That’s perfectly fine. Actually I find it interesting to see how others imagine them. I just don’t like them in game. If it’s in game then I find that in a way restrictive when it comes to using my imagination.
3 Likes
I have no problems with illustrations, though I don’t necessarily think it needs to be there. A map can be useful just to get a clearer picture of where something takes place though.
Having said that, I do wonder whether illustrations are worth the investment. I obviously don’t know how much the average author makes off of their game, but from what I’ve heard it isn’t a whole lot. Quality art can get pretty expensive, so I imagine you’d have to sell quite a few copies of the game just to make up for the cost of the artwork. I’m just worried authors might spend more than they end up making back.
Edit: To clarify, I’m worried because these games are so cheap, meaning it would take a while to make back the money that’s spent on artwork even if you sold a bunch of copies. Not that I think the average author just barely sells any copies at all.
2 Likes
Depends on what is being illustrated. Maps and environmental illustration are fine, character portraits though have made me instantenously loose interest in a game several times. I do really enjoy it if there is a simple illustration at the start of a chapter though. I also enjoy it if the illustrations are kind of helpful but obscure, if that makes any sense. I think that the demo for Samurai of Hyuga 4 does this just right.
I think that illustrations/ maps can be fun, tho not really necessary, as in my experience, the authors can REALLY paint the picture for you. 
CoG peeps are so creative.
My concern would be whether adding this type of content might cause any loading time bottlenecks. There have been times that I’m holding my breath for the next screen… LITERALLY. Hold breath, gasp, exclaim… yeah… I really try to make it a point to not be around others when I play… LOL
My point is… I can only hold my breath for so long (
) and I would not want illustrations to interfere with game flow…
2 Likes
I hadn’t even thought about that yet but yes same to what @NightieMe said. I’ve also had it happen where a game took a long time to load and I thought my phone hadn’t registered the click (which it does sometimes) so I clicked again and it ended up skipping a page. Not really a problem in a WIP with a save system, but without a save system? That would be really frustrating.
1 Like
Y’all would’ve lost your mind if I went with my original idea for my end-of-game illustration, which would’ve included exactly 528 photo variations.
2 Likes
Then make a disclaimer when publishing because
Many people like me won’t play with so many pictures.
B Many phones and tablets won’t move that and I don’t wait five hours to complete a load for images I don’t even want to see.
Sorry If I am blunt. But Imagine bought a text game to find is a picture book I can’t actually play fluid.
2 Likes
IIRC, A Study in Steampunk does this, and I liked it there. The illustrations really sold the story’s mood/tone and putting them between chapters prevented the illustrations from breaking up the flow.
I think it can contribute to the game, but I wouldn’t be any more likely to buy a game with illustrations. I would be less likely to buy a game that has a large amount (file size wise) of illustrations or tons of illustrations breaking up the text inside chapters (with no toggle to disable them).
I primarily play on my phone, so both size and amount of scrolling are concerns for me.
2 Likes
Would loading the pictures actually be an issue? It never took long for my phones and tablet to load them when I played ZE or Waywalkers…
With the second volume of @Samuel_H_Young pictures I lost minutes in the second chapter all enemies pictures appear. I love you Samuel but lol… I was dying to stop seeing the damn archer in the tree.
Also some photos get a weird way of zoom in from a device to another. Joing that to my distaste for the pictures in first place to starting swearing.
1 Like
I second that .
I think it would be only fair , to give an option to turn them on or off .
2 Likes
Definitely as yes. They are eye-candy. Perhaps if it’s too much it would distract from story itself, but maps, chapter headings are what sets the atmosphere. “Don’t judge book by its cover” is a lie. Humans like pretty visuals and that’s a fact, its what attracts or grabs our attention first. But i guess that’s more about cover art.
And about that long loading time. Is network so bad outside EU? Or it’s just a choicescript engine fault? (And yes I have a pickle against those who say Stadia is absurd as no one has that net speed for it to work. God dammit, USA is not the whole world with its shitty net)
2 Likes
I play games offline so the connection is not the issue. It is more optimitation my tablet and phone can run Fahrenheit And Planet escape torment and Kotor so It can handle photos.
About net In city I have no issue But In the countryside the net is terrible and i don’t buy a console I only play in cities when it sells to be portable.
1 Like
If it can run that, how in the hell it can’t load in timely fashion pictures? Sounds like choicscript engine fault. 
Yeah, the countryside can be tricky at times.
1 Like
@poison_mara planescape torment was an amazing game… I played it for months in 2005, saved me from losing my sanity while working underground! (bizarrely…)
1 Like
I just bought for tablet and works incredibly well. I travel to the country a lot so for me can play while travel and with no connection is the best
The mobile versions with a decent tablet are incredibly as so many great games are ported. Even stardew valey several bioware, Myst…
3 Likes
how far into it are you? I remember how I got stuck 3/4 into the game, couldnt make any progress for months, until I found a guide online… but this just took the fun out of it…
I just beginning it and check all work. Just Dink Smallwood remastered is freeon Google play so lol, I am torn how work first.
Torment I ended it without walkthrough in 1999 but had a bad ending. But after know forums now the fact I achieved ending it without guides is an achievement by this own asthe maze is bonkers.
1 Like
Late reply. If the game is hosted online, it might be a bit of issue depending on file size, your device power, and connection.
If the game is published, and you downloaded it via Gplay/AppS/Steam, connection will be a non-issue.
P.S. Life of Mercenary on omnibus is a torture
4 Likes
@poison_mara (off-topic, sorry to the others) you finished it without a walkthrough, that is amazing! As I said, I got badly stuck, and I remember spending forever revisiting the entire game, etc (I was playing on an old computer, so the loading time was also killing me…). But, with a walkthrough it lost all its magic (at least I felt that way), as then every time I just kept referring to it when having the slightest problem. Eventually I was just doing things mechanically, and stopped playing. Sad, as the game really left a major impression…
@Szaal (on topic) Good point actually… I never thought about the impact that this can have on the new omnibus… mmmmmm I wonder if other people have the same problem?
1 Like