Hey everyone, It has been a year since my last update , and I wanted to briefly check in. I can't believe how quickly it has gone by, and I appreciate everyone's positive comments. Time away from working on the game has genuinely been good for me, and I've especially done a lot o
Hey everyone,
It has been a year since my last update, and I wanted to briefly check in. I can't believe how quickly it has gone by, and I appreciate everyone's positive comments. Time away from working on the game has genuinely been good for me, and I've especially done a lot of things to address other aspects of my life that indirectly affect development, such as my health.
The project is still very much not cancelled, and I'm pleased to report that it is coming out of hiatus as I've gotten back into a more regular gamedev schedule. Though I don't have anything exciting to share just yet, I've been mostly re-establishing my workflow and getting back into the mindset of creating.
Unfortunately, Early Access will be delayed (again) until 2027. I'd like to keep a date floating above my head, even if it is not set in stone.
Thank you as always for your patience, understanding, and kind feedback on the demo. I hope to have another update--a proper progress update--soon!
- Jaiden
P.S. If you're looking for a game to dig into in the meantime, I highly recommend my friend Riggy2k3's game Deluge that just recently released. It's an incredibly charming JRPG where you play as a ressurrected corpse who tries to learn the truth about his past (honestly, Hudson and Oliver 🤝 have a lot in common!):
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3779440/Deluge/ I've watched it grow into the beautiful project that it is over the past couple of years and I think it deserves a lot more attention. Do check it out!
Hey everyone, I tend to put off giving these kinds of updates. They're embarrassing, and I know most folks following a game project just want to hear about the game. But I suppose it is a good indication that there's a human behind the work after all. Getting right to the point:
Hey everyone,
I tend to put off giving these kinds of updates. They're embarrassing, and I know most folks following a game project just want to hear about the game. But I suppose it is a good indication that there's a human behind the work after all.
Getting right to the point: Early Access is delayed until 2026.
Progress has been too painstakingly minimal to meet my ambitious deadline of this year.
The rest of this update is just the honest and kind of boring human stuff, so feel free to continue reading if you like that sort of thing.
It's been 4 months since my last update, and I kept telling myself I'd just wait until I had a lot of cool progress or stuff to show and make a big comeback. But the days continue to fly by and I think it's probably more important to just give a real update, even if it is frustrating.
I briefly touched on this in previous devlogs, but to be completely transparent, I was in a really bad way for pretty much all of 2024. An awful personal experience closely intertwined with my creative life lead to months of crippling self-doubt, anxiety, and depression. I felt like I completely lost my voice, and debated canceling the project several times.
And at the start of 2025, a drastic change to my day job lead to me working nearly twice as much. I've needed to prioritize rest, and as such it's been incredibly difficult to find time and energy for consistent game development.
I'm one person, and so it doesn't take much to halt production. So to be fully honest despite the disappointment I feel admitting it: I've made very little progress since last year, and the project has essentially been on a silent hiatus since May 2024.
That said, Legends of Astravia is very much not canceled, and even if it takes forever, I intend to release it. I'm proud of what I've accomplished so far, and I know deep down I still have a love for this world and its characters and will be able to return to it. I still have a story that I want to tell, and I want to give everyone who has been supportive of the game the experience they're looking forward to.
But I have to be realistic: early access isn't going to happen in 2025. I need to plan my limited time better, and find my own creative voice again before I can confidently continue. I think I've had enough time to heal, and feel like I'm almost there. And my work and overall living situation is projected to improve by the spring.
So I remain optimistic despite all of this, and my hope is that everyone following the project does too. I understand if this is a disappointment, and it makes it hard to continue supporting. But some of you have never lost faith in me despite this bumpy and uncertain road, and that means more than I can put into words.
When my life outside of game development settles, and I'm able to re-center creatively, I look forward to sharing more of Astravia with all of you.
Hello everyone, As you can see, I opted not to do a strict monthly update and instead focus more on the project. But I'm happy to report some progress and check in. As the weather gets a little warmer where I am, my motivation also gets a bit of a boost. Here's the contents for t
Hello everyone,
As you can see, I opted not to do a strict monthly update and instead focus more on the project. But I'm happy to report some progress and check in. As the weather gets a little warmer where I am, my motivation also gets a bit of a boost.
Here's the contents for this month's log: - Early Access details - Development progress - Continuing plans
Let's get into it.
Early Access Details
As mentioned in the 2024 summary, the game will not launch in separate paid parts, but instead in early access. It's a bit ironic, because I've flip-flopped on this idea since I published the initial Steam page in 2021. However, unlike 4 years ago, I am feeling much more confident in my ability to provide meaningful updates and communicate and engage with those who are invested in the early iterations of the game.
I have also finally updated the website and Steam page to reflect this. I apologize for the delay, and hope that folks who have the game wishlisted expecting a launch this year don't feel they've been "tricked" in some way. I've tried to remain as transparent as possible as I've developed the game, and really meant to put the Early Access notice up a lot sooner (like, January sooner).
Regardless, I recognize there may be some questions and concerns surrounding this, so I wanted to get that out of the way.
First, I recommend reviewing the "Early Access Questionnaire" that has been published to the Steam page:
This should cover most questions that folks have about the game moving to Early Access.
I'll also cover a few common questions here:
When in 2025 will the game release? Obviously, I dislike giving exact dates unless I'm certain. Let's just assume it will be Q4. If this changes, it will be made very obvious in an announcement.
How much of the game will be complete when it releases? As it stands, the game will be 25% done. My goal is 50%, but it entirely depends on how much I am able to accomplish in the next couple of months.
I think it will be better to release a little at a time, and have more frequent, consistent updates as opposed to rushing to releasing a lot and then making folks wait longer.
What is the point of Early Access instead of releasing the game in parts? If Legends of Astravia was released episodically, each part would be individually paid for as it was released. This would have been either in the form of multiple games, or DLC. Basically, by moving to Early Access, I'm going with a "player first" strategy instead.
Early Access ensures that at whatever state of the game you decide to purchase it, you receive the remaining updates for free. For example, with Early Access, you'll pay for the game for $10 when it comes out, and then when the remaining core content and improvements are added, it is a free update for you. If EA isn't your style, you can choose to just pay full price later on with the final, full release.
From my perspective as a developer, this is somewhere between crowdfunding and just releasing the entire game outright. Technically, Early Access is not supposed to act as a source of income to fund the game's development. But it is enough of a boost and reassurance to help keep me working on the project despite my limitations, and relieves some of the pressure associated with a final, perfectly polished game release.
It also gives me a good idea just how many people have faith in the game to the point of wanting to support it early on and be involved in its growth. And those who do support it are rewarded in a way. I think it's a win-win.
Will the free demo still be available? With the game releasing in Early Access, I will be removing the free demo from Steam.
The primary reason for this is that because I'll have to be maintaining updates for the game in Early Access, and I'll have to manage multiple platforms, adding support for the demo on top of that will simply be too much work for one person. I need to prioritize paying customers :)
Another reason is that I'd like to think I've been pretty generous with constantly updating and improving the demo for free for the past few years. Sort of like a dry run of Early Access. As such, Early Access marks the start of paid support for the game, and will remain as such.
I'll probably leave the current demo available on the main website for archival purposes. But since it won't be an accurate portrayal of the game that you receive when purchasing Early Access, I do not want to keep it up on Steam.
You'll still have plenty of time to try it out in the meantime before the Early Access release in late 2025!
Please do not hesitate to share your thoughts! Early Access is all about a good relationship between the developer and the player.
Development Progress
Development progress has remained slow but steady over the past couple of months. I am keeping content development a bit of a secret for now, but I have some interesting system updates to share.
Proper Controller Rebinding
This drove me and probably many demo players crazy, but rebinding controls was not possible on the Steam Deck or macOS, and extremely clunky on Windows. Being able to choose your controls is massively important, especially for those with different types of keyboards, accessibility needs, and just general comfort playing.
And now it's finally possible! At any point in the game, you can change the controls:
This is a clunky v1, and further UI/UX improvements will be made in the future. Also, a special thanks to Eblo for adding the functionality engine-side.
Other Progress
Ironed out more of the story / narrative
Did a little "spring cleaning" on the game engine
Squashed a bunch of bugs
Prepared a strategy for the Early Access release
Continuing Plans
News will be more frequent as I get closer to having a more complete product, but in the meantime I'll be continuing to put my head down and work.
The next month will be spent continuing to finish up the few backend tasks like organizing bug reporting and triaging for early access, setting up a strategy for major updates after the first release, and the remaining tooling needed so I can just hammer out content.
Tentative Roadmap
May: Remaining backend work (coding) and planning June-August: 100% farm-raised all natural content development September-October: Pre-launch testing and marketing plans November or December: Early Access launch?!
Of course this is tentative, and given my track record for the past several years, it could very well change. But I really do want to meet these goals this year, so I'll remain hopeful. I appreciate all of the support and encouragement in the meantime.
But otherwise, that's all for now! I look forward to sharing more progress soon.
And just like that, it's 2025. I admit that I tend to use developers logs as an opportunity to be candid. I think as an indie developer, I am both blessed and burdened by the direct connection with my audience. I can go at my own pace, with my own voice, but I also feel obligated
And just like that, it's 2025.
I admit that I tend to use developers logs as an opportunity to be candid. I think as an indie developer, I am both blessed and burdened by the direct connection with my audience. I can go at my own pace, with my own voice, but I also feel obligated to provide updates on how the game is progressing, even if things aren't going as planned. But seeing as a lot of fellow creatives and developers read these, I just hope that my honesty provides some solace.
Introduction
2024 was perhaps the most challenging year since I began working on Legends of Astravia in 2018. Experiencing a significant loss in the spring, then later attending an event I've always dreamed about in the fall is a testament to what a rollercoaster this year truly was. And despite the finish line still feeling so far away, I've resolved to move forward with a little more confidence.
I'm a bit embarassed that the game has remained perpetually in a "demo" state even after 6 years. Maybe that's not so unusual with my lack of resources. But learning to step over this discouragement and be more kind to myself is perhaps my biggest resolution for 2025.
Working on a project like this has also made me aware that there are people who have expectations for my success and others that resent my achievements, which really amplifies the feelings of inadequacy and anxiety that I often struggle with. Unfortunately, I am human, and as such, I spent a lot of time this year soul-searching and trying to find my way so that I can remember how to create without getting too hung up on perceptions and pressure.
But I think I've finally started to make progress on all the negative feelings these past few months. And despite the difficulties encountered this year, I think there are still some accomplishments worth noting.
So let's take a look at some highlights from 2024, as well as what's in store for Legends of Astravia in 2025.
Progress Summary
January-April
The start of the year had a few milestones, though the end of spring was also the peak of some personal struggles I was facing at the time.
I was able to complete the revised demo and overhaul the battle system. During this time a handful of talented developers and dedicated supporters gave me valuable feedback that helped me create the best iteration of the game since starting on it so many years ago. I remain incredibly grateful for their contributions.
I also tried my hand at making a new trailer for the game. Though it isn't the best, I'm still proud of it given I barely had any editing experience and had never used DaVinci before.
I had also taken this time to prepare a marketing campaign for Next Fest, as well as work with a Japanese translator to get the demo ready to launch in both languages.
Next Fest
In June, I launched the demo for Steam's June 2024 Next Fest. It was an immense event, with 1800 or so other games to compete with for players' attention. I learned a lot about setting (unrealistic) expectations, handling feedback, and marketing.
I focused on marketing with the same mindset as if I were launching the game, despite it being only a demo with no financial return. I took a big step out of my comfort zone, streaming the game live and showing my face to dozens of strangers.
At the time, I felt all these efforts were in vain because I received just shy of a 1000 wishlists--compared to the tens-of-thousands that more popular games saw. But in hindsight, I think this number is nothing to be disappointed about. Making a game and also getting it seen is an impossible task these days, especially as the number of games released grows exponentially.
After Next Fest, I took time gathering, reviewing and processing player feedback and gameplay videos. I noted and continued to work on fixing major bugs and issues reported by players. By this point though, I was really burnt out.
Seattle Indies Expo 2024
As I started to work on the game again, I received notice in July that I was selected for the Seattle Indies Expo 2024, which I had applied to in a fever during the spring. Only a couple of games from outside of the pacific northwest would be selected, so I was pretty shocked that my project made the cut.
I considered whether or not it would be worthwhile for me to go. Financially it was irresponsible, and I also felt like my lack of progress made it silly to go to an event like this. However, one of my biggest dreams when starting on the project was being able to showcase at a convention--as was traveling to Seattle.
I decided to go for it. The following month was all dedicated to preparation for the event. I created a bunch of physical marketing materials. I learned a lot about print design, and I think it paid off. I made some cool bookmarks and designed a huge standing banner using the art I commissioned from the talented Ryuuen (whose support of the project all this time I am immensely grateful for).
I was the most stressed and also the most excited I'd ever been in my life. I had a barrage of migraines leading up to the event, but the day of was incredible and it all worked out in the end. I met a lot of really cool people, made some connections, and received lots of feedback. For the first time ever I actually witnessed people experiencing my game in person, which was pretty surreal.
Despite my limited experience, I was pretty happy with my table setup, which I had to pack with me on a plane!
It was a wonderful experience, and I'm so grateful that I was able to attend. Financially it was a huge loss, and I only received a handful of wishlists, but I would absolutely do it again if I could. I really appreciate the team at Seattle Indies for giving me the opportunity and putting together such an amazing event.
October-December
After SIX, the burnout really kicked in. I had been pretty much nonstop the past several months promoting the game, but also feeling a bit discouraged as I felt I was "jumping the gun" and pushing it before it was actually completed.
Development progress was limited, but it was not entirely absent. I finished laying out some of the early areas, and I also created tiles for later areas.
I also fixed nearly all of the core system bugs and issues reported by demo players, the most prominent being the choppy collision and movement.
Ultimately, I used the final months of the year to try to rest, recover, and recenter. And I believe it was worthwhile, as I finally have a strategy and feel confident enough to get Legends of Astravia closer to the finish line in 2025.
2025 Plans
Release Legends of Astravia as Early Access
Completely, without chapters.
My goal for 2025 is this: Legends of Astravia will release in Early Access, regardless of where it ends up development wise. Whether its 25%, 50% or 100% complete, the game everyone has been so kindly supporting will release--even if it has to be as a beta--on its 7th year. Not as a part 1, chapter 1, or whatever, but just as Legends of Astravia.
I have never received any funding for this project; no kickstarter, no publisher, no financial assistance of any kind, so it's been challenging to find the best way to ship the game despite those limitations. I remain passionate, but creating something that is better suited for a team, all alone, self-funded, is taking a lot out of me (and my bank account). I think some degree of payoff after all this time is a necessity to push forward, even if it's a very small amount.
And while I wanted to break the project down into clearer "Chapters", I think this ultimately leads to supporters of the project feeling a bit mislead. Folks have been waiting for "Legends of Astravia", and it's always been a bit too late to try and divide it up. I think it makes more sense to have those who are willing and eager to support the project early have the opportunity to do so, and be entitled to the remainder of it without paying rather than breaking it up and releasing it in pieces.
Additionally, I think a "final" release of anything, even episodic, is just too much pressure at this point. I am one who likes to continue to refine and grow my work based on feedback and experience--the game's few demos are proof of this. I would rather have the opportunity to ensure the game is the best it can be even if that means starting in Early Access, instead of potentially missing the mark with a rocky first chapter.
More information regarding this Early Access strategy will come with a separate, official announcement and likely some polls and surveys in the coming months. The most important aspect of EA is ensuring player feedback is considered, and I like to think I've developed enough experience in that regard over the years.
More Devotion, Less Promotion
As I noted in my Next Fest post-mortem, I really went overboard and jumped the gun on promoting the game despite the risk that I'd miss the deadlines I had lined up.
In part due to anxiety creeping up on me, it felt like growing my audience was a necessity, and that folks would get impatient without having something to play after all this time.
But that's not really helpful if there's no finished product to lead up to!
As such, I will be dialing back on my promotional posts on social media, etc. until I'm fully confident in the game's release date. I will continue to provide developers logs and updates where I can, but I don't care much for growing a following on social media websites, at least for the first half of the year. So expect those channels to remain quiet. I'll still try to stick to regular developer's logs here, and post some updates in the Discord server.
If you're a player who is eagerly waiting for the game, but wondering what's taking so long, I hope this summary provided some insight. I can't put into words how much it means for people to believe in the project, and I'm sorry that I haven't been able to deliver it in a timely manner.
And for the fellow creatives and developers: I believe that simply surviving really is something to be proud of--especially with the current state of the world. I hope that you achieve your goals for 2025, and even if the world around you feels like it's crumbling, that you keep creating and believing in yourself.
Hello everyone, Sorry this devlog ended up arriving so late. Between some exciting news that I needed to prepare for, as well as battling a few demons (metaphorical, not literal. I wish I was that cool), it was tough to get words on paper. I have a lot of really big announcements
Hello everyone,
Sorry this devlog ended up arriving so late. Between some exciting news that I needed to prepare for, as well as battling a few demons (metaphorical, not literal. I wish I was that cool), it was tough to get words on paper.
I have a lot of really big announcements and excitement to share, though. Also, I'm going to try something a little different and put a little summary / table of contents at the start of each devlog.
So here's what to expect for this one:
Official demo page added to Steam (+ leave your reviews!)
Extremely exciting super special announcement
Development progress report
Minor release plans adjustment
Official Demo Page
Last month, Steam announced a new feature where demos could get their own individual pages on Steam, and thus have a separate description, assets, as well as reviews. This is pretty cool... albeit a tad frustrating given it would have been much nicer to have this feature before Next Fest!
As such, I've created an official, separate demo page for Legends of Astravia. I think it's important to highlight what the demo has to offer vs the full game, and I can continue to build up the full game's page without worrying about clashing with the demo's current state.
(Click the image to visit the spiffy new Steam page!)
Demo reviews--now's your chance to support the game! I am fairly confident based on the feedback the game received during Next Fest that it would be beneficial instead of detrimental to enable reviews. As such, if you played the demo, enjoyed it, and really want to support it, this is a real thing you can do that doesn't cost any money. Please leave a review, as it'll help get the game bumped up in Steam's lists and help upon its eventual release.
Every review from a supporter of the game will really help. Of course, if you genuinely disliked it enough to want to announce it to the world, that's entirely fair too, I suppose!
Seattle Indies Expo
Now for the actual, real, super exciting news: Legends of Astravia was selected for the in person showcase, Seattle Indies Expo 2024!
This is a big first for me. I've shown the game at a couple of "digital" conventions, but never in real life. I'll have my game on display, in the flesh, for real?! Also, I've never been to Seattle, so there's that!
Seattle Indies Expo is a 1-day showcase that celebrates indie games in the heart of Seattle every year during PAX West. Supposedly, they only pick a few games outside of the Pacific Northwest, so that's pretty cool.
This year it runs on Sunday, September 1st. Needless to say, that was pretty short notice, so I've been completely tied up preparing for it.
The showcase is completely free to attend, so if you happen to be in the area, or are visiting for PAX West, feel free by and say hello! I'll post more info closer to the event, so keep an eye out for those announcements.
Stickers and other goodies!
Since this is an in-person event, and a rather expensive trip, I'm going to try selling some merch to help with recouping costs a bit.
The first few folks to stop by the table will get a free Oliver sticker:
I've prepared some other free goodies, including bookmarks and little hand-out cards.
And, if all goes well and everything arrives on-time, I'll also be selling Oliver and Azel stickers, and sticker sheets (pictures will be posted closer to the event--I gotta build some hype somehow!):
If selling stuff at the booth goes well, and folks really like the stickers and stuff, I may consider selling them online. I admit selling stuff for a game that isn't even out yet feels a bit weird. But seeing as I don't have many (i.e. any) ways of funding development, I suppose it's not much different than a Kickstarter perk or something. Except you get to have it right away.
If you're genuinely quite interested in this kind of thing, definitely be sure to leave a comment on the Steam announcement, itch.io announcement, or in the Discord server!
Development Progress for July
Next up is dev progress report, which is unfortunately a bit small. As most of June and July was spent recovering from Next Fest, and then the remainder of my productivity was taken up by preparing for Seattle Indies Expo, I was not able to make a ton of progress on the game itself.
But it wasn't a total loss! First, Valica fields has started to come along, and I've prepared tilesets and started to fill in the placeholder maps:
Additionally, one of the most important and requested features from the demo was the ability to remap inputs for your keyboard / controller / etc, and I'm pleased to report that feature is about 90% done! All that's left is the front-facing menu stuff.
2025 Release Plans
With this showcase sort of taking me by surprise, and everything surrounding Next Fest being much more work than I anticipated, the "Q1" portion of the release date is a little too scary for me. As such, I've changed it to just "2025".
Legends of Astravia is going to release in some way in 2025. The current plan was to release part 1 of 2. However, I'm getting a little wary about how to navigate this marketing-wise, and I haven't quite cracked it yet. There are few other factors complicating things as well.
I have a strategy in mind based on the past few months, but I'd also like to wait and see what comes of the upcoming showcase as well. Regardless, I know a lot of folks are excited for this game and have very high expectations for it, so I'm hoping to meet those in 2025!
I look forward to reporting my results from the Seattle Indies Expo, as well as more development progress, in the next developer's log. Given the circumstances, I'll have to skip another month, but it'll be worth the updates, I think.
Hello everyone! So far, response to the demo has been good. A few folks pointed out some issues during Next Fest, and I was finally able to address some of them. The 0.7.0 demo update is now live, and fixes the following: The game engine was updated on Windows. Note that aggressi
Hello everyone!
So far, response to the demo has been good. A few folks pointed out some issues during Next Fest, and I was finally able to address some of them.
The 0.7.0 demo update is now live, and fixes the following:
The game engine was updated on Windows. Note that aggressive antivirus software may flag this as false positive since it will appear as a "new" program. Please feel free to report any issues.
Addressed performance issues on Windows, and defaulted to DirectX 11 instead of OpenGL. We'll keep an eye out for any issues that may arise for folks on older hardware, but it should overall be a huge improvement. Special thanks to Eblo for this one.
Fixed a bug where you couldn't fast-forward and defend at the same time in battle if you were using an Xbox controller. This one was pretty egregious and lead to battles feeling a bit clunky.
Miscellaneous fixes for certain exotic controller types (as a result of the Engine update).
As always, please let us know if you have any problems. Hopefully this makes the demo experience a little better, especially if you're playing on Windows.
Hello everyone, After a week of excitement, Next Fest June 2024 Edition finally comes to an end. To each and every one of you who tried out the demo, provided feedback, and wishlisted the game-- thank you so much!! I'd like to make a few announcements and let you know my plans as
Hello everyone,
After a week of excitement, Next Fest June 2024 Edition finally comes to an end. To each and every one of you who tried out the demo, provided feedback, and wishlisted the game--thank you so much!!
I'd like to make a few announcements and let you know my plans as they relate to the demo release and Next Fest.
Later this week, I will have a detailed postmortem on Next Fest from the developer perspective, which I will post on www.studioalemni.com. Then, regular monthly Developer's Logs will resume, updating everyone on the game's progress.
Demo Staying Available
In case you missed it: the demo was not removed, and will remain available until closer to the game's release. There were so many games in Next Fest, I see no reason to penalize folks who had interest in the game but haven't been able to check it out yet.
So please feel free to take as much time as you need to check out Legends of Astravia's demo! And be sure to try it on the Steam Deck if you have one. In my opinion, that's the best way to experience the game.
Also, if you plan on streaming the game on Twitch or creating a video on Youtube, feel free to let me know! I'm always happy to see how folks experience the game.
Summary & Response to Common Feedback
Many of you filled out the demo feedback form and provided a lot of great feedback. There have been many kind comments and positive feedback, which means a lot, as well as some critical feedback which helped bring my attention to areas I otherwise may have missed. For those who weren't afraid to be honest--I do really appreciate it!
Next Fest as a whole has been a learning experience, and it's given me a better idea of what aspects of the game work and which ones do not. I wanted to acknowledge some of the most common feedback that came in, and my plans to address it in the full version (or future patch to the demo, if possible).
Battle System
The battle system is by far the most contentious feature in the game. Some folks really loved it and had a lot of fun with it, while others wished it was just plain ol' turn-based combat. It will be both fun and challenging to expand on the system and ensure it is enjoyable for everyone who has an interest in the game. For what it's worth, difficulty options are planned for the full game as I think it is the only way I can ensure both casual enjoyers of the story and more dedicated JRPG fans can enjoy the game to the fullest extent.
Many expressed that while the battle system was interesting, it was also awkward, overwhelming, or felt lacking in depth at times. Being a relatively unique system, it's been challenging to balance. I especially felt that the demo didn't do a great job of showing its full potential, and the balancing was poor resulting in later battles getting a bit boring. I plan to make usability improvements as well as improve the excitement and reward.
Also, there was a pretty egregious bug I didn't discover until mid-fest: Being unable to defend and fast forward at the same time with most controllers. The problem has been identified and the fix will eventually make its way into the demo.
Overworld Exploration
Exploration and puzzles are a huge part of Astravia, and once again I think the demo just did an "OK" job of showcasing it. Some folks expressed that picking up items felt a little awkward and cumbersome, and jumping over gaps felt slow and stiff. These are things I'll definitely be addressing in the final game, if not the demo.
And of course, with my advertising the game's similarities to Golden Sun, there will absolutely be more puzzles in the final game than just a few push blocks. I'm sorry for not being able to include more in the demo!
Art and Design
A lot of folks really liked the pixel art, and most folks enjoyed the artwork. Quite a few people noted that there was a bit of a cohesion issue with the pixel art, character artwork, UI and sound, and I think this also may have had an impact on the game not doing so well during the fest overall.
Some of this is a resource limitation (which ultimately is still on me since I am creating a commercial game)! Despite some commissions and occasional help from colleagues, I am still just one person. If I could, I absolutely would use gorgeous 100% custom pixel art and assets in every part of the game. But regardless, I think a lot of it genuinely can be improved. For example, I completely underestimated just how much those damn RPG Maker sound effects would affect the game's overall impression, and would have replaced them ahead of the Fest if I knew better.
As development continues, I hope to make the game feel more cohesive and improve the art and sound where I can.
Future Plans
I am admittedly quite burnt out from the demo launch and Next Fest as a whole. I will discuss this more in the detailed postmortem, but I will need to take a little bit of a break and re-center myself before getting back to my regular development schedule. I'd also like to allow more time for feedback, reviews and thoughts to come through.
When I get back into it, my plan is to make a few QoL adjustments to the demo, and then start working on mechanics adjustments and game content. As mentioned above, monthly developer logs will return in July, so keep an eye on those if you're interested on hearing more about the game's progress.
And that's all for now! I'm looking forward to continuing development on the game. Everyone's support has been wonderful, and has served as a reminder as to why I do this :)
Check out Legends of Astravia's new demo , livestreams and more--Steam's June 2024 Next Fest starts now! Catch the developer Jaiden (me!) as I stream LIVE on the following dates and times: Tuesday, June 11th @ 9PM EDT Saturday, June 15th @ 8AM EDT I will be playing through the de
Check out Legends of Astravia's new demo, livestreams and more--Steam's June 2024 Next Fest starts now!
Catch the developer Jaiden (me!) as I stream LIVE on the following dates and times:
I will be playing through the demo, discussing my development process and answering questions about the game.
Note that while the demo is available in Japanese, developer streams and Q&A will only be available in English. Regardless, I will certainly do my best to answer questions in any language with the help of machine translation. I am looking forward to it!
And if you can’t make it, there will also be pre-recorded streams running for the duration of the festival.
Here’s to a fun and exciting festival filled with great upcoming games!
Cast spells, solve puzzles, and uncover secrets alongside a mystic companion in this introduction to the magical world of Astravia! Download the demo for free right here on Steam! It is available in both English and Japanese, on Windows, macOS and Linux (Steam Deck). Please be su
Cast spells, solve puzzles, and uncover secrets alongside a mystic companion in this introduction to the magical world of Astravia!
Download the demo for free right here on Steam!
It is available in both English and Japanese, on Windows, macOS and Linux (Steam Deck). Please be sure to check the system requirements for more information. We've confirmed the game runs great on the Steam Deck!
Additionally, any and all feedback is more than welcome, and will help make the game the best it can be when the full version releases.
Thank you again for your endless support. And an extra special thanks to...
Ryuuen Tanaka, for drawing the incredible new art of Oliver and Azel (and all of the other various, wonderful art pieces for the game)
obatatsu(S.N.), for the Japanese translation and QA
Fangsoft, for helping with development in 2023 and the early testing and revisions of the demo
KK20 and tort, for supporting me during development since 2018
codapill, DeDeSans, Emule, Fangsoft, june, Koroknroll, tort, Shweep and toiosh, for providing early and in-depth feedback when the demo was not yet fit for the world to see
And of course, the other many beta testers and supporters who reported bugs and provided feedback:
I’m very excited to be able to share the game with more people, and I hope everyone enjoys this preview of what me and all of the wonderful collaborators on the project have been working on all these years!
-Jaiden
(P.S. If you are a member of the press and interested in covering the game, please check out the press kit on our website. And if you’re a content creator planning on streaming it, we’ll be sure to check it out!)
I’m incredibly happy to announce that the new demo for Legends of Astravia launches right here on Steam next Thursday, May 30th ! Cast spells, solve puzzles, and uncover secrets alongside a mystic companion in this 1-hour introduction to the magical world of Astravia. The demo wi
I’m incredibly happy to announce that the new demo for Legends of Astravia launches right here on Steam next Thursday, May 30th!
Cast spells, solve puzzles, and uncover secrets alongside a mystic companion in this 1-hour introduction to the magical world of Astravia.
The demo will be available in both English and Japanese and be playable on Windows, macOS and SteamOS – we’ve confirmed it runs great on the Steam Deck!
It's wonderful that so many people are excited to play the demo, so this will be everyones' chance to catch an early glimpse a whole 10 days before the June 2024 Next Fest starts.
Thank you, as always for all of your support. I hope everyone is excited to see what Legends of Astravia has to offer!
Get a hands-on look at Legends of Astravia's new demo as the developer Jaiden plays through it and talks about their design process and more. Saturday, June 15th at 8AM EST (in your timezone)
Get a hands-on look at Legends of Astravia's new demo as the developer Jaiden plays through it and talks about their design process and more.
Get a hands-on look at Legends of Astravia's new demo as the developer Jaiden plays through it and talks about their design process and more. Tentative Date: Tuesday, June 11th at 9PM EST Please keep an eye on our upcoming updates in case this time changes. Finalized dates and ti
Get a hands-on look at Legends of Astravia's new demo as the developer Jaiden plays through it and talks about their design process and more.
Tentative Date: Tuesday, June 11th at 9PM EST Please keep an eye on our upcoming updates in case this time changes. Finalized dates and times will be announced a week before Next Fest.
I’m pleased to announce that Legends of Astravia will be in the upcoming Steam Next Fest from June 10th to June 17th! Be sure to follow the game right here on Steam to be first to know when the demo launches, as well as catch livestreams, chat with the developer (me!) and learn m
I’m pleased to announce that Legends of Astravia will be in the upcoming Steam Next Fest from June 10th to June 17th! Be sure to follow the game right here on Steam to be first to know when the demo launches, as well as catch livestreams, chat with the developer (me!) and learn more about the game.
Note that developer streams and Q&A will only be available in English, but I’ll do my best to answer questions from all languages with the help of machine translation!
Visit the Steam News hub and make sure you’re following Legends of Astravia:
Hi everyone, Things are going well, especially with regards to the game's new demo. This developers log will be jam-packed with announcements and exciting news, so let's jump right into it! Announcements Marketing Refresh, New Art and New Trailer For those of you who missed it--t
Hi everyone,
Things are going well, especially with regards to the game's new demo. This developers log will be jam-packed with announcements and exciting news, so let's jump right into it!
Announcements
Marketing Refresh, New Art and New Trailer
For those of you who missed it--there's a brand new trailer that showcases the new art, gameplay and snippets of story since 2022. It's very short, but I think it's a great little teaser. Check it out here:
There's also a new vertical box art, which illustrates the main cast you'll be traveling with the first half of the main story:
A very special thank you to Ryuuen Tanaka for putting the lineart and shading for this piece together!
And to go along with all of this, marketing got a big refresh across all channels. You can check it out on the Steam Page.
Demo 100% Complete!
The 2024 demo is done! Of course, this doesn't mean it's ready to play just yet. It is currently in a QA and testing state in order to iron out any bugs and gameplay issues.
Beta Testing
There will be a private, opt-in beta in the Discord Server soon, likely in April. There was a plan to run it sooner, however I decided that I wanted to really take care of some user experience issues and features first and share a more "polished" version with everyone. So if you're interested, be sure to join and keep an eye out.
Enrolled in Steam NextFest
I'm pleased to announce that the Legends of Astravia demo will be re-launching for the summer Steam NextFest! I will make a more formal announcement, such as the release date, when we get closer to that time.
Temporary Devlog Hiatus
With the push to get the demo launched in time for the Steam NextFest, it will become increasingly difficult for me to keep up with these long-form developer's logs. As such, I am temporarily suspending monthly developer's logs until July 2024.
Never fear! There will still be plenty of news and announcements especially leading up to the big demo launch this summer.
Game Progress
Battle Overhaul & Preview
Astravia's unique battle system has always been the most challenging to get right. When I launched the demo in 2022, a lot of players were interested in the system, but really struggled to adapt to it. I've since then had plans to modify it for the new demo using all of the feedback I received.
The result ended up being something that looks surprisingly "modern JRPG", and feels pretty fun to control:
While the colored "ABXY" face buttons looked nice, it created a lot of issues across varying control schemes, such as different controller brands and keyboards. I also really wanted the system to be more friendly one-handed for accessibility reasons. So, the system now uses a universal sign: directional arrows, and a standard "confirm / cancel". No more button confusion!
Some other improvements include the target window appearing closer to the target, control help, and clearer target highlighting.
But I really can't understate how iterative this process is. I had dozens of tries, especially with regards to the UI and camera elements. Here's an early attempt:
And of course, to those who get motion sickness (me!), do not fret: there will be an option to disable camera movement entirely. I actually tend to get quite motion sick myself, and while I think the camera movement makes it clearer where your attention belongs, I understand the importance of being able to turn those wiggles off!
Battle Tutorial(s)
I spent a lot of time reworking on the battle tutorial as well. This time around, Oliver will walk you through it as he tries to remember what Mordin's local swordsman taught him:
The system is pretty unique in that it ramps up and gets increasingly more complex the more characters there are on the field. So a second tutorial was necessary, and will feature Azel's...encouragement, just like the last demo:
macOS and Steam Deck Support
I was able to test and confirm support for two platforms other than Windows: macOS and the Steam Deck! The Steam Deck is especially exciting, as I think this will be a big benefit during the Steam NextFest.
More Screenshots
Here are a couple more screenshots to share:
That's all for now. Thank you as always for your patience and support, it's exciting to finally see all of this work starting to pay off.
Note: In order to maintain pretty pixel ratio, images will open in the current tab/window when clicked. Hello everyone, So far we're kicking the year off nice and strong, as progress on the new demo is going extremely well. This month I have the opposite problem that I usually ha
Note: In order to maintain pretty pixel ratio, images will open in the current tab/window when clicked.
Hello everyone,
So far we're kicking the year off nice and strong, as progress on the new demo is going extremely well. This month I have the opposite problem that I usually have when putting together a devlog--there was too much done to share!
I'm also going to structure devlogs a little differently now; I will start with any exciting news, announcements, etc. before moving on to the actual progress. Wall of text first, then pretty pictures :)
New Demo 80% Done
It's almost a bit surreal working on the revised demo. A lot really has changed, and it's fun to see how my process has become more optimized. The process for making cutscenes is more streamlined, with a clear process from writing the draft, integrating, and testing. And by applying the "layered cake" method that Fang taught me earlier in the year, things went even faster.
Beta testing will be very soon, there are just a few more mechanical issues I want to iron out. Be sure to keep an eye on the Discord server if this is something that interests you!
Getting Ready for (Next) NextFest
As many of you are aware, we're currently in the middle of a Steam NextFest (very exciting!). Legends of Astravia's spiffy new demo will be in the next one, and there has been an endless amount of work to do in preparation. In the world of indie games, making the actual game is only half the work.
I've been very focused on the game's marketing, trying to come up with a proper push leading up to the launch. Expect a ton of screenshots, snippets, and other exciting new visuals leading into the Demo's release.
The current "Trailer" on Youtube is due for a serious update, and the Steam page will get a little gameplay montage as a holdover soon. Also, the game's description, marketing text and FAQs will get some updates over the next couple of weeks as well.
Development Archive
Part of this marketing strategy is ensuring all of the game's visuals are up to date across the world wide web. With the release of the new demo in June, and the big visual change to the game last year, it's important that all of the screenshots and artwork reflect the final game as much as possible.
As such, I removed most of this artwork from every single social media channel and itch.io.
However--it is not gone forever. In fact, I think these old screenshots, gifs and other snippets give a very important peek into Legends of Astravia's complicated development process.
So, check out the Dev Archive on the website to take a little visual stroll through the game's development from 2017-2022, 5 long (...long...) years!: Link
Development Progress
Since the demo is nearly completed, I think progress in January was pretty darn good! One of the more exciting things about the demo is just how much things have changed--for the better. The game honestly feels like, well, a video game??(Crazy, right? I don't know!)
The premise of the demo is largely the same as 2022, Oliver will have an encounter with the mysterious Azel and the two will traverse the Earth Leyline together. However, we have a new recontextualization with Mordin Village, very similar to the game's demo in 2019.
Oliver and Azel have already had a prior meeting at this time, and so their encounter in the temple is a reunion of sorts (I hope the FF7 fans reading are extra excited by that word. I sure am!).
New Areas
In addition to some restructuring of the "paths" you'll traverse (need to keep veteren players on their toes!), the demo will feature two new areas that were not seen in the 2022 demo.
First, Oliver's Dream...
And secondly, Mordin Village!
Unfortunately, the town will be asleep, so there won't be many NPC interactions, but I feel it will still invoke some nostalgia, especially in those of you who played the demo all the way back in 2019.
New Characters
The most exciting aspect of the demo is that it will feature several new characters who bring a very fresh and distinct tone to the game. I have to give Fang a lot of credit here, this was one of her writing suggestions that really made things come together.
I also had a lot of fun drawing their faces. The switch to my own art style really renewed my confidence in my abilities overall. I honestly can't wait to draw more.
That's all for now. I look forward to sharing more progress next month--there are some even more exciting changes coming up!
Hello everyone, 2023 has finally come to an end. I'll admit, I began writing this developer's log thinking I'd only have a couple of bullet points for the game's development and progress. However, it turns out this year has been a very productive one, and just because the game is
Hello everyone,
2023 has finally come to an end. I'll admit, I began writing this developer's log thinking I'd only have a couple of bullet points for the game's development and progress. However, it turns out this year has been a very productive one, and just because the game isn't done yet doesn't mean amazing progress wasn't made.
My resolution is to be more kind to myself as an independent developer, and understand that the project is not funded and that I am working on it entirely in my spare time. With that in mind, and looking just how much we got done this year, I think the project is doing pretty darn good!
This devlog is a lengthy summary broken into three parts: December's development progress, a summary of the entire year, and plans / announcements for 2024.
Buckle up, because this is a long one!
December Developer's Log
December went well, likely due to the holidays and the significant amount of time off that came with them (a bit of a backwards concept, I admit). Here are some of the quantifiable accomplishments for the month:
Finished all of the map layout changes for the new demo
After readjusting the story, some of the core elements of the demo from 2022 will still be in place in the new demo. The order of events has changed a bit though, and as such, so did some of the maps. I actually worked out this initial layout on a piece of scrap paper ahead of reconnecting all of the maps:
The demo is thus playable from start to finish, with just some of the important bits missing. Some new maps were also added, and one was brought back from the dead, which some of you elder fans that have been here since the beginning of time may recognize:
Integrated all dialogue for the new demo
Since the first draft of dialogue for the first act was done and the map layout in place, I was able to get all of the dialogue actually integrated into the game for the new demo. This is relatively close to final and will only need a few more passes of editing.
A fun side-note; I do all of my initial dialogue writing in Google Sheets, using a pretty fancy setup that fills in the face graphics and text for me. That way I have a good idea of what everything looks like before I have to muck around in the editor. Pretty cool, (I think?!):
Updated essence and shop menus
The shop menu hasn't been touched since 2020 (woah!), so it needed some attention. I reworked the layout and flow so it was a lot prettier and a lot less clunky to use. I also gave the essence menu a few updates, improving several UX issues reported in 2022's demo:
At the same time, I also made some much-needed backend improvements to windows and menus in general that should make adding, updating, and revising new menus in the future easier.
Squashed even more bugs
Bug-hunting is a never-ending battle, but there were quite a few issues that were present in the game's 2022 demo that I was able to finally address.
I should point out that these efforts in December were all related to my attempt to bring the demo back for Steam's February NextFest as previously discussed. However, after some thought, I decided that doing so would be cutting it too close, and wouldn't give me enough time to ensure the game is as polished as it can be.
The new demo will absolutely launch in 2024, as discussed more below. But unfortunately it will not be during the Steam NextFest in a few weeks.
2023 in Summary
It's easy to get overwhelmed by the idea that "nothing was accomplished" when you spend an entire year on a game and don't have a releasable product to show for it. However, looking back, this was probably one of the best years for Legends of Astravia, as it felt like it lead to some much needed improvements to the game's development operations, brand, and roadmap.
Fangsoft joined Studio Alemni and helped massively with development
Fangsoft has been an incredible help this year, and without her, I probably wouldn't have been able to get the game's development back on track. She helped me get the project reorganized and set more concrete goals that inevitably lead to all of the great progress we made this year.
Completed several passes through the entire game, start to finish
Even though there haven't been a lot of visual updates, Legends of Astravia's first part is in a sense, playable from start to finish. We completed several passes through the game to integrate map layouts, item placement, environmental effects and sound.
Made numerous development tools to speed up the game's production
This was the year where I really honed my scripting abilities, employing what I've learned over the years to ensure I am working "smarter, not harder".
I made a lot of cool stuff, honestly to the point of forgetting just how much I did: - Made a generator that takes a list of filenames and generates placeholder image files for each of them - Made a global transition system for all of the maps in the game, for both a smoother development and gameplay - Made a system to initialize and assign special data--including color and lighting information--to maps, eliminating the need for manually eventing each one - Created various in-game debugging tools, including a dedicated scene for testing and constructing battle sequences - Changed how data is loaded into the game to permit custom attributes and lightning-fast game content editing - Documented all of the game's custom functions and attributes - Made a spreadsheet tool for fast templating and editing of dialogue exactly as it shows up in-game - Made a "grid-system" for window layouts to make constructing new game menus easier - Reorganized and cleaned up a good chunk of the game's code base
These things will continue to relieve some of the burden of being a solo dev, and will help get the entire game to the finish line.
Updated the Studio Alemni website
The Studio Alemni website got a makeover, which I designed and implemented myself. I think it's easy to miss how big of an improvement this was, as the old website was slow and hard to navigate. This also cut the time it took for me to write my monthly devlogs in half, which freed up some more time for development.
Finalized the game's story
Legends of Astravia's story has been the biggest crux with regards to development. It has been changed, modified, rewritten and reworked so much, which has ultimately resulted in so many revisions to the final playable game.
With Fang's help, we finally locked it in this year, and for the first time in the several years of working on the project, I'm finally satisfied with the story is and where it is going. A lot of it required returning to my roots and remembering the "why".
I try to remain humble, but I think the story is one of Legends of Astravia's stronger points. I really hope everyone will enjoy what we've come up with.
Made the game visuals feel less like "RPG Maker" and more like "Astravia"
While the initial venture into this was done in November 2022, a lot of the work was done this year. When the demo in 2022 launched, a big point of contention was it's "RPG Maker Default Graphics".
I found myself often demotivated and unwilling to work on the project knowing that many people would be immediately turned off by the game's visuals. So switching to something that aligned the game with it's classic feel was a huge confidence boost, and really helped move things forward.
Additionally, I was able to secure more confidence in my art skills by replacing the character graphics with my own artwork. Legends of Astravia feels like it's own thing now, and I just think that's pretty cool.
Plans for 2024
Part 1 (of 2!)
While the work in 2023 ultimately didn't result in the release of the first part of the game, I'm very pleased to announce that Legends of Astravia will be delivered in two parts instead of the originally announced three. This means less waiting for the "complete" saga (complete in quotes here, because the first part will absolutely be a complete game!).
How this will work mechanically is yet to be decided (DLC vs two full game releases), but plans will become more concrete with the re-release of the demo in the summer.
Demo return (Steam NextFest)
Speaking of which, the demo will indeed make its comeback this year during the next NextFest. An official announcement will be made sometime in March, and beta testing will begin soon. If you're interested in helping test the game and iron out issues, you can join the Discord server to get involved!
Get the game back on the map
Legends of Astravia was doing reasonably well from a marketing and interest standpoint at two points during its development: the first demo in 2018, and the second demo in 2022. It seems when people get to play the game, news about it travels. Go figure!
In the year and a half that I've been working on the game since it's demo in 2022, interest in the game has naturally waned a bit. I've also had significant difficulty maintaining a consistent marketing campaign on social media sites such as Twitter, Tumblr, etc.
Besides just the demo launch, I'd like to revive some of that interest through more consistent visual updates on social media, trailers, and content creator outreach. I hope that more people will become aware of the game, especially those who it is really catered towards.
Part 1's release (Attempt #2!)
This one is tentative. Delaying the game's release over the years has been discouraging, but I also need to remain realistic with my schedule. I'd like to have a holiday launch, but otherwise, the plan for Legends of Astravia is to launch in Q1 of 2025.
I hope this developer's log renews confidence for those of you who have been patiently waiting for release news. It means so much to have so many people interested in the project and checking in, especially as a small developer who can only work on the project part-time.
It's been a long time, but I do see the finish line on the horizon. Here's to a productive and successful 2024!
Hello everyone, This is a shorter developers log, but I am happy to report this has been a productive month. A lot of work is still being done "under the hood", and as such there's not quite as much to show. Backend, Backend, Backend One of the biggest bottlenecks in development
Hello everyone,
This is a shorter developers log, but I am happy to report this has been a productive month. A lot of work is still being done "under the hood", and as such there's not quite as much to show.
Backend, Backend, Backend
One of the biggest bottlenecks in development at this point is data editing and testing. Legends of Astravia uses a lot of custom scripts and data, and as such, this requires closing the game, making edits to code, reopening the game, in an endless cycle during content development.
I finally bit the bullet and decided to change how the game handles and loads custom data, and it's likely quadrupled my efficiency. Now instead of needing to constantly close and reopen the game when making edits, I have a couple files I can edit right at runtime.
Additionally, testing battle sequences was a horrifying process. It admittedly lead to me delaying on making cool new battle animations numerous times. Finally, after months of thinking about how I would execute it, I was able to create a proper tool for testing animations. Now I can quickly create and test animations and get through developing new content even faster.
Along with this, I made some much needed improvements to the battle animation code that squashed a lot of the weird glitches and bugs that existed in the last demo.
Writing
Fang and I have continued with the game's writing, and are now at the dialogue drafting phase. This is really exciting as the story is starting to unfold into something tangible and game-like.
Here's a very serious, 100% accurate preview of what the live story document looks like:
Jokes aside, meaningful exchanges between characters is an important part of Legends of Astravia, and we hope you'll enjoy what we have planned!
Revisiting Battle UI/UX
I think an unintended benefit of getting away from certain parts of the game for too long is you lose that "developer's bias". Jumping back into the battle system, I quickly noticed a lot of the issues folks experienced during the last demo.
I'm making some small adjustments that I hope will make the system more approachable. For example, I noticed that it's not particularly clear when your teammates have already chosen an action--it feels like the game is glitching. Adding the action indicator bubbles just like the monsters have was a trivial change that actually helped a lot:
That's all for this devlog. I will be working very hard the next month so that I can hopefully come back with an exciting announcement at the start of next year.
Hello everyone, This is indeed another combined two-month devlog, sorry to keep you all waiting. Things have been immensely chaotic, making it difficult to round up progress. But no matter how quiet it gets on social media and update channels, the game is always being worked on!
Hello everyone,
This is indeed another combined two-month devlog, sorry to keep you all waiting. Things have been immensely chaotic, making it difficult to round up progress. But no matter how quiet it gets on social media and update channels, the game is always being worked on!
Fang and I did some really cool stuff the past two months, and we made some interesting discoveries about the best way to deliver this massive game. I do hope it will make the wait worthwhile.
Let's take a look at some progress, and some info regarding the demo that was due for the fall.
Development Progress
Animation Graphics
Fang sorted through and put together dozens of battle animations. I look forward to bringing these fancy effects into the game soon so you can see them in action:
Writing
Fang and I have spent a lot of our time in the past few months working on the game's writing. We thought we had it down a few times, but there were still some things that didn't quite feel right. While this is part of the reason development has been drawn out so long, I think writing is one of the most important aspects of an RPG often overlooked.
We're feeling really good about where it is now, and solved a lot of the game's major issues. Nailing the nostalgia factor while avoiding falling into tired RPG tropes and dull characters is an incredibly challenging thing to do, but thanks to Fang's expertise in story structure, we've got something really great now--all the way through the later parts of the game.
We've almost put the bow on the full game outline, and when we do that, we're good to continue strong with the game's content.
Battler Sprites
I started implementing some battler sprites this month, and completed the main character's basic movesets:
New enemies are finally beginning to take form as well (which means no more damn mushrooms in every single promo shot of the game):
New Promo Art
When the demo is made available again, we'll have some new promotional art. This has actually been in the works since the beginning of the year. Ryuuen put together the piece's linework, and I've been coloring it. It's too soon to reveal it, but here's a silly teaser in the meantime:
Tentative NextFest Plans & Demo Relaunch
Earlier this year we took the Demo from February 2022 down in favor of the changes we've been making--mainly, the new lovely 16bit pixel art and story adjustments. It is long overdue for its re-release. Unfortunately, as you can see, I didn't quite meet the goal to make it live for the fall NextFest.
While this is not an announcement by any means, we are shooting for the spring NextFest for the demo's glorious return instead. Again, this is not a guarantee, but we are really hoping to get it launched then. An announcement will come closer towards the end of the year if we stay on target.
That's all for now! Thank you as always for your patience and support.
