Post by Konoi in Beauty and the War (X Playing Pieces) Demo Beta Ver. 2 comments

Beauty and the War (X Playing Pieces) Demo Beta Ver. 2 » Comments

Viewing post in Beauty and the War (X Playing Pieces) Demo Beta Ver. 2 comments

Aah, I've played the first version of the demo, and now I'm back for more! I've filled the survey, which explains some of my opinions and gives plenty of feedback, but I still want to comment here too, so you'll be able to answer if you want and to overall tell what I didn't tell in the survey and repeat some things.

I must start with this: I was very worried when I saw this new version in my Feed inbox and while checking the newest visual novels. I tend to dislike what I see as major changes, and the addition of X is a pretty major change. Now, I understand he was planned from the very beginning - I've checked out the extras at the end of the demo - but from a player's point of view, he's still all novelty. And well, it's the character you see on the game's thumbnail now, so I was pretty much "Wait, what? Who IS this guy?! Ugh, what the hell, I don't want this guy to be here...". Buuut... it happened that he's pretty much my favorite type of character, or one of my favorite types at least, so I fell in love pretty quickly. I may be a huuuge Viktor fan, and I always wanted him to be the last hidden romance, but now I honestly don't know because I like X at least as much as him and I'd loooove to see how a romance with him would be. I've explained that a bit more in the survey.

I also really love the new version of the prologue. The old one was interesting, but well, the things with X and his point of view, and his meeting with Ambrosia and all... it's pretty great!

Now, unfortunately I can't be as happy about the other major change - the art. I don't mind Arsenik, and I think Ambrosia in the "present day" looks pretty great, but man how do I dislike her sprite in the Virgo Island part - and well, it's a huge problem since it's the major part of the game... I used to think she was so very pretty, and her prison parts sprite still indicate that, but n my opinion she doesn't even look like herself anymore in the Virgo parts. And she doesn't look like the other characters either - her sprite style clash pretty much with everything else. What bothers me the most are her eyes, so small and semi realistic compared to the other characters'. I don't think it really suits the story and overall art direction of the game, and while the drawing itself may be more "mastered" than before, I'll take the old sprite anytime over this one.

Also, the scene where X sees her back... her arm bothers me - looks like it's cut in half... Well, more like half is missing

With that out of the way, I'll be answering the Lemmasoft questions. Only the second set, since the "before playing" one would be the same as before, of course.

1❀ What were your expectations going into the game? And how did Beauty and the War (X Playing Pieces) meet or contradict them?

Well, nothing new here - I was mostly intrigued and the game fulfilled my expectations and made me even more curious. A for this particular version of the demo, what I said before answers it pretty well.

2✿ Tell me. How did you spend your two days? There are a lot of choices, so I'm curious what you decided to do and who you tried to befriend.

I did the same as on my first playthrough of the previous version of the demo. I've tried to do all the chores, and spend half of the time going to the woods, and half tending to the wounded. I've tried to befriend mainly Viktor and Chase, and started the romance with the latter.

3❀ What are your thoughts on the story and the characters now? Do you have a favorite? What were you feeling during the last scene at the end of the demo?

My favorite (revealed) bachelor is Chase, and my favorite characters overall are Viktor and now X - can't even tell which one I like the most. I really don't know what to think anymore - I still want to see Viktor as a romance option so badly, but X would be so great too... I'm so conflicted because I know any of them would make me so happy, but also so sad that the other one wouldn't be an option.

Now, when you say final scene, do you mean the very end of the story itself, or the bonus scene about X's toughts on Ambrosia? Since my answer wouldn't change about the former, I'll answer about the latter. I've already said that in the survey, but that bonus scene is my favorite part of the game now. I think it's so beautiful in so many ways that it really touches me to the core and makes me want to cry. It's amazing!

4✿ What are you looking forward to seeing in the full version?

Haha, well, more of everything haha! And also, I'm curious about the guy from Don't take that risk! My mind was kinda blown when I've learnt that he REALLY is part of the story. Even if it's a minor role, the fact that the two games actually take place in the same world is kinda incredible to me, to be honest. So yeah, pretty excited about that. I'm also curious about the r-16 content of the paid version (I'll be getting that one) and I'm wondering who'll be an eligible bachelor exclusively in that version. I'd also love some twitches to the voice acting, but I've said more about that in the survey so no need to repeat it here.

Anyway, whatever happens, good luck with the project! I can't wait to play the full version!

Poison Apple Tales6 years ago (2 edits)

Hi, Konoi! Ooh, it's great to hear from you again. (I remember when you commented last time for the first demo! It was both helpful and encouraging, no doubt.) Thanks for filling out the survey, too! As promised, every single word was read.

Aha, I was wondering how people would feel about seeing X in the header...and the thumbnail...and other promotional material. (Fun fact: When I was putting in the thumbnail, it was something of a spontaneous decision. I was half-preoccupied with Christmas arrangements and I was recovering from a sickness, so my thoughts were along the lines of: "Uh...all right, sure. Let's go with this." X, of course, would think that's a great decision.)

For the scene where X sees Ambrosia's back, I was trying to make it so that her hand's on her stomach, but I can see that didn't go over so well! I'll have to put that fix-up on my to-do list. As for Ambrosia's Virgo Island sprite, you could say it was...almost an experiment? I wanted to show how Ambrosia would look "in the real world" so to speak, while maintaining an anime aesthetic. So far, people are having different reactions to it. Either way, I'll definitely take what you said into consideration!

I'm really happy to hear you're enjoying the X Playing Pieces world. It's also nice to hear how X has made an impact! I was wondering how people would react to the bonus scenes. I wasn't sure how much readers would want to know what goes on in X's head, but I had way too much fun writing those. (And you can expect more bonus scenes in the full version!)

If you have any other questions or comments, feel free to let me know, Konoi! Oh, and I'm glad you're looking forward to the r-16 version - and its exclusive bachelor(s)...I just keep wondering if people can handle him! I'm not even joking. (I want to say why that is but that would be spoilers. I might give a better hint on my tumblr - or other social media - when it's closer to the release date, though. Or, rather, a caveat. I feel like he needs to come with some kind of warning!)

Again, thanks for answering the survey and for commenting here, too. Merry Christmas, Konoi!

Oh, by the way...since you saw the bonus scenes, I'm curious. When Ambrosia lands on X in the beginning - as you might recall - do you think what happened there was A) On purpose, B) An accident or C) Something else (feel free to elaborate!)?

(If you think you're going to mention any spoilers, you can also e-mail us your answer at: poisonappletales(at)gmail(dot)com

Or just put a spoiler warning beforehand for anyone glancing through the comments!)

Konoi6 years ago (1 edit)

Now you made me really curious about that oh so difficult to handle bachelor haha!

As for Ambrosia's hand on the shower CG, I figured what you meant to do with it, since it wouldn't be logical to just cut off the hand, but it looks like that. Maybe if you added a little bit of her knuckle on the other side of the hair or something it would look better.

On the sprite matter, well, I don't think I'll ever like it - but the fact it was different before comes into play to be honest. I wouldn't have been a fan if it was the original sprite, but I would have reacted like "meh, okay, not really the fairest of them all to me, but whatevs", but since I have something to compare it to, it's sticks out more. But anyway, whatever you decide, I'll play the full version anyway haha! A nice thing some people do with their games if there is some kind of disagreement about the sprites is to include two sets or some options the players can switch between, In this case, having two sprite sets for Ambrosia would be nice, but also a lot of work I guess, so yeah...

On X's thoughts matter, well, honestly it's a risky bet. I mean, changing the point of view. In some games it goes well, in others not so much. I'm always a bit wary of that, but I think it's nice that the past is from Ambrosia's point of view and the present from X. Makes a nice separation. And well, X is really great - I love the writing on his parts and the stiking contrast with Ambrosia's parts. Not to mention it adds so much mystery to the present part, about Ambrosia's story (though I'll tell more about it when I answer your question, since it's related). Oh yeah, I forgot to tell about that before, but X's notes are a great addition too. They're not only helpful, but also add more insight into X's character, since you have less story time from his point of view. I also really like all of his interruptions or how Ambrosia offers to "translate" the more refined ways of speech to him. I like how it can help some players AND it's genuinely charming in it's own way.

But aah, I can't even stop thinking about that bonus scene by the end of the game. Sometimes you see that ONE scene in a game, series or whatever that'll stick with you forever, and it was one of those for me. If only because of that bonus, I'd like X to be a romance option haha!

Since you mentionned it, I actually do have a question - I came up with it seeing how you were telling me you're glad I was interested in the r-16 version and it's exclusive bachelor(s). Does it actually mean that version will have more than the 7 bachelors advertised here and there? If that's the case, I wouldn't have to abandon hope yet for Viktor AND X haha. Aaanyway.

Now, for your question, I don't think I'll spoil a lot so I'll answer you here, but I'll still put a tag just in case something slips or if people really don't want to know anything

So yeah...

-----------------------------SPOILER ALERT-----------------------------

My answer would be, AGAIN (since I did it a lot in the survey haha) - C: something else.

You see, since present day Ambrosia acts on her own, BUT the players can have a major influence on her as a person in the past, I think that all the events in the prison - both the things she does and the things she says to X - may be accidental or on purpose, true or false, depending on the playthrough. Basically, I think if you play her as a manipulative temptress and things like that, then by the end of the game you'd discover the event of the meeting with X was on purpose and that she lied about lots of things. And in a similar fashion, if you play her as an innocent and honnest pacifist, then the event would have been on accident and she'd tell the truth in her story. Basically, my bet is that the way you make her act in the past shape the very reality of the present.

Poison Apple Tales6 years ago

Hmm...well, the good news is that as the years pass and Ambrosia grows older, her sprite will change! I've also adjusted her sprite recently, and I'll probably continue to work on the art until it feels right.

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed X's interruptions and Ambrosia's "translations," which were definitely fun to write. In some ways, it was kind of inspired by Shakespeare. I love reading his works, but some of my friends consider his writing to be like a second language. So, I would essentially translate what he was saying to them plainly. Now, I remember in the first demo, some players were a little confused by Ambrosia and Arsenik's exchange, so this time, I wanted to make sure they fully understood what they were saying to each other. (To see that this isn't merely a polite exchange of pleasantries. There's a flirtatious undercurrent/overtone going on here!)

To answer your question...yes! There will be more than 7 bachelors in the r-16 version.

Thanks for letting me know what you think as always. I hope you have a Happy New Year, Konoi!

Konoi6 years ago

Thank you for answering my question! Since I'll be buying that version, I'm pretty excited about it!

And also, I've checked the link you sent me, and the new sprite for Ambrosia is so much prettier in my opinion! While I'm still not very fond of semi-realistic styles overall, I don't think she clashes with the other sprites anymore - I'll redownload in order to have the newest version, but even without playing it I can see it won't bother me anymore, so that's good.

And Happy New Year to you too!

Sandpixie6 years ago

hold on. There's going to be a R16 version? Does this mean some love scenes? ;)

Poison Apple Tales6 years ago

Hi, Sandpixie! Yes, the paid version will be rated 16+ and will include steamier romance scenes (all optional, of course). Plus, more animations, more choices, more endings - more everything...including the love interest(s).

Sandpixie6 years ago

woohoo!!!

itch.io

Viewing post in Beauty and the War (X Playing Pieces) Demo Beta Ver. 2 comments