Do you like these things?
Added 2023-06-20 19:29:53 +0000 UTCHey guys,
With Midnight Sin being a sandbox type of game, similar to Man of the House, I'd like to know which of these gameplay elements you would like to see included:
1. Collectibles
Finding "hidden" objects scattered across the game, with bonus/cosplay images of the girls.
2. Travel events
During travel from one location to another, random events can pop up.
The alternative is excluding these and having instant travel without waiting.
Note: In Moth this was a bit limited, so if I do include it, I intend to add some more different events.
3. Achievements
Unlocking achievements (and perhaps some bonus content?) by completing specific goals.
4. Mini-games
Some mini-games like the jobs or the movie quiz in MotH.
If you have any other suggestions/comments, please post them below.
Comments
Yes to all (#1, #2, #3, & #4). Who doesn't like roaming the sandbox looking for items? Random events? Of course! Not everything is main plot related...and a perfect red-herring place to puzzle the players with. As a completionist, getting 100% done is always my goal (nods). And last, NO one wants to grind/ farm for long. tedium creates boredom, and is antithetical to the player's wish to see the game to the end.
Daniel Hammersley
2023-06-24 22:30:17 +0000 UTCHonestly I second the 'picking outfits for scenes' choice. Like how Catalina did, although community decided which one it finally became. In that case, the choice didn't seem relevant indeed. If you're going to do 'multiple outfit' scenes, you could probably reduce the amount of pictures to render or shorten the interaction. Akin like a fitting room, a dressing room, a backstage, a bedroom, etc. I will however say that while Lorenzo has a point for things being in the game that don't have a function there can feel useless, sometimes they can also add to the world-building. In example: I would have loved to flirt a little with Meagan in MOTH, but to not have her there would actually take away from the game. Generally, it's better to have a purpose for the things in game because it creates expectations. Mystwood Manor handles that way better, so I'm confident you will get this right both for your time-management and our pleasure. Also, of course isolated events that don't trickle into the rest of the story described in text are easier to produce than full-blown side stories with 40+ renders. I loved the text messages you got in MOTH because they were so pervy, but so relatively simple in setup. These 'tricks' could help you generate a more vibrant world with a little less work. Look at me rambling, hope this helps :)
AMRFTY
2023-06-23 13:49:41 +0000 UTCin MM it was static too, but that was enough to give players the sandbox feeling, the fact that it customizes and has a bit of control, and not just that it clicks while following a visual novel, which should be avoided. is this feeling of frustration and I take as an example this damn book in the shopping center, we have on the one hand a very promising feature which in the end is not / little use, so do not put a bookstore. in short I really liked your games and afterwards I am aware that alone it is a colossal work it is just that necessarily you arouse fantasies of grandeur and naturally we will always want more :)
Lorenzo Manini
2023-06-22 15:40:00 +0000 UTCTo a certain degree, sure. A bit like I did with MwM, but those images were very static. So in the end it's a quality vs quantity thing (imo).
Faerin
2023-06-22 15:09:28 +0000 UTCI imagine that the main problem is the animated scenes and the amount of work that would require to apply the changes for each outfit, nevertheless, would it not be possible to try to apply it for all the elements that do not require animation and thinking of it as layers that I could add and remove more easily?
Lorenzo Manini
2023-06-22 14:45:14 +0000 UTCThe "problem" with this is that it's a sandbox game. So for each new outfit, I would have to render ALL the interactions where that character can wear that outfit again. So that adds up quickly. A good alternative might be adding the outfit choices just for particular scenes/events (like a bathing suit for when she is at the pool, for example).
Faerin
2023-06-22 14:08:39 +0000 UTCI side in part with this idea. I mean, it was lovely in MM to be able to make the oufits sexier over time, what was missing was the reaction of the guests to the new attires. It would be nice if we will have the possibility to buy and gift more sexier outfits over time and witness the reactions to those outfits.
_Loren_
2023-06-22 13:22:36 +0000 UTCThanks for the feedback, Lorenzo!
Faerin
2023-06-21 07:58:39 +0000 UTCthe thing that I found nice in man of the ouse was the possibility of buying various elements at the shop, unfortunately the choices were too limited (only 1 book in the library) and often the purchase was just to advance the plot, I would have liked more variety and above all more interaction, such as buying more lingerie to be able to "customize" the characters or unlocking layers of gameplay with new equipment, in short, pushing the notion of rpg a little more.
Lorenzo Manini
2023-06-21 07:43:49 +0000 UTCThanks, Glenn!
Faerin
2023-06-21 06:46:22 +0000 UTCThanks for the suggestion, Pax! I am implementing some more decision-based results this time around (without locking out any content). A short example of this is already added for this month's update, but eventually it will be more impactful.
Faerin
2023-06-21 06:45:44 +0000 UTCThanks for the feedback, AMRFTY!
Faerin
2023-06-21 06:41:37 +0000 UTCSo, I voted the affirmative of 1, 3 and 4 I don't like random travel events simply because they'd at some point just repeat. I'm reminded of the random events in Dreaming of Dana, and at some point, I just rejected them all since I had seen each of the scenes a dozen times by then
Glenn Janot
2023-06-21 06:25:38 +0000 UTCI think this story would allow for certain collectibles to be the 'gates' to certain scenes. You could even make the ability to go after collectibles a pick one versus the two possible collectibles. For example: The MC is escorting two of the sisters out shopping and one of the women asks the MC to get them drinks. He is getting the drinks when he sees a thief dart in and grab both purses from the inattentive girls. The MC gives chase and the thief throws the larger purse over a fence and into running water. The MC has a choice - purse A is sinking and will be lost if he does not go get it Or he can pursue the thief and get purse B. He will get positive points (and a potential reward scene) for the woman who gets her purse back. The other woman could complain, and the MC would lose out on her reward (and reward scene). Early on, rewards could be kisses on the cheek or lips, while later they could be sexy rewards from a woman who is temporarily predisposed to the MC for his act of saving her purse, its contents And choosing her over her Sister. If the Sister was still acting cool towards the MC during this part of the story, a simple line could be added in when they meet for the first time after the reward - something like - 'that was a one-time thank you best meant to be firmly in the past, after all, it's not like you saved my life.'
Pax
2023-06-21 01:08:19 +0000 UTCI would like to add to Saphirweapon's message. Initially I hated the collectibles because I didn't know I wanted to care for them, but when I found out in MOTH they were actually related to the characters I went looking for them. If you can give extra weight to the collectibles and why they should be collected, there might be extra incentive to go collect them. Travel RNG is fine with me if it's clear what could or needs to happen. I spent an hour or two stuck walking the streets at night hoping something would trigger that didn't. If the hints work fine and the road to get the good RNG helps in fulfilling a different goal (passing time, collecting stuff) it's worth it. In a time-based game like MOTH where time is the puzzle, RNG can mess up planning if it's totally random. Travel time does make the sandbox feel more like an actual place. Completed MOTH 100% just for saying I could and the extra at the end was nice, but it wasn't what I was looking for - so it's wasn't necessarily worth for me. Achievements itself do nothing for me, the rewards might. I actually do consider having puzzles to do jobs or unlock stuff interesting, but I've since been educated by the community that most people play to fap and not play to think. So I might not be the best judge of that. Mini-games are probably only best if the fit within the context they're being used in. I liked the jobs after I learned I could skip all the meaningless repeating banter with a button. I disliked how they were RNG-based and not skill-based, as you can't actually get a lot better at guessing RNG. But in the end it did work out fine.
AMRFTY
2023-06-20 23:34:09 +0000 UTCYou should be able to select multiple options.
Faerin
2023-06-20 21:42:19 +0000 UTCI liked the travel events in MoTH, I also like achievements. This vote says pick all that you want, but only allowed for 1, so my note is both 2, and 3
Chill-E
2023-06-20 21:15:26 +0000 UTCYou are right that the requirements to trigger some event can make a huge difference when it comes to RNG and grinding and how much of a pain it is. In general to trigger something by luck or not trigger it by bad luck isnt good gamedesign for me and mostly always feels like some artifical stretch of game time. In comparison (again) to search for collectibles instead feels more honest to work for rewards as long as the collectibles are always visible and not only get triggered in certain scenes (and thus are missable). For me atleast it feels better because i can influence it and the sense of accomplishement is higher because it was actual work and not just RNG.
Saphirweapon
2023-06-20 20:41:25 +0000 UTCRandom events don't necessarily equate to RNG grinding. There are several ways to prevent this. E.g.: showing only new events out of a random pool, or just using requirements for these events that are easier to affect by the player, making them "less random", having certain in-game items that alter the chance to trigger corresponding events, etc. I think in a sandbox game there will always be some grind (hell, you can say that about practically ANY game out there, as most games are about repeating certain actions), but I do intend to keep it to a minimum this time around.
Faerin
2023-06-20 20:30:22 +0000 UTCNot sure why people vote for random travel events. RNG isnt exactly what makes a game fun to play and for people that dont want to miss content it would mean exactly that brainless and no fun grind with save / load. I didnt like these in Mwm. Thus why i think that collectibles that reward the player with bonus content is the more fun way. It also engages them to immerse deeper into the backgrounds / renders. To lock extra content behind mini games can be frustating aswell (hello genesis order and stupid puzzles). So while these can add some change to the usual gameplay the rewards shouldnt be unique and at most more of the same. Having extra content / perks behind some ingame currency might be worth some thinking and could encourage to do sidequests or chores.
Saphirweapon
2023-06-20 20:12:16 +0000 UTC
