Arnie and the Hitchhiker - MAC, Linux & Windows release VN

[fleet]

Beta test is now closed, I want to thank DaRoot, Loup Garou, and TheMajor for being beta testers.
I should have the final release ready in a day or two.
When I upload the new version I'll remove the link to the current version (in the first post), so if you want to play it, you'd be advised to download it now.
Very respectfully,
fleet

[fleet]

Updated link is in first post.



This is an update to my previous release of Arnie and the Hitchhiker. I've expanded the story (added more animated sex scenes, added an additional ending, expanded one of the previous endings). I've also modified some of the dialog, and reworked 90% of the graphics.
Take on the role of Arnie, who gets dumped by his girlfriend, and makes a wrong turn on his way home. Arnie subsequently encounters a mysterious female hitchhiker [Marcella] with a dark secret. This could be a night he'll never forget.
Can you solve the mystery and save Marcella from her horrible fate, or will Arnie meet his doom?
There are 6 alternate endings. The ending you get depends on choices you make in the game.

A tip of the hat to DaRoot, TheMajor, and Loup Garou for suggestions and beta testing.

The first post in this topic has been edited to reflect the changes.

I would like to thank the members and visitors to Shark's Lagoon for playing the previous release of this visual novel (over 8800 downloads)

[Bigmanbishop]

I most say very good game, but I have 1 little question.

How do you run into the black girl? I looked in the files and saw that there was a black girl but I don't know how to meet her.

Any and all help is appreciated!

[fleet]

@Bigmanbishop,
Thank you for downloading and playing the updated version of "Arnie and the Hitchhiker".
I'll send you the answer in a private message.

Very respectfully,
fleet

EDIT: Over 800 downloads of the updated version in three days.

[Squeeky]

Ah! I recall reading this in the earlier version.
I haven't traversed far, got 3 trivial ending so far, but as I recall, the rework of the graphics shows something of your continuing development with the art.

I do have a question, er, rather two and they are related. Do you need to have the "Assets" folder in the download, the .exe file does look for them? Do all of the videos in that folder appear in the novel (I'm thinking of the barroom dances)?

[fleet]

Ah! I recall reading this in the earlier version.
I haven't traversed far, got 3 trivial ending so far, but as I recall, the rework of the graphics shows something of your continuing development with the art.

I do have a question, er, rather two and they are related. Do you need to have the "Assets" folder in the download, the .exe file does look for them? Do all of the videos in that folder appear in the novel (I'm thinking of the barroom dances)?

@Squeeky,
Thanks for downloading and playing. I'm still learning features of the Novelty program, and trying to get better with the artwork. I use DAZ Studio for the still pictures and movies, then do post-work with GIMP 2 and Windows Movie Maker.
Yes, I need to include the Assets folder in the download. The exe file looks for the assets folder for the movies when it can't find them elsewhere. One of the barroom dance movies in the asset folder is a duplication. My intention was to have two different dance scenes, and there are two different dance scenes. Novelty can include movies as part of the exe file (it's an option in the 'export to stand alone game' function), but I've had instances where for some reason or another Novelty doesn't always export all of the movies to the exe file. I reported this to the software developer.

Very respectfully,
fleet

[Squeeky]

Many thanks fleet.

I have an amateur interest in programming (and do reasonably within my chosen environments).
Although I was slightly surprised it would make some sense if an on-line player, when reaching a decision point - not of his/her choice but points acquired - was automatically diverted to a corresponding internet download. As such the player hasn't paid unnecessarily for additional download time.

I'll get back to checking this further in the next few days.

[fleet]

Many thanks fleet.

I have an amateur interest in programming (and do reasonably within my chosen environments).
Although I was slightly surprised it would make some sense if an on-line player, when reaching a decision point - not of his/her choice but points acquired - was automatically diverted to a corresponding internet download. As such the player hasn't paid unnecessarily for additional download time.

I'll get back to checking this further in the next few days.

I don't understand what you mean. Is there something in Arnie and the Hitchiker that automatically connected you to a web site? If so, I did not knowingly put it there. Please inform me immediately and I'll remove the link.

[Squeeky]

No fleet, there is no problem.
I was stating that if one played on-line as with the various Leonizer games the program calls various elements in accord with certain conditions, thus the on-line player doesn't have a lengthy wait for material to be download, and in some instances it may never be required by the player. I trust that explains my previous meaning.

[Squeeky]

Fleet I do have a problem, one about this story.
At different points things stop working. I cannot decide if it has something to do with your media or my OS. The problem seemingly occurs if I click my mouse before something finishes, like a dialogue being written to the screen. I've had it happen a few times with Inola, think it happened once with Marcella but the last occasion was with Anita when they were dancing. I clicked the mouse on the assumption that the action was repetitive and so had to be interrupted.

[fleet]

No fleet, there is no problem.
I was stating that if one played on-line as with the various Leonizer games the program calls various elements in accord with certain conditions, thus the on-line player doesn't have a lengthy wait for material to be download, and in some instances it may never be required by the player. I trust that explains my previous meaning.

Okay, now I understand that your comment has nothing to do with my visual novel.

Fleet I do have a problem, one about this story.
At different points things stop working. I cannot decide if it has something to do with your media or my OS. The problem seemingly occurs if I click my mouse before something finishes, like a dialogue being written to the screen. I've had it happen a few times with Inola, think it happened once with Marcella but the last occasion was with Anita when they were dancing. I clicked the mouse on the assumption that the action was repetitive and so had to be interrupted.

I haven't encountered this, but I've been told something similar could happen if the player moved from full screen to window mode and back several times, or if the player clicked the mouse too quickly (mouse click followed immediately by another mouse click). Try using the spacebar instead of the mouse to advance.

What OS are you using, are you using a desktop or laptop PC, and what are the specs on your video card/chip?
Are you running anything else when the game is running?

Very respectfully,
fleet

[Squeeky]

...........
I haven't encountered this, but I've been told something similar could happen if the player moved from full screen to window mode and back several times, or if the player clicked the mouse too quickly (mouse click followed immediately by another mouse click). Try using the spacebar instead of the mouse to advance.

What OS are you using, are you using a desktop or laptop PC, and what are the specs on your video card/chip?
Are you running anything else when the game is running?

Very respectfully,
fleet

I have a laptop running Win7, as to its chipset the best I can suggest is that it is Intel.
I figure that it has to do with impatience, I've read the stuff before, don't want to read it again, and so ......
Is there something within your software where you can disallow console/mouse recognition until a particular process has completed?

[fleet]

...........
I haven't encountered this, but I've been told something similar could happen if the player moved from full screen to window mode and back several times, or if the player clicked the mouse too quickly (mouse click followed immediately by another mouse click). Try using the spacebar instead of the mouse to advance.

What OS are you using, are you using a desktop or laptop PC, and what are the specs on your video card/chip?
Are you running anything else when the game is running?

Very respectfully,
fleet

I have a laptop running Win7, as to its chipset the best I can suggest is that it is Intel.
I figure that it has to do with impatience, I've read the stuff before, don't want to read it again, and so ......
Is there something within your software where you can disallow console/mouse recognition until a particular process has completed?

Some Intel video chips on older laptops do not fully support Novelty. This probably is not the case with your computer, since the problem doesn't happen to you all the time, or in the same places. What I can do for future games is to turn off the 'typewriter mode' for dialog before exporting the project to a stand alone game. Dialog would then appear instantly on screen instead of scrolling.

I recommend you save the game on those screens where you must make a decision. Loading the game from 'save points' would reduce skipping through dialog.

Some choices do not affect the ending you get.
Examples where player choice does not change the ending:
(1) When Arnie has to decide whether or not to ask Inola to go home with him.
(2) When Marcella asks Arnie to spend the night in her room.
(3) During the sex scene in Marcella's bedroom.

I really don't want to automate advancing dialog from one speaker to the next, because not all people read at the same speed (this would be especially troublesome for those persons that do not use English as their primary language). I don't even know if that's possible. Some in-game actions allow skipping. I'll have to look at those and see how best to accomplish it.
Disallowing skipping could frustrate some players.
Permitting skipping also brings up the problem of a player missing an important piece of information.
It's a conundrum.
Very respectfully,
fleet

[fleet]

I've updated the visual novel, disallowing skipping, and increasing text scrolling speed.
The updated link is in the first post.

[Rikwar]

I'm impressed this is the first VN Ive played so far, very good story line, art work and Marcella looks great a little chubby but a nice change of pace from all those slim girls !
So far got 4 endings, the first ending I crashed the car so that thought me a lesson

Thanks again fleet