OS-tan Visual Novel!

[Aurora Borealis]

Those are good ideas, and help me with what Inu-T's role, relations to other characters, and the challenges involving her would be like. I also like the idea of default tasks, but I can't figure out a good way to program them.

The way I tried it was like this:

Each character would have a "default task" variable that would either be "True" (doing default task) or "False" (not doing default task), but I couldn't integrate that smoothly into the different points of the game using "if" statements. I thought for this to work, I would also have to make separate variables for locations AND the characters being in that location, and that would quickly get unwieldy!

syntax:
(character)_default_task = "False" -- would change to (character)_default_task = "True" to start this task and back to "False" when the character moves on to a specified task, which is anything else.

example:

#located before the start of the game, where most variables will be initialized
if w95_default_task == "True":
  w95_location = "dojo"
....
....
....
....
#in the game itself
if time >= 8.0 and time <= 9.5:
  w95_default_task = "True"
 

=======

So I'm wondering, would it be too much trouble to have "default task" variables and subroutines for each character, or is there a more efficient way to do that than I attempted, or should the default task when programmed be put in manually (that is no subroutines or variables) like with any other task?

[Aurora Borealis]

Double-posting for a major update: Here are the character details so far in the XP Scenario (I'm working on a map and overview for the Tiger scenario, which will both be up soon too):

Sorry, the character map turned out smaller than I intended. (And i messed up on CE's description- I meant to say that she can tag along and give her [XP-tan] advice)

Still need more character interactions. Any suggestions?


The character map for the Tiger scenario will be differently arranged. Instead of a web-like pattern with the protagonist in the middle, there will be: a protagonist group on one side, the antagonist group on the other, the neutral in the middle, and other characters who agree with one group in between the middle and that group's side of the map.

[Chocofreak13]

that might make it easier to read. xD

that said, i still think it would be easy to list out the tasks that need to be done, then decide who would have the option of doing them, and the ranking of who would do it best. :\ (for example, while ME, the 98s, 3.1 & DOS, Homeo & ME-kun, and 95 might all have the option of playing with Inu-T, 95 might be the worst choice in this case due to her being needed elsewhere!

also, what do you think of adding in 95-kun? would that be too many characters, or does it sound like a good idea? he can help keep the peace (even keeping 95-tan calm), and can have the option of greeting the macs or playing with Inu-T. and even if he does nothing, he makes a great background character.

that said, i like this so far, even if it's a little hard to read. i can't help with the coding, sorry, but if ya start listing stuff, i can help more. ^^

[Aurora Borealis]

I'm working on that list right now. In the story, 95-kun is mentioned if XP first meets 95-tan in the dojo; 95-tan was talking about how she's training solo at the time because 95-kun still has a hangover. He's a heavy drinker, right? I'd like to include him to balance the gameplay a bit because of his ability to calm 95-tan down. He's presumably one of the few characters with that power!

At the very least I could include him as an optional character because the scenario already has a lot of main characters.

[Chocofreak13]

optional character sounds like a good route for him. :3
he's a heavy drinker, but he only drinks sake. i don't know how long it takes to get drunk off of it, but i would imagine 95-kun would have built some sort of tolerance. that said, being hung over sounds like a good excuse for him not being up early. xD
he does sound like a valuable character to have, though, considering not many people can soothe the savage beast that is 95-tan. o__o;

i anxiously await the list~~

[Aurora Borealis]

Just about anyone can do most of these tasks, and they must be carefully assigned. Sure, all the Windows-tans can multitask (ever since 1.0!), but for efficiency reasons, and to lead things in an orderly manner, a character won't be available for another task if they are already doing one.

Tasks: These tasks are available for anyone unless specified otherwise, and of course this isn't finalized.
   -Near the end, 2K and NT can do tasks since they're done with rehearsal
   -Vista can't be assigned tasks unless she and XP reconcile -- in the meantime, she'll do them on her own if XP overlooks them for too long
      **When Vistan, as an antagonist, takes over tasks XP neglected, that will threaten XP's credibility as leader!
   -XP can call 95 OSR 2.5 for help if she needs a task done and there's no one currently available (reliability may vary)
   -3.2 might be able to help with some tasks

make tea
   -best for task: 3.1, 3.2, 95-tan
   -worst for task: ME-tan (would you trust ME-tan with the stove?), XP

cook dinner
   -best for task: 95-tan, Saba
   -worst for task: XP (can cook decently, but must avoid certain pitfalls), Inu-T, ME-tan

make snacks
   -best for task: Saba, Homeo and ME-kun
   -worst for task: XP (same pitfalls as cooking dinner)

greet guests
   -best for task: NT, 2k, ME, Inu-T, 95-kun (he's learned to be civil!)
   -worst for task: 95-tan (this should be obvious), DOS (too shy and might not get noticed), Homeko (would try and pair up OS9-kun and Homeo in yaoi situations for her amusement), 98SE (would be hostile towards OS9-kun and the OSX-kuns)

do laundry
   -best for task: 3.1, 95-tan
   -worst for task: ME-tan, Inu-T
   
order lunch?: Not sure about this one

clean the kitchen
   *XP, along with ME-tan if she's tagging along can do this first thing after breakfast, or put it off until later and assign it as a task.
   *If XP is with Homeo and ME-kun and the kitchen still isn't clean, there is still the option
   *If XP puts off cleaning the kitchen for too long, someone will do it (I was thinking either 95-tan or Vista) but will be disappointed in XP.

clean the living room
   -best for task: Homeo and ME-kun
   -worst for task:
   
make decorations
   -best for task: Homeko, 98 and 98SE, Vista, 7
   -worst for task: 95 OSR 2.5 (according to a strip made by her creator, she's a bad artist), ME-tan

watch after Inu-T
   -best for role: ME-tan, 98 and/or 98SE, 95 OSR 2.5, Vista, 95-kun
   -worst for role: 3.1 (too annoyed by her rambunctiousness), DOS (feels overwhelmed), 95-tan (not bad at this role, but there are options that suit her better), Homeko (will neglect this task)

clean the front yard of litter:
   *if XP doesn't do this first thing after breakfast, Vista and Inu-T will.

buy art supplies for Homeko:
   *this is one of the options for 98's morning errand
   **if 98 doesn't do this, XP (and/or Vista) will have to do this, especially if Homeko was woken up at 8 -- she will be panicking over deadlines!
        **I can imagine XP and Vista teaming up for this, with the mentality of "An enemy of an enemy is a friend of mine"!



look after the house if XP is out buying art supplies
   -best for role: 95-tan (careful though- this may motivate her to take over!), 95-kun (good at breaking up conflicts that arise, but XP must run an additional errand)
   -worst for role: ME-tan, 98, 98SE

[Chocofreak13]

you've pretty much covered everything. ^^

i think 98 and SE would be good for the ordering lunch task. and if not them, homeko, since she's probably used to getting delivery food by now. :3

i'd say the worst for the task of cleaning the living room would be Inu-T, since while she might mean well and try her hardest, i imagine that her puppy nature might get the best of her. ^^;

i'm curious, is there any reason that Saba wouldn't be good at making tea? considering she can do the other two successfully, it might be a good plan to assign all three to her (or 95, depending on what else is going on).

also, i think 98 and SE might be decent at doing laundry. considering they're rather mature for their age, it makes me think that might be a chore they're assigned regularly. :\

[Aurora Borealis]

Okay, I'll make those changes. I thought of Saba as being good at making tea, but making and serving food as her specialty or something like that.

So far, we're good on the gameplay aspects?

[Chocofreak13]

yes, i think everything is going well so far.

do you need me to do anything? i can't code, but maybe there's something else i could do?

[Aurora Borealis]

For now since we have much of the gameplay down, let's discuss the storyline. So far in the XP scenario, the vast majority of the focus has been on XP-tan (for gameplay reasons), but we should also focus on the other characters, their motives, and their backstories into a cohesive story.

Some ideas off the top of my head:

1. The expectations that XP-tan has to face from her family and her userbase are higher than before after Vistan's debut. She's lucky to have as much commercial support and still take active roles in the computing world (mainly reserved for current OSes!) for as long as she has. Even luckier was that XP was originally intended to go end-of-life (discontinued, company support dropped) shortly after Vista's debut, but was delayed until 2009, then 2010, and now 2014. That is a luxury very few consumer-level OSes get to have!

2. Vistan's antagonism towards the XP-tans and Windows 7-tan is motivated by abandonment issues and feelings of inadequacy. On a technical note, Vista reached end-of-life last year, IIRC, while XP still hasn't! Poor Vistan. She just wants to prove her worth!

3. Why 3.1-tan has become apathetic to the meetings over the years- she doesn't feel like anything can be accomplished the way the meetings have been going. She doesn't hate the Macs or anything, and I'd like to say that if she fought in the wars (according to some pictures of her in battle gear), she was just following orders since she grew up with the pre-OS War ideals of chivalric battles among the other microcomputer-tans. Plus the OS Wars desensitized her and DOS to some extent, and have all but given up on keeping up with the modern OSes and trying to relate to them. (I envision 3.1-tan as being the Defrosting Ice Queen type)

4. During at least one point in the game, which I haven't fully planned out yet, some of the Windows-tans and Mac-tans will meet up before the meeting, presumably while away from home; one option I have written is if XP runs to the art store to get Homeko's supplies, she'll meet Mac OS9-tan there and they both discuss their sides of the story.


Of course, I don't want this to be totally serious. I'm more of a comedy person, so even if we do go the dramatic route, there will still be some silliness! What I have for the Tiger scenario though, falls more on the silly side though there is potential for drama, with members of a close-knit family fighting each other despite having the same goals in mind.

[Bella]

I can't help with coding and am not in a particularly writerly mood, but when it gets to the point that you start working on art I'd be willing to help out. : )

[Aurora Borealis]

Okay! What part(s) would you like to help out with?

Here's what will need work:

Title screen:
   -can be done either raster or vector
   -this should be the last graphics thing to plan out for now
   -will depict the 2 (or 4 -- if we get to the other two scenarios) protagonists with cameo appearances of some of their relatives.
   
Character select screen:
   -can be done either raster or vector
   -to show the look I'm going for, I'll put up some placeholder pictures.

Main in-game character art: Full-body depictions of characters, the main graphics in a visual novel
   -Best done with vector graphics, which will help details stay consistent, and make anatomy mistakes easier to correct
   -I was thinking about doing this, at least partly. Right now I'm creating some character templates (different poses and expressions) which can be used by another artist to make complete pics.
   -Might be better to have at least 2 artists for this because of the difficulty.

Misc. in-game character art: Chibi depictions of characters in short gag scenes
   -these scenes will take up the whole game screen, will have a simple background and chibified characters

Backgrounds:
   -digitally or hand-drawn. May be raster or vector, depending on which would be more efficient for the background at hand.
        -for backgrounds that will be panned, they need to be larger than the game screen

[Aurora Borealis]

Should we be discussing the graphics yet, or should we still focus on the story (and gameplay if need be) first?

[Bella]

I'd probably want to help with the character art ... especially things like shading/details and facial expressions. Though I may also be able to help with backgrounds too.

[Aurora Borealis]

We could try collaborating on a sample piece of character art, once I figure out how to attach an SVG file that I have the character templates stored on. Unfortunately, I don't know if attachments are still allowed anymore- in the advanced options, for me at least, there is an "Attachments and Other Options" section, but clicking it still doesn't give me an option to attach a file.