Question Thread: August 2024 [CLOSED]
Added 2024-08-05 18:00:04 +0000 UTCIt's the fifth, so this month's question thread is now live!
Here you can ask me things you're wondering about for our games or company and they'll be answered at the end of the month an an audio recording (with a text transcript too). Just make sure the questions long follow the guidelines!
The thread will close after August 19th.
Guidelines:
1. Please don't reply to other people's questions even if you know the answer. The fun of joining a Q&A is that the developer can give a direct response to you and that everyone else also gets to hear/see the answer in the end of the month post. Having another player resolve the question in the comments right here might not be what the asker was hoping for. This thread is more about having a good time rather than looking for an immediate response to an important question. And if you do have a question you want to hear about right away, it's best to ask in some other thread or to message me directly.
2. I'm afraid questions about what scenes/choices/art assets Our Life: Now & Forever will include aren't answerable right now. Most of the details are decided as the game is created and currently I'm only writing Step 1. I do know some things coming later, but only a small fraction of the whole game.
3. The questions can't be about more serious/potentially upsetting topics because I don't want those listening to suddenly be surprised with something they might not have been prepared for/want to be confronted with.
4. Please keep the questions here to things that wouldn't be really hard to tackle in an off-the-cuff, spoken out loud kind of Q&A, aha. Questions about a half dozen characters or wanting an entire theoretical situation described aren't super doable in this situation.
You can always send me questions outside of the audio Q&A if they wouldn't work here!
###############################
You can also find answers for more basic info like heights, birthdays, timelines, and such in the Overall FAQ.
That's everything. Thank you to everyone who participates in the Q&A!
Comments
That's alright, love the new feature, I can't wait to try it out. 😹
Psykes
2024-08-21 02:53:22 +0000 UTCNo problem!
theoktony
2024-08-21 02:24:39 +0000 UTCahhhh that’s okay!!
Jayden
2024-08-20 20:28:15 +0000 UTCI'm sorry, I don't know anything about Harry Potter and don't answer questions about it!
GB Patch
2024-08-20 20:27:42 +0000 UTCI'm sorry, I don't know the answer to that!
GB Patch
2024-08-20 20:24:24 +0000 UTCThank you very much for the kind comment! I'm so glad the came was a positive experience for you.
GB Patch
2024-08-20 20:13:45 +0000 UTCI'm sorry, I don't know. I'm not enough of a programmer to say what will and won't be possible, aha.
GB Patch
2024-08-20 20:09:33 +0000 UTCThank you for the questions, but I'm afraid I don't answer questions about Baxter's family. I can answer the other two.
GB Patch
2024-08-20 20:08:40 +0000 UTCHi, I hope you had a great month. As always, feel free to answer anything you want. <3 <3 <3 1. Do you have any tips for character design/development? 2. Will Baxter make an appearance in Stage 2? Will we know more about what led him to leave Golden Groove? 3. Will we have hints or decisions in Stage 2 or 3 that will lead us to the polygamy option? I am genuinely curious about how that option would be reached in the game, if you already have something you can share with us.
BiFreak _Oni
2024-08-20 01:58:52 +0000 UTChello, hope you're well. (: 1. Do JB's sisters also have difficult personalities? Or is the rest of her family perfectly pleasant? 2. Were Baxter's parents more dismissive or scornful whenever he told them he's dating someone they wouldn't want him to? If it depends on when: OL1 Step 3, male MC for example? 3. Assuming that severing ties completely once the vacation ended was one, did Baxter have any other rules for himself while in Sunset Bird during Step 3, especially when dating MC?
theoktony
2024-08-19 02:43:55 +0000 UTCFor the upcoming Colour Wheel feature, could a there be a scroll down (so it wouldn't take up space needed for the Colour Wheel) Hex Code reference table be available in the UI, so we could look up the codes in game? Shawna has done wonderful work for the game, and the Colour Wheel's yet another example of their fine work. Please thank them for us. 😊
Psykes
2024-08-18 23:20:11 +0000 UTCHello, I hope you and the team are doing well this month! I’ve got two questions this month. Thinking back to OL1 and thinking about meeting Jeramy for the first time got me wondering, just what would it take for Qiu and Tammy to want to punch someone? My second question is how would Qiu and Tammy react if the MC got them a stuffed animal as a gift?
Schmittywormyyeager
2024-08-18 18:10:03 +0000 UTCHi Kab! Hope your doing well, I just had a silly question to ask so feel free to skip lol. What would the LIs from OL1 and OL2 favorite music genre/genres be? Have a good day/night!
OllieSollie
2024-08-18 00:02:26 +0000 UTCHii Kab!! how are you doing? have some questions but feel free you skip them ! how did Lynn and Shiloh's mom meet? what was their love story? (i've been curious about it for a while, haha. i think it's funny that Shiloh always said good things about his mom and Lynn wanted to see what the hype was, lol) is the broken mailbox going to be in the game or is it something that happens in between the steps? does anyone know about Baxter's crush on Qiu? I know the MC picks up on him being a bit happy at Qiu's teasing but does anyone know about his feelings? what race is Renee? Does she do any activities? Like how Qiu does ballet and Tamarack does band, does Renee have something she does? with having a crush on a side character can the character ever know? Like if the MC had a crush on Renee or Baxter, would anyone (side characters or the LI) ever know, or would it be something that no one really knows about unless the MC says so? Do you think we'd ever get to confess or is that something that would have to be head canoned? How would the LI react to the MC saying their parents are good looking or having a crush on them? Haha, I have an MC that is basically a kid inlove with Mrs.Lin and the thought of him getting really flustered over Qiu's mom always makes me laugh, especially since i'm doing Qiu's route for that MC Thank you so much!! I just wanted to say your voice is very lovely ^^ Hope you have an amazing week Kab!!! <3
nao !!
2024-08-15 21:38:04 +0000 UTCHey, thanks for all the info! You guys are the reason I'm still alive! By the way, what month is autumn, September, October, November? If I knew that, I would be relieved... sorry for asking such a difficult question... And one more thing, will there be a day when we will know the height of Qiu and Tamarack? I would love to know! Looking forward to the release! my apologies for rambling on
ari
2024-08-13 04:21:45 +0000 UTC(I also wanted to say sorry for the barrage of comments haha, I replayed the OL2 demo recently and I've gotten back into the games at full force. I remember I first found the OL1 demo in 6th grade after scrolling a bunch through the itch.io visual novel page, back when it was basically impossible to find anything about the games on Google and it was small enough that you were still active in the discord and whatnot, and now I'm a senior in high school and the game is the highest rated visual novel on steam and has amassed probably the biggest audience a visual novel has ever had, barring maybe DDLC. I just wanted to say I've kind of grown up with this game, it's been part of my life as I've explored and changed my gender identity and met the person I am seriously considering spending the rest of my life with, and the dedication you put toward creating these games has had a profound impact on me and so many others. I don't expect you to read this out loud haha but these games mean a lot to me and we all really appreciate everything you do.)
canoncorgi
2024-08-12 15:14:19 +0000 UTCHow much would you say the OL1 gang gets into pride stuff? Like, would anyone hang flags or go to parades? I definitely appreciate the normalcy both games provide when it comes to LGBTQ identities, but I could definitely see Terry going all out for a parade and dragging the rest of the gang with him haha
canoncorgi
2024-08-12 14:29:35 +0000 UTCHow comfortable would the OL1 boys be in a dress/skirt? Same question with Qiu, although I understand you haven't gotten to writing about them as an adult yet and it's also generally more complicated because of their gender haha. They present very androgynously at 18; could you see them exploring more stereotypically feminine things like dresses or makeup as they get older?
canoncorgi
2024-08-12 14:22:08 +0000 UTCThe recent tumblr ask made me curious - Do you imagine Ren will keep dyeing her hair into step 4? Is it something she plans to do for the rest of her life? For some reason I always saw it as a temporary thing but I understand it fulfills her at a level beyond just being fun
canoncorgi
2024-08-12 14:09:55 +0000 UTCThis is really small but I'm curious haha; what's behind the "mystery door" in between MC and Opal's room?
canoncorgi
2024-08-12 14:04:39 +0000 UTCI feel like this has probably been asked before but I couldn't find it. Is Cliff autistic? I know it tends to be genetic and he does seem to struggle with social norms throughout the game
canoncorgi
2024-08-12 14:02:27 +0000 UTCHappy 1st month of halloween!! (August) 1- based on the things that are ..talked about for by Tam and qiu at night, can we possibly, choose careers jn the future based on that?👀 2-do you feel its better to go crush first, or friends first? 3-can we be neighbors, hostile, then become friends during an intense moment in each step? 4-my character is going through angsty nonsense. Can we, possibly, run away(again) :U 4.5-i saw a photo of mother crying..please...how angsty must my play through be to achieve this :u 5-i feel like tamarack wouldn't like disembowlng the pumpkin and eating its children, thoughts? 6-what Halloween costume, do you hate the most?/ what Halloween costume do you like the most?
Anime Yay
2024-08-11 19:34:15 +0000 UTCHello to you and the team! I hope you’re all doing well. My question is a funny one: if the LI from OL1&2 all met one another, how would that interaction go? Thank you again for all your hard work, and I hope you and the team have a fantastic week!!!
Blue
2024-08-11 18:08:57 +0000 UTCHii! My first time asking some questions, so please don't mind me if these have been answered already ^^; 1. I know that Qiu has a bit of an identity journey in the game, starting as he/him and ending as they/them. If we change something major with our MC, will that be noticed? For example, if for step 1 we only do non-speaking responses, if we start speaking on step 2, will the characters take notice? 2. You've probably answered this already, but do you think there will be paid DLC for things like weddings like there was for cove in OL1? Tysm for reading and answering if you choose to!! <3
Holly Bear
2024-08-11 02:49:30 +0000 UTChehe hi again :3 im not sure if XOXO Droplets questions are allowed here (ignore if not ofc) but i figured i’d try since i have two that have been on my mind for a while 1. if i remember correctly, Pran was referred to as “Pranala” once in the game, is that a nickname, his full name, or a secret third thing? 2. Pran and Jeremy have been friends since they were kids (iirc) which is why they consider each other friends at all. if they had met some else (like a third person) around that same time (or maybe knew them for longer?) and circumstances made them stick around, do you think they’d be a trio instead or would it have always just been only Pran and Jeremy being friends? tysm i hope you have a lovely rest of your day :3
joop
2024-08-10 08:24:55 +0000 UTCheya, got a few questions as usual 1. as we move closer to Step 2, how is that going to be handled with the beta? Will it be a separate thing from Step 1's beta or will it just add on? 2. very much appreciate the work around for our MC's to feature in a cut in. Is this a trend that will continue in future Steps? (understandable if this can't really be answered) 3. Step 1 Qiu has a lot of qualities that Step 2 Derek has so it makes me curious how the two would interact with each other if they met around that age range. Timeline wise I think that would put Derek at... 12? For OL2 anyway where as Qiu would be 11 in the OL1 timeline. 4. For the average/short stack MCs paired with Cove, how would he feel if he/she/they stated they love climbing him like a tree? Considering piggy backs can already be an established thing between Cove and MC.
LukkaDev
2024-08-10 06:08:41 +0000 UTCHey GB Lady I hope you are having a lovely day! I don't know if this is able to be answered but for the Patreon 18+ will there be an option for both the step 3 or 4 Qiu and Tamarack to participate? Also if you can't answer that question that's totally fine and I wish you all the best! ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ
Dry Noodles
2024-08-08 22:17:37 +0000 UTCWhat is your daily routine while working on OL2? Do you prefer to draft at a certain time of day?
Suldrun
2024-08-08 18:57:03 +0000 UTCHello!! Thank you for everything!! My question is would there be a future dlc for Renee? If you haven't thought about it would that be something to think about in the future?
Nova F
2024-08-07 21:05:49 +0000 UTCHi GB, hope your day is going well, four questions One, Do any of the OL2 Characters have a Wii? Two, Does MC ever get a TV in OL2? Three, What is the boys group (and Tamarack) dream jobs? In step one. Four, Has Qiu ever been confessed to in step 1, and if yes, how does Qiu usually handle being confessed to?
Fish
2024-08-07 20:26:57 +0000 UTCTwo questions: One, will we we be able to select "unofficial" crushes like in OL1. obviously no routes but can i give my mc a small crush on mrs lin or ren lol. Two, I'm curious why at least step 1 tam always walks but doesnt typically use her scooter. thats all ty!!!
BingusBongus
2024-08-07 19:14:45 +0000 UTCHi! Thanks for doing these as usual, and for answering all our questions! This time, my question is related to your answer to someone else's last month. I just LOVED that "scenario question" you answered in the last Q&A with how would Baxter act if a couple he's working for were MC's fans - if MC's famous. My singer MC would for sure love to get involved if he got the opportunity. That brings another sort of related question from me: what are the OL1 LI's general opinions on "bringing work home"? Basically, talking about their work with MC, discussing stuff with them and asking for advice, maybe having the MC be involved if relevant (like that aforementionned Baxter situation)... Of course, assuming the MC doesn't actually work WITH the LI to begin with, as this could be a possibility in some cases I guess.
Konoi Kurozora
2024-08-07 17:25:03 +0000 UTCHey :) Maybe it has been asked and explained before, but could you explain the reasoning behind the relationships always being mutual? E.g. the main character has a crush on Tamarack so they automatically have a crush back on them?
Nihada
2024-08-07 11:16:25 +0000 UTChey gb!!!! was it intentional that opal's name and favorite stone is the same as the birthstone for october? if so, is it safe to assume opal's birthday is some time in october too?
a human being
2024-08-06 21:24:08 +0000 UTCWhat are the favourite flowers of the OL2 Cast?
Astro Is Alive
2024-08-06 20:29:04 +0000 UTC^ great question
killjinx
2024-08-06 20:11:00 +0000 UTCHi GB! I was playing the Step 2 prolouge again and I noticed that in the intro it says " you've lived in this one place longer than anywhere.' I was kinda confused about this since if you moved at 10 and you'd only been living there for 4 years wouldn't you have been living there for less time than you did in the place you lived before? sorry if this is a weird question 😅
Trinity
2024-08-06 16:39:53 +0000 UTCI know you said you’re planning out the voiced lines for the kids in step 1: Do you have any kind of vision/idea for how their voices sound? Is there a certain “vibe” you’re looking for when you open casting? especially for the LI’s, but Baxter and Darren too!
sylvainlast
2024-08-06 12:06:34 +0000 UTCDid any characters very nearly have other names/physical characteristics, or did the names and appearances come quite naturally? (Love your games, btw!)
Emily Hughes
2024-08-06 11:18:48 +0000 UTCHi, I love our life and I think you’ve done such incredible work so far. I was curious what is your process for making our life 2? If I remember correctly the estimated time when our life 2 would be coming out is November 2025, but that seems like a lot of work considering your only on step 1 right now, and starting to work on the step 2 intro. So I was just curious how you manage your time when creating this game to try and reach this goal?
Lexie
2024-08-06 03:51:21 +0000 UTCIf Qiu and Tamarack played DnD, what classes would they choose?
Eddie Rubio
2024-08-06 02:01:25 +0000 UTCHello, I hope you and your team are doing well! OL1 and OL2 are a huge source of comfort for me, and i'm very happy to be able to support you! I've been making my own headcanons for a while, and I have a question about Derek: Who would he ask to be the best man in his wedding? would he ask his dad like Cove did? maybe his mom? I imagine he would have a hard time choosing between his brothers for that, so would he ask both of them? It would certainly be interesting either way!
Ste
2024-08-06 01:58:08 +0000 UTCidk if this has been asked before but what Hogwarts house would you say the OL1 leads are in? have a lovely day ✨
Jayden
2024-08-06 01:41:30 +0000 UTCI’m a huge fan of OL1 and what we have so far of OL2! You’ve done such amazing work, I’ve never seen a visual novel with this much opportunity for customization! I liked how in OL1 you were able to pick your interests and I’m excited about how that seems to be something that’s going to be expanded upon in OL2 with the extracurriculars. Are there going to be multiple ways to decide extracurriculars in step 1? Or is that something you’ll have to wait until later on in the game to specify. Edit: I’ve also come up with a second question. It may or may not be answerable, so feel free to skip. In OL1 the only moment I can recall in which cove actually got frustrated with the MC would be in Step 3 if you weren’t taking Terry and Miranda’s argument seriously. But it’s very brief and other than that there weren’t many instances of conflict in your relationship. I feel like OL2 already has more interpersonal conflict, Tammarack and Qiu already don’t always get along and we know that they’ll not really like each other in step 2. So In OL2, im wondering if you have any plans/ideas in which one of LIs could get mad/upset/frustrated with the MC as well. Not what they are of course, just if you do :)! Thank you again for working so hard on this fantastic game!
Ame Drawsz
2024-08-06 00:12:38 +0000 UTCHi! So happy I can support one of my absolute favorite dev teams. Playing OL1 is one of the biggest reasons I am learning how to/on my way to making my own visual novels. I have a couple of questions, if that's ok -- (also, sorry if these are repeats! I haven't had a chance yet to go through all the previous posts) 1.) OL1 was a very nuanced, understanding, and empathetic portrayal of autism along with gender identity and other big issues for kids. I'm curious how you go about approaching sensitive issues -- do you research, consult, have lots of playtesters, etc.? (I am AuDHD but only recently diagnosed *and* I am beginning my journey to becoming a clinical mental health counselor. I am particularly interested in combining mental health therapy and interactive media. When I first played OL1, it was like a magical blending of things I am passionate about and I instantly loved it.) 2.) Would you be open to any kind of mentoring / coaching / braindumping to share knowledge with new devs? Totally understand that this is a big ask with a price attached, because that is only fiar! Maybe a higher tier or a one-off thing maybe? I have been reading through the OL1 art book to gain insights too, I really like getting to peak behind-the-scenes into the thought processes and decisions.
Heather Walker
2024-08-05 23:34:53 +0000 UTCHello! Again Thank you for your hard work. Always impressed by the progress in development. I hope that you take care of yourselves and have a great time making the games, we'll cheer you on in the meantime. For my question, I know you said you wouldn't write places outside the United States but if you had the opportunity/ability to, which country would you want your story to take place in and why? (Sorry if this is something you can't answer or if the question is weird)
Kei
2024-08-05 23:14:18 +0000 UTCHello! Cheers to a *very* successful month. I have a few questions! 1) Are any of the OL2 children in step 1 picky eaters? What are the LI’s favorite foods? 2)Is there anything that made you specifically pick ballet as Qiu’s niche hobby? I think it’s a very interesting and compelling pick, especially considering Qiu’s character and the gender stereotypes surrounding dancing or “feminine” sports in general. Was it just that it *felt* right or was there any deeper meaning behind it? 3)What kind of music would the OL2 LI’s enjoy? This could be a genre, artist, etc. I feel like artists Laufey and beabadoobee very much give off a cozy autumn vibe.
apple 🍎
2024-08-05 22:20:07 +0000 UTCHello! I hope all is well! Don’t forget to rest when you’re able! Some silly questions like usual from me 1. I know they have favorite colors, but what color do you think embodies Qiu and Tam? Like what color do you associate with them 2. What kind of learning style do you think Qiu and Tam have? Things like doing, reading, observing, etc. 3. If their interests were reversed, what instrument would Qiu want to learn and what style of dance would Tam want to learn? Thank you! Have a great week!
Sara
2024-08-05 21:06:29 +0000 UTCDo you know if we'll be having any more onscreen hangouts with the boy's club?
Daniel Rowe
2024-08-05 20:44:30 +0000 UTChey kab!! im happy to have the chance to ask questions again :D (this is my second time) My question is that if ol2 was based on a different season, would the LI's look the same or would they be different? and thank you soooooo much for the hard work you've been putting into this game
skitso
2024-08-05 20:37:18 +0000 UTCI appreciate all the hard work y'all are doing and am super excited to play the full game when it comes! One of the aspects that I really love about Our Life 2 is that the relationship don't progress 'linearly' and there are different ways that the relationships can progress with the leads. So the question that I have is if, for example, we change from friends to neighbors from step 1 to step 2 can we still become friends/best friends/or even crush again when going through the moments in step 2? And if that is possible- are there multiple moments where it can happen or is it a one chance per step kind of thing? Another question is that I want to try my hand at an mc who's a bit of a troubled teenager later on in step 2 and I wonder how much and in what ways the mc will get to 'act out', in a sense. Like being able to be a bit blunt or rude or that kind of thing. A final question is that I seem to recall that you mention in a previous QnA that the journal feature will note down some of our MC’s characteristics, if this is true and not a figment of my imagination, what kinds of traits will be noted down? Hope y'all stay hydrated and take care!
linkiv
2024-08-05 20:19:43 +0000 UTCHi! Thank you for all your work<3 I have a small question regarding color: when I pick hair color as cranberry and change one of the sliders (ex. hue or light/dark) it seems like the game no longer recognizes it as cranberry?? I just want to confirm if I can select a darker cranberry shade while the game still recognizes it as a cranberry. Thank you!!
Elisa wwl
2024-08-05 20:07:08 +0000 UTCHi, I hope everyone is doing well and the weather is pleasant wherever you are🥰. Sorry if any of these questions have been answered before and please ignore whatever you don’t want to/can’t answer. If the OL2 mains were penpals/online friends with any of the OL1 and XOXO mains who do you think they’d most likely be? Do Qiu or Tam get motion sick on long trips? If Tam and Qiu could go anywhere on vacation where would they want to go ? Also, do you have any tips for writer’s block? Thank you for this and thank you for all you do!!💕💕
Vee
2024-08-05 19:39:13 +0000 UTCHello, I just want to thank you for all your work. Our Life B&A was a great boost to my mental health I was wondering for OL:NF, if there was anything you do to get into the mindset to write scenes that feature both Qiu and Tamarack. Is it hard to swap between them?
Kensei
2024-08-05 19:15:20 +0000 UTCHi again! Thank you the team for the amazing work so far!! Extra happy we’re moving on to OL:NF Step 2 soon :D I’ve got a couple questions: 1. Maybe this has been mentioned before but what would the LIs’ or in general characters’ from OL1 and OL2 university major be? Or would they even go to uni? Would they go as far as getting a phd? 1.5. What would the character’s job be? Or part time job or side-gig? 2. If there isn’t any yet, will there merchandise for GB patch games? And if I make myself DIY or custom ordered from some place merch, would that be fine? Like a bodypillow my favorite character? :3 I don’t have as many questions as last time, and there were a lot… Anyways, thanks again for blessing my(and probably other people’s) existence with you games, have a nice day/week/month! Until next qna lol
E
2024-08-05 18:55:45 +0000 UTCThank you for all your hardwork! I hope you and the team are doing well. In the sleepover moment, I noticed the MC has the option not to tell Tamarack and Qiu what's bothering them. If the MC always helps them out when they're sad but tends to hide their own troubles, will Tamarack and Qiu acknowledge that or is that too much to code? Thank you for your time!
Sphinx
2024-08-05 18:26:37 +0000 UTChello! i’m absolutely in love with your games it’s become such a comfort for me :] i was wondering what kind of voices are you looking for with qiu and tam in step 1? thank you!!
aoiidee
2024-08-05 18:15:23 +0000 UTCHi! First time making a question here, sorry for my broken english and sorry if this has been asked before. About the romeanceble characters from OL1 and OL2, which of them are more likely to listen to sad music after a fight/internal conflict? A silly example: Qiu listening to Stitches by Shawn Mendes while looking out the window lost in thought I really love your games and they've helped me through so many things, I'm so glad I got the chance to ask, even if it's something silly.
BabsMax
2024-08-05 18:14:59 +0000 UTCHello! I'm a very big fan of your games and they mean so much to me and they have helped me alot in my life! My question is about all the little things and "foreshadowing" in the Our Life games, such as the cute nicknames you can give Cove, and of course the White Poppy flowers! When you were writing the story, did you always know that some of these little cute effects and subjects would make reappearances in the story later? or did you suddenly remeber them and think that they could be added in? I was always impressed by the little details that get brought up in the story later that I forgot about when I started! It's part of the reason I love these games so much! I hope my question makes sense somewhat haha! Love your work!
Goinham123
2024-08-05 18:12:02 +0000 UTC
