From Lemonkeys Patreon.
Progress update
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Hey folks, welcome back to another update, turns out "a couple of days" means a entire week. Apologies for the lateness, this will be a long write up.
I've got a bit of progress done, but more importantly, I'll like to lay out my thoughts and plans for the upcoming release. Been putting this off for far too long. So as of time of writing, these are what remains to be implemented:
Writing
I waffle between 80-90% done constantly, it's a bit of a moving target since I keep finding places to adjust. This won't be done till the very end as always. I wonder if most writers dislike the things they've written?
Scenes
85% (approx), this feel so close but so far. I might have deleted more scenes then I've made for the last couple sections. Every shot you see is likely the result of multiple culled versions. I feel like this should be easier but it's not. Usually even before a scene is rendered, I have a clear image in my mind of the final result - all I need to do is to create it. But not so for these.
This needs to be the proper lead-up into the next chapter where Diane and our MC consummate their relationship. I keep putting this off because I'm not completely sure how it reads at the moment. It scares me a little.
Renders
About 60%. Includes colour correction, paint-over fixes and colour grading (for that cinematic look)
I've got some plans to make it look even more cinematic by using a different filmback with anamorphic lenses going to 21:9 aspect ratio, but that's for the future. (Along with a full re-render of everything to 2k resolution, also a long term project)
Coding
Coding in the whole chapter, setup dialogue choices, alt outcomes and tracking everything. Maybe I can get ChatGPT to help with this section... I'm not an amazing coder. But even as it stands this shouldn't take too long.
Asset implementation
Making sure all assets are working and layered correctly, conformed to the right resolutions and format. Bit of logistics as some shots are rendered at 4x the res and then scaled down or reused but zoomed into a different location.
Testing
Here is when the higher tiers will get the game, just to make sure nothing breaks, also where I take and implement feedback.
Misc
I've received a TON of helpful writing fixes, spelling fixes, grammar etc. You name it. You folks have been crazy helpful and I cannot be more grateful. I have however, not been as neat as I would like and have not been cataloguing them as strictly as I should have. They're all still around somewhere. I just need to find them and work them in.
Also note that I cannot simply copy and paste everything in as I need to sanity check every line of dialogue/code before they go in. Never know if something bad might accidently slip in, and suddenly I've shipped a virus to everyone.
Final Thoughts
So that's the current and future plans laid out....but what about the release?
I've notoriously been awful with dates! So it'll be folly to assume I'd suddenly be able to. BUT. I do want give a ballpark, and that ballpark is JUNE.
I'll mention my working hours here again - I really only get time to work on this on weekends since my new job takes up the rest of my time.
Unpaid OT, film/animation industry is bad and all that but it pays the bills. I've dodged all the crazy layoffs that's been going on and fingers crossed it'll remain that way.
Now that I've told the world a possible deadline and lit a fire under myself... it's time to get to work.
Have a great week all,
Lemonkey
