How long should the first release of a game be (how many renders)?

[IamUnderman]

Hello. I am working on a game right now that I intend to release either around Christmas or in the first quater of 2025. I am a total novice at game development and I am learning as I go, so I have something of a game-philosophy question for those with more experience than myself.

How long should a version 0.1 be ideally? Specifically a sandbox/vn game (think something in the style of Something Unlimited, Fashion Buisiness, etc). On the one hand I want to offer new players a meaty experience that will impress and intrigue by showing the game's potential. However I am well aware that I am currently the worst game developer I will ever be and that this update will be filled with flaws and jank. Getting feedback and releasing something sooner rather than later should also be a priority.

Now, there are lots of ways to count length (that's what she said!). Word count, number of choices, etc. I am currently deep into the rendering process of the game and so all my mental estimates are in render count.

I estimate that the first release will have around 350 or so renders. 140-150 will be in the form of an intro cutscene to introduce characters, backstory etc. 200+ will be the game's first playable chapter.

Currently I have made 60 renders that I am happy with, which would put me at around 1/6 of the way through the rendering process. For those wondering I am planning on around 5 "Sex scenes" in the update, although three of those will be quite brief.

So what do you think? Am I a million miles away from being realistic or am I on the right path? To give you a better idea of where I am right now, I have included 6 renders that I am happy with from the intro section. Thanks!

 

[Count Morado]

Hello. I am working on a game right now that I intend to release either around Christmas or in the first quater of 2025. I am a total novice at game development and I am learning as I go, so I have something of a game-philosophy question for those with more experience than myself.

How long should a version 0.1 be ideally? Specifically a sandbox/vn game (think something in the style of Something Unlimited, Fashion Buisiness, etc). On the one hand I want to offer new players a meaty experience that will impress and intrigue by showing the game's potential. However I am well aware that I am currently the worst game developer I will ever be and that this update will be filled with flaws and jank. Getting feedback and releasing something sooner rather than later should also be a priority.

Now, there are lots of ways to count length (that's what she said!). Word count, number of choices, etc. I am currently deep into the rendering process of the game and so all my mental estimates are in render count.

I estimate that the first release will have around 350 or so renders. 140-150 will be in the form of a intro cutscene to introduce characters, backstory etc. 200+ will be the game's first chapter.

Currently I have made 60 renders that I am happy with, which would put me at around 1/6 of the way through the rendering process. For those wondering I am planning on around 5 "Sex scenes" in the update, although three of those will be quite brief.

So what do you think? Am I a million miles away from being realistic or am I on the right path? To give you a better idea of where I am right now, I have included 6 renders that I am happy with from the intro section. Thanks!

View attachment 4006560 View attachment 4006564 View attachment 4006566 View attachment 4006570 View attachment 4006577 View attachment 4006579

This question has been asked many many times - here is a quick search you could have done before asking that shows just a few examples:
https://f95zone.to/search/402898388...odes]=1&c[nodes][0]=72&c[title_only]=1&o=date
And it has been answered many many ways by many many people with many many different opinions.

The bottom line is: Your first release should be the length you think it should be.

What I mean is - if you were to find a v0.01.0 release ... what would YOU expect in it. Whatever that expectation is, then make your v0.01.0 that length. Because there is no consensus and there is no right or wrong answer... EXCEPT for one definite wrong answer - never releasing it is always the wrong answer. Always.

 

[17MOONKEYS]

Hello. I am working on a game right now that I intend to release either around Christmas or in the first quater of 2025. I am a total novice at game development and I am learning as I go, so I have something of a game-philosophy question for those with more experience than myself.

How long should a version 0.1 be ideally? Specifically a sandbox/vn game (think something in the style of Something Unlimited, Fashion Buisiness, etc). On the one hand I want to offer new players a meaty experience that will impress and intrigue by showing the game's potential. However I am well aware that I am currently the worst game developer I will ever be and that this update will be filled with flaws and jank. Getting feedback and releasing something sooner rather than later should also be a priority.

Now, there are lots of ways to count length (that's what she said!). Word count, number of choices, etc. I am currently deep into the rendering process of the game and so all my mental estimates are in render count.

I estimate that the first release will have around 350 or so renders. 140-150 will be in the form of an intro cutscene to introduce characters, backstory etc. 200+ will be the game's first playable chapter.

Currently I have made 60 renders that I am happy with, which would put me at around 1/6 of the way through the rendering process. For those wondering I am planning on around 5 "Sex scenes" in the update, although three of those will be quite brief.

So what do you think? Am I a million miles away from being realistic or am I on the right path? To give you a better idea of where I am right now, I have included 6 renders that I am happy with from the intro section. Thanks!

View attachment 4006560 View attachment 4006564 View attachment 4006566 View attachment 4006570 View attachment 4006577 View attachment 4006579

40

 

[IamUnderman]

40

40?

 

[17MOONKEYS]

40?

Man, make a kinetic visual novel, then you will complicate it with a sandbox and choice.
40 renders minimum for an update.

 

[IamUnderman]

Man, make a kinetic visual novel, then you will complicate it with a sandbox and choice.
40 renders minimum for an update.

Ah I see. Well that is literally my plan. Start with a kinetic intro and then give players a teaser of gameplay. I am currently on 60 renders but I am nowhere near anything coherant.

 

[17MOONKEYS]

Hello. I am working on a game right now that I intend to release either around Christmas or in the first quater of 2025. I am a total novice at game development and I am learning as I go, so I have something of a game-philosophy question for those with more experience than myself.

How long should a version 0.1 be ideally? Specifically a sandbox/vn game (think something in the style of Something Unlimited, Fashion Buisiness, etc). On the one hand I want to offer new players a meaty experience that will impress and intrigue by showing the game's potential. However I am well aware that I am currently the worst game developer I will ever be and that this update will be filled with flaws and jank. Getting feedback and releasing something sooner rather than later should also be a priority.

Now, there are lots of ways to count length (that's what she said!). Word count, number of choices, etc. I am currently deep into the rendering process of the game and so all my mental estimates are in render count.

I estimate that the first release will have around 350 or so renders. 140-150 will be in the form of an intro cutscene to introduce characters, backstory etc. 200+ will be the game's first playable chapter.

Currently I have made 60 renders that I am happy with, which would put me at around 1/6 of the way through the rendering process. For those wondering I am planning on around 5 "Sex scenes" in the update, although three of those will be quite brief.

So what do you think? Am I a million miles away from being realistic or am I on the right path? To give you a better idea of where I am right now, I have included 6 renders that I am happy with from the intro section. Thanks!

View attachment 4006560 View attachment 4006564 View attachment 4006566 View attachment 4006570 View attachment 4006577 View attachment 4006579

If you want honest feedback - renders looks like too gray and depressed like arthouse movie.

 

[17MOONKEYS]

Read this

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[IamUnderman]

If you want honest feedback - renders looks like too gray and depressed like arthouse movie.

I do like me an arthouse movie tbf . I agree though, the city setting is a bit bland.

 

[IamUnderman]

Read this

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OMG I remember that from film school. Good suggestion!

 

[AllNatural939]

I'm not going to give my opinion, I'll just say what I did and am doing... So you know what others are doing and you can form your own opinion.
The first version of my game (0.1) had more than 500 renders. Gameplay of almost an hour and a half.
My first update (0.2) had just under 500 images and extra gameplay of just over an hour.
Then came a short update to complete some things and fine-tune some details, that version 0.2b had 103 new images and the menu was completely redone...
In about 2 weeks (approx) I'm going to release the update 0.3 that already has more than 600 images and I'm still rendering more. Extra gameplay of a little over an hour... The first update took 3 months, the one coming now will be after 2 months or a little more in the worst case.

 

[IamUnderman]

I'm not going to give my opinion, I'll just say what I did and am doing... So you know what others are doing and you can form your own opinion.
The first version of my game (0.1) had more than 500 renders. Gameplay of almost an hour and a half.
My first update (0.2) had just under 500 images and extra gameplay of just over an hour.
Then came a short update to complete some things and fine-tune some details, that version 0.2b had 103 new images and the menu was completely redone...
In about 2 weeks (approx) I'm going to release the update 0.3 that already has more than 600 images and I'm still rendering more. Extra gameplay of a little over an hour... The first update took 3 months, the one coming now will be after 2 months or a little more in the worst case.

Interesting. Your plan seems based around pretty hefty updates. How long did the development cycle for 0.2 and 0.3 take compared to 0.1? I am finding long term planning difficult because I am doing so much learning as I go and doing things like finding assets for everything. So I know the future updates will be 'faster' but I don't know by how much.

 

[Saint_RNG]

As AllNatural939 did, here's how I did it so you can make up your own mind.

My first release had around 200 renders and 2000 lines of code (just for the script). It took me just under a month to develop.
v0.2 had around 250 renders for around 2500 lines of code. It took me a month and a half to develop.
I should have the same amount of content for v0.3, which is currently under development for 3 weeks (I try not to exceed 2 months between each release).

 

[AllNatural939]

Interesting. Your plan seems based around pretty hefty updates. How long did the development cycle for 0.2 and 0.3 take compared to 0.1? I am finding long term planning difficult because I am doing so much learning as I go and doing things like finding assets for everything. So I know the future updates will be 'faster' but I don't know by how much.

The development of my first version took about 6 or 7 months... I started from scratch, learning things about DAZ and RenPy as I went along... Learning how to use DAZ wasn't that hard, the hard part was rendering because my computer is a relic not even miraculously made to render a normal scene with three characters on screen at the same time. So I was forced to learn more things about optimization and invent my own tricks... Version 0.2 was a process (as I said) of 3 months. And since I managed to get my hands on Render Queue 3 my speed has increased quite a bit and that's why now after 2 months I'm going to finish version 0.3

EDIT: Oh, and just so you know, my updates aren't really that big compared to others. I know someone who renders over 4000 (yes, over four thousand) images a month, including normal static images and animations. And there are others who release an update with 300 images after 6 months and don't even flinch.

 

[IamUnderman]

The development of my first version took about 6 or 7 months... I started from scratch, learning things about DAZ and RenPy as I went along... Learning how to use DAZ wasn't that hard, the hard part was rendering because my computer is a relic not even miraculously made to render a normal scene with three characters on screen at the same time. So I was forced to learn more things about optimization and invent my own tricks... Version 0.2 was a process (as I said) of 3 months. And since I managed to get my hands on Render Queue 3 my speed has increased quite a bit and that's why now after 2 months I'm going to finish version 0.3

EDIT: Oh, and just so you know, my updates aren't really that big compared to others. I know someone who renders over 4000 (yes, over four thousand) images a month, including normal static images and animations. And there are others who release an update with 300 images after 6 months and don't even flinch.

Sounds like my process is starting out similar to yours. I have the luxury of having a powerful (but far from exceptional) pc however I have no coding background either meaning I am learning Python/Ren'py from scratch. Thanks for the perspective, it is appreciated.

 

[letsgethappy]

What is the goal?
To release the first version of the game together with patreon and subscribestar in order to receive a small subsidy with further development?
Or just release the first version of the game to get feedback as early as possible?
I have no idea about the first point, but about the second: If it's okay with you, you are the only real benchmark when it comes to making decisions about the game. And if you're not only a dev but also a user of games here, you probably have an idea of when a release is right or too early.
For me it's a bit like books.
If the first 5 pages are boring, I no longer expect that everything will be really exciting from page 50 onwards.
It's exactly the same with games.
If the game is boring from the start, for whatever reason, and I don't feel like playing any further, that's it.

To get back to the point:
It's not about the number of renders, it's about the fact that I want to keep playing.
Nothing else matters.

 

[MissFortune]

For me it's a bit like books.
If the first 5 pages are boring, I no longer expect that everything will be really exciting from page 50 onwards.

That's a pretty rough example, though. Books are rarely ever going to be super entertaining from the jump, not to mention 5 pages. You have to build the world and characters. You have to get the who, where, when, and why of the story to the reader. You have to get the reader invested in the story, the MC's motivations and, depending on the type of story, flaws. The concept of slow burn stories bury this logic even further.

VNs are similar to books in that way, however. You have to world build, you have to character build, and you have to give the character(s) or story a reason to exist. Just as you would in a book.

 

[letsgethappy]

The fact that the first pages of a book or the first minutes of a game determine whether it is worth spending more time on is certainly not a general principle. But definitely my approach.
For sure it is true that "you have to build the world and characters. You have to get the who, where, when, and why of the story to the reader." I see it that way too.
Nevertheless, in my experience, I am either tied up right away or never.

Even if the action doesn't start until page 370, good writers captivate you from the first page.
But that's my opinion, I didn't want to start any philosophical discussions here. Just my 2 Cent so to say.

 

[Winterfire]

Meaningless question, "renders" is not a metric. Wordcount is, because you can quantify and estimate the length of a playthrough thanks to the average reading speed (which you can round up to 300 wpm).
Taking that into account, you don't want your game to be so short that they'll waste more time downloading your game than actually playing it, past that stage, it only depends on your game, so a general answer will never work.

 

[668 Neighbor of the Beast]

Ok, so not a professional in this area at all, just my 2c worth so take it as you will. This is more aimed at follow up releases than the initial so please forgive me for digressing.
I believe that exposure is something to be considered here, the more frequently you release updates the more often your game will be seen at the top of the thread so, unless you've got something special enough to gain a lot of attention from the onset, you stand a better chance of picking up more readers as you go. However, as previously mentioned, you don't want to be releasing tiny updates as your likely to just annoy your followers. I guess it's just a case of finding an acceptable balance.
As for the initial release, personally I like something I can get invested in, enough to get me on the hook to make me want to come back. The shorter it is the easier it is to forget.