Romance Urban, 2nd Ed update
Fixed the code in Second Edition of my game, Romance Urban. Depending on scores achieved, player can get specific statement regarding each character in the game. Hope to release this version soon.
Visual Novel Otome Game
Visual Novel Otome Game:
The creative process drives the choice of software application.
Having actually written a script comprising mostly dialogue, it made sense for me to go with a solution which would allow simple text import, and then wrap code around it.
Additionally, the canonical style of the genre for which I am crafting this production, requires very little animation compared to full-blown animated interactive games.
To clarify, the genre is also not an interactive web comic, animated or not.
Code for HTML5 story engine
Tom Adamson shows example of HTML5 interactive story engine with audio and image support.
You have to watch the video to copy his code for the javascript examples and HTML file.
Video on YouTube
Update on Visual Novel Creation
I think MotionArtist has some limitations as a visual novel creation software.I am finding that working with Panels is unwieldy because of the nature of dialogue-intensive canonical format of Visual Novel Otome Games.
Using MotionArtist for Visual Novel
Thanks to Steve Cooper for pointing out MotionArtist as a possible platform for my Visual Novel Otome Game. I have studied the Manual, and my preliminary thoughts of how to put together a canon format Visual Novel game is as follows:
1. At least 3 layers should be in use: bottom-most layer contains the background graphic, layer above that contains the character graphic, and top layer contains the text.
2. Add a button which the player must click in order to change the text layer. I believe a Camera Stop event has to be used as well. Must test.
3. Because flipping through Visual Novel dialogue text is typically very click-intensive relative to the graphics changing, I am thinking that I should have one panel fill the entire game stage space, and let the text click-throughs be from panel to panel ( I had thought it would be scene to scene, but I'll try panel to panel first).
4. Running background music for a scene does not seem to be a problem, since I am not using scene to scene but panel to panel progression.
5. Decision points which I have drafted into the story, are the game elements which can be supported by jumping to a specified frame in the timeline, or to a specified scene. MotionArtist seems capable of supporting this type of game-play.
6. My entire game is fairly long ( approximately 39 chapters if successfully played to conclusion.) I may need to produce several linked outputs instead of keeping everything in one presentation. Practical limitations of size, bandwidth and project administration make one massive output unfeasible.
Since there is no way to 100% protect digital assets
I have spent 2 days reviewing some old territory for digital asset protection, and some new strategies as well, and there truly is no 100% proof method to protect digital assets posted for internet viewing, on any web server, at any time, in any way.
Digital image and music assets, particularly original works created expressly for use with original digital games, can be ripped in some way, no matter the method of obfuscation used.
Digital image and music assets, particularly original works created expressly for use with original digital games, can be ripped in some way, no matter the method of obfuscation used.
So, to the potential rippers and hackers of my to-be-launched game, I send my greetz to ya all and expect you to kowtow to my greatness as a creator of such wonderful art and music that you need so desperately to rip, hack and pass of as your own or to make money from it for yourselves. I pwn you all when you do that.
Problem Using Visual Novel Toolkit in Unity3D
I am attempting to use Visual Novel Toolkit from Unity3D's Asset store. I have experienced 2 reproducable crashes with the TimeManger subfunction during project setup stage. Unity3D attempts to send the error report by uploading to their support server. meanwhile, scratch Unity3D for Visual Novel creation !
IP issues and Digital Content Creation
"Age-old" IP nightmare for creators of digital content. I have been here 20 years still without any solution !!
Using a straightforward HTML-generating interactive story creation software like Twine, will mean exposing graphics, music and text to potential IP infringement. There is no foolproof way to completely protect against theft of graphics and music, nor of plagiarism.
Compiling and distributing the game will help reduce the risk of infringers ripping out the music, graphics and text. This approach also means one has to persuade potential readers to install executables into their machines, and not everyone wishes to do that.
Java is slowly becoming less popular as a delivery conduit, because of security and legacy functional issues. HTML5 is not fully mainstream yet, and browser incompatibilities still exist. Javascript is not always allowed by users. Flash is going the way of Java. Proprietary software platforms and distribution channels cost a fair bit of investment.
Hmmm, well, it is now a question of how to get my VN OG digitally assembled and distributed. I need a sensible solution.
Live2D Cubism
Sob sob - only for pro studios ! This is great for 2.5D interactive animations.
http://www.live2d.com/en/products
http://www.live2d.com/en/products
so, Ren'Py has its detractors, eh
http://truthaboutrenpy.blogspot.sg…
Firstly, I believe Jack is behaving almost as tyrannically as he accuses PyTom to be behaving over at Lemma Forums. And Jack does not appreciate Visual novel games in the purest Japanese sense of the genre. He should really try to go through a few of those; he will then realise the quality of writing he bemoans, is part of the genre"s canonical style, and nothing to do with Ren'Py users.
I am not defending PyTom nor Ren'Py, but I an just stating my opinion and impression of Jack's post on the topic.
Firstly, I believe Jack is behaving almost as tyrannically as he accuses PyTom to be behaving over at Lemma Forums. And Jack does not appreciate Visual novel games in the purest Japanese sense of the genre. He should really try to go through a few of those; he will then realise the quality of writing he bemoans, is part of the genre"s canonical style, and nothing to do with Ren'Py users.
I am not defending PyTom nor Ren'Py, but I an just stating my opinion and impression of Jack's post on the topic.