Game Progress Heatmap from UNFORGITEA

I think I got the "location" system simplified and working much better. It's teh system where you click on a spot on the diorama in the room, and you get the VN panel display. It's now much simpler and better system, just need to roll it out every room. It's for now only in bathroom, donna's room, and living room. The reason for working on this? It simplifies the future "level editor" that I'll use to quickly create new rooms.

So, just as a general informational. Because of the new job, I won't be able to work on the game basically at all during mon/wed/fri. This should be reflected pretty well on the heatmap, but just letting everyone know. I'll still work when I can, but right now it looks like bulk of the work will happen during weekends.

To tell anyone who reads this page, but not the Patreon/SS Progress Reports: I was running low on funds. I have been working on this game as a "full time" worker, because I have been unemployed. Naturally, due to the laws here, I have also been actively looking for a job. But honestly, you can't spend the whole day on that, it's not how the job market works here in modern days. You just send a lot of applications via websites and hope for the best. Anyway... short story shorter: I got a job. It's a full day job, so it takes a hefty 11 to 12 hours of my day, if you include travel. So, the game progress will slow the fuck down. Not by choice, but because I need to eat. So there won't be (average) 3 week release cycle anymore, and I won't even guarantee monthly updates. That said: It's only for several months. So if I am shit out of luck, I will be working on the game "full time" again when winter approaches, and looking for another job. But, regardless the game development won't stop. It just slows down a lot. Luckily the game engine is mostly done, so that's a positive. I can't imagine trying to build the whole engine when fully employed, but apparently it's possible since some people have done it. Anyway, I only have few big things to build, and after that we're in the "Demo" phase where 90% of the work is "content" and not the engine. Right now it's the other way around. So we're in a good spot, although I do wish I had managed to finish those last few things (Travel & Level Editor) before this. Oh well.

So, minor delays. I need to go to a job interview on Monday, since I am starting to run out of money and actually need to work on something else than the game for a living. Depending on how it goes, we'll see if there are any further delays. Otherwise things are going well. Sonja's nude sprite set is done and in the game. I am now writing a scene with her nude set in play. Once that's done, I'll add what systems I can. I have added the "SWAY" system in the game -- but it's ugly as sin. After the writing is done, doing proper art for that system is next on the line.

Today, no progress report. I'll be making them bi-weekly, to save on time. It's not that they take THAT long, but let's say it takes an hour to write, then I have to post it to both Patreon and Subscribe Stars, and all that, plus add screenshots. It's a problem, because I can't start a job I can't stop -- I always know that at latest on Wednesday I need to write it up. So it quite often 'interrupts' my flow. Let's see if this is any help. Writing these microblogs is much less work. Like, it's just throwing dirt in Twatter or something.

Today forwards, the Hetmap now includes some of the stuff that wasn't counted before. It now also tracks some stuff that isn't strictly speaking "ready" for the game, like some writing stuff and so forth. Basically, it more accurately grabs when I work on the game on some level. On the other hand, it also now is less clear when I am actually contributing to the code of the game -- but I don't think most of you really care about that. In short: it's less of a pure Git tracker now.

Man. This whole "sway" system I've been working is making things... spiral out. Basically, I am now tying it down to Power (e.g. you'll use Power to attempt this), and this will have THEMATIC repercussions, that I need to start tracking. The initial plan to just give players a tool to change the opinion of Anchors and speed up the plot -- is intact. But it ended up having far reaching consequences all over the game. Not that this has stopped me, it's just one of those "well, damn." realizations.

I've made an attempt to move from my other task management software to Basecamp. Since basecamp now has a CLI, which is basically the non-negotiable requirement for me to use a task management software. I do prefer the systems which are file-locked and local, but... I just can't compete with how useful the syncing is through basecamp, and the notifications on my phone are just perfect. So, I'm trying to modify my schedule... I hope this means I am more efficient, but we'll see how it works out?

I'm designing a cutscene for Day 5 night now. It'll be, if all works out well, the first view of other Great Ones. So that'll be a thing. I'm also toying with the idea of some potential RNG "voyeur" content for the earlier days. Basically some % chance of seeing one of the Anchors in the shower. Although that probably won't be part of the next update. Or maybe it will be? I have no firm plans beyond doing this cutscene, after that I will see what my budget as far as time goes looks like.

Ugh. I've been a bit sick. Also since my partner is injured, I've had to help her dress and do all the housework, etc. Now I also need to study for a test, so I can pass it (requirements for being unemployed) -- so things have gone slower than I like. But they have progressed, at least. But still. Do not recommend sickness. 1 star review. Do not recommend.

Because of plot reasons, I now need to tackle combat and exploration (e.g. getting further from the house than front yard). I have been thinking about this for ages, but if the Kitchen minigame taught me anything -- it's that the amount of UI work will be crushing. So, I am making an MVP (Minimum Viable Product), trying to trim down extra stuff to minimum, and leaving a lot of the art unfinished. But still, it is quite the project.

Because the latest update had a major features, but zero plot, I am concentrating on doing some small jobs this week. Anchor screen, finessing the way new journal entries are notified, implementing the "known facts" system to Anchor screen. I am doing a minor redesign on the anchor screen, although it'll get more work before the alpha is done. I am also composing a "timeline" of the game in a wiki-style in Obsidian. The idea is to create a comprehensive timeline that I can use to get a better landing strip to the story. I always have hard time to get into what needs to be written, because I do so many other things that it takes me days to "get into" the story and start writing something usable. It'd be a lot easier if I didn't have to still work on the engine. But... yeah, that's what I am working towards. I am going to concentrate on more on the story side in this update, since I skipped that side completely last time.

Well, this is awkward. For this page, I mean. While on holidays, I am on my laptop. Not a big deal, since I am working on the Kitchen Minigame gameplay. So it's all about balancing, rules, UI and all that stuff. But, my Gitea server won't get any "contributions" to it while I am here. So, uh, it'll look like I haven't done a thing. Which is funny, because the Gitea server is on THIS machine. But I just can't be bothered to fix the configuration issue (different IP addresses and all that) for just a few days. It will mean, though that on Sunday or Monday there will be an overwhelmingly disappoinrting "1 contribution" that contains the totality of all the work I've done this weekend.

Finally done working on the Tile graphics (for now) for the kitchen mini game. I also have coded the basics of it down, and now I need to plug in the art, and see if it's actually worth playing. Which is... eh, interesting. I hope it's compelling enough to play, because I'd hate to redesign the whole thing.

Well... I've been traveling and not being able to do a damn thing, except travel. But I got an access to Windows computer, so there's a good chance of this working out fine. Now I just need to set up the system so that it works out on that windows computer. Most recent versions of code, etc. It'll be a total pain in the ass, I am sure.

Finally. Card system is mostly done. We've got cards, booster packs, each card has rarity + art associated with it, the cards have "variants" which are mostly the same pose but with different expressions. There's also different art for the Booster packs, but currently only one is in the game, so you won't notice. But eventually that's also collectible. You can open the booster packs in the new "gallery" view, and you can browse all the cards that you have unlocked for each character there as well. Still so much missing, but we're 90% there.

Graah. So much work to do a simple card game system. It's not that it is hard, but I want it to look right and not have to re-do it. Which I had to do for character creation, and will have to do for Anchor and Character screen eventually, so I'd like to skip that pain in the ass by doing this correctly the first time around.

So, this is kind of homepage related? I have a new server (with no domain pointed at it) and I moved this "blog" there. I'll be moving the other stuff here eventually, but for now it's only this lone static HTML file here.

Finally. This is working again. Well, technically, it is working better than ever before. For the technically minded: There's now a very ... uh, "XGH" style approach to making a TUI application that I use via SSH to write and do everything. So, yeah. Trust me, this is better than the old way, or the first way.

So, sorry about the lack of messages lately. But I had some unforeseen technical issues with this system. I actually had to cobble together a temporary solution while I am working on a better system. That said, I also managed to completely botch a commit to Git server for UNFOR and had to spend nice few hours on weekend to fix all the issues. When it rains, it pours.

Now working on painting Terra's poses. Once I got this painted, I just have to do final adjustments to her, Sonja and Donna, and then the last step can be done (assembling in Spine2D) and I am done with the art updates for this version. It's going to be a ton of poses...

Now painting Sonja's Casual outfit. I was going to add more poses to the shieldmaiden outfit, but I think that's not worth doing for this update, since you won't be seeing it anywhere.

About done painting Donaciana's new pose(s). Still need to do the final color correction & fix minor issues, and then of course assemble the poses in Spine2D.

Created at least 2 new songs... depends a bit how you count them. I have done few more, but I am not happy with the mixing of one of them, and the other few are just some ambient tracks that might or might not make an appearance eventually.

Uhh... there's a bug that you can access Sonja's room before you meet her. And potentially see her portrait in rooms (since her schedule is procedural, you might not see her). Not sure if this is worth a hotfix? It won't break anything, it's just... uh, stupid.

I think I'm done rendering poses for Sonja's Casual and Terra's Casual outfits. Not sure how many poses that is going end up being with all the different expressions, arm poses, and body poses. Terra especially always has that extra multiplier of her tail being in different positions.

#ART: You can listen podcasts/music or half-watch 'tube. Just keep your eyes on the art! #CODING: Listen to music, np! #WRITING: Listen to music if you want. Immerse yourself! #AUDIO: This is the only thing you can concentrate on, hope you love it! #gamedev #godot

Working on the general 0.0.16 stuff now. Removing the old save migration code. The save files are now totally incompatible with older versions.

The unofficial #fmod integration to #godot is great and I am not throwing shade at anyone since it's all volunteer work. But... does it really have to CTD when it can't find an event? On windows, this is a bit more forgiving, but it's still prone to crashing the whole game.

Been working on renders, also planning the next TV show episode. Although only in the most vague sense.

The life of an indie #gamedev is fun when working with your own #tools. Spending half of my writing time either fixing bugs or adding features, rather than just writing. But it's just so tempting to add this one feature I clearly need. #godot #gdscript

Since no new bug reports have reached me, I've been taking it easy. Making music. Trying to figure out what kind of music fits Terra.

Having to work on your writing tool bugs while writing is fun? Right? I only hope I finish the writing in time to actually do some QA of the actual game, rather than authoring tools. Still have today and tomorrow, although ideally I'd prefer as much QA time as possible.

Oh, just love it when a deadline is breathing down your neck, and while writing you come across serious bugs. Nothing game breaking, but absolutely hideous (from my point of view). So can't truly concentrate on the writing.

Okay. I made a new system for this page. I now can upload posts outside of the Git commits. I found the whole Git commit message so very limiting. It's still going to remain, but now I don't need to commit anything to Git if I want to send a note to this page.