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Hey guys, it's time for another dev log! You'd better strap in because this is going to be a long one. This dev log will contain spoilers for chapter 8, so proceed at your own risk if you haven't played the update yet.
Well, chapter 8 is in full swing with the early releases and wow, the response has been wild. Most of the people I heard from love it and some were less than happy.
Before I get onto what's in store for the future of this project including chapter 9, I want to take a moment to talk directly about why Chapter 8 plays out the way it does, because I know some reactions have been strong. Some players absolutely loved the intensity of the chapter, and others felt upset or blindsided. I understand both reactions, and I want to explain exactly what my intentions were as the writer.
From day one, The East Block has always been a story about a couple, Luke and Kathryn, who deeply love each other while navigating a new life in New York and experimenting with risky desires. Up until now, the sexual themes have generally revolved around NTS dynamics where Luke is willingly involved and both characters engage together or not based on player choice. Chapter 8 changes that formula, and that’s intentional.
The purpose of this chapter is not to “ruin Kathryn,” destroy their relationship, or turn the entire story into pure NTR. The purpose is to introduce real adversity, a genuine threat, something that forces both characters to confront the consequences of their actions, their desires, and their flaws. Every love story needs a moment where the characters face a situation that could break them if they aren’t strong enough to work through it. For this game, Chapter 8 is that moment.
The chain of events, the club fight between Luke and his father, the miscommunication, the storm, the motel, Kathryn’s emotional vulnerability, was all designed to push the characters into uncomfortable territory where their choices actually matter.
This chapter isn’t the end of their story; it’s the midpoint crisis. It’s the moment where things feel like they’re falling apart, so the characters can grow and eventually come together stronger than before. For players who enjoy the corruption/NTS dynamic, there’s still a lot of that ahead. For players who prefer the pure, faithful route: this chapter still supports that path. The consequences, guilt, regret, and healing are all part of that experience.
Kathryn has been placed in a moment of conflict, pressure, and vulnerability, just like Luke has been many times throughout the game. Characters aren’t compelling if they’re perfect. They’re compelling when they’re human.
I’m grateful for all the feedback, both positive and negative. If the chapter made you feel angry, anxious, protective, or emotional, good! That means the characters matter to you. That emotional investment is exactly what makes storytelling meaningful. The story is in full swing and there's lots more to come, so stay tuned to see what happens next.
What's next.
Work is in full swing on chapter 9, and I'm really excited to be working with my new employee for this update which will take some pressure off me. He'll be assisting with some of the tiring and monotonous stuff and also ensure development continues in at least a small capacity when I'm busy with family or other life matters. The sets for each scene are all made and ready for action. I'm already knee deep in the first scene and I feel really positive that I can get this update out quicker than the last two. I'll post a teaser soon from the next update as well as one poll for something I'm undecided on so look out for that. You all voted on Kathryn's sparkly red dress for this update and that is all ready to go, and she looks beautiful especially in the lighting I chose for that scene. Just so you guys know, after November 26th I'll be away for a week so my responses to messages will take longer, but like I said thanks to my helper, development will continue both on chapter 9 and updates to the old chapters, like animations and render fixes, grammar, etc.
Anyway, I think I'll leave it there. I want to thank everyone that gave constructive feedback and helped uncover bugs and typos etc, it was an amazing help. And once again, thank you all so much for the support, it really does mean a lot!
See you in the next one,
Bobby
