Dev Diary, January 30th, 2026 (Patreon)

I had to look twice when checking the render numbers this week. I was sure I'd done something wrong and forgotten to remove last week's renders from the temporary folder. But no, everything was correct. I've rendered 385 story renders this week. Which alone would be a new record for just about anyone, but I also rendered 4 animations on top of that.

The totals now show 1,974 story renders and 96 animations for Episode 5.

That also means I've reached the final scene of the episode. Sadly, though, it doesn't mean the release is close to done, as that final scene is huge.

I've started prepping the scene, as just about everyone will be there. So they need a new wardrobe and adjustments for it. This segment will also start with a large cinematic animation, so the numbers next week will likely be close to non-existent due to the amount of setup required for it.

I've dragged the Main Character through a lot of dirt this episode. Even when he's at the very lowest, I'm putting him through a scene that probably gets a warning screen, so you can skip it, like I did in LoF.

So the end scene has to be good to make up for it. And I feel it is. It's as wholesome and romantic as I'm able to make, so for you one-girl players out there, that scene is for you.

Have a nice weekend. Stay warm and safe out there.

// Drifty