Status Update #70

Hey everyone! I'm back with December's mid-month status update. I actually have a lot to talk about this time as we look forward to the game's next few releases and beyond.

It's been just under a week since the Morning After Update went into early access for Juniors, Seniors, & Graduates. (Sophomores, you get it tomorrow!) I was actually really uneasy about releasing it since I didn't know if it would be satisfying to play after waiting so long, but the responses I've received have been very positive. I'm glad the work I put in seems to have paid off.

There's actually still some more to do, which I'll talk about below along with details on the following two updates: a Grind'm scenario featuring Trevor and a story update featuring Matt, Evan, & Leo. Let's dive in!

The Morning After Update

Although the update was complete enough to release, there are still some additions I want to make before the update releases to the public. This is what's on the docket, divided into items that must be completed and items that are more of the "like to have" variety.

MUST COMPLETE

Revised CGs

• Orientation Entrance CG to replace all the revised models as well as raise the overall quality level

• Skinema Performance CGs 1a, 1b, 2, 3, and 5 to replace the models for Noir, Mafia, and NC17 (completed)

• Asher Day 2 Hangout CG 3 to replace the model for Noir (completed)

New Backgrounds

• Dorm Room Day 2 Afternoon to remove clutter since narratively Connor unpacked (2 versions)

• Dorm Room Day 2 Night, same reason as above (3 versions)

• Dorm Room Week 1 Morning, same reason as above (3 versions)

Writing

A conversation with Isaiah was pulled out for some revisions. It has been partially rewritten, but I don't know if it'll be ready in time for tomorrow's early access release.

Coding

Before releasing the update, I went through each scene to make sure everything was coded correctly, including standardizing the way I insert variables to make it easier to spot any omissions.

However, at the last minute I removed Marco's minor pondering scene. Each guy you have significant interactions with (except Tomas) has a pondering scene, many with major and minor versions that cover different experiences, and while playing those scenes you decide your relationship goals. The minor version for Marco was going to be included regardless of how much time you spent with him.

So many Marco decision trees were already folded into earlier scenes that it seemed unnecessary to have this as well. I decided that I could just auto-assign a relationship like I do for every other guy you have little interaction with. That meant carefully checking how each scene linked together to remove jumps to what would have been the minor pondering scene.

I didn't get to check every single path since I was doing this literally up until the last moment. So I need to continue combing through the code to make sure this is all fixed as well as fix a few other places where thoughts don't correlate to earlier choices, adjust/add choice variables, and look for any coding errors I previously overlooked.

I'll update the download files once the fixes are implemented.

OPTIONAL CONTENT

These are the "like to have" items I mentioned above that add more sexual content, polish, and reactivity. If these additions will interfere with beginning the next game update, I'll either cut them or save them for later.

In particular, the revised CGs and sprites don't really need to be done right away—I would just like the quality level and model appearances to remain consistent throughout this game update.

Bonus CGs

These technically  aren't necessary for the story, but there are spots I want to illustrate with more naked guys if I have the time. The ones most likely to be added are the second on this list.

• More dream sequence teases before waking up (total unknown)

• More teases during the shower sequence (35-39 in total, 5 completed)

• More teases between the showering sequence and the end of Will's class (3 in total)

• More teases after Will's class (16 or so in total)

Revised CGs

• Julian/Owen Day 1 Tease to use their new models and up the quality

• Leo Day 1 Tease 2 to use his new model and up the quality (also to match his revised Day 1 sprites and first tease CG)

• Leo/Matt Day 1 Tease to use their new models and up the quality

Revised Sprites

• New Blaze Day 2 sprites to use his new pose, adjust his outfit, and to up the quality (7 in total)

• New Riley Day 1, Day 2, & Towel sprites to use his new model, use his new pose, and to up the quality (33 in total)

• New Xavier Day 2 sprites to use his new pose and up the quality (4 in total)

• Re-render any new sprites that weren't made with the new standardized camera setup (total unknown)

Writing/Coding

• Additions to dialogue to reference earlier momentous events so it doesn't seem like Connor forgot about them

• Additional distraction sequences where Connor flashes back to momentous events; right now there are only a few implemented

• Additional moments where mood adjusts the dialogue in the latter half of the update

• Dialogue to accompany the dream teases noted above (2 or 3 in total)

• Dialogue to accompany the shower teases noted above (35-39 in total, 3 completed)

• Dialogue to accompany the post-Will teases (16 or so in total)

I don't know if this update will ever feel completely done to me, but hopefully on your end it doesn't show too much! If I make additions like the tease CGs, I'll be sure to note it in a status update so those who played early access will know there's more content to experience.

The Trevor Grind'm Update

At long last I can talk more about what's coming after the newest update! The next release will introduce a Grind'm scenario for Trevor, who was chosen by Graduate patrons to join the roster alongside Jordi. This post's cover image is Trevor's main profile picture. Making it actually helped me figure out a method to create mirror selfies that are more accurate to what a real one would look like.

I don't know about you all, but I am particularly fond of how Trevor's jock strap bulge turned out 🥵

This scenario has been planned out for quite a while. Here's what the flowchart looks like (this screenshot is purposefully too small to read):

It's a lengthy one. For reasons I won't spoil, it has nearly three times the CGs that Jordi's scenario has, for a total of 195 CGs.

That's a lot of art to make, but not quite as much as it seems. Like Jordi's scenario, the action is illustrated by some CGs that use the same setup (framing, lighting, and general model position) but have variations I can swap between to "animate" what you're seeing. So those 195 CGs are separated into 74 setups, which is a much more manageable number.

Of course, it'll still take time to create the initial setups, make changes to the related CGs, render, and edit each image. This count is also only for the scenario—there are more images needed for Trevor's profile and a few other things.

I already planned my daily work schedule, including breaks and catch up days. However, going forward I've decided I'm not giving any sort of time frame for a release unless I'm nearly 100% certain I can make the deadline. I've more than learned my lesson about that the past year—knowing I've been letting people down by not meeting the timeframes I gave has definitely weighed on me.

Rather, I'm going to list what components need to be made, and then note in each status update what has been completed and what remains. That way you all can still follow along with development without the disappointment that comes with missing deadlines.

I will say that this and future updates won't take anywhere near as long to create as the Morning After Update. I've portioned out the workload and revised my plans to ensure this. I'll be going over those workflow changes in a Behind the Scenes post that'll cover what all I did this past year, what I learned from during that time, and the adjustments I've made to streamline content creation.

All that said, here's the component list for this Grind'm update:

Art

• Trevor profile pics (4 in total, 1 completed)

• Trevor profile text (2 in total)

• Unlocked Grind'm CGs gallery background

• Character sprites (number unknown)

• Cell phone sprites (2 in total)

• Unlock pop-up notification sprite (completed)

• New backgrounds (6 in total)

• Scenario intro CGs (2 setups, 2 images in total)

• Scenario foreplay CGs (16 setups, 28 images in total)

• Scenario side (oral only) CGs (10 setups, 28 images in total)

• Scenario bottom CGs (9 setups, 29 images in total)

• Scenario top CGs (9 setups, 27 images in total)

• Scenario versatile (top & bottom) CGs (1 setup, 3 images in total)

• Scenario cumming CGs (18 setups, 69 images in total)

• Scenario afterglow CGs (4 setups, 4 images in total)

• Scenario ending CGs (2 setups, 2 images in total)

• Scenario end screen CGs (3 setups, 3 images in total)

Writing

Writing the script will most likely begin after some or most of the art is created since the finished CGs will inform what I write.

• Trevor profile text (2 variations)

• Scenario introduction

• Scenario foreplay

• Scenario side/oral, part 1

• Scenario side/oral, part 2 (3 variations)

• Scenario bottom, part 1

• Scenario bottom, part 2 (3 variations)

• Scenario top, part 1

• Scenario top, part 2 (3 variations)

• Scenario versatile

• Scenario cumming (10 variations)

• Scenario afterglow (2 variations)

• Scenario ending (2 variations)

• Scenario end screen (3 variations)

Coding

• Trevor profile (2 variations)

• Trevor scenario unlocks

• Trevor Grind'm CGs gallery

• Jordi Grind'm CGs gallery

• Scenario introduction

• Scenario foreplay (5 segments)

• Scenario side/oral & cumming (4 segments)

• Scenario bottom & cumming (4 segments)

• Scenario top & cumming (4 segments)

• Scenario versatile

• Scenario afterglow

• Scenario ending

• Scenario end screens

I will begin creating this either at the end of this month or during the first few weeks of January, depending on when I feel finished with the Morning After Update edits and additions. January's first status update will say for certain, and if any of the above is completed by then, I'll be sure to list it out.

The Getting to Know You Story Update, Part 1

The in-game story will continue in its own update after Trevor's Grind'm scenario is released. The Grind'm scenarios were created in part to give me time to plan out story updates while giving us something fun to play in the meantime.

The Morning After Update addressed every single storyline, which is in part what made it take so long to make. So I made adjustments to my plans as we move forward with development—each new story update will instead narrow its focus to two or three characters while mixing in some other content like classes or group hangouts.

This is the general plan for the Getting to Know You Update, Part 1:

• Continue where you left off at the end of the Morning After Update with an optional but fun sexual scene (those who already played should have a good idea what it entails 😉)

• Follow up with some of the guys to make plans for future hangouts and/or hookups

• Wednesday begins with what will be your usual Tuesday class, which will officially introduce Professor Zeno Argyris as he joins the supporting cast

• There's a hangout opportunity with Evan in the early afternoon

• There's a hangout opportunity with Matt mid-afternoon

• There's a hangout opportunity with Leo in the late afternoon

You can experience all three of the above hangouts in a single playthrough. The story updates that come after this will give alternate ways to spend your Wednesday.

Zeno's only appearance in the new version of the game is in the background of a CG, but he's already made a splash here on Patreon. Check out his tag to see some sexy images (some or all posts may be locked depending on your patron level).

Although I haven't created the flowcharts for this update yet, I do have it broadly planned out. I can guarantee the following:

• Two hookup-adjacent opportunities with two different guys

• Two full hookup opportunities with two different guys (not the same ones as above), both of which have the option for penetration

• Many, many new CGs, and not just for these four opportunities; a fair number are conjured up in Connor's imagination and will include characters you already met plus at least one guy you may have heard of but who hasn't been shown in the game yet

You don't have to engage in any of the sex-focused opportunities, of course, and in fact much of what can happen during any of the four scenarios is locked behind each guy's hookup level (I'll talk about this system in the upcoming behind the scenes post).

Romance-focused players will still have engaging content, as will players who only want platonic friendships. Hangouts/dates don't exist just to facilitate hookups, after all. They're ways to get to know the guys better—you'll learn some fun facts about Evan in particular.

I've actually already written most of one of the hookup-adjacent scenes as well as most of both hookup scenes, so that's a big chunk of content already done. That gives me a good head start, which along with the streamlined systems I've developed should make creating the update less time-intensive overall.

I should also note that just because this update focuses on Matt, Evan, and Leo, it doesn't mean other characters won't appear. I'll go into more detail about what the plans are once we get closer to development for this section of the game.

The Updates Ahead

Including the newest release, the next four updates are set in stone:

• The Morning After Story Update

• The Trevor Grind'm Scenario Update

• The Getting to Know You Story Update, Part 1

• The Parker Grind'm Scenario Update

After that we have The Getting to Know You Story Update, Part 2. It is planned to feature Riley and Dominic, though that may change.

The plan as of now is to continue with this alternating update schedule: Story Update > Grind'm Update > Story Update > Grind'm Update, and so on. However, I may decide to do some back-to-back story updates in the future.

The Overall Plan

It's been a while since I've talked about what all the game will entail. I've been asked about it a number of times recently, so I think it's worth discussing again.

The story takes place during September and October, and it ends on Halloween. (You may recall you can make a pact with Matt to hook up on Halloween if you haven't lost your virginity by then.)

This time frame is divided into ten parts: Day 1, Day 2, and then Weeks 1 - 8. Each segment has a topic/theme that each storyline will explore in different ways:

• Day 1, First Impressions - This section was designed to do exactly as its subtitle says—offer up the very first taste of each character so you can decide which ones have the most appealing flavors.

• Day 2, Beyond the Surface - In this section, you get your first opportunity to dig a little deeper into the guys that most intrigued you, and the basics of their storylines are revealed or hinted at.

• Week 1, Getting to Know You - The title here doesn't just refer to the other characters—it's also an opportunity to get to know your version of Connor better. This section adds hangouts, dates, and hookups as different ways to get to know the guys better while also deciding the general direction you want each relationship to go.

• Week 2, In Their Element - Here you get to meet the guys on their own turf so you can see them focus on their artistic pursuits, further deepening your understanding of them.

• Week 3, Going Deeper - Hangouts and dates extend outside of dorms, apartments, and classrooms so you can see how the guys exist in the world at large.

• Week 4, Getting Closer and Cooling Down - Midway through the game you can start definitively deciding which guy(s) you want to dedicate yourself to or if you don't want to dedicate to any one person at all. The decisions here are not set in stone, however.

• Week 5, Complications, Part 1 - A lot of dramatic moments can occur here that may reshape how you see the guys and how they see you, which could alter the course of your relationships in unexpected ways.

• Week 6, Defining the Relationship - It's here that you can really firm up your relationships based on what happened during Week 5.

• Week 7, Complications, Part 2 - Another round of potential drama occurs that could reshape your relationships yet again.

• Week 8, Happy Endings - In which the subtitle can be taken many different ways 😉

If you're interested in more details, I go much deeper into the overarching plans for the game in Behind the Scenes #3: The Big Picture, with the caveat that some things have changed since I wrote that post.

We've already completed Day 1 and Day 2, and we've just begun Week 1. It became pretty clear the past 13 months that unless I rethink the scope of the game, it'll take years and years and years to finish.

It'll still take a few years more to finish regardless, but I've gone through and did some edits to my plans. I first did this before I began the Morning After Update when I moved up the timeline for a number of relationship developments.

For example, what can happen with Will at the end of the new update was originally planned to come mid-way through Week 2. Some events that can occur with Matt in this update and what's coming in the Getting to Know You Update, Part 1 didn't exist at all. His first possible sexual encounter wasn't going to come until Week 3.

That was the start of reevaluating the pacing of relationships to be more satisfying for everyone playing the game as it develops while still making sense when the full game is completed.

Since then, I've removed some planned scenes that were there just for the sake of being there, mostly some group hangouts but also some hookups with random guys, since the latter is now covered by the Grind'm scenarios. (I may still include some truncated versions of those scenes as a way to unlock Grind'm scenarios I choose myself rather than put to a vote.)

I also won't be going day by day as we move forward, even though that's how Week 1 is initially playing out. The swap to the weekly sections was so we could jump through time to relevant scenes. This was always the plan, but during this new evaluation of the overall story I've been further paring back some side character roles so we can focus on hangouts and hookups with the main guys.

I will still have special hookup opportunities that include side characters for players with a hookup focus, however! There's actually a secret level up system for certain groups to facilitate this 🤫

Anyway, as I'm looking ahead as a creator, I want to make sure we don't have any huge gaps again. This means narrowing scope combined with smaller but more frequent story updates. If it's ever possible that I can hire additional developers to help me, I will absolutely do so, which would also speed things up quite a bit!

The Immediate Future

I spent the last week allowing myself to chill out and relax a little bit, but this week I'll go back to working consistently on the game as I focus on the remaining Morning After Update work. I also have some plans for additional Patreon content should time allow, since it's been lacking lately!

Opinions Wanted!

In addition to this game status update, I've posted a poll that I hope many of you will take the time to check out. Essentially, I'd like to get a better feel for which characters most players are focused on so I can better plan future story updates. If you'd like to help with that, head over to the poll by clicking here!

Odds and Ends

Before I end this status update, I wanted to shout out this fan-made relationship and CG unlock guide again, since I know many of you want one. You can check out the Google doc by clicking here.

I have actually started writing my own guide, but I have no idea when I'll complete it. The above guide plus the fan-made Wiki are good resources in the meantime 🙂

Lastly, I wanted to share something that has absolutely nothing to do with the game. One of my hobbies is D&D, which I've been playing with the same group almost weekly for the past four years.

We're starting a new campaign soon, and I made some art of my new character, who is a Warrior of the Elements Monk, a subclass from the new 2024 Player's Handbook. I thought I'd show off these pieces as a look at the non-porn art I occasionally make—and also so more than 6 other people see them 😉

All right, that's it for me! I'm off to do some work on the VN. Talk to you all again soon 🙂