Hey everyone!  It's Borealis!

As promised, today is our exclusive Q&A session, where I answer questions from various places about the full release of Venus: Improbable Dream!  Sit back, relax and enjoy, and if you think of something you'd like to ask after reading it, you can still drop it in the comments below, and I'll answer anyway!  Let's dive in!

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What platforms will the game be released for?

Venus: Improbable Dream will be available for PC and Mac.  Currently, there are no plans to port the game to Android/IOS, due to the requirements and extra work needed to achieve it, but it’s still something I’m keeping in mind for the future, if there’s a considerable demand for it!

Where can I buy the game?

Venus: Improbable Dream will be for sale on Itch.io and Game Jolt.  I’d originally aimed to sell the game through Steam too, but unfortunately it’s an expensive process, and I can’t afford those expenses.  However, I’m not ruling it out in future.

How much will the game cost?

While Venus: Improbable Dream aims to deliver around 35 hours of gameplay, I also want to keep the price fair and reasonable, so at present, the game’s projected price is £10 ($13).  If this changes between now and the release date, I’ll be sure to let you all know.

Will the game contain any adult H scenes?

Nope!  Venus: Improbable Dream is suitable for all ages, and though there are romance elements portrayed in it, there’s nothing that isn’t safe for everyone.  Besides, we all know by now that Kakeru and Haruka are painfully awkward and anxious - if they struggle having basic conversations, they’re not going to be jumping into bed together!  Can you imagine Kakeru’s attempt at flirting?  I don’t think I can even picture it!  (Sorry Kakeru.)

Will the game feature voice acting?

Despite some interest from several voice actors about this side of things, I’m afraid I simply can’t afford to hire them.  If the game’s Kickstarter had done well, that might be different, but hey ho - we’ve got to make the best of what we have, and Venus: Improbable Dream will still be a great game regardless!

How long will the game be/how many endings will it have?

Venus: Improbable Dream has 4 possible endings, and I estimate that this will provide roughly 35 hours of gameplay total to achieve all 4.  Unlike regular dating sim/otome visual novels, where you have different routes for different romantic interests, Venus: Improbable Dream features only Haruka as a route - it’s how you act and the choices you make during your journey with her that will decide which ending you get.

Is there a best ending/true ending?

Yes!  While several endings in the game are positive in different ways, there is one that stands out above the rest, so yep, there’s a true ending - you’ll know it when you see it!  Also, for those who are curious, there are bad endings too…

Will there ever be future Venus: Improbable Dream DLCs/new content?

Currently, I have no plans due to the game’s length as it is, but this is something that I’m totally open to, so if you enjoy the game once you’ve played it and have suggestions for scenarios/events that you’d really like to see, then please don’t hesitate to reach out and tell me about it!

Will there be any Venus: Improbable Dream related products available other than the game itself?

You got it!  Alongside the game, the full audio soundtrack will also be available for download (the price has not been set yet, but it won’t be expensive!).

And my favourite reader-submitted question from Twitter, asked by @HuskyLeafGaming:

What was your inspiration for creating this VN? I know it sounds cliche but when reading this VN it feels like a personal story to me; do you know anyone who struggled with their issues in person like your characters do in game?

The bare bones idea of the VN’s story was that a person who didn’t have much going on in life would meet a fellow musician who would inspire them to chase their dreams, and when I was coming up with ideas for what kind of person that would be, I felt as though I wanted them to be sort of stuck in a rut in life, so that the story progression would be more impactful as the player watches them get out of said rut and find new happiness.  This led to me wanting to incorporate mental health as a big factor, and eventually have it be the main focus of the story, so I created a character that had severe issues in this area.  As for the ‘personal story’ aspect, it’s half and half; I personally have dealt with very bad depression across most of my life, so the depressive elements are totally drawn from my own experience.  If you ever read anything Kakeru thinks or says and find it particularly dark, that’s totally me speaking through him.  The anxiety elements are drawn from people I’ve known; I’ve never had anxiety issues personally, but one of my family members does, as has several people I’ve known, including people I’ve dated.  I realise that depression and anxiety are unfortunately very easy for a lot of people to relate to, so I knew that I wanted to make that as realistic as possible, and also show a story of triumph over these issues to inspire and motivate readers of the VN.  The final bit of inspiration came from the decision to make Kakeru a male character; at first, I was open to writing any kind of relationship, be it hetero, yuri or yaoi, but after creating Haruka as she was, and then wanting the protagonist to be this person who suffers extreme mental health issues, I realised that I wanted him to be male to further represent other males who struggle in this way.  There’s still a massive negative stigma around men and mental health, that they can’t show emotion, that they have to ‘man up’ and deal with things silently, and it’s incredibly toxic.  So I wanted Kakeru to represent men who have these issues to not only highlight the fact that it’s incredibly valid and not shameful, and also to portray a great story in which men can work through their emotions and find happiness.  The other elements - Kakeru’s hemangioma and Haruka’s disability - are not personal to myself or people I’ve known.  They’re just things that I felt would strengthen the story and add to those particular characters in the right way.  I personally deal with a few chronic health issues, none of which are too serious, although I suppose they do add to the way I'm able to write about Kakeru and Haruka's situations, as I do know what it's like to feel limited by circumstances that you can't change, albeit in a lesser way.

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Questions answered!  I hope this gave you all the info you'd like to know, and if not, ask away below - I always respond!  Next week, I'll have something funny that's guaranteed to make you laugh, so get ready to giggle!

Borealis