Changelog: 0.4.0 - Sanctuary in Time

Greetings, one and all!

Version 0.4.0 is a BIG update with a lot of changes, most of which focus on improving sex scenes and adding more choices to them. But we've also got new, spicier outfits added to the game, an update to the cover art to make it look sexier, and a whole bunch of other miscellaneous stuff designed to heat things up a bit. Do you see a pattern here? That's 'cause there is.

Ladies and gents, it's time to kick things up a notch. So, dig in!

These updates are coming to patrons first, then two weeks later they’ll be released for other editions and the Itch storefront as well.

Above all else, have fun!

Max (Novus Operandi)

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Sanctuary in Time is a text-based, adult game with sci-fi & RPG elements! Your father's just been murdered. He was the God of Time. Now, it's your turn! Save damsels from dark corners of history; train them as warriors, courtesans, or workers. Build your forces. Expand & upgrade your citadel. And survive the enemies that seek your death!

Bonus content update: wallpaper art w/ topless variant!

• Starting w/ version 0.4.0, the Complete Edition of the game will include a folder with bonus desktop wallpapers. These include a high-res image of the game’s new cover art + a topless variant of the same. (Artwork by the amazing Karsten Schreurs.)

Feature update: muscles & beauty now affect performance!

Previously, the states of a follower’s muscles & facial beauty were largely cosmetic, with no real bearing on their weekly performance results. Now, however, that’s been changed. (Inspired by feedback from user Dark on the audiogames.net forum & others.)

• Muscular strength now directly impacts the weekly duty performance of combat, caretaking, and medically-assigned followers. The weaker they are, the harder it will be for them to perform their tasks.
• Facial beauty now directly impacts the weekly duty performance of courtship assigned followers. The less attractive they are, the more challenging it will be for them to entice and influence others.
• If impacted, a new snippet of text will be displayed in the weekly turn report, detailing how and to what extent their performance was impacted. Plus, a suggestion for how to alleviate a negative impact when encountered.
• 3 tiers of bonuses, 3 tiers of penalties, and 1 ‘no effect’ state are now possible for followers impacted by either muscular strength or facial beauty in their assignment.
• 3 new categories of muscular development are being added to the pre-existing ranges. The new categories are ‘underdeveloped,’ ‘barely-toned,’ and ‘lightly-defined.’ These were added to introduce more variety, as well as to provide enough categories for an even distribution of the new bonuses & penalties.
• Pre-existing followers will be updated to match with the new range of possible muscle values, so you may notice a change in their physical fitness level upon first loading.
• The Gene Lab option for modifying facial beauty has been moved from the high-devotion-level unlocks to the medium-devotion-level unlocks, giving players quicker access to it. The Gene Lab option for modifying body type (e.g. tomboyish, feminine, etc) now fills the prior position.
• The energy costs associated with modifying facial beauty options have been updated to better reflect their new importance.

Feature update: new anal sex options!

• Due to overwhelming demand (and yeah, I wanted ‘em too), anal options are now included for all major sex positions.
• They come in three variations; facing the wall (while standing), on all fours (while on the bed), and reverse cowgirl (while seated).

Feature update: sex scenes now affect skills & vice versa!

• Follower orgasms achieved during sex now increase the courtship skill. (But orgasms achieved during inspections do not, as those are largely one-sided affairs and grant little experience to the follower.) However, since the courtship skill is more than just sex (e.g. it’s also diplomacy & subterfuge), making love can only increase it so far before duty assignments must do the rest. So, skill increases stop once all sex-based unlocks have been achieved (see below).
• Sex positions are now unlocked by a combination of 3 factors; the follower’s courtship skill, their personality-based limitations (i.e. inhibitions), and their love for the player. Each position (oral, vaginal, and anal) has its own skill level requirement + the necessity for the follower’s inhibitions to be low enough to participate, or their love for the player to be high enough to override them. Follower inhibitions, though initially based on personality, can also be lowered by the player through coaching.
• The result of these changes is that a seductive follower with no sexual inhibition will engage in advanced sexual acts with the player far quicker and more easily than a shy follower, so long as the skill levels required are possessed. (Inspired by feedback from user Dark on the audiogames.net forum & others.)

Feature update: new foreplay option to watch her masturbate!

• A new foreplay option of WATCH HER MASTURBATE is now available for all major sex positions which becomes available when a partner is highly aroused.
• Three variations of this scene are available, any of which can load randomly upon repeated selections.

Feature update: new climax option!

• A new option has been added to every CLIMAX menu of CONSERVE SEMEN & EXIT. This shows a brief scene in which the player chooses to conserve their semen & bring lovemaking to a close anyway. This gives the player a quicker (and alternative) way to exit sex scenes should they choose not to have their character ejaculate.

Feature update: new post-climax option for cuddling!

• An optional, new choice has been added to the post-climax menu of HOLD EACH OTHER. This allows the player & their partner to share a few moments of quiet intimacy in each other’s arms after finishing sex. (As suggested by player feedback.)
• Three new post-coitus cuddling scenes are now available, any of which can load randomly upon repeated selections of this choice.
• This option is also shown to players if they choose to CONSERVE SEMEN & EXIT.

Feature update: other changes to sex scenes!

• Penetration scenes (both vaginal & oral) have been updated to be more varied and interesting. Text used during climax scenes is now unique to climaxes, while the text previously used for penetrative acts has been replaced by 3 new scenes that can load randomly upon repeated selections. A similar system is also in place for the new anal sex scenes.
• Updated code so that dialogue choices which can result in a random scene selection will not select the same scene twice in a row. This should help make random scene selections feel more truly random.
• Updated all pre-existing player climax scenes (foreplay, oral & vaginal - 20 scenes in total - some slightly, some extensively) with new drafts to be sexier and use more ‘active’ language (e.g. fewer participles & more present tense verbs).
• Updated follower climax responses for all oral scenes to be more appropriate for a person who might have their mouth full (e.g. removed references to ‘gasping,’ ‘biting her lip,’ etc. and replaced w/ other actions). They have also been increased in number to be more varied & interesting.
• Updated the intro for the side story event in which a follower asks if she can share the shower with you. It now displays elements of her personality. Also reworked how exiting this scene functions; the FINISH SHOWERING choice has been removed and replaced with the CONSERVE SEMEN & EXIT choice under CLIMAX CHOICES. This brings it more in line with the format of other sex scenes.
• The CANCEL CLIMAX and EXIT INTERCOURSE choices found in all sex scenes have been renamed as GO BACK and END LOVEMAKING, respectively, so they sound less clinical.
• Updated follower inspection scenes so that options for ASK TO UNDRESS and HANDS-ON INSPECTION are always displayed on their respective menus. They are simply disabled w/ a message about requirements not being met if devotion and/or love are too low.
• Updated logic used in the date activity, so that a follower’s willingness to kiss or make love at the conclusion (when the proper conditions are met) is now influenced by their current inhibition level in courtship (which can be lowered via coaching) rather than their personality type (which doesn’t change).

Cosmetic & outfit updates:

• Updated descriptions for all pre-existing, devotion-based outfits (some slightly, some significantly) to make them sexier & more interesting: white linen shift, white loincloth (w/ sash), and white loincloth (topless) (including winged variants).
• Updated description of outfit ‘warpaint & leather’ to be sexier. Plus, added new variant outfit ‘warpaint & leather (topless),’ which is similar to previous outfit only topless.
• Updated combat outfits ‘breastplate (leather)’ and ‘breastplate (bronze)’ (including winged variants) to be much sexier, with exposed midriffs, very short skirts, and keyhole necklines.
• Added new variant outfits ‘closed breastplate (leather)’ and ‘closed breastplate (bronze),’ which are more modest versions.
• Updated courtship outfits ‘temple robe’ and ‘temple robe (ornate)’ (including winged variants) to be a little sexier.
• Added new variant outfits ‘closed temple robe’ and ‘closed temple robe (ornate),’ which are more modest versions.
• Added new courtship outfit of ‘harem garb,’ which features diaphanous trousers and a supportive breast sash. (Think “I dream of Jeannie.”) Plus, added a ‘harem garb (topless)’ variant, which is similar to previous outfit only topless.
• Updated how combat & courtship outfits unlock in the shop. Previously, they unlocked based on skill level alone. But now some of these outfits require a certain level of skill & a certain level of devotion to purchase. In general, the sexier versions of outfits will unlock at higher devotion levels, while the more modest versions will unlock sooner.
• Added new ‘top knot’ hairstyle which comes in short and medium lengths and features both sides of a follower’s head being shaved while the remaining hair is combed straight back and secured in a top knot.
• Hairstyles ‘mohawk’ and ‘close-shaved’ will no longer appear on newly-recruited npcs, though they can still be assigned in the Barber Shop afterward. They seemed historically inappropriate for certain time periods and individuals. The new ‘top knot’ hairstyle is also similarly restricted.
• Adjusted how exercise affects a follower’s body: breasts get firmer, and now buttocks will get smaller instead of larger, because the increased muscle tone will make her hips and bottom leaner. While losing muscle tone will have the opposite effects on breast firmness & buttocks size. Also added condition that prevents ‘enormous’ breasts from being made ‘pert’ through natural exercise alone. This combo is now only possible via the Gene Lab.
• Adjusted the colors used in the output for breasts / buttocks size changes resulting from diet / exercise to better communicate the types of changes taking place.
• Adjusted Brianna Morgyn’s starting buttocks size from ‘full’ to ‘well-rounded,’ and her starting muscle tone from ‘firm’ to ‘lightly-defined.’ This only affects a new game start.

Player title updates:

• The list of selectable player titles has been expanded to include more options (as suggested by an audiogames.net user who wishes to remain anonymous), while the default pool a follower might select from on their own remains more conservative (for both historical accuracy & appropriateness for new recruits). (The player title field also remains editable, so you can have a follower call you anything you like.)
• (Story Spoilers) The title a newly recruited half-Celestial woman addresses you by has been changed from “Lord of Time” to “Brother.” (Only affects newly recruited npcs, not pre-existing.)
• (Story Spoilers) Updated relationship transition event in which follower asks if player would like to court them. If follower is a half-Celestial sibling, they will now say “I like you, as more than just my brother.” While only non-related npcs will refer to you as their “commander” during this scene.
• (Story Spoilers) Updated inspection dialogue so that followers who are half-Celestial siblings will now be described at the top as “a half-sister,” in addition to any romantic relationship statuses you may have with them.

Accessibility updates:

• Adjusted text-to-speech in the weekly turn report so that the first follower in each room no longer has the reading of their status tied to the reading of the room name. Now, they have their own separate bookmark position for arrow key traversal like the rest of the followers in that room. (As suggested by an audiogames.net user who wishes to remain anonymous.)
• Adjusted behavior of text-to-speech on follower management screen so that a follower’s personality type is now the first value read aloud in the Stats Continued section. (As suggested by an audiogames.net user who wishes to remain anonymous.) This value being read aloud last was causing frustration for some players, due to the importance of the information when choosing follower assignments. The physical placement of the labels themselves will remain as-is for various reasons.

Gameplay balancing:

• Reduced chances for ‘poor’ / non-productive weekly outcomes by 5% in exercise and diet regimens as well as construction progress.
• Lowered the silver cost of all outfits to make them more affordable after recent economy changes (particularly the introductory outfits that unlock first).
• Lowered health requirement needed for follower to participate in coaching. Previous threshold was ‘Normal,’ while new threshold is ‘Very Unhealthy,’ similar to threshold in place for duty assignments. Followers will simply take a penalty if being coached while below ‘Normal’ health.
• (Story Spoilers) Adjusted the timeframe for when the first attack hits the settlement. Was 25-30 turns. Now, it’s 20-25 turns. (Only affects a new game start.)

Misc. updates:

• Fixed multiple typos found in various scenes. (As reported by an audiogames.net user who wishes to remain anonymous.)
• Fixed issue causing no weekly auto-save to be created when choosing ‘Decline’ during the dating activity.
• Fixed issue causing hair color prices in Gene Lab to sometimes be squeezed offscreen.
• Corrected outdated information found in the in-game Tutorials.
• Updated entry under GAMEPLAY TUTORIALS>CONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS & ROOMS to include information about constructing outposts. The article has also been renamed as CONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS, ROOMS & OUTPOSTS.
• Updated the logic used when the game selects a champion follower who will lead others during certain strength or persuasion events. Previously, the champion was chosen based on who had the highest relevant skill level. But now, if a relevant Matron is assigned, the Matron will always be chosen first. Only if no Matron is available will the previous skill-based logic be used instead. (As suggested by an audiogames.net user who wishes to remain anonymous.)
• Updated inspection dialogue so that ‘Take to private quarters’ option is only immediately available if follower has ‘Unconditional’ love for the player and is currently a girlfriend or wife. Previously, cheat-option-boosted npcs could get access to this option without being in a relationship with the player. That was unintentional.
• Updated text produced by constructed outposts. Now, when followers are not yet assigned, the player is informed that ‘automated systems’ of the outpost are producing the minimal rewards received. This was done to eliminate confusion about how the benefits were being generated. (As reported by an audiogames.net user who wishes to remain anonymous.)
• Updated Brianna’s first appearance via portal in the main story. It’s a bit more descriptive / action-packed now.
• Made some minor tweaks to the weekly activities displayed for Knight-errants and Courtesans, so these activities sound more appropriate for both followers doing them for the first time or followers demoted to these duties after a loss in devotion. (As suggested by player feedback.)
• Added a couple of new weekly activity scenarios for Courtesans that can be displayed in the turn report. Also added a bit more variety (in the form of additional procedural elements) to some existing activities for all courtship-assigned followers.