Back to Eltingville

Side blog dedicated to make updates of the process of creating the Eltingville visual novel

[backtoeltingville]

There's an official Back to Eltingville side blog !!! ｡ﾟﾟ(*´□`*｡)°ﾟ｡

Hope I can make a Q&A to solve any questions anyone may have about the project !!!

Back to Eltingville is an indie project made by one single person in the matter of coding and sprite art: @/rei-comfort-zone, all characters used in this game belongs as long as the credits go to @/evandorkin who inspired me enough to do this

and with help of some friends for details, like: soundtracks, plot ideas and in game mechanic ideas so everything can go smoothly. I want to thank those friends because without them I wouldn't had really thought of doing it and REALLY working on it :,]

I will try to do this kind of updates here:

- Sprite art

- Backgrounds and CGs

- Non-main plot examples dialogues

- Mechanics and in-game features

- Updates about the coding process

- Updates about licenses and Itch.io

And also I take in:

- Feedback

- Suggestions: for anything! Like sprites ideas, CGs, scenarios, dialogues, Q&A etc

- I can also share Renpy tips for anyone who is curious to start a small project too *ˊᗜˋ*

[backtoeltingville]

Update: Main menu sketch tests + some small tests of sprites

I think I'm gonna go with this concept I made and make it into a pixel art piece so it fits more the vibe, I need to render the gui fully

I'm being more active on the project guys !

Specially in X/Twitter since I post more casually like: sketches, doodles and small updates, just small ones since my personal account isn't focused on the project.

The game process doesn't haves a tag there tho, when I post is mainly without a tag, I don't really want to get burn out by pressure

[backtoeltingville]

Hey, is this project still up? O there's any other site with updates?

The project is still up! Sorry for the hiatus

I'm just having a really rough moment inside the fandom due to having problems with other users, some misgender here and there, sick jokes made about me specially after the doc I made not too long ago, I focused on helping others atm than focus on the project and it's not really helping me get comfortable inside the TEC fandom anymore

It's not really helping me with my personal mental health too so I'm re-thinking a lot about this project, I still do share advances with close friends tho

So yeah I'm trying to re-take it again on my own comfort space so I can finish basic stuff to then add more people (close friends) I actually thank those friends for helping me not drop the project :((

[backtoeltingville]

Guys... I think I miss my wife...💔💔💔

So here is a bit of Ironjaw art concept

The only way I'll make this visual novel be romantic focus is if I only could feel the same amount of love for the club guys

But I feel it will never be that way because I only love Ironjaw.../hj or maybe not(?

(Time to go Back To Eltingville ! Aka: work )

I'll be answering some questions of the inbox and making daily updates soon

[rei-comfort-zone]

I'm not really used to make this kind of posts but I need help from you all - Eltingville

Do NOT stay neutral for once:

Final Call Out

The Eltingville Club - Fandom Call Out - Call of attention Clarification: I invite you to comment, this document is enabled for viewers to

The doc lets viewers comment on it, please do it and help me spread this information, thanks for listening

[backtoeltingville]

SORRY FOR BEING IN HIATUS ‼️‼️ - But please read this document...

I was working lately on this Call Out and I couldn't keep up with making posts about the Eltingville visual novel, coding of the script nor my art process from it.

This document was a very tiring process that I had to endure, it was both visually and mentally numb, I felt sick most of the times and I hope the testimonies are well now

The game is still in process ! but back then there were real problems that I had to take care of and see with my own eyes to understand

Now I understand it all

Please be safe, keep your loved ones safe...

[backtoeltingville]

Hello!! Sorry for bothering you, I've been wanting to ask about the development of your game for a long time :"D

Will this game be available in a mobile version? (Because unfortunately I don't have anything with me except my phone, but I would like to try it in the future. I like your work process and I look forward to your result! 😭💕)

YOU'RE NOT BOTHERING ME OMG😭💔💔💔, yes I can do a phone version ! ! ! Making the game into other platforms is one of the main ideas so anyone in the fandom can play it

I also got another question like that from:

There's some options from the renpy app itself in the laptop that I can do to change the platform that the game could be playable before making it a game itself

Basic menu of renpy

Build distributions (no idea of this yet)

And YESSS the Android option is there to make it into a playable game in the phone but I heard is more of a wonky process since it needs to get all the buttons re-do + the screen touch can be wonky sometimes (that's what I heard😭😭😭) and there's also IOS idk

I don't wanna touch it yet so I'm mostly guiding myself with tutorials in any case, most of my learning in renpy comes from my IT tech classes and tutorials

What devices do most people in the Eltingville fandom use? (just to make sure if I have to do a version for each)

Windows or Linux (laptop/pc)

Android

IOs

Voting ended onFeb 5, 2025

[backtoeltingville]

I had to take some days away but coming back and seeing the inbox of the back to Eltingville project brings me joy like OMGGGG

I personally don't wanna leave the fandom even if I overthink it because seeing all of you guys happy because of my project is just so heartwarming and I'm grateful everyone is being patient with me😿😿😿💖💖💖

The novel is doing good guys ! ! ! !

Just to clarify, I sometimes get stuck in the coding but it helps me to try and relax a bit and focus on doing something else like background art or sprite art like Jane's

I just need to keep working (and seeing more Ironjaw enjoyers in the fandom makes me happy too, like omg I need to re-design his old sprite and make it more dynamic at least)

[backtoeltingville]

Basic testing for Jane's yesterdays sprites (not the actual final dialogues⚠️, I always do different testings and change stuff after them or test in pre-set ones)

I still need to get god at drawing backgrounds (my major enemies) and not just use some pngs from pinterest😭😭😭

That's all the testing per today ! ! ! The sprites doesn't glitch out🙏🙏🙏 and they actually work, the size is decent and I thought the quality would go down from 2000×2000 when changed to the Renpy game screen size, maybe I could change how Jane's size in-game looks like but I will make it in my free time, bye byeeee

I will keep making updates guys !!!!

[backtoeltingville]

I personally don't like sharing unfinished base sprites but I NEED to talk about Jane and her role in-game ! ! !

+ college, irl events and other stuff is keeping me busy, but I started to sketch her!

Jane is going to have a role of a tarot reader in the game, there's going to be different places/spots around the town in where you can interact with her

Is just a sketch I'm sorry !!!

(if the MC's manage to get along with her ofc) and ask her to read your cards, the main point of the carts I will keep it to myself, it may be useless at first glance but it would help a lot to keep your tracks of your playtrough and route

Everything has a cost and there it comes with making small missions that you have to do for her, or give her money or objects of value even if those objects may be important for other character interactions 👀 👀 👀

As the same as Joe's store that haves Joe as the character to well, use as a shop: Jane, Ironjaw and other characters can become characters in-game with their own shops to help the MC's after getting along with them

[backtoeltingville]

what notepad do you use for the coding? i use atom but i saw in one of your posts the 'color' part of the character definitions have icons next to them...can you color pick from that because that would make my like a bajillion times easier...

I'm using Visual Studio Code on my laptop ! !

OMG you def need to change from Atom to Visual Studio Code, if you have updated recently Renpy you will need it since in preferences -> Select editor: there must be this telling you that Atom is not doing really good with the new renpy versions😭

I personally LOVE rn Visual Studio Code for doing all the coding, it is more easy, there's more keyboard shortcuts and it is fully customizable, there's options to change the icons, the color themes and in Visual Studio Code you can do ANY type of code (Java or XML ANYTHING LITERALLY‼️‼️‼️)

As a IT tech student it helped me in college projects and homeworks of me having to try different codes, Visual Studio Code can use any type in the same notepad💖💖💖💖

[backtoeltingville]

Ok UHHHHH will Jane Dickey make an appearance??

Sharing this...👀

Sorry for the wonky picture of the code😭

[backtoeltingville]

I HATE fixing bugs and checking the traceback so much 💀 💀 💀

LET ME CODE IN PEACE OMGGGGG

[backtoeltingville]

Quick question, will the game have the option to put it in Spanish? (English is not my native language and I love the project). that... and where will it be possible to download it when it is ready? :D

OBVIOOO QUE SI ESTARÁ EN ESPAÑOL 🗣📢‼️

El juego lo ando haciendo principalmente en inglés pero tengo planeado que al terminarlo simplemente haría un proyecto aparte y pasar todo lo del codigo/imagenes etc del juego base para hacer una versión ya en español de este, ya que Itch.io da la opción de postear diferentes versiones de un propio juego/o actualizarlo en dado caso que se ocupe.

Personalmente no me da seguridad la forma de auto-traducción que me brinda Renpy así que sería todo traducido a español de forma manual y cualquier slang/otras palabras serían cambiadas por algo que se apegue al español de latam, he conocido bastantes mutuals de latam de diferentes lados así que seria algo más neutro para que sea entendible

YYYY estaría disponible en Itch.io en su respectivo momento, como solo es una persona haciendo casi todo lo que es codigo/dibujos/fondos la Universidad a veces lo dificulta y atrasa cada vez más entre otros

Con cualquier otra duda ando disponible para resolverlo <333

[backtoeltingville]

Omg my boyfriend led me to this project, this is so cool!

I’m curious- will the Northwest Comix Collective make an appearance?

Keep up the amazing work!

I waited so much for someone to ask me about the other characters like the Northwest Collective

Just to be a bit more open about the project itself and the inner code, there's already some easter eggs and characters that mayyyy appear bassed on a probability in a playtrough 👀 👀 👀

The same way the likemeters of the characters works the easter egg characters haves their own, is a probability one in this case, even if you havent interact with them yet, is all based on options in this case so each option will bring higher the chance to unlock them

(basically the number you need to reach needs go be in a certain point) so you can bump with say easter egg character, but as the MC also needs to take certain paths and more to unlock them. The hardest ones to find are behind finishing certain routes/endings.

When you unlock them it will be saved in the memory of the game so you can start a new playtrough with now more options🎉🎉🎉

[backtoeltingville]

Will the game have some epilogue scenes?

There's going to be post-endings scenes but not any scenes related with the Epilogue versions of TEC sadly

The game is set on their youth and I haven't find a way to add any Epilogue scenes that could feel natural as far I have planned for the chapters I already script

Btw thanks for the idea, I could maybe take it into consideration and see if some mutuals can help me to get any good idea <333

[backtoeltingville]

If your game will be dating simulator, will there be nsfw content?

Okay this is probably the most uncomfortable question of them all...

If the game gets an dating simulator trait I WOULD NEVER make NSFW content of it

I will try to reply to explain the reason why a NSFW feature won't be added in the game:

1- Most of the TEC/WEC characters are minors, I'm not going to make nsfw of minor characters, I'm not comfortable at all, as the one managing the project, of making NSFW of this characters, I just CAN'T.

2- I'm just adding romanceable options, when I say "romance" I don't think of any NSFW details with the characters, just silly cute things to make the fandom happy, not THAT

3- The game is a "for everyone" thing I'm doing so everyone can enjoy it and play it, my target isn't the 18+ part of the fandom, is not meant to be. I'm taking in count EVERYONE that is part of the fandom, there's no way I will make NSFW that may end being seen by a minor that could have access.

The only "NSFW" I think may be added in the game is mid/light blood, light gore or mentions of it (taking in count the Pete route) or jokes like in the comic.

Anything else that involves the MC and any TEC/WEC character is a NO and I'm not changing my mind about it, I'm not making my visual novel have NSFW content.

[backtoeltingville]

IF this becomes something for dating, will there be an option for it to be lgbt?

Well as one of the main creators of the game I'm queer and non-binary myself, I'm doing the best I can to add features to the game so everyone can be included, everyone deserves to enjoy a playtrough while feeling identify by the MC they're playing with.

Most of LGBTQ+ related stuff in-game are:

Sexuality, gender, pronouns (set to be 2000s accurate, so not every character knows how to labeled it or address it, but they try)

The characters can have tons of different interactions and reactions about the MC after all since is already a game that is focused on a likemeter/how much you get along with the TEC characters

But still, I already have set some python variable to make the characters have special dialogues about this topics, basically every detail or feature of the MC that the player decides to give it affects the interaction with the characters in a certain way.