Patron Poll: Help me decide the near future of OoT! (Patreon)

Hi guys!

I've got a really important question for you guys. 

But first, I want to elaborate on something that's a little strange about our project: Combat.

Why the hell is there combat in a VN? Not just sprites or card game stuff, but an honest to God attempt at a pseudo-JRPG?

It's an excellent question and if you merely accepted its inclusion as yet another weird addition to an already weird game, I thank you for your leniency. 

Truth is, I want OoT to be an absolutely unforgettable game in every way, worthy of every penny you are all generously giving us each month. While many Koi games have some sort of gameplay element, it's usually some sort of grindy resource/time management system that a significant portion of the playerbase cheat to get around. 

I wanted to avoid having mechanics in the game that, at best, my players merely put up with and at worst they're turned away by. 

Instead, I tried to think of some sort of game mechanic that could be used to elevate the on-going narrative, not delay it or gate you from it. The idea first came to me when I started work on Ch15 back in 2020 and it stuck around like a splinter in my mind. 

Remember FF7? Remember how right after Aeris got shanked, you had a boss fight right after with one of the Jenovas?

I remember little 8 year old me crying my eyes out during that fight, having just gone through that emotional sequence and now having to deal with its aftermath myself. 

The combat sections elevated that narrative sequence. It didn't replace it, it didn't block it, it didn't get in the way. The execution of that scene was better for it.

That's my goal for our combat system. Something that doesn't come off as a chore and maybe even something someone would play for its own sake. 

Now of course, here's the reality check: That combat system that I envision is not in the game currently. The combat section in Ch15 is a barebones tutorial at best and while it's certainly technically impressive for a Koi game, I still don't think it's putting our best foot forward. 

I'm under no illusions that people are playing the game for the combat as it currently stands and I am hesitant to add more before we really have the gameplay in a rock solid, fun place.

As things currently stand, Ch22 and Ch23 are basically complete as VN chapters. Our plan was to wait for a few features to catch up before publishing Ch22 in order to make it the biggest, most exciting experience possible. 

Those are:

1) The new, real time rendered animations that will make use of Unity in a way that Ren'py could never, ever do. 

2) The implementation of those Blender made animations into Unity and getting them set up with our combat system so they function properly.

3) Playtesting the combat sections to make sure they're not just playable, but an enjoyable experience that adds to our narrative. 

Sounds good, right?

Here's the thing. I'm starting to think that if I keep pushing for Ch22 to be a combat chapter AND release in August (Or even September), we're not going to hit all three of those features. We'll be rushing a release that could very well end up dividing the playerbase if not done well, and the last thing I want to do is make combat a controversial feature. 

So this is my question to you. 

Would you rather we:

A) Delay Ch22 significantly so that we can work on combat and make sure it's perfect before progressing forward.

or

B) Fix up Ch22 to work as a purely VN chapter and then implement combat into it retroactively when it's really ready to show off.

The next combat section after 22 will be in Ch29, so we would have a pretty significant time window to make sure our Volume 2 combat segments are fun, interesting and beautiful to look at.

As far as my involvement in combat goes, I wrote the ruleset and I ultimately decide the gameplay abilities/balance, but as far as actually implementing the system my contribution ends at concept and artwork. 

So that means while combat is being worked on, I can continue publishing chapters 22 through 28 and begin implementing many of the long awaited side quests/side arcs that people have been waiting for, especially our Lightning Roosters who have their own side quests coming. 

This will allow you guys to continue enjoying the story, it'll allow us to keep having exposure from regular high quality releases and will keep Cyda and Snow from having to rush out something they're both deeply invested in. 

Of course, that'll lessen the wow factor of Ch22, but according to the few people who have played it already, it's pushing the 3-4 hour mark even without combat. So it's still one hell of a ride.

Also another thing to consider is that if we delay combat, Snow can likely get the Android build working while Cyda is still finishing up animations and effects.

But anyway, I don't want to make this decision for you guys. This is ultimately about the content YOU will be receiving and you guys are paying the bills, so whichever you decide I will happily go with. 

And as always, if you have any questions, suggestions or comments absolutely feel free to hit me up with them.

Thanks,

Story Anon