HTML Blue Swallow [v0.9.1.1] [Blue Swallow]

[mc18762020]

Release Day + Progress Report

0.9.3 for Dossier+

I've just wrapped the writing of the club infiltration and what's behind 'That Door'. It was a lot of fun to write, with some sexy moments on either end and a lot of tension in the middle. I was drawing inspiration from those do-or-die moments in Mission Impossible films.

It was also a lot of coding. Way more than I had originally expected. I had to keep track and code in variations based on Claire's appearance and abilities, but also choices that had been made prior to the segment, AND choices made during the infiltration. They all had their own bearing on the results and success (and potentially repercussions). Hopefully it will be as fun to play through as it was for me to write.

It's a path that can happen if Claire isn't selected for the Big Event, it's also possible to open the path based on activities while working at the Club. So I've opened up both paths for potential access!

Will you have to infiltrate the Club this way? No. The information there will likely be (mostly) available on other paths and arcs, but I'm purposefully keeping nuggets of intel different in these early investigative paths. I want there to be as much fun in discovery and as little rehashing as possible. Later, it will be more important to have a full knowledge of as many puzzle-pieces so that's when some cross-pollination would be beneficial.

Also in the past week we've added another batch of passage art, and the two new sets of (non-HD) doll tattoos for selection at Character Creation or in any of the 'Tattoo Parlors' in game.

Additionally, I've done some other proofing and UX improvements to sections of the game and a couple of bug fixes -- one of which may have prevented some players from being selected for the Big Event at all!

This weekend, I'll spend a lot of time digging in and writing as much of the Big Event as possible, probably starting with the party infiltration with Nate (007 party-inspired) before turning to the versions of the event when Claire's selected.

Whatever content is ready to go for early next week will be released as a 0.9.3.1 and when all the content is ready to go, we'll release 0.9.4. That will come close to the end of content for the 0.9 development cycle, but we still have some items in the hopper:

• More content on the Escort path with Bona
• More content with Claire's potential friends in Manila

Thanks again and see you all next week!

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[Mr_Ainz]

I don't know if it's just me cause I'm stupid but isn't the intro kinda confusing in regards to the people you grow up with? From the few playthroughs I did I could never understand who was who and in the end when you get to choose your partners some people would appear that make me go "when did I get a step dad?"

This is not a question I want resolved, I'm just saying this was confusing for me and maybe it can be for others too. I like the narrative style so if the dev doesn't want to tweak the semantics I'm okay and I know in the end if I want to understand it properly it won't take much effort.

 

[CassieBare]

I don't know if it's just me cause I'm stupid but isn't the intro kinda confusing in regards to the people you grow up with? From the few playthroughs I did I could never understand who was who and in the end when you get to choose your partners some people would appear that make me go "when did I get a step dad?"

This is not a question I want resolved, I'm just saying this was confusing for me and maybe it can be for others too. I like the narrative style so if the dev doesn't want to tweak the semantics I'm okay and I know in the end if I want to understand it properly it won't take much effort.

Thanks Mr_Ainz!

It's been brought up before and I've taken passes every dev cycle or so to try and clarify/improve the intro and family dynamics. We're not there yet (clearly), but it's something I'm putting a little time into when I can.

 

[domacleod]

(Not asking for a timeframe or anything)
I see the game is at 0.9.1.1, does this mean it's close to being finished or is the version number arbitrary (not judging, it's just that some people don't consider 1.0 to be a full release by default and go up to crazy numbers like 6.1 without the game being marked as complete yet even at that point. i guess i'm judging that system to be crazy, but to each their own)

 

[Essta]

Version numbering always is arbitary for content completeness. At most you'll see that 1.0 is "the completed product" but even that holds less and less true as time goes on.

These numbers are simply meant to count relases, patches, bugfixes, hotfixes. You relase one, you increment that number and reset the lesser counters to 0. A game on 0.9.99999999 is no more complete than one on 0.3.4.13c, all it tells you that the dev team made more updates, not what or how much is in each update. And vice versa, neither is a 1.0 a finished, no more updates, product usually. Nor is a 2.0 always a fundamental remake of the product.

Do not compare different products by their version numbers, that number is only useful within the scope of that one project.

 

[gds21]

(Not asking for a timeframe or anything)
I see the game is at 0.9.1.1, does this mean it's close to being finished or is the version number arbitrary (not judging, it's just that some people don't consider 1.0 to be a full release by default and go up to crazy numbers like 6.1 without the game being marked as complete yet even at that point. i guess i'm judging that system to be crazy, but to each their own)

The game is in ACT 1 as of now, don't think the next cycle will be the 1.0 and a finished game. The game can be developed for even longer considering even the prologue is not completely finished yet. But I expect the game's main story will start to steadily progress in the upcoming updates and excited for the same.

 

[Nyatalieowo]

When's the next release being uploaded?

 

[gds21]

When's the next release being uploaded?

0.9.3 has been released to some paid members almost 4 days ago, So public release might a couple of weeks away? Not entirely sure, but usually once all the paid members get the game, a week or so later, it will be released here as a public version. The dev will move on to the next dev cycle once the public version is out.

 

[Naturestune]

Is it just me or is it impossible to get Jake (The Dad) as a first option now?

 

[ChaoticSky]

Its certainly driving me nuts. Ive tried so many options but i cant figure out how to get jake for the crush. @_@

 

[mc18762020]

Release Day!


0.9.4 for Handler+

0.9.3 for Origin+

Our dear, talented Fictionary pointed out to me the other day that while we had planned this to be a 'hotfix' and 0.9.3.1, given how much content was in it we should really consider it a full release. Hence 0.9.4.

So what's all in it?

• Fixes for issues players were having with the 'Bodies' list.
• Fixes for some headshots not appearing correctly.
• Fixes to the Acting HSV so it connects properly.
• Adding in new tattoos for selection! An additional set or two will be added in future releases.
• Names now with Headshots! Should add clarity and help players know who people are.
• Hint added to Character Creation to highlight the Settings for HD art, dark mode, and other features.
• New passage art!
• And the content: Something like 10-20k lines that comprises Claire's infiltration with Nate at the party or with Angelo in the Club (and the ability to infiltrate the Club for 'That Door' even outside of the Big Event!). Multiple paths and results in both arcs that allow for Claires not working at the club to get something out of the Big Event. [Oh and there's an infiltration outfit for the Angelo arc].

What's next? 0.9.5

• More sexy art from Noice!
• The last Quick-Start Claire's to round out the options.
• More piercing options.
• The remaining Big Event content for all three working-Claires as well as content for Claires who aren't working the Big Event.

Then we'll close out the 0.9 arc, do a Public release and move into 0.10.

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[Penitensary]

• Fixes for some headshots not appearing correctly.

This being a spy story, that is a very interesting thing you chose to name those.

 

[CassieBare]

This being a spy story, that is a very interesting thing you chose to name those.

Funny point -- currently, all characters that have headshots are ones that are recurring and not needing to be 'hidden'. I have no intentions of giving names, SSN, addresses and facial ID for all characters that need to be sussed out

 

[Rattley]

Weird. I'm looking at the code now and there is a check if your character is braless or not. I'd have to see the save to look deeper.

Spoiler: Read First

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This is an old comment but I wanted to let you know that the check you are referring to is not an actual variable in your game. At line 48134, under M001 - Honeytrap PART Sex, the code is ( public v0.9.1.1.):

    <<if $CC.braless == true>>

The braless variable tracker is under Body, no CC. CC.Braless appears 6 times in the games code. Similarly at line, under UN009 - Summers, 85655 you have:

            <<if $Stats.Kinks.includes("Good Head")>>

Good Head is a sex skill, so it should say SexSkills where it says Kink. This prevented me from doing the Ethan summer blowjob scene without the other two noticing. (Sidenote: fuck that incel neckbeard Ethan. I hope he comes back as a Passport Bro that PC ends up killing. As a purely Paragon gamer, I want to do Ethan what I did to Kai Leng.)

At line 44455, under HS002 - SoloBattle, we have::

The next few weeks saw a flurry of hustling. <<if $CC.mother == "family">><<set $HS.sales += 2>> My big brother and sister both bought tickets<</if>> <<print $CC.FName>> and some of her crew agreed to come, and to bring some friends. It seemed like the lamest thing in the world for me to invite my ''family'' to a __rock__ show, but we needed the numbers, so I asked <<print $CC.MName>> <<if $CC.dad == 2>><<else>>and <<print $CC.DName>><</if>><<if $CC.dad == 0>>. Even, <<print $CC.EDName>>, a<<else>>. A<</if>>ll were __overly__ eager to attend. And 'help'.

I had just brothers in my playthrough, so the sister part doesn't make sense. Also, having siblings has zero affect on anything other than this one scene. This an early example of the lack of variation I talk about below.

At line, under UN004 - Professor, 78433 we have:

      <<path $Stats.Traits['Easy'].value gt 3 && $HS.LDR == false>>

Maybe you intended it this way but I it is very inconsistent to have the conditions to sleep with the professor that PC be both easy and not in a LDR. Only one of those should be required considering that PC has many opportunities to cheat of LDR partner during the gap year, the first night of university, and during sorority rush if you go KD (this one is iffy considering circumstances). There's also the many times you can cheat during the HS phase. It doesn't make sense that a PC that has cheated so easily before decides the professor is their line. Also doesn't make sense if your character has the cheater kink.

Another thing that I noticed was that I couldn't get the Older Men kink to properly show up no matter whom I slept with. I am not a coder or programmer of any sort, so it is very, very possible that I am wrong. But looking at the code gives me the impression that NPC data templates include whether the character is or is not an older man. I had the Female Best Friend's dad as one of my sexual partners during high school and looking at his character data template in the code shows that he gets Older Man set to true.

            "name": "Tyler",
            "title": "Tyler, Maddy's Dad. Hanging out together gave the opportunity",
            "gender": "M",
            "caption": "Maddy's Dad, Tyler",
            "olderMan": true

And the code for determining if PC meets requirements to gain Older Men kink is:

"Older Men": { if: `$bodies.find(body => body.olderMan)`, content: "<em>Older Men</em>Something about an older man curled my toes." },

I think your placement of backticks is what's interfering with the command executing properly, but that is where my lack of coding experience may be leading me astray. I removed the one lined portion to get it to work for me.

Spoiler: The following is a personal critique

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[Rattley]

Another thing I have noticed is that during CC009 - School that there are options that the player literally can not see without cheating.

<<if $CC.wealth == 2>>
  <<Stats Social -->>
<<elseif $CC.wealth lt 2>>
  <<Stats Social -= 2>>
<<elseif $CC.wealth == 4>>
  <<Stats Stable ++>>
<<elseif $CC.wealth gt 4>>
  <<Stats Stable += 2>>
<</if>>
<<set _activityOptions = {
  'at the library, nestled in a corner with a book' : 'read',
  'nothing. Surprisingly, I was allowed to roam wild' : 'none',
  'sent to the park to play outside with the neighborhood kids.' : 'play',
}>>
<<if $CC.wealth gt 2>>
  <<set _activityOptions["dancing, focusing on posture and exactness -- and the occasional recital"] = 'dance'>>
<</if>>
<<if $CC.wealth gt 2>>
  <<set _activityOptions["plunking at the ivories, working on scales and intervals -- and the occasional recital"] = 'piano'>>
<</if>>
<<if $CC.wealth gt 3>>
  <<set _activityOptions["gymnastics, learning how to tumble, vault -- straining the limits of flexibility and strength"] = 'gym'>>

The earliest you can change CC.Wealth is during CC008 - TownLife, which ironically comes after CC009 and 6 other scenes. I looked at the code and I can not find any indication that the player can raise CC.wealth beyond its default value of 3 prior to reaching CC008. The wealth thing also messes with the shaving options under CC013 - FinalForm2 here:

<<set _groom = {
  'A razor' : 3,
  'wax' : 21
}>>
<<if $CC.wealth gt 3>><<set _groom["laser treatment"] = 120>><</if>>
<<if $CC.wealth gt 4>><<set _groom["electrolysis"] = 720>><</if>>

And there there are various other stat changes that are lost from not being able to change wealth. Note that this was all for the original playable prologue. The RPG start does let you change your wealth option, but then it drops you off at CC013 - FinalForm2, so the only the shaving options are benefitting from using that start option.

One more thing, playing the rpg start brings up this stat page at the top and it will not go away. I have progressed the game many scenes or chapters ahead and it stays there. Restarting nor replaying the RPG start fixes it. I did not see this page with doing the normal full prologue.

Spoiler: Screenshot

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[Rattley]

Is it just me or is it impossible to get Jake (The Dad) as a first option now?

To get the father there are only two choices during the prologue that matter. The first one is the kind of father PC has. This is always going to be prick, no matter what. The second option is on the birth certificate page and is the last option you make for that page. When you are picking the hometown and how baby you got home, always pick the option that keeps the parents together but clearly shows the father is not happy about the baby. Basically you know he is a shitty father. So the options you are going to pick are things like "I wish my father had not come home with mother" or "Mom cooed over me while dad drove." If the option choice clearly says he leaves, or he is clearly happy about baby PC, that is not the correct choice to bang the daddy.

I tried on the quick start RPG option but I don't think it is possible to get the hurt status with the character creation options you are given. They would need to either add the hurt status in to the parent relationship listbox, or include the parents motivations in the RPG character creation menu.

 

[CassieBare]

[...]

Thank you!

A number of these are known and just require cycles to go back in and flesh out (particularly the family relationship concerns). I appreciate you drawing attention to them and expanding on areas where they could be improved.

Re: the Discord. The idea behind the access is...we'd like to be supported by people who are into the game. We're a small (but mighty!) team and really don't take much home month over month, even after two+ years of consistent, (I think quality) development. I figured that a $1/month isn't much to ask. The second purpose is to provide a protective wall against those who might flame, spam, hate, etc. I've seen what happens on other open-door servers and it's not really the vibe I'd like to establish.

I take all of your comments in good faith and in the spirit they were offered. I will do my damnedest to resolve them in as timely a fashion, as completely as possible.

 

[mc18762020]

Release Day + Progress Report


"0.9.4 for Sudden Agents+

A big week for art: 11 added pieces of passage art and Five sexy bits of passage art in Act I (getting taken home as a bartender, the virgin, the first encounter with Callum, the office with Nino and the divan encounter). I'll tease what one of them looks like next week. Finally, we've added a new headshot for a certain someone that can be met while at the party with Nate.

Of course we're doing some bug fixes in the background -- and we have our first official playtester! That should help us surface these issues sooner and address them before you run into them. They'll also help me out with flow and opportunities for art.

Content-wise, I've been building out the intro for Claire's attending the Big Event and the initial encounters at the estate.

On a sad note, I think my laptop (where I do all my writing) is telling me it's time to move on. Black lines of death are slowly growing in number and creeping up the bottom of my screen so that might be a transition in the coming few weeks.

Anyway! Back to writing while I still have a screen to work with!"

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[Rattley]

I don't know if it's just me cause I'm stupid but isn't the intro kinda confusing in regards to the people you grow up with? From the few playthroughs I did I could never understand who was who and in the end when you get to choose your partners some people would appear that make me go "when did I get a step dad?"

This is not a question I want resolved, I'm just saying this was confusing for me and maybe it can be for others too. I like the narrative style so if the dev doesn't want to tweak the semantics I'm okay and I know in the end if I want to understand it properly it won't take much effort.

Thank you!

A number of these are known and just require cycles to go back in and flesh out (particularly the family relationship concerns). I appreciate you drawing attention to them and expanding on areas where they could be improved.

Re: the Discord. The idea behind the access is...we'd like to be supported by people who are into the game. We're a small (but mighty!) team and really don't take much home month over month, even after two+ years of consistent, (I think quality) development. I figured that a $1/month isn't much to ask. The second purpose is to provide a protective wall against those who might flame, spam, hate, etc. I've seen what happens on other open-door servers and it's not really the vibe I'd like to establish.

I take all of your comments in good faith and in the spirit they were offered. I will do my damnedest to resolve them in as timely a fashion, as completely as possible.

Hey! Meant to reply sooner but I've been surprisingly busy the past week. I am glad to hear that you are not taking offense to my post. I think a direct and honest approach is always the best method, but that comes with making people upset every now and then. Not purposeful on my end but what can you do. In my head my words are in my tone and voice, which is very level and calm, with just a hint of self-effacement.

The discord bit is completely fair. I think I have been fortunate enough to have only been part of well-moderated discords servers so I did not think about possible bad actors and trolls, which there are certainly a lot of nowadays. Heck, most of them are probably LLM-generated bots like the ones flooding YT.

Anyway, I quoted Mr_Ainz along side you because I wanted to bring up something I remember confusing me during the introduction. At the end of high school, you can choose to have a LDR relationship with the high school first love, mine being the female best friend with a male first friend. I chose LDR and then during the college years I took every opportunity to cheat on her. When going back home for summer break I broke with high school first love for my college roommate. The issue is that the game changes the first love from the high school one to the college one. This is confusing when it immediately started calling Roommate my first love. I think it may be worthwhile to split those into two separate things. Up until breaking up with high school partner the narration was explicitly clear that female best friend is the first love.

I went ahead and subscribed, so I'll post the save and any other bugs I find on the discord server.