Well the VN is a demo of the IF, so it encompasses a bit of the story without going too much into detail, while the IF is a more in-depth experience, with more choices, etc. That, and the PFM VN was the first story I ever wrote, so there’s a lot I’ve learned since then, both writing and coding-wise. And I do hope to keep improving as time goes on.
I am a bit self-indulgent in the things I write, so I know it might not be everyone’s cuppa, but I am happy to hear it’s enjoyable enough!
Now, how to start writing hmm, to be honest, I don’t think I have any helpful pointers. I just read a lot, so I found that writing came naturally when I started. That said, I would recommend looking up those how-to videos from actual screenwriters, as they offer insight into the delivery of the scene, dialogue, and presentation. Their tips can be used for ‘regular’ writing, too, not just for movie scripts, so you might find them helpful.
MC's background is left largely to the player's imagination, as their past has no actual bearing on the plot other than they are forced to keep their head low, hence their choice of occupation.
One of the players further down in the comment section figured out the little hints I left in the game (e.g. MC's reaction to Modesto/a's etiquette book) so if you'd like, you can scroll down and give it a read.
Ah, thank you so much! 🥺 I do have a lot of stray ideas I try to get out of my head by releasing shorter games, so I hope the next project I make will also be to your liking.
Thank you! <3 I get what you mean, and honestly I'd love to one day add the IF's script to the VN, but it's simply not possible right now. The key idea of extending Perfumare as a text-only project was meant to allow me to add more content without having to worry about including all the art assets that, while are fun to do, take a lot of my time and energy (not to mention coding them all into the game, too). From the start, the VN was made to only be a short trailer of sorts, but if I have the chance and more free time in the future to get back to it, I'll think about it more seriously. Or more likely, I'll consider adding some art assets to the IF version, to make it more VN-like, but that's only after I am done with the base game.
Thank you for saying so! It means a lot to me to know that people are enjoying my game. :D The sequel to Perfumare will also be a Visual Novel, so I hope you'll like it as well. <3
I really enjoy, both writing and reading, stories that are up to interpretation, so I am aware my projects might not be everyone's cup of tea. The first chapter is intended to be more of MC's backstory, with their 'actual' adventure starting from the moment they find themselves in the Void, finally able to make their own choices.
With that being said, once the game is finished, I'll accept suggestions regarding additional scenes/options. I want FMO to be as enjoyable as possible, so I am very open to the idea of expanding it once main script is fully written.
There's no ETA yet, but I am working towards finishing the remaining chapters within half a year. Patreon's help allows me to spend more time developing my games, but I still have a job outside of it, so I can't throw myself fully into the developing process. Maybe in the future I'll be lucky enough to develop games full time. For now, though, I hope the game will be worth the wait. :D
I have to admit that Lotar's and Mal's popularity surprised me, haha! They are both extremely fun to write, though.
That said, I usually prefer a smaller number of ROs in my games, because that's easier for me to handle on my own, but in FMO I thought that, given their extreme, at times personalities, it would be best to give the player a wider variety to pick from, so that hopefully everyone can find a route they enjoy. The workload is much heaver because of it, but I hope it'll ultimately be worth it.
Dark fantasy is my beloved genre, and most, if not all, of my projects revolve around horror and grotesque, so I don't think they'll be your cup of tea haha. Still, thank you for giving FMO a try. :D
(It depends on the character and their role in the story. Sometimes their name has a specific purpose/meaning, like Malitiose's here. Other times, I just find a name or a word I like, and it resonates with the image of the character that I have in mind. For more 'modern' projects, I like to use names from my list. I like to write down all names and surnames I come across that I like, then I pick and choose what fits best for a specific character.)
Thank you so much for your comment and for making my day, I am super glad to hear that you enjoyed FMO! (And a big thank you for using the spoiler/space lines! 💛)
Hi! Thank you so much, I am glad to hear you enjoyed yourself! :D
I don't have estimated release dates, sorry, especially for public updates (I tend to post here when the beta version is edited and polished), but due to personal and financial reasons, I had to take a break from working on Avulsion. Currently, I am finishing a paid project, but after that is done, I am hoping to be able to return to developing Avulsion regularly like before, or at least in my spare time between work. I am trying to have the majority of the project done within 3-4 months, but it shouldn't take longer than 5. The last two chapters are proving to be the longest, haha.
Will do, and please take care of yourself as well! <3
Thank you! :D I am also very excited to share the full game as soon as it's done!
Ah, no, sorry. I am not planning on releasing my games on Steam right now, as they require a registration fee of US$100 for each published game + 30% revenue of said game(s). Aside from that, creating a Steam page and the approval process both take a lot of time and work, unlike here. Itch.io lets me do all that and more for basically no cost on my part, so, as a small solo dev Steam is just not a service I can comfortably afford. :)
Thank you! :D To unlock Malitiose’s route, you can’t pick any romantic choices with the other ROs during the first chapter, save for Lotár’s. Similarly, if you want to pursue Lotár, you need to steer clear from Mirren’s and Rez’s heart marked options. Additionally, your alignment changes some of the romantic and non-romantic scenes, though it doesn’t lock you out of any route. Hope it helps!
Thank you! <3 It's a bug, sorry! The stats in chapter 2 are messed up in places, but it doesn't block you from any scenes/choices in the demo, so you're not missing anything content-wise. I'll get the fix done as soon as I can, though!
Strange indeed! I'll take a look at the code, thanks for letting me know. :D
Edit: I took a gander at the code and asked for a second option from my editor, who fixed-up my stats, and I have to make it clear that there are (usually flavor choices) that don't raise or lower your stats, and there are choices that will only lower your stats (mostly for romance, but these are rather obvious). If you could detail which stat choice(s) confused you specifically, I'll have a better chance of making sure that the stats are indeed functioning correctly and the result of each choice is clear to the player.
Hi hon! Take a look at the comment below and the answer to it. :D
In short, the differences between ending 1 and 2 are minimal in-game, given that the VN ends shortly after, so you didn't really miss much. If you'd still like to get it, though, take a look at which 'fraction' your MC decided to work with. The placement of the choice depends on the route, so they might pop up and different times.
As long as Ren'py (the engine I use for creating games) supports Android, I'll definitely be including Android versions of any game I work on, either along with the demo or on full release of the project, like in this case.
There are several miscellaneous endings you can get thorough the game, but the last one depends on which, let’s say ‘group’ you chose to work with, if that makes sense without the spoilers. It’s a minor, flavor change, seeing as the VN ends there, so I don’t think you need to replay because you’re not missing much.
As for Reed-specific endings, aside from the minor endings in his route, there aren’t any extras in the public version of the game. There will be more choices and outcomes added in the Interactive Fiction version of Perfumare - Avulsion, though, and you can find the game on my profile.
The pre-ending scenes are different for each character, but the very last scene ending is the same for all routes, with a flavor variation as to what I mentioned earlier. I do have a guide for chapter V, since it contains the most miscellaneous endings, and you can find it along some snippets on my ko-fi, all free to read.
