1 YEAR ALREADY

Hi guys, PtitLoup here.

It has been a year already when I posted the first build of Felicity and, for that, I wanted to share my personal thoughts about this VN. 

First of all, I want to inform that episode 3 it's done, I just have to translate it into English and, when it's done, I will published the build 1.0

HOW DID I START FELICITY?

I have always been a very creative guy, who loved to create and put together stories in his head and, in fact, I still do. I wrote a lot: I started with short stories and poetry, motivated by my language and literature teachers. I got to finish a book called “Bryan and the Raven”, which I make a small reference in the first chapter of Felicity. It was badly written and the story was pretty incoherent but at least I finished it.

During the Covid pandemic, with all the free time I had and not much to do, I started to get into the Furry world, being the “Beastars” series the one that started it all.I started the drawing with pencil and paper again after years without drawing anything and, shortly after, a friend recommended me to try digital drawing, which I loved.

One day, looking at fanarts on Instagram, I saw a drawing of a cardboard box full of furry wolves. I saw a comment that went like this: “I recognize Amicus but what about the others?” That's how, researching, I discovered the "Adastra" visual novel (I think every furry knows it).

I already knew the genre of visual novels, and it was not something that caught my attention too much. However, the few images I saw of Amicus caught my attention and I decided to play it, knowing nothing about the story.

Honestly, I was looking for something erotic, more porn and fun, but the more I played it, the more I realized that it stirred emotions inside me that, although I wasn't looking for it, I was happy to experience.

I was amazed with Adastra, I never imagined that a visual novel could make me feel what I felt, so I decided to play more visual novels.

I didn't like all of them, but many of them have touched my heart. The last one I've played, Arches, from the same creators of Adastra (Echo Project) has even made me anxious because of how well it relates mental illness.

One day I thought: "Why don't I make my own visual novel, with some of the stories I have in mind?"

I like to draw, write and even compose music, and visual novels are an ideal genre to explore my creative abilities.

I had so many stories on my mind that I didn't quite know where to start. What was clear to me is that I wanted to try to make you, the readers, feel and experience what visual novels are generally capable of making you feel.

Usually, the stories I create are more fantastical and magical. However, I wanted to talk about deep, dark and even controversial topics. I'm not saying that in fantasy you can't, but I think it's easier with horror, in my opinion. For this reason, I opted more for “Felicity”.

"Echo Project", specifically its VN "Echo" has been the greatest motivation for the creation of Felicity. In fact, my main idea was to create a visual novel with various paths depending on the character you selected, but I scrapped that.

There were two reasons: the first one was that I am a very messy person and to create something like “Echo” you have to be very organized and schematic. The second, and more important reason is that it's too complex to be my first visual novel, so I decided to focus on something more linear, although there will be some big decisions.

THE DEVELOPEMENT OF FELICITY

As I have already informed in the description of this VN, almost everything is made by me: music, drawings, programming and some sound effects.

My original idea for the music was to use free copylefted compositions. However, a very good friend of mine encouraged me to compose my own music, knowing that I had already composed simple things on the piano in the past.

And the programming, well... Although it's my least favorite part of all, I try to keep things simple so as not to get discouraged with the developement to Felicity, although every time I try to learn new things about Renpy, the program I use to create it.

As I have already said, I am a very messy and disorganized person. Concerning Felicity, this means that I don't have a ready outline of how to write it. I have considered doing it, but new ideas constantly come to me that makes me have to change the schematic again, so in the end, I have given up trying.

I have many scenes and ideas in mind, I even already have the ending planned, but the most difficult thing for me is all the development until the end.

I have ups and downs when it comes to creativity, just like anyone else: when I'm inspired I can be drawing, composing or writing non-stop for hours and weeks, but if I suffer from a blockage, I can go months without doing anything.

This is a hobby, and I try to treat it as such, but sometimes I force myself to take it as an important project and that affects the quality of the project. That's why Felicity is subject to change of all kinds, and honestly, I think that's a good thing.

I'm not the best writer in the world. In fact, I don't even consider myself very good at it, but I trust my artistic abilities so that, at the end of the day, it will come out as a cohesive and entertaining visual novel and, so far, I'm pretty proud of how it's turning out.

CHARACTERS

One thing I've noticed is that I'm becoming very fond of the characters I'm creating.

It's strange, but sometimes I even feel sorry to have to do certain things to my own characters for the story to continue, as if they really were living beings who feel and suffer.

Although it's kind of “silly”, I'm sure it's a feeling you can understand.

I'm most fond of Amberock. I like its design, despite being quite simple, like the other characters. In addition, his story, which has not yet been revealed, is the topic that I want to express myself the most about. My goal with Amberock is that, despite being an edge, freeloader and criminal, you readers will be as fond of him as I am. He is also the most difficult for me to write, since his way of acting and speaking is totally opposite to how I am.

Reyald, on the other hand, is more like me: quiet, insecure, and polite, so it costs me a lot less. However, as the visual novel progresses, I know it's going to be the hardest for me to develop and write. After all, the main plot revolves around him.

For now, Reyald, Amberock, Sam and Sabrina are going to be the main characters. However, there will be more, but I still don't know how much importance I'm going to give them.

LAST MESSAGE

The last thing I want to do to end this post is to thank, not only my close ones who support me and advise me on the making of this visual novel, but also you, the readers, for at least giving Felicity a chance. It's not going to be a masterpiece, that's more than clear to me and it's not my intention, but I think it could be entertaining.

Greetings to all and thanks again :D