Kickstarter Update

Still waiting for approval.  I don't think it's gonna happen until after Labor Day weekend, unfortunately.  I guess the approval process takes about a week, not a day or two which is what I originally thought.

In other news...WAHAHAHA.

This Kickstarter project called Bro-ing Pains seems like it came from the same universe as my game.

Thoughts About the Longer Game

So I'm pretty excited about all the new guys in the full game.  Honestly, I think Brad's gonna be the easiest to write because he has a ton of built-in drama right off the bat (Mormon, in-the-closet, football quarterback).  But both Jed and Phil have a lot going on in their own stories as well...I'm so super pumped about their characters.

I started composing music for Jed's band today.  I REALLY want his band to be metal/electropunk a la Mindless Self Indulgence.  I realized the easiest way to do this is turn the tempo all the way up past 150 on Garageband.

I'm pretty sure everybody knows MSI, right?  Anyways, every time I hear their cover of Tom Sawyer I start cracking the hell up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah5xxU4glrg

Gone and Done

My project is now with the Kickstarter review board.  I redid a lot of the video.  I must have done 40+ takes during my monologue.  Let's just say I really needed a good hair day, and today wasn't it.

In the meantime, I have to fix two more things with the game and upload it.  Again.

Finalizing Stuff for Kickstarter

Have to do one or two final adjustments to the game.

Finished my Kickstarter video today, but have to replace the some of the gaming footage that has an atrocious green line running along the border for some mysterious reason.

I don't know if the Kickstarter staff will okay my submission before September 1st, but I still want the 30th to be the last day for funding.

I have absolutely no idea how this will go.  It seems more than a handful of visual novels have gone to Kickstarter to die, with just two or three success stories.

I'm not going to be asking for a huge amount of money, but it's not going to be tiny amount either.

I guess I'm relying on the concept to sell itself.  Nothing fancy, no gimmicks, just a gay dating sim in a Western setting, that's all!

Also, I kept snickering as I watched the video.  Like, did I really need to expose my popcorn ceilings to the world.  And the inside of my nostrils.

Redux

Well, it's finally out.

A couple of changes from the beta, with a few alterations in dialogue and a couple of other minor things.

If you've only played the original, there's a new Alex and some new CGs.  It's also a whole lot more polished.

Let me know if you have any problems.

I'm exhausted.  :-)

G'night.

(Link's in the header bar.)

What Is This Thing I Made

I tried to describe it to my mom and she just seemed confused.

JOIN THE CLUB MOM, JOIN THE CLUB.

Update

Currently I'm working on the script for my Kickstarter video, and I'm also gonna be doing the one thing I'm getting the most feedback about: having more choices actually affect the dialogue and story (instead of changing things off screen.)  This is gonna be tough to do without inadvertently breaking the game at this point in time, so many of the changes will be for comedic or dramatic effect, and not actually shift the story midway through.  For the longer game, many more of the choices should alter the game significantly.

I'm pretty excited about the reward tiers...the top reward is pretty awesome.  I don't know if anybody has the money or inclination to want to participate, but it's a cool reward that will grant you some measure of immortality.

All in all, I'm excited to be doing a Kickstarter.  Even if the project doesn't succeed, it'll be a thrill to try and reach out to people who've never played a game like this.  I feel like I'm in uncharted territory with a visual novel game that is neither quite yaoi nor bara...and yes, paddling my canoe right over a waterfall.

Also, I need to redo this website...

FAQ

UPDATE 2013

The Kickstarter was wildly successful.  Thanks so much for your incredible support!  The game is due for release in December 2013.


If you've stumbled upon this project recently, you can get on the preorder list if you email me at obscurasoft(at)gmail.com.  I'll send you preorder info later this year if you want to get the game at a discount (it'll be around $15 USD).  Just say you want to be on the mailing list somewhere in your email.

If you haven't already checked out the demo, the link is here:

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?o7pdpcm31dqo1np

You must be 18+ to play.

You can also keep up to date by following the new blog at:

http://obscurasoft.tumblr.com/ 

or

http://obscurasoft.com/

Much love,

Obscura

...


UPDATE NOVEMBER 2012

The KICKSTARTER IS NOW LIVE, GUYS!  It has a link to the demo.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/obscurasoft/coming-out-on-top-a-gay-dating-sim-video-game


What is "Coming Out On Top?"

It's a comedic coming-of-age video game about a gay college kid named Mark.

You play the role of Mark.  After finally coming out to your friends you enter the gay dating scene for the first time in you life.

What kind of game is this?  Do I get to shoot or kill stuff?

No.  This game is more like an interactive comic book, visual novel, or a choose-your-own-adventure.  It's the kind of game where you make choices that will determine Mark's fate.  There are multiple endings, both good and bad.  Make the right moves to score high points with potential romantic interests.



Will I get to have sex?


After I took a recent poll, it seems like about 95% of you wanted a game with eroticism.  So yes.


How Many Guys Are There to Choose From?

The full game will have four more guys to choose from, in addition to Alex (from the demo).  One of the guys is actually Ian, your best friend.



It's Very White Around Here!  Where Are the Men of Color?


Out of the five guys to choose from, there is one African American and one Asian dude.  They will appear in the full game.  There is only one dateable guy in the demo though, and he happens to be white.


That's Quite A Stable of Twinks!  What About Other Types of Dudes?

The football quarterback in the full game should be hairier and beefier than the current guys, but I'm sure there's going to be demand for somebody with even more bulk.  Or less.  People like their men in all shapes and sizes.  :D

If my Kickstarter goes well and reaches a stretch goal, I'll add a backer requested character.  Right now it's lookin' like a bear may be the winner.  On the other hand...I haven't quite advertised to the yaoi fans out there yet...so we'll see who emerges victor.  (And if Kickstarter goes exceptionally well, I'd like to add more characters.)

Your Guys are Way Too Buff!  What About Other Types of Dudes?


See above.


Who Are You?

Just a gal who wanted to make a dating sim, but was completely bored with the idea of making a hetero one.  My husband suggested making a gay male dating sim instead, and immediately I had the overwhelming feeling I had to do it.



When Will the Full Game Be Available?

Next year, if my upcoming Kickstarter (which I'll launch in November 2012) succeeds.


More Info:

The latest updates on my blog are here.

You can check out the additional guys planned for the full game here.

If you're curious, you can read about why I changed the art from my old demo here.

My (mostly NSFW) tumblr is here.

Redux Beta

Coming Out On Top: Redux is being tested right now.
It's close to complete...I still want to fix one of the endings, but otherwise it should be good to go.

If you want to try out the beta, go here:

http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=16701

I'm not sure why it's getting a runtime error on one of my testers' Windows machines.  If it continues I might have to just go back in and review each line of code somehow and rebuild the game.

My current to do list:
- fix that pesky ending
- start making my video for Kickstarter

Speaking of which, things are almost totally in place for the September Kickstarter project, aside from the video.

I'm still completely in the dark about how this is gonna pan out.  I'm trying to reach people who don't normally play VN's...possibly one of the most moronic ideas I've had in a while.

All I know is I'd like to be completely drunk for the entire month of September.

Gay Dating Sim

Trying to figure out what to label my game for my Kickstarter project.

I really don't want to call it a visual novel, because just about nobody outside the VN community knows what that is.

Gay dating sim?
Boy love video game?
Interactive gay romance comic book?
Gay romance game?

*throws hands in the air*

Update on Redux

Changes:

- updated Alex

- a tutorial

- a proper credits page

- 3 new CGs

- new icon

- some font changes

- a keyboard/shortcuts screen

Todos:

- edit endings

- recode status box

- further explanations in the tutorial

- Kickstarter info

And that should be it?  Hopefully it can be beta tested this weekend.  Then I'm gonna start distributing it in some of bigger forums.

I'm bracing myself for a good thrashing.  The question I'm trying to find out is if this game will have appeal to folks outside the VN community.  The world is so much harsher outside of Lemmasoft.  Stay tuned for the answer...I'm hopeful, but on the other hand I'm also realistic...

I've also started working on my Kickstarter video.  I'm a little concerned because I'm not going to have any physical items in the reward tiers...I find the aspect of trying to handle shipping errors and returns very daunting since I'll be working on the game solo for the most part, with the occasional elbow grease donated by my husband.

So...off we go.

Cast for "Uncut" (Work In Progress)

Note: I'll update this with new art soon.  Right now I'm taking it down so as not to give the wrong impressions about the characters, as they were done in the older cartoon style and the art has changed significantly. 

*Incidentally, Jed is Asian, Brad is Caucasian, and Phil is African American.

So, here are the three new guys Mark can get freaky with romance in Uncut.

JED

Singer/guitarist for a punk metal band and a loose cannon.

A night with this guy can mean anything from a trip to the emergency room, or ending up in Vegas unable to remember why you're naked and lying in the middle of the sidewalk covered in balloon animals.  Yay!

_____________________________________

BRAD

Quarterback for the Orlin Otters.  You're gonna tutor him so he can pass his classes.

A very sweet kid, raised in the Mormon faith.

In the closet.

Helllloooo, drama.

_____________________________________

PHIL

 Disciplined Marine with a hidden wild streak and a politician father.  People follow his command with alarming ease.

_____________________________________

Alex's story will still be available, with additional scenes.

______________________________________

Probably the most involved plot line of the five will be Ian's.

Image Gallery

Since Redux will actually have a few CGs this time, I spent today figuring out how to put up an image gallery in the game.  Thank you chocojax...I don't understand how it works but because of you, it works!!!

Coming Out On Top: Uncut - The Long Game

Update 11/29/2012:

A few months ago, "Coming Out On Top: Uncut" was my tentative title for the longer game.

It'll just be known as Coming Out On Top.

The Kickstarter is here, with more information.

Please be a part of Kickstarter if you enjoy the demo!

How Sweet Is This?

I've been meaning to post Kashya Charsi's tvtropes page about the game.

(Spoilers, obviously, if you haven't played the game before.)
FUCKING AWESOME.

Thank you Kashya!!!

CheeryMoya Plays Coming Out On Top

This is Part 1 of CheeryMoya's playthrough of Coming Out On Top.  Spoilers, of course, and her unique take on my game.

This made my weekend, seriously.

Check out her games at http://twinturtlegames.com/.  She's just generally all around awesome.

http://obscurasoft.tumblr.com/post/28850427976/moya-plays-coming-out-on-top-part-1

Progress on Redux

Four CGs (one reworked) and a new Alex sprite so far.  Now it's time again to dig into the code and the writing.

Ahhhh, Alex.  I'm gonna miss the old one *single tear.* He looked more "real" to me, a tad more bearish, and a little friendlier.  Oh well.  Now I'm having flashbacks of Arrested Development and the three Martas.  I'll have to see how the new Alex works in the new version...he's going to get promptly removed  if he isn't right for the part.

I guess I'm just gonna stick to getting the new version out right now.  After that point I'm planning to try and hit some bigger forums with the game and see if anybody bites.  If I get enough of a response, off to Kickstarter to try and get the longer game made.  Either way, I'm going to get this thing done (the main difference will be how much time it's going to take.)

Today I Learned

Putting more than 2 people in an event image is just asking for a whole world of pain.

Version 1.5: Minor Update

Minor typo and bug fixes...thanks, you guys.  Will be fully crediting you once I get a screen together for the next update.

1.5 fixes a few typos and removes the blank credits screen.