When it's too hot to work (in the afternoon) it's time for my usual CRAZY POLLS!!! mouhahah



Jokes apart this one again it's for my own curiosity. I'm indie, so in theory I should be free to do any game I want to do, but what they don't tell you it's that in reality (and now more than in the past) you need to listen what the market/public wants.

As you know I have a long queue of games I want to finish first, but once that is done, what kind of games you'd like to see in future?

Remember that I'll always have main focus in the story, and that a "VN Mode" will be always allowed (unless for some reason I really can't do it, but I doubt it). Beside that, what other gameplay (if any) you would prefer?



Plain VNs would be like Heileen/Bionic Heart (just as reference, those are old titles so should be better written, with more art, etc). Advantage: could make them faster and sell them cheaper than usual.



Dating sims with more gameplay are like Amber. They take more time since the extra gameplay even if it seems simple on the surface, it's not easy at all to balance/test/code.

Dating sim without extra gameplay are just basic stat/realationship raising games, like Nicole, Roommates, etc.



Raising/Life sim are like Spirited Heart (not necessarily fantasy) and focus on a story spanning over several years and growing a character's stats.



Complex RPGs are like SOTW Obviously they're insanely hard and take really too much time to make (minimum 6-8 months). I am not planning to do another anytime soon, but maybe in a few years...



Casual/simple are like Queen Of Thieves or the upcoming Cursed Lands. Not too many skills, not 100+ enemies or 50+ skills, etc. Those are more feasible, even if obviously much harder/longer than a normal dating sim.



Adventure games... I never made one. But I would like to try one day. The closest thing I made is Bionic Heart, in those scenes when you need to move around and do various actions. They're not hard to make, though require more investiment and time because they require a lot of art, especially if you have walking characters on the screen. An easier solution is first person view.



Strategy/wargames it's something I never made either. I saw some examples of VN mixed with strategy but I forgot the names But imagine a map (maybe even hex-grid map) and combat/missions, with a story around it. Or stuff like Reign or This is the police, a story but with a main strategy/war game as main gameplay. It's something I'd like to try one day



Card games, are basically more games with PSCD system, though perhaps removing the randomness thing, since I believe it's what pisses off most players that aren't used to card games. This is what I'm planning to do with UL (once Anima does a few small fixes to the card framework :mrgeen



Last but not least... "other" - maybe there's some kind of story-based game that I haven't listed (though the list is quite long so I'm not sure what could be!). I allowed more voting since you might be interested in more than one of the game genres below (I put max 4 votes though!).

I want more card games first and foremost! I'm not so sure about the non-random thing, but I gues I'll see what you mean when UL comes around. Could be interesting with a strategy game too.



After that, plain VNs and simple dating sims are more appealing to me than the more complicated and experimental ones. More focus on writing, less on gameplay.



So that's where my votes go!

Another idea could be a first person dungeon crawler, like Eye of the Beholder, Stranger of Sword City, Winged Sakura, Sakura Dungeon, but with more emphasis on story.

Yes I wanted to make a dungeon crawler since years ago, even did some pseudo-3d engine with the help of a friend (there was a youtube video I posted about 4-5 years ago). But today I would do it in plain 2d. Sakura Dungeon and similar use an open source dungeon system but I think for me would be just faster to code it from scratch (or ask Anima ).

K, first n foremost, Jack:



[color=#0000FF]COMEDY!!!!!!!!!!!!![/color]



More Roommates-style things. I keep sayin about this and yet ya keep ignorin me. What gives?! lol









Also, I know I've said about this before, but what about escape-room-type games (kinda difficult to explain, but I'm sure there's vids on YT/examples of such on Steam if looked up)--LOVE those, they really work the Mind; or just puzzle-type things in general?

Yes but Comedy is not relevant to this poll I could do a comedy game in all the genres above, though probably dating sim it's where it would work best (I really don't like as player comedy RPGs for example).

I know what are the escape the room games, I have already some ideas about those. Would probably work well in an adventure game type, or perhaps even just as (skippable) minigames in a visual novel.

I'd really, really LOVE to play an adventure game made by you! They are by far my favorite.

So... I hope you finally decide to give it a try and we might see one at some point in the future. I'd be so excited for that. ^^

I could do a comedy game in all the genres above, though probably dating sim it's where it would work best (I really don't like as player comedy RPGs for example).

Just please make sure it ain't yuri/yaoi exclusive. I wanna support ya, Brother!

I know what are the escape the room games, I have already some ideas about those. Would probably work well in an adventure game type, or perhaps even just as (skippable) minigames in a visual novel.

SWEEEEEET!!! LOVE those things; them and RPGs are my 2 fave kindsa games!

I like combat in tactical RPGs, especially the element of movement and spacing. I recently stumbled upon http://eviscerate.net/news/jake/20130409/chronicle-mars-act-1-3-released (the first act anyways). It goes to show what you can do with Ren'py. I know you stated some difficulties making a workable AI, but one can dream.

Yes I've been asking Anima to do a tactical RPG implementation too Even if it's not a full map, just some more places/positioning choices could already be interesting (a map would be better though).

The AI would be the highest challenge indeed, but as long as it's not totally stupid, I think should be fine (it's normal in most games to cheat and make the CPU more powerful to compensate the AI dumbness ).

Some months back, I tried the demo for Grand Kingdom. This video below may give you a idea of the combat.



[youtube]zvwRuuvv7QY[/youtube]



Honestly, I wasn't too crazy about the QTE/combo elements, but I was intrigued by the use of lanes. It doesn't allow for much movement as a grid, but it's ideal for smaller parties, where a few well-placed units can make a difference. It might also be easier to program than a grid, since there are fewer variables to consider.

Haha very nice. Yes even something like this, without a real map but with lanes, it's interesting to play, and just complex enough (I don't want to make games too complex anymore).

Something similar it's Darkest Dungeon, with the single row but attacks that only hit certain targets/patterns

For me, I picked "Raising/life sim, More casual/simple RPGs, Adventure games (solving situation with object/interactions and puzzles), Card games", due to the limit in choices!



I often enjoy the fantastic addition of a gameplay component on top of the story. Gives it more value and extra things to do in the game. The only dealbreaker for me, is if the gameplay rushes you with a time limit or requires too difficult combos to make it work. But other than that, I love Jack's experimentation with different ideas. It seems Jack is also great at striking a good balance in difficulty level for the various players.

My preference is for more simple RPGs, but since I've grow up with many point and click games, I'd love more adventures with puzzle and object interactions or, even better, a simple/casual RPG with some puzzle in the middle.



Surprisingly (for me) I really liked PSCD, and I never was a fan of card games, so I would really like a new card game.

The only dealbreaker for me, is if the gameplay rushes you with a time limit or requires too difficult combos to make it work. But other than that, I love Jack's experimentation with different ideas. It seems Jack is also great at striking a good balance in difficulty level for the various players.

The secret is to always provide many difficulty levels in options, so hopefully one of them is good for everyone

Regarding time limits, I think depends how are done. In Cursed Lands there's a time limit but the pacing it's much more relaxing. In practice there's still a plenty of time to do all the things you want to do, and the game will even warn you the first few times you click end of turn, if you're missing something.

My preference is for more simple RPGs, but since I've grow up with many point and click games, I'd love more adventures with puzzle and object interactions or, even better, a simple/casual RPG with some puzzle in the middle.

One of my favorite games I played when was younger is Quest For Glory series, or Shannara by Legend. Would be cool an adventure/RPG mix indeed

Surprisingly (for me) I really liked PSCD, and I never was a fan of card games, so I would really like a new card game.

Haha if I had to make a game now just based on what I would have most fun, I would do a card game. Sadly need to finish a lot of RPGs first But Undead Lily will basically be a card game without the random draw element (so more like a strategy game in practice). I think could be interesting.

I went with Plain VN and the RPG options.



I don't know how the overall performance of SOTW was for you in the end on the financial side, but I still feel it's your best work. I have played Loren, SOTW, The Heileen games, and Planet Stronghold through. (Not all endings) and enjoyed each for varying reasons.



That being said I know you need to eat so make what-ever games you need to pay the bills.

The main issue of SOTW was how long took me to make. 10 months is definitely too much I think if I could do such a game but without going nuts (there really wasn't the need of 100+ enemies etc) that could still be worth it. Anyways, after I finish all the next games I might be a bit burned out making RPGs so we'll see!

The main issue of SOTW was how long took me to make. 10 months is definitely too much

Says a guy who usually makes games for 3-5 years



On a serious note I too voted for plain VNs and complex RPGs, if there is some gameplay I prefer it to be complex if not then just better stick to the storytelling, that is what most of us here for anyway.

Only last year I made 5...! This year I made Amber, and probably will manage to make 1 more. It's hard to keep such high pace

The main problem is when there are too many "new things" to do. SOTW was built on Loren but had a LOT of new things (map, randomized items, tons of enemies, new AI, etc). Queen Of Thieves had some innovations too, but much less. Amber wasn't a RPG but the crafting sim really too much more time than I thought. In practice it's hard to know before how long a "new gameplay" will take. If instead it's based mostly on an existing gameplay, things should be much faster.