Sandbox Poll
I know sandboxes in visual novels can be frustrating, especially when it’s not clear how locations connect or what you should be doing next. That’s exactly why I shaped the intro around a guided tour, so you could explore the ranch early and build a mental map before the game opens up. But even the small touches I added to help with navigation won’t click for everyone, and I get it, I’ve wrestled with plenty of VN sandboxes myself. Some of which pissed me off so much I just quit playing the game.
I’d love to find a more unique way to make things smoother. If you have any ideas, I want to hear them. And even if you don't have idea's, tell me what bothers you about my sandbox specifically, and I’ll use that to design better remedies. Working together is how we turn this project into something special. I want the game to be smooth, comfortable, and user friendly, and I'm always taking idea's.
Let’s make the coolest adult visual novel possible.
Comments (4)
Not sure if its possible, but making things that need to be done slightly more saturated in color? or less so, so not a highly visible outline, but just something that kind of sticks out, in a non intrusive way, and only in the instance of where it needs to be clicked, its not a lot, but combined with other hints it might help
I like where your head is at. And originally, that's how I did it. But I'll tell you why I stopped doing it. Feel free to give me a second opinion on it. I have SO many objects in the game, lots you haven't even seen yet that will soon be added to locations, that when all of them were OBVIOUSLY highlighted, it lit the whole room up like Christmas. EVERYTHING was colored or glowing. So I made it JUST when you hover over things... And to help with that, I know it doesn't tell you this in game (I'm writing a guide that will be available in your in-game phone), The stuff that highlights WHITE, is linked to an event of some sort. Things that are highlighted PURPLE/PINK, are obects that you can just interact with. They might be an object that Annika simply comments on, or it might be an object you can pick up into your inventory and use as a key item or something later. Also, a lot of the RANDOM items in rooms, will eventually be given some sort of function. So you can "Put the slippers away" which will get them off the floor, out of the background image, and you won't see them again. Key items will obviously go to your inventory and disappear after you use them, so a LOT of the items around the place, will eventually disappear. (In future updates of course. I have a LOT to do).
I’d say most people would appreciate a helping hand by that I mean having things explained clearly, like when and what to do next. A lot of people unfortunately give up if progress doesn’t happen fast enough. I don’t mean skipping content or anything like that, just giving players a small optional hint if they want one. That way everyone can decide for themselves whether they want to explore everything on their own or get a bit of guidance and take the easier path, even if that means minor spoilers. I think that would make a lot of people happy. Those who really want to enjoy the game like I do, explore everything, and find all the things you’ve hidden will do that naturally anyway. This way, everyone would be satisfied. One more small thing: the text could be just a little bigger. Sometimes it’s hard to read when you’re sitting a bit farther away from the screen. Other than that, I’d say everything is great.🙂❤️
Yea, text is on my list of things to fix. It is really small. I make the game on a 32' screen, so I forget MOST people are probably playing it on something smaller if not much smaller. The hints thing you're talking about is what I'm trying to do, but in a way that isn't "text pops on the screen telling you what to do". I don't like fourth wall breaks like that. So I'm trying to have the characters mention things, so that you know, "Oh hey, I should try this." But even with that, there are still people that get lost. I've had at least 3-6 people say they didn't know what to do in the bathroom. Even though Annika is telling you with her inner monologue and won't let you do things out of order.