This week I continued working on scripting events. I feel like this update might turn off some players with how much exposition there is compared to the sexy stuff. Not that it isn’t there, just that it’s mostly relegated to exploration and side content. There’s lots of lore that I want to dump and I’m trying to keep the pacing at a good level to accommodate for players who are impatient or don’t like to read (like me!)

I’ve already mentioned in previous updates how I adjusted scenes from the original script when adapting them into the game. Like making dialogue into a full-on scene instead of just two portraits talking to each other. I know that can get boring for some people, so I’m doing what I can with the rpg maker engine to make scenes as lively as possible. One scene that I have been working on that has a lot of moving parts is this scene where Mila meets with Anja for the first time:

This scene is extra challenging, since the dialogue differs slightly depending on whether the player completed chapter 3 in the main story or not. It may seem like a simple dialogue change, but there are a few instances like this in the update that I’ve needed to take into account that’s made this dev cycle feel longer than usual. No matter what the player decides to do, the dialogue in scenes like this need to end in the same conclusion (or close to it where it doesn’t diverge drastically).

Oh, I didn’t even mention Anja’s personal guard, the White Knight. This masked figure is one of few words.

She is a loyal ally of the Queen and protects her from the shadows fiercely. Getting on the Queen’s bad side while her knight is near is an easy way to get reduced to ash…

There’s no character portrait preview, because even I don’t know what she looks like behind the mask! I guess we will all have to wait and see, won’t we.

I still feel like I’m on track to release this in April. It just feels overwhelming when I think about all of the small things I need to do all at once. I’m focusing on getting the toughest parts out of the way first, and right now, that’s scripting these events. I want to sketch out some illustrations this week. Hopefully with the extra day I have from the long weekend, I’ll have enough time to churn one out.

That’s all I’ve got to share with you this week. Until next time, everyone!