University SIm2-Lyd Creations

[lydia]

Thanks for the help justme. Good to see there's some interest in the game. Are you having any better luck after the hints angry h?

[AngryH]

Not really, but don't worry, I'll figure something out sooner or later.

One thing is certain: if I was sure to play a full game instead of an unfinished demo (wink wink) then everything would be much clearer. Not that I want to put pressure on you, but The Muse gets angry if she inspires you and you don't listen to her.

[Macca]

Thanks for the great game with so many endings and the stragety involved in using your alloted time to get the best possible outcome. It certainly beats the point and click games which are passed off as dating sims. Lydia glad to have you back hope you are feeling better look forward to your new projects.

[lydia]

AngryH wrote : Not really, but don't worry, I'll figure something out sooner or later.

One thing is certain: if I was sure to play a full game instead of an unfinished demo (wink wink) then everything would be much clearer. Not that I want to put pressure on you, but The Muse gets angry if she inspires you and you don't listen to her.

I can provide hints if you have something specific you are trying to do. The game has a number of requirements, so I end up needing to take a look at the coding to remind myself of the full specifics. I like to challenge players with various level endings, but I hope that players feel free to ask for hints before frustration sets in.

As far as being a finished game, I'm still new to the game making biz. My background is poetry and more recently stories. Game making is even more recent. So I'm very interested in player impressions so I can continue to get better at making games. I don't know if players just weren't fans of the dating sim genre or there were too many frustration factors in Uni 2, but players lost interest in the game. Without responses, I didn't have the feedback to try and improve. Plus, there didn't seem much point to update a game that players weren't into. I still enjoy the game myself, so I plan to return to it once I finish with dartmoth manor. I don't recall if you mention having tried the demo for the manor game. The first demo is kind of like a tv pilot as it introduces the setting and characters. I had a second update, but it didn't go over well. Once I have more content, I'll try again.

[lydia]

Macca wrote : Thanks for the great game with so many endings and the stragety involved in using your alloted time to get the best possible outcome. It certainly beats the point and click games which are passed off as dating sims. Lydia glad to have you back hope you are feeling better look forward to your new projects.

I'm glad you like it. My style tends to interest players who like something different than what is usually posted to a forum. I'm amazed at how many posters tend to have a low post count that post in my threads. I'm glad to offer something different, but it usually means that I tend to not have the following other creators establish. My progress is still slowed by health issues as I can't achieve much even on good days due to lack of energy. I continue to work on my manor game and then I plan to return to complete this game. Then to get back to an idea I had some time ago about a manager who tries to help young girls get into the singing, modeling, and acting business.

[Drako]

The game is great. I'm waiting for longer (or complete) relase.

[lydia]

Drako wrote : The game is great. I'm waiting for longer (or complete) relase.

Thanks for the encouragement. I actually wonder if the game isn't too long for some player tastes. It has more content than quite a few games I have played. There are a number of endings for the game so I hope it largely plays as a full game. I may revisit some of the construction areas to provide some closure for them or just prevent them from appearing if they require a good deal of work to make active.

There just appears to be a limited amount of player interest when comparing the player responses of this thread to other game threads. Whether it's the dating sim part, or issues with the game itself, I am unable to address something that I don't know the cause of. So I try the game on different forums and in the meantime, work on my manor game as the workup and up to the first demo indicates players are interested in that concept at hypno anyway. There wasn't any response when I asked if players would like to see the manor game posted here.

[Son-of-Odin]

lydia wrote: There wasn't any response when I asked if players would like to see the manor game posted here.

I like both of your games and I think you should post your manor game here, too.

In both game you´ve done a great job. Thanks for that.

[Drako]

Is there any walkthrough? Game is great but I can't score anything. Not enought clues for me.

[almeida67]

Hi Lydia, I tried to play your both games, time, and now dating_sim_demo_posted_008.
Your texts are good really, the images, let's say as good as they are, and about the same in both games. Avoiding porn is refreshing, point and finish.
Time is playable in Rags. I never finished it in a perfect good ending, but I enjoy a lot of random situations. I don't know if there is a new version.
Dating_sim_demo_posted_008 is unplayable. First by day timing,too short, second for money need. I just want to know how can you reach the money to pay the gifts and the dates with Charly, perhaps for the 20for the beach it is OK, and the second one too, but the third it is impossible to pay, in the 30-31-32 days maximum.
The number of bugs are too big, but let's forget this, as the enormous number of debugs in the game. Really I suggest that you open the game to someone who dominates RAGS and get some help, if you want in some way to get a playable finished game one day!
I think that perhaps you have a perfect walkthrough where in some way you got a good ending, but even this I doubt. With the random of Pierre, it broke a lot of possibilities, and the game becomes frustrating.

[lydia]

Son-of-Odin wrote :

lydia wrote: There wasn't any response when I asked if players would like to see the manor game posted here.

I like both of your games and I think you should post your manor game here, too.

In both game you´ve done a great job. Thanks for that.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm still new to making games so I find player impressions helpful in making my games better. Not sure how rags or my games will play out here, so maybe one for now may be best.

[lydia]

Drako wrote : Is there any walkthrough? Game is great but I can't score anything. Not enought clues for me.

I'm rather against walkthroughs as they don't seem to allow for the sense of discovery that playing a game can provide. THere are a number of hints in the hypno thread of the game and I've been told the guide is helpful. I would suggest taking the business route so you won't need to worry about class requirements. THen concentrate on a particular girl that you would like to get an ending with. If you want to post something specific, I can provide some hints for that.

[lydia]

almeida67 wrote : Hi Lydia, I tried to play your both games, time, and now dating_sim_demo_posted_008.
Your texts are good really, the images, let's say as good as they are, and about the same in both games. Avoiding porn is refreshing, point and finish.
Time is playable in Rags. I never finished it in a perfect good ending, but I enjoy a lot of random situations. I don't know if there is a new version.

University Sim1(time) wasn't the final version. It's been too long to recall the differences between the versions. I'm glad that you liked the text but I'm not sure I follow what you are saying about the photos. Are you suggesting that you would have liked more of them? I also prefer multiple endings to a game that I enjoy as they offer the opportunity to get to know the other characters better.

Dating_sim_demo_posted_008 is unplayable. First by day timing,too short, second for money need. I just want to know how can you reach the money to pay the gifts and the dates with Charly, perhaps for the 20for the beach it is OK, and the second one too, but the third it is impossible to pay, in the 30-31-32 days maximum.

University Sim2(dating 008) is a demo and I believe I make sure players are aware it is such. I disagree that it is unplayable but I'm not looking to argue with you. The length of the game is too short to fully pursue charlie purely through dating locations. This is due to a combination of balance and being a demo version. The third date location is affordable though as I have proved many times in my own testing. There are various jobs that pay is based on the player's stats. Building up a stat means increased wages that allow to pay for the more expensive date.

The number of bugs are too big, but let's forget this, as the enormous number of debugs in the game. Really I suggest that you open the game to someone who dominates RAGS and get some help, if you want in some way to get a playable finished game one day!

I'm not sure where you stand on the issue of when to release a game, but all impressions here are that you are fully in the completed side. I find demos to be the better choice as it's the only way that you can get player impressions in a time frame to use in the game itself. Getting the info after the fact isn't nearly as helpful. Does this provide a lesser experience for the player? Sure, but the end result is you have a better game because of the suggestions that can be implemented. Just how many debugs are there to qualify as "enormous"? Are they really that big an issue that they completely ruin the game experience? They are helpful in demo games to track bugs. I don't see that they are a major issue. As you suggest, I could ask someone to look at the coding. But I wouldn't learn near as much this way as I would by working through it myself. The game was released in various stages of demo so that I could include player suggestions. If you would care to list the bugs you discovered, I'll make a note of them for future revisions. I will be removing the debugs before the final version. I have learned quite a bit of rags so I think I'll handle the coding myself.

I think that perhaps you have a perfect walkthrough where in some way you got a good ending, but even this I doubt. With the random of Pierre, it broke a lot of possibilities, and the game becomes frustrating.

You didn't mention specifics of what made the game frustrating for you. Getting past an obstacle like pierre is obtainable by building up player stats as I have been told in a number of posts on hypno. They have also posted about a number of the different endings that they have gotten, all without a walkthrough. I have tested that all of the endings are reachable myself and have had this confirmed by several friends who I have had play the game(reached without a walkthrough as there is none.)

It is clear that you would have liked a more finished product to play. I thought that I had made it clear the game was a demo with construction zones, but I hadn't encountered large issue with my testing. Other players posted on hypno and enjoyed the game without issues either. If you would like to list specifics about the issues you had with the game, I could use this info for when I return to work on the game.

[almeida67]

Lydia, it is not my intention to argue with you neither, but I think that some quite easy modifications could make, even a demo, more attractive for the player. No offense in my observations, I think?
For sure I know how to reach the stats to avoid Pierre. If I could reach the stats needed to get a date with Charly at the beach and at the club, not enough money for the other, it is because I know a little how to get them!
I try to interfere just to put a small order in this topic, where about all people wrote posts not connected with the structure of the game. They just want to play. I will be very happy to see your game finished and supposing a real challenge to players.
In a real RAGS game, you have a text story and you should have a graphical story, not only illustrations. It is quite easy to make a text written story, but much more difficult to make a graphical story. The only game I know that try to reach the objective of a graphical story also is Space Ditz by Celine the Weird. This is my comment about your images, there is no graphical or interaction between them, and the quality, even as illustrations, could be better. Not the number of them!
You decide to make a game with a lot of characters and a lot of rooms, that suppose a story around each one of them, and about each room, room objects, visible character and parts of your inventory. So you take the decision to make a very large game, with multiple alternatives and endings.Perhaps a little too much ambitious, in my opinion!
As a "demo", and as you say, where only Charly is your actual objective in the game, you could avoid charging the game with unnecessary characters or rooms. It will be more elegant and less confusing!
With your only 100 day time, and your about 30 days term-line, just chat with any character will make you lose a lot of "precious" time to increase the real needed stats, so why you put this option?
...
Just small questions, for the moment...
- when the characters disappear during the game, it is a bug, or an intention... as Melissa, and the purchase of gifts...
- the telephone you can buy, but with a debug in the call, even if you know Charly number, which use it has?
etc...
- If you date Charly at the club, she will be there all the time, during the rest of the game, why?
...
Lydia, I try to mention things for your future enhancements, not as a critic of your work.

[lydia]

almeida67 wrote : Lydia, it is not my intention to argue with you neither, but I think that some quite easy modifications could make, even a demo, more attractive for the player. No offense in my observations, I think?
For sure I know how to reach the stats to avoid Pierre. If I could reach the stats needed to get a date with Charly at the beach and at the club, not enough money for the other, it is because I know a little how to get them!

Pierre is the villan character of course, but also a challenge to the player. If the player decides not to spend their time prepairing to face him, but instead works on other areas, then they may or may not pay a price for it. The unknown factor of whether it is doable or not, makes it interesting to me.

I try to interfere just to put a small order in this topic, where about all people wrote posts not connected with the structure of the game. They just want to play. I will be very happy to see your game finished and supposing a real challenge to players.
In a real RAGS game, you have a text story and you should have a graphical story, not only illustrations. It is quite easy to make a text written story, but much more difficult to make a graphical story. The only game I know that try to reach the objective of a graphical story also is Space Ditz by Celine the Weird. This is my comment about your images, there is no graphical or interaction between them, and the quality, even as illustrations, could be better. Not the number of them!

I'm not familiar with the game you reference. This is meant to be a sim dating game. The photos give the player what the characters look like, and if they are successful on a particular path, than the pic will change as part of a series for the scene. Otherwise, there is the usual standard pic for the character.

You decide to make a game with a lot of characters and a lot of rooms, that suppose a story around each one of them, and about each room, room objects, visible character and parts of your inventory. So you take the decision to make a very large game, with multiple alternatives and endings.Perhaps a little too much ambitious, in my opinion!
As a "demo", and as you say, where only Charly is your actual objective in the game, you could avoid charging the game with unnecessary characters or rooms. It will be more elegant and less confusing!

Charlie is the only traditional sim date character. Several other girls are still datable and can go to locations like the coffee shop & the art museum. My goal is to offer players a choice in which girl they want to pursue. This also allows the player to choose whether they want to do the traditional sim approach or have elements more of puzzle solving to get close enough to a girl to be datable.

With your only 100 day time, and your about 30 days term-line, just chat with any character will make you lose a lot of "precious" time to increase the real needed stats, so why you put this option?

Starting with chat, then friend, and all the way to datable is part of the sim dating genre. Time wise, charlie as strictly location dating does need additional time. But the rest of the game isn't ready for the additional days yet.
...

Just small questions, for the moment...
- when the characters disappear during the game, it is a bug, or an intention... as Melissa, and the purchase of gifts..

The characters disappearing is intentional. If enough girls disappear, corwin will arrive at a house. The rest of the scene wasn't finished. It becomes a balancing issue of the amount of time corwin spends with a girl. Someone at the university is also interested in the girls, and corwin can't save everyone. So some strategy is needed to determine what combination of girls are the best to spend time on, based on which character the player is interested in.

- the telephone you can buy, but with a debug in the call, even if you know Charly number, which use it has?
etc...

The telephone is for future expansion of the game. It is typically used to either chat with the girls or to ask the girl for a date. I didn't get a chance to implement these factors.

- If you date Charly at the club, she will be there all the time, during the rest of the game, why?

The club is meant as a weekend place to hang out. I don't recall if I had the chance to code charlie's appearance for weekends only.
...

Lydia, I try to mention things for your future enhancements, not as a critic of your work.

I do like to hear player impressions, but stating the game was unplayable was untrue. You cite that you made a certain amount of progress in the game yourself and I informed you of my having heard from a number of players about the various endings they had reached. I find specifics also helpful as in this post you mention the phone and additional info on what you were referring to with the photos.

I believe the game is better with the options of the additional girls. A resolution of several storylines and other objects like you mention here would improve the game. The debugging references would also be removed from a final version. It is a large game and some items are a factor of just not enough time to complete them.

If you have additional suggestions, I'm interested in hearing them when you have some time. I do consider all the options players suggest but the overall vision of the game is the guide to whether something will work for my intentions of the game.