Progress update #11

Hey everyone! 😊

I owe you a long update on where things are, so here it is—with some fresh images, too! I know the wait’s been longer than planned, and life’s been a bit of a juggling act with unexpected events thrown in (moving mid-project wasn’t in the cards!). Anyway, let’s dive into the latest on the game.

Coding:

First up is the coding side of things! I’ve been working on the personality and relationship counters to bring out more flavor in the interactions. Like I mentioned before, this won’t change much in this specific update, but it’s laying the groundwork for a deeper experience in future updates.

So far, I’m over halfway through with the personality system. Oliver’s personality will be influenced by your choices, falling into one of three types: sweet, spicy, or sour. I’m adding tweaks to dialogue in a way that makes his personality shine naturally, without changing the core story. It’s all about immersion here—giving Oliver little touches of character that feel personal and engaging. Not every line changes, but when it feels right, you’ll get those subtle vibes for each personality!

For the relationship counter, I’m setting things up now for bigger effects later. You might notice a few moments in this update where your relationship score changes a line or reaction, but it’s just a taste of what’s to come. Down the line, the relationship counter will have a stronger impact on the overall experience and interactions.

On top of that, I’ve been putting in some work on making the code cleaner and more organized. Back when I started, this game was mainly an experiment while I figured things out, so the code was more like a patchwork of “get it to work now, fix it later” solutions. Now that the game’s taken off (and has way more complexity!), I’m going back to make sure it’s all tidy and optimized. It’s a lot of work, but future me will definitely thank current me for taking the time!

It’s honestly amazing to me that this game has gotten so much love and support. I had no idea it’d be this popular or take up this much of my life, but I’m so grateful.

Updating CGs:

As for the visuals, I’ve also been putting time into updating older CGs where it’s really needed. I’m focusing on images that need a serious quality boost or better lighting, especially the older scenes. I’d love to refresh everything, but I’m prioritizing the ones that don’t quite hold up anymore.

This part is almost done, and I’m really happy with how it’s coming together

Next Steps:

I’m aiming to have this update ready before Christmas. I know it’s been a bit of a wait, especially since this is mainly a refresh of what you already know. Moving definitely slowed things down, so thank you all for bearing with me.

I’ll be posting a new gallery for patrons soon, so keep an eye out for that. And hey, if anyone wants to volunteer as “the boss” to keep me focused, reach out—I might need someone to keep me on track these days! 😂

Thank you all again for the support and patience. Seriously, you all make this journey (and all of my guilty conscience) so worthwhile, and I couldn’t do it without you!

Best,
Thonduil