Dear Constant Readers,
I’ve got a lot to share - but if you're the tl;dr type, scroll to the bottom for the short version.
When I started building this game, I had a vision: true local AI storytelling where your stories, your choices, and your data stay completely yours. No servers, no subscriptions, no compromises. Just you and the infinite possibilities of AI-powered storytelling - without getting cut off right when things are getting good because you hit a token limit. I've been there and it sucks.
But this journey started even simpler than that. I wrote the first prototype version of this for my 3-year-old daughter Molly - to make our storytelling nights more magical. Then I started having so much fun with it that I thought other folks might enjoy it too.
That's why we're here today.
You Made This Possible:
I launched this on my late Grandfather's birthday toward the end of March, not knowing if anyone would care about local AI gaming. Some Steam games sell 20 copies and disappear. But y'all? Hundreds upon hundreds of you believed in this vision. You bought it, you played it, you gave feedback, you stuck with me through rough patches.
Thank you, truly 🥹.
Without you, this would just be a bedtime story app for Molly and I. Instead, it's become something real, something meaningful, something that's growing every week because you made it matter. Thank y'all for helping to make this better for everyone else.
Every sale, every review, every bug report - you turned a dad's coding project into an actual game that people love. That's humbling beyond words. I owe you and will continue to support this for as long as you guys keep showing up to play and purchase it. That's the least I can do in return for the trust you've given me. You trusted me with your money and your time. That trust means everything to me.
What's in Open Beta Right Now:
I spent the whole weekend rebuilding our settings system from the ground up. No more guessing what text models you have configured or image models you've copied over the standard files.
The new system gives you complete transparency and control over what is running:
🎚 Quality Sliders – Simple Low/Medium/High presets for both text and image models
🔍 Visual Model Paths – See exactly which model file each quality level uses
📁 Easy Browse Buttons – Click to browse and set custom models for each quality level
📦 File Size Display – Know exactly how big each model is before you use it
✅ Active Indicators – Clear checkmarks show which quality setting you're currently using
🧠 Smart Fallback – If a custom model goes missing, the system automatically reverts to using the included SD1.5 or Phi 3.5 model - no crashes, no broken text or image generation, no excuses
📂 Smart Organization – Everything grouped logically so you can find what you need
This isn't magic that reads your mind - it's transparency that respects your intelligence. You can see what's configured, easily change it, and understand exactly what the system is using at a glance.
We've also added some much-needed enhancements to image generation. There's now a stop button that cuts things short when you've picked a model that's running too slow. And when generation finishes, a new regenerate button gives you another shot if the image doesn't match your vision. Keep going until the AI delivers exactly what you're picturing.
The new settings system and image regeneration feature is live on the Open Beta branch on Steam right now. Please help me test it, break it - tell me what you like and what you don't. Together we'll polish it until it's perfect.
What's Coming Down The Pipeline Next:
Many of you want storytelling magic but don't have the hardware for local AI. I hear you loud and clear. SaaS support is already in development - ChatGPT, Claude, and other cloud services integration is actively being worked on. Yes, you'll still hit their token limits and subscription walls, but at least you'll get to experience the storytelling magic while you save up for proper hardware.
Your vision matters as much as mine. I believe in local AI freedom, but I believe in your happiness even more.
Not only that, but we've also got a savegame manager in the pipeline right now too that will let you manage multiple saves and easily tell between them at a glance. This will allow you to have different stories, going at different times, to suit whatever mood you're feeling at the moment.
This is our journey, together. I've been trying to maintain weekly updates, but it's been two weeks since the last one because I've honestly been running low on steam (no pun intended!). Building this while juggling a day job and family life - coding this at 4:30 AM before my darling Molly wakes up - is taking its toll. But I keep pushing forward because you've shown me this matters to more than just me. Thank you all for giving me my 2nd wind.
One More Way to Help:
There's one more way you can help shape this journey: reviews. Whether positive or negative, every piece of feedback helps me understand what's working and what needs improvement. Plus, it helps other storytellers discover what we're building together. I know leaving reviews isn't usually top of mind (it isn't for me either!), but it would mean a lot.
With my deepest respect and neverending gratitude,
Chris
P.S. - Molly, if you're reading this in 20 years: Daddy built this because he loved our story time so much he wanted to share that magic with everyone. Every line of code was written with you in mind, every feature designed to make storytelling as wonderful as our nights together. You were my inspiration then, and you always will be.
tl;dr:🔧 NOW IN OPEN BETA: Complete settings overhaul with quality presets, easy browsing, and the control this technology deserves. COMING SOON: SaaS integration and a Save Manager for managing multiple savegames.