choices will be nebulous? Will there be any deceptive choices?
Cinderspark wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2017 3:59 pmDo you like the characters?
How much will people such as Kendall and Lucas contribute to the plot? What are their goals?
Cinderspark wrote: Thu Dec 28, 2017 3:59 pmAny thoughts/concerns?
A small worry: what will help prevent this story from seeming like just another after school special?
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Re: Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

#5 Post by Cinderspark »

gekiganwing wrote: Sun Dec 31, 2017 3:34 pmOne thing that worries me about this premise is darkness-induced audience apathy. That can happen if a story features a relentlessly dour world which seems beyond saving, or if a story has unpleasant / unsypathetic characters in major roles. How will your VN keep readers interested in how the characters deal with their problems?
Even though the characters each have their own unique problems, the world they're in is as vibrant as our own. They have fun, together, as friends. Life is hard, but it's not hopeless.
gekiganwing wrote: Sun Dec 31, 2017 3:34 pm That's another interesting point of difference. How much input will the reader have in shaping Lyra's personality? Will more than a few choices have an obvious outcome? How many choices will be nebulous? Will there be any deceptive choices?
There are two variables which will give extra options to each of the 140+ 'events' in the story (many of which, you will have to play again to find). The variables are "Kind/abrasive" and "Excited/dismissive" which each change the way your character is able to react to things, as well as an 'understanding' stat where if your character puts in the effort to understand Aria and her other friends, she will be able to interact with them better, and the player will get more information about their unique situations.
gekiganwing wrote: Sun Dec 31, 2017 3:34 pm How much will people such as Kendall and Lucas contribute to the plot? What are their goals?
Kendall, Lucas, and Adam are each as vibrant as Aria herself, and while the story IS about befriending Aria, that doesn't mean the other characters go by the wayside. You'll have to balance bringing her into the fold with taking care of each of your other friends.
gekiganwing wrote: Sun Dec 31, 2017 3:34 pm A small worry: what will help prevent this story from seeming like just another after school special?
I'm hoping that the player will be forced to feel for each of the characters, or not, by way of their actions. Replayability is important, as I said before, so the hope is that the player will try several different ways to see everything the game has to offer.
It'll be different because it's MY story, but who can be sure until it gets a bit further along?
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Re: Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

#6 Post by Cinderspark »

If you haven't been checking in, there have been a LOT of updates in the thread. I'll be adding the update logs to the comments from now on though!
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Re: Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

#7 Post by Cinderspark »

Finished 2/110 events. Gonna take a while, and there's not much I can share to the thread, but still making some progress.
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Re: Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

#8 Post by arty »

Ooo I'm very interested in this. It's nice to see a game about this topic, and especially one that won't force the idea of "curing" the illness with love on the player.
As for the questions ...

Do you have experience with depression or know someone who does?
Ahahah well ....... thumbsup, lying on the floor facedown

Do you like the characters?
Hard to tell from their (short-ish) descriptions alone. They seem to be a diverse bunch and have the potential to be interesting, but it will depend on how much and what development they'll get. They don't look awfully stereotypical, which is a good start, I think. Also keep in mind that a well-developed character doesn't necessarily need to be liked. Any kind of emotional response to a character, even if it's intense dislike, is a sign of you being on the right path.

Would you play this game?
Definitely would give it a try.

Are there any situations you'd like to see addressed specifically? (ie. what would happen if...)
I don't know if you have anything of the sort planned, if you do then ignore this please, but I think it would add to the experience greatly if you also show the "uglier" sides of depression - the things they don't talk about in those well-intended positivity speeches. Telling them you can't hang out; knowing you didn't shower for three days; lashing out at the people who just want to help; the list goes on! Which leads me to the next question ...

Any thoughts/concerns?
From her description, Aria gives off the impression of a character who is sweet and kind always, and that makes her come across as somewhat romanticized. I have no doubt that there are depressed people who are like that. And of course I don't know what you didn't mention. Maybe I'm getting a wrong impression. But keep in mind that there are stereotypes at both ends of the spectrum, and both can be harmful.
Also, what exactly will be the goal/end of the game? It sounds like you have a lot of content planned, and you know what isn't the goal (dating/curing), but from your text I can't tell what we'll be working towards as a player instead. What will keep us engaged? What will motivate us to help Aria, to care about her in the first place? These are my questions.

In any case, I'm looking forward to following the development of this game!

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Re: Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

#9 Post by Cinderspark »

arty wrote: Fri Jan 26, 2018 3:17 am
Do you have experience with depression or know someone who does?
Ahahah well ....... thumbsup, lying on the floor facedown
I feel that, my friend. It's part of why it's taking me so long to get anything done. T-T
arty wrote: Fri Jan 26, 2018 3:17 am Do you like the characters?
Hard to tell from their (short-ish) descriptions alone. They seem to be a diverse bunch and have the potential to be interesting, but it will depend on how much and what development they'll get. They don't look awfully stereotypical, which is a good start, I think. Also keep in mind that a well-developed character doesn't necessarily need to be liked. Any kind of emotional response to a character, even if it's intense dislike, is a sign of you being on the right path.
I'm glad you like what you've been able to see of the characters so far! I'm gonna do my very best to make them realistic, and that comes with both good and bad aspects of each.
arty wrote: Fri Jan 26, 2018 3:17 am Are there any situations you'd like to see addressed specifically? (ie. what would happen if...)
I don't know if you have anything of the sort planned, if you do then ignore this please, but I think it would add to the experience greatly if you also show the "uglier" sides of depression - the things they don't talk about in those well-intended positivity speeches. Telling them you can't hang out; knowing you didn't shower for three days; lashing out at the people who just want to help; the list goes on! Which leads me to the next question ...
Oh I have strong plans to incorporate stuff like that, don't you worry.
arty wrote: Fri Jan 26, 2018 3:17 am Any thoughts/concerns?
From her description, Aria gives off the impression of a character who is sweet and kind always, and that makes her come across as somewhat romanticized. I have no doubt that there are depressed people who are like that. And of course I don't know what you didn't mention. Maybe I'm getting a wrong impression. But keep in mind that there are stereotypes at both ends of the spectrum, and both can be harmful.
Aria is very much the sort of person who is kind and tolerant and amazing as a friend.... when she has the energy for it. What that means is that there are a lot of things that she neglects about herself for the sake of her friends. She will put herself aside, her feelings, her exhaustion, if it will mean she can support those she cares about. I don't want to spoil too much, but that will become increasingly apparent throughout the story.
arty wrote: Fri Jan 26, 2018 3:17 am Also, what exactly will be the goal/end of the game? It sounds like you have a lot of content planned, and you know what isn't the goal (dating/curing), but from your text I can't tell what we'll be working towards as a player instead. What will keep us engaged? What will motivate us to help Aria, to care about her in the first place? These are my questions.
From the way I'm setting it up currently, the goal is mostly to decide how much you care about her actually. You have other friends with other problems, and Aria will often seem like the least immediate problem. How much you want to be her friend, and how much you want to get to know her, even how much you want her to be integrated into your group, is all up to you by the choices you make.
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Re: Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

#10 Post by arty »

Cinderspark wrote: Sun Jan 28, 2018 1:10 pm ....
Alright, all of that sounds very promising then. My concerns have been dispersed! I'm looking forward to seeing more updates. :D

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Re: Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

#11 Post by Cinderspark »

**UPDATE**

Planned out the story arc for Aria, and conceptualized the one for Adam. Next is lucas. Will fuse them all together and see what can be added when all of them are finished. After that, I can actually start planning all of the events properly.
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Re: Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

#12 Post by Cinderspark »

**Update**

Week one and two fully planned and ready for coding. Week three will progress as soon as I am able.
These three weeks, consisting of, in themselves, over 9 different events, will be the first 'chapter', and will be the extent of the demo. Once I've finished all three weeks, and finished the placeholder art for them, I will be able to release a 'story demo'.
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Re: Reaching [nonrom] [heavy topic]

#13 Post by Cinderspark »

**Update**
Made updates to the traits, and added an image of Lyra.
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