AJESTREMIA v0.8.0 IS AVAILABLE (Crafting + Map & UI Improvements) (Patreon)

AJESTREMIA v0.8.0 IS AVAILABLE (Crafting + Map & UI Improvements)

The seventh monthly update is here!

What's new in version 0.8.0 :

Crafting & new recipes (Edelweiss)I spent more time on the artisan / crafting system. Edelweiss now gives you a quest chain to unlock three new recipes. She's kind enough to also give you one sample of each crafted item when you finish.

Bramble Ointment (2 Bramble + 1 Parasite)Restores 10 HP. In combat only, also grants +2 Defense during fight.This was my first step toward combat item effects. Honestly, it might feel a bit weak right now. I may buff it later. Your feedback is welcome.

Parasitic Elixir (1 Parasite + 1 Pure Water)Restores 10 MP.Water is one of the few ways to recover MP in the game. Dirty water gives 1 MP, pure water gives 5 MP. Mixing parasite + water gives a stronger mana boost, which should be useful later.

Blackened Meat (1 Pork Meat + 2 Infected Blood)Restores 30 HP when used. In combat, eating it has a 50% chance to inflict Confusion. It's meant as a last resort item with real risk.Many players hoard meat in the forest. As you level up, max HP grows, so raw meat feels less exciting. This recipe upgrades meat, but with a cost.

Most players who reach the end of what 0.7.0 should have enough materials to try these recipes. This update is also a good way to test the crafting loop and quest.

Crafting UI improvements :

Much more readable than before. I added a background, improved sorting, and included before / after screenshots in this post so you can compare. The default font is still the base Ren'py one for now. That will improve over time.

Map expansion:

The world map is slightly bigger. The game is still in the forest phase with Edelweiss, so the map does not change dramatically yet, but exploration has a bit more room.

Quest journal tutorial:

I added a small tutorial in the quest notebook about a new icon for completed quests. It stays discrete on the UI. When you click it, it shows all quests you have already completed / validated.

Update focus :

This release is more about quests, combat, and crafting. I want Ajestremia to be more than romance only updates. Romance stays important, but gameplay systems matter too. I hope that becomes clearer over time.

Duration :

Depends on how much you explore crafting and Edelweiss's quest line. Expect roughly 15 minutes of new or reworked content if you engage with these systems.

Since version 1.1, over 2h30+ of content has been added to the game.

Bug fixes :

Mostly minor fixes. One important one: map combat events could re-trigger after you finished the fight, then talked to a character or used camp. Leaving camp could start the same combat again. That is fixed. Once you clear the fight, it stays cleared even if you camp or talk nearby. If you want to farm fights, use another map point instead.

Community poll :

I opened a Community Voice poll about Acasia's romance: delay it one update to add extra NSFW content, or release it next month without that extra content.

If you have the voting tier, you can vote here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/poll-1-week-nsfw-158086884

Next steps:

Depending on the poll, either Acasia's romance or Edelweiss story progression. We are getting close to leaving the forest arc (it took longer than planned, but that's extra content).After that, more story, new mechanics, new monsters (already in progress, no spoilers), and more events and characters over time. I won't spoil more so I don't ruin your immersion. If you liked the game so far, I think the road ahead is worth it.

This update has no new camp events, and some months will stay lighter on story or romance. 0.8.0 still took real work on systems, bugs, and UI. I think light update is healthy for the project.

Save compatibility:

Same as before. Load your latest save from a previous version, confirm it works, then you can remove the old build if you want.

Feedback & thanks:

I've been getting more messages and comments than usual lately, on Discord, itch.io, and a few other places. I've even started posting a bit on Newgrounds.

Thank you so much to everyone who reached out, whether it was praise or criticism. I mean real feedback, positive or negative, meant to help the project. I read almost everything on itch.io, Discord, and Patreon.

I still have quite a bit of UI work ahead, especially in the early game. I'm very happy with how the project has been received lately. Patreon keeps growing, and that financial support matters more than I can say. Thank you to every patreon who is here. I hope next month brings even more growth, step by step, so I can keep working on this! I'm solo on the project, so you can imagine how much time each update takes. From the comments I've read, I hope you can see how much care goes into the game. Thank you again, truly.

One more thing: besides Patreon, which is the most direct way to support development, please rate the game on itch.io, comment, engage, or like the devlog posts when you can. That really helps visibility. Without it, growth can stall and motivation gets harder. Thanks to everyone who rated the game, left kind reviews, commented publicly, or even sent private messages. I appreciate all of it.

If you have the voting tier, you can vote here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/poll-1-week-nsfw-158086884

Thanks for your support. See you next month.