Devblog #23 - 2 Be Done

Hello dear supporters, LoafyLemon here!

I realise it's been longer than expected since the last update, so I'll try to make up for it by making this post a bit longer than usual. :)

In today's dev blog, I'll be discussing the latest developments for the upcoming 1.47 update. This update will bring a plethora of new features, including a revamped UI, new sexy scenes, and a host of bug fixes.

Let's begin with the UI overhaul. As you may remember from my previous dev blog, I've been working on a new UI design that's more intuitive and visually appealing. I have since drawn and implemented most of the new UI elements, including the new inventory system and the revamped achievements menu.

However, I've hit a snag with the new UI for the wardrobe and outfits store due to the complexity of the system. That is, until I sat down and redid the back-end code. It's now working smoothly, and I'm happy to announce that the loading screen for the wardrobe and outfits store should now be gone for good. Moreover, the new implementation should either eliminate or reduce the lag that was previously experienced when using the wardrobe and outfits store interfaces on some devices, especially smartphones and tablets.

How did I manage to do that? Well, buckle in, because it's time for some nerd talk!

The main issue was that the previous code was trying to build the displayables for the wardrobe and outfits store on the fly, and while the code was extremely efficient for majority of the devices, it was causing issues with some lower-end devices. At the time, this was the only way to achieve the dynamic display of items in the wardrobe and outfits store.

I already knew what the better solution would be, and that was to pre-build the displayables at the time of character creation, and cache the result to a file. This way, when the user accesses the wardrobe and outfits store, the pre-built displayables would be loaded from the cache, eliminating the need to build the displayables on the fly.

However, knowing the solution is one thing, and implementing it is another. You see, the Ren'py engine, which we're using for our game, did not allow storing displayables into a file. Or at least, not in the way I wanted to. That was until one of the recent updates of the engine added the ability to store displayables while retaining transparency.

With this new feature, I was finally able to store the pre-built displayables into a file, which I then loaded when the user accesses the wardrobe and outfits store. And voila! No more lag on lower-end devices!

But wait, there's more!

This change also opened up the possibility of adding new features to the wardrobe that have been previously requested by the community. For example, the ability to group together alternate clothing items, so the interface is less cluttered and easier to navigate. I've already started implementing this feature, and I'm excited to see how it'll turn out.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that the new cache system is fully compatible with player-made content, so modders can still create and distribute their own outfits without any issues.

Moving on to the new sexy scenes, Johnny and I have been working on adding more content to the existing scenes, as well as creating new ones. I'm happy to announce that I have begun drawing some new sexy scenes for Hermione to fill out the existing content for her character. However, I'm still in the process of drawing the new scenes, so you'll have to wait until the next dev blog for more information on this, but I might post some sketches in 'dev dump' posts in the coming days.

My art style is becoming more refined, and I'm getting more comfortable with drawing certain body types. I'm also getting better at drawing and posing characters in various positions, which is mandatory for creating good smut. I've even started experimenting with different angles and formats, like the new scenes with Hermione that will be part of the 1.47 update.

You may be wondering 'weren't you supposed to be drawing Tonks?' And the answer is yes, I am. I'm just taking my time to make sure I get it right. I want to make sure that the new scenes are of the same quality as the ones we've already released, and that the art style is consistent throughout the game. Drawing those smaller Hermione scenes has actually been really helpful in getting me more comfortable with drawing full-fledged scenes, as it allowed me to practice drawing poses and body types in a smaller scale.

Moving on to the bug fixes, I've been working on squashing some of the bugs that have been reported by the community. I've fixed a few bugs related to the quests system, and the case of favours not being counted correctly, which resulted in some players being unable to unlock certain scenes.

I've also implemented a few new features to allow Johnny (the writer) to better manage and track the quests, which should help in preventing similar bugs from happening in the future.

Lastly, I'd like to take a moment to thank the community for their continued support. Your feedback and suggestions have been invaluable in helping us improve the game and make it a better experience for everyone.

That's it for today's dev blog! I hope you enjoyed reading about the latest developments and the changes I've made to the game. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading, and I'll catch you all in the next dev blog!

P.S. Here's a coloured sketch of 2B that I drew last night:

P.S.S. I am posting some sketches and WIPs on the discord from time to time, be sure to check it out! ;)