Hanako Games

Heartbreaking Polls

#1 by hanako - Feb 7 2015

As usual, a poll about vague game ideas I have kicking around in my head, many of which have at least some work put into them, and all of which may NEVER HAPPEN. That's why it's a heartbreaker poll. I torment you with possibilities, and yet most of this will never come true.

But the last poll had been around for a while so clearly it was time to shake it up with a new set of choices, right?

Re: Heartbreaking Polls

#2 by Foelhe - Feb 7 2015

Not gonna lie, "Heartbreaking Polls" combined with "procrastinating on Magical Diary" made me panic for a second.

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#3 by hanako - Feb 7 2015

Spiky's been making so many maintenance patches on things this week I don't feel like I can pester him to start getting MD codebases going yet!

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#4 by FantasyFan - Feb 8 2015

I still think that yuri steampunk game sounds awesome. Another Cute Knight-ish game would be awesome too.

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#5 by LittleRaven - Feb 10 2015

'A Little Princess.' Because cute, and I'm curious to see what would be done with the power dynamics in Sara's friendships.

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#6 by FruitySnooty - Feb 14 2015

My inner stat raiser votes for Cute Knight Princessesque game. Although, I am perfectly fine with steam punk asylum les game man.

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#7 by hanako - Jun 7 2015

LittleRaven:

'A Little Princess.' Because cute, and I'm curious to see what would be done with the power dynamics in Sara's friendships.

don't hate me but I'm actually sitting here making notes on this concept even though it's the least popular. i have outlines for six different routes - Lavinia, Jessie, Ermengarde, Lottie, Becky, and Mariette.

This is partly because making random notes is a thing I can do without needing to bother Spiky while he's busy implementing Black Closet things, whereas Magical Diary needs more of his attention!

I don't know what I'd call it if I actually went ahead with it, though. It needs a more distinct title than just A Little Princess, to set it apart from other versions, while still being clear what it's based on. It would also be a Hanabira title.

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#8 by Ren - Jun 7 2015

The anime version was called "Princess Sarah". In Italy, for whatever reason, it was called "Lovely Sarah" (in English).

Are Hanabira titles not necessarily written by someone else, then? I do also like the idea of a game from that setting, mostly because it really was one of my favourite anime as I was growing up. It was really sad though, 80's anime was all full of orphans that had really harsh lives. :/ It was best summarised as "What horrible thing is Lavinia going to do to Sarah today?". In hindsight, it did play a bit like a management sim: Sarah was always trying to do all of her chores while trying to also keep Lavinia and her lackeys at bay and not be told off when they plotted to have her blamed for something she didn't do.

(I've also realised I voted for the Cute Knight-like game, but I really didn't realise that The Little Princess was that story!)

Re: Heartbreaking Polls

#9 by hanako - Jun 7 2015

It might be farmed out to another writer from outline rather than actually written by me, if it were ever written.

Even if it wasn't, though, it's intrinsically based on an existing property and would be incorporating a lot of dialogue and story flow from it, which sets it apart from something that I completely designed myself.

I know a little bit about the anime but I'm avoiding sitting down and watching it (except for one thing I had to look up) because while the book is public domain the anime adaptation isn't, so I need to avoid picking up too many plot developments from them.

I have lots of exciting ideas for the more cuteknight like game, but that DEFINITELY requires Spiky free, even to prototype gameplay.

Re: Heartbreaking Polls

#10 by LittleRaven - Jun 8 2015

hanako:

LittleRaven:

'A Little Princess.' Because cute, and I'm curious to see what would be done with the power dynamics in Sara's friendships.

don't hate me but I'm actually sitting here making notes on this concept even though it's the least popular. i have outlines for six different routes - Lavinia, Jessie, Ermengarde, Lottie, Becky, and Mariette.

This is partly because making random notes is a thing I can do without needing to bother Spiky while he's busy implementing Black Closet things, whereas Magical Diary needs more of his attention!

I don't know what I'd call it if I actually went ahead with it, though. It needs a more distinct title than just A Little Princess, to set it apart from other versions, while still being clear what it's based on. It would also be a Hanabira title.

No hate! I'm excited even if it's just a proto-germ of a project idea.

(And this talk of 80's anime reminds me of Petite Cosette, about the Les Miserables character. That was an adorably surreal experience.)

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#11 by Hazel - Jun 13 2015

I have a habit of breaking my own heart by falling in love with the least popular options. LLTQ is my favorite and a sequel IN SPAAACE!!! sounds like the best thing ever.

A murder mystery could also be cool, but I would have to know more about the plot, themes, characters, setting... but in general I love mystery novels and a branching (or non-branching, frankly) mystery could be awesome.

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#12 by hanako - Jun 13 2015

LLTQ in space is still the most likely option for a sequel, despite the votes.

But I'm not working on it. Haven't even made notes on it recently.

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#13 by rincewind - Jun 16 2015

I have voted for the yuri steampunk VN, because yuri and steampunk. I mean... yuri AND steampunk. Sound too cool to not vote.

But all those ideas sounds really nice. Specially if yuri is involved... hopefuly?

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#14 by ElsabethK - Jun 18 2015

I'd actually be happier with any of those than a Magical Diary sequel. It was just too depressing of a setting for me.

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#15 by Alexander - Sep 6 2015

An older poll -but- was kindof surprised to see I wasn't the only one to want to see more games like CN.
(Think that was the first Hanako game I tried, always loved fantasy settings, not to mention how open-ended it was)

Had to vote and voice a few words when I realized the poll was still open.
^^ In a perfect world, -all- those projects would be but days away

Re: Heartbreaking Polls

#16 by hanako - Sep 9 2015

I have a really great idea for that but it'll be a ton of work, which makes it very unlikely to crop up until after Magical Diary, if ever. It may be too big.

Speaking of ideas....



This is the (main) cast for the asylum game.

WHICH I AM NOT WRITING.

Honestly I haven't written anything more than outlines and I haven't touched those in... years? I'm just rather fond of the characters so I have a bunch of concept art kicking around. This isn't even the only set of sketches of the characters I have, it's just the only one I want to show right now.

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#17 by FantasyFan - Sep 9 2015

After seeing those I want the asylum game even more. Still keeping my fingers crossed.

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#18 by Hoosha - Sep 11 2015

What Asylum game??!?! =] can I romance that sexy black man?

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#19 by hanako - Sep 12 2015

*points up at the poll options*

It's a yuri story, so... sadly for him, no.

(Which is another reason I'm not working on it. Too much of that right now. Maybe someday.)

Re: Heartbreaking Polls

#20 by hanako - Sep 13 2015

Since the least popular of those actually went into production because I'm crazy, I should probably wrap this and make yet another poll sometime with all the ideas that will haunt and torment you because I don't have the time to write them.

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#21 by LinCereal - Sep 14 2015

If I don't pick ANY option, Hanako will be forced to bite the bullet and finish Magical Diary this instant, riiiight??? :3

Actually, though, that steampunk asylum main cast is delightful eye candy. I love the tiny brunette girl!

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#22 by bookworm37 - Sep 14 2015

Yeah, I was pretty into the asylum idea already. The art definitely makes me want it even more.

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#23 by katicflis - Sep 18 2015

Honestly, if you do that asylum game with those characters, that sexy black man needs to be romanceable. <.< He's literally one of the sexiest male designs I've seen in any of your games.

Blue-haired woman has a huge appeal as well. ^.^ Other than that, the cast is overly young-looking and cutsey to me.

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#24 by ThePokeGirl - Sep 19 2015

I love all the designs for the characters, and I'm glad its going to be just Yuri! It's not that often that good Yuri visual novels come out in English.

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#25 by Hazel - Oct 23 2015

Still forever voting for LLTQ in space.

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#26 by mizuomi - Dec 11 2015

And how about simply work on Magical Diary? Or give it to someone who can make it?

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#27 by hanako - Dec 11 2015

How about paying attention to what's Re: Projects and Plans - Heading into 2015?

There HAS been work scheduled on Magical Diary this year. There are a lot of people involved, and when any of those people have personal or health issues or just plain doesn't finish stuff in the time they originally promised to, the game has to be pushed back.

This topic, when created, was a joke. The reason that one game eventually did start getting made is covered in the linked post (and of all the silly ideas I had, it was the simplest way to use a bit of my time WITHOUT getting embroiled in a huge thing that would necessarily delay MD. I had a brilliant idea for an RPG/raising sim that I think people would love, but that's absolutely not a project I can get into now because it would require all the time of people who should be doing MD stuff.)