Grimgate Vanguard 0.3.0 release notes

 https://cdn.gravecompanions.com/builds/Grimgate_Vanguard_0.3.0.7z 

Hey everybody! 

What a wild start to 2020 it has been. As I'm sure is the case for many of you, our work and personal lives were pretty severely impacted by the pandemic. However, we have worked together as a team to make the most of a trying situation, with Anika now back working on the project full time we already see a massive increase in productivity.

We have released a new build, to mark the formalisation of our new Vanguard testing model for WIP builds.

We aim to release frequently with experimental features, giving Champion tier early access to hot new content that is still heavily under development. This will provide players with the opportunity to see deep into development, give feedback and test before we release more polished and cohesive builds for Companions.

This will likely not affect the frequency of Companion builds, with our aim to provide monthly updates with polished new features, gameplay and animations. We just feel it will help keep the communications more active if we can create a space to share experimental (and sometimes a bit broken!) versions of what we are working on.

The first Vanguard build we have released is the very first prototype of Grimgate Gate District.

The district will have a range of public and private dwellings, including the tavern, inn (which will likely be the location for brothel and sex work features), market and speciality stores. 

We are stoked with the general layout and have built solid foundations with a familiar yet adventurous fantasy vibe to enhance the player experience.

This current build does not yet include interiors; however, we have utilised the market space to introduce our first ever male NPC, Rolund, and reintroduced a new iteration of Lilah which includes outfit and hair upgrades.

As this has been developed as a test environment for our Vanguard, it is not currently integrated with the broader forest environment, so existing gameplay is not accessible.

As we move forward to integrate this into the main game, we will add dialogue and interactions for the NPCs, as well as sexual encounters and new animations. This does, however, mean performance and optimisation will be easier to manage for experimental features, so more time can be spent on content less time on stability.

Moving forward, we would love to provide a roadmap for you to outline our plans for the next 3-6mths. Character customisation will likely be our next focus, once we have a stable environment.

In addition to Anika now working on the project full time, we have been able to slightly upgrade our workstations which will hugely improve workflow and productivity. This will also allow Anika to work directly with the builds, having access to recording and capturing visuals to share regularly via Patreon and Twitter.

Overall, we are in a fantastic position to push this project to new limits, and we would like to thank you all for your continued support and dedication during difficult times.

If you have any questions, comments or feedback, please don't hesitate to ask. You will be seeing and hearing much more from us very soon!

~ Anika