Month: April 2017

Hi everyone. I just want to add a quick mid week update to explain what exactly is happening with Leanna.

Leanna

Last week I was free from work, and from doing any vdg based work too- the first time I’ve done so this year. This also gave me some time to think about things.

After much internal monologue deliberation, various things scrawled on paper, and a respectable amount of math, I ultimately came to the big decision that IRAY renders and Genesis 3 base figures are a grossly impractical way of making games like this. I’ve been working steadily on Leanna now for about 4 months, and I’ve still only completed around 400 images, and at the most I can get 16 images per day maximum (and that’s if I’m lucky, and if I’m batch rendering some of them over night). Although I’ve been working on the assumption that the game will be around 1000 images, Betsy ended up being around 1600. If that’s the case, I’ll be lucky to finish this for May 2018!

To give another comparison, Mortze made all of the images for Finding Miranda with IRAY, and that took him a full year. And he was only using the V4 models which don’t require as much rendering time. And he was only rendering at 1280×625, as opposed to the 1700×1000 I am. And, of course, he was only doing the images (Tlaero wrote it and did all of the html stuff, with some help from Kexter). I’m rendering the images and writing everything for this game! So, looking at that as a comparison, spending year and a half to render all of the images seems likely.

So, what to do?

I could persevere, maybe keep rendering Leanna images whenever I have some spare time, but release other Poser rendered games along the way. However, that could up to four years to see it completed if my math is correct. While I’m not planning to retire in the immediate future, it is possible that I might not even be making these games then.

So, despite it meaning dumping a big pile of work, I think the right thing to do is try making Leanna using Poser instead. Unsurprisingly, I at first had some reservations about this, but after downgrading her character to a V4 (Genesis 3 doesn’t work in Poser properly), I’m feeling really optimistic about this.

EDIT : Here’s a more updated one too

She needs a little work from the side view, but a lot of me actually thinks she looks hotter now. I’m eager to hear any options below.

So, my plan is to spend the rest of the week setting up the various main characters so I can just get along with the rendering next week. For those worried that this will push the release date really far back, it shouldn’t be too bad. Poser images render much faster than those with IRAY, and my PC is basically designed to render them quickly. By comparison, I can get up to 70 images rendered per day as opposed to IRAY’s 18. It may only take me a couple of weeks to where I already am with the images.

So, what is happening with IRAY images

Well, there’s a couple of options. I could just release the unfinished IRAY version of the game when I release this one. Or, another possibility is to just keep working on it whenever I can and release a sort of ‘Leanna HD’ when it’s finally finished. I’m open to suggestions if anyone has them.

Either way, for those of you who’ve become attached to the Genesis 3 version of Leanna, I will find a way for you to see her naked, even if it’s just a case of making a photoshoot gallery.

I’d love to use IRAY renders for something. I’ve been toying with doing some comics for a while now (basically just linear stories as opposed to games). They’d likely just be about 50 images each, so that seems much more feasible. Mini games might work too. the likes of ‘Kelly Solo’ are only around 50 images each.

In any case, the main thing to take away from this post is that IRAY renders with a Genesis 3 base is not a practical way to make images for games like these. In a few years time, technology will probably exist to render everything ten times faster, but that day isn’t here just yet.

Keep an eye on my tumblr for more updates on this, but in the meantime, I’ll just be handing the blog back over to dsp3000 and his upcoming game.

Poll

From dsp3000 in Academy part 4…

Last week I suggested that I might reveal some more information about some new characters who will appear in ‘The Academy : Part Four’.

So first up is Governor Ramsey; He is there to oversee an inspection of the Goodhead Academy. You don’t know much about his background, characteristics or his motivations. You also don’t know where his allegiances lie. But maybe you will find out. Accompanying Governor Ramsey is Miss Goodhead. She is the daughter of Mr Goodhead, the founder of the institution that bears his name. Just like Governor Ramsey, Miss Goodhead is difficult to read. Will she be an ally or will she be a foe?

Of course after part three, you need to decide whether or not you will help Bridgette and Didi in their attempt to challenge to Principal Valentine’s authority. Along with all this their will be plenty of opportunity to get to know a few more of the girls there too. More on that next time.

In terms of the production schedule, I’m currently at just over 1350 images. I’ve completed 17 of about 25 scenes so I guess I’ve got about another 500-650 images to create in order to complete this one.

For now then here are a few more images to tease you.

Academy Part 4

From dsp3000…

I’ve made some progress on part four of the Academy series since the last blog update but, due to other commitments, not as much as I would have liked. Progress is progress and, while I still have plenty to do, the game is getting there and it’s looking good.

I’m not going to commit to a release date yet but I promise that I’m definitely not slacking off. I know how eagerly anticipated my games have become so the last thing I want to do is keep anyone waiting longer than they have to.

About four or five years ago, inspired mostly by Chaotic’s games and characters, I started experimenting by modifying existing Virtual Date games, altering dialogue, changing coding and adding in other options. This developed further when I started playing around with creating my own characters and scenarios.

It’s been about two and a half years since I was able to release my first game “Tara : The Hitchhiker” back in late 2014. Looking back it was a bit rough and ready, but hopefully the improvements with each successive game I’ve made have been noticed and appreciated. I see my third game ‘Tara : The Assignment’ as my first ‘proper’ game. It’s far from perfect but a big step up in terms of image quality and content.

Looking back at earlier games I certainly see the flaws more than anything, but I am very critical of my own work. I know the some of you are too, which is cool. Constructive criticism and feedback are essential for developing ideas and for making improvements.

When I first drafted out a plot for the Academy series, it wasn’t supposed to such a big game. I had anticipated around 700 images per episode. The first three parts have had 997, 1500 and 1797 images respectively so part four will likely have even more. As the story unfolds ​I just can’t resist adding in more and more content. But size isn’t everything so I also strive to keep improving the quality of my work too.

It is after all really good to have such a creative outlet and a relatively large and receptive audience. Sometimes I wish producing these games didn’t take so long though. I get ideas much faster than I can turn them into anything.

I would also like to publicly thank Chaotic for allowing me the opportunity to showcase my work. It is much appreciated.

So, back to the update. I’m not sure what the exact image count is at the moment because I’m writing this update on another computer, but I have completed a few more scenes since this time last week. Here are a few more images to tease you all.

Next time I might say a little more about the new characters who you will meet in ‘The Academy : Part Four’. I don’t want to give too much away though so we’ll see…

dsp3000

Photographer part 2

Just one quick update from me too – Photographer part 2 now has an official walkthrough. You can find it here : http://www.vdategames.com/walkthroughs/photographer2.html

This week, the first update from dsp3000 on his upcoming game,  Academy Part 4.

After a short break after completing part three, production on part four of my ‘Academy’ series started around mid January. This is proving to be the most complex part of the story so far due to the carry over effects from previous installments.

The codes required to play the Academy series are a way of recording information and passing it on to the next part. So what you did in one part has an effect on what you could do in the next, and so on. Be aware that you will definitely need to write down your codes from the end of part three if you want to get anywhere in part four.

The number of variables from part three means there will be several different outcomes and options available in part four. As you can probably imagine, working out all these variables is fairly complicated and time consuming, but I’m getting there.

Today the image count stands at just over 1100, and I’m just over halfway through my production schedule.

The last four weeks of production are usually the most intensive for me while I push towards completion. So with that in mind I am optimistically hoping to complete everything by the beginning of May. I wouldn’t be surprised if I run over a little, especially if I can’t keep resisting the temptation to add little extras into the planned scenes as I work on them.

For this week here are a few sample images from ‘The Academy : Part Four’.

April 1st

So, the first thing I want to address today is the date.

I did debate doing something in the April fools day spirit, but I ultimately decided against it. Plenty of the visitors to this site are international, and I don’t know how universal April fools is. People might just get confused.

Which is a shame. I did have an entire fake announcement worked out. I was going to quit releasing two large games per year, and instead follow the common Patreon creators model of only one game at all, but released dripfeed by tiny expansions every month, even though they were the most basic images possible and clearly only took me about 1 day to make. I was then going to milk anything I made for as long as possible, continuing far beyond the plot’s natural end until everyone was thoroughly sick of it, my revenue began to slowly drop, and I would begrudgingly move onto to something else.

Satire!

But. no. I don’t think everyone would have gotten the joke and I would have been more likely to confuse rather than amuse.

Leanna

Slow and steady means she will eventually be finished.

Here’s a new preview of the third possible ‘fitness’ choice, the gym (the other two being yoga and basketball).

I’m getting a bit tired of just rendering the buildup, so when I finish all of the gym images, I think I’m going to cut to the end and start rendering some of the sex segments. Really need to start playing with a naked Leanna. 🙂

Academy Part 4

Dsp3000 is still working diligently on the next in his series. We may have a full blog post from him next week, but if we don’t, understand that it’s only because he’s working hard on content instead.

Girl group game

A little while ago, I floated the idea of a ‘girl group’ based game where you could romance several members of an all female singing group.

When Leanna’s done, I’ll probably want to do something in Poser next. Crystal Part 3 is the obvious choice, but I’ve used up about half the ideas for her game in Leanna, so I’m probably going to need to do something else while I come up with enough scenes I like.

I have a few basic characters worked out. I really want to finally use Mia in this. I think she’ll fit well.

Beyond that, I have another character I’ve been working on. She could be the second member.

For a third member, I like the idea of a little variety in the body shapes. Someone quite small, skinny, probably with smaller breasts.

Still just gathering ideas at the moment though. Given the setting, it seems easier to write scenes than it does for Crystal part 3 though.

Poll

No poll just yet. I may add one if something occurs to me.