Behind the Paradox Ep. 1 - Before Everything (Patreon)

   Hey, Stawer here~~~

   While I was working on the next update dedicated to Maxy, I had an idea. To create a new section in Patreon, called "Behind the Paradox". Where you can learn about the story surrounding the game from its development, design and concepts. 

   Since I started working on this game, many things have happened, changes and above all learning. In the beginning everything looked totally different from what it’s today. The first concept was about time travel on an abandoned island, focused on a science fiction story. At that time, I wouldn't work alone, since I had the help of some friends (a programmer and a sketch artist), I was dedicated to what would be the design of mechanics and writing.

   The game was based on three main attributes (Strength, Dexterity & Intelligence) and six survival skills. Two of the three attributes were linked to each skill, and the player has to lvl up those skills increased their attributes accordingly. But three months later, the results were not good, and the project was thrown in the trash and buried. Mainly due to lack of time and resources. Only a few design details and something else remained.

Time went by and I could never get rid of the desire to try again. But being alone, I didn't feel capable (I'm a very insecure person of what I do). The story was 50% written and the mechanics were done in detail. The drawings had been lost and the base code as well. 

   It was in one of those days, at lunchtime at the university, when I met a university classmate, now considered a very good friend (Sirxtias). He listened to me for a while and, with all his good will, offered to help me with the translation. But then, I had nothing, just a notebook and little else. But inside I said to myself "Fuck this, I'm going to try even if I fail miserably".

   At that moment I took the notes of that failed project and took out a small part of that whole "universe". Taking some elements and rethinking the mechanics, I made sketches of each character and started working. 2d at that time was not an option, I didn't have time to draw long hours or resources to pay an artist, but I didn't want to give up. I tried different graphic engines, until I found one that adapted to my drawing style. I will leave an example of one of the few sketches I still have.

   I liked the idea of creating something similar to Stardew Valley or My Time at Portia, but the only thing I didn't like about both of them, was their poor social interaction. At that point something popped into my head. I would mix both concepts, but turning the formula around; I would focus on that social/romantic development with the characters. Each one with a particular story, but in one way or another they were related in something bigger. 

   I could use the previous concept of skills governed by attributes, but what if the skills are the characters? What if those attributes are actually the representation of their personality and life? What if those attributes are also part of the character that the player handles? Not only would you advance social interaction, but the character would also progress in a way that is consistent with the attributes associated with each character. But it was an idea that needed to be refined, needed a context, needed an interesting story to be told, but was not mandatory for the player who is only passing through the sex scenes. I needed to destroy everything that had gone before and rebuild it, lay solid foundations on which to start and create something meaningful. It would probably fail and all the work would go to waste, with lost sleep and moods on the floor, but I didn't care.

   It probably wouldn't be an accepted idea, I would probably be struck by the prejudice of grindy games in this context, maybe I'd feel slow because of its quiet nature, maybe by focusing on characters and not on fetishes, it wouldn't get attention, maybe it's just a waste of time, but it didn't matter, I had to keep going.

   That's how Lucky Paradox was born and it didn't start off well...