How’s da game going????? (Devlog)

Howdy everybody! It’s been a while…there’s a few things I wanted to go over.

Back in July, I posted a devlog on Tumblr concerning the 1.0.4 update I was considering, accessibility features, gameplay, etc on the Introdemo tumblr. You can read it here. Not much has changed since then but I'm mostly focusing on writing nowadays.

My original plan was to get the finished game out by Fall/Winter 2022, but I decided it would be better not to rush it out. There’s a lot of threads in this story and the last thing I want is a tangled mess of a game. I’ve been using draw.io to help outline Introdemo and it’s been very helpful. 

(this flowchart is from a while ago and yes, it's even more weird looking now, but it makes sense and everything connects, and that's what matters :-) )

There are certain parts of the story you won’t get if you decide to do x instead of y. Best example of this is Diya and Darcy:

• If you meet Diya instead of Darcy first, she’ll play an important role in the game later
• If you meet Darcy instead of Diya first, he’ll play an important role in the game later.

So, you can’t ‘select’ who'll get and you can’t change it later. Who you get depends on what you did *wink wink* during your first interaction with Clyde. With Introdemo, I wanted each replay to feel like a different experience and I’m glad you guys picked up on that. 

What’s next….?

I’ve been thinking lately (more thinking than I usually do). Remember how I said I wasn’t going to do 1.0.4 anymore? Since the full game isn’t releasing this year, I've decided to go through with it. Here's what I'm planning for 1.0.4:

• Rewritten dialogue - Nothing drastic, but I shorten some dialogue in an attempt to focus more on the substance of what was being said. I’ve also added some dialogue here and there. If you played this game already, you won’t be missing out on anything.
• Proofreading - I’m proofreading.
• Sprite and Art Update - Like the dialogue, this won’t be a drastic change. Some expressions, imo, look a little funky (and not in a good way). I also wanted to redraw a few things. Basically, just doing some “touch-ups”.
• Characters are now “highlighted” when speaking - In the survey, some people had difficulties with keeping up with who was speaking (especially when more than three characters were on screen), so this should help out a lot.

• Accessibility - While this won’t be as detailed as I would like, I do plan on making dialogue more ‘readable’ when it's read by a voice reader.
• Inventory System - ...Maybe? Fennel carries items in his purse so I would like to have a "checklist" so the player can see what's on him. None of those items are used in the demo, so I'm unsure about adding it in. I'll tighten the straps on my thinking cap and I'll think about it some more.

And that's what I have planned so far. I'll be sure to mention any more changes in the notes for 1.0.4. This update will be out before the end of this year.

As for the release date for Introdemo: THE FULL GAME...I will say this: Introdemo will officially be out by next year but I can't exactly tell you when. When I know, you'll know! 

I also wanted to thank everyone who purchased a pdf of the Introdemo Art Book rough draft or a receipt. I donated $10 to the Arkansas Abortion Support Network via Paypal.