Hello everyone, and thanks for checking out my page!
I’m Haptales, a beginner French developer, and I’ve finally found the courage and motivation to start my very first project!
Writing in English, rendering with Koikatsu, and bringing everything to life in Ren'py are all new experiences for me, so please bear with me if you spot a few hiccups along the way^^
About RomCom: Divergence
Follow the life of our protagonist as he embarks on his new life, meets a variety of beautiful ladies, and discovers that things aren't quite what they seem—
Wait, scratch that. You know the drill already, right?
Start a new game, choose a name, and complete the story while unlocking all the endings.
Collect every heroine to 100% that gallery, and ruin the life of every other male character in the process.
Stuck at an obstacle that feels impossible to overcome? No worries— just follow a walkthrough or even use cheat codes!
Does this remind you of someone?
Well, this story is all about the characters whose lives get turned upside down by that same someone.
This visual novel will be divided into episodes, each featuring its own timeline and protagonist (male or female).
Release Schedule
Since this is my first project of this nature, it’s hard to provide an accurate estimate at the moment.
Devlogs should come every 3-4 weeks.
I aim to release a new chapter every 2 months, but this will also depend on my full-time job.
Why Support Me?
By supporting my work, you’ll enable me to dedicate more time to it.
This means faster releases and higher-quality content for you to enjoy.
You'll gain access to subscriber-only posts, lewd previews, and get to play new releases before anyone else.
Additionally, at the end of an episode, you will have the chance to participate in a Class Council where you can interact with the characters (Questions, theories, etc.)!
Don’t Want or Can’t Support Me Yet?
That’s perfectly okay!
New releases will always be available for free one week after the early release, so you can still support me just by playing and sharing your thoughts about the game!
While I plan to complete this project no matter what, every bit of support helps me continue creating better content for you!
If you've read this far, let me thank you again for your time. I hope to see you again soon!
Soundtrack: 66 (+13) music tracks, 92 (+15) sound effects
Some Development Facts & Anecdotes
The first event draft for this chapter was written back in July, while my computer was out.
Development lasted from 09/29 to 12/23 (~86 days).
It was my first time working full-time on an RCD release from start to finish.
I originally hoped to release the chapter at the end of November, with a render count closer to Chapter 3.
Chapter 4 is the longest chapter to date; it also has the highest word count per sentence of all chapters.
The 20th event and the Christmas event are almost entirely made of layered assets.
Chapter 4 alone added at least 11k lines of script, and the Christmas event added around 3k.
I worked on this chapter until the very last few hours before the early release, same for the Christmas event before its public release.
The Loading Issue
Well... I managed to screw all this work over a single uninitialized variable... And I had to do an emergency update a few hours after the public release went live... Tee-hee~!
Last time it was Android saves getting reset, and now this... Yeah, the truth is that I hate returning players! I only want first-time players!!!
(Kidding, come back, please.)
Reception, Success, Failure
Chapter 4 roughly made the same numbers as Chapter 3. Well, I did lose the first few hours because of the whole emergency update situation, but it shouldn't make that much of a difference.
I'm not sure I can count it as a success or not, but I guess I'm already hitting my first ceiling. Looks like I'll finally have to pimp out my sorry excuse for an Itch page, huh...? Sigh
Also, I can't really back this up with hard facts, but I feel like this chapter's reception was colder than the last one. At least, that's my impression from my POV.
On a more positive note: After putting together my Patreon and SubscribeStar, I managed to hit my first goal of $100 (at least for now). Hurray!
What does it change? Nothing! But now, you can be proud to contribute to both my coffee and France's strategic expenses! Thank you for helping me pay for that €40k armchair~!
And next time... I'll be counting on your support to pay for those €550,000 worth of bottles of champagne too~
Writing, Pacing, and Transitions
So, Chapter 4 was really different from the others, right? Longer sentences, a bit more breathing room between major events, and... the transitions. A lot more sounds and screen shaking going on during dialogue lines. I actually think they account for around 3k lines in Chapter 4's script.
I was a bit afraid I'd done too much, but when replaying Chapter 3, I really noticed how silent my VN was until now. But what do you think?
Renders and Animations
Once again, I had to cut back on animations for Chapter 4. I tried to compensate a bit with those pseudo-animations (looping renders with sound), but I think it actually ended up being counterproductive... It may have given the impression that I was abandoning animation quality.
So, I hope I'll be able to improve things for Chapter 5. Actually, working on those pseudo-animation things gave me some ideas...
Supporter Perks
With the reduction of unused assets, Misaki's treasure box is starting to really lack content.
To fix this, I'd like to change it to be more like a Making-of... I'm still working out the details, but that's the general idea.
And so, that'll take us to...
Schedule Changes
I'd like to put more work into supporter content, so from now on, those will be released the week following the public release. This gives me a bit more time, and also reduces post spam during major releases.
When I started working on this project, I adapted my release schedule to fit my job. I decided to use Wednesdays for major posts and releases.
Despite losing some audience by releasing midweek, I still saw some benefits, as it allowed me to collect feedback to work with over the weekend.
Well... I've decided it's no longer worth it, and I'll be moving major releases to Saturdays instead.
What's Next?
I'd like to say I'll start working on Chapter 5 immediately, but... To meet deadlines for the last two chapters, I ended up sacrificing work on more and more miscellaneous stuff.
Add to that the fact that I need to rework transitions in all the previous chapters, and well... I'm past the stage of hiding behind the promise of doing everything in the last week of development. Also, I want the game to be in a good state for what comes after Chapter 5.
I'll have enough on my plate with the Class Council stuff, after all. So yeah, the next devlog will probably be disappointing:
"Fixed X lines of script from Chapter 1."
"Added Y lines of transition to Chapter 2."
Discord Server
And finally, to wrap up this (very) long review, I'll be sharing the invitation link to my Discord.
I've been working on it since the start of the year, and while I started from scratch with my meager knowledge (and nonexistent motivation), it should be in a working state!
Feel free to come and add another place to your list of shitposting locations.
And That's All!
Thank you for your time, support, and (hopefully) feedback!
If you want to take a more active part in the game's development, consider joining the Discord.
No new poll for this chapter! But don't worry, I'll be sure to drown you in them with the Class Council!
-Haptales (I hate Discord)
TL;DR:
Release/Post schedule: Wednesday → Saturday
What's next: ‘Slight' rework of previous chapters, then Chapter 5
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RomCom: Divergence is one year old!
Katsumi: "...Everyone is ready?" "...Ahem."
Girls: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Sayuri: "U-um... Today, one year ago, RCD's very first release came out!"
Sora: "The legendary 0.1.0.0 version!!!"
Maya: "Yeah, don't make me remember that..." Misaki: "And so we wanted to make you a little surprise..." "B-because we're forced to! Alright?! I didn't want to do it!"
Katsumi: "During this first year, we managed to live through three full chapters in addition to the prologue."
Sayuri: "Ah, but we're only days away from the fourth chapter..." "So couldn't we count that in?"
Maya: "Or we could've just moved the anniversary a week or two..."
Misaki: "That would put us right into Christmas and New Year territory, though..."
Katsumi: "No, we won't do any of that." "We must remain accurate regarding release count and schedule." "Any irregularity might impact the trust placed in us."
Maya: "You can say that again..." "It's not you standing around in the tutorial room all day, waiting for some impatient player who realized he missed the last beach event..." Sora: "First-year, early release, Misaki-senpai's treasure-thing, public release, Katsumi-senpai's journal-thingy..." "Crap! Isn't the schedule way too packed?!"
Katsumi: "Please do not swear, Sora-chan."
Sora: "S-sorry, Senpai!" "It's just..." "I don't wanna get scolded because we keep sending messages and stuff!!!"
Sayuri: "Ah, it's fine!" "I read online that guys actually love getting hundreds of messages per day... if they're from girls!"
Misaki: "I... I'm not sure I want to risk doing that, but..." "On the other hand, if I could get away with sending hundreds of ads..."
Maya: "You don't need to worry, Wallet-chan." "Haptales made it so all criticism and bad feedback get forwarded to Sayucchi's mailbox." Sayuri: "(Sniff)" "I'm sorry for deleting your Android saves! (Sniff)" "I'm sorry if the pacing was all wrong! (Sniff)" "I'm sorry for ruining your immersion and how Misaki-san was treated last chapter! (Sniff)" "I'm sorry for making you think the game has NTR in it!!!" "I'm sorry,I'm so sorry everyone!!! (Sob)"
Sora: "Uwah!" "Please don't cry, Senpai!"
Maya: "Yes, stop trying to garner sympathy by acting all pitiful." "You're not getting any closer to first place in the next poll, girl."
Sayuri: "Waaah! (Sob)" "Please vote for me! (Sob)" Katsumi: "...Let's get back on topic." "So, for this first anniversary, we wanted to surprise you, but..." "Sadly, Haptales isn't here, as there is apparently still a lot of work before the early release."
Sora: "W-wait! It's the game's birthday, right?! How come Haptales isn't here?!"
Maya: "Heh." "Guess Haptales is the kind of parent who misses their kid's birthday party because of work."
Sayuri: "...The worst..." Maya: "Welp, if the show's over, I'm heading out." "I still gotta deal with all those people asking about creepy Hap-chan."
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Chapter 4 - Preview
Heya~ everyone!
Today marks exactly 3 months since the last time we saw each other... So we actually managed to see each other before New Year, like wow, lucky us, right~?
Ah, but don't worry too much about the dev's corpse on the floor, okayyy? I'll kick that lazy bastard's ass back to work right after this, no stress~
Now then, let's jump into my amazing Chapter 4 preview, kay? "You don't seem hyped, Onii... Do you want to skip class together?" Chapter 3 ended on a pretty stressful cliffhanger, right~? Our dear MC totally messed up and now he's caught the attention of the antagonist.
...Actually, he kinda grabbed the attention of like, waaay more enemies than that, didn't he? The Student Council, the Imperial one, the IRS office, the Sekawa family, even his mom (supposedly)...
Yeah, things are not gonna get easier from here on out, like seriously~ "Well, congratulations, the atmosphere is all weird now..." Luckily for him, with the fall of the invincible Student Council President, the whole school is in chaos!
The President's chair, center of absolute power, envied by world rulers, mythical beings and actual Gods, is totally wobbling and ready for the taking! "I'm asking for your trust, one last time." In this huge power vacuum, all of MC's enemies are scrapping for a piece of the action! And if he wants even a tiny chance, he's gonna have to face some serious challenges~!
The road to absolute power is packed with insurmountable obstacles, inescapable pursuers, and messy betrayals! Sohe better pounce first, like a shark sensing blood~! "H-HOW DID YOU EVEN COME TO THAT CONCLUSION?!" A rescue mission in hostile territory... A simple report gone horribly wrong... Never-ending health care... A fateful encounter with the past... And even an end of the world calamity popping off right in the hallways...!
MC's plate is totally stacked, and to survive, he'll need the help of some allies~! "That's why you're both unworthy of MC's love, you girlfailures!" Sooo, are you ready to hop on this wild journey? Will you grab absolute power and crush the hopes and dreams of some average anime protagonist? Or will you stay a damn loser and become your typical slice of life background NPC?!
Everything is the prize. Everything is the cost.
So what's it gonna be, hmm~? "Ruling the school is my destiny." Chapter 4 will be releasing on 12/17 at 2pm (UTC+1) for all Tier 2 subscribers, and on 12/24 for everyone else!
Thank you for your support, remember to throw a kick or two at the dev’s corpse before leaving...
And see you next year!
(Like, for real this time <3)
-???
"Seven rapes, eighteen murders, two mass murders, seventy-six cases of drug trafficking, forty-one of weapons dealing...
"Osawa MC, please gather all your belongings and report to the Imperial Student Council office immediately."
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Chapter 4 - Devlog 3
Hello everyone!
It's been three weeks since the last devlog, so here's a new update on the next chapter's development!
What's Been Done?
802 renders completed (1028 total)
15 animations
5 renders from Chapter 3 redone (lighting issue)
Proofreading (~80%)
Development Notes
Well, these last three weeks were really productive, if I can say so myself! That's a lot of renders, and some of them needed a lot of work... I definitely couldn't have done this much in the previous update.
As I previously said, I'm cutting down on animations for this chapter... Well, not completely, but I'm only making the ones that actually matter. I'm also experimenting a bit with looping a few renders to simulate movement. I'll let you see for yourself when the update is out!
Some bad news is that the render count per event has been much higher than expected, and so despite having passed the 1k renders mark I'm still not quite at the finish line yet.
Nothing too worrisome for now, but not being able to widen the gap between what still needs to be done and the deadline doesn't leave much room for error.
SubscribeStar's free tier!
I actually wasn't aware this was a thing, and I stumbled on it by accident...
But now it's enabled!
So you can follow me here too (for free) if you want!
Preview Pic
... No fictional animals were harmed during the production of this render. Though the two big, appetizing snails might end up on my Christmas table eventually.
...
Um, yeah... So I had my doubts about this scene and had to consult a state-sanctioned fact-checker about it. Apparently this particular render might not depict a fully realistic situation, and might even propagate some misinformation.
So a disclaimer is in order!
Lava can come in various tints, but this particular red color is totally unrealistic. That's why I'd like to apologize for it, and also thank the state-sanctioned fact-checker.
I can now rest easy knowing my ever-increasing taxes are well invested!
What's Next
Rendering, animating
Proofreading
Playtesting (the true early release, btw)
Christmas event
ETA?!!!
Here are the two deadlines I've set for myself:
17th early release - 24th public release (if nothing changes)
24th early release - 31st public release (if something goes wrong)
Finally
A big thank you to everyone following and supporting this project! I didn't expect to have so many of you still subscribed this late into development... So thank you for your trust, everyone!
For my subscribers: Takeshi's cultured preview should come next week.
For everyone else: I'll see you for the chapter preview (hopefully).
Thank you for your time.
-Haptales
P.S. Don't forget to vote for the Best Bikini here!
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Creator Stats
18 subscribers
48 posts
Goals
$37 of $100
per month
I can consider that my VN isn't a flop!
Yeah!
$37 of $400
per month
This will be a huge help to my finances, for sure.
It won't be enough for me to go full time, but it will be a great motivation to go further!
$37 of $900
per month
Beyond this goal, I'll consider changing my full-time job to a part-time one, thus increasing the time I'll have to work on my game.
$37 of $1,500
per month
Making this VN become my main job!
I'll still have to work on the side to make ends meet, but I'll be able to dedicate most of my time to developing this game.
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