Taking Shape.
Added 2025-03-31 15:19:56 +0000 UTCThe readiness of the playable part of update 1.8 is about ~25-30%. More specifically, there are between 260 and 290 pages of the 940-page draft in the integration phase right now.
To be honest, I was hoping to be able to integrate a bit more this month. The thing is, I've been doing everything from writing the draft to making arts, but I didn't touch the code for a very long time. And when the time came to get to this and actually integrate it all into the game, there was at first some... slowness. You know, when you haven't done something for a long time, you have to spend a little more time getting back into shape. And, so to speak, catch the rhythm.
The second difficulty was that the initial part of the episode is perhaps a bit too overcomplicated. There are a lot of logical connections, like knots, that will influence the course of subsequent events. It's both a little longer to code and a little harder to test. But the good news is that there are fewer such "complex nodes" left from now on. By and large, the next one will be only in the last third of the update.
So, I hope the playable part numbers for next month will grow more than they did for this month.
Plans. No, no! Hopes! Aha. Hopes.
Because when I write "plans", I feel like some people imagine rocket science blueprints with complex formulas and deadlines of fractions of seconds.
- It's [month name] already!!! Where?! When!!! Gimme!!! Gimme!!! Gimme!!!
Ugh... Like I don't want to get it done as soon as possible myself....
Anyway, for the next month, I want the playable part of the update to be 2/3 done and more, if possible. So that by the end of May, I still have time to finish the remaining 1/3 and finally release this long-awaited episode to the public.
I don't feel very comfortable asking, but...
Are there any of you who would like to help a little with the testing? Not now! It's a preliminary question. And it's not even a fact that I'll decide for this... for a lot of reasons.
But in case I need it, somewhere around the end of April. All you will have to do is play the completed part of the update several times and in most different ways possible, sending me screenshots with all the bugs you find.
I'll tell you right away that even if I do decide to involve volunteers (big if) in testing, they won't get the final third of the episode, which I won't show to anyone and will test exclusively myself. But with the first 2/3 of the update, which is also directly affected by the choices from last episode 1.7... Yeah, that's a pretty large amount of testing there. For one poor me.
Ha ha, no, I can do it on my own. As always. But still... Any takers? And yes, I'll be honest, preference will be heavily in favor of my long-time patrons or those who have actively participated in the discussion of the game on various sites. Ideally, if both criteria converge in one person. Please understand me correctly. It doesn't smile to me at all to have this episode leaked online in an unprepared state or to see someone start throwing spoilers here and there. That would be a disaster that would make me very sad. And I can't afford to get sad right now. I need to finish this babe for you. And as soon as possible.
Comments
Well, to be quite frank, I don't think progress is slow. This 940 page draft update has been in the works for about 9 months. Considering the fact that past updates of 300-350 pages took 3-4 months, it's safe to say that I'm working at an even increased speed. Although from the outside it may seem, yes, that it's a very long wait. But the update will be like the last 3 in terms of content. And also, the fact that I haven't done this before and people just aren't used to waiting so long (I can understand that). What's on my mind right now is, was it worth it? I mean, was it worth expanding the current episode so much? My feeling is yes, it was worth it. But I don't know if those feelings will match the feelings of most players when it comes out.
Defiant Explorer
2025-04-01 20:26:14 +0000 UTCHi D.E.!-👋-! As usual, I hope everything is fine for you. First of all, I'm glad to see that the integration work is progressing well. Okay, you tell us that you like to have advanced on more quickly, but hey... As we say around my place: it's moving slowly but surely!&! No, seriously, it's good for me: I can see from your many progress reports that you're indeed trying to do your best. And please, try to pay not attention to the bitter/discouraging messages emanating from moron players simply frustrated by the current long wait. Concerning the subject of helping to track down these nasty bugs, I know that some developers sometimes asks for help nearby of some of their most loyal and devoted fans. This is not unusual, and this usually happens a few days before the release of the update. However, in your particular case (since you want to test the last third on your own), this will take place a few WEEKS before the public release. And so, I'd say that IF you ever entrust this responsibility to someone, this "someone" will effectively have to be reliable and trustworthy, to avoid any leaks or possible spoilers... I truly share your concern on this precise point. Because, yeah: it would be sad, and really not cool at all, if things went that way. Oh, well, I guess that I'll just have to join the waiting list of potential testers; a list that's growing by leaps and bounds, judging by the number of motivated players who'd be happy to help you!!! Anyway: best regards, mate. [^-😉-^]
Lonely Wolf
2025-04-01 19:43:25 +0000 UTCGuys, guys, you don't owe me anything! Although I'm happy that there are already a number of people willing to help, what, an hour after the post? To be honest, I was a little afraid more of possible reaction, like: “Hey, don't take your shit on us, just shut up and do your job!” xD
Defiant Explorer
2025-03-31 17:43:41 +0000 UTCI am moving at the end of April, so that's not a great time for me. But should you still need someone a two weeks or so later then I would be glad to help.
Chien_perdu
2025-03-31 17:01:32 +0000 UTC
