Happy New Year, everyone!
It's 2021 and we're looking into the future with hopeful eyes and a desire to make a great game.
I'd like to start out by apologizing for the lack of updates in the last month. The main issue is that I have been struggling with overwork and self-crunch. For the last three months I have been putting in 16-20 hour days...6-7 days a week. My goal was to get Shadows of the Lost out before the end of November. Since this game is a two person project we have been working more than we probably should have. Last month, I hit a point where I couldn't function and was constantly tired and passing out. At that point, it was suggested that I slow things down and focus on my health. This was a good suggestion as it has allowed me to relax a bit and work on more of the things under the hood of the game to clean up the code and make things more efficient. I sincerely apologize for this. I hope everyone can understand my situation as I want to be as transparent as I can.
What this means is that updates most likely won't be happening as often as I'd like since I want to pace myself better in order to keep myself in decent shape to continue on. Updates and the like will pick up over the next few weeks.
Now that all of the bad news is out of the way, let's talk about what's to come. At the moment, story Chapter 2 is done. There are a couple of little details with the side jobs and some menu issues that need to be ironed out now. The goal is to have this done by the end of the week. I think the ending of Chapter 2 is quite cool and ramps up the narrative quite a bit. I hope everyone enjoys it.
The next patch will include the first side Job and a new arena. The zone for that area is still being worked on, so that's what's holding things up currently. My plan was to have two new jobs added, but looks like I'll only have one. The next job will be included in the next patch. Truthfully, I underestimated how much time it would take to craft zones. Well, let me strike that, how much time it takes to make decent looking zones. To make a base zone takes all but a few minutes, but making them look decent takes a lot more time. So while the underlying code is there, the zones themselves aren't. I know I said that we'd make the game pretty later, I still wanted to at least make zones look okay for the moment.
John's computer has a new function that allows for files to be hacked. The process is simple, but as the syscom has multiple functions, a HELP SCREEN was added to provide some assistance.
That's largely what's in the next patch. You'll notice some zones have changed as a lot of the floor textures have been updated to be more detailed. It really gives the game a different look and this will be used going forward. There are also new fights in the Fight Club that will get you to level 10. And this will also be accompanied by new gear as well.
After this, the next patch will add in another couple of jobs and new skills as a buff / debuff system will be added. This is something I've been wanting to add for a long time now, but the underlying code needed to be updated. It will allow us to add more dynamic skills and to give enemies more ways to make the player's life miserable. Fun times coming, folks!
In Closing...
I appreciate everyone sticking with us through this process. It's been a crazy trip so far and while scary for a moment, it's been quite fun working on the game. The next patch should be this weekend and I'll be working hard to make sure it makes it this week. Please try out the new changes and let us know what you think. We'll post again when the new patch goes live.
Take care!
-Garv