My Love -- v. 1.1 Custom Story

[graykin]

Okay, I've finally played the final version!

Spoiler below!

Well, that wasn't bad! Not bad at all, a rather refreshing kind of custom story here!
Still, I feel I need to point out something I was somewhat disappointed with, since it revolves around my voice acting For my opinion about the mod itself, please go to the paragraph bellow.
First, I am probably the one to blame for that (and/or my microphone), the volume of some of my lines was really low and if it wasn't for the text (or the fact I already knew some of them by heart ) I wouldn't have been able to understand them. I probably should have increased the volume of my takes with audacity.
Now, the disappointment was the second scene, the one where Mr Krentin argues with Samuel during the ball. I don't remember if you actually sent me Cry's line for that scene, so I could act mines according to his reactions, but, as it is now, the scene simply doesn't work for me, I'm sorry . There is just too much of a contrast between Samuel yelling and his father reacting like if almost nothing was happening, it felt odd and almost wrong to me (something that I didn't feel with any other scene, kuddos to the voice actors and actress!) It's a bit of a shame because on the first take I did of that scene, I was going with a bit of "over acting and yelling", and I think it might have worked better that way since the conversation would have seemed more natural. I actually wanted to put that first take on the commentaries, but completely forgot to do so, is there any problem if I post it in here?
By the way, you also removed the slap on that scene! Dang it, I really wanted to play the evil father who slaps Cry, hahaha!
Well, that was my only concern, sorry if I'm bringing that up, I'm just a bit over perfectionist and I think that, at the end of the day, my voice acting didn't do justice to your work ^^"

As for the mod and story itself, well, first of all, great work to all the voice actors (though, note to self: never again will I try to fake a British accent when English is my third tongue x_X As any voice actor who hears for the first time his "work", I thought it was horrendous and that I destroyed the atmosphere all by myself)! This would sound completely random, but at some moments when Cry was yelling, I thought I could hear the voice actor of Prince Zuko, from the Last Airbender!...Ok, end of the "fanboyism"
I really really really enjoyed the use of the music. If you watch my LP of it (when I'll post it), you'll see how at a moment I point out the use of Pan's Labyrinth soundtrack. I don't know if you did it on purpose, but when Samuel and Mary are crawling in the mud tunnel, at the beginning of the custom story, Mary starts complaining about trashing her robe (or something similar). I automatically thought of Ofelia crawling in the underground tunnel, near the tree, to fight the frog. And then I realized you were using the soundtrack of Pan's Labyrinth, more precisely the track used in the scene where Ofelia opens the Faun's book for the first time, and see the shape of the tree being drawn. I really don't know if you did it on purpose, but I thought "oh, clever!"...Plus you quoted Lovecraft right from the beginning and my master's thesis dealt with Lovecraft and...Pan's Labyrinth, among other things, hahaha!
I can't really have an objective view on the story. First because I already knew the plot, all the twists, cliffhangers and other things (though I had to look around to unlock the second ending!). Plus, romantic plots are among the last things that can really touch me unless if it's done like a maestro, so I will simply say that this mod is a piece of fresh air in the middle of all the jumpscare mods. Did you change the ending by the way? I don't remember about Samuel being trapped in a prison cell before all the surroundings start burning.
By the way, for a story "not supposed to be scary", I got one or two jump scares ...
There is still the problem of the level design. I did found some places oddly big, and a bit boring in terms of lightning and such. It is not the main objectives of the mod, but I wanted to point it out.
I found myself somewhat lost sometimes also, and running a bit in circles in the maps (not for too long though), so some quest objectives would have been helpful.

Well, I think that will be all. Any plans for the future? Another custom story?

EDIT: just checked the "bonus section",

Spoiler below!

I don't believe your voice was terrible at all--maybe a bit mismatched with your French accent amongst the American accents, but I thought you did a solid job of portraying a rich, arrogant lawyer who expects his son to obey his wishes. Howard Krentin, when he was arguing with his son in the dance hall, was trying to maintain an air of calm and dignity with the "crowded" room of onlookers being present, which is why he refrained from yelling back when Sam started losing control. Howard is a man all about control--whether it be controlling his emotions, or someone else's life if the need arises--which is why Howard didn't start losing his temper until Sam openly defied him by calling him a bastard. I tend to be my own worst critic--ever since I started working on this project I've been second-guessing every design choice I've made, and every flaw I've overlooked. It could very well be that you're your own worst critic as well.

As for the slapping thing...well, I just decided that it might be a bit unnecessary to include that. If I do another project, I'll make sure you get a chance to eat some babies to apologize for your lack of evil-ness as Howie.

The Pan's Labyrinth music thing was a total coincidence, but now I wish I had actually thought of that! Sometimes, I amaze even myself with the things I unintentionally pull off . Pan's Labyrinth, by the way, is one of my VERY favorite movies, which was the primary reason why I used its soundtrack...besides the fact that the orchestral music just fit so well.

Yeah, the prison scene had been in the script from the start. I guess someone just kinda glossed over the very last page in that script.

As for any future projects...that's kind of in the air at the moment. I've had ideas percolating in my brain for some time now (and they're moderately well-developed, I might add), but I have nothing on paper. I'm afraid I'm going to be overly-ambitious, so I'm going to take the development process slowly before making ANY formal announcements.

I've also been deliberating whether or not I will be waiting for the HPL3 engine--which could mean a year or two of sitting on my hands--in order to pull it off, or if I would even move on to a different engine altogether. I just don't know at this time.

What I will say for sure is this: the next project will be more along the lines of your average Custom Story--it would not be lacking in plot, but it would definitely be a "dodging monsters whilst opening doors with crowbars" kind of thing.