- Feb 17, 2020
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So much for skipping a dev update or two. This week I did a lot of work on the story for Chapter 7 and beyond (more on that below). I also got some new Daz purchases added into my library, and finalized the updates I needed for my presets in Daz. All-in-all, it was a very productive week. I also finished work on something else, but I'm not ready to announce that just yet.
Chapter 7 & Beyond
A few updates were needed for Chapter 7. First, there is the simple matter that some things just didn't work as well when I read back through them. There will be numerous scene adjustments, along with some new scenes I added in. I also needed to add the bonus scenes that patrons voted on for Chapter 7. That work is all coming along nicely, but will add just a few extra days to get everything down and polished.
I'm also indebted to loyal patron and all around good guy, Kytronix, for his recommendation of Articy:draft. This software is really going to make things so much easier for me to keep track of an ever-more-complex plot. I think it will also help me lay out scenes and make sure things are where they need to be. I've already got a good amount of my game info into the software, with more being added daily. I'll still be using my old standby, Trello, to help out with development. But having so much here in one place, even if there is no direct integration with Renpy, is going to be wonderful. Ultimately, it should deliver a better story for you all in future chapters.
In addition to all this, I made notes about Chapter 8 changes I'll need to make (significant ones there also), and started on my outline for Chapter 9. It has really helped to think two to three chapters ahead for the story, and I'm going to keep doing that as much as I can. A lot of story work is being completed in these first few weeks after release, since I'm still very much learning more about story development and pacing as I go. If even professional writers on TV shows and movies deliver duds, you can imagine my risks as a total amateur doing this. It's always good to just sit down, review your overall story plans and character development, and make sure things are tracking well.
Branching Paths
As my beta team can tell you, we are getting WELL into a game that is complex in its branching and choices. Just because you don't see the effects right away, doesn't mean these things are not having an impact on how your story will play out. In Chapter 6, I did a few new things with the branching, and I plan to continue those. I don’t want a game that is overly complex, but I do want to add freshness, especially if you are the type that likes to do multiple playthroughs.
I've got to balance all this with my limited time. It may sound easy to say, "just add more choices." But a lot of those choices will require more renders, different dialogue, and additional testing time. If not now, then in the future. I like to think of it as the "Butterfly Effect." Not the horrible movie with Ashton Kutcher, but the theory that one small change somewhere can have profound effects somewhere else later. That's what happens when you add small choices. It's why so many VNs give the "allusion of choice." You get to choose things, but it has ZERO impact on the overall story.
One big area I don't want to do is surprise the player in an unpleasant way. This isn't one of those VNs where you make a choice, go forward a few screens to see what happens. Then scroll back and change your choice, if you see you made the wrong one. As I learn more about the characters, the story evolves. Not in the sense of what the ultimate ending will be, of course, but what detours we will take along the way to get there.
This post has been way too long as it is. I'll see you all next week with another dev update. Way too early to project anything, but a smooth development cycle will mean a release of Chapter 7 well before the end of the year. Thank you for your support and interest in To Be A King. We have many interesting and sexy times ahead in the story. I appreciate all the new folks who pledged up to get the release! Your support is not only appreciated but very validating.
For those in the US, have a great holiday weekend! I'm going to try and mix my relaxation with some story work so renders can begin as soon as possible.
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