novel
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Work on mistakes.
🕑 Added 2022-06-15 17:35:28 +0000 UTCNow that the work on the game’s back to routine track, I’ll keep talking about the inner working of a game developer.
Not so long ago we held a few meetings. One with the writers, the other with our coder, and we discussed the problems of the second episode.
I’ve already pointed out the main problem a few times before.
We never planned to make a quest where you save Kagera and that event with the vampires, even that it was planned, it was supposed to happen later in the game.
Then why’d things ended up the way they did?
We only have a general idea of the main story which we constantly edit as we keep working on the game. This isn’t a new way of working on something, you can see this both in movie industry and game industry.
And when we planned to make the abduction event, it was supposed to have a bit of a different quest structure and different gameplay, but it didn’t work out. No, we partially achieved what we wanted, a lot of people were furious about this event and emotions are our primary goal, something we always strive to achieve.
However, both in terms of gameplay and overall representation it ended up being completely different from events you could see in the first episode.
That’s when we decided to return to a more usual gameplay in the castle part. We did it and a few things became clear; first of all, the game ended up being boring and while the players would actually get to that part of the game, they’d have tons of questions like what the hell is going on in this game and why’d it suddenly become a typical VN.
We started thinking what to do next.
It was decided to quickly transfer the drawn-out prologue to some sort of open world.
When working on this concept, it quickly became clear that giving free access to all locations, like we did it in the first episode, was not an option. It’d break the game logic.
We had to redo everything from scratch right before the release, crunching our asses off like it usually happens before releases.
As a result, we’ve managed to fit the game into that new concept. Now a few more events will be added into that concept and things will get a bit more interesting.
In the third episode we aren’t planning on returning to the system of limited days for exploration but who knows. We plan on returning to the old concept of open world.
I also talked to the coder, and we decided to simplify the barge quest sequence. We’ll keep the leveling system in the game for those who’re interested in it and let the others pass the main quest without leveling up. We talked it over and decided that it has some sense.
As for level restrictions, we’re probably going to keep it for now until we find a better solution. Though I don’t think we will, simply because VC is split into episodes.
It is connected with burnout from working on a single project for a long time.
Either way, in the future we aren’t planning on making such huge games anymore. The main reason for that is burnout. The mistake I mentioned above lead us to the point where we’ll have to make another episode. However, if we do make it to the end, we’ll never work again on games that take 2-2.5 years to finish. Luckily, now we have options to write a more detailed script. Still, there’s no guarantee that we won’t make the same mistake twice. It’s okay to make mistakes.
We’ve made mistakes and we’ll keep making them. We constantly analyze them, talk them over and when possible, we fix them.
We constantly work on different concepts with our writers, the presentation of the story constantly changes, sometimes for the best and sometimes for the worst. Still, it’s all a part of our work.
This bring us to the topic of us not being able to take criticism. No, we have no trouble with that, and we criticize ourselves all the time. The problem is that most of the players don’t know about game development anything at all. If we haven’t learnt much in five years of actual development, what can you expect from a regular player?
And what’s most important is that players don’t know the story. Not everything is as obvious as it may seem. We try to keep surprises for later. Even in our team, only the writers know who’s the Possessed One.
The only thing we’re lacking so far is the creation of gloomy atmosphere and environment. We just can’t get it right even though we try.
And that’s it for now.
Thanks everyone and bye.
Работа над ошибками.
Пока разработка вышла на рутинные рельсы, продолжу тему внутренней кухни разработчика игр.
Мы не так давно провели несколько совещаний. Одно со сценаристами, одно с программистом и поговорили о проблемах эпизода два.
Первую и основную проблему, я много раз обозначал.
Эвент по спасению Кагеры, нами не планировался, а эвент с вампирками мы если и планировали сделать, то позже.
Почему же все вышло именно так?
Мы имеем лишь общий план сценария, который по мере работы постоянно вынуждены корректировать. Это не новый способ работы, такое есть и в киноиндустрии, и в игроиндустрии.
И когда планировался эвент похищения, он должен был иметь другую структуру и другой геймплей, но не получился. Нет, частично мы добились желаемого эффекта, все же у многих пригорело, а эмоции — это то, с чем мы работаем и на что пытаемся влиять.
Но он вышел совершенно не в духе и не в геймплее первой части.
Тогда решили, что вернемся к привычному геймплею в замковом блоке. Сделали его, и стало понятно, что, во-первых, и геймплей вышел не самый захватывающий, и пока до него дойдут игроки у них возникнет куча вопросов, а что вообще происходит, почему игра стала типичной новеллой.
Стал вопрос, что делать.
Было принято решение спешно переносить затянувшийся пролог в подобие открытого мира.
При проработке этой концепции, стало понятно, что делать свободное посещение локаций, как это было в первом эпизоде – нельзя. Это будет выглядеть чрезмерно нелогично.
Переделывалось все прямо перед релизом, в спешке, «кранче», как это обычно и бывает.
Но в итоге удалось как-то уложиться в новую концепцию. Сейчас в эту концепцию вольется еще ряд эвентов и станет чуть интереснее.
В третьем эпизоде, мы не планируем возвращаться к ограничениям по дням хотя кто знает, как там получится. В планах вернуться к старой концепции открытого мира.
Так же посовещались с программистом и решили, что нужно упростить баржу. Сделать прокачку для тех, кому это интересно, всем остальным позволить пройти сюжетную линию без прокачки. Мы обсудили и решили, что это имеет смысл.
Ограничения по уровню, будем пока придерживаться, по крайней мере пока не найдем другое решение. Вряд ли это случиться, при производстве VC, потому что он разделен на эпизоды.
Но в будущем мы не планируем делать столь масштабные проекты. Причиной тому выгорание на этапе производства. Это было сделано не специально, ошибка которую я привел выше, привела к тому, что придется добавить еще эпизод, но если мы доживем до конца, мы никогда больше не будем делать проекты со сроком разработки больше 2-2.5 лет. Это связано с выгоранием при долгой работе над одним проектом. Благо сейчас есть возможность детальнее проработать сценарий. Хотя нет никакой гарантии, что ошибки не повторяться. И это нормально.
Ошибки были, есть и будут, они анализируются, проговариваются и по возможности исправляются.
Мы постоянно прорабатываем со сценаристами разные концепции, подача материала меняется, где-то удачно, где-то не очень. Но это часть работы.
Это к словам о неприятии критики, мы замечательно относимся к критике и критикуем сами себя совершенно чудесно. Проблема в том, что большинство игроков, не знает о разработке игр ровным счетом ничего. Мы за пять лет, не научились, что уж говорить о людях посторонних.
А самое главное, игроки не знают сюжета. Далеко не все, так как это подается. Мы вообще стараемся приберечь сюрпризы, даже внутри команды, кроме сценаристов никто не знает, кто одержимый.
Что у нас пока не получается, это создать мрачный мир и атмосферу. Ну не получается, хотя очень хочется.
На этом пока все.
Всем спасибо и пока.
Comments
Novel
It's okay, don't worry)
Huw Gryffin
"However, if we do make it to the end," Anyway, none of it really matters. I was drunk when I wrote that first "comment". I'm sorry for that. I'm also sorry that even if I'm sober you don't understand me. I apologize for that too, in fact I apologize for everything, most especially for wasting yours and your translators' time. I won't waste any more of it.
Novel
I've already told you numerous times that I don't understand half of what you're saying. Moreover, even my translators have a hard time understanding you. I was told what your post means and I gave the corresponding answer. And what I really don't understand is what about my words made you feel uncomfortable reading them? The plan initially written for the game stopped existing back at the first half of VC1. Even the initial concept where MC was supposed to live with Ilga instead of the inn was removed. And Ilga was supposed to be a key character. That was a story about two characters) What of all this is left in the game?
Huw Gryffin
Your ambivalence is legendary, Novel, but I think you know I'm fully committed to you, your team and this project. I wouldn't have subbed annually if I weren't. I just thought you guys had it together better than you seem to imply in this latest report. Regardless of that, though I'm not stupid enough to ever go down with the ship, I never ever "jump" until the bailing's finally futile and the water's lapping over the bow (I'm afraid of heights and a lousy swimmer too...the sea's for fish not me). I've just never heard you admit to faltering in your reassuringly stoic, steadfastness before and to be honest I found that a little unnerving to read. You and your team have always espoused a "hell or high water" philosophy, but to hear how much you were influenced by the fury of the mob seemed not only totally uncharacteristic but also very surprising to say nothing of profoundly disappointing. Anyway, irrespective of your seeming indifference concerning whether or not you'll see this project through to completion, I'll still keep the faith (as I said until the water's lapping) and keep my money on you guys to follow through and ultimately turn things around (if indeed you decide they even need turning round) and lead your devoted patrons to the Pure Ones' land.
Novel
Do you think I revealed something unique?) I assure you, a huge number of games are done this way :). Developers that I know (quite popular ones at that) work this way :). I'm quite sure that all sandbox games are done this way). Also, not many games in our genre actually require a script :).
Timothy P Elliott
Novel, as usual I appreciate your candor. I may not always like what you have to say but I know that I can expect straight-forward honest updates on the state of things in development and otherwise. All the best to you and your team
Novel
Well, if you don't like it, you can support a different project. It won't offend me.
Huw Gryffin
Forgive my ignorance here, but if you're saying that since the end of part one you've been making it up as you go along and now the wheels are finally falling off the jalopy, I would ask where the hell's the surprise in that? It's exactly the way this whole f*****g planet's been run for the last 50 years or more and the same is happening here too!
