DevBlog and Roadmap: Approaching version 0.5

Hey guys,

It's the middle of 2023 and it's time for another blog to have a look at where we are and where we're going!

Overall, I think things are progressing very well and (mostly) on track with the original roadmap. As I'm writing this I'm in the process of connecting all the new branches of patch 0.4.09. It is another monster of a patch, totaling over 30K words, one of the largest we've ever done. As I look at Chapter 3, it has turned from a fledgling sketch of a chapter into a sprawling web of events that's almost as large as the previous two chapters. And with the upcoming update, a lot of things will snap into place.

So let's talk version 0.5

Make no mistake, 0.5 does not mean "half done". It might as well be named 1.0, had I chosen a different convention. For me, reaching 0.5 was always intended as the equivalent of a complete first draft, if this had been a book. It means that the game will be playable from start to finish, with all major content in place, and your choices leading to a selection of the most major endings when you complete the game. 

Right now, we are getting very, very close. This update will bring 6 new possible endings, as well as the first more serious story nodes in Chapter 3 that allow for more complex and personalized endings, matching Alex' choices for her own fate with her relationship choices and who she ends up with at the very end. You will see this for the first time in just 2 days, giving you a selection of endings with Elise that match your personal True Wish choice. Of course, the same customization will be replicated with other characters.

There is still some work to be done, but you can expect us to reach this point within the next few updates.

So what happens after 0.5?

After 0.5... the work continues. It will be a time to polish story branches from start to finish, a time to flesh out major and minor relationship opportunities, to develop secondary characters, to improve locations, activities, transformations, and much more. It will be a time to take Transylvania from "a good game" to everything it can be.

At this time, we will also be releasing more regular polls to take into consideration everyone's opinion about what our efforts are best spent on.

Do we have any plans post 1.0?

It has always felt a bit early to talk about plans after 1.0, but now would perhaps be the time to bring it up for the first time. Patches after 0.5 will probably see much faster version increases and we hope that by the end of the year we will have our sights on 1.0

With that in mind - yes, there are some plans. We will communicate openly with our entire community and what you would like us to do, but if the support continues to be strong and you are hungry for more, we have ideas for 2 expansions that could come in 2024. In some ways we are eager to complete this project, which was always the primary goal of setting up our Patreon. But we also want to be sure we listen to our community and what you want us to do, so if you are hungry for more we would certainly be happy spending a little more time with all of you and adding some icing on the cake for this common adventure.

A final heads-up for July

As previously mentioned, the upcoming 0.4.09 is a monster of a patch that took many days and nights of intense writing. To make sure that my batteries are good to go for the remainder of the journey ahead, the next update - 0.4.10 - will be a little lighter on writing, focusing on art and wrapping up some secondary branches, as opposed to bringing more big story endings. I promise there will still be enough to sink your teeth in, just not quite as much as the present one.

See you soon for the release of 0.4.09!

Vincent & XFiction Team