#awsw the player

[angelswithscalywings]

An anniversary gift - free mobile version of AwSW.

It doesn't seem that long ago that I wrote the last anniversary post. Time can just fly when you're busy. Despite that, I unfortunately wasn't able to keep the anticipated release date of 2023 for the sequel to Angels with Scaly Wings.

I again could go into the reasons for why the game is taking so long due to the vastly increased scope compared to the first game, but I've already talked about that at length.

Skip the next few paragraphs if you want to go into the sequel with no prior knowledge (which I would recommend).

--Potential spoilers starting here--

Perhaps one tidbit I haven't mentioned before is that this time around, the main character will be working with a team of characters instead of mostly being on their own. What does this mean?

There will be a lot more scenes where multiple characters are present, and they will feature interactions between these characters.

Investigations are much more interesting this time around, and will typically involve at least one other character besides the player character.

The presence of one or more other characters during these scenes add a lot of complexity as they will be influenced by each character's moods and other factors.

Doing this when the game's final script will have roughly double the word count compared to the first game is adding a lot more work than we initially anticipated.

But we'll keep at it! And I think the end result will be more than worth it.

--Potential spoilers ending here--

I am definitely planning to show much more of the game throughout this year.

But to ease the wait a little bit, we have prepared something special for you.

Some years back, we created a mobile version of the game for android devices. Unfortunately, we never got the opportunity to publish it on the various mobile platforms, so we are adding the .apk file for this to Steam and itch.io.

So, anyone who has previously purchased Angels with Scaly Wings will be able to access and play this mobile version.

However, there is a downside to this. As we made this version some years ago, it is only updated to version 1.08. The latest patches, including the Japanese language overhaul and other added languages are not present here.

But we figured we should make this version available as we had no other way to release it at this point and it's just been sitting here collecting dust.

Quite some effort went into making the game work as nicely as possible on both phones and tablets, including gesture controls, and new settings to adjust text and cursor size.

On Steam, you should find the .apk file to install it on your android device in the game's install directory.

On itch.io, you should find the file available as separate download on the game's download page.

[incorrectawswquotes]

Lorem: How do you guys cope with mortality?

Anna: Violent outbursts.

Bryce: General sluttiness.

The player: Pretty sure I can't die.

[newreleasearch-blog]

Don’t Make Love // Angels with Scaly Wings

This week, as I had previously mentioned, is a tripleheader as I was working on a thematic connection between two games. In the case of Don’t Make Love and Angels with Scaly Wings, it was visual novels with unconventional character races. In my research for The Count Lucanor I discovered that the adventure game genre was much richer and storied in Japan where the style of visual novel that is so popular now on the PC originated. These two games also represent another interesting wrinkle in the life of this blog, which is when an idea and theme for a post simply does not work out. This is the beauty of video games and their unique trait that can make them the most rewarding experiences as well as the worst of all possible entertainment options. This game does not expand beyond its premise, and as so proves how important it is in these days of Twitch streaming and YouTube walkthroughs to actually play a game.

And now to the games:

First up is Don't Make Love which treads the visual novel line very oddly because it simulataneously denies the tradition of dialogue choices in lieu of a textual entry of the user's own text, while also continuing the long-established romance genre that is so often associated with the visual novel game. I think the most compelling and obviously the selling point of this game is not it's characters but it's choice of subject. Now that is a detail I wish not to be turned over because of the choice of the subjects, in this case, two romantically involved praying mantises, is interesting, but the subjects themselves, as well as the characters, fail most tremendously in any effort to make them relatable or to connect with the audience. 

This is this game's fatal flaw and also why I took it up in the first place, because of its subversion of the traditional dialogue choices for the use of text entry. The programming efforts I'm sure were vast on this project as trying to keep up with what a user could potentially insert into the text box are numerous and they even supply a few gestures, kiss, hold, and a few emoticons, to break up the text insertion. Ultimately, though this game fails to elevate itself above the genre in which the story and characters are where the buck does stop.

Next up is Angels with Scaly Wings, which very much treads in the tradition of the visual novel genre. It is based on dialogue there is little to no gameplay beyond reading and choosing actions and dialogue, but it does have a more empathetic character roster than Don't Make Love.

 The same issues present themselves in this as the previous game though, the reason for being interesting also work against the game. The player character and Reza are scientists that are going through a mysterious portal to another dimension where dragons are the dominant species rather than humans, but otherwise, they are incredibly similar to our own society. The plot carries on at a glacial pace that I find incredibly annoying and to top it all off the art of the game which besides the writing is a pillar of these games.

 They maybe horny or borderline pornographic in some examples but the visual novel genre has always been an easier way to access artwork through an interactive story. This is the major issue I have with AwSW because, without compelling animation or storytelling that sounds like it came out of a B tier 1990 Hollywood science fiction film, there really is nothing to show here that is unique or extraordinary.

All in all this week we can say for a fact that sometimes quantity does not make up for quality. And with that, I will end this post and I hope you enjoyed my rambling thoughts on these two flawed games.

Both Don't Make Love and Angels with Scaly Wings are available on Steam.

[ophiniaonistecua]

Are Ophinia's Synth Sphere's still a thing?

#1 Main: “Of course! And I possses the perfect library for every situation! From duppleganger fights to wild west showdowns, I’ve got the full set. 

#3 Mischief: “I guess I have an onboard music player, though I fail to see the practical use of it.”

#4 AWSW: “I carry a pocket stereo with me, of course. It’s a neat cylinder twist-top design!”

#2 Mario: “It’d just break my concentration.”

#5 Undertale: “I could, but it’s a big drain on my resources during combat.”

[incorrectawswquotes]

Remy: Why are there little hand prints on the wall?

Player, whispering to Amely: Why are there little hand prints on the wall?

Amely, whispering: Because I have little hands.

Player: Because she has little hands.

[incorrectawswquotes]

Sebastian: AAHHH!!! Somebody ate my donuts!

Player: Well, well, well. Looks like we have a real who-donut on our hands.

[incorrectawswquotes]

Anna, pointing at Reza: Can I kill him?

Player: ...not in public.

[incorrectawswquotes]

Adine: Why can't the government just give us a bunch of money once we graduate?

Anna: The government is flawed and should be burned to the ground.

Player: I'll get the pitchforks.

[incorrectawswquotes]

Izumi: Sometimes I really want to know what exactly is going on inside your head.

Player: As someone who lives here, I'd have to say you really, really don't.

[incorrectawswquotes]

Player: (accidentally brushes Anna's hand with their hand)

Anna, aggressively grabbing their hand: Fucking commit to it.

[incorrectawswquotes]

Anna: Just put the kettle on and make me a cup of tea.

Player: Sugar?

Anna: No, human, this isn't a brothel.

[incorrectawswquotes]

Player: If God doesn't exist, why are all the dragons so cute?

Izumi:

Izumi: Are you going to draw four, or...

Player: I'd rather sell Reza to Satan for one gram of serotonin.

[incorrectawswquotes]

Reza: What? It was a warning shot.

Player: You literally shot him in the face!

Reza: It was to warn everyone else.

[incorrectawswquotes]

Maverick: Do you want to know how I actually hurt my wrist?

Player: Yes.

Maverick: I was hula hooping. Sebastian and I attend a class for fitness and for fun.

Player: Oh, my God.

Maverick: I’ve mastered all the moves. The pizza toss, the tornado, the scorpion, the oopsie-doodle.

Player: Why are you telling me this?

Maverick: Because no one will ever believe you.

[incorrectawswquotes]

Player, with a 6 foot, 200+ pound dragon laying on top of them: Finally. A comfortable sleeping position.

[incorrectawswquotes]

Maverick: I don't dislike the human.

Player: Oh?

Maverick: Yeah, yeah... you're alright. I mean, I don't want to pick you up and throw you in the lake, but, like, if you fell in, I wouldn't necessarily try to help you out right away.

Player: That's the nicest thing you've said to me in a while.