Ask Us Anything #3 (Patreon)

Baxi Asks - Do you ever plan on porting this to other platforms?  Or having DLC?

Luciana's Answer: Sort of.  Paradise is essentially just HTML and Javascript, so porting it to another platform, per se, isn't necessary.  It will run on anything with a web browser. (... almost anything. Don't quote me on that and then try to run it on your smartwatch.) But as far as Windows, Mac, PC, tablet, iOS, Android, even theoretically on a Playstation or XBox -- if it has a browser and runs Javascript, it should work.

We do plan on releasing it to Steam once it's complete, but that won't change the underlying coding.  One thing we have thought about doing, is repacking / recreating Paradise itself as an actual visual novel game, probably in Ren'Py. However, that would require a lot of time and effort to rework the mechanics and gameplay, and change things to work as a more 'screenplay' style structure instead of a 'novel' style structure, and we're not sure the reward would be worth it in the end.  It's tempting, but the energy might be better spent on an actual new game.

I'll toss the DLC question to Cambion.  Cam, any thoughts on continuing adventures in Paradise, additional character packs, or meeting other Sins/Virtues? 

Cambion's Answer: Never say never, but I don't think DLC is likely in the cards. We adore Paradise and want to be sure to tell a complete story with a satisfying ending. The game was created to be infinitely expandable for as long as we needed to, but I think both of us are excited to see what we can do in a new medium with a new story. If it's something you want to see, definitely make some noise, but I don't think we'll be going the micro transaction route any time soon! 

Headdie Asks -
What is your favorite transformation that will never make it into the game?

Luciana's Answer: Our shadow-thief.  He made it into a poll once, but I believe he lost to Nadia. The idea was that there was a conartist / pickpocket in the Casino, and  one of his possible transformation was a type of 'shadow demon' or 'nightmare' that was essentially living shadow. He would use that form to sneak into locked rooms or lurk unseen in various areas, and then take advantage of who he found.  A lot of this behaviour and tone ended up transferring into Michael in the end (particularly Michael's mindflayer transformation), but more is always merrier. Throw me to the entire pack of werewolves, demons, nightmares, orcs, etc. and pick me up again after the weekend.

Cambion's Answer: I've got a lot of fondness for bee transformations, and it would just overlap too much with JJ. Honey for milk, hivemind for cowgirl docileness, things wouldn't be -exactly- the same, but they'd be close enough it would feel redundant. Cowgirls fit better for a mall, but I do hope for a nice hive one of these days in another game!

Danielxcutter Asks - I've noticed as you talk to the Sins and Virtues that those sins and virtues (while certainly defining) aren't their only trait. How do you think this works for them?

Luciana's Answer:  Spoilers ahead for anyone who hasn't finished Chapter 2.  When you meet Avery, and if you chat with him, he mentions that all of the Sins were human once upon a time.  (Except one, and he never tells you who, and since no one asked that, I won't divulge it here.)  Presumably this holds true for the Virtues as well. So each Sin or Virtue you meet isn't just their particular vice/virtue -- they're a person, and were a person before they gained their position.  They had the type of personality that already angled them towards their eventual status, but they had lives before that:  childhood, family, friends.  They came from various cultures, in various time periods, and experienced joys, loss, frustrations, and victories just like any of us.  So while Lazren and Avery refer to each other as 'brother' and 'sister', it's only in a metaphorical or spiritual sense as fellow Sins. That's what got them there, but the journey to that end was all too human.

Cambion's Answer: Just as every person has facets, so does every ideal. My headcanon has always been that the sin conforms around the person. Avery's particular brand of greed influences what greed -is-, but they were fully formed human beings ahead of time. Sometimes this can make them better at their jobs, and sometimes worse. Part of the reason that have a Desire that is out of control is a problem is that it's -not- just her. If she's gone wild, so too has the world. 

Baxi Asks - What transformation or character is your favorite?

Luciana's Answer:  ... Michael, actually.  I know, I know, everyone is shocked that I like the bad boy.  I enjoy monster-men in general, and themes of dubcon, corruption, manipulation, etc.  It's also been no big secret that I generally have to keep my darker impulses in check when writing Paradise, since it's not meant to be a dark game. So getting the chance to pull out some of the stops and write in some twisted tentacle violation was an absolute delight.  

Bonus fact: We had another runner for a werewolf transformation earlier on that never ended panning out. Originally, Petra's brother was going to pay a visit to the Tower, and have an option for a werewolf (or maybe were-dog / doberman) transformation with some 'family love' type play.  However, I don't think that would have been nearly as dark as Michael, since Michael is an unrepentant asshole.

Cambion's Answer: I'm a sucker for Mason, and as a result he gets a lot of screen time. His precision answers are a lot of fun to write and I'm a sucker for his dry sense of humor. Transformation wise, I think Cass is my favorite. She's one of the lighter ones, considering she's a perfectly ordinary human woman before AND after, but she's great fun to write and I was always pleased with how well that storyline came across.

That's all for today! Preview season begins soon, so if you're looking forward to more romantic journeys, keep your eyes peeled!

Happy Hunting!
Cambion and Luciana