Quest Failed: Chapter Two - Dev Log #64

EDIT: Reuploaded the video on Youtube as the embedding on Twitter was a little funky.

Hiya there! I hope you're all doing well today!

Admittedly cutting it a little close with this dev log in terms of following the schedule I've been adhering to (though for the next post I'll have it up far sooner, don't worry!) but for this post I wanted to give a general overview of what I've been working on and keep you all up to date on the progress of Chapter Two!

So, one of the biggest elements that's coming together nicely is the sound design element of things. As I've mentioned before, I'm working with a dedicated SFX engineer who's been helping me bring life to the game in a whole new way, and I'm really blown away by how great it's all coming together!

The attached clip above (presuming it embeds correctly!) demonstrates two sides of the beach ambience--from the more energetic day time version with squawking gulls, to the far more subdued evening variant where the birds are gone and in its place is a calming splash of the waves. I think getting the ambience just right is important and I'll be aiming for a lot of subtle little variations between areas as I move forward!

A small library of sound effects for more general actions are also being built up as I go along. So think of sounds for combat scenarios and other stuff like Ren whooshing along! The aim will be to create a small, but dynamic range of sounds that I can re-use without breaking the bank and getting 500+ sounds that only have one purpose in one place. So I'm trying to think smart and resourcefully here!

On the subject of writing, I'm powering through with a lot of scenes and wrapping up some segments that I hope to include in the next alpha build, of which I estimate will be ready closer to the end of the month. It'll introduce a new character, complete with a new h-scene--along with some extra scenes for existing characters. I think I mentioned it before, but one of my focuses for this build is to try and build up some of the more optional interactions that are available when you re-visit areas you've previously discovered. (Like the beach, for example~)

Due to the non-linear structure of how all of these events can unfold, admittedly it's been something of a challenge to piece together and keep it straight in my head as I link it all together. It certainly doesn't follow the flow of a traditional visual novel that follows a straight route with some variations here and there--but at the same time it's actually been pretty fun to build up a unique base for this game. I'm hoping the open-ended gameplay really helps Chapter Two stand out and give people something to talk about on release! And that you'll have plenty to prod and explode when attempting to uncover all of the hidden CG scenes lying in wait for you.

I really can't thank you all enough for giving me the chance to work on such a large and intricate game. Despite all the headaches that come with putting it together, it really has been a dream come true to know that I'm creating such a large and detailed world full of characters that are being hyped and anticipated by many of you! I just hope I can stick the landing and not disappoint, haha. You can rest assured that I'm not taking any shortcuts or rushing things though, and that I'm trying my hardest to ensure that this game is the best it can be upon release.

Lastly as a little bonus, if you don't follow me on Twitter--I also teased this little fanged cutie~

You can probably tell from her more modern attire that she's not specifically Quest Failed related, but maybe something I hope to release as a little Halloween bonus. For the sake of surprise and mystery I won't share much else about this until closer to the time--but rest assured it's a very small little project I work on in my spare time in between QF related stuff whenever I feel I need to unwind and untangle myself from the incredibly dense and complex script that Chapter Two is becoming.

That's about everything for now! Sorry for the delay in getting this post up this time around, and I promise the next one will be sooner. Because, I think we're about due some bonus artwork this month, aren't we? Hmmhmmmhmm~ I wonder who it could be this month? Any guesses?

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the game, or anything in general, please don't hesitate to post in the comments below and I promise I'll get back to you!