Progress Report 2021.10.27

Hi friends,

Just a quick update for the end of October. I have finished drafting Chapter 2 Scene 1. This is quite a hefty scene (“scene” doesn’t really cover it), which means there will be a lot of material to explore when the alpha build updates. The whole thing clocks in just shy of 60,000 words, which is definitely on the long end for a Wayfarer section (oddly it’s around the same length as the Viridian Lady sequence in Chapter 1).

I want to get the alpha build updated as soon as possible, but there are few things that need to happen first.

• The new material needs to be edited and proofread before I start coding.
• I have new assets to make for when the player gets to name their sword and set its history. It will be a selection screen similar to Ancestry/Origin, so it needs its own set of selection cards.
• I need to code the new material.
• Chapter 1 needs a new patch. This is most typo and small bug fixes, but there’s also a section I want to take out from the town square combat branch. 

There’s a section where the player can opt in to a touch-averse reaction to a high approval Aeran after they escape the Count’s villa. This is the only place in Chapter 1 where this variable shows up. My intention was to have touch-averse flavour text for romance/friendship interactions for players who wanted that as part of their MC's personality. However, after starting Chapter 2's content, it is getting way too difficult to track it on top of everything else (Aeran already has 4 flags in certain sections--one for romance + the Chapter 1 confession, one for his regular romance check, one for high approval, and one for low approval). Unfortunately, the other elements are more important, so the touch-averse variable and flavour text need to get cut. 

There will be some things that won’t make it into the next alpha build update. I haven’t written any new codex entries, so while you will get notifications for new entries, there won’t be any text inside them. I also need to finish the map of Velantis; it unlocks at the start of Chapter 1, but I won’t be putting it in the game until I have a version I’m happy with.

With all that work ahead, it’s not feasible for an update to happen by Oct 31 and still take reasonable breaks. I am definitely hoping to get the update out the first week of November.

Thank you for understanding!! 💗