ohko's sticky note thread

[Ddraig]

So the spell puzzle game:

A certain number of parts of speech are free - particularly prepositions, conjunctions, and pronouns.

All other nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs require a word voucher.

So to test this out, here's a word generator:

• domination
• item
• closed
• rubbish
• applied
• prince
• store
• sin
• outside
• arrow

And next is to assemble a spell: "Store your sin in this arrow."

That actually sounds pretty cool. Are you thinking of random spells on every cast or random spell you get when you level up for this system?

 

[GDLiZy]

That actually sounds pretty cool. Are you thinking of random spells on every cast or random spell you get when you level up for this system?

Refer to the community game Lingua Witch's Academy

 

[AliceShiki]

Refer to the community game Lingua Witch's Academy

Well, Lingua witch is a simplified version, though still fun~

 

[Deleted member 1244]

Would encourage @Generic.Archdemon to give it a look. They have a dice roll system for rarity of something they want to gather. After rarity is established, you need to write a minimum number of words in order to harvest/gather something.

Yeah It looks very cool.. .. also looks like the creators put in a lot of work making all the skills and classes...

 

[ohko]

So with my VRMMORPG, something that I'm struggling with is trying to figure out how to balance the bug system for NPCs.

Tying skills to levels is good for developers. It's very linear, and there's a good understanding of what the power level should be.

But bugs...? And codex edits? I think Moshi and others demonstrated how easy it is to make a "game-breaking" bug, but how do you restrict these things so that players can't clearly go overboard with bugs that they make?

I think one obvious change is that bugs need to be purchased with site currency (nuffies). Perhaps you can purchase a bug voucher (e.g. this voucher causes an item to fail to work), which can be sorted by cost so that more powerful bugs cost more.

 

[AliceShiki]

So with my VRMMORPG, something that I'm struggling with is trying to figure out how to balance the bug system for NPCs.

Tying skills to levels is good for developers. It's very linear, and there's a good understanding of what the power level should be.

But bugs...? And codex edits? I think Moshi and others demonstrated how easy it is to make a "game-breaking" bug, but how do you restrict these things so that players can't clearly go overboard with bugs that they make?

I think one obvious change is that bugs need to be purchased with site currency (nuffies). Perhaps you can purchase a bug voucher (e.g. this voucher causes an item to fail to work), which can be sorted by cost so that more powerful bugs cost more.

Maybe making the bugs less free-form and more of a function that is locked to specific features?

Like, rather than allowing the player to create a bug, you give a list of bugs they can choose from or something... And maybe you allow players to add new bugs to the list if they receive approval from X other players.

 

[ohko]

Maybe making the bugs less free-form and more of a function that is locked to specific features?

Like, rather than allowing the player to create a bug, you give a list of bugs they can choose from or something... And maybe you allow players to add new bugs to the list if they receive approval from X other players.

Yeah, I'm thinking that too.

----------

More on codexes.

Codexes are a description about how living things should behave. Only living things have codexes, and codexes govern their personality and behavior. Codexes do not specify the physical qualities or appearances.

Here is an example codex:

"Horned rabbits are docile creatures who like to eat grass. They run away upon spotting humans."

A Developer would not be able to write:

"Horned rabbits are docile creatures who like to eat grass. They run away upon spotting humans. They have wings and breath fire."

...because codexes only describe personality. Telling a horned rabbit (that lacks wings and fire-breathing capacity) that it has some is meaningless, and will fail to compile. However, altering a horned rabbit's behavior is totally okay:

"Horned rabbits are docile creatures who like to eat grass. They run away upon spotting humans. During full moons, they prance around in a circle."

 

[AliceShiki]

Yeah, I'm thinking that too.

----------

More on codexes.

Codexes are a description about how living things should behave. Only living things have codexes, and codexes govern their personality and behavior. Codexes do not specify the physical qualities or appearances.

Here is an example codex:

"Horned rabbits are docile creatures who like to eat grass. They run away upon spotting humans."

A Developer would not be able to write:

"Horned rabbits are docile creatures who like to eat grass. They run away upon spotting humans. They have wings and breath fire."

...because codexes only describe personality. Telling a horned rabbit (that lacks wings and fire-breathing capacity) that it has some is meaningless, and will fail to compile. However, altering a horned rabbit's behavior is totally okay:

"Horned rabbits are docile creatures who like to eat grass. They run away upon spotting humans. During full moons, they prance around in a circle."

This seems nice, having the codex alter only behavior limits a lot of the abuse potential~

 

[ohko]

About Items
Items are any object in the game that lack a mind/soul, whether that be rocks, grass, dirt, houses, weapons, or more. The server is highly intelligent and will generate most items automatically based on its realistic physics engine.

In order for Developers to alter the properties of various items, an Item Template are used in the Developer Lab. An Item Template instructs the server to generate items with specific considerations. Templates can add magical properties to items. For example, an "Apple" template could add a healing effect to apples.

The server tries its best to understand the Templates (written in plain English) that it is provided, but occasionally its comprehension is imperfect. Excessively vague Templates could accidentally result in bugs, such as "Apples" that are capable of "healing" mortal injuries.

Obtaining Items
Since we are a free-form roleplay, it's generally okay to give your character items whenever you feel like it is appropriate in-character. It is up to you to determine how your character manages to acquire their items.

To prevent players from freely giving themselves powerful equipment and items, more valuable items need to be purchased with Game Points (GP) in the Site Shop.

You can find a list of items in the Item Database. If your item isn't in the item database, this thread will help you estimate the GP value of your desired item.

Reference Values
Free Items (0 GP)
Generally speaking, trash and worthless items are always free.

Notably, simple food and basic living expenses also go in this category. You do not need to spend GP to keep your character alive. If your character is going to splurge on some nicer things, you are welcome to look in the next category.

Cheap Items (1 GP, 2 GP, 5 GP)
Items in this category are generally attainable within a day's work.

A good rule of thumb is that 5 GP = 1 day's effort. If a low-level player can acquire an item after spending a day searching for it, it belongs in this category. For example, many common monster drops probably belong in this category.

Pricey Items (10 GP, 20 GP, 50 GP, 100 GP)
These items are generally more difficult to find, and probably require some dedication on behalf of the player in order to acquire. Many weapons, spell books, and common dungeon treasures probably belong in this category.

Rare Items (500 GP, 1000 GP, 2000 GP, 5000 GP)
These items are very difficult to find. A typical character might spend months to years searching for these items, yet still fail to acquire. Higher-tier weapons, rare equipment, and other fancy things belong in this category.

Super Rare Items (over 10,000 GP)
Legendary stuff. Excalibur, Master Ball... you know, that stuff.

 

[AliceShiki]

About Items
Items are any object in the game that lack a mind/soul, whether that be rocks, grass, dirt, houses, weapons, or more. The server is highly intelligent and will generate most items automatically based on its realistic physics engine.

In order for Developers to alter the properties of various items, an Item Template are used in the Developer Lab. An Item Template instructs the server to generate items with specific considerations. Templates can add magical properties to items. For example, an "Apple" template could add a healing effect to apples.

The server tries its best to understand the Templates (written in plain English) that it is provided, but occasionally its comprehension is imperfect. Excessively vague Templates could accidentally result in bugs, such as "Apples" that are capable of "healing" mortal injuries.

Obtaining Items
Since we are a free-form roleplay, it's generally okay to give your character items whenever you feel like it is appropriate in-character. It is up to you to determine how your character manages to acquire their items.

To prevent players from freely giving themselves powerful equipment and items, more valuable items need to be purchased with Game Points (GP) in the Site Shop.

You can find a list of items in the Item Database. If your item isn't in the item database, this thread will help you estimate the GP value of your desired item.

Reference Values
Free Items (0 GP)
Generally speaking, trash and worthless items are always free.

Notably, simple food and basic living expenses also go in this category. You do not need to spend GP to keep your character alive. If your character is going to splurge on some nicer things, you are welcome to look in the next category.

Cheap Items (1 GP, 2 GP, 5 GP)
Items in this category are generally attainable within a day's work.

A good rule of thumb is that 5 GP = 1 day's effort. If a low-level player can acquire an item after spending a day searching for it, it belongs in this category. For example, many common monster drops probably belong in this category.

Pricey Items (10 GP, 20 GP, 50 GP, 100 GP)
These items are generally more difficult to find, and probably require some dedication on behalf of the player in order to acquire. Many weapons, spell books, and common dungeon treasures probably belong in this category.

Rare Items (500 GP, 1000 GP, 2000 GP, 5000 GP)
These items are very difficult to find. A typical character might spend months to years searching for these items, yet still fail to acquire. Higher-tier weapons, rare equipment, and other fancy things belong in this category.

Super Rare Items (over 10,000 GP)
Legendary stuff. Excalibur, Master Ball... you know, that stuff.

Looks really nice! Excalibur requiring around 7 years of hard work seems very appropriate~

 

[ohko]

SYNA Industries Employee
As a full-time employee of SYNA Industries, Developers are expected to work at least 40 hours per week. The hours are flexible, although Developers are generally put on teams from similar time-zones. Every Developer has a Manager whom they report to and receive assignments from. Managers can monitor their subordinate's activity logs to ensure they are doing productive work. Many Managers have different expectations — some may be casual whereas others are strict.

Time spent "playing" (or relaxing) on the server is not supposed to count towards a Developer's work hours. Developers who wish to enjoy the game normally are encouraged to do so unpaid during their off hours.

Developers with poor or disruptive performance records can be fired by their Manager. It is extremely important for Developers to satisfy their Manager's wishes if they wish to keep their job or seek promotion in the future.

------------------------------------------

Server Objectives
The server is a brainless and soulless entity that has two objectives:

• Simulate Earth as realistically as possible.
• Attempt to comply with the written instructions provided by Developers.

The server has no ulterior motives or objectives. It favors neither faction and has no personality or ego. It is not possible to talk or converse with the server.

The server is not human, so it has limited comprehension of cultural references about the real world. While it is capable of searching the Internet for basic facts (e.g. "What is a chicken?"), it is prone to interpreting instructions literally.

Realistic Simulation Core
The server simulates the laws of Earth. Grass grows, atoms exist, and chickens reproduce. Very loosely speaking, everything true about Earth is also true in the virtual world.

However, physics is not absolute.

The server is at liberty to alter, modify, or even disable physics in order to comply with the the Developer wishes. Generally speaking, Developer instructions override any realism or physics that is present by default. For example, if a Developer writes "There are floating islands", the server will attempt to convert the command into virtual reality in any way that it sees fit.

Written English Instructions
Developers interact with the server by providing instructions in plain English. The server is capable of comprehending English and will try its best to execute the commands that it is given.

Essentially, there are Server Consoles located in the Developer Lab that Developers can use to type commands to the server. The Database is a record all all prior commands that the server received.

Files
For organizational purposes, each instruction fed to the server is called a File. A file is a digital document that is read and interpreted by the server.

Templates
A Template is a file that describes a certain type of object. For example, a 「Tree」 template might include all of the Developer's specifications about trees.

Whenever the server makes a new tree (i.e. when a new tree is born), it will attempt to create the tree so that it is consistent with the most recent template.

Changes to templates only affect future objects. Existing objects are not affected by new template changes, meaning they will continue to operate with their old template/codex at the time of their creation. This means that out-of-date objects may be lying around the server whenever there is a new update.

Codexes
A Codex is a file that describes how a living thing behaves. All artificial souls (and monsters) have a codex that govern their behavior. A codex is continually evolving (since true personalities are not static), meaning an NPC codex can accumulate changes as they age. Extreme changes can manifest as a bug.

Many templates include a default Codex that is applied at the time of an object's creation. A codex is stored with the individual and isolated from the server, so physical in-person access is required to edit an NPC or monster's codex.

Small edits to an NPC's codex (<1 sentence) can be performed on the field. However, for more extensive modifications, the NPC should be brought back to the Developer Lab for reprogramming.

About Bugs
Codex Bugs
The most common type of bug on PROJECT09 is a Codex Bug. A Codex Bug is defined as the situation when an NPC/Monster behaves differently than they were intended to at their time of creation.

Codex Bugs are especially common with older NPCs/Monsters that have existed for an extended period of time. Vibrant and unusual experiences often accelerate the development of codex bugs. Since Codexes naturally accumulate changes over time, bugs are often inevitable. This is exacerbated by the fact that vaguely written codexes often include loopholes.

Mild changes in behavior are often tolerated by Developers as long as they are not glaringly disruptive or threaten the viability of the game.

It is possible for deviously-minded NPCs to spark codex bugs in other monsters or NPCs. Similar to how dogs can be "trained", it is possible for an NPC to "train" monsters or peers to develop unusual behavior. Exposing subjects to shocking, traumatic, and unusual experiences greatly increases the likelihood that something will develop a bug.

Loophole Bugs
Loophole Bugs arise from an oversight in programming. When the server misunderstands the intent of of a Developer and interprets it in some other fashion, this is a Loophole Bug.

Loophole Bugs are only discovered, not created. NPCs cannot create Loophole Bugs, although they can experiment extensively in attempt to find them. Loophole Bugs are most common when two unexpected things are put together — such as trying to use a healing potion on shattered glass.

 

[ohko]

So bugs.

Planning on classifying them into tiers that need to be purchased from the site shop. This is the way it will work:

• Player posts a description bug they want.
• Someone else responds and rates the bug according to the tier they think it should be.
• Player purchases the bug (priced by tier) from the site shop.

So here are the tiers.

Tier 0: Trash Bug - Price: 4 GP
Bugs in this tier are inconsequential and meaningless. You can't even tell there was a bug to begin with. An example of this is a bug that causes a random snowflake to to melt 0.01 seconds slower than intended.

Tier 1: No Concern - Price: 16 GP
Bugs in this tier are of no real concern to a Developer. No intervention is needed. An example of this might be a bug that makes a chicken have slightly brownish feathers instead of yellow feathers.

Tier 2: Lowest Priority - Price: 64 GP
Bugs in this tier probably will require Developer intervention, but it's probably at the bottom of anyone's to-do list. An example of this is a bug that makes a chicken have three eyes. This bug is unlikely to lead to other issues, but it's disturbing enough that perhaps somebody should fix it at some point.

Tier 3: Low Priority - Price: 256 GP
The bulk of a developer's day-to-day work consists mostly of low priority bugs. Low priority bugs affect gameplay, but they aren't so pressing that Developers will drop everything they are doing to go chase it. An example of a low priority bug is one weird kitchen knife that is mysteriously able to catch on fire whenever someone heats it on the kitchen stove.

Tier 4: Moderate Priority - 1024 GP
A moderate priority bug is one that is moderately concerning. Left alone, it will probably cause more trouble, so it should be addressed as soon as possible. An example of a moderate priority bug is a weird defective catnip item that turns ordinary cats into berserk were-cats.

Tier 5: High Priority - 4096 GP
A high priority bug requires immediately attention from Developers. If every single knife on the server is spontaneously combusting and bursting into flames, it probably needs to be fixed immediately.

Tier 6: Highest Priority - 16,384 GP
The highest priority bugs are very very serious. They're kind of like end-of-the-world bugs that need to be fixed or else the server is going to crash.

The tier evaluation for bugs should take the hypothetical perspective: "If you were a Developer who was aware of this bug, how would you rate it?"

 

[AliceShiki]

So bugs.

Planning on classifying them into tiers that need to be purchased from the site shop. This is the way it will work:

• Player posts a description bug they want.
• Someone else responds and rates the bug according to the tier they think it should be.
• Player purchases the bug (priced by tier) from the site shop.

So here are the tiers.

Tier 0: Trash Bug - Price: 4 GP
Bugs in this tier are inconsequential and meaningless. You can't even tell there was a bug to begin with. An example of this is a bug that causes a random snowflake to to melt 0.01 seconds slower than intended.

Tier 1: No Concern - Price: 16 GP
Bugs in this tier are of no real concern to a Developer. No intervention is needed. An example of this might be a bug that makes a chicken have slightly brownish feathers instead of yellow feathers.

Tier 2: Lowest Priority - Price: 64 GP
Bugs in this tier probably will require Developer intervention, but it's probably at the bottom of anyone's to-do list. An example of this is a bug that makes a chicken have three eyes. This bug is unlikely to lead to other issues, but it's disturbing enough that perhaps somebody should fix it at some point.

Tier 3: Low Priority - Price: 256 GP
The bulk of a developer's day-to-day work consists mostly of low priority bugs. Low priority bugs affect gameplay, but they aren't so pressing that Developers will drop everything they are doing to go chase it. An example of a low priority bug is one weird kitchen knife that is mysteriously able to catch on fire whenever someone heats it on the kitchen stove.

Tier 4: Moderate Priority - 1024 GP
A moderate priority bug is one that is moderately concerning. Left alone, it will probably cause more trouble, so it should be addressed as soon as possible. An example of a moderate priority bug is a weird defective catnip item that turns ordinary cats into berserk were-cats.

Tier 5: High Priority - 4096 GP
A high priority bug requires immediately attention from Developers. If every single knife on the server is spontaneously combusting and bursting into flames, it probably needs to be fixed immediately.

Tier 6: Highest Priority - 16,384 GP
The highest priority bugs are very very serious. They're kind of like end-of-the-world bugs that need to be fixed or else the server is going to crash.

The tier evaluation for bugs should take the hypothetical perspective: "If you were a Developer who was aware of this bug, how would you rate it?"

I like that gamebreaking bugs are more expensive than legendary items~

I also like that the No Concern bugs can be used as a way of customizing things by saying they're bugged, and as such they have some unique aspect to them~

 

[GDLiZy]

So bugs.

Planning on classifying them into tiers that need to be purchased from the site shop. This is the way it will work:

• Player posts a description bug they want.
• Someone else responds and rates the bug according to the tier they think it should be.
• Player purchases the bug (priced by tier) from the site shop.

So here are the tiers.

Tier 0: Trash Bug - Price: 4 GP
Bugs in this tier are inconsequential and meaningless. You can't even tell there was a bug to begin with. An example of this is a bug that causes a random snowflake to to melt 0.01 seconds slower than intended.

Tier 1: No Concern - Price: 16 GP
Bugs in this tier are of no real concern to a Developer. No intervention is needed. An example of this might be a bug that makes a chicken have slightly brownish feathers instead of yellow feathers.

Tier 2: Lowest Priority - Price: 64 GP
Bugs in this tier probably will require Developer intervention, but it's probably at the bottom of anyone's to-do list. An example of this is a bug that makes a chicken have three eyes. This bug is unlikely to lead to other issues, but it's disturbing enough that perhaps somebody should fix it at some point.

Tier 3: Low Priority - Price: 256 GP
The bulk of a developer's day-to-day work consists mostly of low priority bugs. Low priority bugs affect gameplay, but they aren't so pressing that Developers will drop everything they are doing to go chase it. An example of a low priority bug is one weird kitchen knife that is mysteriously able to catch on fire whenever someone heats it on the kitchen stove.

Tier 4: Moderate Priority - 1024 GP
A moderate priority bug is one that is moderately concerning. Left alone, it will probably cause more trouble, so it should be addressed as soon as possible. An example of a moderate priority bug is a weird defective catnip item that turns ordinary cats into berserk were-cats.

Tier 5: High Priority - 4096 GP
A high priority bug requires immediately attention from Developers. If every single knife on the server is spontaneously combusting and bursting into flames, it probably needs to be fixed immediately.

Tier 6: Highest Priority - 16,384 GP
The highest priority bugs are very very serious. They're kind of like end-of-the-world bugs that need to be fixed or else the server is going to crash.

The tier evaluation for bugs should take the hypothetical perspective: "If you were a Developer who was aware of this bug, how would you rate it?"

This brings me back to the topic of bug-turn-features. How would you deal with that?

 

[ohko]

Bottle. Compressed. Just a soul.

Trapped in a bottle for a few weeks.

Homunculous is undead. Broken corpse.

They're unsure why it caught on fire.

Contract. Agree to heal the homunculous.

Mephistis is an insomniac, angry

-------

"Heyyy, you'll be totally fine," my roommate laughed it off.

I was holding an empty coffee mug in my hands with a blank stare.

"He's a total sweetheart. Wouldn't harm a fly!" She continued as she ran for the door.

---------

Clare Linons
Consant Brode
Melodie Dyre

------------

"It's a donation," Melodie emphasized. "A donation."

"Uh huh."

I nodded and jotted down some more notes.

"It's how you gotta keep it legal. Some of us work with agencies where the client signs a paper contract that explicitly says their money doesn't buy anything extra, but it's sorta implied that there's going to be some steamy stuff afterwards. It's extremely important to discuss expectations in advance. Without clear expectations between both sides, it can get dangerous and unsafe for us."

"Uh huh. Right."

I suppressed a yawn and rubbed my eyes a few times, struggling to keep my attention. It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon and the weather was beautifully sunny outside. I couldn't comprehend why I felt so lethargic. You would have expected that with the quarantine and coronavirus going around, that I'd be perfectly rested and refreshed, but somehow my dependence on coffee had only gotten worse as the weeks dragged on.

"Claire?" My roommate asked with some concern.

I blinked a few times.

"Sorry."

Did I space out somehow?

I leaned forward on the table and slumped into my arms. An empty coffee mug was in my hands.

"I think I'm just not with it today," I confessed. "Was up late last night... Writers block."

The girl with raven-black hair smiled wryly at me. She was still extremely polite and amicable. I had been sharing an apartment with Melodie since the beginning of last fall, but we barely ever talked. She was three years my senior and technically my landlord, but the age gap seemed wider. Frankly, Melodie was one of those superwomen who seemed to be good at everything, and that always intimidated me.

You would have never suspected that she was a professional escort. If fact, I had thought she was an accomplished and successful young professional at one of the top investment firms in the city in the beginning. Melodie certainly smart enough for it, at least. I had seen the diplomas in her room, and she had two master's degrees in psychology and business. Apparently, she had completed both of those degrees in graduate school simultaneously while doing sex work to pay for it.

That's a hellishly monstrous feat, right? For me, I already struggled with classes by itself.

"No worries. I think I must have got carried away with the details. Must have bored the heck out of you."

"Sorry," I repeated again, feeling guilty.

"Seriously, thanks for doing this though," I said, still sprawled out in a puddle. "It really helps with my writing research."

Melodie laughed as she pushed her chair back to stand up. Her wavy black curls cascaded down her shoulders.

"You never asked, so I was really surprised. I thought you "

 

[GDLiZy]

what do you mean lizy~?

Bugs that can benefit the gameplay.

Example: B-hop, Rocket Jump etc.

 

[ohko]

Bugs that can benefit the gameplay.

Example: B-hop, Rocket Jump etc.

Depends, in theory Developers can get fired if they're trying to break the game. If they want it to be a feature for the game, they have plenty of ways to add it the normal way

 

[ohko]

I apologize to anyone who stumbles across this, but uhh... well, I am using this as my sticky note thread, so I'm going to do some story brainstorming here too.

So I kind of want to write some straightforward vanilla cuddle porn. I've been in the mood for something like that lately, fluffy josei married couple stuff like that. That said, it's kind of hard to write a story without plot, so obviously I need to brainstorm to come up with one. >.<

A theme I think that would be cool to hit is emphasizing an ephemeral relationship. Kind of like a sweet dulce moment that is heavenly at the moment, but will vanish or melt away as soon as the snow is gone, leaving behind nothing but very tender memories.

To capture this theme, I think I might lean back onto non-conventional relationships, since I think there's a lot of good literary value that can be pulled from them. That said, this kind of fascinates me too. In either case, my thought is to start with some kind of quasi-sex worker protagonist and a heartbroken ML who spends his Friday evenings drinking. The ML is a salaryman who hires an escort every Friday to have someone to drink with in his apartment, and the protagonist is a novelist (attempting to get good at writing erotica) who substitutes for a her escort friend one evening because she's busy.

The cuddle porn will center around the MC having time with the drunk ML. There probably won't be any sex because I fail at writing that, although it will probably be on MC's mind all the time despite the fact that they almost never do it.

And I guess that's the starting scene that I have. Unsure where this might go, but I love the idea of doing this kind of vague relationship, romantic tension, mixed with lots of cuddling but no sex. I guess if I wanted to develop the story further, would need to focus on the ML's problems and the MC's own issues as a struggling novelist?

 

[AliceShiki]

I apologize to anyone who stumbles across this, but uhh... well, I am using this as my sticky note thread, so I'm going to do some story brainstorming here too.

So I kind of want to write some straightforward vanilla cuddle porn. I've been in the mood for something like that lately, fluffy josei married couple stuff like that. That said, it's kind of hard to write a story without plot, so obviously I need to brainstorm to come up with one. >.<

A theme I think that would be cool to hit is emphasizing an ephemeral relationship. Kind of like a sweet dulce moment that is heavenly at the moment, but will vanish or melt away as soon as the snow is gone, leaving behind nothing but very tender memories.

To capture this theme, I think I might lean back onto non-conventional relationships, since I think there's a lot of good literary value that can be pulled from them. That said, this kind of fascinates me too. In either case, my thought is to start with some kind of quasi-sex worker protagonist and a heartbroken ML who spends his Friday evenings drinking. The ML is a salaryman who hires an escort every Friday to have someone to drink with in his apartment, and the protagonist is a novelist (attempting to get good at writing erotica) who substitutes for a her escort friend one evening because she's busy.

The cuddle porn will center around the MC having time with the drunk ML. There probably won't be any sex because I fail at writing that, although it will probably be on MC's mind all the time despite the fact that they almost never do it.

And I guess that's the starting scene that I have. Unsure where this might go, but I love the idea of doing this kind of vague relationship, romantic tension, mixed with lots of cuddling but no sex. I guess if I wanted to develop the story further, would need to focus on the ML's problems and the MC's own issues as a struggling novelist?

It seems like an interesting concept! ^^)/

I don't have any advice to give though, so ganbatte~

 

[ohko]

This post is some thought about a webnovel hosting site.

I've always really liked ao3's model where you can sort of put whatever tags you want. The tagging system on ao3 is really nice, at least in my opinion. Mixed with a system that lets users upvote/downvote tags, I think that's extremely powerful.

I've thought a little bit about alternative ways for a ranking system.

One idea is that a ranking system should reflect the active community. For instance, rank novels higher if the members who have read it are more active on the forum (or social media platform) or comment section. The idea behind this is to incentivize greater community interaction, because forum posting is in a sense directly related the visibility of a novel.

...Maybe...?

What if the forum has like 5-10 advertisement slots built into the signature section of every user. Simply by posting, it ends up marketing these novels...?