Game Status Update #67

Hey there, everyone. Got a short and sweet status update for you.

First, let's talk cover boy! This CG is from the new update because of course I have to grant you the opportunity to give Connor some relief before class. In a lot of playthroughs, the poor guy spent the night getting sexually teased or found himself unable to finish!

Okay, back to the status update! We're in the final stretch. Most of what needed to be done is done, and I have my eye on next Monday. It'll mark the one year anniversary of the last early access release (!), so I'm working very hard to not go past it.

Here's a summary of what's been completed, inclusive of all the work done throughout the past year:

Art

• 9 new character models

• 33 revised character models

• 236 new character sprites

• 288 revised character sprites

• 80 new CGs

• 47 revised CGs

• 14 new backgrounds

• 125 revised backgrounds

• New main menu

Writing

• 400,000-word week 1a script covering hundreds of variant scenes based on player choices

• 10,600-word week 1b script, written in advance of the next story update

Coding

• Extensive overhaul and organization of choice variables

• Lengthy transition script between day 2 and week 1, added to fix older flags as well as evaluate prior choices to determine preferences like sexual position and relationships between characters

• A large number of tracking variables added for various stats/character details

• New expression system to streamline how sprites are displayed

• New mood system for Connor

• New hookup level system

• New system for defining character relationships, both automatic and player chosen

• Most of the written script adapted into code using a new code organization format

• Overhaul of how menus and links between scenes are implemented

• Thorough code review and testing

• New main menu layout

Behind the Scenes

• Developed a new writing format to make handling variant scenes easier to manage as well as ease the transition from written scrip to code

• Developed new way to test the game to cut down on time to complete

• Multiple revisions of how scenes in the game are coded to streamline future development

....and probably more stuff I'm forgetting.

Still to do over the coming week:

• 1 new CG

• 4 or 5 new sprites

• 10 or so new scenes coded and tested

• 10 reinserted scenes cut from last dev build

• A final extensive code review

• Final extensive testing

Seems doable in a week, but we'll see how it goes—there's only so much time in a day and I'm doing it all on my own, after all.

I'm optimistic as of today since most of the pieces are in place or are about to be. I think the biggest task ahead of me is the code review and testing due to older scenes missing systems like mood that were added later or which followed an old iteration of things like choice variable format. Plus, y'know, trying to spot all the errors I made initially or inserted at a later time.

We seem to be in the final stretch at last. If I seem quiet, that's why—my focus is entirely on finishing this update so you can finally play.

Before I get back to work, I thought I'd share a few game-related asides that may be of interest to you!

Art

Before Evan was upgraded to a romanceable character, I got a lot of questions asking why he wasn't one already. I always replied that if while writing it made sense to make him romanceable, I would do it—and I did. But the entire reason my plans for him seemed nebulous is because I created him last minute to replace a different character. The first version of the guy in the "classmate" role wasn't confused, and his name wasn't Evan.

In the early planning stages, I wanted to add a recurring hookup-only character named Bastian that would be in Connor's classes. Problem was, I didn't have a lot of assets to make the model and also was still learning how to even use Daz Studio. The character was not turning out at all like I wanted, so I scrapped him (and later reused his name for Isaiah's dance teacher). I then noodled around until I ended up with Evan. His appearance inspired a certain personality, and the rest is history.

I bring this up because in writing these final scenes I ended up needing a new classmate character. The role could not be filled by existing classmates Evan or Cherish, and the only other new student I'd made was Kaleb, who isn't meant to be in Connor's writing classes.

So I quickly whipped up a new character—and once he was created, I realized that I'd unintentionally remade good ol' Bastian. With several years experience under my belt and access to a lot of high quality assets thanks to your patronage, I landed on a look very similar to the original unrealized idea.

Here's the scrapped model from 2021:

And here's our newest freshman, Corvin, who you'll first meet in Tomas's class:

I think he turned out pretty cute!

Fan Art

Lastly, I wanted to share this fun piece of fan art that was made by DC Burns—Connor and his brother, Fane, as Ken dolls!

 All right, back to work for me. I've got a deadline to meet!