Linked Pathways Interview
Test out your dating skills in Linked Pathways, a new visual novel dating simulation game created by Esteban Gonzalez and his development team. To support them and find out more, check out their Kickstarter.
Small Dev Talk: What is Linked Pathways? Esteban Gonzalez: Linked pathways is a fan made visual novel/dating sim game. It focuses heavily on realistic characters and relationships to help enforce dramatic story telling and involve the player in the narrative they wish to pursue. Our characters are based on real people and real relationships to help make them feel more genuine to the player and help them immerse themselves more in our story.
Small Dev Talk: What is the story in Linked Pathways?
Esteban Gonzalez: The story of Linked Pathways focuses on the player's life in a new school as he/she forms relationships both romantic and otherwise. The set up is simple and used often in stories of this genre, but we hope to use it as a jumping off point to explore the themes and ideas we wish to portray. From here we can then branch off to tell more character related stories. Since a visual novel’s strength is its story I will share a small example of one of the stories. We’ll use our character eve as an example of the stories we wish to tell. She is a shy timid girl due to her being terribly hurt in the past. Her story revolves around her very slowly learning to accept the player. But yet once she does she immediately over extends herself and latches on to the player. She can then no longer properly function without them, much to the dismay of the player. She very much needs him and his constant approval. Her story then becomes an issue of you worked hard to let her know she can rely on you and yet then it becomes too much and you need her to divert her energy. Is it wrong for the player to then dislike her for wanting so much attention when it is entirely their own fault she is doing so? Or should the blame then be put on Eve for being unable to help herself in this situation.
Small Dev Talk: What is a visual novel game?
Esteban Gonzalez: A visual novel at its basics is, as implied by its name, a piece of interactive fiction told using the help of its visuals and interactivity with the reader. It relies heavily on its story and its branching paths to present to its player a unique experience that feels more like a game then your standard story. Visual Novels don’t necessarily have very complicated gameplay or mechanics and instead focus more on telling its narrative in often unique and engrossing ways.
Small Dev Talk: How will the gameplay work for a visual novel dating simulator? How is it a dating simulator?
Esteban Gonzalez: During various moments within our game the player will be presented choices on how to proceed in the story. These choices will then affect how the characters within the story then treat you. This then in turn changes how the story will be unfolded. The choices you need to make are for the benefit of the person whom you are currently attempting to date. You must keep up in your relationship with them in order to maintain your relationship and arrive at a better ending.
Small Dev Talk: Being a dating simulator, how realistic will it be to a real relationship?
Esteban Gonzalez: The realism in the relationships comes from how your partner acts around, away, and towards you. Just like in a real relationship everyone has their own issues and how you choose to help them with these problems will affect your overall relationship. Some characters choose to shoulder their burdens and refuse help. Others seek immediate help for their issues. This is not to say you won’t have your own set of problems and how you chose to either present them to your partner or keep them locked away will also determine how trusting and open they are with you. Just as in a real relationship there is a lot of give and take.
Small Dev Talk: What type of characters will we come across in Linked Pathways?
Esteban Gonzalez: We have a wide array of really unique characters for the player to date, as well as an assortment of side characters who help keep the world alive and fresh. We made sure to give each character not only deep personalities but fill them with the same type of contradictory traits you find in actual people. Take for example our character Steph. He very much enjoys teasing people and pulling small pranks. However he can be incredibly sweet and caring to those around him. To top it off when he knows he actually hurt someone with his teasing or he feels like people hate him he goes into a depressed state. We try our best to give each character, main or side, deep layers that help shape them.
Small Dev Talk: Can you tell us how the interactions with the characters will work?
Esteban Gonzalez: As stated previously at various moments within our story options will appear to the player and the choices they make will allow them windows of opportunity to meet and spend time with our characters. The more time sent with a character will then take them into a relationship with these characters. From here you can begin to learn more and more about these characters and who they truly are beneath the surface.
Small Dev Talk: What game engine is Linked Pathways using?
Esteban Gonzalez: We will be using the Ren'Py Visual Novel Engine. It’s incredibly easy to use and understand and supports Macintosh and Linux as well as Windows.
Small Dev Talk: What inspired you to create Linked Pathways?
Esteban Gonzalez: The original inspiration of Linked Pathways actually came about from some light hearted joking. What became our team were looking for a dating sim to play and joke around with, although we could find none. Someone opened up the joke that we should make our own dating sim with us in it and we began to say whom would be what type of character. The characters were all very solid and we began materializing them more and more. Before we knew it this turned into something we all actually felt that we wanted to do. Small Dev Talk: What is your favorite aspect of Linked Pathways? Esteban Gonzalez: My personal favorite aspect was creating the stories, or paths, for each character. When we began developing how the character would act, and what sort of personality traits and quirks they have it felt as if these were real people. I wanted to watch them grow up and when we thought of story ideas it felt more like watching a show to find out what will happen next instead of “what is the next logical step”. To me these characters took life immediately and began paving their own paths instead of us needing to sit down and brainstorm ideas. The ideas came naturally and the flow was amazing, and I really hope we can translate this to the players.
Small Dev Talk: What challenges did you and your team come across in the development of Linked Pathways?
Esteban Gonzalez: In early development we tried our best to make this game completely free. We did not have jobs or the monetary requirements to be able to afford workers. We originally had to message thousands of artists to see if anyone would be willing to work on this game for free. Luckily we found SaitoIkiru who actually agreed to help out with this project. However despite our lucky find they seemed like the only people who were able and willing. It was clear that if we were to try to make this game we needed some kind of funding. There was another scenario where very early in one of our writers suffered massive writers block and our other writer simply disappeared (as it turned out later it was due to life issues). We were stuck as we had 1 writer who couldn’t do much and anyone else we tried to introduce to the project was clearly not interested and would not provide any sort of support. From there our project was nearly dead, we couldn’t make any progress nor could we obtain the means of doing so. We however were very lucky to find Renren Zhao whose enthusiasm and creative talents helped fuel our team and allowed us to break through and make huge strides with our project.
Small Dev Talk: What is it like creating a visual novel game?
Esteban Gonzalez: It’s an incredibly excited experience. Coming up with plot details and ideas was one of the best experiences I have had in a game’s development. Whenever we would sit down and discuss things related to plot everyone would get motivated and excited which made us want to come up with even better ideas. Receiving art pieces was simply amazing. I couldn’t explain the joy you feel when you see the character you have spent so long discussing and creating in a fully drawn form. It was like seeing all our creations come to life. I still spend some of my off time looking over the assets we received and just marveling at them and just looking at everything we’ve accomplished.
Small Dev Talk: Do you have any advice for upcoming developers?
Esteban Gonzalez: For the love of god have a good follow up plan, and enthusiasm and willingness to work out weights raw skill.
Small Dev Talk: What is the expected release date for Linked Pathways? Also, how much will it cost or will it be Free-To-Play?
Esteban Gonzalez: Due to school and other priorities, we’re hoping to have the game released by October 20th 2016. We’re hoping for a 5$ price tag on it.
Small Dev Talk: Do you have anything to say towards our readers?
Esteban Gonzalez: Thank you so much for your time and we really hope you give Linked Pathways a chance.
Post Dated: 2013-11-13 20:46. Last Modified: 2013-11-13 at 20:51. Written by Alexander Sullivan
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