[Player Customization] In-Game Warderobe + NPC notices
Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 10:47 am
Hi there! I've got a pretty ambiguous game plan in mind, I've already found most of the things I need to get started on coding, but one I couldn't quite find... And that's player customization. I apologize in advance for my English, I am not a native speaker but I truly do my best.
I've already looked everywhere, I've found some for dress-up games and some that turn those into usable player customizations, but so far it only works in the beginning and seems to be only a visual change. Now the thing is, what I want is a little more grande than that, I want the player to be able to change outfits and hair during gameplay and to have those changes be visual in the talking sprite (while simultaneously having expressions). But I don't just want visual changes... You see, my game is a dating sim that includes sexualities as well as genders (like trans and non-binary), it's one of the core components. I think I know how to deal with the sexuality part, but suggestions are appreciated... BUT this game also deals with attraction, so for example you have a male NPC who is heterosexual and is into femme girls... how exactly do I program that? As the attraction will come from the things you change within the wardrobe (in-game character customization)
The wardrobe section is also different from the player creation, so they're also gonna be two different UIs. The player creation is something you won't be able to change later game (except for the hair) and will be set in stone.
Example of what I want to create in the player creation section are these:
-Gender (male, female, trans-male, trans-female, and non-binary)
-Skin Colour (this is also an important part of the game, and needs to be able to be checked by the NPC)
-Eyebrows
-Eyes (and another section for eye color)
-Nose
-Mouth
-Skin details
-Hair
Example what I want to be able to change in the wardrobe section are these:
- Hair
- Makeup (put in 3 different sections; lipstick, eyeshadow blush)
- Top
- Top layer
- head accessories
- hair accessories
- neck accessories
Now what I think is the best way to handle this is through having each changeable section be a point, so basically we have 9 sections and points. The style (what I'm gonna be calling it) will be the one that has the most points, so for example you got 3 points in femme, 5 points in casual, and 1 point in EMPTY you'll have the casual styling. But now some problems come up with that theory;
1. What if it's a tie? I only want one style to be visual. The only thing I can come up with is to have the hair section be a dominant section and break ties... but how would I do that? As I only want it to be a dominant feature if there is a need for a tie-breaker.
2. ...how does it confirm that these are the style points, is it once you click out of the UI? Or is it during the UI? I have the sense it might be too much for the UI to handle.
3. the EMPTY... I need this in case they chose not to have an accessory of some sort, but how do I program this without it interfering with the points?
For more information, these are the styles I want to be using;
- Femme
- Masculine
- Casual
- Elegant
- Preppy
- Sporty
- Goth
- Kawaii
- EMPTY
I know what I want is pretty grande and it makes me nervous that this might not be even possible within what Ren'py got to offer, but I really do hope so as so far, Ren'py is the software I am most comfortable when it comes to visual novels. I hope I have explained everything well!
I've already looked everywhere, I've found some for dress-up games and some that turn those into usable player customizations, but so far it only works in the beginning and seems to be only a visual change. Now the thing is, what I want is a little more grande than that, I want the player to be able to change outfits and hair during gameplay and to have those changes be visual in the talking sprite (while simultaneously having expressions). But I don't just want visual changes... You see, my game is a dating sim that includes sexualities as well as genders (like trans and non-binary), it's one of the core components. I think I know how to deal with the sexuality part, but suggestions are appreciated... BUT this game also deals with attraction, so for example you have a male NPC who is heterosexual and is into femme girls... how exactly do I program that? As the attraction will come from the things you change within the wardrobe (in-game character customization)
The wardrobe section is also different from the player creation, so they're also gonna be two different UIs. The player creation is something you won't be able to change later game (except for the hair) and will be set in stone.
Example of what I want to create in the player creation section are these:
-Gender (male, female, trans-male, trans-female, and non-binary)
-Skin Colour (this is also an important part of the game, and needs to be able to be checked by the NPC)
-Eyebrows
-Eyes (and another section for eye color)
-Nose
-Mouth
-Skin details
-Hair
Example what I want to be able to change in the wardrobe section are these:
- Hair
- Makeup (put in 3 different sections; lipstick, eyeshadow blush)
- Top
- Top layer
- head accessories
- hair accessories
- neck accessories
Now what I think is the best way to handle this is through having each changeable section be a point, so basically we have 9 sections and points. The style (what I'm gonna be calling it) will be the one that has the most points, so for example you got 3 points in femme, 5 points in casual, and 1 point in EMPTY you'll have the casual styling. But now some problems come up with that theory;
1. What if it's a tie? I only want one style to be visual. The only thing I can come up with is to have the hair section be a dominant section and break ties... but how would I do that? As I only want it to be a dominant feature if there is a need for a tie-breaker.
2. ...how does it confirm that these are the style points, is it once you click out of the UI? Or is it during the UI? I have the sense it might be too much for the UI to handle.
3. the EMPTY... I need this in case they chose not to have an accessory of some sort, but how do I program this without it interfering with the points?
For more information, these are the styles I want to be using;
- Femme
- Masculine
- Casual
- Elegant
- Preppy
- Sporty
- Goth
- Kawaii
- EMPTY
I know what I want is pretty grande and it makes me nervous that this might not be even possible within what Ren'py got to offer, but I really do hope so as so far, Ren'py is the software I am most comfortable when it comes to visual novels. I hope I have explained everything well!