April 2 Progress Report - Demo Version 1.0 COMPLETE! [NaNoReNo 2018]

Hooray! The demo version is out! 

Some confessions to make before I begin the playtesting questions: I had the next scene, Magia Classes and Summons halfway in development, but because I've run out of time to complete it, there is but one scene in this demo. I cry.

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PLAYTESTING Q&A v4

List your associated role for this week:

Sunberry: Complete art design and release L&K Demo Version 1,0.

What tasks have been completed for this week? What tasks were incomplete and the reason for incompletion?

COMPLETE: For the final week of NaNoReNo, Sunberry was able to release a demo game and complete all sprite design elements. All four character sprites have been added into the game, plus a variety of expressions. Besides the main character, each of the three characters are in full body version.

INCOMPLETE: Sunberry was unable to add a third scene into the first demo due to time constraints, but the first scene plays for at least 10 mins, with a choice element implemented. 

What playtesting has occurred as part of the process? What are the outcomes of playtesting?

Since the April 1st update of VN Maker, the choice branches have been moved to separate scenes. Once the player decides on a choice, there is the unfortunate bug of not being able to click anywhere else but the message box to proceed. A new fix for this must be found for the next demo.

IMPORTANT - BUG LIST AND ANOMALIES OF v 1.0:

• The Quick Save, Quick Load and Hide buttons on the message box have not yet been implemented. There are no hotspots on these buttons to trigger any scenes.
• Once the player makes a choice, they are unable to click anywhere else BUT the message box to proceed. To fix this, either use the "Enter" key or click within the message box (sorry for this hassle!)
• Loading a Saved Game is very slow, and will return the player to that very timeframe of their saved file. This includes the music starting where it left off.
• Skipping scene is visually erratic - messages remain on screen by one letter. Skipping or clicking too fast can make deleted pictures (e.g. Dialogue Line/Choices) stay on screen for a while.
• Auto scene does not allow the player to "pause" in between messages.
• Hover sound has not yet been implemented.
• Arrow keys in Title Screen are off their marks - need to crop the hotspot better.
• Space to Hide Message Box has been removed.
• Settings page of the game is currently using the default UI of VN Maker. To use sliders, you must "drag" at the boxes, not "click". 
• A MacOS build of Luck and Key has been created. Whether or not this version works will be determined.

[Are there more that I missed? Please let me know!]

How do these outcomes impact the schedule for game development?

The important aspects of gameplay (reading story, changing character expressions) are functional, but to avoid crashes and hassle, these bugs must be cleaned via Script UI. For future versions, these are Sunberry's top priority.

What (if any) has been changed about the game design and development concept/pitch?

It is debatable whether or not "Luck and Key" will be a main game, or a side game for a hopeful sequel idea that Sunberry has been developing along the way. More details will be revealed as development goes on.

 What will be your task/s for the future and the resources you will use for playtesting?

Besides finding a way to fix the above bugs, these are what Sunberry hopes to implement by the next or future version:

• Custom message caret animation.
• Custom settings UI; away from VNM's default
• Animated sprites, and different poses for each expression and changed outfits.
• Custom backgrounds. The first two backgrounds used are default assets from VN Maker.
• Hover sound + Hide Message Box properly implemented.
• Second scene: Magia Classes and Summons, plus a bit more insight to L&K's hidden lore.

General comments on project progress:

Joining NaNoReNo 2018 was a great experience! (Sunberry says this as she types, almost about to fall asleep... ZzzZ) 

I'm glad I persevered through it, and even though my input was not the ambitious full game or even demo I imagined. Regardless, I was able to challenge myself and I learnt many things - about VN Maker, rendering WBM files, how to make good lineart and project a person's personality into a first-person POV. I'm super excited to keep working on Luck and Key in the future! I feel more prepared with VN designing, but there is always more room for improvement :)

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I seriously hope you, dear reader, would give my first demo a try! And to all those people who joined NaNoReNo 2018 too: AWESOME JOB! I'll be giving a few of those submissions a go too! So exciting!

For April and May, I will be putting game development on hold while I finish the current trimester. Saint Killian, wish me Luck!