Picture Perfect Romance is a GxB visual novel centered around friendship, romance, and celebrity themes with a dash of comedy.
Genres: Friendship, Comedy, Romance (GxB), Slice-of-Life, Adventure
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Mild language, suggestive themes, depictions or mentions of alcohol and other content that may be unsuitable for children.
Kara Devara has been devoted her life to two pursuits—becoming famous and making her family proud. After moving to the big city as a teenager, she was sure her ambitions would eventually put her on the same level as the A-List celebrities who inspired her in the first place. However, it turns out that becoming famous is not easy, and she will need to resort to drastic measures to rise to the top. Kara soon finds out that fame comes with a price and is nothing like she imagined.
STORY BRANCHING
The game will be divided into two main sections: a common route, followed by one of four character routes determined based on the choices made during the first part of the game. Each character route will have its own original story, events, endings, and unique characters that may not appear in other routes.
MAIN CAST
Face reveals for the main cast are scheduled for the coming months. Currently, only Zene, Jerri, and Kara have shown their faces to the public. Stay tuned for the remaining two!
Kara Devara
Age: 22
Height: 5'6" (167 cm)
Occupation: Actress, Model
Personality: Optimistic, Determined, Friendly, Honest, Active, Dependent
Hobbies: Exercising, watching home renovation shows, movies, & conspiracy theory videos
Background: Kara has always had an upbeat personality, developing a passion for movies and the arts at a young age. Although she began her career as a children's fashion model, she eventually developed an interest in acting after meeting famous movie director, Felixx Tran. Her parents have been nothing short of supportive of her ambitions, moving to the big city to bring her dreams to life. However, most of her work consists of sports and fashion modeling, with few opportunities for acting, not to mention her work has breeded a lonely lifestyle. Compounded with a history of being taken advantage of, Kara is beginning to lose hope in ever making it big and finding friends who truly care about her.
Zene Moon
Age: 21
Height: 5'11" (182 cm)
Occupation: Actor
Personality: Reserved, Gentle, Compassionate, Introspective, Independent, Critical
Hobbies: Cooking, art appreciation, enjoying nature, watching cat videos & home renovation shows
Background: Zene is a member of the illustrious Moon family, one of the few remaining modern-day dynasties with a powerful grip on politics and the economy. Despite his elite status, Zene is down-to-earth, preferring to spend his free time with his family, cooking, and enjoying art and nature. He is well-known in the industry for his good manners and expressive acting, which is a stark contrast from his usually calm temperament. Reserved by nature, there is little the public really knows about the man, and he will only open to his heart to those who he truly connects with.
Jerri Liun
Age: 20
Height: 5'11" (182 cm)
Occupation: Idol, Re:Vamp Member, TV Personality
Personality: Imaginative, Adventurous, Talkative, Impatient, Bold, Impulsive
Hobbies: Singing, dancing, video games, makeup, saving memes, watching sci-fi movies, taking selfies
Background: Jerri is one of the most famous celebrities in the world, being the center of the boy band, Re:Vamp, and star of his family's hit reality TV show, "Liun Dynasty". With his good looks, spontaneous personality, and passionate fanbase, Jerri has crowned himself as the king of social media and its latest fads. Jerri is constantly seeking adventure and goes at his own pace, even if it means dealing with the consequences later. Behind Jerri's extravagance is the overwhelming desire to find another person on the same frequency as him.
Nate Roserenos
Age: 27
Height: 5'11" (182 cm)
Occupation: Fashion Designer, Nateural CEO, Model
Personality: Laidback, Witty, Loyal, Passionate, Empathetic, Boastful
Hobbies: Designing, traveling, fine dining, napping, philanthropy & activism, racing, telling tall tales
Background: As the CEO and founder of eco-friendly fashion brand, Nateural, Nate is nothing short of rich, successful, and hardworking. Nateural's profits go directly towards environmental causes, so Nate earns a living solely through sponsors, investments, and modeling. He spends most of his time traveling for work, and thus, has many exciting stories to tell. On the rare occasion he is off the job, he prefers the comfort of mid-afternoon naps and nights on the racetrack. With a carefree, flirtatious, and doting personality, Nate can charm his way into just about anyone's heart but still keeps his well-guarded.
Vin Nadyatkhul
Age: 24
Height: 5'8" (172 cm)
Occupation: Musician, Composer, Songwriter, Author
Personality: Selfless, Forgiving, Thoughtful, Curious, Analytical, Passive
Hobbies: Reading novels & manga, journaling, collecting vinyl records & music memorabilia
Background: Vin is known as one of the greatest talents in the music industry. However, there is little to no information about him available to the public. His anonymous reputation has caused quite a buzz, as even those who have worked with him do not know what he looks like. Those who know him are aware that he constantly puts the needs of others before his own, especially his three younger siblings, who he mostly raised on his own. He often finds himself feeling imbalanced because of his tendency to be clumsy and forgetful, as well as his conflicting worries about the future.
MINOR CAST
Airic Pham
Age: 52
Occupation: Kara's Manager
Personality: Serious, Strategic, Loyal, Determined, Resourceful, Strict
Background: Airic was once the manager to a very famous actress at a big agency, but after unforeseen circumstances, he quit his job. Many years later, he returned to the entertainment industry and ended up becoming Kara's manager. With a naturally serious, strategic, and slightly nagging personality, he balances Kara's quirky one, sometimes at his own expense.
Mr. and Mrs. Devara
Age: 50s
Occupation: Coffee Shop Owners
Personality: Dependable, Nurturing, Patient, Kind, Easygoing, Concerned
Background: Kara's loving parents, Mr. and Mrs. Devara, recently quit their jobs to follow their long-time dream of opening a coffee shop together. The two have been supportive of Kara's ambitions from the start, relocating from the suburbs to the big city over a decade ago and working extra hours just to make their daughter's dreams possible.
Hira Liun
Age: 42
Occupation: Veteran Actress, TV Personality, Model
Personality: Confident, Knowledgeable, Observant, Clever, Resourceful, Assertive
Background: Hira Liun is a beautiful, well-renowned actress and the mother of Jerri Liun. Because of her scandalous past and her family's presence in the entertainment industry, the Liuns are constantly targets of the media. Many look up to Hira because of her rags-to-riches success story, but she continues to face criticism from the public because of her past.
Felixx Tran
Age: 32
Occupation: Movie Director, Producer, Screenwriter
Personality: Charming, Intuitive, Observant, Adventurous, Well-Spoken
Background: Felixx is one of the most talented horror and sci-fi creators in the film industry, having directed, written, and produced many successful titles at his young age. Many believe he is leading horror and sci-fi films into a golden age. Because of his charming looks and talent, he has developed a loyal fanbase of which Kara belongs to. However, his true colors are much different than what meets the eye.
Fae Franz
Age: 24
Occupation: Blogger, Actress
Personality: Outgoing, Upbeat, Creative, Intelligent, Determined, Sensitive
Background: Fae is Kara's childhood friend. The two went their separate ways when Kara was starting off in the entertainment industry, and it was not until recently that they rekindled their friendship. Fae is outgoing and angelic, although she can hold grudges and be sensitive when it comes to her acting. Fae's unstable career has led to her primarily working as a blogger, but she is fiercely determined to become a famous actress.
Zeco Vant
Age: 29
Occupation: Musical Actor
Personality: Quiet, Proud, Resourceful, Loyal, Uninterested, Moody
Background: Zeco is Fae's long-time boyfriend and musical actor. His father is a playwright, and his mother is a costume designer. Fae often complains about his lavish spending habits, claiming she wished he used that money on her instead. Despite his suave and charming persona on stage, he is reserved and hardly speaks to Kara when he spends time with the two women.
EXTRAS
Kion Akiba
Rios Akiba
Mino
Fluffy
Mr. Moon
Rei Sun
Helios
Kaira
Kleo, June, and Dani
…and many more!
Spring 2021 in Arcrose City, Kalroze
LOCATIONS
These are the primary locations that Picture Perfect Romance takes place in:
Kalroze
Kalroze is the largest and most diverse country in the world, being the center for business, education, and entertainment. It is modern-day country with an abundance of natural scenery amidst urban settlements. The western portion of the country borders the ocean, providing access to travel and trade destinations in the Pearl Nations and neighboring countries. Kalrozians, particularly those located in the west, enjoy a high standard of living at an affordable cost.
Arcrose City
Arcrose City is the capital of Kalroze and is located on the country’s western coast. It is home to the largest business and entertainment districts in the world, as well as one of its most elite institutions—Kalroze National University (KalNU). The bustling city’s proximity to the ocean, and the mountainous Ever Woods makes it an ideal location for tourism and a diverse population.
The Union District
The heart of Arcrose City, where the biggest shopping centers, major businesses, and events are located. Most buildings here are high-rise, with some featuring skywalks for convenient travel.
Petal Palace Apartments
An apartment complex located near the Union District, home to Kara and her manager. Although not luxurious, it is modern and comfortable, featuring its own indoor gym and cafeteria.
Arcrose Residences
A luxurious and highly-secured gated community in the hills of eastern Arcrose City, which houses some of the wealthiest people in the country. People residing there include: the elite Moon, Liun, Han, and Murai families, political officials, and business owners. Very few are permitted through its gates and must receive written approval from at least three homeowners within the Residences to enter.
Vin's Music Studio
Vin's music studio, which he privately rented from a building in the outskirts of the Union District. Vin spends most of his time there with a cup of coffee and his favorite book collection.
Re:Vamp Dorms
The spacious flat belonging to the 5-member boy band, Re:Vamp. The dorms are usually empty because the group is busy, but it becomes lively when everyone is home.
Coffee Planet
Mr. and Mrs. Devara’s organic coffee shop-bookstore fusion, which they opened a few months prior to the events in Picture Perfect Romance’s storyline.
The High Society
An elite and formal club where only A-List celebrities and wealthy people gather for socializing purposes. There, they can enjoy fine dining, shows, and more. The existence of the High Society is kept a secret from everyone but its exclusive members.
Villa de Roserenos
The luxurious and private villa that Nate and his three-generation large family reside in. It is located at the southernmost edge of the Ever Moor mountain range, where it overlooks the ocean and Arcrose City. It is surrounded on its other sides by Ever Woods, which occasionally invites local animals into the villa's gates.
Ever Woods
Ever Woods is the forest surrounded the Ever Moor mountain range, which borders the east and south of Arcrose City and continues to the northeastern region of Kalroze. The woods are known to be dense and are highly-protected, conserved areas.
Petal Walk
Petal Walk is a large public park located at the base of the Ever Moor mountain range. It is a common site for kite-flying, dog-walking, and children's birthday parties. Because it is lightly forested, it often invites wildlife.
The gameplay will consist of a traditional VN format with choices that affect routes, affection meters, and story branching. There will also be the inclusion of timed choices and features such as a simple social media and messaging systems, as well as possible point-and-click events to create a more interactive and personalized gameplay experience.
Here are examples of what the social media or messaging system could resemble:
Messages from Mrs. Devara:
Hello! My name is Ren, and I am the creator and co-director of Picture Perfect Romance, hereby referred to as PPR. PPR has been in the works for a few years now, undergoing many changes to become the project that it is now. As a result, we have made the decision to completely scrap the original scripts and content to start over as a commercial project.
With our current timeline, the demo is projected for a release in late fall to early winter of this year. The sprites are scheduled to be completed by the end of June, and we have already gotten a head start with an outline for the new common route and programming features for the game, including a customized title screen, stats page, and more!
On the other hand, the anticipated release for the full game is in late 2020 to early 2021, with an estimated 20k+ words per route. That totals to approximately 120k words for the entire game with the possibility of additional content.
There is also the possibility of a Kickstarter to add more features and content, such as special character art and event stories. The base cost of the game (common route and 4 routes) is estimated to be around $4.99-$6.99, though the demo (common route) will be released for free.
Here is a loose schedule of updates/events for the next coming months:
May 2019 - Kara Character Reveal, Status Updates
June 2019 - Nate Character Reveal, Status Updates
July 2019 - Vin Character Reveal, Demo Previews, Status Updates
The official itch.io page will be posted around July-August, depending on the status of completion for the demo.
- Game Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- 10 - 12 Hours of Gameplay
- Customizable MC Name
- Original Character Art & Soundtracks
- 4 Main Routes
- Multiple Story Branches
- In-Game Social Media & Messaging Feature
- 120,000+ words of content
- 12+ Endings
Outlining: 50%
Writing: --
Editing: --
Sprites: 50%
CGs: --
Music: --
Programming: 5%
GUI: 10%
Beta Testing: --
The details will be revealed in a later update!
Directing, Writing, Editing, Narrative Design, GUI, Misc. Art Assets: Renkka
Co-Directing, Narrative Design, Concept Art: Weslee Mok
Character Art: YuukiPudding
Programming, Editing, Animation: Ende
Music/SFX: Jeff Penny
Quality Assurance: Ende, Weslee Mok
Special Thanks To: Jeff Penny (Music/SFX), IronForPistons (Editing/Idea Bouncing), Invierno (Idea Bouncing), Twig (Editing), Lunaterra (Editing), Metatype (Proofreading), Red-Baby (Chibi Art)
Follow Crystal Compass on Twitter and itch.io to stay updated with the latest news about our releases! Support us on Patreon for access to exclusive news and updates, including art and script previews!
Twitter: @crycomgames
Itch.io: crycomgames
Patreon: Crystal Compass
- What are your thoughts on the story?
- Which characters interest you the most and why?
- What features would you like to see in the game?