Monster Loven

Itch.Io Link: https://theburkester.itch.io/monster-loven

Monster Loven is a short dating sim made in RPG Maker MV. The player falls into the world of monsters, and is saved by a large bird monster named Avery. The two go on multiple outings (Dates) together, and depending on how well these outings go, you get a different ending. The game consists of five sections; an introduction and ending, and three dates in the middle. Avery speaks to you and your responses dictate how the date goes.

The game was made for our third university unit, 'Production for Clients', a unit in which the class was given a list of fictional clients and their requests, and could then form groups or work solo to create a game or experience that fit said request. This group was working for the fictional client "Love," whos request was: 'Create a game about dating, or romance, or love in some way.'

From this, we intended to create a "monster dating visual novel" in which the monster was an actual monster, and not a humanised/humanoid one. Each designer was responsible for writing one date each, and the introduction and ending was written initially by myself with final consolidation from the other team members. The overall writing process was quite smooth. Since we didn't know how RPG Maker fared with source control software for multiple people, the other writers instead sent me their dates and dialogue choices, and they were recreated in RPG Maker, with minor tweaks in order to ensure that they fit the overall style and restrictions of RPG Maker. The process was otherwise pretty smooth, and allowed each of us to be creative and expressive in the way that we wrote each date, with their tones and activities being different enough for each of us to not write something that feels the same, but with enough cohesion that the overall narrative doesn't fall apart.

Avery was written to be arrogant and pompous, yet protective and charming at the same time. Across the three dates that the player can have with him, consideration was given to ensure that Avery was a character himself, and not simply a series of variables and lines of dialogue that determined how well arbitrary events went. We attempted to capture his character across all three dates, trying to show the duality of both his more playful and flirtatious side, contrasting with his more serious and protective side.

The project overall turned out pretty well. You can find it hosted on itch.io using the link below.