Hey guys, I just wanted to give an update on the update :)
To keep it short, I'm not gonna be able to release on the 23rd like I'd hoped. It made sense in my head with how many renders I can accomplish per day, but... I need a lot of renders. Like, a lot more than I'm used to and in a shorter span of time. I will need at least another three weeks I believe, it's possible even 25-30 days could be needed. If you wanted an update on timeline, that's all there is to it!
Now for the Devlog portion of this post.
When I spoke to you guys regarding my approach to these next releases for the remainder of the game, I didn't realize just how much it would effect my approach and how passionate I've become. Or at least how willing I am to explore ideas I've always had, but been too afraid to implement. The typical way I always approached updates were like this in my notes.
Claire talking scene > Zoey talking scene > time passes > sex scene > conclusion.
It was always what caused people to say the updates felt rushed, like it's just scenes happening because they need to happen. I fully agreed but I didn't know how to change it so easily. Until I started reaching out to friends, and people with writing experience. I don't know if they helped me as much as I'd like, but I know I changed my approach and it led to much longer, more meaningful scenes.
Now the way I think is What needs to change within this character now? What should the player understand about this relationship after this conversation? What choices have I created that should genuinely effect the outcome here? And so one.
Thinking this way has allowed me to really get a better grasp as to how much needs to happen in order for my game to go the way I envisioned it. Back when I first started, I used to mess with dream sequences and I would mess around in photoshop a lot to create the images I saw in my head. They looked like shit, but I was doing my best to put my thoughts into a physical form. Now, I'm not afraid to do that again, even if it might not be someone's cup of tea, it's how I imagined the scenes going. At least when it comes to the conversations and the impact of your choices.
In this update, as well as the next chapters, you'll finally begin to experience the serious outcome of your choices. Whether that be wanting to see how far the girls will go or have come, or Zoey finally understanding who she is as a person and her value, and whether or not you've made the "correct" choices on just one of a few important paths with her. I want to show that you can't just push people away and expect them to accept how you treat them. I want to visualize how the characters feel. Sadness, regret, relief? And I also want to do every path justice.
So that's why it needs more time to cook. More creativity, more writing, more of everything.
