Weekly Update #88 - Moving on to integrated testing! (Patreon)

Hey all,

Some good progress this week! Kinda felt like I couldn't catch a break by falling sick right after an extended hiatus but the pace picked up once again.

I finished implementing all the workflows and data models for the new app & hacking gameplay. Not gonna lie, it's been quite the endeavor! At first I felt like since I would be reusing a bunch of existing structures and workflows, it would be straightforward, but as it turns out a lot of the existing codebase only works in the paradigm of a playing character interacting with a bunch of NPCs; to swap another NPC at the center of this framework requires a lot of redesign to make things more generic and not resort to a bunch of unmaintainable workarounds.

This means that the implementation actually improved the existing codebase along the way, which is a good thing! To circle back to the new gameplay, the simulated remote computer will host 5 apps, 4 familiar ones and a story-specific new one. As intended for this sequence, the whole device will be a hacking playground ; one goal to access a specific app with its own credentials, and a couple of different ways to go about it.

You'll be able to sniff out different parts of the device to uncover hidden data and restore it. There will be some additional, juicy rewards to seek out that way!

As in actual, real life hacking, you'll also have to resort to social engineering and extract valuable data the good old fashioned way; by having folks hand it over to you!

Now, all the individual systems and workflows are functional and have been tested in isolation. It means that it's now time to move on to integrated testing by inputting all the actual in-game data (profiles, pictures, messages...) and test out the whole gameplay sequence and its different paths. We're getting close!

When I'll have conducted these tests, I'll share a couple more screenshots to share an updated look of the new app. Then we'll be inching towards Early Access...

As a disclaimer, the EA update release might not have functional saving during the new gameplay sequence as this another can of worms to open and a bunch of new saving related data models to implement, but we'll get there.

Thank you so much for the support, stay tuned for the next posts and upcoming update and until then - bear with me, we're getting there!