Hi. I've been working on Flash for some time already and the moment, and I've been wanting to make a dating sim similar to the one my brother plays - also known as SimGirl. However, I want to make it for girls this time round, and I've got the following ideas in my head. I've written them down below:

(I) Main character

May choose between black, brunette and blonde

New in town

Has a mobile phone

Choose name, weight and height

(II)Guys (The list so far consists of only 3 - with one accessed only by a cheat)

1. Roy

Lead guitarist of band

Lives in apartment, and has average income

Sweet, caring, protective

2. Seth

Most popular guy in the school

Rich, and lives in mansion

Cool, aloof, easy-going

3. Archer (accessible only by cheat)

Is an angel

Caring, a listener

Takes player to special places

That's all I have so far. There are also the usual stats (fitness, figure, charisma, charm and health), the jobs (so far, modelling and tutoring) and the locations for various places (i.e. home, mall, beach, dating locations, job agency and the gym). I'm not sure on the number of guys yet. I might add a few more onto the list, but that's for later.

Some constructive advice and criticism would be nice. Thanks for taking time to read my post.

Ciao

FrozenAndTainted

I'd love to see a dating sim for women with gettable male characters. [smile] (my own designs are usually rpgs with dating-sim elements where you can pick a male or female pc and court both male and female npcs). Weight and height are not particularly important or interesting unless you're going to have those choices actually affect how the playable character looks. Being able to choose hair color is nice. If you're looking for ideas for guys, you might search the internet for "favorite bishounen" or "bishounen popularity contest" or "favorite male anime character" or "hottest male anime character". Personally I think that the interactive story and the art are the most important elements of a dating sim, so I would get the story planned out asap.

Thanks a lot! I've already have in my mind what I want the guys to look like (though I can't draw it - I'm horrible at drawing). I was wondering - by what you meant of interactive story, does it mean that it has a storyline and limited events or just a basic plot?

Great to see that someone else is making a dating sim! I don't think that the player should have to enter their haircolor or their weight and height - unless there are more guys (at least more than 3) available to get that have certain "preferences".

Definately focus on the story and the art. The art will draw people in to play ad the story makes them want to stay. Also don't drive yourself mad making 25 possible endings for each character. Just start with one plot path per male, and then add choices to the game that fork from that path to create the good and bad endings.

Just my suggestion, good luck!

I have not played many dating sims but I have seen an appaling amount of "buy the girl's love by giving her trivial crap over and over." I doubt that would port well to seducing a male character, it already does poorly to seduce a female one. I'd like to see a dancing mini game for dates...

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Original post by FrozenAndTainted Thanks a lot! I've already have in my mind what I want the guys to look like (though I can't draw it - I'm horrible at drawing). I was wondering - by what you meant of interactive story, does it mean that it has a storyline and limited events or just a basic plot?

By an interactive story I meant that different things happen depending on what the player says to the guys, or any other choices the player gets to make in the game. _Interactive_ means story must _react_ to the player's _actions_ (and then the player in turn will react to the story, repeat till you get to the end).

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Original post by Qitsune I have not played many dating sims but I have seen an appaling amount of "buy the girl's love by giving her trivial crap over and over." I doubt that would port well to seducing a male character, it already does poorly to seduce a female one. I'd like to see a dancing mini game for dates...

I've not played any dateing sims yet...But if they feature a "buy the girls love" strategy for success, then how can they be honestly considered sims (as in simulations)?

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Original post by MSW if they feature a "buy the girls love" strategy for success, then how can they be honestly considered sims (as in simulations)?

Maybe they are simulations of a kind of "dating" you're not considering.

Don't worry, I wasn't even considering going over so many storylines! Okay, maybe in due time yes, but for the time being... hm... I think that's out of the agenda for the time being, as I'm juggling between my academic studies and my own free time.

I have to agree on the "Buy the girl's/guy's love" point, though some people do use that sort of dating method. I don't know what to make of it (no offence intended here)Yes, there has been a sim made for girls at one point in Newgrounds - the link is here (they have a second version out), but then it was kinda weird for me, cause I had to keep buying really expensive gifts for the guys... Forgive me for stereotyping, but isn't it supposed to be the guy buying the gifts for the girl? Some of my friends say yes, while others say that women should try that out... hn...

Thanks for taking time to respond! :)

A dating sim isn't a dating sim without baggage... that seems to be my experience with dating anyhow. I know it's nice to have prestine characters to shoot for, but that is rarely the case for me. Perhaps it's because I'm addicted to cougars or something.

Perhaps it's just my jadedness that does it... but the characters seem to have no personality flaws... which is nice and all, but doesn't simulate what I've been going through. Perhaps they could be implemented in some kind of "fear" that once must quell or overcome... or perhaps just accept.

I don't know, never played one... sounds interesting.