BEW - Ongoing Dev Thread (DAZ Artists Still Wanted)

[crossy]

Awesome dude you are a star.

Just to be clear (as I don't want to be miss-interpreted as ungrateful) when I said I hope THEY fix their shit I was referring to Apple not you guys!

[Wolfschadowe]

O, as for the flow chart generator. I am not sure about state chart functionality but I don't see why not as it should be easy enough in code.

Kexter's thinking about something similar, maybe a collaboration is on the horizon?

1) The bug tracking page wont let me add a report. It keeps telling me to provide a value in the "build" feild, and there is no such feild....

Please enter a bug into the bug tracker about how you can't enter a bug!

Ok, ok, this should be fixed now. The option was there, but sometimes it goes to hide at the bottom of the page as an icon to click instead of being in your face near the middle of the report. I've stapled and duct taped the field to the proper position, but if it does disappear again...look for it as an icon at the bottom. You should be able to create your issue now.

The new menu system doesn't seem to work with safari and or fire fox on the Mac.
On Safari
-- Clicking the start game screen directly opens up a picture of the coffee shop, there is garbled text at the top and there is no menu buttons (I know what it should look like after viewing it in chrome). Its impossible to click any menu buttons at this point.
Firefox also appears to have issues
-- I couldn't even get out of the push to start screen, and even when i did it was still buggy

I apologies if you intended people to test only in chrome, but its a little sad as I have all my saved games in safari

Nope. Not much of a test if we limit it to one browser. I consider Safari to be an honorary member of the big three (IE, Chrome, Firefox). I just don't have it in my heart to accept anything Apple as a formal member.

Also, posting here is fine and encouraged for anything that's not a story spoiler, especially if it's gameplay mechanics discussions that can benefit other game dev's out there.

Just to be clear (as I don't want to be miss-interpreted as ungrateful) when I said I hope THEY fix their shit I was referring to Apple not you guys!

Won't happen. According to Apple, their shit don't stink!

Disclaimer: I actually like Apple products, for their purpose, and am certified to repair their products, I think (it may have expired), and recommend them for my parents. I just personally prefer the price, versatility and open nature of PC's. I also have a lot of fun slamming the form over function decisionmaking that Apple uses, and teasing my friend about the fact that his iPhone 6 is finally getting functionality my Android phone had 4 years ago, and laughing about the functionality my current phone has now, that his doesn't....but then he can laugh at me every time my highly customized Android phone crashes....

Wolfschadowe

[Wolfschadowe]

A new patch is available, Patch 6.

Key changes:
Save import/export for some browsers. (in-private users rejoice!)
The option will appear on the Options menu, if available for your browser.
Import will overwrite all existing savegames. It's too much of a headache to merge.
Achievements are not imported/exported yet. They will be handled during a separate option to be included later.
Version information on the menu
Improved Safari support.

New versioning.
VERSION.RELEASE.PATCH.

Current version is 0
Current release is 3
Current patch is 6

Version number 0.3.6

Next major test version will be 0.4.0

Patch is available on the new Bugtrack site, linked from the test site.

[Wolfschadowe]

Hi Everyone!

Just a quick note to let you know that we're still working on the project. In fact, the last few weeks has been focused on new features of the game as a whole. In about a week, I'll re-release the existing demo with new features. I just released a test version of the Demo to playtesters to go through and find all my mistakes. Also, progress on the overall game is also continuing well. Thank you all for your patience.

New Features in the Demo:

• Reworked game menu system
• Reworked Achievements system
• New Options menu
• Ability to export / import savegames. (intended as a backup, import will overwrite existing saves)
• Ability to export / import earned achievements (Savegame exports do not include Achievements.)
• Bonus Scene menu item appears when the Demo Mastery achievement is unlocked, launching a short Bonus Scene.
• New user interface
• New credits reel
• Reworked Intro Story
• Rewritten Area Target text to take advantage of touch functionality.
• Touch functionality for touch capable tablets. (Smartphones not officially supported, but the game should work on those too.)

A big thank you to Kexter and Tlaero for all their help and hard work over the past few weeks in adding all these features, and helping with the rewrite of the scenes!

Testers: I just posted a new release on bugtracker. This is for a re-release of the Demo with all the new features. Only the Intro, Wednesday Office, and Wednesday Bar scenes are available, along with their associated achievements.

I know some of you may be sick of those scenes by now, but I'd appreciate it if you could give the demo content a thorough once-over to make sure there are no problems. I plan to release it to the general public on Friday the 19th, or when you all think it's ready, whichever is first.

Wolfschadowe

[Bonhomie]

I am controlling my withdrawal symptoms admirably here

When you say reworked 'demo' - do you mean the day you already released with the office and bar activity?

[kexter]

Do you mean the day you already released with the office and bar activity?

Yes.

[Wolfschadowe]

I am controlling my withdrawal symptoms admirably here

When you say reworked 'demo' - do you mean the day you already released with the office and bar activity?

And a short, never before seen (even by testers) bonus scene for those who earn the Demo Mastery achievement that hints at a little more of the story.

Wolfschadowe

[crossy]

I know some of you may be sick of those scenes by now, ...

Nope, nope, nope. I will never get sick of that bar scene!!!!

All looks good, I managed to get the bonus (semi legitimately :P ok I used the Debug mode - but only to let me know what achievements I was missing). By the way, I kind of preferred it when there was slightly more indication//hints as to what achievements are needed. But I guess it works both ways, you don't want to make it too easy.

I will check some of the other strange behaviors I have seen previously for you but so far nothing to report (and I started from scratch in Chrome Incognito window so I covered all bases). But I don't expect to find anything, any bug I ever find already has a bug report

I will also check it out on safari again, but it all seemed to work after 3.6

New layout is pretty cool, you guys have come a long way since the first versions with respect to the overall user experience.

Keep up the good work!!! Cannot wait for the next installment!!!!

[Wolfschadowe]

Thanks crossy!

So far, no new bugs have been created for the Demo. Kexter found a couple internal ones that could result in a browser crash, but if we don't see any bug reports from the testers within the next day or two, we may release the demo to everyone a little early... Maybe Monday or Tuesday.

Then it will be time to hit the next full test version hard.

Wolfschadowe

[MysteryMan2333]

Hey Wolfschadowe,
I assume by that comment it means that the next major test version, 4.0.0, won't be released by the end of the year?

[Wolfschadowe]

Hey Wolfschadowe,
I assume by that comment it means that the next major test version, 4.0.0, won't be released by the end of the year?

That is a safe assumption. The biggest bottleneck for that scene is rendering all the images, at this point. Also, 0.4.0 is one of the larger scenes. The next few versions after that will go much more quickly as they are smaller and simpler.

Wolfschadowe

[Bonhomie]

Good news.
Can I just clarify exactly what is about to come out?

I get the impression it is a reworked and extended version of Day 1 - is that correct or does it rollover to day 2 as well?

Promises to be a good Christmas - BEW this week and the Shark's oriental foray at the end of the week - who needs any other presents

[kexter]

The soon-to-be-released demo contains the same scenes as the previously available version; with some rewrites, improved UI, and an additional bonus scene as a reward for those who unlock all available achievements.

[Wolfschadowe]

Hi Everyone!

Today we are releasing a new Proof of Concept / Demo for Brad's Erotic Week. I want to shout out a huge thank you to the dev team and testers who put a lot of effort into redisigning the game as a whole, and also carving out the new Demo

Changes from 0.2.3. to 0.4.0

• New user interface including touchscreen support
• Redesigned achievements and menu system
• Ability to export and import save games as a backup (Import overwrites existing saves)
• Ability to export and import achievements.
• The above two features support those of you who play in the various privacy modes, or clear cookies and cache.
• New short 12 page bonus scene hinting at the story to come for those mastering the Demo.
• Various bugfixes and enhancements.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/rvgk6iilc79ioxc/BEW_Demo_0.4.0.zip[/b] ~23MB

Work is continuing on the next scene of the full game, and right now the bottleneck is me getting everything rendered. A lot of the last month has been setting up and designing the infrastructure to increase the speed of development and I think/hope we are in good shape to do that. Once the Day 2 bar scene is done, There are a few fairly short climax scenes (pun intended) These are essentially the endings for Act 1, on the Bar side paths, followed by a transition scene to officially end Act 1 for Friday morning. After that, I'll do the last big scene for the Act, which is the Day 2 Strip Club, followed by a relatively tame and easy dinner/movie date option, and the remaining relatively short "endings" for Day 2 and then Act 1 will be ready for release! Ok, sounds easy when I say it like that, but that's still about a thousand pages away, give or take a few hundred.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the new demo. The main reason we are releasing a new one is because of the touchscreen support for those who want to try it out on their tablets! It may work on smartphones as well, but I'm not sure the small screens will be very playable and smartphones are not officially supported. At your own risk there folks. The bonus scene is a little spoilerish, so don't play through it if you don't want the spoiler. If you want to talk about it here, please use spoiler tags! When you unlock the Bonus scene, a new menu item will appear to access it.

Thank you all for your patience and continued support and interest! Let me know if you run into problems, and enjoy!

Wolfschadowe

[Wolfschadowe]

Hi All,

It’s the why is this taking so long update. I just wanted to let you know that progress is continuing well for BEW. There was a bit of a slowdown over the holidays as this odd concept of “family” butted into my work causing all sorts of fun and distractions.

I found myself writing an entire branch for Day 2 at the bar that was impossible to reach. When that happened, I realized that my logic models were inadequate, and I’ve spent the last week or so updating those and getting the complexity of the game under control. In the process, I found an entire branch of the Day 2 office scene that was accidentally unreachable due to a bug. So now, logic model updates are almost done! Yay! The story half of the Day 2 Bar is completed, minus a render or two and I’m working on the erotic branches now. In this case, the erotic branches, if navigated properly, are foreplay to what are essentially the Act 1 “endings” at various locations. Endings isn’t quite the right word since the game continues into Act 2 and 3, in fact, there’s a Friday Morning epilogue/transition/cliff-hanger to lead into Act 2 that is story based, but it’s going to be these post Day 2 bar/club scenes that mark the end of the erotic side of the Act. There are 15 distinct erotic endings to ACT 1 planned, although there may end up being a couple more than that. These are the positive endings. I’m not counting failure paths and failed endings in that number, of which there will be several. Some decisions beginning as early as in the Office on Day 1 have an impact on what scenes will be available at the end. It’s this persistence that adds complexity. Well, the persistence combined with trying to make sure that there is a reason behind every result. An example of this from the Wednesday Bar scene is in spoilers. (I think the Demo has been out long enough to use this as an example)

There’s more to the girls’ actions than just the relationship score. It’s important to think about how the women will react to your actions, and how those actions will affect them later. The best example is in the Bar on Wednesday after convincing Faith to join Brad and Emily in the booth, once they have both been serviced, there’s a chance that they may service Brad in return. I suspect the biggest hang-up most people will have is ensuring that Faith is in the mood for it. Earlier in the scene, there is a chance for Brad to leave the bar, chasing after the woman in black. Faith, of course, notices this which offsets her mood a bit. How would we feel in Faith’s place if the person we are interested in runs off chasing someone else? When it comes time to decide if Faith is willing to help service Brad along with Emily the memory of Brad running out of the bar holds her back, even though her relationship score is high enough, she just isn’t in the mood. In some instances, though, this can be overcome one-on-one with Faith a little later in the scene.

So back to the original aspect, why is this taking so long? Well, primarily because I should have left the second branch of the Strip Club off and just done the initial game about Faith and Emily, and added the rest through expansions over time, if there was interest. I have no regrets about it though. As always, I’m still having fun with making the game! Also, I’ve determined that each web page, from start to finish, takes an average of an hour to create. That’s not one hour all in one go. That’s taking the planning, storyboarding, logic modeling, testing, rendering, post work, and then, finally, creating the webpage in Adventure Creator into account. That’s just my time, not counting the time that the other Devs and Testers put into the game. I average about 3 hours a day that I work on the game, which is about 3 pages a day. Currently the game has 2018 pages created…well that’s about 2018 hours of work so far. Although, with the addition of the Devs, I do see my time per page dropping somewhat. I must say, when I started the game, I expected it to go much, much faster than this...

So meanwhile, after stealing too much of everyone’s time with this long post, here’s a couple more images in Spoilers:

This is Natalie and her friends at the all-night Diner on Wednesday.

This is Faith and Emily at the beginning of your date on Thursday at the bar. Since the new difficulty screen in the Demo gave it away, we can see that Emily went for a makeover. There are no changes to the model shape for Emily, it’s just typical real-world makeover stuff. A haircut, makeup, and new clothes.

As always, thank you all for your continued patience, support and interest!
Wolfschadowe