Last-Minute Cast Changes, Maps, and The Final Alpha.

So- anyone who has been with this project for a while is more or less familiar with the nine cats that appear in Peace Island.  This cast has been more or less set, since the earliest days of the project.  However, it has been pointed out a few times recently that there's a garling exclusion, here:

Specifically: we have four cats that feature various tabby patterns, but not a single one that is pure white.  After a lot of discussion, Laura & I decided that we should rectify this situation.

As this will be one of the three cats seen in the initial stages of the game, this new look should be included in the Final Alpha!  (More about that, later.)

Now- Tangential to this:  If you are not aware, one of our long-term goals is to eventually release Peace Island with options that are customized for those with limited hearing.  During the same discussion mentioned above, we touched on the possibility of giving one of the cats that is encountered later in the game a condition known as "Heterochromia."

Cats with this condition have a higher-than-average incidence of deafness, which made us think:  "Would it not be interesting to include such a cat?"

Doing so would force us to start thinking a bit earlier about possible adaptations of the interface for gamers with limited hearing, and further would allow us to put players with average hearing into the "paws" of such an individual - which would have the bonus of teaching a bit of empathy (one of our core aims in writing Peace Island's story.)

Again: this is something in the longer-term view of things- let us know what you think in the comments!

Our developer WIKI contains a LOT of maps - and the number is growing by the month, it seems.  

For example: it isn't just enough to know that an individual once lived on the island.  We need to know what property they owned, and for how long.  We need to document how and when said property changed hands, generation by generation.  We need to know what they used the land for, and what structures were built - we need to catalogue what structures still exist, and how long others might have existed, before they fell victim to the whims of indifference, renovation or disaster.

All of this is required to keep consistency within a backstory that spans centuries. I'd also be lying if I did not confess that this was always one of my favorite things, back in the days when games provided "feelies."  Yeah - thumbing through those spell books that came with "Ultima" back in the day was fun - but having that cloth map just took it to the next level.  You felt like a real adventurer, when you paused the game to consult an actual IRL map (or at least you did, when you were 13.)

That having been said: it's cool when I have a chance to work with someone on a less-than-technical map.  Scotty Arsenault, who has done a LOT of 2d work for the project, recently proposed doing a fanciful "tourist" style map of the island - his initial sketches were so impressive and colorful, I felt moved to share them here.

So - I am a bit behind...

I know that I promised that I'd be doing a proper livestream by now, showing off some of the new features for the final alpha, but we've been stymied by an issue with the aforementioned furs - nothing critical, just annoying.

I just want to let ya'll know:  We're not letting this get in the way of the final alpha's release at the end of the month.  If we have to release it with the old fur system, so be it- we have included SO many new features, you might not even notice.

And hey - our animator Megan JUST handed the first draft of the "Kitten Walk" to me:

Premium shipments have been temporarily delayed due to a lack of backing boards for the art prints, but they should resume within the next 72 hours.

Saturday, we will commence sending out confirmations of in-game name placement for those who have contributed at that level.

Thanks SO much for your continued patience, support, and confidence!

SEE YA'LL NEXT WEEK!