Development Update 11.15.2023 (Patreon)

Hello, Friends,

I have some significant news and a multitude of updates for your reading pleasure. Apologies for my recent absence; I've been quite busy over the last couple of weeks. In addition to our ongoing project, I've taken on another project for a client. Juggling both endeavors has kept me working day and night.

RELEASE DATE: NEW YEAR DAY 1/1/2024

Yes, I am planning to release this on New Year's Day. Why New Year's Day? It allows me sufficient time to incorporate additional content and features. I intend to dedicate a month to improving performance and fixing bugs. Moreover, I'll have the opportunity to enhance the animation quality.

DYNAMIC DRIVING SYSTEM

Implementing this feature kept me occupied for over a month. It wasn't an easy task, but I've finally managed to make it work. I was determined to avoid a lackluster driving experience where your character simply walked up to a vehicle and disappeared inside. I aimed for more than just a third-person view of the vehicle. I wanted something better.

Presenting the ION—the inaugural and sole vehicle available for driving in Build 6. Regrettably, there won't be multiple vehicle options in this release, but I plan to introduce more in future builds.

Key Features of the Dynamic Driving System include:

First-Person View

Third-Person View

A curated selection of tracks for your driving pleasure

Enter/Exit Vehicle Animations

High-quality exterior and interior models

Functional lights for immersive night drives

Old Areas Return and Club Area Redesign

In this update, I've reintroduced some of the older areas, such as the Asian restaurant scene and the arcade. As of now, the changes primarily involve updated lighting in these areas, alongside updated models and characters. Notably, an old character named Adrena, previously situated in an Asian restaurant has been removed from the world entirely. I intend to redesign key characters and introduce them in upcoming builds.

For the time being, the arcade area will stay unchanged. I might consider swapping out a few of the items available for interaction here. In a future build, I aim to expand this area and potentially enable the arcade machines to be playable. Additionally, I plan to introduce a key character who will frequent this area regularly in future updates.

The most significant change lies in the Strip Club Area. It has undergone a complete redesign, boasting a vastly improved appearance compared to the older version. The previous iteration of the strip club area appeared notably low-poly and of lower quality. While the area isn't finished, I'm actively working on further enhancements and additions to elevate its overall appeal.

New Core Features and Mechanics.

Introducing a new ability that allows you to sneak up on anyone, grab them, and hold them. Currently, in its early stages, this ability doesn't allow movement while in this state, but I intend to refine and advance it in upcoming builds.

To ensure safety and order, Law Enforcement has been introduced. While their capabilities are still in their nascent stages, I'm actively incorporating additional mechanics to bolster their role in maintaining peace on the island.

When engaging intimately with characters, I've implemented improvements to initiate this mechanic more seamlessly. Addressing accessibility concerns, now when you propose and both parties agree to engage, instead of manually exiting the chat mode, the system will automatically transition into a cinematic mode. This mode offers a freely movable camera and a POV perspective. Additionally, there's a basic user interface allowing users to skip the scene and change cameras.

Enhancements in Character Customization

Character creation and customization have undergone significant improvements, focusing on increased detailing with lighting, performance, and overall quality.

Presently, each entry into this mode generates a completely random character for users to modify. I'm continuously working on further changes and improvements for this mode, aiming to implement more enhancements before the release of Build 6.

Thank You For Your Patience and Support

Your unwavering support has meant the world to me. Your dedication and encouragement have been invaluable, and I can't thank you enough. I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be considerably more active going forward, as I now have ample free time to focus on my projects.

I want to assure you that the extended duration for this build release will not be the norm moving forward. I made extensive changes in this build to ensure a high-quality game experience. From the outset, I have aimed to deliver a high-fidelity game, and while I'm not quite there yet, I'm steadily approaching that goal.

Following the release of this build, I plan to adopt a release schedule of 1 to 2 months maximum for subsequent builds. Additionally, I'll be considering adjustments to one of the tiers, allowing members at that level to access test builds that I create frequently.Once again, a heartfelt thank you for your unwavering support. In my upcoming update, I'm excited to unveil a game trailer that will showcase and promote the game.

I deeply appreciate every one of you. As a token of gratitude, here's an image featuring two remarkable ladies. Enjoy the visual treat and have a fantastic week!

Furthermore, I'll be selecting a handful of individuals for game testing during performance and bug fixes. These testers will include dedicated members from my Patreon community. This initiative is likely to commence next month.

Thank you once more for your continuous support.

Best regards,

Blast