Status Update on Build 0.5 (updated June 21)

Updated June 21:  Updates have been underlined

With 1,800 lines of dialogue, I am now down to less than 300 that require images. This is the final stretch. Unfortunately, these images are very resource intensive so while it is possible I'll have this update out before the end of the month, I still can't make any promises.

Goals for this update include:  (1) advancing the plot (duh!); (2) building a better understanding of Nick; (3) giving Ronan's character some more depth; (4) incorporating some requests for specific types of explicit content; and (5) adding some conflict between the characters and some more Dom/sub dynamics.

• Initial Script:  100%
• Initial Renders:  ~80% (Reshoot of Chapter 1 done; Chapter 9 done; Chapter 10 approx. 70% done)
• Adding Dialogue Menus/Choices:  90%
• Edit/Revise Script:  85%
• Correcting Renders:  55%
• Adding Sound:  10%
• QC:  10%

As always, these percentages are closer to estimates than actual quantitative measurements. Below the estimates, I'm including some narrative notes on what's happening in the development process.

Notes - added June 21

• With roughly 1,800 lines of dialogue in this update, I'm down to less than 300 lines that still require images. After that will be putting the images through QC to see if anything needs to be redone from scratch, cleanup in Photoshop for any stray artifacts (e.g., skin poking through clothing, spotlights reflecting in surfaces, etc.), adding sound, and playtesting.

Notes -- added June 4 (revised June 5)

• The images for Chapter 9 are now DONE! Oh boy was this a beast. One sex scene with five ways it could unfold and then choices within each of those sequences introduced a ridiculous number of finicky touch points I had to keep adjusting and, at one point, I somehow overlaid one model's morphs on another, requiring me to redo all the images with the second model.
• There are now a LOT of images for Chapter 9 in my render queue and it will likely take a couple days for them to process before I can load them into the development build and see how they look in the scenes. There may well be a lot of QC work I have to do, but getting this first pass of the images done is a big milestone for this build.
• I'm now shifting gears to the images for Chapter 10. Although Chapter 10 doesn't have any full blown sex scenes, it's going to begin to ratchet up the tension both in terms of the story and between the characters.

Notes -- added May 29

• This was a challenging week with a lot of real-life work and family commitments limiting my time, but also some very challenging shots for the explicit scenes in Chapter 9 that were extraordinarily tedious and time-consuming. But, two of the five sequences for the sex scene are done!
• In terms of other work not represented in the above estimates, this week I was finally able to get an Android-distributable built.
• Other technical changes coming in Build 0.5 and implemented this week is that the images and scripts will be moved into archive files.
• Also not represented in the above but I'm happy about, I've got renders come to you next week for a new antediluvian-tier character who is being introduced in Chapter 10, and I was finally able to start some real work on another character for a patron. They look great and I hope you'll love them as much as I do!

Notes -- added May 24

• With some helpful edits and feedback on a first draft of the script, I've made some changes to Chapter 10. I'm now adding to the choices some final coding for relationship tracking as well as a dom/sub scoring system. That latter system may or may not have a prominent role in the game as it progresses but by adding it now I can use it later if/when needed, rather than requiring someone to replay all the content from the beginning.
• With the renders for Chapter 1 complete and the script more or less locked down, I'm now focusing 100% on the renders for the new content.
• One thing you won't see but was a big change on the technical side was breaking up the script from one large file into smaller components. This should help with other aspects of the project later down the road.

Notes -- added May 20

• The first draft of the script for Build 0.5 is now complete. While I will be making some revisions and changes before release, the dialogue and scripting is coming in at more than 1,700 lines.
• My next priority is to finish the new renders for Chapter 1, then I'm going to switch 100% to the renders for the new content.

Notes -- added May 16

• Most of the script has been written and this will be another two chapter update. It may not be quite as big as the last update (I'm guessing probably closer to 1500 lines of dialogue and script rather than 0.4's 2,200 lines), but it's still in progress so we'll see.
• This update is going to have a few surprises that I may tease a little later closer to release, but there are two things I'll tell you right now. First, there will be an explicit sequence that will have the option for some more hardcore D/s content. Second, you'll be seeing a fully shifted werewolf for the first time.

Notes -- added May 11

• I currently have one explicit scene planned for this chapter, but there will be five ways it can unfold. That sounds like a lot, but I don't think it's going to be too bad. More importantly, I think it's important for the storytelling sequence and will result some significant consequences for the relevant characters.
• At the rate new patrons are joining the project, it is possible we'll hit the 40-patron goal for professionally produced music before I start working on sound for Build 0.5! I'm super excited about this. I can't promise I'll be able to rework all the audio in the game, but -- if we do hit this goal -- I will be including some of this audio and sfx in the next update.
• The dialogue for Chapter 2 has been updated (it's minor but I hope will help introduce Nick a little better), and I've rendered the entirely new images as part of some flashback sequences. At the same time, I'm working on redoing the images for Chapter 1. When I compare the quality of the original Chapter 1 images against what I'm able to create today, I don't think they make the kind of first impression they should, so this has moved up on my priority list.

That's it for now.

Cheers!