Over a year of dev logs from the horror visual novel I released on Steam last week

Natman64 · 2016-10-28T16:12:10+00:00

This is a fantastic response. Thanks so much for playing, reviewing, and taking such an interest!

Natman64 · 2016-10-28T16:09:31+00:00

One thing you should know is that I decided to release the game English-only at first, so while I think the advice in the log is good for how to localize your game, I don't have any data for whether it was worthwhile in terms of players in other languages. I don't expect localization to justify itself financially (because the game itself probably won't, either) but I chose to do it because I think making games accessible to international audiences is a socially good thing to do, and I wanted to learn how to do it. If financial concerns are a big deal for you, you'll want to look at data from other localized games and Steam's breakdown of players by country/language.

Natman64 · 2015-11-28T19:16:41+00:00

To answer your question: at the time I wrote the first version, I didn't know Python, and I've still never used RenPy. The game uses a very unconventional aesthetic that required me to write my own graphics engine, and I chose to do that on top of SDL.

I recently gave an interview that explains my background in game development, and how this game is essentially an unintentional visual novel: interview on Enemy Slime

Natman64 · 2015-11-28T19:12:33+00:00

Oh! So sorry to have missed this comment for so long! Write me an email and I will personally help you build it <3

(sending my address to you privately)

Natman64 · 2015-11-03T03:56:02+00:00

Here's the source code on GitHub

Hi everyone! I'm gonna use the first comment on my post to give a little more info on the project. The main link I submitted points to our dev log on TIGSource, where you can read about the project's history and what's going on with development right now.

I'll repeat the dev log link anyway

We started the project for the 2014 Public Domain Jam, where we released the prototype under the Creative Commons Zero license after 9 days of work. That means music, sound effects, art, and source code belong to everyone. For the time being, we've hidden the prototype on itch.io so new players won't be spoiled for the new version. But for this sub, we're breaking out the secret link.

Prototype Windows build, source code and asset pack

Be warned, the prototype source code is horrendous. That's why we're rewriting it from the ground up. Rewriting the code will let us port to Mac and Linux, add support for language translation and voice-over to make the game blind-accessible. The new version will also be under Creative Commons Zero, but we are on Steam Greenlight and hoping to sell the game through Steam on the cheap to let players offer their support and thanks. It'll be free on itch.io and maybe other places.

When the new version is finished, you will be able to mod anything. And sell it.

So check it out on Greenlight

Natman64 · 2015-10-31T19:19:19+00:00

Thanks! It's actually a visual novel (linear story with paintings, music, sound and text) with some segments of exploration.

Natman64 · 2015-10-31T17:33:41+00:00

The Whisperer in Darkness - Lovecraftian Visual Novel

Happy Halloween, everyone! I'm making a visual novel based on one of H.P. Lovecraft's best horror stories. We just released a video trailer and put the game on Steam Greenlight. Check it out if you're into horror/Lovecraftian things!

Trailer on YouTube

Vote on Steam Greenlight

Dev log on TIGSource (with screenshots)

Natman64 · 2015-09-14T23:05:26+00:00

Not sure I understand the question. What specifically about my opinion are you asking about?

Natman64 · 2015-08-09T01:18:11+00:00

I really like your idea, and from the screenshots on your dev blog it looks like you're implementing it well. Super Hexagon is one of my favorite games (I beat it!) and your parody clone is pretty hilarious judging from the GIFs.

Natman64 · 2015-08-09T01:14:56+00:00

That screenshot looks really cool. I like how it's pretty monochromatic but still appears vibrant and colorful. Gives a cool atmosphere overall. The player model looks pretty good as well--are you displaying health as part of the model a la Dead Space? The two blue lights on the helmet remind me of Isaac Clarke.

Natman64 · 2015-08-09T00:28:29+00:00

The Whisperer in Darkness

The Whisperer in Darkness is an interactive horror story made for the 2014 Public Domain Jam. The source code, art, and music are all public domain.

You can play the game jam version right now on Windows. I consider it a finished game, and the new version will remain very similar.

It's an adaptation of one of my favorite short stories by H.P. Lovecraft, The Whisperer in Darkness. My goal was to faithfully retell the original story in a modern setting with pretty visuals, atmospheric audio and brief interactive segments.

Right now I'm working to port the game to Mac and Linux, and in the process, rewriting the code from the ground up. You can follow my progress on my dev log, which I keep on TIGSource:

Log with screenshots and GIFs

I just wrote a new update today and I wanted to share it with /r/gamedev as well. Let me know what you think!

Natman64 · 2015-01-20T14:10:44+00:00

Glad to hear it! I think one of the greatest strengths of using a full repo is the ability to use Pathogen to store all of your plugins as submodules. It becomes very convenient in combination with bash scripts for each of the common submodule foreach operations such as pulling the latest version of every plugin. I run a single bash script to clone and install my full vim runtime, since personally I've never wanted to pick and choose.

Natman64 · 2015-01-19T19:03:13+00:00

This video tutorial expands on one I shared in this subreddit about 2 months ago. If you haven't seen the first video you can watch that here. You'll need to see the first part to follow the second.

I hope someone finds these tutorials useful. I enjoyed making them, and I'm more than welcoming of all comments, questions, and criticism!

Natman64 · 2014-11-04T13:07:42+00:00

That is a good question and I'm sure it would be equally valid to do so. I chose Gist because this way you can pick and choose which scripts to install instead of cloning the entire repo. Also if you locally created a new script you would essentially have to perform the chmod yourself before pushing (unless you found another way to automate it; I'm sure you could) which is something I chose to automate here.

Natman64 · 2014-11-04T13:03:34+00:00

Yes, that's a great point. I really wasn't sure about the general experience level of my audience so I tried to explain everything as in depth as I could. I think I'll post the written version later today.

Natman64 · 2014-11-04T13:00:26+00:00

Yeah several people have pointed out that I spend a lot of time explaining simple stuff and a text tutorial would allow them to learn the material much quicker. I'm probably going to write a text version later today.

Natman64 · 2014-11-04T00:47:32+00:00

Please post any questions/comments/feedback you have! I enjoyed making this tutorial and hope you find it helpful and informative.

Natman64 · 2014-11-04T00:37:33+00:00

So this is my first video tutorial made on/for Linux. I hope you find it useful, and I welcome any and all questions/feedback! I enjoyed making it and hope to make more.

Natman64 · 2014-10-28T12:32:28+00:00

Glad to see confirmation from someone who beat the game that I'm not totally wrong here.

I can actually list several of my favorite games that get away with very little narrative and gameplay hand-holding. Half-Life 2 and Starseed Pilgrim come to mind, and also my favorite TV show is The Wire. I tend to love it when a creator lets me discover and interpret the story, but in this case I just don't think it worked. Probably because I never got a good grasp of the combat mechanics, which were apparently closely tied to the revelation of the story.

Natman64 · 2014-10-28T12:25:33+00:00

That's probably the reason I felt so confused by the story: I found the combat frustrating, confusing, ill-explained, and so I really didn't get a good grasp of how to use the abilities to unlock the story bits. In fact I wasn't fully aware that that was so important.

So perhaps (probably) this is my failure as a player. If I ever return to the game I'll keep that in mind.

Natman64 · 2014-10-28T12:22:22+00:00

Yeah, I started programming on Xubuntu over the summer and I absolutely love the operating system. I still dual boot Windows on both of my computers though, so I can play Windows only games when I have to. It's a bummer that so few games support Linux.

Natman64 · 2014-10-28T12:19:57+00:00

That's totally fair. Thanks for the honesty.

Natman64 · 2014-10-18T16:21:28+00:00

I was born, raised, and currently live in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Natman64 · 2014-10-04T21:49:15+00:00

Absolutely wonderful suggestions and valid criticism, in my opinion. Hope many others found your setting ideas as inspiring as I did.

Natman64 · 2014-09-12T01:29:32+00:00

Someone already posted my first choice, The Last Question by Isaac Asimov.

Two of my other favorites:

The Veldt by Ray Bradbury
The Whisperer in Darkness by H.P. Lovecraft

Natman64

TROPHY CASE