March 31.
Added 2024-03-14 21:14:09 +0000 UTCJust a reminder of the 1.7 release date. Well, also because if I stay silent until the end of the month, some people might start to worry. No need to.
Overall.
The bulk of the episode is already in my version of the game. And as far as I've been able to test everything, it's working as it should. Now the part that was voted for last month is in the process of being translated and added. I think it's a matter of the next few days.
What's left?
Final piece. So far, it's a blank slate. However, I'm likely to lead the story straight to the scene I need for a proper ending of this episode. If there's time left, I'll add a couple or three side scenes. But to tell the truth, I doubt I'll have that time. Especially since I won't move forward the release date no matter what. But that's okay. All those scenes will then simply be the beginning of the next episode.
Some thoughts have been swarming in my head the last few days...
Mainly with that whole "free movement" or "free-roam" blah blah blah, whatever-you-call-it-system. I just expanded it a bit... Just a bit! And it took a damn lot of time! In fact, that's the main reason this update took so long. It's not because of illness or, I don't know, the war. The main delay was due to the slightly more advanced movement system in this episode. Not even the whole episode, but part of it. Which automatically entailed a ton of extra work. For example, there are more arts and their variations in this episode than in the entire first chapter. Or in the entire second chapter (before this episode).
On the one hand, I no longer assume but know that I can do something like this. On the other hand, I'm not quite sure it's worth it. In some ways, it's an attempt to mimic the classic gameplay of games with graphics. All this going back and forth. Except... it's like a fish competing in speed with a jaguar. Jaguar will win anyway. On land. But in the water, the fish will beat it in a flash. I mean, text games have their strengths. And maybe I should focus on those strengths in the future. Not this... walking simulations.
No, don't get me wrong. It's appropriate for the current episode. However, you'll tell me soon how much and if it's appropriate at all. I'm seriously afraid that some players will get confused in navigation... I think it's better to make future episodes with location exploration small and compact. Well, like a building, a small street, etc. That way at least the release of updates will not take so long.
However, it's better to discuss it after this update is released. It won't be long now.
Comments
Fish, turtles, and jaguars... We'd better stop, or we're about to get here a metaphorical episode of Discovery xD
Defiant Explorer
2024-03-15 23:08:14 +0000 UTCYou are, as always... plentiful. But in a good sense. Turtle, huh? Ahem, okay. Regarding the size question. The honest answer is - I don't know yet. 1.5 included about 100k of text in 350 pages of draft. On the current episode, I'm somewhere around 300 pages. But the final part is still a "blank slate". It's a bit more complicated with the word count. I can look them up in the engine itself and calculate exactly how many have been added. But to do that, I need to finish the episode first, and then do the math. This episode increased the game's weight by +50% mostly due to new arts. And the work itself was slowed down by the need to make boolean algorithms for each passage that take into account things like: * Is this Selene's first time here? Full description/short description. * Where can Selene go from here? Is this the first time she's walked there? * What can Selene do here? Activation or deactivation (of already made) additional options. * Is there an encounter at this point? Options if yes, and one more if yes, but Selene has already ended this encounter. * Can the player decide on the direction to move at this point? One art if yes, with a caption for all possible directions. If no, then art with the same location but without captions for possible directions. This is just a rough list off the top of my head. Given that my game doesn't loop scenes, dialogs are not generic, but with a choice of each line, and all that other stuff, adding "free movement" becomes a real headache. It's possible, yes. But the price in work time doubles, judging by this and the last (1.6) episodes. So to speak, information gleaned from the field.
Defiant Explorer
2024-03-15 17:59:58 +0000 UTCHi to you D.E. !✌️! Glad to see you seem to be doing well. First of all, even if I suspect that you are rather busy these days, I haved a little question please (the fault of my very naughty curiosity which is back): I was wondering if yes or no, this current update will be of equivalent weight/content compared to the largest update so far (so the famous version 1.5)?+? Apart from that, I'm happy for you when you tell us: *that now you know* how to put the free movement mechanism into practice for your game. Seriously it's a good thing, because after all a good developer must be (in a way yes) versatile isn't it? And speaking of versatility (in relation to the improbable competition between the jaguar and the fish) if I ever had fun comparing you to an animal, you would undoubtedly true be: a........ TURTLE!&! [°-🐢-°] Yep, yep, a real one super versatile turtle, as comfortable on land as in water! Ahem, sorry about that;-😅). Yeah I should quickly calm down now (especially regarding the questionable jokes at one copper coin the unit)... Okay, a good thing certainly but nevertheless (despite the usefulness of the experience acquired): given the time and energy that it seems to take you, I think that it would indeed be better to reduce this < freedom of movement > regarding the future episodes. This is just my humble opinion of course, and cause you're clearly the boss here: you can manage it the way of all you want, right? Either way: take good care of you the friend, and I would simply conclude by thanking you for this latest good news; as well as wishing the best for yourself and likewise to those who are close to you.
Lonely Wolf
2024-03-15 17:15:27 +0000 UTCWe too, dear Harley; we also really like your joyful enthusiasm!💞!
Lonely Wolf
2024-03-15 10:02:10 +0000 UTCYeah! I am hyped. Love you! 🥰
HarleyQueen
2024-03-14 21:34:25 +0000 UTC
