Best Friends Forever [GxB/GxG][Fantasy/School] DEMO 2 NOW UP

Post demo and beta versions of your game here for testing.
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
blackcross12
Regular
Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 11:00 am
Completed: The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, The Rose of Segunda, Homecoming, Heaven's Grave,
Projects: Best Friends Forever [IP], The Thorns of War [IP], Rise of the Phoenix [IP]
Organization: Blackcross & Taylor
Tumblr: blackcross-taylor
itch: blackcrosstaylor
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Best Friends Forever [GxB/GxG][Fantasy/School] DEMO 2 NOW UP

#1 Post by blackcross12 »

Image
Set in their second year at the exclusive private school, Gainsford Abbey, the story follows four months in the lives of two school girls.
Saffron* and Melody have been best friends since middle school, but when a tragic accident seems set to part them forever, it’s time to find out what true friendship really takes.

*(protagonist – name can be changed)

for more details please visit viewtopic.php?f=43&t=32103
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Hello all

I’m so happy to present Demo 2 of ‘Best Friends Forever’ (even if it is a little later than planned due me having to reduce the original file size from half a gig >_<)

Windows: http://bit.ly/2u7DFIh

Mac: http://bit.ly/2tXJ4kD

This demo is much longer than Demo 1 and covers the first two weeks of school (as opposed to the first two days in the Demo 1). Being longer, it gives a better grounding for the story as well as an example of the standard gameplay and many more encounters with the characters.

I’m not sure how long it will take to play, but the stats are as follows:

The game contains 2,106 dialogue blocks, containing 28,675 words and 152,697 characters, for an average of 13.6 words and 73 characters per block.

The game contains 33 menus, 800 images, and 17 screens.

So considering the number of choices you can make, there is a bit of replay value there, too, for anyone who wants to get all the encounters/conversations. ^_^


Feedback would be very welcome, specifically…

How did you feel the story handled the themes it presented?

Which character did you like the most/least and why?

Were there any parts you found jarring/confusing/just plain rubbish?

Were there any parts you particularly enjoyed or struck a chord with you?


Okay, well, I don’t have much more to add here. Now this demo is released, I’ll be spending the next few months finishing off writing/coding the character routes while ayachin works on the CGs. It’s too early yet to give a release date, but I’ll keep everyone posted.

Thanks for reading

Blackcross
Attachments
promo1.png
SS1.jpg
schoolshot1.jpg
Last edited by blackcross12 on Mon Jul 10, 2017 4:06 am, edited 4 times in total.
ImageImageImageImageImage

User avatar
robovelociraptor
Regular
Posts: 91
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2016 8:59 am
Deviantart: robovelociraptor
Location: USA
Contact:

Re: Best Friends Forever [GxB/GxG][Fantasy/School-Life] DEMO

#2 Post by robovelociraptor »

What did you think of the premise?
I had a feeling someone was going to die/get seriously injured, but I definitely wasn't expecting it to be Saffron! Props to you for that surprise.
I like the idea of the player being able to influence not just Saffron's actions, but Melody's as well. I'm curious as to how that will work considering the circumstances, though I have some guesses!

What did you think of the writing/art?
I really loved both!

Some specifics:
The title screen and title are just perfect for the game, and after you finish the demo... ugh feels.
I love the starting sequence with the car going over hills! It's a small thing, but I think it adds a lot.
The writing for when Saffron really starts to think about what it means to be dead is great! I think you really captured what someone would actually be thinking in that situation.
Was there anything in the writing/graphics/music/sound-effects you found poorly depicted or jarring?
Nah.

Which character(s) did you like/dislike and why?
Saffron is probably my favorite character so far. She's a very strong MC, and and I find her to be both relatable and likeable.
The only character I really disliked was Rex (yes, even more than the bullies), since it seems like he really is just trying to sleep with Melody.

Are you looking forward to playing more?
Yeah! This demo, while short, has definitely got me intrigued. I look forward to seeing (a) future demo(s)!

User avatar
blackcross12
Regular
Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 11:00 am
Completed: The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, The Rose of Segunda, Homecoming, Heaven's Grave,
Projects: Best Friends Forever [IP], The Thorns of War [IP], Rise of the Phoenix [IP]
Organization: Blackcross & Taylor
Tumblr: blackcross-taylor
itch: blackcrosstaylor
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Best Friends Forever [GxB/GxG][Fantasy/School-Life] DEMO

#3 Post by blackcross12 »

@robovelociraptor

Ah, thanks for taking the time to play and leave feedback - I'm so happy you enjoyed it.

I'm glad, too, that you liked the MC - I was a little worried she might come across as a bit 'spicy'. ^_^

Well, I'm looking to have the second (and final) demo, with a much longer playtime, out near the end of July, so I hope you will stay tuned for that.

Thanks again

Blackcross
ImageImageImageImageImage

User avatar
Limabaen
Regular
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2016 1:26 am
Location: Australia
Contact:

Re: Best Friends Forever [GxB/GxG][Fantasy/School-Life] DEMO

#4 Post by Limabaen »

I love games where the emphasis is put on female friendships rather than romance, so I was pretty excited to try this. Wasn't disappointed, the quality is fantastic! Here's some answers to your questions.

What did you think of the premise?
Started off pretty generic, but still cute. But after
Saffron died
I got way more into the story- too bad there demo ends there!

What did you think of the writing/art?
Both were great. The characters have distinct voices and personalities, and I could tell who was speaking at any given moment through the dialogue. I would say they seem a little cliche in terms of archetypes, but considering the premise, I know that they'll be developed more in the full game.

Was there anything in the writing/graphics/music/sound-effects you found poorly depicted or jarring?
The font colour for the choice text is way too light; I couldn't read it until I moused over it. Also the text on the start menu is a bit hard to read, it just kinda blends into the background cg. Apart from that, I don't really have any problems

Which character(s) did you like/dislike and why?
The obvious choices. I loved Saffron as a protagonist. Sophie and Rex were my least favourites, though I think that's expected. I found Melody a bit bland, but she hasn't really had time to develop. Kara was irritating in a good way.
The only problem I have is with Marcus. I notice he's meant to be a character of asian heritage... he seems to embody every asian educational stereotype (emotionally constipated, good grades, glasses, violin, high achiever etc).
In the grand scheme of things it's a non-issue, but as someone who's been the subject of this kind of profiling by my (very white) classmates, it kinda leaves a bad taste in my mouth. If it were up to me, I'd change his heritage because frankly no representation is better than tokenised representation.
Also, his name is misspelt in the cafeteria once as Macrus (or something similar).

Are you looking forward to playing more?
Looking forwards to how everything plays out! I get the feeling it's going to be quite tragic but I hope there's some way for Saffron to get a happy ending bittersweet endings break my heart

User avatar
blackcross12
Regular
Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 11:00 am
Completed: The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, The Rose of Segunda, Homecoming, Heaven's Grave,
Projects: Best Friends Forever [IP], The Thorns of War [IP], Rise of the Phoenix [IP]
Organization: Blackcross & Taylor
Tumblr: blackcross-taylor
itch: blackcrosstaylor
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Best Friends Forever [GxB/GxG][Fantasy/School-Life] DEMO

#5 Post by blackcross12 »

@Limabaen

Thanks for playing the demo and letting me know what you think.

I do worry that you may end up a bit disappointed though. There are still plenty of scenes involving the girls and their friendship running through the game, but if I were honest I would say it does become more romanced-focused once you reach the game proper. Though that said, there is friendship ending if you don't want to do any of the romances.
But perhaps the second demo will give you a better idea of whether this game is for you or not. ^_^

Sorry you found the GUI a little difficult to use, I will be creating a new one from scratch for the second demo, so, hopefully, that one will be much better and more suited to the game.

Hmm, as for Marcus – it’s a bit tricky. I certainly didn’t include him as tokenism and I knew when I was writing him (at least in the early scenes) that he can come across as rather stereotypical. He is actually loosely based on a friend of mine I knew at school (Dominic – brought me a copy of Teken3 back from Hong Kong after the summer holidays *sigh* Such a sweetheart.), and there is more to his character which I think could help with the view you may have of him now. I don’t know how much of it there is to see in the second demo, but I hope he will begin to come across as a more rounded character in any case. Oh, and thanks for catching the typo - I'll get that corrected.

“bittersweet endings break my heart”
I’m probably unpopular for saying this, but stuff bittersweet endings! Go happy or go home! ^_^
That said, depending on how you play the game, a bittersweet ending is definitely an option - I mean, from that beginning, it’s never going to super happy.

Well, thanks again for playing and I hope you enjoy the second demo if you play it

Blackcross
ImageImageImageImageImage

User avatar
Loppipon
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2016 10:15 am
Deviantart: loppipon
Location: Philippines
Contact:

Re: Best Friends Forever [GxB/GxG][Fantasy/School-Life] DEMO

#6 Post by Loppipon »

What did you think of the premise?
It's quite interesting... it piqued my interests the most at the moment where she became a ghost!

What did you think of the writing/art?

The writing is eloquent enough for me to understand what's going on of the events. The CGs and the backgrounds lets me feel where and what setting the characters are currently in. The sprites are expressive and the art quality is very ok to me >:3c

Was there anything in the writing/graphics/music/sound-effects you found poorly depicted or jarring?

The UI in the main menu texts isn't clear enough due to the backgrounds also having texts. It isn't noticeable in my part and I was having a hard time finding the clickable options.

The texts of the menu bar in-game is small and wasn't clear at some parts. I couldn't read them properly even if I hover my mouse over the texts because of the background overpowering it.

Image

Which character(s) did you like/dislike and why?

I like ghosty boy Lance. Maybe it just piqued my interests of him being a ghost who've died sleeping? He seems quite helpful too. I also like the heroine for her protective attitude with her best friend. There isn't much of a dislike of what I see in the characters... I can't say that the school bully would be dislikeable as she fills up the role of it quite well.

Are you looking forward to playing more?

With how much I've been hyped about this twist on an early stage I think I may want to look forward on how it ends.

User avatar
blackcross12
Regular
Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 11:00 am
Completed: The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, The Rose of Segunda, Homecoming, Heaven's Grave,
Projects: Best Friends Forever [IP], The Thorns of War [IP], Rise of the Phoenix [IP]
Organization: Blackcross & Taylor
Tumblr: blackcross-taylor
itch: blackcrosstaylor
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Best Friends Forever [GxB/GxG][Fantasy/School-Life] DEMO

#7 Post by blackcross12 »

@ Loppipon

Thanks for playing and taking the time to leave some feedback; I’m glad the demo piqued your interest.

Yes, I think the UI is giving a few people trouble. I was planning to overhaul it for the second demo, but I wonder if I won’t just do something tonight to make it easier to read and re-upload the demo – sorry, that won’t help you though.

Ah, I’m glad you like Lance (he’s one of my favourites) - I’m looking forward to introducing the other ghost characters, as well. ^_^

Thanks again for the feedback

Blackcross
ImageImageImageImageImage

txqina
Regular
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2016 8:02 pm
Contact:

Re: Best Friends Forever [GxB/GxG][Fantasy/School-Life] DEMO

#8 Post by txqina »

Well, that outcome for Saffron wasn't what I was expecting! It does set up the potential for an interesting story though, as the situation for the MC is quite different to the norm. I will try out the full game when it's available.

RetroLiving
Newbie
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2017 7:41 am
Contact:

Re: Best Friends Forever [GxB/GxG][Fantasy/School-Life] DEMO

#9 Post by RetroLiving »

short as shit man for demo make it longer

User avatar
blackcross12
Regular
Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 11:00 am
Completed: The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, The Rose of Segunda, Homecoming, Heaven's Grave,
Projects: Best Friends Forever [IP], The Thorns of War [IP], Rise of the Phoenix [IP]
Organization: Blackcross & Taylor
Tumblr: blackcross-taylor
itch: blackcrosstaylor
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Best Friends Forever [GxB/GxG][Fantasy/School-Life] DEMO

#10 Post by blackcross12 »

@txqina
Thanks for the feedback! Yeah, I was hoping to give people a surprise with that early twist - I'm glad you find the premise interesting. There will be a second demo released in a next couple of weeks if you would like to see more, but either way, thanks for playing.

Blackcross
ImageImageImageImageImage

User avatar
blackcross12
Regular
Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 11:00 am
Completed: The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, The Rose of Segunda, Homecoming, Heaven's Grave,
Projects: Best Friends Forever [IP], The Thorns of War [IP], Rise of the Phoenix [IP]
Organization: Blackcross & Taylor
Tumblr: blackcross-taylor
itch: blackcrosstaylor
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Best Friends Forever [GxB/GxG][Fantasy/School-Life] DEMO

#11 Post by blackcross12 »

Hello all

I've just edited the main post with download details of Demo 2. Feedback would be very welcome.

Thanks for reading

Blackcross
Attachments
CG7.jpg
CG5 (1).png
ImageImageImageImageImage

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users