Just finished playing this…
And all I want right now is to have a epic swordfight with my fictional brother over the clan’s leadership 
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The personality traits of the brother will be locked in at a certain point, letting his personality settle and be consistent even if your own character is going through some character arc 
Hoping to be able to provide good development for your brother no matter their starting personality, depending on how you handle your relationship.
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Is that so… 
Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
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Like I said I think this game does have no shortage of potential.
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I can’t wait to destroy the Mori clan and face off against oda.Great game and can’t wait for more.
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Motonari Mori as I mentioned in an earlier post is one of the most brilliant warlords during the Sengoku Jidai but from what I’ve determined, his successors were not as good as him.
Anyway that’s probably getting a bit off topic I really hope this game takes off.
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New dev log coming on Sunday, 2 week update schedule has shifted to next weekend and then every 2 weeks from that due to a change in what weekends I’m on leave of absence.
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If its large enough or turns into a trilogy there should be a chance for you to rule Japan either as Shogun or Imperial Chancellor.
But that’s a suggestion it’s really up to Nax.
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Gotta say, I’m curious as to how you plan to get around the “cursed twins” aspect of Japanese culture.
Twins and Luck
In Japanese culture, twins have long been associated with a belief in bad luck. This belief stems from ancient customs and traditions, giving rise to superstitions and negative associations. Twins were seen as harbingers of misfortune, believed to bring death omens, marital discord, business failure, and health issues. To counteract this perceived bad luck, rituals like Kanreki celebrations, omamori charms, and purification rituals are performed. While the belief persists, modern society is gradually embracing a more nuanced understanding and acceptance of twins. Twins are now celebrated for their uniqueness and the special bond they share.
(Or if you’re even going to touch on it, which you ABSOLUTELY do not have to.)
Also, interesting choice not letting the player type their own name. XD It definitely adds to the realism. You don’t get to choose your own name at birth, after all.
Failure to add the (translation) next to the sakaki tree in the fourth screen (I think)
From what I’ve gathered of japanese culture, it would be very strange for a father to refer to his son with the -kun prefix. Grandparents, Parents, siblings and spouses are usually the only ones allowed and expected to call a child only by their name. That, or there’d be a cutesy nickname for the child. For example, my characters name was Yukiwaka. It wouldn’t be out of place for the father to call him Yuki or Waka, but Yukiwaka-kun would be far too formal. More likely, he’d call him something like “Boya” (boy, brat or child), or something similar.
Another instance of the (translation) being missing: finest kosode
You fought valiently, Yoshimaru-san." you say. > Brothers definitely wouldn’t call each other -san. Like, at all. They’d either have nicknames for each other (Yokkun, Maru-chan, etc.) or they’d call each other by their first names. Childhood friends are also allowed to call each other nicknames like that.
All in all, this was a very, very good demo! I liked it a lot! I’d love to see a little more of the mother in the boys’ raising. She was mentioned once, I think, and then never showed up. That said, I can see how you wanted to focus on the boys’ raising as samurais. There was a tentative emotional connection with the brother that I also would have liked more opportunity to build. Perhaps some more scenes with the brother where we can either become closer or push further the rivalry?
Also, it didn’t feel like they had any friends. At all. Even noble-born children would’ve spent time playing some with kids their own age. Possibly something to consider.
I am definately gonna keep an eye on this one!
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Hello Niki, love to hear that you liked the demo so far.
Thank you for the incredible feedback, like a treasure chest for an author.
Going to be looking into the superstitions at once, if it’s something that can be tied into the story in an interesting way I’ll be sure to incorporate it, I love giving as many cultural tie-ins as I can.
Also, interesting choice not letting the player type their own name. XD It definitely adds to the realism. You don’t get to choose your own name at birth, after all.
That’s definitely one deep interpretation, I’m just gonna take credit for that and say that it was totally intentional…
In reality it was a choice made primarily to accommodate the naming conventions.
Failure to add the (translation) next to the sakaki tree in the fourth screen (I think)
I was unsure about translating that one since it’s the name of a plant, if it’s confusing I can give briefly explain that it’s an evergreen tree native to Japan that’s used in shinto rituals.
From what I’ve gathered of japanese culture, it would be very strange for a father to refer to his son with the -kun prefix. Grandparents, Parents, siblings and spouses are usually the only ones allowed and expected to call a child only by their name. That, or there’d be a cutesy nickname for the child. For example, my characters name was Yukiwaka. It wouldn’t be out of place for the father to call him Yuki or Waka, but Yukiwaka-kun would be far too formal. More likely, he’d call him something like “Boya” (boy, brat or child), or something similar.
God, that must be so jarring to read for anyone well-versed in the honorifics. Sorry about that, honorific usage doesn’t come naturally to me and so I tend to use them exactly as they’re defined without knowing the quirks. Please, give me as much feedback as possible on cultural misses, it’s the little details that makes it feel genuine.
Another instance of the (translation) being missing: finest kosode
Aye, that’s a miss. I have a translation line for kosode somewhere, must have missed that one.
I’d love to see a little more of the mother in the boys’ raising. She was mentioned once, I think, and then never showed up
Knew I was gonna get called out on it eventually, haha. I never even give you the name of the mother! It’s just a genuine and utter miss from my part stemming from bias in historical records which placed a much larger focus on the men. It’s something I noticed and it will be rectified in the next update.
here was a tentative emotional connection with the brother that I also would have liked more opportunity to build. Perhaps some more scenes with the brother where we can either become closer or push further the rivalry?
It’s a rough balancing act between wanting to get to the genpuku so that there can be more mature interactions and fleshing out interactions in the infancy. Personally I always get frustrated when I’m reading an IF advertised as this grand life story but we just keep spending update after update as kids; I’m trying to pace it more so that the more interesting stuff happens where we’re at an age to be more relevant to events while still being kids.
That said, there will be more interactions added to chapter 1 as a part of the fleshing out.
Also, it didn’t feel like they had any friends. At all. Even noble-born children would’ve spent time playing some with kids their own age. Possibly something to consider.
It’s coming 
I wanted to get the initial demo out there to gauge interest and didn’t really have the order of events entirely sorted, or the cast of characters. Hoping to get 1 RO and 2 possible companions introduced in chapter 1 in the next update, or the one after, and expanding on your relationship in coming chapters. The people you know and the role they play in your ambitions will be crucial, and near-impossible to replace should you lose them in battle. Spend your childhood making your circle, spend your adult life sacrificing it. Heavy is the mantle of a general.
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Will there be anything about recruiting samurai and so forth?
I ask because how even the unifiers of Japan like Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Ieyasu Tokugawa were served by highly competent officers.
Shimazu clan located in southern japan. And the most historical important happened there is genji war, a war between sibling which is yoshitsune and yoritomo. At first i thought this story about that genji war.
After reading this turns out its warring states era.
I dont remember many things happened there in southern japan at that period. The history and all the fun things happened around the demon king, the monkey, and the tanuki afterall which is all happened in central japan.
I do remember fun things happened on the north which is date clan. but i cant recall in shimazu clan except tachibana ghinchiyo story which its credibility rather doubtful
Looking forward to this aspect of the game.
As for the honorifics, the Wiki is good at explaining a lot of it;
Especially interesting to you should be the Familial honorifics part. Honorifics can tell a lot about the emotional and heirarchical relationship between people. For example. If the boys were to call their father Otou-sama (formal and respectful) rather than Otou-san (respectful), or 'Tou-chan (incredibly informal, almost like calling him Dad or Daddy), it displays a difference in the closeness of the relationship.
Another way you can put this in play to show the relationship between the boys:
- Niichan (兄ちゃん) or Niisan (兄さん): when a young sibling addresses their own “big brother”.
Consider the fact that they don’t know which of them is older. So they could fight over who gets to be called Nii-san, versus who has to be the Otouto.
You can add a lot of nuance, if you can figure these things out. XD I learned almost all of it from Anime.
Another thing to consider is that any of the servants or lower-ranked persons in the household would be using Keigo to address the Lord of the household.
So I’d recommend doing some research, and maybe setting yourself up a system that auto-populates the honorifics based on a relationship variable. (That’s what I’m doing in my own game.)
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Also do ninja make an appearance in this game?
I ask because how even the unifiers of Japan like Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Ieyasu Tokugawa were served by highly competent officers.
Building up the military competence of the Amago with the people you know will be a big aspect of the game.
Shimazu clan located in southern japan. And the most…
It’s indeed warring states period and the Shimazu are at the bottom of Kyushu, whereas we’re on Honshu in Chugoku.
As for the honorifics, the Wiki is good at explaining a lot of it;
Immense gratitude for these references, thank you.
Also do ninja make an appearance in this game?
Espionage as a mechanic isn’t something I’ve thought all that much about, we’ll see, they might make an appearance.
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DEV LOG #2
Been making good progress chomping off my list of things to be done before update 2 is ready. Biggest priorities I’ve had so far was to set up chapter 2 and the big characters throughout chapter 1, which I consider complete now. Focus will now shift utterly to completing chapter 2.
Things have been slower than I would have liked these past 2 weeks, I’ve had to put a lot of time into studying as this was a rather intense period; still, I’ve made good progress and that’s behind now, I’m confident in being able to drop update 2 next weekend.
To top off this dev log without leaving you all too disappointed, I’d like to reveal the first RO which I will be introducing in update 2:
TOMOE
Hailing from a lesser-known branch of the venerable Amago retainer clans, Tomoe was a prodigy in the arts of polearm combat from a tender age. Even as a child, her spirit could not be confined within the castle walls. Fueled by an insatiable thirst for mastery, she would often escape into the village under the cloak of dusk. There, she challenged budding warriors to duels with wooden sticks, turning innocent contests into fierce battles. Few could withstand her prowess; many left the duels bearing the scars of their encounter, while others were not fortunate enough to recount the tale.
Tomoe’s presence is as foreboding as a gathering storm. Her life, though brief in years, is densely woven with tales of conflict and strife. The battlefield is her domain, where her fierce demeanor and unmatched skill with the polearm command both respect and fear. Her name is whispered in reverence and trepidation, for it is known that to stand before Tomoe in battle is to dance with the specter of death itself.
Tomoe is an onna-bugeisha/onna-mushi, a warrior woman. A future scourge of the battlefield, you meet her rather early in her development as a warrior. She has an intence, menacing demeanor, even as a child. She will also be fully available as a platonic ally (or enemy…? )
That’s all for this week folks, thank you for your continued interest!
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thanks for the update looking forward to it and will we be able to have multiple ros
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Several options? Yes. Several at once? No; other than possibly with an RO and your concubines depending on your relationship with your concubines.
I’m considering including MLM romances, is that something people would be interested in? It would take some extra work to make it fit into the narrative without feeling forced.
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Obren from ITFO is universally beloved, and is well-integrated into the story (IMO) even if you aren’t pursuing him. I think you should add an M/M romance.
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