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This page is for discussion of the artistic side of content creation, such as writing and characterization, as well as for the posting of incomplete content for the purpose of receiving feedback from each other.

Feel free to discuss characters and stories you are working on.
The old Custom Content thread can be found here. The first archived artistic discussion thread can be found here.

Posts

Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
First off, welcome to RMN the Heartache forums Emily-sama*! Share your creativity with us!

Now, as for your characters, here's a few thoughts:

With Tomomi, I'm glad to see that Izumi isn't the only character to use that eye pattern with the base glasses anymore! Saying that, I think one of the custom parts packages has a better pair (of glasses) than the base-model. I, uh, forget which one it is off-hand, though. As for Keiko, her eyes seem a tad too bright. Maybe tone them down a bit? I dunno. This could just be a personal thing than anything else.

It's nice that you're including what they aspire to be. Which may suggest a few personality traits on their own. However, noting a few specific, core personality traits would probably go some distance in showing us how serious you are in the creation of your content. Not to mention being appreciated by potential players of said content.

*Edit: The asterisk beside "Emily-sama" is something of a personal reference. Pay it no heed.
author=GrayDragonEmily
I have recently started working on two custom characters (one of them is my avatar.) Anyway, I'm looking for some music for their themes and don't know where to start.

Heyo there, welcome to Heartache forums ^^

You might want to check Newgrounds Audio section. It have a huge song database for all kinds of stuff, so with some digging you'll sure find something fitting. ^^

author=Marrend
With Tomomi, I'm glad to see that Izumi isn't the only character to use that eye pattern with the base glasses anymore! Saying that, I think one of the custom parts packages has a better pair (of glasses) than the base-model. I, uh, forget which one it is off-hand, though.
.

Darkcomet Pack is the one with the glasses, however, It's sure better to have both parts packages x3
@GrayDragonEmily You can check them and some useful info at the Showroom post.

Also... Darkcomet's preview icon shows the glasses =p

Edit:
author=Marrend
As for Keiko, her eyes seem a tad too bright. Maybe tone them down a bit? I dunno. This could just be a personal thing than anything else.
Well... yep, it looks a little off. :\ (Tomomi's tachie is flawless and looks quite nice though ^^)
Please note that it's not a fault of design or anything like that. The problem is that using high values on Saturation and/or Lightness makes the darker sections bright too. Levels and Vibrance is better suited for light ups and downs.

I can give a few details on the subject if you like. ^^
Excuse the douple post, this will be linked up on showroom post so on a edit would get messy >.>

It's late release time people! I present you the...

DarkComet's parts pack II: School's out

Contents:
- Eliza's basic T-shirt with 5 stamps. (Small Chest - folded only)
- Tubetop (S only - All except folded)
- Midori's Dress (M and L - All except folded)
- Junko's Track team uniform (All chest sizes - All except folded/stacked)
- Junko's Swim suit, with variant for M sized chest. (All chest sizes - All except folded/stacked)
- 3 Front bangs, with shadow.
- Quick effects for sunset and night tachies.
- Parts from previous pack included.

Previews:
https://rpgmaker.net/media/content/users/26789/locker/Hex_Samples.jpg
https://rpgmaker.net/media/content/users/26789/locker/Hex_CicleEffect.jpg

Notes:
- All parts were made keeping the default uniform blue.
- Skin and cloth sections are on separate layers. (i.e. B-Back_L1 is the cloth, while B-Back_L2 the arm.)
- This version is mixed with the original mixed_build_girl, as there was a scary lot of new layers.
Oh. Triple post? Just great >.>
The site gets terrible around 4am

I demand a delete post button D:
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
A+ contribution, Kevin!

Or is this Dozen's department?
Shouldn't Kevin be getting Makerscore for that kind of stuff?
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
There's a few ways to allow Kevincalanor to get makerscore for/from this game. One way is to put him on the dev-list as, say, "Other (Optional graphics pack)", or some-such. I-I mean, if that's okay with him! Though, I must temper that with the fact that the only person with the ability to do that would be flowerthief. It's his gamepage, after all. Another way is if Kev submits his resources as media. I believe such a submission would need to go through a queue, but, if it's accepted, he would get makerscore for that.

The same situation could apply to BDFalcon, and his materials?
author=Marrend
There's a few ways to allow Kevincalanor to get makerscore for/from this game. One way is to put him on the dev-list as, say, "Other (Optional graphics pack)", or some-such. I-I mean, if that's okay with him! Though, I must temper that with the fact that the only person with the ability to do that would be flowerthief. It's his gamepage, after all. Another way is if Kev submits his resources as media. I believe such a submission would need to go through a queue, but, if it's accepted, he would get makerscore for that.

The same situation could apply to BDFalcon, and his materials?

I'd love to. :3
But... I wonder if it really gets to this level as there no add-on routes currently released with any of the modded parts, even with Eliza which is coming soon ( we're still in october x3 ) one could simply download the game and plus routes and don't ever see one of the parts.
On the plus side, more parts, more possibilities, more motivation for creating custom routes. (One would hope. x3)

About submit as a media, I'll need to take a deeper look on the restriction about it, as all my works were modifications made without contacing of the original creator of the files. (Studio-74's page says you're allowed to modify the backgrounds though)

And yep, same applies to Falcon ^^

PS. Although having zero maker score kinda bothers me, as long as I can share my stuff, there's no real problem on it. ;)
Maybe I should try up a fan or promo art x3
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
I would think that part of the custom-parts media submission, at the very least, would need a credit to the original source. If the file is compressed (It has been a while since I downloaded it. Even then, it was trashed in favor of a translated PSD), one of the objects could be documentation about the restrictions of use of the material.


That was too much Legalese.
Mostly just popping in to say I'm not dead yet, though I have not made any progress on my routes. Mostly being distracted by far too many sporadic projects not the least of which is the fighting game I'm working on (I have three of nine characters partially storyboarded, and a bunch of development on all of them otherwise) Oh, but I have been doing some tachie work this entire time, so I guess that's something.

Really like the new parts Kevincalanor. ^.^

Oh, I was kinda wondering if I could be directed to where one might be able to spout about ones game ideas and possibly gain some interest/help on this site? Ahhh, but how this question doesn't fit here. =.=;

-EDIT- As for the makerscore thing, sure why not? ^.^
... previous post seems to have left an odd taste in people's collective mouths... ^.^;

Orrrrr, I'm just reading too much into it. ^.^ Either way, just ignore the previous thing I had said and rejoice(?) at the news of Haruka's route being fully outlined! Now just to go through the tedium of continually starting up Heartache 101 every time I make/change a story event!
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
It seems to me like you're probably reading too much into it, BD. Though, I probably didn't notice the text above the edit, and will point you to this thread.
What's this? BasedMG, back from the dead?

I was browsing through my old Kotone tachie while trying to come up with a less cluttered angle for her, and I saw something I never thought I'd see again. Before I show you, however, I'd like to set the mood.

It's late at night, and you've been working hard on writing your story; putting together code, and extensive playtesting to make sure it works. You decide to spice up a certain scene by adding a "shadowed" version of the character to be revealed after the initial shock of "bumping into" that character. So you open up her tachie, take the neutral pose, and put in a black mask over the character. It looks good and fine in your editor, so you save it and import it straight into the game. You play until you reach the scene, and this pops up on your screen.

I still don't want to look at it. Gave me quite the scare when I first saw it. In regards to actual route progress, I believe I've half-heartedly mentioned some idea of starting Kotone over from scratch, and I still wish to write her story. My only problem is that I don't know what story I want to tell with her yet. I originally wanted to portray the story of a girl who was struggling with way too much for any regular teenager to deal with. On top of familial issues and a somewhat crippling insomnia, Kotone also had to deal with the prospect of not graduating second year with the rest of her class, as well as maintaining her part-time job so she could make money enough to leave the familial issues. And if <player> were to screw up their relationship, there would be the fourth worry of not being able to trust the one you love.

Needless to say, I had a lot of ideas for the character that I felt were just stacking up way too high. I like the insomnia angle, but adding in insomnia just to have it makes it seem like I'm trying to write for Katawa Shoujo forcing something just to have a "unique" character. I feel like she needs the depth that all those problems brought, but I can't realistically look at it and say I'm content with what kind of story what would write. I feel like I tend to circle around issues rather than address them head on, so it would help me greatly if I had some feedback on how I should pursue the route.

Tl;dr: Should I go heavy on the drama and issues, or lay it back more and focus on the kind of slice-of-lifey romance that Heartache is known for?**

Cheers!

**That's not to say Heartache doesn't have character conflicts, but it seems they're a bit more subdued than the kind I was going to write.
author=BasedMG
What's this? BasedMG, back from the dead?...but I can't realistically look at it and say I'm content with what kind of story what would write

Tl;dr: Should I go heavy on the drama and issues, or lay it back more and focus on the kind of slice-of-lifey romance that Heartache is known for?**

Cheers!

**That's not to say Heartache doesn't have character conflicts, but it seems they're a bit more subdued than the kind I was going to write.
You're alive!

Write the type of story that you'd want to read if it were published. You say you're not content with a heavily dramatic story... so why do you still have that as an option? If you dislike it, don't write it. Plain and simple.

If you're worried that someone won't like a dramatic story, don't be. That someone can just uninstall and read something else. The people who are interested in that will be there to read it.
"A month has gone by, huh? Well I might as well pick up Heartache again and try to get some stuff done. Alright, just open Haruka's PSD, set up her profile in my Story Test directory and get to writing.
Okay... haruka_profile.txt
-ENTER-
-ENTER-... STORY 1
-ENTER-... PLACE = Hall A
-ENTER-... ID = 0
-ENTER-...
...
...
...
Well, I guess I'll just screw around and make some tachie then."

Yup. That exactly. Well, at least I'm getting better at tachie work. I was wondering though; there is a great deal that didn't end up on my uploaded tachie expansion PSD due to it just being simple edits (well, in my eyes anyways), do you guys think I should add some of those to it?

Also, Haruka isn't quite as outlined as I thought (some scrapping, some expansion... mostly scrapping.), she just wasn't going where I wanted. So ya.

Also, thanks for the link Marrend. ^.^
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
author=BDFalcon
<writer's block snip>

Don't think like you're under any kind of timetable, here. Though, this gamepage has really quieted down! I'm still around, and there have been moments when I see Dozen's name on the Community Portal under "Currently Active Members" (he chooses not to post, and that's his prerogative). I wish I could say the same about dewelar or flowerthief, though.

AAAANYWAY...

author=BDFalcon
I was wondering though; there is a great deal that didn't end up on my uploaded tachie expansion PSD due to it just being simple edits (well, in my eyes anyways), do you guys think I should add some of those to it?

...I sorta have mixed feelings about this, myself. I mean, traditionally speaking, I've been the guy who goes, "Yes! More parts for tachie are always useful tools to have!", and, to be fair, creators of custom content would probably share that thought. But, again, the question that comes into my head is where all the custom content creators have gone? Real-life getting in the way is probably the #1 culprit here, make no mistake, but...

...Oh, never mind. I'm just talking in circles now.

*Edit:
Okay, that was more than a bit depressive/pessimistic. I guess I just wish this board (among others that I will not speak of) was more active than it is. Though, it's certainly has it's share of slow days/weeks/months, so maybe it's a perception thing.

Anyway, more to the point, I'm leaning a bit more toward you doing an update with the edits added. Though, if the update would add more "major" edits to the mix as well, I would totally support that move more.
author=Marrend
author=BDFalcon
<writer's block snip>
Don't think like you're under any kind of timetable, here. Though, this gamepage has really quieted down! I'm still around, and there have been moments when I see Dozen's name on the Community Portal under "Currently Active Members" (he chooses not to post, and that's his prerogative). I wish I could say the same about dewelar or flowerthief, though.


Still here, still doing my best to check this board once a day. Since this is the only project I'm involved with on this site, that's kind of all I do. I kind of hit a block on my update of Noriko to be better able to incorporate Masako's in-game status, because it felt too complicated to be worth the effort, at least for now. Besides that, most of my creative juices are currently being used elsewhere, but I hope to have Developments finished by spring. At that point I'd like to say I'll start work on Takako in earnest, but I know better than to make such predictions.

Anyway, I admit that I, too, find the lack of activity disturbing. Lots of unfinished stuff that I want to actually play and not just beta-test. I also agree with Marrend that any additional material, no matter how minor it may seem, that can be made available for use by us content creators that have limited ability with the visual arts would be MOST welcome!
Still around too, stalkin' around and stuff ^^

Well, Let's be honest... I was delaying my posting hoping to be back with some good parts, story or such but things haven't turned well lately.
I kinda question what I've set to Yuriko's route and my abilities to write off Alessa lines, so sadly the release of both other routes of "wolfpack" are still as off the chart as they were before.
About Eliza route, sent a PM (very recently) to Render about the translate, last progress report she sent me was really good lookin', and then again, is was huge load of text to check over, guess we could send it up as it is.
The beta is pretty much the final version, but I want it labeled as completed :p (hopefully, before it completes 2 years since the first beta was released)

And Falcon, I think you should include the edits up on the pack ^^
Things that may look simple for you might not be as simple for other creators for a variety of reasons, I remember reading on an ancient post about people trying to set up tachies on Paint or something like that. x3
Also... All my attempts to make/edit twintails falied. .-.
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
author=Kevincalanor
I remember reading on an ancient post about people trying to set up tachies on Paint or something like that. x3


Yeah, that was me, before being introduced to GIMP.
author=Mute
author=BasedMG
What's this? BasedMG, back from the dead?...but I can't realistically look at it and say I'm content with what kind of story what would write

Tl;dr: Should I go heavy on the drama and issues, or lay it back more and focus on the kind of slice-of-lifey romance that Heartache is known for?**

Cheers!

**That's not to say Heartache doesn't have character conflicts, but it seems they're a bit more subdued than the kind I was going to write.
You're alive!

Write the type of story that you'd want to read if it were published. You say you're not content with a heavily dramatic story... so why do you still have that as an option? If you dislike it, don't write it. Plain and simple.

If you're worried that someone won't like a dramatic story, don't be. That someone can just uninstall and read something else. The people who are interested in that will be there to read it.


Good advice, to be sure. It's more than likely just me making excuses for not posting for half a year. I think I might need to re-acquaint myself with Heartache before trying again. Time to dust off the old RPG Maker player and run it 100% again. Probably also a good idea to run the dlc routes so I don't step on anyone's toes with my own. Write the route I'd want to read, but if that route's already written there's no point, is there? :P