Dev Diary #2: Coding, UI Polish, and New Mechanics (Patreon)

Hello everyone, and welcome to the second weekly update!

If last week was about planning, this week was all about execution and coding. I spent most of my time "under the hood" of the game engine to build systems that will support the story for episodes to come.

Here is the breakdown of the progress made during Week 2:

1. Narrative Refinement: The Demo & Beyond

I decided to revisit the flow of the Intro (Part 1 & 2). I wasn't entirely satisfied with the pacing, so I made some significant revisions.

The Cut: I removed scenes from the demo scope that I felt didn't fit the tone.

The Additions: I restored some previously "deleted scenes" that actually help bridge the gap between events better.

Result: The introduction now feels much smoother and logically sound.

2. New Feature: "The Archive" Mini-Game

I wanted to break up the reading loop without ruining the immersion, so I’ve implemented a new gameplay mechanic. It is a file classification mini-game. You will be presented with documents and must sort them into three categories: Evidence, Confidential, or Spam.

Why it matters: It’s not just busy work. These documents contain office banter, hidden lore, and small narrative references that flesh out the world.

Tech: While the concept is simple, the backend took some time to perfect to ensure it feels responsive.

3. System Architecture: The Smartphone

In a game like this, communication is key. I needed a robust foundation for a phone system, and this week, I built that infrastructure.

Current State: I have enabled Message Viewing. This is already integrated into the story to deepen the plot flow.

Future Proofing: The system is built to be expandable. Dynamic two-way messaging, phone calls, and apps are all easy to add thanks to the code I wrote this week.

Long-term Goal: Eventually, I even plan to add a simple FRP-style mini-game inside the phone, though that is a target for the distant future!

4. Visual Upgrade: UI & The Glossary

To match the improvements in the demo, I polished the User Interface.

The Look: I’m shifting toward a "Glassmorphism" style—using transparency and blur effects to make the menus feel modern and sleek, similar to high-end phone interfaces.

The Glossary: I added a dynamic dictionary/codex system. It currently tracks character details and specific terminology to help you keep up with the lore.

Note: Right now, this is in the Quick Menu, but once the Phone System evolves, I will move the Glossary into the phone as an app.

5. Content Progress: Part 3 & Felix Grant

On top of all the coding, I finished the dialogue scripting and flow coding for Part 3. This section is now fully playable from start to finish. This part also introduces a major character: Felix Grant.

6. Production Update: Part 4

Despite the heavy focus on coding this week, the rendering pipeline didn't stop.

Posing: The basic poses for Part 4 are written.

Rendering: Approximately 25% of the posing is complete.

Summary

Week 2 was heavy on code, but it has resulted in a much stronger game foundation, a new mini-game, and a fully playable Part 3.

Thank you for following the development! See you next week.