#Devtalk

[saltygirafe]

listen i know it's a buzzword but when game companies say something like 17k ending iterations/variations they don't mean there are 17k narrative ending options. they mean that within the game parameters(including small details like what hair you have, what armor you're wearing, your party composition), there is a lot of different VARIABLES the game has to consider.

bg3 does have somewhere around 17k variations, they're just not what people outside the industry would first think of when hearing the term.

TL;DR:

Your hair, eye color, armor, dyes, party composition, etc., are all variables the game takes into account when we talk about Ending Variations

There were not 17k endings worth of content removed from the game(this is unrelated to the actual content that never made it into final build)

Buzzwords are as much a marketing technique as they are an online argument starter.

Absolutely continue to demand and comment and critique though! Feedback in all forms is important. But also be careful about the words that spark debate, a lot of the time they're not exactly as they seem o7

[maricu-mana]

About: CurseBound

Let's talk about how everything began.

CurseBound is the title of my very first visual novel project. (Yes, it's "CurseBound" not "Curse Bound" but don't ask me why, I don't know either...)

In the beginning I didn't think this would actually *be* my first vn. Because before joining a dedicated english speaking discord community for visual novel devs (aka DevTalk), I thought I would just create my huge ass passion project There have been Gods.

Oh what a fool I was.

"Start small", they say. And oh boy are they right. Without even knowing *how* to create a visual novel, what tools to use, how to plan from start to finish, ThbG was way too ambigious and badly organized for a noob like me. (This is not the right moment to go into all the details, but don't worry, we will talk about ThbG later in another post!)

Luckily for me, soon after joining the DevTalk server, a very beginner friendly vn jam was announced: O2A2 (Again!) With a limited scope of only 1k words allowed, only on sprite and one background image, this was honestly the perfect jam for a newbie like me to get their feet wet.

Being scared of Ren'Py (and not knowing better or listen to anyone's advice lol) I went straight into TyranoBuilder (which I just bought a few months earlier on sale) and created my very first finished and playable visual novel: CurseBound.

Without knowing what even to squeeze in just under 1k words, I went for the next good thing and wrote a little scene about the unnamed character that I've used all these years for my profile picture across all social media.

Very simple, no choices, only one ending, terrible timed transitions and probably full of typos (believe me when I say I'm too scared to go back and read this early "masterpiece" again lol).

But! It is and was my very first (finished!) visual novel. And for that I'm very proud. Because if it wasn't for CurseBound, I wouldn't be where I am today, one and a half years later. CurseBound showed me how easy and fun creating (and finishing! I feel like I can't say this enough lol) visual novels can be. It marks the starting point of my new passion.

I feel the need to talk more about *him* and his weird story too, but I'll keep that for another post! So for now, if you want to read a tiny snipped about my unnamed profile pic character, you can check out the game for free on my itch.io page: https://maricu.itch.io/

[time-lapse-games]

Yes, I'm still alive

Hello! A short post just to let you know that I'm, indeed, still alive and kicking!

Sorry for the unplanned break but, aside my usual anxiety outbreaks, RL striked... The best way to describe it is "everything was going well (more or less) and then our bathroom exploded". So we had a flooded bathroom for days. Now everything it's ALMOST back to normal (still some small water leaks) but well, at least we don't need to swim to reach the sink.

Now, on the good news!

I didn't work too much on the game this month, but I did a lot of planning! And now I'm finally making the little update for the english demo, with revamped sound effects (I tried to get rid of ALL the RTP sounds. I think there are still a couple of them, the ones more difficult to substitute, but I changed pretty much anything) a mini puzzle for the secretary office (so you won't go straight to the phone...) and a dedicated category for books and notes in the inventory. I also added a couple of new events and flavor texts. Like the one above here!

Felix's weapon for this game will be a hammer ❤️ (Just to be clear, in the screen it's a joke, I really like Thor and MCU)

Oh, that's right, this month I was able to buy Clip Studio Paint! Finally! Digital art is coming! (Yeah, all the art for the game was traditional art actually... I just colored everything on my phone). I need to update the goal on my Kofi 😂

I hope to update the demo this week, so, if you are interested, please stay tuned!

To the next time ⭐

[soulbound-dev]

no updates for now, learning how to code in C#

[amigoways]

Which framework is commonly used for building hybrid mobile apps?

a) Swift b) Kotlin c) Ionic d) Objective-C

[nicolae]

Conferința IT&C - DevTalks România

DevTalks România, cea mai mare conferință dedicată profesioniștilor IT și developerilor, ajunge în orașul tău pe 27 septembrie, la Cluj Innovation Park. După ediția din iunie, unde a reunit peste 6000 de participanți, alături de 110 speakeri internaționali și locali, DevTalks România alege Cluj-Napoca. Sunt așteptați peste 1200 de programatori și profesioniști IT care vor avea acces la două…

[cubot]

GUI Examples

[arimiadev]

visual novel development guides

I compiled a list of my better articles on visual novel development & marketing to make them easier to find on my blog. I also included a few links to other people's articles and talks that are great!

This list is mainly for my own stuff and an up to date list can be seen here.

making visual novels

How to Make Visual Novels

Game Development Checklist

VNDev Wiki’s various pages on development

strategies for working with teams

How to Find Game Jam Teams

making game development backup plans

Releasing 8+ games (ft. game jams) and when to take breaks

marketing visual novels

How to Market Visual Novels

Marketing Fundamentals for indie game developers

Marketing Visual Novels FAQ

Marketing your first indie game — What we learned from releasing the same game twice. (a Scarlet Hollow devlog)

The stairstep approach to indie game marketing

marketing visual novels - social media

Social Media Marketing Plan Template + Marketing Funnel

Social Media Marketing for Indie Games – 2021 Guide

Marketing Visual Novels on TikTok

marketing visual novels - press

Visual Novel Press-Kits

crowdfunding

Underutilized Aspects of Marketing Visual Novels

Marketing your Visual Novel for Kickstarter

publishing games

How to Make Your itch.io Page Stand Out

Tagging Visual Novels on itch.io

additional resources

5 Free Tools For Indie Game Marketing + Bonus

VNDev Wiki’s various pages on development (seriously check it out)

DevTalk+ (LGBT+ friendly Discord server)

[alexis-royce]

Sorry if this feel like, random, but how did you learn Ren'Py? Is there any tutorial you'd recommend? I know enough Python to work with the terminal, but I have noooo idea how to work with graphics and stuff ^^;

Hey there! I learned Ren'Py little by little, by making progressively larger games. I've also come across a lot of resources, so here's my recommendations for learning:

Crack open the script.rpy file for The Question. This microgame is packaged with your copy of Ren'py, so you'll come across it naturally after downloading. You'll be able to see how to make backgrounds, characters, text and music appear, as well as how to create branching choices.

Watch Vimi's channel. He's a cool dude that I respect immensely, I worked with him on a game last year, and his vids are a ton of fun! Here's an absolutely rapidfire tutorial to get you started. I would recommend pausing frequently or returning to the video often while you work.

Play indie games! itch.io is full of wonderful indie VNs. They're short and will open your mind to new possibilities. Also, you can often crack games open to learn how to do new things. (If you're nervous, then know you have my express permission to look at my games' code.)

Connect with other VN makers! The DevTalk discord is a very friendly place, and you can get both encouragement and serious advice on your projects.

Participate in a game jam! If you're starting out, you should be making short VNs. NaNoRenO and The Spooktober Game Jam are super popular, and the Winter VN Jam is going on right now! Jams also have resources, and the NaNoRenO page is one of my favorites.

Good luck! Aim small with your first game; try making something that's well under a thousand words, and try to do it with one location, and as few characters as possible. Making a game is already enough of a challenge as it is! XD

[vndev]

Free VFX & Consultation for NaNoRenO 2024 Jammers!

Hey everyone!  I hope you've had a great time participating in NaNoRenO this year!  I'm Nai from Make Visual Novels, though I imagine more of you know me either through our live team building events in DevTalk, or from the other jams and competitions I run.  I wanted to let you guys know that, for a limited time, I'm offering free consultations for jammers participating in NaNoRenO2024.  With those consultations, I'll also be creating VFX for your title screens to help you make a stronger first impression.

So you might be asking...

Why would I even want a consultation, Nai?

Something went really wrong and you want to know how to fix it .

Something went really right and you want to know how to take advantage of it.

You had an objective that you got close to, but couldn't quite hit it.

You want to go Pro with developing VNs, and you'd like guidance.

You feel lost in some part of the process, and need help setting goals for your circumstances.

You tasted VN Dev, you can't imagine a life without it, and you want tools, resources & opportunities.

Okay, but why you?

I've spent nearly a decade supporting and coaching visual novel developers reaching their personal and professional goals.

I've read over 500 indie visual novels.  I know what your peers are doing, and where they are succeeding and where they're struggling.

I run & judge for the largest sponsored visual novel development competition.  That 500 was a conservative estimate.

My network includes VN engine & game developers, game, book, comic & VN publishers, merchandise providers & manufacturers, marketing professionals, crowdfunding experts, professional programmers, illustrators, animators, graphic designers, VFX artists, 3D Artists(specifically modelling, texturing, rigging, and lighting) editors, pixel artists, Live2D capable artists, authors, narrative designers, translators, composers, musicians, singers, casting directors, voice actors (so many voice actors).And, probably most importantly, people who are living the experiences you're looking for.

In short: If I don't know the answer and/or can't come up with a solution to your very specific goals, I know someone who can.

I'm in.  Now what?

To be eligible for the free consultation and the VFX, you need to have a game submitted to the NaNoRenO 2024 jam page and follow its rules.

Having a list of questions to ask is a good idea.  Having goals is an even better one.  If you don't have goals, we can work on setting them.

For best results, you or a team representative should be present for the consultation.  These are conducted between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM ET on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Message me over on Discord (discord:naidriftlin) or in DevTalk(https://discord.gg/devtalk) to set up a time and day.

Some things to keep in mind: 

Don't ask me to roast your game/be brutal.  I don't do that.  I can provide critique with suggestions and examples.

These consultations will be conducted live on https://twitch.tv/makevisualnovels.  My viewers are typically your peers and VN industry folks, and usually not exceeding 10 concurrent viewers.  A VOD recording will be provided to you to download for 30 days afterwards.

The free VFX for your title screen is eligible for those who complete the consultations.  It will be tailored to your existing title screen visuals and delivered afterwards.  I may opt to stream and record the process of making them.

[time-lapse-games]

Little screen, little update!

Hello everyone! And welcome to our new followers! 

This isn’t a devlog, still, but maybe the next week I will post one! (I’m pretty tired, but very excited!) Sooo, what I’m working on:

- Some little additions and improvements to the already existent maps! 

Like the one above. Still missing the shadow layer though, so it’s not definitive. I will definitely do a more sophisticated light/shadow system for the full release

- Planning the menu!

This evening I worked a lot on the menu. I needed to decide what kind of menu would work best with this game. I made researches, tried various scripts... In the end, I think I will do a custom evented menu with an illustrated background. I’m thinking to make various illustrations of Felix and Noelia and changing them randomly. Maybe I could also change them based on the location... Sure, I'd have to draw a lot of backgrounds, but it would be pretty neat!

- Planning the next sequences!

1. A cute moment between them. Long dialogues, maybe a CG, candle’s light (?)...

2. An action sequence is coooming- No, not a chasing scene, but it will probably feat a quick time event. Never made one before, but I love to try new things on RPG Maker (and cry when it doesn’t work).

And that’s all. My target, for now, is to make all the puzzles and cutscenes for the second and the third floor within the end of the year.  Hard, but possibile!

Thank you for the attention!

To the next time~

[soulbound-dev]

this (blog) is dedicated specifically to some very good college friends of mine. you know who you are.

[pinkprettycure]

Follow Vimi and ZeilLearnings for tutorials and join the devtalk discord server if you want to learn to make VNs like they'll actually help you over there

also the RenPy server as well. PyTom be lurking about in there if you need support for the engine.

[pumpkin-spike18]

✨Weekly Progress 2024 #3-5✨

ikr, I should call these monthly updates instead 💦💦

Weekly Progress #3

Reviewed BWBOK comments

Weekly Progress #4

Lined and flat colored Comm BG

Provided initial Comm designs

Sketched Comm sprite

Made edits to BWOBK script s1-s3

Planned new BWOBK scenes (3-4)

Started writing BWOBK s3.5

Weekly Progress #5

Finished Comm BG

Finished Comm sprite

[Fan project #1] Initial reading + comments

[Fan project #2] Initial outline review + comments

[Fan project #2] Provided initial character designs

Flat colored all SYVNH BGs (10)

No, it's not a cry for help. I'm just crying.

The Beauty Which Only Beast Knows

I know we originally planned to have the full release by the end of January and today it is... February 5th. Unfortunately, the full team became quite busy in January, but we are all still dedicated to finishing the project! We've made a new timeline and milestones for completing the project (hopefully by April).

[Secret?]

This month, I accepted and spent most of my time working on a commission for a VN project, which is why I listed "Comm" in my update list. I'm not sure what the marketing plans for this project is so I'll write more/support when it comes out.

tbf, if you're in the devtalk server as well, I'm sure you've already seen me talk about it and seen previews of the work.

Stuck in a Yandere Visual Novel... HELP!!

Flat coloring 10 BGs in one week may sound like I've been working throughout the week to responsibly complete this milestone.

No, my dumb ass flat colored 10 BGs in 1 day.

Flat coloring is easy, but even 10 in one day hurts my soul...

I fully blame @usarin for cursing me to complete all 10 in one day.

Go check out their stuff if you haven't already. They make really pretty art and awesome visual novels, too.

Why do I only show 9 BGs btw? Oh, I was stupid and forgot I did 5 during the second session. I only realized it after closing everything that there was a fifth window open and it wasn't a reference.

[Fan Project]

I debated adding this here as these two projects are essentially unrelated to VNs, but part of my creative interests and will take a decent portion of my time. (Don't worry, I still intend to prioritize my ongoing VN projects.) I may change my mind on including it here in the future, but I've included its tasks in my VN to-do notebook since I look at that every day.

That's it for this week month! (I'm going to try to update weekly, but at this rate...) I'm going back to sleep 🥱 I woke up earlier than I wanted to today.

[chattercap]

thank you so much for conceptualizing mythology vn jam!! i want to try and challenge myself to make a vn for it, i'm not sure where to start when it comes to bringing publicity to my project and finding spaces where i can share ideas :(( any advice?

Hmm for this jam specifically, the organizers and other participants are pretty active on Twitter/X! If you go there and tag your posts with #MythologyVNJam, we'll retweet you 😊 Other than that, the DevTalk server is a big VN server that isn't dedicated to any particular genre of VN, and it has a dedicated game jam channel.

[arimiadev]

Winter Visual Novel Jam

Make a winter-themed visual novel in December- newbies welcome!

Winter VN Jam is a winter-themed visual novel game jam that runs the entire month of December. There's no judging- it's not a competition. This is a cozy jam about gaining experience. Any type of visual novel, whether it be a linear story, a dating sim, an otome, etc. are welcome.

Sign up here!

❄️ What is a game jam?

A game jam is an event where participants have a set amount of time to make a game, usually with a theme. For this jam you have until New Years to make a visual novel with a winter-theme.

❄️ How do I enter?

Sign up on the itch.io page! You can make a game by yourself, find a team to join, or assemble your own team. Anyone is welcome to enter regardless of skill level!

❄️ How do I find a team/team members?

We have a channel just for recruiting team members in the Devtalk visual novel developer Discord server.

❄️ Can I do x?

Have questions about the jam? Feel free to read over the jam rules and ask any questions on the itch.io community section or in our Discord server.