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@Havenstone, what will be the most difficult thing to do during the rebellion

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I have to agree with Tigras. It would be nice to meet Suzzanne as a male player without having to be attracted to males. It’s fine if it’s not possible with what you had in mind for your game, but it would be nice.

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Maybe a random gender generator. I don’t know if that would mess up the flow or future plot of the story but it would take out the oh if this person is male they should’ve been or we shouldve had the choice to make them female scenario.

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But if it’s random then people will complain that it’s gone from some choice to none.

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@P_Tigras

Wait a minute, so choosing Bredon as female means my character prefers males?

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@Scrivener: Um, no, using a random function for something this significant would be a /terrible/ idea. Far better to separate “sexual preference” and “gender of Brenden” as described earlier.

After reviewing the code, I think some fairly major changes are in order. In particular, I think three things need to be done:

  1. There needs to be a scene (prior to the “save the Helot” scene) where the player is introduced to the protagonists parents, the player can learn what their positions are on the various topics (e.g. Helot’s, harvesting, empire, nationality, and the like), and finally have an opportunity to express their opinion on these topics. This achieves two key goals
    a) The game can use branching to present text that is consistent with the players beliefs.
    b) The player understands that “Mother believed in X, Y, and Z while father believed in !X, !Y, Z and A, and my character believes X, !Y, !Z, and A”. This allows the player to choose options that support his/her ideals.
  2. There needs to be /far/ more information presented when selecting options during the raiding pieces about plans / strategies / potential outcomes. For example:
    a) The option to “Let the nobles live to try to build up support among the nobility” strategy available during the raid on the nobles estate is something that I never suspected would exist until I examined the source code. Don’t get me wrong – the option makes perfect sense – but as a player, I’d never have considered selecting “Raid a noble estate” as a way to *improve* my standing among the nobles.
    b) The option to raid the *nobles* grain barns (rather than the *helots* grain barns) isn’t offered until /after/ you commit to performing this raid. This is the reverse of the previous – you wouldn’t select this option if you were trying to gain the support of the helots, but you actually /improve/ this relationship via this option.

In addition the changes above, I’d also like to see the “You are filled with lust / love at first sight” with Brenden eliminated altogether. Instead, describe him neutrally and give the player a /choice/ of “He / she is the most sexy creature alive”. People will figure out that this is a valid romance option from the presence of the choice. Note that regardless of whether or not the player selects this option Breden can still be attracted to the player, and the player may well change their mind down the road about pursuing the romance, but it should be the players choice, not forced by the game as it is today.

I’d also like to see an option for “I’m attracted to Breden, but… He’s just a helot and can never be anything more than a pleasant diversion” option, but that would add layers of complexity that may not be desirable.

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@Nocturnal_Stillness

No, you can choose to reject the make characters as well. I’m assuming you just have the option to be bisexual.

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Yea that may be but no matter what choices are made in accordance with the gender character deal somebody somewhere won’t like it and will complain that it’s not fair or want it changed to a different system. If only we had the Geth Consensus then everybody would agree on the whole gender deal…

Just my little opinion on it I’m happy with whatever happens in the game.

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@Nocturnal_Stillness No, choosing Bredon as female means your character is attracted to females. You will never meet Suzane or Kalla if you make that choice however. Instead you’ll meet Simon or Kalt. You can then choose to be attracted to Simon or Kalt as well, and that will make your character bisexual.

Now say you prefer Suzane over Bredon, than you have to accept being attracted to a male Bredon in order to have a shot at a female Suzane.

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@mreed - Agree with most of your points, and strongly agree that randomizing the genders wouldn’t work (I despise randomization in general), but definitely disagree with point 1 of yours.

I understand the issues people have had with the choices available, but the opening scene works to set the stakes of the game too well to delay it playing twenty questions about the player’s political beliefs. The way information about your character’s background and parental relationships arise naturally during play works better, IMO. And I like that you’ve had a chance to “live” in the world a while before having to define your opinions on it.

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@P_Tigras sorry i just can understand a think about Breden sex affect people he is Thomas playing with my mind.

so if he is hel Im just to have love lesbian partners!!!

if he is she Im straight?!!!

WTF??? i just mind blown lol. How could have sense!!! i go bed with a girl so my romance is a boy yeah sure, has tons of sense

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Ah I see. I get it now. Thanks!

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As we’ve seen on other threads (edit: and as Scrivener just said), there’s no way of writing romantic options that will please everyone. Maybe I’ve happened on the way that will make no one happy. :slight_smile: It has genderflipping, but the characters’ genders don’t all flip the way you want them to; the NPCs are decidedly not playersexual, and as in real life, there’s no way to guarantee that the ones you think would make the best partners are from your preferred sex.

Part of the dynamic I want to explore with K/S is precisely what happens when someone from your non-preferred sex is attracted to you. Bi readers get to evade that dynamic, which I suppose could be seen as a bonus for them, especially if they want to get as far from Breden as they can. Non-bi readers, like myself, get the more complex relationship. Or they can flip their orientation to see what a romance with K/S is like.

Breden belongs (by definition) to a sex that you’re attracted to. That’s part of the mix that’s meant to make your relationship with Breden complex and memorable. I’m still not convinced that the initial pang of attraction should be a choice, any more than I get a choice in real life to feel attracted to a striking, highly charismatic woman.

As you get to know Breden better, there are almost immediately options that take you down a not-attracted-to-this-individual path. As a noble, you can be pissed off at her manipulation of you in the helot meetings, you can reject her, and when she forces the issue in Ch 2, you can shut it down permanently.

I wholly understand people hankering for noble romance options from your preferred sex, but I’m afraid I don’t intend those to crop up until Game II – when they will crop up in abundance.

@mreed, appreciate the detailed feedback and suggestions. I’m taking all proposals seriously.

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Excellent game I greatly enjoyed it. I’ve replayed the game several times solely to test and try different combinations of surviving the winter. I love how the whole thing is handled with the options you present for handling it as well as their repercussions (positive and negative). Though I think a couple of things could be improved upon.

When it comes to attacking the Architelone I don’t like it being an in app purchase for several reasons. I have no problems paying for a continuation of a story, DLC, or more content in general, but when I was going through the sorry the first time I was quite disappointed, that you were still working on it and that It would be in the middle of the story. That makes feel like I’m paying for part of the natural story as opposed to paying for more content, which I would gladly do with this story. The thing about an IAP, and DLC like content is that when I get it I want feel like I’m getting more. I don’t like paying for extra content when it feels like the content isn’t extra.

Also since its not just more story I’m buying but the ability to save peoples’ live’s (potential) without compromising the way I think the rebellion should be run really rubbed me the wrong way. Not to say that forcing me to make hard decisions is what I’m opposed to its just the feeling of buy out of the hard decision and situation that I don’t like.

For now the section as a whole flows rather well without attacking the Architelone. With the results being explained and giving us some choices and dialogue then going back to the view as a whole. The only thing I think might disrupt the flow is getting having a lengthy one just for robing the the tax collector would be a little odd. I can’t really say for sure that it will be having not played or any real idea of what it will be like other then “significant extra story, the chance to form positive relationships with a number of significant NPCs, and at least one additional henchman”. Personally I wouldn’t have any problems with you just having something about the same length as most of the other options instead of making it special.

I also felt that intellect as a secondary stat was basically useless at this point in the game, because Charisma and Combat both have checks at 1 they can pass. Granted not as good as the same check with 2, but intellect doesn’t seem to offer anything but Theurgy. I don’t know if that’s intended because at this stage in a rebellion combat and leadership are far more necessary and I come to play a better role later on. This made to where it should either be my best stat or my worst. It had no use as my medium stat when compared to Combat or Charisma as my medium stat.

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@Havenstone i would be harsh sorry for that. Its only my opinion and myopinion is always minority here. But i want be sincere with you. here i go:

your writing is great and in the context i see a great universe born. For long time and complex with a great future. Even books like way walker But:

the intro with helot is ok i read almost copy paste in d&d and classics paper choice but yeah work fine.

The rest until came to camp is what is the correct English word, irregular sloppy full of plot holes . You do a great intro for a book thinking in the character you like my bet,a commoner who fell in love the Brennan girl and to flirt with her and show how rebel are tell mty way of impress with politics and kiss her.But you put a description half of humanity could not like and you has to trust and desire that correct model after five seconds.
At least you let me option to don’t kiss him.

For rest of way of reveals story has zero sense its ok but is confusing. If i only see this little demo i never buy it game or recommended it, because i ever don’t know my sexuality in game lol. the way you ask and placed options seem random. I want gain nobles and sometimes i could talking helots gain nobles others not. How much i play less understand.

Its a pity because game is a diamond; a complex setting wonderful stat designs lore. But they need polish open mind to other options in mentality players. You have one in mind yours; like i have mine but you are author of a choice of games not a closed book give me room lol and explain choices!!!

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@Havenstone

Nicely said. I’m wrestling with this very thing in my current project. I like the term “player-sexual”. :slight_smile:

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@MaraJade, you (and everyone else) can be as harsh as you like in your critiques – I’m grateful for honest feedback.

You’ve obviously had a strongly negative reaction to my portrayal of Breden, and resent even being told in flashbacks that your character had an initial attraction and fascination to him/her. I’m not sure that reaction actually represents half of humanity, so I’ll wait to hear from a few more representatives.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and reactions!

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@Havenstone first time i read it i though Guy was a hobo Thomas spy with blood powers that going to rape my girl in the forest calling that beasts in first scene. So yeah i don’t like him her i each try i read again i feel the scary moment =))

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I’m failing to keep up with everyone’s comments here, but thanks so much to everyone who’s chipping in.

Two quick notes on things that have made me grin, before I forget them:

@P_Tigras, I know it’s a sign of frustration, but I can’t help finding it kind of flattering that you would consider editing my code to increase your enjoyment of the game. :slight_smile: Do what you have to.

And @FairyGodfeather, I saw what you were doing with that Dragonlance ref. Tsk tsk. Such blatant manipulation of my pet peeves will get you nowhere.

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@Havenstone

Buuuuuut! :slight_smile:

Admittedly I didn’t even notice when reading the books. With Choice of Games it’s hard to not notice. Anyway I’ve said my piece in regards to that.

Wait, no I lie. I do have something more to say.

“Think of the children! Havenstone think of the children!”

Think of the children who have to ask their parents permission to borrow a credit card every time they need to purchase something. (There are a few around). They might be able to wing one payment, but what of two?

Actually I’ve no idea if that’s valid or not. I do know there’s a few teens around who speak of their issues paying for things.

I’d actually be curious about sales figures on how well in app purchases do, especially those of this nature. I think it’d be an interesting experiment.

If Dragonlance won’t work and “Think of the children” won’t work I’ve got nothing. :slight_smile: