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Weekly dev blog: Queen of Hearts work in progress (Patreon)

Published:
2018-01-29 23:04:21
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

As per the poll result, I am working on the Queen of Hearts. I am slightly behind where I wanted to be, but I wrote 2 scenes and a half (one is a bit short, so I saw fit to not count it as a full one).

I reworked bits of it already (you should have seen in the hotfix the job assignement was moved to the bartender, if I remember correctly), so you know that part.

I introduced a small new tattoo (it's exclusive to the pendant+Sonya path, as it is a minor thing, but I felt it was appropriate as a milestone in that chain of events), and I settled on how to handle the two different paths in the QoH (3, if we count the non-hypnotized options). Working in the VIP area will be restricted to having the pendant and getting throughly hypnotized by Sonya (you will still be able to access the area as a "customer" regardless, once I finish it), and I'll leave the work as a bunny girl and as a stripper for the non-pendant path. I might make all jobs available to the pendant path (just to avoid issues, and to not restrict the content too much), but I am not 100% sure if that's the best idea.

I have decided that this path WON'T have a bad end. I flip-flopped on this internally for a while (I might have even said publically I wanted a bad end, at some point), but I reached the conclusion that it's not really necessary, and the game will probably flow better that way, as well as being more fitting (Sonya isn't a major player in this world, all things considered).

I did some more bugfixing (but I probably won't release another hotfix, it seems a bit too late for that, and there is only one big issue), and I took care of some typos and other stuff which was reported to me. I was hoping to get started on the stripper job, but I got distracted by a few things IRL (some of them frivolous, I must admit), so it didn't come to pass. I'll work a bit harder to make up for it this week, so hopefully we'll get back on schedule.

This should be all for the week. As always, let me know if there is something you want to know (or something I need to know) in the comments. Thanks everyone for the support, and until next week! ^_^

Comments

WiredRM

Thanks for the update, I'm pretty excited to check it out. ^^

Akuhei

I have to admit that I am disappointed to hear that Sonya wont have a bad end. But I am glad that the line is getting some work done. Definitely been waiting on it and I am looking forward to checking it all out.

AlwaysGrowing

What are the "3 paths" available here? You mentioned being hypnotized or not. I do agree with not needing a "bad" end. Sonya may seem 'hypnotically' charming but she seems more prone to taking care of her girls. You said she isn't "major", will she not have tie-ins to other parts of the game? (especially if you are under her control). Though I imagine her trait will affect dialogue and some choices where applicable. I won't be able to see what happens until March since i'm not a patron. >.>

mdqp

Well, most of what I am writing about is still a couple of weeks away, but I hope the hotfix is fun (even with one outstanding bug still around).

mdqp

I was thinking about it for a long while, but decided a bad end doesn't fit the trajectory of the path so far. We'll get a scene to wrap things up, but it won't be a bad end (instead, you'll be able to work in the VIP area of her club). If I get a really good idea for it, maybe I'll add a bad end, but I think my current solution should work great.

mdqp

There are 2 ways to be hypnotized by her (it depends on whether you are wearing the "Outcast pendant" or not). I don't have any plans for her as a faction (with quests, competing with other factions, etc), I feel like the extra work should be reserved for potentially interesting plots, she is just a (sexy and manipulative) business owner, she isn't into politics or other such schemes. We might get a few references to it in other areas (VIP guests will wear masks, but even if you can't identify them, maybe they'll recognize you outside of the Queen of Hearts, for example). Join now! Only 19.95$ for the best deal in your life!!! :p But seriously, a month wait is not that long, if you can't be a patron that's fine, and I figure it's a small price to pay.

UnboundWabbit

I'm glad there won't be a bad end, I'm afraid if it was I wouldn't be able to play much of your game.. Sonya is just too convincing XD

AlwaysGrowing

Well I literally don't have any money. I'm hoping to start my career this year at some point. And it would depend on how successful that ends up being. I was bullied out of university and I've spent a while taking lessons in music on the side so I've started working on songwriting.

WiredRM

I can still be excited, even if it's that far out. :P Thanks for the estimate though.

mdqp

Do I want to know what you mean by "bullied out of university"? Anyway, I get your feelings, I have been penniless for most of my life, my Patreon is the most money I ever made by far. I used to be a med student (technically, I am still listed as such), but I might drop out: too many delays over the years, many issues with paying taxes, and with the money I am making here, things have finally stabilized, so I feel less willing to put effort into studies for a job I find disappointing, now that I have seen the reality of it.

Dissonant Soundtrack

A bad end may not be in the cards at the Queen of Hearts (I apologize for the pun), but I do think it should maybe have some lasting effects. Perhaps her "night" time block gets consumed by working at the QoH the way the morning one does with the Farm. Until Erica finds a way to break the spell.

mdqp

I was considering it, but we currently have only one slot for nights, having it gone completely might be too big of a restriction. I am not 100% sure I want to add another time slot, and having it be every other night or random don't seem satisfying solutions either.

Dissonant Soundtrack

Yeah I was thinking there would need to be some way to break the spell eventually. But until she does the game is limited, as it should be under the thumb of a manipulator. I think leaving it entirely up to the player to return also has its downsides.

AlwaysGrowing

Not sure what you mean when quoting being bullied. I was harassed to the point where I couldn't focus on my studies and school work. I had a roommate who was so convinced I was "irresponsible" that he cut me from the internet without any real reason. Not gonna get into details, but it was too much. So here I am now... hoping this change in career works out. Until I have enough to feel comfortable I likely won't be able to support any sort of Patreon, especially for "adult" content.

mdqp

I was afraid it would be a bad event, that's what I meant (as in, is it so bad I will regret asking about it?). Sorry to hear that, I won't pry any further. Anyway, it's enough to have your moral support, not everyone can contribute to such a thing, it's a luxury, in a sense.

mdqp

I am not sure I want to add a way to break her influence (beyond maybe using the dragon to "reset" the path), I feel like whoever gets into the scenes is generally doing so willingly, and adding a way out feels like I'd be working for an outcome nobody will try to reach. Of course, if we forced the night schedule on the protagonist, we'd also need a way to deal with it, but I am really not sure what would be a good way to handle this.

Dissonant Soundtrack

I think the answer is in the question there, really. The player who ended up in that path walked face first into it, so the loss of the night slot might seem like a trade-off they are willing to make. If they tire of it or find it limiting, there's a tiny escape hatch. Otoh, the way it is now the player has to intentionally go there each night, which undermines the mc aspect a little. Perhaps the qoh scenes occur "after" the night slot like the ghost sleepwalking?

mdqp

That's a big string attached, though. It's one thing to have it happen at the farm, as that doesn't burn all your other daytime activities. What I am afraid would happen is that people try it out and then all of them will break free, once they want to see more. Maybe having it happen every other night would be more tolerable. Another solution is not using a slot and have it happen after you go to bed, which is interesting, although I wonder if that isn't getting too crowded already (with the ghost events and the vampire events). Maybe adding another slot is the solution, after all. This is why I wasn't planning on having it play out automatically. Maybe another solution is having it happen as a random event while walking at night, where you find yourself going to the QoH for a short "session".

Dissonant Soundtrack

I get what you are saying that it will feel constricting. I'm just thinking it needs to be involuntary to the player or it doesn't feel like an MC plot. Random events would be good, every other night or third would be too, IMO.

Dawncry

Personally my recommendation would be to add a "trait" to the character that will affect her interactions with other NPC's, for example working on queen of hearts could easily give a "slut" trait, with this you could add that if Erica is below x willpower she will submit easily to having sex with anyone that asks for it. Another thing that I recommend is that with the ghost you can still get the exhibitionist trait even when you end her storyline.

mdqp

I am considering adding more traits and more ways to gain existing ones. Since we already get a trait through Sonya, though, I am not sure if I want her to be the one to give another one. I'd like for some of the traits to use current mechanics (for example, the "bimbo" trait would cap your intelligence at 50, and maybe we'd get some special dialogues here and there, "submissive" would cap willpower and so on), so that I don't go too crazy by adding specific content for each trait (although I still want to add some).

mdqp

I get what you mean, I just need to find a balance, maybe adding random events while walking around at night would be nice, or maybe I make it so the QoH "extra activities" don't burn a time slot, so people can still go about their own business afterward.