Monster Maker (WiP) [updated 4/20/19]

what gave you dart eye stick it kind of funny :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

I’m just now checking back in on this. If we can be something other than human, I personally would want to be a werewolf or kitsune (a fox spirit from eather Chinese or Japanese mythology).

the mc being something other than the human would be very cool but …being human makes sense like in the demo we have the option of hating or sympathizing with other supernatural beings and Eloise being concerned about us because we are human and we trying to knock some sense into people who think all monsters are the same wouldn’t be same. also, it makes romance with Eloise and other ro’s all the more interesting.

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Ok guys, sorry about yesterday. This moving thing has been An Ordeal. This last week has all but demolished me, and not just because of the move, honestly. Anyway, this past week’s goals were:

  • I’d like to get to the half-way point in chapter 4; I know that’s less than another third, but with everything that’s going on this coming week while I move, I’d rather be realistic and possibly pleasantly surprised :x:
  • I’m going to work in a few more customization options and start thinking about adding those kinds of stats to the stats page. (I’m already keeping up with some, they’re just not visible.) :x:
  • Clean up my outline of chapter five. :heavy_check_mark:

All I managed to get done was some outlining and a little bit of drafting (all in a car) on paper that I haven’t transferred over to the computer yet, so I don’t think it really counts. I know that’s not inspiring and I’m sorry for disappointing anyone, but the good news is that I can promise you that this week won’t be that way. Things aren’t settled (god, I’m tired), but they are calming down enough for me to get stuff done, so I absolutely will.

So this week’s goals are, unfortunately, last week’s goals, but it’s happening. Also, I’m going to close the poll to name Bern’s cat next Friday, so if you haven’t voted and you want to, that’s still up for now.

Have a good weekend! :heart::heart::heart:

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Hey don’t worry; if any, everyone in here is very patient and we understand life happens. Do what you must, we’ll still be here anyway :smiley:

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you are doing good job on your hard work

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I really like your writing style, it’s quite fluid. The characters’ personalities are so good too, Eloise is my absolute favorite.

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how will romance going in the story

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Hey guys! So this week, I intended to:

  • get to the half-way point in chapter 4 :heavy_check_mark:
  • work in a few more customization options and start thinking about adding those kinds of stats to the stats page. (I’m already keeping up with some, they’re just not visible.) :x:

The customization options are still tripping me a bit because for some of them, once I’ve figured out a smooth way to implement the options, I’m still trying to think of ways to make those choices matter later, so I think what I’m going to do is write ahead and then, when I find places I can actually use them, I’ll double back and put the choices in. I don’t have a problem with flavor text, but I’d like for players to get something more out of them if possible and I think that’s gonna help me do that.

On Monday, I’m going to handle replies to the forums and a few asks that have been sitting in my inbox on tumblr. The plan for the rest of the week is:

  • get to ~ 75% on chapter 4
  • bulk in chapter 5 outline (yes, again; I had some ideas)

My goals are going to be little less hefty than they were when I first published the demo because hopefully I’ll be going back to work soon, but things are still moving! Have a great weekend!

Thank you so much for your encouragement and patience!! :blue_heart::blue_heart::blue_heart:

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Thanks for another progress update, they are nice to read.

If I can ask, about customization, can you try not let it come about too late in the story or just not reference that item? I mean, no need to stress over it. I’ve seen a few works, published and WIP, that suddenly just have a new customization in the middle of the story. It kind of disturbs the experience, I think, when it would have been fine without it.

Sorry, not articulating well atm.

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Ok I am new on this forum but 1.I love it. and 2.I love it. It is a fun little twist to the monster hunter trope that I love soo much, and you have two unlikely partners which I love in all the different aspects so far. Keep up the good work I’ll be watching.

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I had a lovely time playing through your demo. Keep up the great work! :heart:

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I know it’s Tuesday and not Monday and I’m sorry! I keep telling myself that things will settle down sooner rather than later but that hasn’t proven true yet. But I am still working!

Firstly, thank you guys so much!! It’s such a HUGE relief and so encouraging to get on here and see your nice messages! They lift huge weights off of me; I didn’t expect that putting up the demo and receiving support would cause this kind of anxiety but I’m just so worried about disappointing you all! So it means a lot to me to see all the nice things you’re saying!! :sob::heart:

As far as customization goes, I am trying very hard to walk that line between “create a fun experience for people who want to visualize their character” and “not interrupting the narrative for physical descriptors that will literally never come up.” It’s… tricky, trying to figure out what’s most important and helpful for visualization without breaking the story to say “so what’s your hair/eye/skin color,etc” but I’m playing around with it a lot. If things end up feeling weird, it’s all open to change and I think this is one of the parts I’ll be most relying on feedback for. If there are parts you’ve found in the first three chapters that stand out as weird to you, please feel free and encouraged to bring them and tell me your thoughts on them! My process right now is writing the story and then going back through and lacing those things in as well as I can, but I realize that might be a weird way to go about it. The truth is that I just hadn’t planned for CC; it had slipped right past me when I was doing the main outline of the whole game.

As for romance, I’m trying to keep things as organic as I can but there will be a sort of “lock in” option toward the end just for the sake of coding. I don’t want to discount actions or conversations that happen before you make that choice and I’m planning carefully for that, but I’m also trying to give you enough time and development that things don’t feel weird and rushed.

Thank you all again!!! So much!!! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts::kissing_closed_eyes:

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Pfft, it’s all your own fault for making this awesome thing. So there, I said it. :grin:

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This is really good.

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Thanks!!!

Friday update:
This week’s plans:

  • get to ~ 75% on chapter 4 :heavy_check_mark:
  • bulk in chapter 5 outline :heavy_check_mark:

Honestly, I got closer to 70% than 75% but scope creep is getting me again, so it’s not that I didn’t write as much as I wanted but that it ended up amounting to a longer chapter than I anticipated. Scope creep in terms of story doesn’t really bother me though. I’m not worried about reaching the finish line so much as I am about when I’ll reach it, but the main takeaway is that I finally got as much done as I wanted and that’s a huge relief. The encouragement I’ve gotten from you guys is definitely a huge part of that!

This week, I’d like to get the bulk of the remainder of chapter 4 done. I don’t think I’ll finish it, but I think I can get close. So I’m hoping it’ll be done within two weeks and then I’ll take a week to proof before uploading. That’s my optimistic plan.

I hope you all have a great weekend!!!

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Thanks for the update and congrats on the progress! Take your time. Slower updates done well are better than faster ones done sloppily. We’ll still be here.

PS: Castien’s spot as my number one RO is in danger now that I’m aware of the werewolf option.

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This story is well written. Really keep it up. I’m curious about how the story is going to continue because the development of every name character is well handled. Can’t wait for updates.

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got say oc going have hard time on this case

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Hey guys! Sorry the forum didn’t get an update yesterday; I’m on the road again so I posted a quick one to tumblr, but the forum acts weird when I try to use it on my phone.

As ever, thank you all for the encouragement!! It really, genuinely helps! :heart::sob:

This week’s official update:
Still on the road but not currently on the road.

This week I wanted to get as close to finished on chapter 4 as I could and I’m happy with the progress. Numerically speaking, I really only hopped from about 70% to about 80% but once again, things just are getting longer as I write them, which I don’t think is a bad thing.

I hope it doesn’t disappoint or upset anyone, but I will be taking this week “off.” There’s a lot going on, but mostly I just need some time away from this chapter. There seems to be a theme with me where the end is the trickiest part and this time is no exception, so I’m giving myself some time away from it and then I’ll come back next week with fresher eyes. It’s always worked before, so even though I don’t love the idea of stepping back from it, I think it’s for the best. And it’s just one week; I promise this isn’t one of those “they said one week and we haven’t heard from them in 6 months” kind of things. I’m coming right back! :slight_smile:

In the meantime, you guys have a great week and a good holiday!! And thank you again for the support!!!

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