Ah, what I meant was that, suppose a character isn’t an RO in part 1 but becomes an RO in part 2, would we need to have a good relationship with them in part 1 in order to romance them? What I mean is, would the relationships in part 2 be dependent on that in part 1?
I might be getting ahead of myself here with the questions since part 1 isn’t out yet and I’m already worried about part 2 
I think that’s a tough decision and I’ll likely speak with other authors who have written multi-part HGs or CoGs.
On one hand, decisions/relationships in part I have to mean SOMETHING moving forward to part II, or else it feels like nothing you did had impact.
On the other hand, readers might find it REALLY annoying if they were forever locked out of a certain character relationship or storyline in parts II and III solely because of a few choices they made in part I.
I’m sure that, as with many things, there is a middle ground.
Can you talk about what you had to change at all? Sounds pretty interesting if a lot of work.
Well, the biggest revision task boils down to improving the choices. Even during the (lengthy) beta testing, the most common “wish” from testers was for some more difficult choices. I knew that was the weakness of the game. There weren’t enough choices that made you pause and carefully consider pros and cons. I had carried the “light and breezy” theme of the narrative into the choices themselves by neglecting to provide tough decisions.
So I’m adding and rewriting options so that each choice has at least 3, and sometimes 4, reasonable options; and the options will affect some combination of persona, motivations, relationships and resources (I’m striving to also incorporate the stipend and the insurance claims much more effectively). Some choices are being rewritten entirely.
This is my first time writing a story of this length, let alone an interactive story, so I’m appreciative of all I learn about storytelling and game design along the way.
Can we have a fact teaser, like info about the characters for all of us who never played the demo, and the background, just so we can read that 99999173 times to get us to the day it comes out quicker?
I don’t know if I should give any sort of detailed summary (if such a thing exists), but generally speaking, the MC is studying to become a hero at a newly created bottom-of-the-rung hero-training community college in the American Midwest.
There is a large cast of characters, including classmates, faculty, other more established heroes, and a group of villains. The overall tone is pretty light - the story doesn’t take itself super seriously. Themes to be explored in the story include friendship and loyalty, revenge, altruism and the pursuit of power.
So I am probably in the minority here but I am genuinely surprised that they said you need to improve your choices. I think I have played pretty much all the CoG games and the hosted games and I can say without a doubt, your game offered the most ‘difficult choices’ I have had to make. I was a part of the beta so I won’t go into any details, but there were quite a few times that I had to stop and think, shoot what should I do. Those choices were thought provoking making me internally wrestle with issues like morality vs success of my character, etc.
If by ‘difficult choices’, they meant choices that make a difference for the story I would think you are alright on that front as well. Most of the games on this website follow a path that every player hits each chapter they just have small differences how you get through the story. In Zombie Exodus, no matter what you do (unless you die I guess) you are going to make it to Zombie Exodus in part 5 and hit all the missions as you get there. Same with Showdown at Willow Creek. Don’t get me wrong. Showdown is probably my favorite released game and I am not being critical. I think most players understand that for something like this to a certain extent you are going to be railroaded. Again I’m trying not to get into spoilers but I think you probably have an edge in this regard anyways because a certain decision you make in-game where you choose a group changes the content you have in a couple chapters fairly drastically. As much as I think it would be awesome to be able to have a starting choice where I gather up all the heroes and we take a rocket to the moon and have a completely different story I understand that having that much flexibility is not possible (sorry for the spoiler 
).
If by ‘difficult choices’, they meant not enough choices are based on stats I can understand that. Most of the other games here force you to kind of specialize in a certain way you deal with ‘stat encounters’. While you have that, most of the stat changes in the game have more to do with relationships and variables for decisions than +5 Strength or Charisma or whatever. I’ve been lurking for a while and I remember towards the beginning of the development your game was more like that. I can’t remember the specifics but I recall you saying something along the lines that it became unmanageable because players might not always want to choose the most ‘optimal’ option or whatever. Have you changed your mind? Again I am probably in the minority but I think I prefer your style based on relationships and variables for decisions. I like the other games too, but I think your style fits your story better and the tone and theme of the game.
Regarding your wish to get more exposure, I completely understand that desire and I think its probably wise. I think exposure probably trumps everything else (especially since its your first game right?) even if you had to make significant changes to the tone, theme, or story (and I am not trying to imply that you are). But quite frankly I am of the opinion that you should be offering the CoG people advice on how to make ‘difficult choices’ and not the other way around. Regarding people in beta asking for more difficult choices I think you might be misinterpreting it. I can’t remember but I was probably one of them, and I can only speak for myself, for me it was that you do it so well that I wanted more. I felt you had plenty of difficult choices and the number was just right for a game/story of this size. I have the feeling that even if you spent another 5 years making more choices, people are going to still want more ‘difficult choices’. Its because your game and choices are thought provoking and it spurs people imaginations so they are going to want to ask if you thought of letting our characters do this or that. Obviously if you spend more time making more, its just going to make the game better and I look forward to seeing that.
Anyways thats my two cents for what its worth.
I really appreciate your thoughtful “defense” of the Hosted Games version of the game. It means a lot that you give such a thorough analysis of the issues being discussed.
First of all, you and I are on absolutely the same page regarding the choices that lead to totally different (and extended) branches in the narrative. As you know, the first half of the game has one such choice, as does the second half of the game. I really like those choices too because I think they give the game much greater replayability. Combined with different study group options and dating options, I think you could reread CCH and encounter up to 20%-30% new text which I think creates a new reading experience.
I’m a little disappointed when I reread a CoG/HG and realize that I’m reading a story that’s 95% the same as the first reading.
The choice changes being made will make the game more enjoyable, I promise! For example, the Hosted Games version used a lot of fake choices when asking the reader about her thoughts and opinions. I now realize that was a huge wasted opportunity. Why not make them real choices and track the reader’s actual opinions on issues, the different hero schools, and even the villains? It should lead to a more consistent character with better defined motivations.
And don’t worry, relationships will still be a huge part of the game. Hell, they will still drive the story. For me, developing relationships are easier to write/code than “maxing stats,” so I’m going with what I think is my strength. But I will also learn how to strengthen the game mechanics, and that is a good thing.
There will be a CoG beta testing period down the line, and I hope you take part in it! I’d love to hear your comments about the improvements once they’re mostly done!
Well if there’s a beta test for this game down the line hopefully I will be able to join since I was part of the beta testets for the HG version sure do look forward to the changes.
Is it possible to still beta test?
@blackbeard, I hope you can participate too!
@Dino, CoG will decide when beta testing occurs. It will be down the road. Just pop into the forums once in a while to check.
will we see any completely new scenes? (if so more of that sweet romance) or are you just refining what you’ve already done?
There will be many tweaks and a few extensions of scenes, but I’m not sure if totally new material will be needed. It already runs at between 3-4 hours in a playthrough (about 50k words), which is on the long side for a CoG.
It’s hard to give all the NPCs balanced time, but I do feel that Mob gets a little short-changed, both as a friend and a RO, so I might want to give him some more time.
Did you have a specific scene or character in mind? PM me if you’d like.
I appreciate an author who really wants to make the best game possible!
Thanks, @Jerred_Manns. I figure if you’re going to write a series, it’s pretty damn important to set a solid foundation in Part I.
I was content with the HG version and I had told myself, “Eric, it’s okay that Part I has some major flaws.” (I didn’t say this out loud obviously). I was determined to make improvements in Part II and had already started a brainstorming thread with folks giving a lot of helpful suggestions.
But the CoG opportunity will give me the support and guidance to go back and iron out those flaws now.
I’m starting to post the few fan pics I have to my FB page. The web site is still a work in progress.
If anyone would like to send me art, I’d love to post more. Feel free to post it here, or PM me if you’d prefer. Don’t worry if they don’t match the “official” versions I posted previously. Alternate versions would be awesome.
I randomly selected a pic, and it’s Dirty Girl pic from @HoZay. I love this one.
I’m still of the opinion you are hamstringing yourself by not making Stoic a romance option.
Though that is not based on any real fact and more on I just like them the most.
That’s defintinely one of the most frequent requests!
I’d just respond that not everything fun or awesome or awesomely fun will happen in Part I. In fact, a lot -more- will happen in Parts II and III with many of the character introductions and much of the world building out of the way.
I’d just like to say, that although I have not read this or gotten in on the beta, I eagerly anticipate its release.
I do too! The story hasn’t been available on the forums since late February/early March, and I hope to get CCH ready for CoG-beta before too many people lose interest.
It’s 6:40am here, and as much as I’d like to sleep in on a Saturday, I’m equipped with a cup of coffee AND a glass of Diet Coke so I can work on revisions before the whole family wakes up.