Update - More Mika and Montana

tl;dr - I think I've got past the big bug problem from last week, but it's delayed me a lot. Also, I wrote a cool outline.

This week's image

In some of the previous updates I've shown images from this scene, but here's one more that I don't think you've seen yet. This should be in the next update, although honestly I haven't actually finished writing this scene yet, let alone programming it. (At least I think I've got the images done.)

It's been upscaled to 4k so click on it to download the full quality version!

Programming

My main focus this week has been on reconstructing the Mika content. I mentioned last week that I had been programming stuff but I had hit a huge, critical bug that seemed to have entered the game thanks to the Mika content. Well, I still haven't figured out what caused the bug, I'm afraid, but I've more or less found a solution.

I've reverted back to an earlier build and started bringing in the code I made before from the broken version, piece by piece. I also neatened a few things up here and there (although I don't think the untidiness caused the bug problem). I've got to the point where everything I did before seems to be restored and I don't seem to be producing the strange game breaking bug any more, which is encouraging on one level at least, because it seems to suggest I didn't make some terrible mistake the first time. I think the bug was probably due to some odd engine code issue.

Anyway, while this is progress it still ate up quite a bit of time, so the release has been held up a bit. I will try to get it out ASAP but some of the content is still unfinished and I don't have all the systems set up yet, either.

Writing on the side

Just as a footnote here I thought I'd mention that recently, with all the stressful programming stuff I've spent some of my time writing a new outline for a completely new project that isn't PAT or even the "future project" I've mentioned briefly from time to time that I'm also working on.

I mostly just wrote it because it's more fun than troubleshooting and I had an idea, but it's actually been quite a nice experience for me because I think the outline is actually really good. I'm pleased with the results and I think it might be good enough to end up making the game one day, but I also find it an encouraging affirmation of my skill as a writer that I can still pull together something so quickly that feels so strong.

It's got me thinking about the process of writing linear and non-linear stories (the outline's a lot more linear than what I normally write) and how each approach has different limitations and different assets in creating satisfaction. It's reminded me that player choice is sometimes worth it even when the story results don't seem particularly strong from some options; and also that maybe I can do a pretty good job with linear stories now but I shouldn't beat myself up too much if a non-linear story doesn't always achieve that same level of narrative cohesiveness.

What do you think of the picture? Are you getting as impatient as I am to have Mika in the game, finally? Let me know in the comments below!