The Power of Choice - Altered Destiny
Hey everyone,
As I try to wrap up the last scene of the next update over this week, I wanted talk a little about something I never really went over before... the power of choice.
Altered Destiny's biggest mechanic that drives the story is time-travel, and with that can bring the opportunity for different outcomes based on choice. Now, this is a story-focused game, and certain aspects of it have to go a certain way, but that doesn't mean we can't sprinkle a few more options for you with smaller, yet different 'pathways'.
It's often hard to commit to 'choice' options at first glance, because I always to have to take into consideration of how it can affect the story. It is a visual-novel, and the smallest choice can increase workload by a lot. Even the option for color choice of your Brightwind Badge is extra effort, but I try to play around with ways to limit the workload, especially in future scenes.
I must say, there are plenty of spots currently in game that could benefit from 'choice'. Something as simple as to how a 'lewd moment' ends when the MC reaches climax. Maybe, having MC give a selectable opinion on the picture of Julia and Penny at the Park. Where if you choose a specific option, the picture that is in frame changes in the Present. Things like that can give the game a bit more flavor, overall.
It does have its limits, though. Such as giving 'choice' on major moments can be quite risky. One example would be that of the condom with the Olivia sex scene. Give the player the choice to keep it on, or take it off? That obviously would be too huge to change. Though, there is always the option of a 'false choice'. One where you do get to choose, and the scene does play out a little different, but you reach the same conclusion.
As I make content, I often make changes on how the story plays out. I get a clearer picture of what works, and what doesn't work as I progress. That can really slow me down a bit, but the overall product benefits from it. For the most part, new scenes will go a specific route, but different paths can be added in later once things get more clear for me.
I wanted to talk about it, because if the community is interested in it, I would put it on the table as a focus in a future update. It won't be any time soon, as I do want to get most of the main cast their 'big moment' with the MC first, but it'll come eventually.
Comments (14)
different branches will add too much to dev time for sure. I am however a big fan of different scenes or unique dialogue that ultimately end up to the same conclusion, flavor basically. Little easter eggs sprinkled throughout the game that recognizes those different dialogue choices are usually all that's needed to make it feel more personal to us. You have so much content ahead of you already, don't risk creating road blocks for the sake of choice. The only thing I find interesting is that nobody in the present recognizes the MC from the past, he was obviously really close to everybody, pictures were taken and all that I believe, would be interesting to explore them remembering him and his mannerisms to add flavor to future scenes. food for thought.
I personally not against choices as long as it's understood how those choices would affect the outcome. From a practical point of view, creating 2 or 3 branches would be like writing and coding 2 or 3 games within the same package. I would say that in this case, the choices the MC makes with little to no input from the player makes for a better and cleaner story.
I also don't like different branches in VNs very much, because it always gives me the feeling that I'm missing something. So I either end up save-scamming to see both choices/paths or I just don't care. Not many VNs encourage me to play them twice to encounter different paths. Most of the time there is just too much of "the same"...
Economics. Fewer choices - faster updates, less supporter dropout between updates. More choices - slower updates, supporters dwindle. BUT, you gain cred, the game becomes far more marketable on big platforms, and is more likely to hit big. If you're putting out a linear comic book you get pummeled in the reviews. But if you're coding in meaningful choices and staying organized then you have to get help keeping the updates coming or you face the same fate. Hobson's choice. Aaaand back to economics. No paths, maybe $500-$2K a month before taxes. Do it right, add people and take care of the player... $5K to $20K and street cred that's life changing could be very possible, but you'll have to split that with who's helping. I won't play anything linear. But I'll play titles like Eternum, Heaven's Door, Chasing Sunsets, u4ia, etc. over and over AND line up to throw my money at that dev for everything they have or will ever put out on Steam, every time. My 2 cents.
Generally I'd say I'm very wary of games with paths and choices, mostly because as you make choices after choices you end up with very partitioned branching paths. So a new update with 1000 images let's say might actually mean only 200 new images on the path you're playing on. I'm also not a fan of having to keep different save files for the different paths lol. I understand you don't want to do this and that is good since you do seem to have a good idea of the story you want to tell. Having options and alternatives in sex scenes could work, so I'm not against that. Things like changing the picture frame, while nice, I don't really see that much value from it. Definitely do it if you want to.
Well love this V.N. ! But i guess i'll play the Devil's Advocate. Everyone Loves a good story like this, we also enjoy the ability to decide thing's i think it only makes it more MC centric . If all anyone wanted was a great story well that is some thing called a book. Now people do not start blasting me please. I love a good book lol have many that are no longer in print let alone digital. The major difference ? You have no say on where the story goes that is what i love about how thing's can be now. ..
The way Altered Destiny has been written, it's too good by your choices that I think *I* would f up the experience if I had too much choice. No need to do that even in lewd scenes
Haha, thanks! If I were to ever add it, it would be so little it really wouldn't change much outside of scene by scene stuff. 98% of the story wouldn't change. It's mostly a ramble post that I like to do once in a while to see what the community thinks :)
I am interested in "choices", but I also know that these will explode development time. So a few minor choices are fine by me going forward.
Agreed. Smaller choices would still feel special but I'd leave the main path to the dev to get the most out of the intended story which has been great.
development of game is priority, so far I think we all love the direction so far. Maybe down the road you can add "bonus" scenes in other ways like the MC having dreams or whatever is needed to make up certain situations. Personally I think your doing great as you are, speed and quality over options is my vote.
I might be in a different crowd here, but I’m a staunch fan of being told a story rather than deciding on branching paths.
Oh, don't worry about that. Most choices, if I add them, would be scene by scene basis and 98% of the story would be the same. I definitely wouldn't want to put too much of a workload on these additions, or change the story much. It's mostly a ramble post about the possibility
definetly something i would be interested in if it doesn't hurt the steady development of the game and if it doesn't give you too much to work to handle