Missing Stars Gameplay and UI Preview

[raithfyre]

It's all coming together!

[Divinewargod]

.. But seriously though, animated menu screens make me hard.

[brainy_kevin]

Wait, actual MS gameplay? This is NOT the Somnova Studios I have come to know and love. I demand that you retract this concrete knowledge and go back to sharing vague development statements immediately. Seriously though, it's pretty cool, art looks nice, menu is quite good, I like the background for Isolda's room.

Also the first song on the video sounds rather like a Legend of Zelda song. This is all.

[zaku]

in game movie, the heroine appear was changed.

i found a girl enters the room line.
Jeanne appear(before 06/27/14) -> Natasha appear(06/27/14).
i know, this is Work In Progress step.
the "full"version of game, What will change?

[ILY]

I love the main menu, but am not a fan of this logo at all. There's nothing inherently wrong with it... I just pictured something cleaner. (à la somnova's)
Thanks for sharing.

[raithfyre]

in game movie, the heroine appear was changed.

i found a girl enters the room line.
Jeanne appear(before 06/27/14) -> Natasha appear(06/27/14).
i know, this is Work In Progress step.
the "full"version of game, What will change?

The text that we use in the video isn't actually from the game, but just something made up for the purposes of of a mockup. It uses Jeanne, Natasha, and then Isolda because they had the best looking sprites at the time each demo thing was made.

[Steinherz]

.... I HAVE THE HUGEST BONER RIGHT NOW.
That looks so friggin nice.

[Morthiasik]

not a fan of this logo

Me neither

It's in use as a placeholder, definitive logo will be designed at some point.

[Dsrw]

I've waited too long for this

[sky]

The sprites and backgrounds (!!!) look fantastic. Way to go, team!

[Blossomforth]

I expected trolling but that's a real tech demo. It looks sweet.

A part of me was worrying about the quality. I've been playing too many mediocre OELVNs. This looks better than the original, leaked KS demo (this sort of sounds like an insult though).

[Mr Immortal]

I'm not really sure what I expected, but I am certainly surprised, in the most fantastic way possible, that this looks the way it does. It feels very professional, what you have shown so far. And I love the girls' designs. I don't know if it's just me, but they feel like a curious hybrid between western animation and anime, leaning more towards the latter. Even if it isn't, I am very impressed and hope you guys keep up the good work.

[Fifedrum]

Erm... Sorry I've been lurking for a while, but...

Anyway, on to feedback: The music is distinctive, and as usual very awesome - the theme that plays during the gameplay scenes is a little abrupt, but I'm sure it'll grow on me if I the scenes are gradually introduced. The UI evolution is freaking awesome, it's always nice when you have a comprehensive version of the changes to the novel, unlike Katawa Shoujo's... interesting history. I'm curious about the odd graphic out in the begining with the distinctive pond, because it seems like a bit of a non-sequiter.

The (placeholder?) logo is nice and fancy, but I think it has too much contrast with the background, I would try making a black logo on a white frame, on top of the normal menu screen background. The art design of the characters is great, but they slide on to the screen a little too slowly, not that it really matters. The backgrounds are great, just make sure to have the contrast between the characters and backgrounds be high without being tacky - perhaps a small glow effect around them? (Now that I've rewatched the video, I see that you attempt to solve this problem by blurring out the background, which is a neat effect. Perhaps I just need to get used to the character placement? It's been a while since I've played a visual novel on the computer.

The text box design is perfect, and I can't really suggest anything to improve it. Maybe if you have time you could add a feature that allows you to change the text box's color, if that's even possible, just because you can. While I'm focused on Ui, a picture of your in-game menu would be really cool. I'm not sure if you've made one yet, but with the current UI design I would bet it's somewhere along the line of darkening the entire screen, adding a non-opaque frame around it, and some light fancy text or something. (I'm sorry I'm rambling, seeing this is interesting, I've never seen a game in developement that has more accessible developers - add in that I find the darker menu theme in comparison to KS a little more inviting, and you get a slightly hyperactive review)

Keep up the great work, and keep derping around - believe me, I would be willing to wait even longer if you posted a joke on the blog for once. (Give the writers my regards, seeing as this was more of an art and music exhibition.)

~Robert Barlow

And I love the girls' designs. I don't know if it's just me, but they feel like a curious hybrid between western animation and anime, leaning more towards the latter.

Actually, I noticed this too. It's just a tad difficult to wrap my head around in the two seconds that I see the characters in the clips, but it makes sense given the setting.

[EasternCitrus]

Awesome, loved seeing the progress you guys have made so far. I can't wait to see what the final result will look like.
I like how you've got a star for each girl and have everyone's silhouettes on the menu screen, although you can definitely still improve the quality.

Some suggestions: how about making the stars appear and disappear so that there's always a few missing? Also, I'd love it if the menu changed as the game progresses, like if at the start of the game it's just Erik's silhouette standing there, but after starting/completing each girls route they start showing up on the menu screen.
And I agree with the others here, the placeholder logo needs work but I don't know what to suggest.

[raithfyre]

Thanks for all the feedback, guys, and please keep it coming. We try to read each and every criticism/suggestion that we're given. While we're at it, though, I'd just like to remind everyone of this thread, where you can mention certain things that you'd like to see or hear about. No promises or estimates on when there will be another "big" update like this one was.

[Likhos]

Well shit, I just work for my exams and suddenly I see nice news.
That looks pretty neat. I love the menu theme.

[raithfyre]

Oh by the way, here's a wallpaper version of the main menu if anyone wants it. I use one that has the silly text logo in the corner, but I'm not sure where that one is. Can search for it anyone wants though

[sky]

Oh by the way, here's a wallpaper version of the main menu if anyone wants it.

That's some pretty hardcore banding. Do you even dithering?

[raithfyre]

I do not. Would probably be something to nag Kevin about.

[brainy_kevin]

I'll get right on it.