[Bad Towns People] Invasion (working title)

[pleaserefrainfromjudging]

(Probably includes a certain amount of Ryona/Brutal. Maybe a little bit of NTR. No shota or Vore.)


I need advice. I can't decide on a format!

I can't decide whether to go with a standard RPG, or an ACT (technically ARPG, since it will still have some rpg elements.) I have Pixel Maker MV, and RPG Maker MV. So I have the tools to go either way.


The basic idea is a nearby empire invades the (female) character's home town.

She either escapes, or gets captured and then escapes. Then goes and finds a guild and starts adventuring to try and get strong enough to fight the empire.

Upon losing to an enemy, or choosing certain options in town, scenes will occur. If it's defeat, she will usually have to escape from her captors, which is its own minigame.

But I'm stuck at the drawing board. Pixel maker is fun, but the story might be too serious for an ACT game. I think people will expect mid combat sex attacks, and that doesn't fit with my plan. (I could have them occur after defeat, during attempts to escape, though.)

I feel like a standard RPG maker game has to be really good or nobody will play it. And this is my first shot at it so................ no guarantees there.

But it's hard to keep ACT games from feeling silly. Is it ok for an ACT to be somewhat serious?

 

[DarkFire1004]

Moved to the Discussion section, as there is not enough information to warrant a thread in the Under Construction section, nor any proof of concept.

 

[Bryanis]

Well, you got a plot and some ideas.
The big question you wanna answer first is :
Do I want to make a game that the public will like or does I want to make a game I like ?

In short, will you do the game you want to do, or will you model your game to the market demand to sell it ?

If it's your first game, I advise to chose the former. Making a game is bound to be long and tedious work. Unless it's a pay job you're doing for the money without a care, you'll have time you want to stop, so making something you want & like would be the best.
(later game can be the 2nd answer, since you'll be better used to making them so it'll take less time and bring, probably, less bad time).

Afterward, it also depend on how much of the plot, character..... you already decide / wrote about.

If you're going with RPG maker, then it's either your traditional rpg maker presentation or some ARPG like wong of Roldia.... With the little you gave us as info, both could do, but you'll have to make the game in slithly different way to fit the style. Again, I'll go for your own preference on your first job.
Else, well, RPG are more about the story, characters and using skill and item with strategic / tactical thinking, while ARPG (on rpg maker) are more about skill to beat the enemies and using the right gear again the right mob.

(feel like I throw back the question to you, but ultimatly it will be your choice ^^ )

 

[SoulLess Child]

The basic idea is a nearby empire invades the (female) character's home town.

She either escapes, or gets captured and then escapes. Then goes and finds a guild and starts adventuring to try and get strong enough to fight the empire.

Upon losing to an enemy, or choosing certain options in town, scenes will occur. If it's defeat, she will usually have to escape from her captors, which is its own minigame.

There are quite a few games using that kind of basic contexts, so expect a lot of bashing and comparisons.
like Bryanis wrote, you also have a few questions to ask yourself, another I would add is "normal or hentai for the first one?" , hentai tend to have more things to keep track of.

 

[pleaserefrainfromjudging]

Well, you got a plot and some ideas.
The big question you wanna answer first is :
Do I want to make a game that the public will like or does I want to make a game I like ?

In short, will you do the game you want to do, or will you model your game to the market demand to sell it ?

If it's your first game, I advise to chose the former. Making a game is bound to be long and tedious work. Unless it's a pay job you're doing for the money without a care, you'll have time you want to stop, so making something you want & like would be the best.
(later game can be the 2nd answer, since you'll be better used to making them so it'll take less time and bring, probably, less bad time).

Afterward, it also depend on how much of the plot, character..... you already decide / wrote about.

That's a good point. Can't finish a project you don't believe in.

At the same time, you can't anticipate enjoying playing your own game too much, unless it has a level randomizer. Since you've already seen all the game's levels.

It's like being the "dungeon master" in a game of dungeons and dragons. You have to enjoy dungeon master stuff.

If you're going with RPG maker, then it's either your traditional rpg maker presentation or some ARPG like wong of Roldia.... With the little you gave us as info, both could do, but you'll have to make the game in slithly different way to fit the style. Again, I'll go for your own preference on your first job.

Else, well, RPG are more about the story, characters and using skill and item with strategic / tactical thinking, while ARPG (on rpg maker) are more about skill to beat the enemies and using the right gear again the right mob.

(feel like I throw back the question to you, but ultimatly it will be your choice ^^ )

If it's a question of what I like to play: it's RPG maker games, with tactics.

If it's a question of what I think would be fun to make: it's an ACT. The art style is more free form.


That is the paradox.

But probably it's just insecurity. If I make an RPG maker game that is exactly what I want to play, carefully thought out all the tactics, story, etc. And then nobody else likes it, it would hurt my feelings.

If I make an ACT, it's the safer path. I'm not emotionally invested in the success/failure of an ACT game.

There are quite a few games using that kind of basic contexts, so expect a lot of bashing and comparisons.
like Bryanis wrote, you also have a few questions to ask yourself, another I would add is "normal or hentai for the first one?" , hentai tend to have more things to keep track of.

dazedanon19 has a thread over in Hgame discussions attempting to list all the good ACT games out there, and it makes it apparent that good ACT works are actually kind of uncommon. So I think that maybe that is where the bigger market is.

https://ulmf.org/threads/act-tier-list.14650/

If I make it an ACT, that could make up for it being otherwise pretty ordinary.

I'd like the venture to be successful enough that it gets feedback.


My thinking is that: porn lowers people's expectations of the game being perfect. ACT porn lowers those expectations even further.

Moved to the Discussion section, as there is not enough information to warrant a thread in the Under Construction section, nor any proof of concept.

Thanks! I didn't know where to put it. If it actually gets somewhere I'll create a thread in that forum.

 

[pleaserefrainfromjudging]

I think I'm going to heed Bryanis' advice, and build something I will love, even if I don't think it will be successful.

I am very grateful for the feedback! Decisions like these in a process can decide whether the whole effort is for nothing, or ends up being worth it. (Or feeling like its worth it, anyway.)


And I can always have an ACT side project, after the first one is further along.

 

[SoulLess Child]

you didn't address "normal vs porn"
and as a side of it, "game with porn tacked on" vs "porn with game mechanics tacked on", it's a complain that often pop up.

you also avoided what I said about the basic concept/context/setting being used quite often.

---
so, looking at the three "balances" (or "sliders):
"Porn with Plot" vs "Plot with Porn"
"Game with Plot" vs "Plot with Game"
"Porn with Game" vs "Game with Porn"
another one would be the types of sex, "normal sex", "sex as punishment" and "sex as reward" are the main ones.

for the plot, the usual: Who? Why? Where? When? How? What? need some answers.

 

[pleaserefrainfromjudging]

At present, I don't have a very strong plot for this game. I'm kind of going for a bit of sandbox if I can manage it.

The backdrop is that the character lives in a nation that has gone to war with another nation. (been attacked by them.) They're a nobody just trying to get by, and initially have no particular role to play. But as time goes on, in order to make it a good story, they will have to become more important/influential, and be able to make some kind of difference. It will probably be a demonlord or other bad guy has taken over the invading nation.

I'm also considering the possibility of doing like in Diablo III and letting you choose from a few characters to play as the MC. Depends on whether it turns out to be too difficult. (But allows me to design more events)


If I'm honest about my goals, designing events is really what I want to do. I just need a framework to drop them into, and it would be nice if it came together and actually worked out to be a playable game.

so, looking at the three "balances" (or "sliders):
"Porn with Plot" vs "Plot with Porn"
"Game with Plot" vs "Plot with Game"
"Porn with Game" vs "Game with Porn"

So of these questions, I think I will have to choose the first of each. Although I'm hesitant on the third one. I might go the other way on the third and have it be "Game with Porn".

Also, although this is how I am starting it, it might not turn out that way. Scenes are better if you actually identify with the protag.

another one would be the types of sex, "normal sex", "sex as punishment" and "sex as reward" are the main ones.

For these, I'm going with mostly "punishment", because I prefer RoL. (Not a fan of GOR, but there still should be long term consequences.) I know reward is better, and more challenging to create, so I'll probably manage to do some of that too, but I have more good ideas when it comes to RoL outcomes. Definitely have some prostitution too, depending on the MC's state of inhibitions.

I think I'm going to stick with RPG Maker MV, and have it be a normal RPG. So I can add a few mechanics. One will be after you win certain fights, to ask the player if they would like to know what would have happened if she had lost (and have the option to make that the chosen outcome, without fighting again). That allows RoL without the player actually feeling like they lost anything. (And perhaps I'll give them a bonus if they go that option as opposed to losing by way of actually losing..)


Also since it's RPG Maker, the list of TP based attacks will include a "Be Overconfident" move, which in the description says "This does not help you win fights...."

for the plot, the usual: Who? Why? Where? When? How? What? need some answers.

The rough draft that I'm working from right now, the MC just happens to be present when a small lordship is surprise attacked by an army from a neighboring nation. Initially the tower where the lord lives is besieged by well known mercenary army, but then after they win, the army of the neighboring nation shows up and attacks them. (It turns out the neighboring nation is who had hired them in the first place, and is now betraying them.)

Unfortunately I haven't named the nation yet. .........working on that.....

The lord had been the keeper of a powerful magical artifact. The invading army used another powerful artifact to mask their presence, which is how they are able to attack so far away from their own borders.

Someone is out there assembling ancient artifacts.

Most of the plot is based off of a video game called "Warlords III: Darklords Rising." It's a grand strategy game where you play as a fantasy nation at war with other fantasy nations. I'm just imagining what must be going on in the background. (And probably what I end up with will not actually be a possible scenario outcome for that game.... just .)


Anyway, the army wants to be thorough and completely wipes out the town. Anyone not killed is taken as a slave. Some escape to some nearby ancient underground tunnels and are pursued.

The MC may possibly fight the attackers while retreating to those tunnels to escape. Or, if they lose, they must escape from being prisoner in the enemy camp (with much H)

After they escape (either by not getting caught, or by escaping after being caught), they're free and clear and simply become a normal adventurer and try to forget about the war that is going on for a while. But of course, as wars do, it will inevitably reach them again. And they will be forced to face it and participate.

Probably they'll seek out a relic or two that has not been found yet, and then go after whoever is behind it all. (Probably a demon lord who is leading the enemy nation, perhaps secretly using their ruler as a puppet.)


This is of course, deeply inspired by Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. With the MC initially not wanting to care, but finding them self caught in the trouble anyway. And seeming to play a small or minor role, while big armies are battling it out elsewhere.

 

[SoulLess Child]

That explain who the MC is and why she has to flee, also say the "where to" are limited.

hmm, single character or party?

and if multiple nations/factions are involved, that can mean multiple masterminds/leaders.

 

[pleaserefrainfromjudging]

Multiple masterminds is a good idea! More of a sandbox too, if the player can pick what order to do them. (and each choosable character could prefer certain enemies.)

For party mechanics, I'm still weighing the possibilities. If there are too many possible combinations, that makes the H scenes more difficult. But I think having one companion won't get too difficult and I can always be lazy and only have the scenes be for the protagonist.

I might have her be alone most of the time and only join a team for a few specific missions or circumstances. Her party members are just known associates the rest of the time. Or one static companion, chosen from a cast, and up to two variable companions specific to mission.

For example: After the lordship is destroyed, the Lord's wife is still in charge of a few surviving followers who escaped, regrouping to rebuild or help mount a resistance. But her daughter has been captured. So she hires the MC to join her on a mission to rescue her daughter, which.........if it fails............. ( I may switch it and have it be the wife who is captured and the daughter who is mounting a rescue.)


Mostly I am just worried that if it becomes a large cast, with too much variation in party makeup, the number of needed artworks will multiply exponentially.

I'm toying with the idea of making a kind of random scene generator, that puts elements together to kind of randomly create a scene. I call it the "wheel of misfortune". It may turn out not to work as well as I am hoping, though. But it will mean that losing doesn't always get you a H scene. Sometimes she comes out unscathed.


I am also debating the possibility of having her have a horse. (Not for any H scenes though!!!!) Or maybe a flying animal. Or maybe a magical flying thing. (That may prove too complicated, but opens up a lot of potential.)

 

[SoulLess Child]

at the basic, start alone, but can potentially gain allies (party members) after escaping... granted, it depends on how often "capture and escape" is supposed to happen.