Post by socah in Deluge: Sermon for the Dead comments

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Hi Gabriel!

Thank you for reaching out to me with your feedback. Hearing that you liked the game means a lot to me, and it's not often that you get detailed feedback like this, so I appreciate that you took the time to write down your thoughts. Also great cat pics. 🍺 1

To answer your questions:

1. After finishing the first game (ToCW), we had lot of ideas and stories left for the setting of Abbotsford. Enough to make a second game. Continuity-wise, the player is free to interpret it as either a 'parallel universe' reboot of the game. But there are also some anchor points to consider it a soft-sequel to Mei's good ending. (eg: Mei is living with Karin, no longer on the farm.) Of course, some things don't carry over between games. (As you noted, the Sigurd arc is forgotten.)
If you want you could probably also place StfD after Ina's good ending, but I feel it would take a little more plot amnesia.

2. Abe can be a bit passive at times. I hope to do some games with stronger protagonists over the next years.

3. Point noted. We've done a few minor improvements to the ToCW sprites. More may follow in te future. In SftD the sprites are a bit more zoomed out from ToCW. What was your opinion on that change? (I'm considering returning to the more zoomed in sprites in future games, but I'm interested in receiving feedback.)

Incorporating AI art in games is still a controversial subject. We're not opposed to it by principal, but we would like to make games with as much human-drawn art as possible. StfD is currently at 2% AI art, and we may reduce it further in future updates.

4. We had big plans for the May Queen in SftD, but due to scope concerns we had to cut them from the base game. (Otherwise the game would have ended up twice as big as planned.) Due to this Mei has been relegated to side-character status.

We're currently working on the Mei ending route DLC, which will contain two endings from her and total 1+ hour of gameplay. It should probably release in September.

What happens at sleepovers stays at sleepovers. 🙂

Thank you again for playing our games and reaching out!

Cheers, lain 🍺

Gabriel173 days ago (2 edits)

[P.S. Hope you don't mind me writing a whole feedback again ⁃👅⁃]

‎ ‎ ‎

Thank you so much for replying to my feedback! I made it this detailed and elaborate because I love writing—I mean, pouring my thoughts and emotions into text, like poetry. I’ve written poetry, and some stories too (though I’ve forgotten about all of them lol).

It's a shame to know that it's not often for you to get detailed feedback like this 'cause it reminds me how underrated these Deluge chronicles are. But I have something in mind about that.

As you’ve probably noticed, most of the Deluge content people upload on YouTube tends to get very few views (except for those who reach 500, 1,000 or more), which got me thinking: maybe YouTube isn’t the right platform to bring Deluge to a wider audience.

That’s why I chose TikTok to share my Deluge content—but not gameplays. Maybe people want context, explanations—someone who, with a different kind of audiovisual approach, motivates them to play. And I’m jumping in cuz I know how TikTok works (...I guess).

Right now, I’m working on the first video (which will briefly but effectively introduce ToCW), and — random detail — I made this thing that will be shown at the beginning of every video:

I hope this works... But if it doesn't, I won’t stop till the fandom runs on its own and fans start feeding themselves with their own content! (ദ്ദി˙ᗜ˙)

Okay uhh let’s change the subject. Lemme replay to your answers now heheh.

1. You're right. I didn’t think about Mei living with Karin when I tried to link both games. I like that idea—and the alternative timeline concept too. Let’s just say that Sigurd’s spirit already fulfilled his role in ToCW and had nothing left to do in SftD.

...

Also, Lain. I've been thinking...

Is Mei actually destined to get pregnant, give birth, and literally die afterward? I mean, that generational mystical tradition of hers in ToCW hints at that, but seems even more confirmed in Rika’s route in SftD, when Rika asks Abe to impregnate Mei despite the fact that she will die later on...

So is her fate just to have babies and then fucking DIE!?

2. Maybe my expectations of Abe as a protagonist are similar to what I expect from an anime protagonist, yeah... but anyways I’m leaving you here a few scenes I created so you get my idea:

Yeah... I think my Abe is a freakishly determined anime boy, dontcha think? (ᇂ_ᇂ|||)

3. I think the zoom out on the characters sprites is a nice idea (and I’d like you to keep implementing it). I also noticed a few small changes—like how Mei’s dress is slightly more transparent compared to ToCW (don’t don't ask me how I noticed that...)

By the way, I was reading some Steam comments about the sprites, and I saw someone say that Peter and John look way younger than they should—and I have to agree hahaha. It's like, Peter actually could be Abe’s classmate and John—ever since he was first mentioned in ToCW—I always imagined him physically more like Dr. Braw Bulwer (like some eerie yet respectable old man)

[P.S. Will you ever show us what Abe canonically looks like? Y'know like how Dan Salvato did with MC in DDLC+]

4. SEPTEMBER!? Damn that’s a far-but-kinda-close date. I dunno how the progress on DLC is going, but look—it's like taking a school exam and finishing it early…

You can read it over once or twice, review it and think, tweak or add a few details, wonder what the teacher might like or dislike, and then—once you’re completely sure—hand it in.

So—take your time! 'Cause right now there’s no one rushing you anyway... (Fortunately).

Oh and btw I’ll make a bingo card for the DLC based on possible events — kind of like this image:

"Total 1+ hour of gameplay", you say? I’ll make it feel like days then — I don’t want it to end so soon. I’m gonna cry a deluge of tears... (╥﹏╥)

...

So that's how it gonna be, huh? Well, then—

I UNRIKA YOUR RIKA!!

Cheers, Gabe 🍺

socah164 days ago(+1)

That's a a cool but extremely depressing interpretation of Mei's fate in the stories. I do think that motherhood (and the all-mother) is strongly connected to Mei, and that she keeps on returning to act as a matron over humanity. I don't think she needs to die after childbirth, but it is clearly something she's prone to in bad ending scenarios. (My interpretation of Mei is as good as yours in this situation, as we need to adhere to the Death of the Author.)

Those edited panels are pretty good. You mentioned writing short stories of your own, let me know if you ever need advice or help making them into a VN. 🍺

And thank you for all the work you're doing promoting the game on TikTok and other platforms! 🍺

Gabriel163 days ago

In fact, Lain, I just came up with a huge idea for a VN. Like, seriously, a huge one, out of nowhere.

Obviously, I won’t actually turn it into a real/playable VN, because I lack of programming skills, drawing ability, and I also lack the time and a team to work with. But what I do have, naturally, is imagination and passion.

Do you want me to share with you a few things about my idea? Where should we talk about it in that case?

socah161 days ago(+1)

I messaged you on discord 🙂

itch.io

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