Finally The long overdue news on what's been happening within Anna: The Series Test!
So starting off with the good news! Update 0.8 is finally coming close to release! I'm aware everybody is probably thinking; About time! Trust me I am too. But the delay has a good side which allowed me to include so much more in this update than originally planned.
As for when? Hopefully two weeks! Definitely by the end of January.
Currently I am just adding in the button choices and the scenes which follow after and then, as Cherry would say, Boo-Yah! All done and ready for release.
What's the update going to include? Here's a quick bullet-point rundown of what to expect:
- 3800 New renders! Bringing the totals renders way up from 4000 to just shy of 8000. (Which is so close to doubling the original release.)
- 72,000 new lines of code! Which is all script and branching stories. The original game had 32,000 lines of code. (So plus 40,000 on that? I'm taking that as a personal win for me. New record.)
- 12 different endings on phase 3! The current game has 4 endings which are similar in context and are based around who you date. Now there is going to be 12 endings available, which are going to be very different. ("This does not include how your current friendship stands with the replicas.)
- 17 new video animations!
- One new relationship opens up in the way of Miss Freya Valentina, which also can lead onto a three way relationship between you, Freya, and Aiko. If you play your cards right. (This is probably the most sexual the test becomes. Just throwing that out there.)
- The branches vary drastically more in this update than before! Last time your choices did affect how the test played out, but now your choices become so much more apparent with each story splitting on distinct paths based on how you've previously acted. (More on that below.)
- Font choices! This was probably the most requested change for the Series Test, so in the new update you will have a choice of 9 different font options.
- A new style of checklist at the end of the game! Track your progress even better with the updated checklist to see what you missed or what paths you could of taken. Individual checklist now for each replica and Alleyne. (More on that below too)
- Extended gallery! With 3,800 more renders there's more scenes for you to view again in the extended gallery.
- The secret replica has been removed! That path no longer fit with the way the test was playing and her story path has been flipped into a variation of Alleyne's path. If you find the clues. Instead, I will be replacing the secret replica with a version of the test which allows you to play through as Alleyne instead of the Volunteer. (Alleyne will be acting as the volunteer, with someone else taking her place. This will be available in the full release.)
- Fantasy mode! And of course, all of the new stories you experience in the Series Test will be available to be played again in fantasy mode, with tweaks and extra adult scenes.
On about fantasy mode, do you prefer to play the game through in fantasy mode or regular testing? I have no way of tracking which way is played most and am debating about making fantasy mode available from the get go in the future update. Any thoughts?"
Now about the branching paths I was talking about?
Here's a brief expectation of what to expect for the stories in phase 3,. Also after I'll include outside interactions such as home visits and such."
- Aiko: Phase 3 will have you sharing a tea party with the insane Princess Aiko Michiyo-Sasaki and allow you the delve into her inner thoughts and how she dealt with the lose of her beloved Kiyomi.
- Cherry: In phase 3 you'll take a trip to one of Cherry's treasure which happens to store memories. Not only that, you'll discover what her job actually is. Does Cherry like you enough to invite you along though?
- Kiyomi: This phase Kiyomi is going to take you on an ethical question as well as reveling some of her mysterious back story. Question, what would you do if you were placed in a random room with a random stranger and asked to either kill or spare him? Kiyomi is intrigued to find out.
- Alma: Alma will either work against you in phase 3 or have you question a serial killer alongside her, depending on your relationship with her. Have you been acting too suspicious for Sheriff Way?
- Freya: Freya wants help facing her demons and standing up to Apex the company which hunted her for a decade. Now it's up to you as Volunteer whether you want to help her or leave her to struggle alone.
- Alleyne: Alleyne finally thinks she has the solution to cure your visions of ghosts. But how much of your past will she be willingly to tell you to help solve your ever cracking psyche?
- Home visits: This phase you can visit your home twice to see the woman or women, you have living with you. Discover Alleyne's infatuation with you, or uncover Aiko's true motives for bedding you maybe? Perhaps it's Freya you like and you'll see why she's so scared all the time. You tried dating both Aiko and Freya? Well, enjoy where that one goes Volunteer. Was it sweet Cherry which took your hand? If so you can hep her discover the joys of relationships and show her the birds and the bee's. Then again, maybe you didn't date anyone. That's fine too, the Series Test covers it all.
- True routes: 6 True routes are finally implemented. I say true routes when I really mean, watch the test go off the rails as the replicas do all sorts of stuff they were never programmed to do. Watch Alma go toe to toe in a battle of wits with Alleyne. Be stalked and preyed upon in your own apartment standing beside Alleyne after Kiyomi discovers too much. Had Aiko figured out what you did to Kiyomi? Keep an eye on that one. Cherry uncovers a memory she was never meant to see about her mother's murder. How will she take it? Betray Freya and see how far she will go to take revenge on those who cross her. Or partner her up with Aiko and see how submissive she'll be to be loved.
- Some one is missing? Who's noticed: Alma will appear to discuss Freya's disappearance after phase two. Kiyomi will question Aiko's, Cherry will question Alma's. Freya will questions Cherry's and as always Aiko's already noted Kiyomi's. (Have you seen that yet?)
- Still being haunted and is that your twin? Your visions of a replica first picked come around again this phase, but what do they mean? Make the right choices this phase in the right order and maybe, just maybe, you might end up seeing behind the mirror. She does look awfully familiar.
- And as always, make your choice: Three replicas are left at the start of phase three and there can only be two at the end. Who are you giving the boot, and are you finally about to see where they've been disappearing to?"
As mentioned above, somewhere. (This update explanation is longer than intended.) The end of the test this phase brings about new checklists for the replicas. Allowing you to see what route you took with each and perhaps where you are heading. Here those are:
(Everything up to phase 4 will be playable with the new release. Phase 4 and 5 are subject to change. Apart from the endings, there won't be any less than displayed but maybe more. Aiko has 6 endings. Freya will have 5 endings also Kiyomi gets 5 too. Cherry will have has 7 and Alma will have 7. Alleyne has 2 of her own endings for each girl plus 1 true ending. For a total of 11. Currently 31 endings are planned.)
Just putting this out there now. There is lots in this update, absolutely loads, however and this is the important part. Because of the branching story lines, to experience everything this update offers you will have to play through more than one route.
If you're sticking only to one route, that's fine too! There's still loads of content for you. Just there will be more for you if you try other paths.
Right, I think that is everything out there and spoken for. Like mentioned, this update should hit in two weeks hopefully, if not then it'll definitely be out by January's end!
If you have any questions or comments then please leave them here or in the discussions. I always try to get around to them, and a massive thank you to everyone who has brought the game so far! All your support means everything. Even if it wasn't for you, I still appreciate you giving it a try. I'll leave a quick comment below this on why the update took so long. Not a necessary read, just want to be transparent with you all. Thanks again!!
Firstly, I'm very aware that this update is taking so long to come out. I was hoping to have it done months ago, I really was, but unfortunately that didn't happen. There's a few reason for that which I hope you will all understand. To start of with I contracted the very real world virus which took me out of commission for a week or two. Shortly after I got further sick which forced me to take a month or so break and lastly is the world finally opened up again and I had to go back to my full time job. (I would love to do this full time, and that is the dream, yet where as I don't use patreon to support me. I have to work around with what I've got.) Good news is that I still work 10 hours daily on the game, bad news is I'm the only working on it so when I get ill so does production. For a few days at least.
Hopefully you can all understand. I have such high ambitions for this game and want to make sure everything id perfect before putting it out there for you all to enjoy. So thanks for baring with me.
Honestly I've been working so much on the Anna Series that I've started putting " those things at the beginning of normal emails and sentences. So if you see any randomly in this post, that's why. Un-intentional habit.