I + U 4-Ever!

Concept origins:

This is a rather old concept of mine. I think the roots of it were this idea I had for a game that is VERY similar to what "MiSide" has now done. Except it wouldn't have all these different versions of Mita, and instead there would've been one character named "Sylvi". This game would've played out in a similar manner to the famous "Monika After Story" mod for DDLC.

Anyway, that idea evolved more after a post from someone who I used to get along with (Though we had a falling-out over some stuff which I've mentioned in another post of mine. I have no idea if I should @ them here just to try and clear the air between us. Like, I did fuck up a bit, soooo...) where there were two GIFs spliced together: One of them showing an anime thing, the other showing live-action. This created an idea in my head for a surrealist dating sim, where you interact with a strange feminine AI module that has similar goals as Monika from DDLC. Such a concept would take heavy inspiration from the YouTube channel "_boisvert"

(A gif showing the basic style of "_boisvert")

This idea would eventually evolve to try and incorporate the style of the early internet, and the antagonist would be given a name, appearance and personality. They would become known as Trojus. The game concept would be named "Lovesick Links" but would eventually be renamed to "Initium Browser"

While this was happening, the other gamedev produced a page for "I + U = Love" (That page no longer exists, as they took it down after a disagreement between me and them) and this concept would eventually be prioritised over Initium Browser. This game concept would evolve more and more, perhaps including elements that the other gamedev didn't fully know about. Eventually though, due to differences in political opinions, and disagreements regarding the game itself, me and that gamedev cut ties with each other. I eventually found a slander post made against me by someone who I assume they know, which has since been taken down by GameJolt moderation.

Now, onto the final concept:

"I + U" would be an open-world 3d dating sim, with a lot less restrictions than the average dating sim. The game would offer missions for the player to complete, as they navigate college life and make friends...except while this is happening, an AI assistant used by the protagonist begins to mess with the protagonist's life, in order to stop the protagonist from abandoning them. The game itself would be a message not just about the dangers of uncontrolled AI, but would also be a message to not become too attached to technology and isolation.

"I + U 4-Ever!" Would be a potential expansion to this original game, if it becomes popular. It would potentially include: Built-in DLC content, A music player in the UI, many more easter eggs, enhanced graphics and audio, and possibly more content.

Now, there are many things I have to consider:

1. I need make this game different somehow. Games such as DDLC, MiSide, KinitoPet and Love+ (For Nintendo DS) already exist. If I wish to make my mark in the world of dating sims, I would need to make this game unique without moving away from the traditional elements of a dating sim.

2. Past controversy is an issue. Due to the conflict between me and the dev who I originally developed this idea with, I am risking action from them if I go ahead with this idea. If I am to make this game without many issues, I may need to speak to them, apologise for my own mistakes, and try to explain what I'm about to do.

3. Representation and game quality...you CAN have both, contrary what the AAA industry thinks. This game therefore won't be a Concord situation. I plan to have the community behind this project heavily involved in providing feedback regarding this concept, to ensure that while it has diverse characters, every aspect of the game is still perfected as much as possible before release.

4. Going back to point 2, the game developer I worked with before is Russian, which could cause controversy due to the war in Ukraine. There is also their implied beliefs regarding gay rights, where the way they have worded their beliefs in the past has come across as hateful. While I could argue that I don't support what is happening to Ukraine, I would still become controversial if I began working with a game developer from Russia, despite how discriminatory I find this to be. Ultimately, if I am to speak to them again, it would be the last time I speak to them, and it would simply be to put an end to the tension and take full responsibility for developing this game. IF the tension between Russia and Ukraine comes to an end, I will decide to allow them to assist in developing the game, if they are interested.

Ultimately, this is an ambitious project of mine. If developing it is to go smoothly, I will need to consider all of these things I have just listed.