Methods: The Detective Competition
Release XXXI // Chapters 76 & 77
Release XXXI is here!
Release XXXI includes two chapters, two music tracks, two CGs, a new behind the scenes article, and I also stealth-edited Beth's sprite, which was bugging me.
These two chapters were pretty tough to make, even though they aren't very long... I didn't have any ideas for the mysteries until late in the week, which makes things super hard. Next week will actually be even harder (Thanks, Ether)!
In some ways these chapters are easy. Each one follows the same template, and doesn't require a lot of writing. But working from a strict template can also be more tedious.
Anyway, it's a tough balance to get right.
Making the billiard table was a little nostalgic, because that's actually one of the things I made when I was first starting 3D modeling... of course, back then I didn't have any numbers on the balls and there were no textures on anything.
The danger with an eccentric character like 795 getting a chapter is that it kind of ruins the fun of it... it's like those stories Arthur Conan Doyle wrote from the perspective of Sherlock Holmes... eccentricities are better when viewed from a separate observer who can react to them in funny ways. But I was determined to give it a shot. I don't think it's the best chapter ever, but hopefully it's not too embarrassing.
Until next time!
— LockedOn.
Comments
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Fantastic update, as usual. I feel like you've been just killing it with the music for this round; both Mackle and 795 got themes that were just - really good. Music is one of the things that stands out most to me. I'd never go so far as to say that bad OST ruins a game, but a good one really makes the highlights stick; and Methods has one hell of a score.
On to these mini-review-things, not sure what to call 'em? I usually agree with you about eccentric characters, it's like - pulling a layer of the mystery back. I really enjoy when the mirror between how a character presents themselves and how they think/think about themselves is entirely different, and I remain resolved that 795+1 is one of those characters... Or not, but I like him all the same.
First, though, Mackle's mystery. Not spoiling the conclusion because it beats the stuffing out of an ice knife. It is the first mystery I have ever read where that turned out to be the solution, but I /felt it coming./ Fantastic. Excellent. Also, interesting that cell signals still work..? My little grey cells feel I'm missing something obvious, but my method is - missing obvious clues. Also, a REALLY fun method.
795's mystery might have been simple, but I feel like how his method works... Kind of lines up with how I see the guy. I struck out on all the jokes my first go, and it felt kind of right, especially with the ending text. I'm gonna feel strongly, and nobody can stop me! And yeah, that means staying in his corner.
Also, though I stink at humour, I laughed pretty hard at his conversation with Greg.
One last thing, not related to the update proper - it's really interesting reading about how you use backgrounds. A pal of mine gushes endlessly about this one VN, we haven't spoken in ages and I can't find it right now (terribly long night) - anyway, it goes the exact opposite approach, using super-2D backgrounds, like - watercolours.
Then, instead of fullbody sprites, the sprites are drawn to scale, e.g. sitting down at a diner, getting close to the screen to adjust a light in a failing lamp, drawn at opposite sides of a train crossing... My vague descriptions isn't doing it justice, but I feel like how you work with 3D in Methods hits the same endgoal, from a different angle.
Also, I feel you about having a solid foundation to build off of; not fighting your tools is a very underrated part of any craft.
Beth's re-do turned out great, and I'm curious to see what you do with mysteries coming up. Maybe keep it dreamy? Ahaha, I understand that for a lot of authors, dreams are probably kind of a cop-out, but I always find them fun. Either way, great update!
.... is it buried here? no first-timers are gonna spoil themselves? okay. just once.
RAILGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN
Thanks! Yeah, going super abstract is another way to make drawing backgrounds take less time. Another is to use photographs, but that is probably my least favorite way to do it. At least I have yet to see that type of background done well in a VN. But that's just my own personal taste. :/