DevLog Update (Patreon)

Hey all,

So I feel like it's been awhile and It's been kind of a struggle this time around. In the spirit of self-disclosure, I'll try to bring y'all up to speed on things. If you have other questions, don't hesitate to ask. I've always tried to be transparent, so hit me up in the comments.

Personal Details

It's been a rough month with personal obstacles related to the writing. I made a newbie mistake and started playing Camp Buddy and it screwed up my writing style something fierce. My outline has been complete for awhile but by far my biggest obstacle was to follow v0.12. I was really proud of how that update turned out and how the writing went. It worked for me and I felt like I captured my vision pretty well. However, what I didn't anticipate is that (in my opinion) most updates have surpassed their predecessor. Somehow, I feel like I've always managed to improve the story; to up the ante with each update. The problem this time around is that v0.13 is a new direction to some degree and I've really struggled--grieved even--with a lack of ability to surpass the previous update. Now logically, those closest to me have stated that not every chapter of a book will be better than the last. Not every scene of a movie will surpass the previous scene. Logically, I understand this. As an amateur, though... yeah, I never anticipated that and shit knocked the wind out of me. 

So I've struggled.

However, the writing continues and I feel better about it now. I feel like I have some direction again and I'm kinda feeling that light at the end of the tunnel again.  Definitely steering clear of other games for now, though. 

Silence

Although my silence is probably on par with alot of the other game creators, I feel like it's been unusual for me because I really try to keep you guys in the loop. But there's a lot of soul-searching in this game for me so sometimes I have to step back.  For those that haven't noticed, we've lost quite a few people this month. I'm unsure if this is due to the silence or if people were just expecting something in November for sure and became frustrated. That exodus beat me up a bit, too, especially after how stoked I was at v0.12. It seemed to hit right when I was the most frustrated with my work and sorta derailed me further.

However, I've been reminded that the game was originally a project I never expected to grow to this height.  That I never really expected an audience of this magnitude. So things move forward, as they always have. Because, unlike a lot of these games...I want this one to be completed.

Status

So that being said, I've been working on the update and the good news is that it's coming along again and I feel a little better about it. Current code is around 1,400 lines so I expect it around the 2,000 depending on what other random shit I come up with at the last minute. So despite the wait, the time it's taken should even out with the length of the update and be pretty consistent with the previous ones. Currently, I have around 65 CGs completed and coded into the game with more planned. I'm pretty much caught up to the writing and CGs together right now and I'm probably around the 70% mark...maybe further. While I wanted an animation in this update, I doubt I'm going to get it in. That being said, an alternative would be to add the animation in during the next update during the recap before v0.14 starts. I'm still playing with ideas but odds are there will be no animation. I simply can't outdo v0.12 with this one. It's just taken me a long time to accept that the story has to have ups and downs. This is a stage-setting update.

Blog

I'll also put out more information on the Tumblr blog before long. So in the middle of all this, Tumblr decided they're not going to allow adult content anymore. I've enjoyed Tumblr and I like the format. It's mobile and I can chat with followers easily--something that's really important to me. I'm going to stay on the Tumblr for now because I have other priorities but I may have to look for alternatives so I can publish more game content on there and not worry about the Tumblr police. 

The Plan

1. I'm going to stop being a little bitch

2. Writing the final elements of the update. I don't expect a ton of CGs for these scenes right now but we'll see where the characters take me. This could be one long scene or could split it into a couple days. I haven't decided yet. I should get a couple of nights this week to work on CGs and stuff, too, so that should help

Hit me up with any questions, concerns, or things that you feel I left out.

-Aaryn-