I'm glad you're being honest with all of this. It was not a wise decision, and I'm glad I talked with others to help make the new decision. I definitely was winging things and creating the story more as a universe rather than a narrative. Once again, credits to my co-writers and consultants for steering me in a proper direction.
I like your idea with the Halloween special! We'll have to see what happens there...
Thanks for the encouragement! This story has changed as I've grown older and figured out how I want to tell things in retrospective. It's one of those things that feels like I'm getting somewhere, even if the progress looks like a roller coaster if it were graphed.
Sorry for the confusion. The supernatural identities will NOT be in future updates. I'm shifting more into grounded themes about life and social anxiety.
I was mesmerized from the beginning. Given the theme (trigger) warnings, the first few lines hit me like a truck emotionally. I was in tears through the entire story, for a variety of reasons: scared, crying, and smiling. The best way to describe this story is a "flurry of emotions". Like how flowers flurry around throughout the scenes, the range of everything the developers did blended to make a splendid experience.
Regardless of my past experiences with these devs (Camazule for Ocean Avenue, and streaming I.C.O. by Cetus), I was thoroughly impressed with what everyone's talents. All of them have what it takes to do their craft! I'm going to complement each team member individually for their work:
Story (author): This writing felt well-spoken and immersive. Only having seen Cetus' initial project of I.C.O., I didn't know how he would tackle this genre. I was thoroughly blown away by the gravity and maturity displayed here. As someone who's in my mid-twenties who went through burnt bridges and doubts of self-worth, the different scenes portraying these moments were so well-crafted and hit personally, even if I didn't go through that exact situation. I was worried the main character become too stubborn amidst tense scenes (a trope many VN's fall into to various degrees), but it never did; all the angry moments were justified and reasonable. Whatever inspirations and advice were taken, they were used exceptionally, and exhibit the writer's storytelling! The roller coaster of emotions and questions to life made the reading feel how time as a concept feels: limited, but also endless. Great story arc throughout!
Artwork: What a beautifully crafted art style! I don't know exactly what you'd call it, but if I had to make an (un)educated guess, I'd say it's a mix of Aztec and Latin. The linework and shaping blend so well to portray the abstract and tangible aspects between life and death. Sometimes, it may feel like they blend as one, other times splitting off with their own touches. All the characters were beautifully made, and each sprite and cg portrayed the scene perfectly. I was immersed into the world from the get-go! Arcadia, you knocked it out of the park, and I'll need to check more of your work!
Coding: Coding tends to be the silent hero of VN's; if it works fine, then casual readers don't notice, but if there are problems, everyone will complain. Bowser compiled everything seamlessly, from menu functions to scene changes (and probably more I can't remember). He did great stuff here, and I assume he was responsible for making sure the UI was all properly aligned and set, so props there; that stuff can always be hard to refine!
UI: I didn't think the graphic design would also strike emotions in me, but by golly, it did! The pillar on one end with the other side tattering away made the story, art, and music all the more impactful. The color palette was gorgeous, and the designs themselves mesh excellently with the artwork. Terrific job here! Another aspect of VN's that can be easily overlooked, especially when nothing goes wrong.
Music: I wasn't going to share my biases in this interview; however, I am so glad I have Camazule working on music for Ocean Avenue. He arranged a symphony here! Each piece sold the scene excellently and added more gravitas to it. Going from heavy moments, to lighthearted moments, to frightening instances (and everywhere in between), the songs fit the scene's tone and amplified them. The instrumentation and other technical arrangements were also well-refined and pleasant. Bravo! Bravo!
We also have to recognize that this was made over a (rough) period of 1 month for a contest. Usually, that means running against the clock and keeping the inspiration fire going. Even after reading (and seeing) this story, I cannot believe they did it within these constraints. Excellent execution! Whatever chemistry and skill the team had together, it was a match made in heaven (or whatever lies beyond)!
I do not say this lightly: this is the best visual novel I ever read. The connection between characters, the structure of the story, the tackling of sensitive topics: all of it made this VN rise to the top for me! I highly recommend this story to anyone, even if you don't normally read visual novels. There is something in this story for everyone!
Currently working on new backgrounds and finished some update screen art. The writing is currently being outlined for day 7. I'm giving myself and the team a rough goal of June, but I'll make a formal announcement later this month.
There are plans to update and add/revamp sprites in the future. For now, we’re taking our time polishing things, so future updates won’t feel too empty.
If you need help with code, I can help you out too. I'm writing my own VN in Ren'Py, so I have experience playing through and adding my custom little touches to the project! Also, Wattson is a great coder too!
Does anyone know a MIDI device they can recommend using with this app? I've tried to use function keys, but they end up triggering other program actions I can't change. I've thought about getting some sort of MIDI pad or a Stream Deck, but I'm not sure if either will suffice. Thanks!
Vic is 7’1”. It could be a fun idea to make a stats page for the characters. I’d have to take some time for it, but maybe down the road. Humans tend to be 6-12” shorter on average than many anthro species. I haven’t thought much else about it as of yet.
Ha ha, thanks. It's my first time committing to a writing hiatus, so I didn't know what the "expected" time would be. Guess I got lucky that my motivation came back earlier than expected.
I'm not sure, because I'm taking on another creative project at the moment. I'll try to work on it between that, but if I had to guess, maybe in a few months.
Thanks for the feedback. They are voicing commissions, rather than writing, but no one has asked for those things yet. I might consider adjusting the tier with specific artwork and VN content, but I'll have to ask my Patrons first for their opinion.
Good question! There is no NSFW content as of the latest update. If we decide to place NSFW content in the game, we will mention it during the update's announcement.
That's strange. I know for sure that many people downloaded the Android version and could play it. If anyone sees this comment, maybe they can give instructions on how to reinstall it properly.
The only other explanation I can think of is not having enough storage on your Android device. Sorry to hear about the issue!
Hmm...I'm not as familiar with Android, since I don't own any Android products. Does it not download, or can it not open? Did you already have a previous update of the game?
