Looking for Angels [NaNoReNo2014]

[heypetdragon]

"How are you hiding it?"
"My...what exactly?"
"...your wings."

After eight long years of moving from one place to another, Xander's finally back in his hometown. Hopefully he could spend the rest of his high school life in one place, have his set of close friends like normal kids his age, and maybe form a band with his childhood friend, now that he's here.

But looks like he's not meant to live an ordinary life,
after meeting his seatmate, Julie.

Characters:

Xander
Because of his parent's job, they have to move a lot. He wasn't able to attend a normal school and was compelled to stick with homeschooling. He's not sad with this lifestyle, but he felt something was missing, and thus he spends most of his free time playing drums.

Julie
Julie was a gifted pianist, but because of something that happened in her past, she stopped playing. Though sickly and mostly absent, she's the top student in her batch and actively manages an afternoon school band club, which everyone thinks was a great waste of her potential.

Martin
Xander's whimsical childhood friend, who frequently depend on Eve (and sometimes Julie) for homework assignments. He's also the self proclaimed leader, and guitarist in the band.

Eve
The bass player in their club and have a bit of a brusque personality, but she looks out for her friends, especially Julie.

Concept Art:
Julie

Notes:
Ha! ha ha...ha...sigh. I decided before that I won't participate in NaNoReNo this year, but after seeing a lot of people keep on twitting about it, I gave in ; V;
I already have two main projects that I was working on (and I'm busy with commissions), but being a newbie with visual novels and ren'py, I thought why not take this opportunity to play with the features I want to learn and test it out with this one. Using this piece as a practice ground for my other projects. So yeah...taking my first step into this heart pounding event haha...

I'm a visual artist and I don't consider myself as a writer (yet, I want to learn and prove that I can though), also English is not my native tongue but I love to read and tell stories. And I hope that you'll like this one. ^ u ^

"Looking for Angels" is a one of my many stock stories I have in mind, (my head likes to wander so...). I know that I won't be able to finish this, but I'm hoping that I will be able to finish a short kinetic demo for it. That's why the teaser plot above was like that, a slice-of-life and simple story about friendship, because it's the only part that I'll be able to produce. The real story about it involves largely with fantasy, a bit of mystery and action. And the current title literally meant 'looking for angels', yes I need to change it...If you would like to know more about it (a sneak peak actually), read on:

"See those clouds with bright sunlit outlines up in the sky? That's where the angels are peeking! You don't believe me? ...well, you got me, it's just because of the sunlight. But long ago, the world we currently live in, was in the brink of destruction. It's supposed to be swallowed up by this huge...giant black hole. Of course it's bigger than my extended arms! Anyway, as I told you, angels used to watch over us...

...now they are sealed away. Locked up to serve as pillars of our world. And what do we do? Wars. That's what we humans are good at."

Progress Status: [DEMO]

Story outline: 90%
Script: 5%
Art (sprites and bg): 0%
Music: 90% (only using royalty free music from here; still haven't chosen the final pieces I would like to use, but I got all the necessary music; I'm poor so...can't pay atm for composers,though I do wish to.)

[Googaboga]

The concept art for Julius is fantastic :>. I'm not terribly sure where this game is going yet but I'll just have to wait see I guess X3.

[Puchin]

Sounds interesting and the art is probably going to be gorgeous. I can't wait...

Will I end up crying?

[heypetdragon]

And the cheesiest, eye wrecking logo goes to... orz
I've updated the logo, and also stuck with 'Looking for Angels' for the title. I'll just go and have fun with it haha, even if it's not really the title I wanted for it. XD
edit: but then I might change it again = v=

I've also coded parts of it that I wanted to learn. Small update but still progress for me 8D
Now onto GUI and story board...

The concept art for Julius is fantastic :>. I'm not terribly sure where this game is going yet but I'll just have to wait see I guess X3.

Thanks! xD
If I'll genderbent Julie, Julius will be the name! lmao. And yes have to wait and see. o w o

Sounds interesting and the art is probably going to be gorgeous. I can't wait...

Will I end up crying?

Funny you asked that, I was trying to cut-off the fantasy side of this vn the past few days. Trying to see if I could make it a short but complete story, and it somehow turned into tragic...drama. I didn't like it so I'll stick to it being fantasy O wO;;; and incomplete. And, haha...I dunno if this little bit will make you tear up, most probably....well secret for now, heh. - w -

[Evolution]

Your logo is extremely pleasing to look at! The colors work well together, the design incorporates the angel theme fantastically, and it's just all around very eye-catching. I love it!
EDIT: I also quite like the 3D effect and the particular shades you used for the shadowing.

[Googaboga]

Haha woops sorry XD. I meant Julie. I'd bet she'd make a very handsome man is she was genderbent though X3.

[heypetdragon]

Slow update is slow. It's both hard and easy when you're doing all by yourself. = v =; Oh well.
I'm still here! Haven't given up yet. At least I have something to show.

Your logo is extremely pleasing to look at! The colors work well together, the design incorporates the angel theme fantastically, and it's just all around very eye-catching. I love it!
EDIT: I also quite like the 3D effect and the particular shades you used for the shadowing.

Thank you very much! That's nice to know. * v *

Haha woops sorry XD. I meant Julie. I'd bet she'd make a very handsome man is she was genderbent though X3.

Haha, that must happen in the future, drawing these characters as genderbent.
Sounds fun, will note of that. Though I haven't even finish the sprites for them yet. O vO;

[Evolution]

I like the idea you've got going with the start screen. The set-up is fantastic as far as the logo placement, background, and stairway. However, I do not feel that the text stands out enough from the background.

[heypetdragon]

I like the idea you've got going with the start screen. The set-up is fantastic as far as the logo placement, background, and stairway. However, I do not feel that the text stands out enough from the background.

When viewed in actual size, it's readable to me http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab20 ... 34d875.png
but then again you're right, text should be crisp and crystal clear. xD
I'll improve the menu further later on. Thanks for the feedback!
----------------------------
Have some really sketchy sketch of Xander, more like doodles actually orz

He'll be having two designs in this vn.
And also, have some sample shots from the storyboard.

Those would be first and last close-ups (well the closest shots) of this dude, I hope. lol

Ultra messy sketches...I need some practice with using the tablet again, and it sucks that at times the pressure sensitivity dies, though it might just be the laptop.

[KiloTango]

He looks fluffy!

Liking the lighting on the storyboard. Also the colours in your logo, there's something almost sherbety about it. The menu composition is really cool as well.

[curry nochi rice]

I'm a sucker for sickly characters. ~ The art isn't exactly doki doki but It's for the best.

[heypetdragon]

@kilotango
Someone will point out that he looks like a fluffy white chicken actually, hahaha. XD

@curry
Haha, thanks.

So I was getting used to drawing with Sai, and also working on their outfit's color palette, since I'll be coloring the scenes next.
Then I lose control of my life and a jump-shot happened. = v =; yay procrastination...


Oh and here's the updated menu preview,

Did some coding too using placeholders, that would hopefully won't be needing much of tweaking when I'm done with all the artworks. orz
That menu was a pain, even though it was simple, just tweaked one tiny bit and hell breaks loose.
Why does imagemaps hates to be adjusted the second time = A=
-Didn't know what she did wrong-
I'm kind of nervous because I also have another imagemap in-game, and it works now, but I don't know if it will still work when I place the final artwork and adjust it again. orz

Also GUIs make me nervous, okay...gonna do that now...

[Evolution]

The text certainly does stand out more now, but it doesn't mesh well with the scene. Even though the text in the original blended a bit too well, it fit harmoniously with the rest of the composition. The dark and heavy glow effect in the current version gives it a pasted on look. Mind, this is all just my opinion. I adore a well-made GUI.

I do quite like your jump sketches, though. Great anatomy!

[heypetdragon]

Hi there, here's the status with this project.

I think I've made it clear before that I've entered NaNoReno with the mindset that this project won't be done, well at least a demo will be out, and only doing this to learn. That was when I wasn't that invested with this project. The tentative title and design for this project was the way it is because I didn't want to get attached to it, just you know get that first vn out (with the thought anything you make at first will be terrible). I'm developing two main projects, and one of them I wanted to release at least this year before Halloween, and those were my priority as far as visual novels are concerned. But I'm a fresh meat in this community, in visual novels, in ren'py...well everything with this industry. I'm satisfied at being a silent freelance illustrator that watches from the side, not actually taking part. ^^;

On twitter, days away before NaNoReno started, most of the people talked about this event. I was dead set I won't enter because of the little knowledge I have with the program, I don't have a story that could fit in a month's development, and I kind of vowed to catch up with work and development for the two projects I have, plus I'm borrowing a laptop since my pc died months ago. Then jealousy came in, haha. I wanted to enter. I felt divided because at the back of my head I'm seeing the opportunities with NaNoReno, and after some time it became the conscious voice.

Like: I could use it to finally jump in and learn the things I was putting off because I'm still in the world building stage at one project; With this I could test the waters, and put the ideas I came up with to the other two projects; I could learn my limit, really see the realities of what I can do and could not do, and how to deal about it. So I entered, without any plan at all.

Time wasn't on my mind. (I wasn't that into it too until the last week) I was only working on it every weekends that time, and sort of a full week on the last 7 days of nanoreno. The story idea I've thought on the day before the event was enough if I had stick with it...and if I worked on it in a full month...with a team. o ___ o
And since this project serves as an introductory piece, I went with the usual themes I mostly see in VNs: high school setting and anime (which is a style I'm not used to because my style is a mash of things I want to experiment on - _ - if that makes sense.)

Did I reach my goal?
If we're talking about a concrete product, a demo I promised, of course not. I kind of expected it too. A horrible mindset to have, haha.
(It got placeholders, but I rather not show it in this state.)
But if we talk about the learning process, that last seven days of crunch time was beautiful. Stressful but it's really wonderful that I can tell you all honestly, it made me fall in love visual novels. And shed a new light for this community for me. I like to thank Uncle Mugen for sharing the un-archived Hammer with me(one of the favorite VNs I played from this event), it made me excited to work with the new ideas I learned from studying the code in Hammer. It's a really fun experiment for me. I'm also glad that the basic codes I wanted to learn in this event worked well. (Yeah I know it's really easy for most of you out there, but still it's fun for me to learn them. XD)

And with that, the high school anime styled vn project "Looking for Angels" is officially dead. Joke. I would like to present you all with this vn project, "Angelsong".
In the end, the story idea I toyed with for this year's nanoreno grew on me, and I wanted to give it my best. This WiP poster was something I'm only playing with...hah. "Angelsong" was the title I was thinking of before. (But because I wasn't serious about it, don't want to get attached with it,...I didn't use it. I know I'm weird.)

Now, I want "Angelsong" to be a full visual novel game. Currently developing the story to be more united, and doing a lot of research for it too. Before, I wasn't giving details on what this project was really all about, (I think someone thought Julie is sick or something and I didn't point out she's not, at all, haha ^^; ).
...
All details will soon be available...after I'm done with the website to house all my projects.

And I know, I'm only a visual artist not really a writer, it's one of the hard realities I have to face though I still want to tell stories. ( >.< I know someday I could be better) After I've built enough assets and concrete outline of the story, I'll post in the recruitment section for a collaborator, maybe. I still want to do my take on it. ^^;

One of the things I know I have to let go too, I love doing everything XD
Except music, I've tried, music hates me, lol. But I play guitar before.

For now, I'll be helping a fellow developer by coloring their bgs and cgs. So please support The Homestead!

edit:
I guess this could be considered part of this post so I'm linking this here.
The thread's really nice to read with the experiences of different devs with nanoreno.

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edit again:

The text certainly does stand out more now, but it doesn't mesh well with the scene. Even though the text in the original blended a bit too well, it fit harmoniously with the rest of the composition. The dark and heavy glow effect in the current version gives it a pasted on look. Mind, this is all just my opinion. I adore a well-made GUI.

I do quite like your jump sketches, though. Great anatomy!

Because I was running out of time yesterday I didn't see this. and well I haven't been on this thread for quite some time. ^^;

Thanks for the feedback! And yeah you're right, I liked the first one because it goes nicely and dainty (which was the look that I wanted to go for), but I get that it's important that it could read well that I made it like that on the second one (my typography teacher will kill me if he sees this, haha). Though, yeah it takes so much attention that I will have to work on it. Thanks for pointing it out! I worked on how it could be readable and clear that I lost track of the overall piece. >.< That's my bad. Looking at it bothers me now too.

I do love awesome GUI's too! And I know I still have a long way to get there, but I want to make a quality GUI too for my games. So thanks again! Also for liking the jump sketches. XD