Monday 3 April 2017

MWA1 - now with images

Hey guys,

Not wishing to detract from the bigger issue of a new webpage or forum, but I am pleased to announce that My Weekend Adventures 1 is (....finally!) re-released, with images.

You can download it here - http://ptypoeaif.weebly.com/  Hope you enjoy it.

I found it a bit frustrating adding images after I had done the text and the programming.  But that’s my fault for wanting to add images.  Now I am working on MWA2 and a short visual novel, and in addition to Adrift I am trying out Ren’py to see if it is a good vehicle for adult fiction.  My initial feelings are that Ren’py is way better for images but Adrift is much better for text.


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6 comments:

  1. I look forward to checking out your game. :)

    Also, I hope you'll share your experience with Ren'py as an AIF-focused developer. I share your basic observations, but it would be great if Ren'py could be modified to get more text on screen, and ideally, have some way to add gameplay that wasn't just choosing between option buttons.

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    1. I'm pretty sure I've played Ren'Py games with both of those things.

      For example, Interns of Ecstasy Island has the text down the left hand side of the screen, which allows for more text to be displayed at once. Equally, Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius has tactical space battles.

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    2. Ex Libris is correct, nvl mode is a little-used aspect of Ren'py that allows larger amounts of text elsewhere on the screen. I am presently learning all its funny little idiosyncrasies! The other challenge (for me at least) is balancing the text and the images so they complement one another. That is why I am going down the visual novel on Ren'py path, as I think it will improve the way I finish MWA2

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  2. Thanks, guys. I'll definitely check those things out.

    I've considered making a game but while I like them, I don't see the old-school text parsers gaining any serious traction long-term. So I'm kind of in a position where I either learn ADRIFT, TADS or Inform, or I learn Ren'py. But with Ren'py I have to solve some issues regarding what the gameplay actually is and learn to make graphics which I'm clueless about lol.

    I'm a software developer, a gamer and a hobby writer so I feel like this should be right in my wheelhouse, but you have to wear so many hats to make a quality game these days.

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  3. Twine (twinery.org) is another option if you're looking for something that doesn't use a text parser or require the creation of large numbers of images.

    For me, the major advantage of having a parser is that it give the player a lot of local agency (ie. they can interact with their environment), so you can get away with a relatively linear story. Without a text parser it's much more difficult to implement local agency, so there tends to be narrative agency instead (ie. the player's decisions affect how the plot develops, requiring a branching storyline).

    But as much as I like the text parser, I tend to agree that it's on the wrong side of history barring a true natural language interface.

    Anyhow, best of luck.

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  4. I think Ladykiller in a Bind is a commercial AIF that very much has a visual novel style.

    I'm currently working in Axma Story Maker, and it is great with images, and has a visual novel template.

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