Things are going to be a bit different now....
Hello everyone, this is CatTrigger!
Today, I want to talk a bit about what to expect with "Anna", and a small preview of the next and (possibly) final major demo update.
Is There a Life Outside DATING?!
Unlike other chapters where your sole interaction is with the choices given through the computer, this chapter introduces several key 'point 'n' click' exploration sequences.
This includes exploring your environment outside of the computer, and traveling around more open-endedly within the small idyllic town of "Date Time".
The ability to explore outside of character interactions is the unique play-style of the Anna chapter, and makes it the largest and longest part of the game, allowing people to not only investigate the world of "Date Time" and "the Real World" at some of their discretion, but also unravel some story and secrets non-linearly.
The "Town Map" of Date Time, where players travel from one area to another by their own discretion.
Details about Anna, Post-Demo.
In the first part of Anna, you take on the role of a woman by the name of Jane Whitman, a pivotal character who connects the thread between all the chapters.
However, the chapter's bulk story has you resuming the perspective of yet ANOTHER Library Patron, excited to try out the newest installment of the "Date Time Series".
I'll have more information as production ramps up for this chapter.
I'll leave you with this about THAT part of the chapter: you WILL be able to LEAVE THE LIBRARY. ;)
Some personal thoughts about development...
(Apologies to the long windedness...)
I've mentioned before that I try to introduce something new to every new game project I do.
Anna's exploration system is the most ambitious, and most challenging element yet for me. It (and the chapter after it) will represent the largest part of "Date Time". Period. So people coming in from playing classic "Melissa" & "Morris" take note: this will dwarf both chapters put together.
However...
"Anna" and the additional chapter after it presents a new type of problem for me that has required me to do a ton of underlying system work to ensure that as this project grows, it doesn't begin to lead to larger organizational and systemic problems.
I expected a number of issues when scaling a project from something that someone can play through in less than an hour, to something significantly longer. But ultimately, I found that scaling by that amount can lead to NEW and previously unforeseen ones as well.
Picture: A Script Graphed Section of the "Jane Whitman" part of Anna. Not Pictured: My tears.
That's actually led me to the type of pivots I had made throughout the demo updates. The MERGE Update, and the slower production cycle of the Anna updates as well.
It's also led me to think a bit about my limited resources in the project as production of new content resumes.
I have always been an independent game developer in this space, filling all the roles of writing, code and art in all of my games (the exceptions, of course, is music and the occasional voice lines).I've spoken about this dynamic a bit on my twitter (X?!) account about the freedom it grants me compared to other game developers who DO rely on outside Artists or Coders to help them through a project... but it also ultimately means that production is brutally slower compared to my counterparts.It may reach a point where I may hire someone to do editing, or take on a smaller role to fill in some gaps of production... or maybe it will lead me to optimize workflow in ways to avoid brutal amounts of repetitive work.
The Story of "Date Time" has been set in stone, its outline has been written, and my plan moving forward with it is set. But as development continues, the path may have to flex in ways I didn't expect.
I hope you are all patient with me through this process and if you have any questions on what I am doing on this end, please feel free to reach out about it as I continue down this production line.
Thanks again for sticking by me.
~CatTrigger