Ask!

[Aura]

Well perhaps you are not the right person to ask but why did hanako's route end so fast? I mean the ending scene is REALLY good but i feel like there should be more, as we never even got to see them grow. (Sorry my writing im on my phone)

All stories must end at some point, and the writers felt it was what they wanted to do.

[Aura]

Apologies if any of these have already been asked:

1. How have the devs found settling back into "normal" life after the game's release? I imagine that finishing something that you've been working on for something like 20 hours a week (according to cpl_crud's blog) for 5 years must leave a pretty huge gap, even if it's a welcome one;

2. How many times has the full KS game been downloaded from the website?

1. Well, it was strange at first, but we got over it, everyone in their own way. Of course some of us spent a lot of time with the aftermath of the release, so it was a kind of an extension for the involvement with KS (and am I not, even now, reading and writing on the KS fan forum?). Mostly though, it's a restless emptiness that we all fill with whatever we want to do next. Life goes on.

2. We don't track that, so I can only give estimates. I'd say 300 000-400 000 downloads in total might about the correct ballpark, but of course it's not possible to know for real.

[Aura]

Did the team ever facing any heavy debate or really heated up situation among devs when making KS (regarding writing, visual translation or correction)? Did the team ever suffer bad times because of it? (leaving dev, slower progression, stop communicating, etc)

Assuming you answer yes, how does the team handle such kind of situations? On that time, were the team tend to get along as solid as they can or (some) were fine with cold interaction (we don't need to be lovey dovey partner, as long as you done with your works)?

Are there any story related that can be shared (for our learning) to us?

Sure, we argued and fought every now and then, sometimes even pretty seriously. That shouldn't be a surprise. We resolved stuff like that by having other members arbitrate and negotiate, and trying to keep in mind that the project was more important than personal disputes. Generally it was fine if some people didn't get along, as it would be pretty unlikely in such a big group of random people for everyone to get along with everyone. After all, most people got along with most people quite well, and we befriended each other and solidified into a team, not just people who worked together. Both professionalism and good interpersonal relationships are good, and not mutually exclusive (and not even opposites)

[Camoufrage]

This just came up while reading some threads...

Where did 4Leaf Studios name come from, anyways?

[Waytfm]

I think I can answer this without summoning the wrath of the devs, since it seems to be fairly common knowledge. 4LeafStudios is a homage to 4chan, where the project originated.

[Camoufrage]

I think I can answer this without summoning the wrath of the devs, since it seems to be fairly common knowledge. 4LeafStudios is a homage to 4chan, where the project originated.

I just got that about 5 seconds after I posted it LOL

[Tununias]

Who held the source files of the game during production? Or did everyone have a copy in order to prevent the project from dieing if the person quit?
Who made the character sprites. I don't think I've seen anything like it before.

[dwarduk]

Who held the source files of the game during production? Or did everyone have a copy in order to prevent the project from dieing if the person quit?
Who made the character sprites. I don't think I've seen anything like it before.

Did 4ls use SVN or similar? If so, would you recommend it?

[Aura]

Who held the source files of the game during production? Or did everyone have a copy in order to prevent the project from dieing if the person quit?
Who made the character sprites. I don't think I've seen anything like it before.

Our server did. We used a version control system on the development version of the game, that stored a "master" copy of KS on our server and kept everyone's working copy of KS and itself in sync. In addition we have a ftp server that we used as a storage for development files, game assets, reference files, work files such as .psds and all other kinds of crap (seriously at some point someone uploaded 300MB of photos of those creepy dollfies on the ftp, and I remember purging over 1Gb of porn doujins from there at some point)

The sprites were made by the artists, of course. Moekki, Raide, Weee and Kamifish made a majority of them, and also worth mentioning is gebyy's contribution to KS, the design and sprites of Kenji, Nurse, Nomiya and Sae.

EDIT: I just checked and what the fuck those doll pictures are still there. Also, our digital inventory holds items such as:

- a digital edition of David Kushner's the Masters of Doom
- a chart of average Japanese body measure statistics
- a pdf of a Wired article about the information technology guru Ted Nelson
- erotic anime style fanart of KS developers (!)
- a copy of the demo of the visual novel Mahotsukai no Yoru
- a copy of the turn based bullet hell shooter Raidaa no Asahi
- tons of resources on how to draw celtic knot designs
- a picture of a moe anthropomorphication of the space shuttle Endeavour
- crud's vacation photos from Japan
- a picture of a chibified Lisianthus from Shuffle!
- a mp3 mix of the songs "Naraku no Hana" by Eiko Shimamiya and "No Diggity" by Blackstreet feat Dr. Dre
- a field report from the 4LS Black Ops operative (this is an actual position in 4LS) of his infiltration mission to a hipster gamer community festival.
- a video of KS that has been manipulated and sped up so it appears that Lilly is stroking her humongous, invisible penis with her hands
and much more. I guarantee all of these were necessary for making KS.

Also, to above poster, I'd say that a VCS such as SVN is pretty much a requirement for a project like this. It was invaluable for us.

[themocaw]

- a video of KS that has been manipulated and sped up so it appears that Lilly is stroking her humongous, invisible penis with her hands

Oh come on. Seriously?

[Brogurt]

Oh come on. Seriously?

Yeah, I know, right? These people have a lot of nerve to taunt us with these things and then keep it all to themselves.

[Camoufrage]

- erotic anime style fanart of KS developers (!)

Now here's a legit question...

CAN WE SEE THIS SHIT!?!?!?

[Pseudogenesis]

- erotic anime style fanart of KS developers (!)

Now here's a legit question...

CAN WE SEE THIS SHIT!?!?!?

I would pay infinite moneys.

[Between3and20]

I know why it impacted people so much, Aura. Or at least I have a theory. That's good enough for me.

To put it bluntly, people came for foot jobs and cripple fucking. That much we know is obvious. But imagine I gave you a cake I said was plain and had no flavor and only purpose was to fill your stomach.

You bite it them BAM-

OREO ICE CREAM

You're like

Aura:lolomg yu liad to me
And I look at you and Kanye shrug.

Like when I finished Emi's route first, I realized it wasn't a fuel for fetishes, but I kept playing because I was generally curious. ''What if I had picked other choices?'' In my opinion people generally started using it as a dating sim. It wasn't about the story. It was about the choices. The fact that they weren't Yes or No questions. Just the fact that it was obvious the questions tuned into different personalities(Ask about Shizunes deafness...whywouldyouaskthat). I don't think there were wrong choices, just two people who in the end weren't meant for each other.

I finished Hanakos route, and I was left in mass introspection. I didn't get feels. My mind was smacked. In Hanakos route, and in almost all routes but hers especially, Hisao wants to save her. And honestly I did too. I wanted to save her so bad, and even said to myself I couldn't play other routes knowing she would probably off herself in the future. That was seriously my mind set. Then here comes the end, and suddenly what she says about her only giving in and having sex with Hisao because it's what he wants, and hopes that he can see her in a new light, as someone who doesn't need to be protected. As someone equal. I re read all her past scenes and it could have been interpreted that way, it just wasn't how I saw it. It tore my brain. All I was left to do was watch Hisao make up with her as Innocence played and the happiest ending to the story ever happened. I loved how it left up to interpretation.

I then realized I treated my girlfriend the same way. I treated her like a china doll (she said this herself). She was beat bloody by her father and touched on the wall by some classmate ( who I thought was a friend of mine) and another kid (who I almost beat up when I have never done that in my life). After going to court and therapy many times she was very insecure and mentally unstable. And instead of treating her like an equal and letting her know I'm always here for support when she needs/asks me, I shoved and forced my ''help'' down her throat. She grew to love me because I was the only one who cares and loved her, but at times she didn't like being treated as such. I could tell. So after finishing Hanakos route I immediately apologized about it (very long apology; wont go in detail) and she said she forgave me because ''she understood I cared and I just did what I thought was best for her (even though I'm not her parent so it should be her decision)''. So her and Hanako are alike. Just in Hanakos case, she understood Hisao cared, but after many years of unequal treatment she just wouldn't stand for it, or she just accepted it.



So yeah my question is, Rins ending had a tint of your morals, correct?

Reading a few past post of yours I can see you have that ''self accepted'' attitude, or just a general acceptance attitude to begin with. My favorite quote from her was about her saying it was alright to be her. That's a trait a lot of people lack, so that's why many people felt touched. If I'm right about that trait of yours, nice. I respect that.

EDIT:cpl_crud, Nice job on the Hanako route, if I'm not mistaken. It was a great read

[Pseudogenesis]

To put it bluntly, people came for foot jobs and cripple fucking. That much we know is obvious.

Let's be honest, who actually came to KS for that? 0.o I came for the feels, stayed for the feels.