Hey everyone,
I wanted to give a quick update on what’s to come for Family Island before my new revamp update comes out, and sorry for the radio silence; it’s been a busy few weeks.
Visual revamp I’m deep in a revamp of Family Island right now. I’m redoing the visuals and trying to get the lighting just right so scenes look the way I see them—cleaner, more cinematic, bright when they should pop, and moody when they need weight. I’ve been re-rendering a lot, and I’m showing a picture here so you can see what I’ve been doing.
Episode structure For the story, I’m restructuring Episode 1 into three parts because it fits the pacing I want: Part 1 is 'A Day In The Life' section of MC to set the tone; Part 2 is The Party (it’s already in the game but getting revisions—expect real changes); and Part 3 is Journey to the Island, which pivots into the main plot. Episode 2 is the start of the island adventure. I’m planning more than 4 episodes for Season 1—I don’t know the exact number yet, likely around 8—but I want the pacing right instead of stretching or rushing anything.
Character focus
I have 30+ characters, but I’m focusing on quality rather than quantity. I don’t want them to feel like cardboard cutouts, so many will have stories, and a lot of those will be optional so you can choose who you care about. Major characters are the central cast; they’ll have multiple scenes every episode and carry big arcs through the season. Side characters show up often, can have story arcs, and can affect the story in some ways (less than the majors). Those arcs are optional, and even if you don’t chase them, you’ll still see them around and you can still pursue them. Minor characters won’t have full arcs; they’ll appear in scenes and can change the feel of a moment, but those scenes won’t come often, and some won’t get scenes dedicated to them.
Redesign notes
I’m also redesigning the characters. I’ve been told some looked too young; that was intentional for story reasons—even for a few who are mothers or grandmothers. That said, a couple landed younger than I meant, so I’m adding some age where it makes sense for story purposes. You won’t see the full reason until later, but it’s there. I’m also making sure every character doesn’t look the same so you can tell them apart, while still letting a few look similar on purpose where the plot needs it. I’m trying to find a good balance here.
Gameplay plans
I want minigames in this series, but I didn’t plan them for this season, so I’ll likely implement them next season when they can be done right. What I am adding now is a trait system for more variety in scenes. You pick 3 out of 7 traits at the start. If you’re in scenes with characters who share your traits, the scene can play out better in small or big ways depending on the person. If you’re with someone who has opposite or different traits, that can make the scene worse—that’s the trade-off. Having no traits can make either happen too, because some characters will see not having a certain trait as good or bad. I’m also adding supernatural abilities in the next update. In the current build, I always wanted them, but I planned to wait until the island; that made it feel like you didn’t really see them, so I’m bringing them in earlier so they actually matter.
Writing & choices
My main focus stays the story. I love having a lot of choices for varying paths—big and small—but I’m finding the balance so it doesn’t turn into noise. I’m tightening dialogue, checking my grammar, and making sure everything is written with a purpose without going so deep into detail that it takes me ten years to finish. I’m also adding achievements: some for moving through the story, and a bunch for branching paths so your choices feel seen.
Content settings & languages
There will be some taboo things I think are interesting. They’re not for everyone, and that’s fine. You’ll be able to turn them off in the story settings. I also want many languages supported. The plan is to make the game good first, lock the core systems and story, and then add languages so the translations aren’t rushed or sloppy.
What’s next
That’s it for now. I’m still getting the lighting right for the images and keeping the dialogue sharp—those two take the most time to get right. I’ll give updates more often so you know how progress is going, and when I think the update is ready, I’ll announce a release date. Thanks for the patience—this is about making it look better, play smarter, and feel like your choices actually matter.
Sincerely,
Kryos