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Doing skills...wrong? (Patreon)

Published:
2025-05-04 15:30:03
Imported:
2026-06

Content

I am back in the render treadmill working on Shadow over Blackmore side quest update plus finishing the last day 4 scene... knock knock. But I am still not 100% sure on how to properly implement the skills so that they are useful and fun in the game.

The way I wanted to implement them is that by selecting them you get extra scenes and additional lines in the scenes...and sometimes the skills might safe you from a bad ending. Witchcraft for example could give you the ability to summon demons in certain spots, maybe even as a side quest.

But now I am thinking that it might lead to frustration since the skill points are limited and without having certain skills not being able to get to certain scenes might be the wrong approach.

I think right now the game is very easy to handle. It is easy to find the scenes and progress. But I am already getting a lot of messages that are like "I can't find scene XY" or "I can't beat the spider..." and so on.

Maybe skills complicate it even further when suddenly to unlock a scene you have to "Have skill witchcraft, be out of chastity, have the futameter on at least 62 and then go to vivienne on day four and use the witchcraft skill on the painting frame once she walks into the kitchen!" ... while I think it can be fun to 'hide' scenes to make players search for them, blocking them out of content with skills seems like the wrong idea.

I am thinking a lot of it right now, so maybe you can let me know what you think about that topic and if you have an idea! Would be nice to hear your input!Other than that, the sun is shining, so don't forget to ask your mistress to take you out on a leash for a while :D

Have a nice start into the new week and

stay kinky!

Files

Comments

GokiHxC

I think it's ok to not be able to get all the scene on a first playthrough cause you took a skill instead of an other ! It's actually pretty fun to try different "builds"

Archaon the Everchosen

It's unfortunate but I think you might have to scrap skills altogether, I don't see them working out in a game like this.

SamyZoro

Could be a system to farm points, with certain actions? Like training a little an ability in a special place(like a library, gym), or by yourself in your place. Also could be a New Game+ kind of mechanic, where you can keep your old skills in a new play through.

Darktoz

well, making them work is easy...but you are right in the sense that it might not be fun

Darktoz

yes, it might add to the experience being able to sort of customize the character

Archaon the Everchosen

I wasn't talking about the coding or whatever, I meant "working out" as in "implementing them would only overcomplicate things and make the game more frustrating", which is why I think they should be scrapped.

Darktoz

ouh! NICE! NG+ is actually a very good idea! And it would fit the narrative perfectly for what I've planned if you choose certain endings!

SamyZoro

Happy to be of help 😊

Sulve

Maybe scenes could have slightly different variations based on having or not having a certain skill? For example, using the Witchcraft skill to counter something Tara attempts to cast on you, which may enrage, or impress her and cause the scene to go a different "route". Although I imagine this would cause some hefty additional workload in the form of more needed renders and other things. Or maybe it could change some dialogue in a negative or positive way depending on the scene/skill. Might just make the whole skill system feel like a shell of what it could be though. I don't know anything about making VNs or games, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt.

PickerPatron

The interface of objects/items and skills is already done and needs to be used 🙏🏻😄. There are always unskilled players who don't finish games, even in a Barbie game and her adventures. Also, nowadays, depending on how you choose your futameter and whether you are in chastity or not, you are already missing scenes in the gallery. People just use cheats to unlock it or start a second game to unlock what's missing, and there are even those who just play for fun and don't care about the gallery. I admit that the skills will not be used for what I had in mind. I thought they would be used to help you escape from Blackmore as the days went by, maybe dream aids or turn-based combat against a mistress. Come to think of it, that's impossible, the Mistress would have won 😎.

Kink Baron

I think easiest path would be to establish some sort of boarding school, or late night university study that has classroom, gym and library on its premises where MC could learn few things and be exposed to different new stuff. Perhaps you kind of missed your chance to do that since you've put MC in some remote motel room, but now that I've said that - it could also work into your advantage. You could introduce another faction that manages that university (having heard about MC) that invokes some rarely spoken/used rule that new males need to be educated properly (could also be because of MC screws something up and need to be educated) and "offically relocate" the MC on the university premises for purpose of learning about this world - much to annoyance of the Sybill Var'Artre. She could be really animositious towards that "educational" faction that she even tried to hid it from MC for first few days which could help you explain in game why nobody at the tower mentioned them so far. However this is optional, although it would make most sense if you want to introduce skills now at this point of the game to make some story that allows you to explain slowly to player. Maybe that's even good so new players don't have to worry about skills from day one of the game and later get spoon fed. And also you won't break your game if you introduce it on the fifth day instead make it count from the beginning of the game. But what I think is mandatory - is to introduce "one more chess move" so that player can make one more move per day - to acquire skill or work on such skill or have even a kinky scenarion where MC learns or improves skill. Also recommendation to mix learning skills with some kinky scenario. You've done that in the past, like oral, anal, strength/endurance. Maybe some of the conditions later don't need to lead to bad ends. You could also make for example to use skills like intelligence or strength where fail later in the game scenario leads to damage to other characters relationship and how they view you. So that's my recommendation - don't link skills with only bad ends but also make them influential on relationships. I'd avoid restricting scenes with skills - only make them influential on bad ends, compromises and relationships with other characters. You could make character portfolio where you could see on a line from affection to aggravation or annoyance where the MC stands with that character. And even change character profile picture like in Civilization if they're happy or annoyed with you. But anyway I'd avoid going into this skill rework if its going to be half measure. Either should be done properly or not at all. Just my 2 cents. :) Hope I helped with different point of views.

Bootsfetish

Thank you. It's a game not a visual novel. IMO skills must be used for something... If some scenes are "difficult" to get, make a walkthrough. But I don’t see where is the problem of restart the game with another skills.

Rob Hartwein

You could make it optional, or make optional hints, etc..

chokinou

For me using skills is a good solution to specialize the run. You could make a walkthrough, you could give a hint on the screen too to be more explicite. For example "No enought futa skill". When the player sees this message he understands that it is possible to go further and why he can't. For me skills make the story more logical in a role play point of view. A railway road is not fun.A good story have choices and choices have concequences.

Darktoz

i like the idea with the hint, not for the futameter but for skills. could also be just in the dialogue

Darktoz

yes, makes sense. also adds replayability

Darktoz

yes, i like the hint idea...either on screen or through dialog

Darktoz

it is an option that they can be used to escape blackmore...in the end that is an additional scene as any other. i don't like the idea of having turn based combat in the game, though

Darktoz

the idea is very good, i thought about that as well but as you said, unless only dialog changes (which makes skills not have much impact) it will add another layer of work to the scenes. mmmhh...i think i already have an idea...

Darktoz

i don't like the idea to introduce an entire faction now only to have them teach you skills. plus some teachers are already in place and introduced. i like the "One more chess move" idea very much, though...also influencing character relationship is interesting

PickerPatron

Sorry, not a turn-based combat, but a "battle" like the scene with the spider 😱. The shock and surprise was so great that I was stunned and I remember having an item in my inventory that helped me buy time and escape. At that moment, I was thinking "how cool is the inventory, and thank god I had checked the trash for items before". Then I discovered that you could escape without spending anything, and that's when I decided to subscribe 😆, thinking "this skeleton guy called Darktoz is a genius in the way he's designed everything so far". Well, the same thing here, but with an ability, so like this item, maybe it can get you out of trouble without being totally necessary.

Sam T

I think a good way (and logical) for skills is to make them lead to different scenes/encounters based on each skill selected. This way it wont complicate the main story much but also provide possibility for multiple playthroughs if one wants to experience the story based on each acquired skill (which should logical lead to different encounters and maybe minor results) I kind of like the idea of choosing a certain skill that leads to encounters with certain individuals based on what the MP chooses they want to be skilled at.

Lost Soul

Personally I like the idea of having skills be a requirement for a scene, makes it seem like your actions or inactions will actually have impact in the future. That taking precautions to learn an ability can actually have pay off. And it gives our character a sense of growth, and living in a breathing world where he himself has to work to improve if he wants to be a mover and shaker in this weird world, or even just survive! Also it gives the game more replay-ability, with different skill “builds” leading to different variations, or ends or paths in the story.

Vilian0Vic

Would it be possible to simply unlock all of a day's scenes in the scene viewer once you reach the end of the day? So let's say you finish Day 2, but you missed encounter B, but then you can still watch it? And maybe an option for those who want to hunt the scenes themselves that you can turn that feature off?

Frank Kuschmann

Blocking out important scenes utterly isn't a good idea indeed because it could likely lead to frustration since many players want to see all scenes if possible. But to miss the one or the other scene if you don't choose a certain talk option is totally normal and common in visual novels (like for instance that kidnapping by those street girls in downtown). But with a futa setting 50/50 you should actually get to see all scenes with all originally designed futanari and all originally intented females. I thought this setting was originally intented for players that don't want to see any futas at all, and not for blocking out some futa scenes (like at the glory hole in the fuck station in downtown). And I don't mean with that that I want to see originally designed women as futanari or vice versa. And I don't mind at all experiencing scenes which are not too easy peasy like the scene with the spidergirl in Tower. I like very much such adventure elements like for instance throwing that piece of meat towards her. Certain skill levels could lead to different scenes for instance if the skills are not high enough. Or you could offer some places where you could train or improve certain skills, or gain in other ways.

Darktoz

we talked about this before. twice. the scene you mentioned is the only one and is the same scene, just with different persons. but fine ... so how would you approach this bad ending? it is meant to be a futa bad ending, so having the futameter turned down does not get you the scene at all instead? you can't just have both since they happen in the exact same place and imo are too similar

Darktoz

it is possible, in my opinion it takes away the fun of exploring and finding scenes, so i don't think that will be something i will implement in the future

Darktoz

yes, all good points. on the other hand it then requires multiple playthroughs to see all scenes (or cheating)

Darktoz

it sounds good but also makes you miss out on a lot of encounters if you don't have specific skills

Sam T

wouldn't that be a good reason to replay and choose other skills?

Sam T

That would be a good thing though. I think the skills idea is very promising

Darktoz

of course. but not everyone wants to replay the game multiple times

DJ19410

I think the addition of skills, while yes more complicated, could open up a lot more possibilities, and lets be honest someone will make a walkthrough at some point explaining every avenue and requirement. Perhaps there is situation where having the skill and using it isn't always the correct choice, or longer life choice. For example, you could have a scene where the player has the witchcraft skill at a certain level and they have the option to try and use it to get out of a situation, only for the character in the scene with them to reverse the spell and the player gets the adverse effects, but if the player doesn't use the skill or doesn't have it high enough they actually make it out unscathed, or less scathed. In my mind the scene involves size difference, the player attempts to shrink the character in question only to be shrunk instead.

Darktoz

yes, sounds like what i have in mind, too for the witchcraft. i really hope you are right about someone making a walkthrough :D (someone that is not me)

Frank Kuschmann

You say that the acts of the 2 women at the glory hole in the fuck station are exactly the same scenes and monologues like those ones with the 2 futanari, just the only difference are the strap-ons instead of the futa dicks? In that case you are right and it's okay since one doesn't need to experience exactly the same scene twice.

Askold Sidorov

I want choice to matter, so I dont mind getting some scenes blocked. Moreover, I would want the skills I learnt to have an influence over the ending. I dont mind playing the game 2 or 3 times to get all scenes.

Darktoz

i think they can certainly have influences on the ending

Badgerlicious

Really enjoy Blackmore and thought I would belatedly add to the comments on your post. You really want to avoid an "Alpha Protocol" situation where player choices overwhelm the dev team-you. Skills are a great feature to add as they add to a player's sense of progression and agency, but the implementation of choice is tricky and well worth thinking through. The most basic form would be that a skill gives players an option in a scene that gives a different set of CGs but doesn't meaningfully affect the narrative of the game outside of the scene. A little trickier would be to think of skills as option boxes with decisions inside. For example if there are 10 skills you have 5 option boxes with choice A or B inside. When the time comes to learn a skill (this would be say option box 2) you the player is given a binary choice either A or B (this can be a simple decision learn A or B or by siding with one character or another and given the A or B at the end of that scene). Then instead of saying at a future point does the player have x skill you say this is a point where I look in option box 2 and progress the scene based on what in box 2. It may sound like a small destincition but it will likely make workflow easier. Again I would caution any choices that would alter the game dramatically outside of an encounter or the day as a whole because "Alpha Protocol". Anyway hope this is helpful and you manage to implement a system that is rewarding to players while not leading to the wrong sort of insanity on your end. P.S. love Genevieve because dammit if I'm going to be sub it's going to be to a woman who's wiser than me not madder or stronger.

Darktoz

very good points! i like it, i thought a lot about this as well, the "different set of CGs but doesn't meaningfully affect the narrative of the game outside of the scene" is true since we already have the chastity in/out option affecting the world and narrative and having skills working the same would spiral out of control quickly

Jeff Smith

I agree with you that it will add to frustration and complexity and shouldn't be a prerequisite (maybe for a few scenes here and there like an easter egg).

Darktoz

yes, agreed...and the easter eggs shouldn't be hard to find, either

Emil

SoB was one of the first nsfw games I downloaded after Mantis. It's those two alone that got me in games. I'm now looking forward to catching up with all the new updates. Agreed, don't over complicate a good thing, try it on a new project... I think you'll find most fans love what you're doing because you do it right. Keep up the good work xxx