Void Dreaming Blog XVII - 0.03.00 Release and April Retrospective

(EDIT: Hey, everyone! Editor Fae here! If you downloaded this build sometime in the first hour of it being released, there may have been a nasty problem with it! That problem should now be fixed; just redownload the files and all should be well. Sorry about that! And now, on with the post!)

Hey, everyone! Fae here with the latest update to Void Dreaming, and something that some of you have been waiting a whole month for! That’s right: it’s time for the very first Patreon-exclusive update build!

In addition to the update notes, we’ll also talk about how Void Dreaming is going so far! We had a wonderful launch that was so much more than I expected, and in the continuing interest of transparency, I’d love to go through the great news we’ve received and what the support that I’ve already received has been used for. Let’s get into it!

V0.03.00 Update Notes

So let’s get right into it! What can you expect from this new build?

 - Day 3 Part 1: The first half of Day 3 has been added! Join Caleia and Bromm’ka on shift with all the wonder and majesty of wild space to enjoy… if the Dreamer’s 2IC lets you. Keep your eyes peeled for surprises, within the ship and without!

 - See how it feels on the other side as Anwill introduces himself to the crew, and learn a bit more about your new guest.

 - Receive a few interesting offers and invitations, if you’ve played your cards right!

 - Credits Update: The credits at the end of the build have now been updated for Patreon supporters who were active when I compiled the list the night before the update.  It’s got a (very) slight upgrade to aesthetics, too! Thank you all, again, for your help in funding Void Dreaming!

 - Android icon is fixed! The loading screen is still Ren'py default for now, but now Rael's face should greet your device's screen!

 - New Backgrounds! The Atripper segment has a new background to round out its collection, and four new backgrounds have been added for gaming with Mizz on Day 1.

 - Check the Time: By popular demand, there is now a way to check the time so you no longer get lost on saves while out on social time aboard the Dreamer. A new option at the base level of the exploration menu allows you to check the time anytime once the work day is done.

 - Bug and Typo Fixes: Thanks to your very helpful efforts, more of the typos and lingering bugs in Void Dreaming’s existing content have been tidied up! Please do keep them coming; I’m so grateful for your keen eyes, and your help in making this as clean as possible!

And don’t forget that if you missed the livestream Q&A that we had a couple of weeks ago, the VoD (that I actually recorded properly I swear) will soon be only available right here on the Patreon for all of you lovely supporters. There's a slight delay right now due to a discovery of Patreon limitations on video uploads, but soon it'll be up there again. I look forward to doing another one in a month and a half, once the public build of Day 2 has been out for a bit!

State of Affairs

Now, let’s have a look at where we’re sitting after a whole month! It’s been absolutely incredible to actually see the extent to which people have been so enthusiastic about what Void Dreaming has to offer. Which is a damn good thing for me, because this is a marathon and not a sprint and I need all the help I can get. So how have things gone compared to a week after launch? I’ve taken these numbers from when I locked down the Patreon credits data about seventeen hours before this all goes live!

 - Since the initial release, Void Dreaming’s various versions have been downloaded from Itch.io over 3300 times!

 - The amazing reviews keep rolling in; thank you so much to everyone who leaves one! We’re up to 133 now, with a full 127 of them being mind-blowing 5-star reviews. I’m so glad that people are enjoying the VN to that degree!

 - The Patreon has continued to grow at a steady rate, and already far beyond my wildest expectations. We’re up to a total of 136 active Patreon subscribers now, with 26 of those subscribers going the extra mile to support Void Dreaming at the higher tier. Thank you so, so, so much for your generosity and enthusiasm for my mad little endeavour here!

 - The Discord also grows steadily, and I’m still trying to greet every single new member personally! We now have over 225 members present, and don’t forget that there’s some Patreon-exclusive segments of the Discord if you’ve linked your Patreon and Discord accounts. Those channels are particularly busy!

- The Void Dreaming Bluesky page is now up to over 670 followers, too! I’ve had the absolute pleasure to be able to share some fanart of Void Dreaming right there, and I look forward to hopefully sharing more in future, along with announcements for Void Dreaming and some other wonderful VN projects.

Wow! What massive steps we’ve taken in just a month since release! I said the reception has been more than I could have imagined during the livestream, but you’ve only gone and outdone yourselves since then as you can clearly see.

Transparency - May 2025

But where are we at with the project itself? As I’ve mentioned, I’m fully committed to you all seeing exactly what’s going on behind the scenes and where things are going. So to that end, here’s what I’ve been up to since launch:

Writing and Programming

 - Day 6 writing content has gone from roughly 60% complete to closer to 75%

 - Day 7 writing content has gone from roughly 40% complete to closer to 65%

 - Bugs and typos in the initial launch builds have been squashed as soon as they’ve been reported on the Discord. Thanks again to those readers reporting them!

- The Public Day 1 build has seen three updates, including today’s

 - The Patreon Day 2 build has seen two updates before today’s Day 3 Part 1 update

Art Assets

 - A new batch of backgrounds courtesy of Rico have been paid for (out of pocket)

 - I’ve reached out to Vall for pricing and paid for new CGs for Day 4 to be created

 - My wallet weeps. April-June is a very cash-tight time for me even without Void Dreaming to further drain my funds.

Project Finances

 - Shoring up my funds for the above is a total of AUD$1150: my first cashout from the Patreon will come soon! That’s a raw number not touching certain fees or taxes, but still huge! Thank you all so much!

Month’s Goals

 - Complete Day 6 and Day 7 writing content and program sprites/audio/etc

  -Lay groundwork for Day 8 writing and programming

 - Complete July Patreon exclusive short story (Integrity) and begin editing

 - Continue to refine Day 3 build with further updates and bug/typo fixes

 - Secure another batch of backgrounds from Rico (Day 4, may delay for fiscal safety)

 - Prepare Public Day 2 and Patreon Day 3 Part 2 builds for June 7th release

Release Plan Status: On Target

It’s clear that things have been very busy behind the scenes here, but things are currently going smoothly… or at least as smoothly as I need them to go to be confident that the project is on-track! So far we’re in a position to meet the roadmap that I presented in the post-launch blog post right that you can find right here, and I hope with the continued support of my lovely, lovely Patrons, I’ll be able to keep to it right through the year!

So there we have it! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this little update post while the new version of Void Dreaming downloads. I’m optimistic that the Day 3 Part 1 update is going to be a fun one for our dear Patreon subscribers, and hopefully more readers decide to take the plunge and share their support with the project. That there’s even been this much support offered to Void Dreaming so early on in its release schedule still boggles my mind, and I’ve still not the words to express my gratitude. I hope that I never lose your confidence, and that I can continue to justify your continued support of the project.

Thanks for reading, everyone! Regular bug/typo updates will continue to roll out as needed, but I imagine that those will be mostly Patreon-focused for the next month. But only for the next month, of course, because next month is when everything goes big! The Day 2 release for the public readers, and the second half of Day 3 for the Patreon subs is, that’s right, only a month away! I think you’ll all be in for a treat come June 7th, and I can’t wait to hear how you’re finding the story then, too.

Until then, stars guide you.

 - Faora