Ren'Py's Public Image

[mikey]

I was so looking forward to this logo and it's absolutely great! It's perfect, it has the idea, style and it's cute. 100/100 Piroshiki!

[Piroshiki]

Flipped, moved the tail so that it doesn't take too much space and added the white to her eyes. There wasn't much I could do about the rough edges though, as it's the result of keeping both a crisp outline and transparency. To remove it, I also made another version with a slightly blurred shadow instead of a crisp outline. I could also drop the outline altogether, of course.

[monele]

Great stuff ^^. The shadow version looks softer, but I'm sure both can be of use as source material.
I suppose the final logo would have the Ren'Py name added to it ?

[PyTom]

For the website, I figure I'll be adding text that says "Ren'Py: Visual Novel Engine", like at the website demo. But I think there are applications for just the mascot picture... and I don't want to force people to standardize on a single logo.

I love all versions of the mascot picture!

[Rika-chan]

Cute mascot. I also have a problem with it (sorry, I know you've changed it a few times already), but did you intend for the bottom part of her outfit to be a different color than the top? It's looks greener.

Anyway, keep up the good work.

[Piroshiki]

did you intend for the bottom part of her outfit to be a different color than the top? It's looks greener.

Er, that's because it is ^^;;; It's a belt with pouches and such, not an actual part of her jacket.

[mikey]

Is this going to be a part of something more global? Like the simultaneous relaunch of the site + mascot + tutorial + Ren'Py 6? If that's the case, it would be a good idea to make press releases etc. It's shaping up to be a really nice revamp (though I understand it has still a long way to go). Just some encouragement from me, as I'm buried with work these days ^_^ and can only watch.

[PyTom]

My current plan is as follows:

Ren'Py 5.5.5 will be released soon, in the next week or so. It'll feature the new Eileen character art, but the old demo game, directory structure, etc.

In conjunction with the 5.5.5 release, I want to update the website, to bring in the new look, but keep the old content.

I will then turn to the 5.6 series. While I'm doing that, I'd like the community to being creating a new demo game, and new content for the website. (I'd expect the new website to be wiki-based, so other people can change many of the pages.)

Once we're happy with the 5.6 series, I will bless it as 6.0.0. That'll be the release to make a big deal about.

[Shii]

Hey, this is a little late, but I just wanted to chime in-- the new logo with the python is great

[RedSlash]

I like the logo! Now just need to add in the text!

[DaFool]

Sorry folks, time for round 2 of discussions.

Even up until now, Ren'Py games are still considered substandard, even if they have the best engine. Everyone seems to think they can make a better game, even an epic killer app.

I got thinking again (as I always do ) as I thought about commercial or near-commercial scale projects. When Echoes of Thunder will be released, that will propel Onscripter to new levels. Just like when Kanami kinetic novel will be released, most probably through Curious Factory's marketing power, that will work wonders for the Blade Engine. And considering they might very well be the first publicized releases, that is potential windfall.

Ren'Py still needs that killer app. O3 almost did it, but it's too short and plays like our usual OELVNs that few others besides OELVN lovers play.

I would want to make that killer app (something that looks like TerraBrand), but I can't...my skills are not good enough, and more importantly I don't have the time.

Maybe what I wanted to say is maybe its time a core Lemmasoft supergame making team is formed. Preferably among skilled people who don't have a hundred other projects brewing and just need a unified idea to put their talents on. Or maybe Hanafuda Club will do the trick when its finished (Yay for Ren'Py migration!).

It's like Ren'Py games in the visual novel world are the otaku anime compared to other anime and manga. They're really...what can I say? weird and personal. The killer anime are the shounen anime and those that had j-dramas. Similarly, what will be the killer OELVNs are the ones made by experienced manga artists. We already have a few deviantart people but very few experienced comic artists. Maybe our strengths are in our writers, we seem to have more than a few here, and they're very good.

I don't know...but are we willing to take this community to the next level? Or are we content with the charm of our little games? I was also influenced by the recent discussion on commercial vs free, as these issues are essentially what sno-dove was hinting at.

As for me, I just need to get my own full personal weird game out (H&C), finish the superdoll and get it out there, complete this other ambitous game I signed up for, then I'll be free to devote time to whatever killer app community undertaking might develop by then.

Maybe...just maybe, besides writers, that will be our other strength...veteran gamemakers who've already gotten their personal works of art now, so they can now concentrate on becoming polished and entertaining.

I think the microgame period was a nice one, but maybe it's time for the supergame era

Just a thought.

[mikey]

*sigh* (a positive one)
I'm all for Round 2. I just need some time to formulate my thoughts.

[Alessio]

A very good post, thanks for reviving the thread! I say we give it a try. We do have many talented people in this forum (and in others, too). Also, IMHO many of us are perseverant enough to really pull this through. My own VN is still progressing well, but I'd say such a community project has priority. :)

Off the top of my head, here are my thoughts:

-- As we probably need to aim at the masses, this calls for flashy and fancy graphics. Like it or not, many will look at the graphics first.

-- The story might need to be somewhat mainstream. Does it have to be a Japanese schoolboy falling in love with Japanese schoolgirls? Not necessarily, but you get the idea.

-- The length. Playing time should be (much) more than one hour. This probably requires more than one writer. Luckily a longer story does not necessarily require a proportional increase of work in other areas.

-- All elements should have a consistent feel throughout the story (graphics, text, music, sound, menus etc.). Basically, the VN should feel like one finished product, and not like a collage of different contributions.

-- We could charge a nominal fee for the completed game (which would go into Ren'Py) if the result looks realistic.

-- Schedule and scope must be agreed on beforehand, so that people with daytime jobs etc. can assess if they are able to participate. Otherwise, team member fluctuation might get problematic. Continuity is best ensured by having a stable team.

-- Before any work is done, we need a full-fledged plan. Good/tight project management and follow-up is needed, so that the required work is done as efficiently as possible, and efforts don't go wasted.

Edit: And probably the hardest part... selecting contributions and contributors. Can we really assess if a contribution is objectively good or not? And even if not, would anyone of us be able to honestly say so? ("Sorry, but... er, your art is... uh... not quite cutting it...")


More ideas?

[ShiraiJunichi]

Is it naive to believe that you do your best work when you're inwardly motivated and inspired? This feels like it would be heavily motivated from the outside, and I'm concerned that the inspiration would be lacking.
It's not that I don't think it's possible, or that it's not a good idea- I'm just a bit worried that we'd be forcing the values of others on ourselves. Like we'd be trying too hard to be popular.
An epic game that rivals any professional work would definitely benefit Ren'Py's public image. But at what cost of individuality? Of course, this dilemma is mainly only visible to the dev team. I imagine the vote for mikey to write for it would be unanimous- but I can't imagine mikey writing something that isn't his own. Or releasing something he wasn't personally satisfied with.
I guess what I'm saying is that we should go for it- but don't just clone what seems to be popular. New, compelling, innovative ideas are what is needed.

[Alessio]

Is it naive to believe that you do your best work when you're inwardly motivated and inspired? This feels like it would be heavily motivated from the outside, and I'm concerned that the inspiration would be lacking.

Oh, good thinking - I wasn't even aware of that actually. When I read DaFool's post I rather felt an intrinsic rush of motivation ("wow yes, I'd love doing that"). You're right, but I'd think those who want to participate would do so because they'd like to, and not because they need to show off.

don't just clone what seems to be popular. New, compelling, innovative ideas are what is needed.

Agreed! But there is room for innovation also within mainstream/popular concepts. As long as we don't make the 100th "guy in a harem" thing. ^_^