Why is it taking so long? (3) (Patreon)

The final element I think is making the production of the game is how I try to mix the writing with the gameplay. This is a Visual Novel and I try to make it as interactive as I can manage, and often times that means that I end up biting almost more than I can chew, pushing my limits update after update.

But I’m not referring to just quantity of available paths and variables at play. I try to integrate the gameplay and the experience in a way that has substance and feels engaging. I have a good example of that: In chapter 7 Lena has to decide what are her feelings for Ian: does she sees him as a simple friend with benefits or maybe she’s starting to feel something more? When I wrote the update, this choice happened the morning after they slept together, while Lena was working at the café and reminiscing about it. The choice was presented during her inner monologue, but this felt kinda lazy and mechanical and uninteresting. While going over the chapter, I realized there was a much better way to implement that choice: during the actual sex scene with Ian, in the end, Lena could choose to snuggle up with Ian, acting on her feelings and confirming them, or just go to sleep, showing a colder, less romantic attitude. This way the choice was integrated in the scene and felt more meaningful and symbolic, rather than having a de-contextualized menu elsewhere. So I had to go and scrap what I had written and re-do that particular monologue and set of choices. Maybe these kind of details don’t seem too important, but they are to me.

Something similar happens with character interactions. The draft says these characters need to have a date or conversation in this chapter, so it leads to a sex scene. But what do they talk about? What information do I give to the player that’s new, relevant, interesting to read and that develops the characters and allows you to know more about them? That’s not always easy and sometimes struggle to come up with something worthwhile that makes the character feel like characters, and not just empty plot devices that lead to kinky scenes.

Sometimes I think I make things more complex than they have to be, but I’m trying to learn how to balance stuff. In any case, this is how I like to craft my VN’s, and I’ll keep doing it. I just wish I could do it faster!

Why is it taking so long? (1)

Why is it taking so long? (2)