Hi Happy Backwards,
before i played your game, i had the pleasure to play VN's on my tablet/smart phone. I was wondering if you have any of your work out there too for smart phone/tablets? If yes, can you please provide me with a link? I couldn't find a PM button for a private mail, so i hope you don't mind this post.
I'd love to see a RockRobin VN for smart phone/tablets, where you replace all open source stuff with you own material to legally be on the save side. I suppose it would only have choices like in the example VN's below, but I wouldn't mind that. Also since the story is so vast, it could be split up into many volumes i recon, and feature Beau, Dallas and Emmitt.
To feature chars like Wizz, Colin, Faust and so on, I recon each Rout could have it's own VN, which takes place after the events of the above VN's, and featuring the best corresponding band setup for this char. For Wizz the band could be Robin, Wizz, The Blue Rose and Jammy, to have the most resonating combination of the main story of Wizz and the side stories for Jammy and The Blue Rose. To spice it up, there could be a love triangle between Robin, Wizz and The Blue Rose, or not by adding a choice not to tell Wizz about The Blue Rose's crush on him ;)
I would love to see a VN featuring a Jammy route. I recon that each of the side chars could have it's own route featured in a VN with the best corresponding band mates and their side stories, or feature band mates that open up the rout for possible love triangles and other drama ;D. That being said, there is no limit in adding new chars and feature them in their own VN. The possibilities are endless...
To feature the main chars after the band broke up, I could imagine each having their own VN now too, and to add any side chars and their stories that you think fit's best.
The mini game and vast customization options could be left out to keep it simple. I'm not sure how easy or how difficult it is to implement those features in VN's for this platform, or if they should better be left out on purpose (or not to make your VN's more unique!!! It would also give you an edge on the current VN format for smart phones/tables), to better cater to the current VN format in VN's for smart phones/tablets. I for sure would love to see any version of the mini game and the customization options like band houses, equipment ect. you can transform and implement into the VN. I find myself inspired to dab into this platform myself. When I have a VN out there, I'll be sure to send you a copy of it!
My last thought on this would be to try to port RockRobin in its current form to smart phones/tablets anytime in the future, removing all the open source stuff, and replacing them with your own material, to avoid legal issues. Of course this game would have a higher production cost, but also a higher value, and a much higher selling price per copy. I recon such a mammoth endeavor could take place after trying the waters of the smart phone and tablet platforms using the much more affordable approach developers like Delight Games and Choice of Game took. On the other hand, you could try to get funding using crowd funding sources like Kickstarter, or similar entities.
Do you have have Paetron account? If not please have a look if this resonates with you.
That being said, all the above could be applied to all your other games too, which might make more sense since they are not open source like RockRobin I suppose.
On a different note, do you have considered to feature your games on youtube by doing a playthrough or have someone do it for you instead? Maybe some fans of your VN's on this forum could be inspired to do a playthrough for you, of their most favorite VN choosing their most favored route to increase their passion during their playthrough? Another idea could be a live stream on twitch playthrough.
If you would like to check out VN's I played and enjoyed, please check out the following link from a VN library from Developer Delight Games.
This link is a free library version (which also has a premium version, where the advertisement is blocked) where you earn coins by reading and completing VN's and by unlocking achievements in the current VN you're playing at the time. These coins then can be spent to unlock other NV's in the library. Probably the best feature of this approach is the daily chance to earn a free coin (after you earned all coins by completing the VN's and getting all achievements and want to read all the remaining locked VN's without spending cash) by simply starting the app library, tho it is more likely you get a lucky point instead :D
The downside of the above model is, that it offers the VN's practically for free, and relies heavily on paying costumers who truly want to support your genuine work, passion and art, and who want to ensure you continuously succeed in your craft of passion.
My favorite is the Zombie High collection (Sven's accent is awesome! Also be advised you might encounter onion ninjas in these novels!!!11!!1) followed by the Wizard's Choice collection. Of the Solo Books the VN Pirates Never Die is epic. The humor is right out of Pirates of the Caribbean movies :) Hilarious i tell you!
A different approach to this platform is taken by the Developer Choice of Game. There you can read the first 3 chapters for free, and if you would like to continue the VN, you have to purchase it. Not my kind of cup of tea approach, but one I fully understand and respect.
I absolute love the Hero Rise trilogy and the first book of the new trilogy The Hero Project: Redemption Season. Be advised the onion ninjas strike again and often in those novels, so keep a box of tissues ready to fend them off. You've been warned ;)
If you would like to check out some of their work please click here.
I would absolutely love it, if you had any of your work in whatever form out there too on this platform!
I'm eager to read any ideas and input you have on this from any member of this forum. By any means feel free to leave any of your thoughts on this here :)
Apologies for any misspelling or punctuation errors, due to English not being my native tongue.