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Pokemon Vs Aliens - IMPORTANT DECISION (Need some feedback.)
9 years ago
Continuing on from the last journal. I've been putting some serious thought into changing Pokemon Vs Aliens into it's own IP. Something which would abandon Pokemon and have the creatures be original creations.
The only good thing that PvA has going for it, and had all this time. It's story and characters are not based on Pokemon. One can say they just so happen to be Pokemon species, which the idea is to change that. Apart from the character species. Stuff like sprites, objects, tilesets, music, sound effects. All that kind of stuff would have to be changed too in order for PvA to become it's own identity.
As far as visuals go. I did a mock up of what the project would look like as it's own IP. (Keep in mind that the new looked is only quickly made assets and intend to make more details.
Current Pokemon based look - https://www.dropbox.com/s/xs74xsf74.....0size.png?dl=0
Proposed new project mock-up look - https://www.dropbox.com/s/9nypdj3ce.....creen.png?dl=0
Playable new test - https://www.dropbox.com/s/pdgu87khn.....20720.exe?dl=0 (4F for fullscreen.)
Below here is a list of different pros and cons that I can think of about this change. Please take a look over them and feel free to leave your thoughts.
<---Sticking with Pokemon Vs Alien--->
---Pros---
Much faster completion time
Easier character recanalization due to Pokemon.
More focus on vore related scenes.
Most resources already made.
Can use already well design Pokemon.
Story points already setup for Pokemon lore and rules.
Would be able to draw many Pokemon vore Matches that I wanted to.
---Cons---
Stuck with 32x32 pixel scale
Stuck with 480 resolution.
Could get in trouble with Nintendo
---Grey Area---
Could change it to its own IP later, but would be stuck at 32x32.
Could get patreon support.
Less than 10% considered done at this point.
<---Changing the project to its own IP--->
---Pros---
Have full control over lore and rules.
Full control on new species and character designs.
Can upscale to 720 resolution for more details.
Rebuilt resource structure.
More organized file management.
More People can find and enjoy the game.
Can sell the game for money. (Likely 10$ per episode)
---Cons---
Much longer production time.
Don't know how to design sound effects
Some Pokemon based story aspects are lost
Critical character development point gone do to Pokemon lore gone.
less focus on vore aspects.
---Grey Areas---
Extra time making all assets. (Music, Sprites, tiles, etc.)
Not confident about music capabilities
Would be considered second job.
Would want to buy Game Maker Studio (Which could run 170$ for me. 900$ if I get the full program.)
PS - If in the case the project is converted to it's own IP. Any Pokemon vore images and animations will be posted and shared!
The only good thing that PvA has going for it, and had all this time. It's story and characters are not based on Pokemon. One can say they just so happen to be Pokemon species, which the idea is to change that. Apart from the character species. Stuff like sprites, objects, tilesets, music, sound effects. All that kind of stuff would have to be changed too in order for PvA to become it's own identity.
As far as visuals go. I did a mock up of what the project would look like as it's own IP. (Keep in mind that the new looked is only quickly made assets and intend to make more details.
Current Pokemon based look - https://www.dropbox.com/s/xs74xsf74.....0size.png?dl=0
Proposed new project mock-up look - https://www.dropbox.com/s/9nypdj3ce.....creen.png?dl=0
Playable new test - https://www.dropbox.com/s/pdgu87khn.....20720.exe?dl=0 (4F for fullscreen.)
Below here is a list of different pros and cons that I can think of about this change. Please take a look over them and feel free to leave your thoughts.
<---Sticking with Pokemon Vs Alien--->
---Pros---
Much faster completion time
Easier character recanalization due to Pokemon.
More focus on vore related scenes.
Most resources already made.
Can use already well design Pokemon.
Story points already setup for Pokemon lore and rules.
Would be able to draw many Pokemon vore Matches that I wanted to.
---Cons---
Stuck with 32x32 pixel scale
Stuck with 480 resolution.
Could get in trouble with Nintendo
---Grey Area---
Could change it to its own IP later, but would be stuck at 32x32.
Could get patreon support.
Less than 10% considered done at this point.
<---Changing the project to its own IP--->
---Pros---
Have full control over lore and rules.
Full control on new species and character designs.
Can upscale to 720 resolution for more details.
Rebuilt resource structure.
More organized file management.
More People can find and enjoy the game.
Can sell the game for money. (Likely 10$ per episode)
---Cons---
Much longer production time.
Don't know how to design sound effects
Some Pokemon based story aspects are lost
Critical character development point gone do to Pokemon lore gone.
less focus on vore aspects.
---Grey Areas---
Extra time making all assets. (Music, Sprites, tiles, etc.)
Not confident about music capabilities
Would be considered second job.
Would want to buy Game Maker Studio (Which could run 170$ for me. 900$ if I get the full program.)
PS - If in the case the project is converted to it's own IP. Any Pokemon vore images and animations will be posted and shared!
There is no reason to change it from PVA to anything else, unless you are TRULY invested in the idea of changing it up. While yes, Nintendo could get on your ass and get super legal, there's this tiny facet to consider.
Do you expect the game to become widely known/public like... bloody... what was it. Oh right. Pokemon Prism, as a recent example.
Cause that's what usually gets Nintendo's attention, big projects that are widely known and put up on youtube and such, they rarely go after games of a smaller scale.
That isn't to say PVA won't be big but, do you really expect to go super big and gain fame on the internet like Prism did? Cause if not then you really needn't worry about the pokemon stuff.
Just my two cents on the matter.
The reasons I think it be better as it's own thing is due to all the ideas, character development and world design that has gone into the project by now. I get the impression that many people do not get how large the project has gotten to, and due to that. I want to be able to share the project with as many people as possible.
Due to my ambition nature, I would have to say yes that I'd want the project to be a big thing. Maybe not Earthbound or Undertale by as good or loved as I can get it, but still up there in the world as a mark for me. It's also the aim of making a large, well made game that has me worried that Nintendo would target my project in the future, leading to a heavy consideration to this change.
The fact that the characters are Pokémon are likely a big draw to a lot of people. You could isolate people by getting rid of this feature. I wouldn't because I do enjoy the game experience itself but it's something to consider.
Moving over to the new IP with all new assets and everything could be very detrimental to your own support in the project. Obviously I can't read your thoughts on the idea but changing that much of the game relatively late in development could be a daunting task. I've known quite a few projects that have gone under because of attempts to alter things too much or moving on without creating a solid foundation.
But having you're own IP would be safer and you could do more with it than Pokémon and more safely as well (legally) and even stand to profit from it.
Either way I'd still back it but those are just a few things to consider before you choose..
from my point as a noob who thought the demo was hard, a new version would be no more pokemon so it would loose a lot of people who love pokemon vore. but i would also be interesting with pokemonlike creature like in the picture as same the graphic would be nice. it would just take long to have anything for the people. But why would it be less on vore than the old?
That is true, and a factor I've considered. It's harder to launch a new IP and character lineup from the ground floor. It can have a better pay off. Mainly looking at the Undertale game. While it does use it's own made characters, it does a good job at making them memorable and one of the focus points. With PvA, I feel it's evolved into something that can have a similar feeling.
yeah i understand the brain twist you got about that decision but as you're the one making this game you should decide about you seem better. and looking at the comments under this journal the "fans" of this game who already know it are for the actual version.
And to agree with thunderstrike23 it would be sad if there was less vore as vore is the core part of your community
I think because it's Pokemon, you're going to have a lot of people interested in the project (after all, something that's new won't always catch on as quickly as something that's already established.
This is a selfish thought, but I'd personally be a bit sad to see it push vore further away (if it became its own thing), but that's just me. Cause there's so few good vore games, at all. Most just get derailed, or they involve things I really don't like (such as human females), or they never get finished.
That being said, do what you wanna do. If you think you can handle making it all your own, and it's something you truly wanna do, go for it.
Also, if you do want/expect it to go grand-scale, you could possibly make a version that remains as focussed on vore as the current PvA is, and a version without vore, so that people will be able to choose what they want. That is, if you're willing to spend the time making two seperate versions. If not, then that's fine! It's your project after all! And I certainly stand by your decision 100%, and I'm sure I'm not the only one there.
Just saying though wouldn't mind seeing a little more of what the other version would look like.
I'm by no means knowledgeable on this subject, but that is just my observation on the issue. Just make it your own passion project, and don't feel pressured to give in to what people want. Not too much anyways.
Ultimately, since you're the one doing the work, I think it should come down to whether or not you believe the extra work will justify the ends. Something we can't give input on since only you know the work involved.
While i'm not experianced with game making. I like the sprite aesthetic. And that you've already done so much.
I think you should keep it as is.
Frankly, if you drop the pokemon, it would likely be a good choice to treat the result as an entirely new game, rather than a modified PvA. That way there's less confusion, and people can still hope for the PvA to continue at some time too, even if it would be at a considerably smaller scale than you were originally planning.
Also, speaking of monetizing the game, I'll have to be the devil's advocate here and remind you that sex sells, the other variety being fetishes. Getting people interested in something is far easier if they have considerably less choice to choose from than the wider vanilla audience has, as is the case with vore. The thing that most of the succesful small scale projects on Patreon or similar have in common is that they cater for such special audiences. Those who are happy with vanilla content have plenty to choose from amongst all the 100 man projects with their budgets in millions. So while reaching for wider audience can work, it more often than not fails utterly.
I'm torn. I like PvA in its current form, but I would also love to see you be successful. It's a damning give and take sort of question you're proposing to me, Zack, and I'm not really in the position to give you a RIGHT answer, because what I WANT is PvA, and that's the WRONG answer for what I want YOU to have.
It sucks, these sort of decisions... All I have to compare your decisions to are people who make money selling Poke-porn of any sort.
All I can really say is that I really want to see you do PvA, because I love the characters and the vorish aspects, but it's your call to make if you want to take a crack at making something for everyone.
It seems the feedback is to just leave it as it is despite the fact that you've mentioned that there isn't too much lost, and there is a lot more to gain by expanding the game to a new platform. This also works nicely as I love how much freedom you will have with future development from the new screenshot. The possibilities seem to be endless from a visual perspective vs the 32x32 current restriction.
Ultimately... I must just say that you should go for it!
Although I still must admit that I personally prefer the Pokémon style, not just because I really like the style, but also it would seem that it would be a bit more convenient, having most needed animations already made, and only needing to change perhaps some colors for some of them. On the other hand, changing it would make it so that you would never have to worry about being taken down by Nintendo, but would require you to, as you mentioned, completely rewrite parts of the story, and not to mention you now would have to go in and hand draw and/or animate everything, which could take quite some time. Bringing up the possibility of being taken down, I still personally have some doubts, mainly due to the fact that when it comes to Pokémon fan games, Nintendo only takes down the ones that are similar to the original game, even if made with completely original art and characters, such as Pokémon Uranium. Meanwhile, however, there are many Pokémon fan games that still exist due to the fact that they offer completely original gameplay, and just contains the characters/character design, and from what I have seen, PvA would fall under the latter. On the note of possibly making money, have you considered Patron? I've seen a few Pokémon people on patreon, and from the looks of it they havnt received and cease and desists, probably because the fans wouldn't necessarily be paying for the game, but rather to have you work on the game.
In the end, I say the decision should be left to you.