Visual Novels! What kind of gameplay is prefered?

[Chessa]

This is a continuation of this Thread here; viewtopic.php?f=79&t=61327

I'm working on a visual novel with like, a pretty high production value right out of the door, currently I have a stat system, combat a fair bit of art and an idea of a story.

My question here is, how important is the narrative to people, I see we don't get many story-telling games that have vore as a main focus, mostly we have sandbox-style explore-and-vore typed games. Do you think there could be a middle-ground in a heavy narrative RPG-style visual novel and a sandbox-style explore-and-vore? What is everyones' thoughts there?

[Crazyman536]

I've seen a few VN's with an exploration system built in. My only recommendation on that aspect is to thoroughly test to make sure the travel/transition continues to work after several transitions. I played 1 game where it would bug after a bit and no longer allow you to travel at all, which forces you to load a previous save.

As for vore being the main focus, it purely depends on how you implement it. Sudden game overs after a choice isn't recommended unless the choice is obvious. This mostly leaves you with options of endo, observer/3rd party, pred, and the classic rpg respawn if prey. If you plan to add multiple types of vore, I would recommend adding in a way to avoid the types people don't care for (I.E. a questionnaire when you start a new game). I would honestly love to see more types of games that aren't conventional

As a separate note, you may want to stick with 1 thread for your game, both to avoid any confusion and trouble for having more than 1 thread open for a game.

[DroolingPred]

I like sandbox better for most games, but I understand it provides a challenge for vore because digestion is consequential, and sandboxes don't handle consequence well.

[Chessa]

As a separate note, you may want to stick with 1 thread for your game, both to avoid any confusion and trouble for having more than 1 thread open for a game.

I sure will, also thank you for your input, this is mostly to try to get ideas for the actual gameplay than to actually advertise the game, the actual games' thread will only be one.

These sorts of threads are also far more helpful to a lot more people than just me, so they're totally worth making.

[darknessblades]

In my opinion Sandbox worlds are better.

But you can still implement a greater story to it.
If you go the story route, people might get annoyed that they cannot play/get a certain scene because said character is no longer at the location that event happens.

If you make a option to replay event locations, "within said location, making it possible to return to the normal/main story if you die/complete the event, without any effect to the greater story"

[Chessa]

In my opinion Sandbox worlds are better.

But you can still implement a greater story to it.
If you go the story route, people might get annoyed that they cannot play/get a certain scene because said character is no longer at the location that event happens.

If you make a option to replay event locations, "within said location, making it possible to return to the normal/main story if you die/complete the event, without any effect to the greater story"

I thought about this too, the story would have to be *really* good to justify losing access to content like that, unless a way is thought up to enable you to access content regardless of the story.

[Jamjo]

Personally I think the only kind of vore game I would like is one with a story focus. If there are actual quests involving characters in the sandbox I could see the two fitting together, but just plain explore-and-vore sounds... like quite a bore (SORRY I had to!! >.< Not trashing anyone's tastes though).

Plus I wouldn't want the project to get bogged down in a scale-creep situation. I think I've kind of been waiting for a narrative focused vore game to come along.

Since it's your project I understand following your heart wherever it leads. These are just my tired-headed thoughts.

[Chessa]

Personally I think the only kind of vore game I would like is one with a story focus. If there are actual quests involving characters in the sandbox I could see the two fitting together, but just plain explore-and-vore sounds... like quite a bore (SORRY I had to!! >.< Not trashing anyone's tastes though).

Plus I wouldn't want the project to get bogged down in a scale-creep situation. I think I've kind of been waiting for a narrative focused vore game to come along.

Since it's your project I understand following your heart wherever it leads. These are just my tired-headed thoughts.

It sounds to me like you really need to check out Aweworld. It's getting on the older side, but it's probably the premier example of a story-driven Vore game that we have and on the off chance you aren't aware of it, it's very good.

viewtopic.php?f=79&t=51078

[Shugoki]

For VNs, the narrative IS the gameplay, so it's important to have one that's fairly interesting. For a game of this specific nature, you can balance out the story with the vore content, but just throwing one vore scene after another at the player can be a little boring and rob these scenes of their weight. Depending on what kind of vore you're running with (i.e. extremely brutal fatal vore vs. wholesome endo), contextualizing scenes can make them more compelling--if we have a lot of time to get attached to a character, it'll feel more cruel and harsh if they're digested.

[umakeisee]

I've actually been doing a significant mod for Vore Days, so I have become familiar with RenPy. A story driven sandbox vore visual novel would be possible, but tricky. If you have multiple characters interacting, you will need to keep track of variables for who's eaten and checks for each interaction. You could also do the Taste of Adventure route of just having everyone respawn, but that always weakens the immersion. I think it's worth a shot, but to keep track of possible dead ends. Being notified that you have eaten yourself out of winning the game, but could still continue gorging yourself on the citizens could be fun in its own way. It wouldn't even be that hard to set up the notification. If xeaten == true and taskfinished == false, jump questfailed. "As you digest your prey, you get the feeling you made a mistake. Finishing your quest may now be impossible, but you still have plenty of prey to eat." I like the idea and would be willing to help if you need anything.

[Arbon]

My preferred method for visual novels, and one that I'm trying to design myself as I don't see it that often, is extended duration where enduring digestion becomes a major part of the gameplay. Your predator goes off to do things with you inside them, and your options boil down to knowing when to squirm, managing air and stamina, and constantly loosing health while listening to what your predator is doing outside. Preferably something more interesting than just taking a nap.

[Chessa]

I've actually been doing a significant mod for Vore Days, so I have become familiar with RenPy. A story driven sandbox vore visual novel would be possible, but tricky. If you have multiple characters interacting, you will need to keep track of variables for who's eaten and checks for each interaction. You could also do the Taste of Adventure route of just having everyone respawn, but that always weakens the immersion. I think it's worth a shot, but to keep track of possible dead ends. Being notified that you have eaten yourself out of winning the game, but could still continue gorging yourself on the citizens could be fun in its own way. It wouldn't even be that hard to set up the notification. If xeaten == true and taskfinished == false, jump questfailed. "As you digest your prey, you get the feeling you made a mistake. Finishing your quest may now be impossible, but you still have plenty of prey to eat." I like the idea and would be willing to help if you need anything.

I'll likely be going down very unfamilliar territory for games on Ekas, by making a Godot VN/RPG sort of game, which is. super out of the ordinary, so like, wouldn't be Renpy. Still thank you v. much for the offer.

[Chessa]

I've actually been doing a significant mod for Vore Days, so I have become familiar with RenPy. A story driven sandbox vore visual novel would be possible, but tricky. If you have multiple characters interacting, you will need to keep track of variables for who's eaten and checks for each interaction. You could also do the Taste of Adventure route of just having everyone respawn, but that always weakens the immersion. I think it's worth a shot, but to keep track of possible dead ends. Being notified that you have eaten yourself out of winning the game, but could still continue gorging yourself on the citizens could be fun in its own way. It wouldn't even be that hard to set up the notification. If xeaten == true and taskfinished == false, jump questfailed. "As you digest your prey, you get the feeling you made a mistake. Finishing your quest may now be impossible, but you still have plenty of prey to eat." I like the idea and would be willing to help if you need anything.

This is a really good idea and I think I've seen afew games try it too, only downside is like, it takes a whole lot of writing/mapping out behaviors, makes sense tho.

[Matteo42]

Have you ever played one of the Lego games? Lego Batman 3 for example, has a system that I really enjoy, because it gives both at once! So you go through the story, unlocking different places and meeting characters. When the "chapter" is done, you can either move on with the story to the next part or revisit one of the previous locations you've been through, with side-content now filling the place of the main storyline.

If it's not too difficult to implement for you, something like this would be great. I'm not sure how you're doing it, but the way I see it you could have two nearly identical, yet separate maps. One is where the story goes, which you can only explore once per location (cuz the plot goes further) and the other that you can revisit.

Well, if this gives you ideas or anything, great
I'm really looking forward to the end of this project of yours!

[MarinLaFey]

If you wish to make a game with actual gameplay, I suggest against a visual novel format. Visual novel systems are nice and all, but more and more you add, it could get buggy.

Honestly if I'm playing a visual novel, I'm expecting little to no gameplay mechanics and most of the mechanics being based upon choices made and the storyline branches.

There are amazing visual novels that have amazing followings and they usually have zero other stuff. And there are visual novels that are super popular and incorporate other things.

But honestly, if I am playing a porn game, it's usually one and done because not very many have great gameplay that isn't grindy or boring. Like they're good for a once through, but more than that, replayibility is zip. I would prefer more of a storybased game where I get a payoff of two character's relationship and their personal breakthrough's ending in vore, than something that I'm playing for porn alone.

Like do you think people played Dramatical Murder for porn? I mean yeah, that was the lure, but most people were awed by the story given to them. A singular batch of people fighting against a cyber dystopia. Not to mention there isn't a lot of sex in Dmmd. The sex scenes are drops in a bucket in comparison to the whole.

[ReptileKing23]

Hmmm Interesting