Completely understandable, but you could do is when you sign an artist on for a game that you KNOW will likely have expansions etc you should contract them on retainer or whatever for any additional art.

Heh you have no clue what a giant mess is finding reliable artists. I don't want to talk badly of any of them, but... trust me, some are really painful, disappear for MONTHS and in particular in middle of the work talking with other indies, it's like that for everyone. If was enough to have them sign a contract, it would be very simple.

Ok here is what ya do

1) Find a really good artist

2) Kidnapp them and confine them in a way where they can not damage themself or more importantly their hands.

3) Make sure they eat healthy and feed them a steady diet of prozac.

4) After completion

You know I was going somewhere with this..... LoL

I'm not even halfway done the writing and there's already talk about an expansion in this thread. o.o



S-slow down! XD

Just know in our hearts there is a very special place for you <3

I'm not even halfway done the writing and there's already talk about an expansion in this thread. o.o



S-slow down! XD

The yuri version of the first game arrived 2 years after the original was released, so... they will understand. Or maybe not!

>.> We should raise money to have Artist and Writer take a month paid vacation from their day jobs.



I mean- what?



<3



As is- AMG got the game to install on lappy- THIS GAME IS ADORABLE! <3



I really hope for the new game that we can unlock Galleries/endings screens. I am a mite OCD on that- Cute Knight's Gallery made one of my fave indie games because it was the first time I'd seen a gallery in a twist on the "princess maker" style life sims.



I love knowing I have all endings now. I'm a completionist- and there is nothing wrong with that- right?



Also- *easy* way to get Yaoi content-

Main character Male- same love interests. Almost the same art except a few extra CG scenes. <3

Writer can use same dialog in many places- but tweak and twist and change it a bit- I really hope we get at least one forbidden love thing-



I was really hoping for some dialog differences if raised Noble vs Farmer, etc, and this game is totally amazing enough to possibly see that happen!

Can't believe I didn't say that earlier! Having your background actually make a difference would be wonderful-- maybe some different dialogue choices, or special events...?

I adore the whole Rich girl, Poor Bard headcanon I had for my Noble Demoness and her Bard lover.



Some dialog feeding into it would be, well, fantastic!

>.> We should raise money to have Artist and Writer take a month paid vacation from their day jobs.

I mean- what?

<3

I wish. I miss the summer, since I was able to write 90 000 words in two months, and that's a good chunk of the game right there. Sadly Spirited Heart 2 (writing) is on hold until I finish the last few scenes for Heileen 3, and then I'll resume it ASAP.

Also- *easy* way to get Yaoi content-

Main character Male- same love interests. Almost the same art except a few extra CG scenes. <3

Writer can use same dialog in many places- but tweak and twist and change it a bit- I really hope we get at least one forbidden love thing-

I wouldn't mind reusing the same love interests, although I'd be curious... If people play as the female, would they also like to play through it as a male as well...? Since I'd try my best to bring fresh events/scenarios so it's not exactly the same if people play through as both genders. ^^ (Unless another writer is picked for the yaoi routes.)



Of course the expansion isn't for a while. Once the game is out, we'll see how the feedback is and what additions (yaoi/yuri/post-marriage story arcs... post-marriage arcs for the yaoi/yuri routes!) people would like. =)

I was really hoping for some dialog differences if raised Noble vs Farmer, etc, and this game is totally amazing enough to possibly see that happen!

I know Jack wants the game specific enough that there are text changes depending on the season. There were four backgrounds (farmer, noble, artist, general) for the first Spirited Heart. It wouldn't be too hard to add special events or change some scenarios around i.e. the elf with the artist background would be right at home in the pottery shop. >.>b Or the noble human knowing who the important people are in society.



I'm not sure what backgrounds will be used yet, but once all the main/bulk of the writing is done, I'll be adding all of the little variations to increase the replayability value. ^^v

OK. I realize it's a ways away, and I hope I'm showing I'm excited because I see so much potential here, and not being too demanding. ^^;



But in the meantime, it's giving me incentive to play the original game through again!

Don't worry about being too demanding. ^^v Any suggestions, things you'd like to see/hope for, etc, I'll take them into consideration and do my best. =) Anything I'm unable to cover writing-wise (whether due to coding, time restraints, etc) we'll see if it can be added in the expansion.



Of course Jack has the final say.

I wouldn't mind reusing the same love interests, although I'd be curious... If people play as the female, would they also like to play through it as a male as well...? Since I'd try my best to bring fresh events/scenarios so it's not exactly the same if people play through as both genders. ^^ (Unless another writer is picked for the yaoi routes.)

Ab-so-lute-ly!!!! <3

Don't worry about being too demanding. ^^v Any suggestions, things you'd like to see/hope for, etc, I'll take them into consideration and do my best. =) Anything I'm unable to cover writing-wise (whether due to coding, time restraints, etc) we'll see if it can be added in the expansion.



Of course Jack has the final say.

Things like the background reflected in different sentences is OK. For me is worse having more scenes since I need to "code" them, adding sprites with the right expression. In Spirited Heart is seen in 1st view, so at least it means you don't see your character, so have only the dateable boy to script which makes things easier. But for example for Heileen I spent the last month (only in the morning otherwise I go nuts) doing that. Probably will hire someone to do even that process in future



Doing a yaoi like described would be simple, but in practice it would be the same game, but with a boy protagonist, since even the various dialogues would be 90% similar. That's what we did for Loren with some dialogues (Elenor/Saren had many lines in common for the bisex characters), so it can be surely be done from writing point of view, but in this case the problem is having different ending CGs with the boys instead of the girls, and there are also the jobs images... and lot of other things. So again the problem is art

Things like the background reflected in different sentences is OK.

Right-o. :D I'll keep that in mind.

YAY! We shall have background dialog differences! <3



Oh dear writer goddess, who art awesome, can you make some poor girl rich boy interactions for Farmer's daughter to the rich man- and artist's daughter to General's son free spirit to steady and sure solid presence, and visa versa? Pleeeeaaaase?



It's the entire reason I read Manwha - the Korean comics seem to all focus on class differences and it's my total guilty pleasure... <3 if not in the main game, I'd be pleased as punch to see it in an expansion!

It's hard to make a storyline like that on a "dynamic" game like a life sim - because you start as "poor girl", but late in the game you might become wealthy, so as you can see, that kind of setting would work better with a game that was fixed roles

I also have to keep in mind that there's already three different personalities in the game, so if there's background differences, the lines would also be varied depending on who says them or brings up their background... So there are limitations, but I'll do my best to keep these suggestions in mind, and with Jack's guidance.



SH2 is still on hiatus since we're working hard on Heileen 3 and the Yuri expansion (I wrote 2 of the yuri character routes, and a few extra scenes), but my goal is to return to the game by the New Year.

Excellent. I will probably play Heileen 3 just because it looks a little different, but THIS is the sim I'm really excited about.

No pressure eh??? It might be the next game I work on after Bionic Heart 2 is done in April/May, depending how things go with Planet Stronghold 2 & the other projects. But I want to make it good so won't announce any release date until I feel the game is ready.