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Date, create, and share!

Assuming the role of a male high school student in Japan, the player will meet, interact with, and date a number of female characters with the goal of winding up with one of them at the end of a 101-day calendar. Yeah, you've seen this all before...or have you?

In other romance sims, there's little reason to replay the game again once you've pursued all the characters you're interested in. But Heartache 101 allows for a variable female cast. The number of characters in the game is completely open-ended!

You can create new characters and add them to the game, share them with other users, and add characters created by other users. You can create the images for custom characters from a template, or use images you created yourself, or images from any source. (only "standing" images of characters can be imported; there is no event CG in the game) A simple scripting language is provided for writing story events. You can also customize some of the music.

The game system itself is in part a visual novel interface with gameplay that include conversational decision-making, board game-like mechanics, stat management, financial management, and more.

Latest Blog

New game forthcoming, some might like to know



Since I've been asked many times if I would ever make a sequel to Heartache....

Well this is not a sequel. In very many ways it's radically different. But some might find that it partially retains a bit of the same feel?

So I'm posting the first public screenshot here, and whoever is interested, look for a game page up in the next week or two with the title "Where One Citizen". Game is not complete yet, but after 10 years of development it's about time to start showing it!

Posts

Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
author=pegaso
I wasn't really thrilled with the artwork for the characters, and went digging around BASS and found a user that had some really good poses, so I use them.


Custom character!?

Bring it on!

author=pegaso
The only issue is the phone icon, which tend to get only part of their faces in the box. I would suggest not changing this, however. I think it adds to the charm, because I can't take a picture well with my phone as it is.


If you want, you can adjust the settings, somewhat, in the character customizer. Though, getting the right coordinates through GIMP might be an idea.

author=pegaso
I would have liked to see graphics for all the characters, say like an angry Masashi, or a friendly Takuya, for reference points, instead of seeing an empty screen after reading the texts.


That's probably not going to happen with the bulit-in content? I dunno. Depends on if/when ("if" seems more likely) flowertheif looks into this post. With custom routes, however, they can totally be a thing. With the semi-obvious proviso that the "built-in guys" would have consistent graphics throughout all content.
author=Marrend
author=pegaso
I wasn't really thrilled with the artwork for the characters, and went digging around BASS and found a user that had some good poses, so I use them.
Custom character!?

Bring it on!

YES! I was so thinking this! Examples below, and I hope the links work...
Riho
Shihoko (ponytail down)
Miki
Keika (with pink hair)

Now I'm thinking Heartache 101 manga. Where'd I put my art supplies?!
shayoko
We do not condone harassing other members by PM.
515
1st of all i think dating sims are pointless,that aside.
problems with the game
the gameboard playstyle limits too many options
also
not being able to raise all the stats w/e you want.
the artwork is nice but otherwise this was pretty boring.
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
Technically, players can raise stats whenever they want via the cheat codes. They are publicly available, so it's not, like, I'm giving out any secrets by stating this. Though, do they make the game better? I dunno. Sometimes, being able to cheat makes a game more fun, other times, not-so-much. It really depends on what makes a game "fun", which is not a topic I am prepared to discuss in this space.
shayoko
We do not condone harassing other members by PM.
515
cant remember the 3 stats you couldn't raise properly the ones outside mind and soul
the only thing i would play this type of game for
is the rpg/stats mechanic not the dating itself.
one of the most pointless types of games too me
is one that builds a fictional relationship.

i can understand liking fictional characters or wishing they were real...
but,i just dont enjoy trying to get on the good side of a drawing or 3d character as the main goal of a game.
it honestly just seems pointless to me and with a concept based of reality (dating)
it feels extremely unrealistic
im not going to say its...a bad or good game its just not my thing.
//
as for cheats i had no idea they existed but indeed outside the board game part of it would of made the game better
if only because you could not raise looks,athlete and ???? at your choice

the board game style itself would of been much more enjoy not using dice
instead have more like...a choice at intersections up,down or forward
and different characters would be in those different directions giving you more control over who you want to talk to.
OK, I can't count the number of times I've played this game, but this is the first time I've had this happen to me. I just had a girl's Heartache go past the maximum before I even got her phone number - on day 13/12 no less. In other words, I went a full 13 days without meeting one of the girls (in this case, Tsubasa). Mind you, this was during playtesting, and the number of girls I'd met was approaching 20, but really this is probably something that shouldn't happen.
I'd rather you didn't feed to the obvious troll or obnoxious person with messages that don't address what they actually said. Devs, you disappoint me.
cant remember the 3 stats you couldn't raise properly the ones outside mind and soul

if only because you could not raise looks,athlete and ???? at your choice

This person either never went to the net cafe to find the other basic stat-raising locations, or just plain messing with you. After all that they can't be bothered with grammar or spacing.

it feels extremely unrealistic
Personal opinion with no instructions to improve the game for your taste. And it's not that you're unable to, you gave a valid idea to replace the dice roller with.

and different characters would be in those different directions giving you more control over who you want to talk to.

There is a game mechanic accessible after the first week where you can use magic orbs to modify the zodiac. This would increase the chances to meet specific people, and highly so. All the more reason to believe you never played beyond even that.

Shayoko, I hope you had your fun. And, I hope the information given you now will ease your game experience should you choose to play again. That said, I'd rather you didn't pollute the forums with messages you didn't think through, can't take seriously, and barely decipherable for my sight-impeded devs.

I hope you will do the right thing and fix your mistake^^ Do put more effort into any feedback in the future.
*raises eyebrow*

I wasn't responding to anybody. I was posting a game mechanics suggestion.

author=Dozen
barely decipherable for my sight-impeded devs.

Hey, sometimes being blind has its advantages, like not having to respond to pain-inducing posts like that one :D .
author=dewelar
*raises eyebrow*

I wasn't responding to anybody. I was posting a game mechanics suggestion.

Marrend has sight issues too. And the reading comprehension in regards to the English language kinda as a freshly deported refugee from the Peruvian gold mines.

You aren't a lot better though, sorry._. Please practice a little more.
author=Dozen
author=dewelar
*raises eyebrow*

I wasn't responding to anybody. I was posting a game mechanics suggestion.
Marrend has sight issues too. And the reading comprehension in regards to the English language kinda as a freshly deported refugee from the Peruvian gold mines.


That would explain the plural form, yes.

Proved you aren't a lot better though._. Please practice a little more.


What is this "practice" of which you speak? As long as it doesn't involve "Requiem of Surrogation", perhaps I could swing it.
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
In my half-defense, I was responding to shayoko's first post. Though, not being able to read the exact ramifications behind...

author=shayoko
not being able to raise all the stats w/e you want


...this probably didn't help me very much.



Actually, nevermind. Let's just drop the thing.
author=dewelar
OK, I can't count the number of times I've played this game, but this is the first time I've had this happen to me. I just had a girl's Heartache go past the maximum before I even got her phone number - on day 13/12 no less. In other words, I went a full 13 days without meeting one of the girls (in this case, Tsubasa). Mind you, this was during playtesting, and the number of girls I'd met was approaching 20, but really this is probably something that shouldn't happen.

Ah, hmm, interesting.
is there a way to get rid of the bugs *the stuff in the game that makes you sick*
and change how many girls show up on the squares
Without spoiling too much, there are icons you can land on that do both of those things, but they only appear occasionally.
author=dewelar
Without spoiling too much, there are icons you can land on that do both of those things, but they only appear occasionally.
i am aware of those
but i mean by editing removing them from the game completely
i am aware of those
but i mean by editing removing them from the game completely

Yes. Given you can write in Ruby^^

Don't ask us though. We use the simplified Heartache language that's derived from Ruby. It's useless for anything else but routes and custom events.
author=Dozen
i am aware of those
but i mean by editing removing them from the game completely
Yes. Given you can write in Ruby^^

Don't ask us though. We use the simplified Heartache language that's derived from Ruby. It's useless for anything else but routes and custom events.

in other words idiots like myself are shit out of luck ^_- thanx for the response
Okay, here's a bug I've noticed with a couple of custom content characters.

When a character's initial affection level is set to "Friendly" (or, presumably, higher), but her name is set to "Not known" at the beginning of play, it can result in a rather odd situation. Early on in the game, <player> can say that, for example, he "seems to be getting along better with Ruri" even though he doesn't know her name is Ruri yet! I...don't think that should be happening :) .
Marrend
Guardian of the Description Thread
21781
I don't think I noticed that in regards to Ruri. The event where she tells you her name can be learned rather quickly in her route. "Can" being the operative term, of course. I have no idea how Hanami, and (very probably) <SECRET CHARACTER> pan out, so, I can't comment on that.
*nods* This was the first time I noticed it with Ruri as well. I'd met Uchioniko on day 1, but didn't actually get the next Ruri event until several days later. I'd had the same problem with Megumi previously and let Render know about the issue. As for the others you mentioned, you learn Hinami's name immediately, and you can't meet <SECRET CHARACTER> until several "weeks" into the game. If you're not Friendly with at least one of the other girls by then, you're doing something very, very wrong :) .