#otome dev

I'm happy to announce that we've been approved for an otome-oriented festival on Steam in May. This will be a great time for otome fans to get discounted otome, try out demos, find new otome to follow, and more.

If you're an otome developer, you can submit your game to be included in the event. Developer sign-ups are open until March 7th!

As some of you already saw on our server, we have the 2026 pages for Otome & Josei Jam ready!

Special thanks to

@transparentgames for sponsoring the Otome Jam banner and Asobinge for drawing it! Bobbert for drawing the thumbnail art and our new server icon! @calnite for making the logo and graphic assets, drawing the Josei Jam banner and making our pages look fancier this year!

And YUKIREI for providing a Russian translation for this year!

Things are still being set up, and if you catch any errors or jam rule breakers ahead of time, please report them on our server!

Meet & Greet Dates

Just like the year before, the first M&G will be on the 12th April, 8 AM EST, on the Otome Dev server! The second M&G, 18th April, 2 PM EST, will be on Devtalk, our yearly collaborator and server for game dev with a narrative focus!

So go ahead, join in, bookmark and plan!

Wanna make a visual novel? Or maybe you've seen games like Our Life, Blooming Panic, Doki Doki Literature Club, etc. and wanna make something like that? Good news, here's a very basic beginners guide on how to get started in renpy and what you need to know going in! Before you start, I highly recommend looking at my last post about writing a script for renpy just to make it easier on you!

LONG POST AHEAD

Obviously, our first step is downloading it from their website

thankfully, its right on the home page of their site. Follow basica program installation steps and run the program. I highly recommend pinning it to your task bar to make it easier to access.

From there, you're met with the renpy app, it's a little daunting at first but let's talk about what all these buttons are for.

Projects

This part is simple, it just lists the current projects in the chosen directory. You probably won't have any in there of your own. You should still see Tutorial and The Question!

Both of those default projects are super helpful in their own ways, i highly recommend testing out the tutorial and playing around with it just to get comfortable with some of the basics.

Create New Project

The first step to actually making your game into a game!

You'll be met with a prompt letting you know that the project is being made in English and that you can change it. You can click Continue.

From here, you'll be asked to input a project name! Put in your games title, or even a placeholder title since this Information can be changed later! (this is also the title the folder will be in your file browser, be sure to name it something you won't overlook)

Now we get to choose our resolution!

If you have no idea what to choose, go for 1920x1080! This is the standard size for most computer monitors and laptops, but it will still display with moderately decent quality on 4k monitors too!

You can choose 3840x2160 as well. This is 2x the measurements of the default, with the same ration. These dimensions are considered 4k. Keep in mind, your image files will be bigger and can cause the game to have a larger size to download.

Now we get to choose our color scheme!

Renpy has some simple default options with the 'light mode' colors being the bottom two rows, and the 'dark mode' colors being the toop two rows.

You can pick anything here, but I like to choose something that matches my projects vibes/colors better. Mostly because depending on how in depth you go with the ui, it minimizes the amount of changes I need to make later.

Click continue and give it a minute. Note: If it says "not responding" wait a moment without clicking anything. It can sometimes freeze briefly during the process.

Now we should be back at our home screen, with our new project showing. Let's talk about allll that stuff on the right now.

Open Directory

This just opens that particular folder in your local file explorer!

game - is all the game files, so your folders for images, audio, saves, and your game files like your script, screens, and more.

base - this is the folder that the game folder is inside of. You can also find the errors and log txt files in here.

images - takes you to your main images folder. This is where you wanna put all of your NON gui images, like your sprites, backgrounds, and CGs. You can create folders inside of this and still call them in the script later. EX: a folder for backgrounds , a folder for sprites for character a, a seperate folder for spirtes for character b, etc.

audio - Takes you to the default audio folder. This is empty, but you can put all your music and sound effects here!

gui - brings up the folder containing all of the default renpy gui. It's a good place to start/ reference for sizes if you want to hand draw your UI pieces like your text box!

Edit File

Simple enough, this is just where you can open your code files in whatever text/code editor you have installed.

Script.rpy - where all of your story and characters live. This is the file you'll spend most of your time in at first

Options.rpy - Contains mostly simple information, like project name and version. There aren't a ton of things in here you need to look at. There is also some lines of code that help 'archive' certain files by file type so that they can't be seen by players digging in code however. Fun if you want to hide some images in there for later or if you just dont want someone seeing how messy your files are. We've all been there

Gui.rpy - where all of the easy customization happens. Here you can change font colors, hover colors, fonts, font sizes, and then the alignment and placement of all of your text! Like your dialogue and names, the height of text buttons, etc. It more or less sets the defaults for a lot of these unless you choose to change them later.

Screens.rpy - undeniably my favorite, this is where all of the UI is laid out for the different screens in your game, like the main menu, game menu, quick menu, choice menu, etc. You can add custom screens too if you want, but I always make my own seperate file for these.

Open Project - this just opens all of those files at once in the code editor. Super handy if you make extra files like I do for certain things.

Actions

last but not least, our actions.

Navigate Script - This feature is underrated in my honest opinion, it's super handy for help debugging! In renpy you can comment with # before a line. However, if you do #TODO and type something after it, it saves it as a note! You can view these TODO's here as well as easily navigate to when certain screens are called, where different labels are (super great if your game is long, and more. It saves some scrolling.

Check Script (Lint) - also super duper handy for debugging some basic things. It also tells you your word count! But its handy for letting you know about some errors that might throw up. I like using it to look for sprites I may or may not have mispelled, because they show up in there too.

Change/Update GUI - Nifty, though once you start customizing GUI on your own, it isn't as useful. You can reset the project at any point and regenerate the image files here. This updates all those defaults we talked about earlier.

Delete Persistent - this just helps you delete any persistent data between play throughs on your end. I like to use it when making a lot of changes while testing the game, so that I can reboot the game fresh.

Force Recompile - Full disclosure, as many games as I've made and as long as I've been using Renpy, i have never used this feature. I searched to see what it does and this is the general consesus: Normally renpy tries to be smart about compiling code (creating .rpyc files) and only compiles .rpy files with changes. This is to speed up the process since compiling takes time. Sometimes you can make changes that renpy don't pick up on and therefore won't recompile. In these cases you can run force recompile to force it. Another solution (if you know what file is affected) is to delete that specific. rpyc file.

The rest of your options on this right hand side are how you make executable builds for your game that people can download to extract and play later!

A visual novel/RPG hybrid; manage your time every night to survive as a new vampire in 1950s Hong Kong, grow your skills and gain allies.

🎲 Roll the dice

🩸 Use your abilities wisely

🦇 Feed to survive & avoid suspicion

💕 Make allies, friends and more

Play the demo on itch.io! Wishlist on steam:

My Otome Jam project is a psychological/drama/romance visual novel about a sweet marriage that slowly rots into a nightmare. Try to navigate a rocky relationship with your husband and unravel the mysteries surrounding him over the course of seven days. You can play it here!

My Monster Garden - Looking for Co-writer!

Hey all! As some of you may know, I’m currently solo developing "My Monster Garden" - a cozy Visual Novel about growing and bonding with monster-plant guys. A demo is already out on Itch! 

The full game is coming along nicely, the coding is done for the most part (I expect some bug fixes), the art is also nearly done. But the writing...

As much as I love working on this, writing the longer relationship/bonding scenes currently stalls me. So I decided to try find a co-writer who loves monster men as much as I do! Perhaps someone can help me tackle the 'meatier' dialogue scenes for the upcoming plants. (And if we vibe well, also for other projects in future?)

What this looks like:

Age Limit: Applicants must be 24+ (ideally closer to my age, 30s). This game features mature content/themes and I am looking for a creative peer to collaborate closely with. Thank you for understanding!  

Payment: This is a paid, milestone-by-milestone gig. I intend to pay a flat fee per plant for around 3.5k–4.5k words.

Creative Direction: The plants designs and personalities are predefined by me, but you would have some freedoms in deciding how their scenes progress. I will ask for edits/edit them myself if something doesn't quite fit the character - please make sure you are okay with this.

Pacing: You must be able to complete writing in a timely manner, within a month ideally for one milestone/plant. I do want to try get the full game out sooner rather than later.

Most importantly, I'd love to find someone I can vibe, chat, and plot about monster guys with!

If you’re interested, please fill out this quick Google Form! Also feel free to message me if you have any questions. :)

[LHA Route ② / When “Run Away” is selected]

※下に日本語バージョンど開発ブログが続きます！

The night I clearly stated I wanted to return to Earth, I was summoned to LHA's room.

He sat me on the bed and straddled me. Before I could react to his sudden action, I noticed the dull gleam of a knife in his hand.

You: “Huh…!”

LHA looked down at me with an absolutely unreadable smile and brought that knife close to my throat.

You: “…!!”

LHA: "Why leave? We were so close. You're going to abandon me?"

Each time the flat edge of the knife lightly tapped my cheek, terror froze my body. LHA must be furious… That's why he's going to kill me… Yes, I understood in an instant.

LHA: “Well, whatever.”

The blade I braced for to stab me swiftly withdrew from my neck.

You: “…LHA, are you angry…? Are you going to kill me…? Hurt me?”

When I asked, trembling, he tilted his head, looking puzzled.

LHA: "I'm not angry at all. I just thought I needed to do something if you wanted to go back. Besides, I'm your lover. There's no way I'd kill you."

After saying that, LHA gently pressed his lips to yours and whispered.

LHA: “…So I thought of my own way. A way to make sure you absolutely can't leave here.”

“I won't kill you.” Though you felt a momentary relief at those words and the tender kiss, LHA brought the knife he held close to his own throat.

You: “Wh-what are you doing!? That’s dangerous…!”

A sudden, unpleasant premonition made me frantically grab his knife-wielding hand.

LHA: "You always worry about me like this. I've told you countless times. We aren't human. Unless something extraordinary happens, we can't die. There's no way I'd die over some human toy like this. The wound will just regenerate and heal back to normal."

You: “But I hate seeing LHA hurt.”

LHA: “Wounds? I feel no pain. Or is it because it looks unpleasant?”

You: “…No, that's not it. Even so, that act is self-harm to humans. …So please stop. I'll make you sweets or anything. Please.”

LHA: “…Then don't leave me.”

LHA's expressionless eyes wavered for just an instant.

LHA: “If ‘hurt’ applies to the heart too, losing you would hurt me more. Thinking that… makes my chest ache. Heal me."

You: “…”

LHA's earnest words pierced deep into my chest too. He truly cherishes me…

Thinking that, guilt and regret choked my throat. …Even so, I wanted to return to the world I came from.

As I couldn't bring myself to nod at LHA's words, he let out a small sigh, then looked down at me again with that cold, indifferent gaze.

LHA: "…ha, yeah. Fine. Trying to appeal to your emotions? I guess I'm pretty stupid too. …Alright, let's get down to business."

LHA released gently my hand, then swiftly thrust a knife into his own tongue.

You: “U-…!?”

LHA: "As I said before. Our bodies possess self-repair mechanisms at the nano level. Even if organs are damaged, they regenerate based on structural information. We evolved this way to adapt to the planet. Based on that premise, my hypothesis is… If we completely replaced your organs with mine… or succeeded in fusing them… couldn't you become a spider too?"

You: “…!!!”

LHA: "You need our kiss to stay on this planet, right? That means our bodily fluids are mixing inside you, showing signs of adaptation. So I don't think my hypothesis is entirely wrong."

You: “Wait, LHA, what—”

I couldn't understand half of what he said, but spitting out blood-tinged foam, LHA pressed me down with an almost ecstatic expression and forced his crimson lips onto mine. His tongue violated my mouth, as if trying to pour his own blood inside.

LHA: "Taste my blood? …How is it? Hey, what's it like? Feels good? I feel incredible right now…!! Like we're becoming one. …Ah, I want to mix with you more."

The metallic stench made me nauseous. Bitter and painful… Yet LHA showed no sign of stopping, praying my resisting mouth open with his fingers.

LHA: “Ah… See? Drink more, more? ***, my wounds heal instantly, so hurry.”

You: “Guh… Guh…!!”

The instant I tried to close my mouth, his thumb pushed deeper into my throat, and the terror of drowning in his blood raced through my entire body.

LHA: "We should have done this from the start. Give up being human. Become my true mate. Spend your life on this planet. With me. …Well, feeble humans are kinda cute, I suppose? Fine. If you absolutely must go back."

He narrowed his eyes, stroked my cheek, then kissed me again with his red tongue. Then he couldn't hold back and laughed

LHA: "…Hey, how exactly did you plan to get back? Did you think you could just go back without any basis? Did you think we or Lord Yakumo would allow it? Or… did someone give you some unnecessary advice? Tell me, for reference."

You: “…”

LHA: "You're foolish and fragile and incredibly cute… If the compatibility surgery failed and only you died, I'd be sad. That's why I want to treat you as gently as possible. If you wish… If you want to remain human… Say it.”

He leaned close and whispered.

LHA: “‘Because I love you, I won’t go back.’ Say it!ahaha…ahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!”

And then he laughed.

[羽波ルート ② /地球に帰ると選択した場合]

地球に帰りたい、と明確に伝えた日の晩、 羽波の部屋に呼ばれました。

ベットに座らされ、彼が私に跨ります。 突然の彼の行動に驚く間もなく、彼の手に光る鈍色のナイフに気づきました。

あなた「え…っ！」

羽波は感情の全く読めないほほ笑みで私を見下ろすと、そのナイフを私の首筋に近づけました。

あなた「ひっ…」

羽波「なんで帰るの？僕たち、あんなに仲良かったのに。 僕のことおいて、出て行っちゃうんだー」

ナイフの背で頬を軽くたたかれるたび、恐怖で体がこわばります。 羽波はきっと怒ってるんだ…だから私を殺すんだ…。 そう、瞬時に悟りました。

羽波「まあいいよ」

彼に刺されると警戒していたナイフは、すぐに首元から離れました。

あなた「…羽波、怒ってる…？私のこと、殺す…？痛いことする？」

震えながら訪ねると、彼は不思議そうに首をかしげました。

羽波「怒ってないよ。君が帰りたいっていうんだったら、対策をしなきゃなって思ってるだけ。 それに、僕は君の恋人なんだから、殺すわけないじゃん」

羽波はそういって、私の唇にそっと口づけ、続けてささやきました。

羽波「…だから僕なりに考えたんだ。君を絶対にここから出さなくする方法」

「殺しはしない」、その言葉と優しい口づけにほっとしたのも束の間、 羽波は持っていたナイフを、今度は自分の首元に近づけたのです。

あなた「な、なにしてるの！？危ないよ…！」

一瞬浮かんだ嫌な予感に、慌ててナイフが握られている彼の手をとります。

羽波「君は毎回そうやって僕を心配してくれるね。何度も言ったじゃん。僕らは人間じゃないし、特殊な状況じゃない限りは死ねないんだよ。 こんな人間用のおもちゃじゃ僕は死なない。 切ったところがまた再生して、元通りになるだけだって。」

あなた「でも、羽波が傷つくのを見るのが嫌なの」

羽波「傷つく？僕には痛覚もない。それとも、気持ち悪いから？」

あなた「…違うよ、それでも。その行為は人間にとっては自傷行為だから。…だからやめてほしいの。甘いものでもなんでも作るから。お願い」

羽波「…じゃあ、帰らないでよ」

感情の起伏が乏しい羽波の目が、一瞬だけ揺れました。

羽波「傷つくっていうのが心にもあてはめられるなら、僕は君がいなくなる方が傷つく。そう思うと…胸が痛い。 治してよ、ねえ」

あなた「…。」

羽波の切実な言葉が、私の胸にも深く刺さりました。 彼は本当に私のことを好きでいてくれているんだ…。

そう思うと、罪悪感と、申し訳なさでいっぱいになります。 …それでも、私は自分の元居た世界に帰りたい。

羽波の言葉にうなずけずにいると、彼は小さくため息をし、 またあの冷淡な目つきで見下ろしました。

羽波「…まあ、そうだよね。別にいいよ。 僕が感情に訴えるなんて馬鹿みたいだな。 …さぁ、本題にいこっか」

羽波は私の手を優しくほどくと、そのままナイフで一気に自分の舌を突き刺します。

あなた「う-…！！」

羽波「さっきも言ったよね。僕たちの身体は、ナノレベルで自己修復機構を持っている。 臓器を損傷しても、構造情報に基づいて再生される。 僕たちの星に適応するために、そうやって進化を遂げてきた。 それを前提に仮説を唱えるとしたら… 君の臓器と僕の臓器を丸ごと交換したら…あるいは、うまく適合させたら…君も蜘蛛になれるんじゃない？」

あなた「…っ！！」

羽波「君はこの星にとどまるために、僕たちのキスが必要だよね。 それって僕らの体液が君の中で溶け込んで、一定の適応をみせているんだよ。だったら、僕の仮説はあながち間違いじゃないと思うんだ」

あなた「まって、…羽波、っ…」

彼の言葉を半分も理解できずにいるのに、 羽波は血の泡をはきながら、それでもどこか恍惚な表情で私を押し倒すと、強引にその真っ赤な唇で迫ってきました。 彼の舌が、まるで自身の血をねじ込むように口内を犯します。

羽波「試しに僕の血を飲んでみて？…どう？ねえ、どんな気分？気持ちいい？僕は今すごく気持ちいいよ。 君と一つになった気分。…ああ、もっともっと君とまじりあいたい。」

鉄の嫌な臭いと味に、思わず吐き気がします。 苦い、苦しい…それなのに、羽波はやめようとはせず、拒む私の口を無理やり指でこじあけてきます。

羽波「あー…ほら、もっともっと飲んで？***、僕の傷、すぐ再生されちゃうから、早く」

あなた「ごほ…ぐふっ…」

閉じようとすると、彼の親指が喉奥をさらに刺激し、彼の血で溺死してしまう恐怖を抱きました。

羽波「最初からこうしてあげればよかったんだ。人間なんかやめちゃって、僕たち真のツガイになろうよ。 この星で一生過ごしてよ。僕とさ。 …まあ、か弱い人間の君もとってもかわいいんだけどね？仕方ないよね。君が帰るっていうなら」

彼は目を細めて、私の頬をなでると、もう一度赤い舌で私にキス落とし、ククク…と抑えきれないように笑い出しました。

羽波「…そもそもさあ、どうやって帰る気だったの？ 根拠もなく帰れるとでもおもったの？ 僕らや、八雲様が許すとでも？それとも…君にいらない知恵を貸したやつでもいるのかな。 参考までに教えてよ」

あなた「……」

LHA「君は愚かで、か弱くて、すごくかわいいよ…。僕の*** 君と僕の適合手術がもし失敗に終わって、君だけ死んじゃったら悲しいから、なるべく穏便に済ませたいんだ。 君が人間でいたいならさあ、わかるでしょ？君の口で言ってよ」

LHA「”僕を愛しているから、帰りません”ってさ。あはは、あははははははははははははははははははははははははっ！！！！！！！」

Games: Itch.io Asks: open!

Contact: [email protected]