Public news 01.12.2024
Hello, witches and wizards!
Another 10 days have passed by, which means it’s time for another update on the development of your favorite
Innocent Witches, as well as a quick recap of last month’s progress.
First up, a sneak peek at the art preview. This time, it’s the Slytherin common room (work in progress). Cozy yet slightly ominous, it perfectly captures the House’s signature vibe. The fireplace with a portrait above it takes center stage, surrounded by green furniture that highlights Slytherin’s iconic colors. Arched windows, intricate patterns, twisting vines, and decorative details add to the magical, mysterious atmosphere. Every corner of the room feels steeped in enchantment and house pride.
This is a part of the additions planned for each House, not just Slytherin. Hufflepuff already has a location for common rooms in the game, and Gryffindor, Slytherin and Ravenclaw are getting their own soon as well. This will allow for better immersion and possibility to make events more dynamic and tied less to the same locations.
Now onto the development news. Following the Halloween release at the end of October, we’ve been closely monitoring your feedback and released a fix update (fix1) to address various bugs and issues. Huge thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts and helped us improve the game even further!
In addition to seasonal updates, we’re hard at work on the next major update, 0.12A. The first half of the patch’s text content is nearly complete—about 160–170 pages of A4! We’ve also started preparing for the second half to stay on schedule and deliver a robust update. This patch isn’t just about adding new content; it also includes integrating parts of the old storyline into the new one. For example, collectible Polaroid photos will be re-introduced, which players can find in interactive areas like drawers or hidden corners of various locations. Tasks for the second part of the patch have already been assigned to our artists. Meanwhile, two of them have temporarily shifted their focus to creating art for the Christmas update, slated for release between December 24th and 31st.
Speaking of Polaroid photos, based on the feedback from the players, our animator is currently adding a "magical photo" effect to make the images move on them. As a pilot candidate we chose the photo of (Not)Daphne, which has already been animated and added to the game, and will be available in the next release (the result can be previewed here -
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We’ve also refined the polaroid viewing mechanics, allowing you to choose between static or animated formats. Two more photos have been animated and integrated at this point of time, making it three in total, with the animations for the fourth one already in progress.
As for the Christmas update, the script and text are complete and undergoing final edits. Two artists are actively working on the event’s art to finish by mid-December. Players can look forward to a festive event featuring two new holiday outfits for the students, along with a small but sweet addition to one of the full-screen scenes.
As always, we’ve also addressed several important bugs. For instance, a problem that blocked summoning a character via the owl if their visit was already planned for another event has been fixed. Summoning characters via the owl in such situations now works as intended. We’ve also updated item tooltips in the inventory to align with the game’s overall style, among other fixes and adjustments, all of which will be present in the upcoming release.
Additionally, we’ve added a new feature allowing Sonya’s wardrobe elements, like glasses, makeup, and facial expressions, to be combined on the face layer, making it possible to further customize her looks. This lays the groundwork for similar mechanics for other characters in the future.
We haven’t forgotten the tasks from the backlog either. For example, Ginny quest’s stage involving guessing the diary’s password has been updated to be less clunky and more interactive. We’ve also fixed bugs related to auto-text scrolling in Elf-maids scene, getting Hagrid’s address in Act 1, and interactions with the Transgression Potion in early chapters of the game. Musical tracks have also been updated after mastering for the recently released OST and they now sound even better and more balanced thanks to that.
That’s all for now, folks! We deeply appreciate your continued support—whether it’s through donations or feedback, it means the world to us. Thank you so much!
We’ll see you again soon in the next news update. Until then, take care and don’t forget to enjoy life!
Your,
Sad Crabs
And now, the poll! This year, we held a "Miss Hogwarts" contest, where Hermione was voted by the players as the ultimate winner. In this regard we'd like to hear your opinion: would you like the contest to be held again in 2025, and should Hermione participate in it?
Options:
1️⃣ Yes, I want the contest to return, and Hermione must be included!
2️⃣ Yes, the contest is a good idea, but Hermione should give others a chance.
3️⃣ No, the contest isn’t necessary.
4️⃣ I just want to see the results for this poll.
Yes, I want the contest to return, and Hermione must be included!
42 %
Yes, the contest is a good idea, but Hermione should give others a chance.
50 %
No, the contest isn’t necessary.
2 %
I just want to see the results for this poll.
6 %
183 Stimmen insgesamt