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The Monkey at the Typewriter
🕑 Added 2024-01-10 19:42:22 +0000 UTCI'm about to vomit a bunch of words here and some of it may be gloomy or even dismal (and contains spoilers/unwelcome knowledge) so I'll provide this statement that should hopefully sum up the bleak rubbish I'm about to write:
I have been rushing the main story for Healslut since the very beginning of the ship voyage -- although I guess that's not exactly news to many of you. Once the main story is finished, I will be going back to repair all the rushed parts and flesh-out all the teases and unfuck the lack of fucks. I am sorry that there are so many abruptly-ended branches and missed opportunities. If at all possible, I am going to fix everything after completing the main story. Thank you so much for your support, constructive criticism, suggestions and requests, and kind words.
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When I first started Healslut, I was just trying to see what I could manage to put together in RenPy. After the welcome reception, I decided to write out the entire story before continuing. Before long I had a detailed outline where each "act" would be a chapter containing "scenes" -- which are modular sections of story that are highly dependent on variables.
Anyway, I had the whole story now. I only need to tell it.
I faithfully stuck to the outline right up until the point where Orlando Commando shows up at the tavern to apprehend Panki. In the outline, the group would be taken to see Viceroy Vicidious and Sparkle would have to use her head (and/or give head (or ass etc)) to get them out of a bad situation.
But around this time I was becoming very ill. I have two chronic ailments that often make me miserable and sometimes put me out of commission entirely. This time I was really hurting and had to go to the clinic again and again and then ultimately had to see a specialist. I got new medications with new side effects. I was lying in bed for days at a time. And although I tell myself the risk is slim, there is a real chance that I could go to hospital one random afternoon and never leave out again.
So that's when I decided I needed to finish the story. I didn't want to leave it incomplete and, at the rate I was going, I would need another five or six years to actually get to the end. That wouldn't do. I had to finish the story, at the very least. So... sacrifices had to be made.
Most of the setups/teases you experience in the game were intended to be fully-fleshed scenes in the outline. The cart ride to Humblehooch, for instance? The outline called for a possibility of Sparkle to be forced to pull the cart. Another scene would have been meeting a troupe of performers on the way to Humblehooch and having Sparkle take a role in a very interesting stage play. Yet another possible route involved the centaurs (but that's all I will hint at on that particular encounter here). But, as you've probably experienced and noted as a huge missed opportunity, Sparkle simply has a nap and awakens in Humblehooch.
And speaking of Humblehooch, it was originally supposed to be a steam/cyberpunk city. The transition from medieval village to western town to steampunk city was intended to show the player what the Tyrants had done to the world: they had changed the lands and the people to suit their individual versions of paradise. But seeing the confused/negative reactions to the western town, I decided that Humblehooch had to be western as well to at least keep with that theme (and it already had the name, which was originally meant as a subversion). I hadn't lead up to it properly because I had rushed all the stuff on the ship.
None of the planned scenes happen in Humblehooch outside of Lel providing the means for another transformation and some progression of Roopah's character arc (which was also not properly set up). There are so many good notes for Humblehooch but it's basically just a stepping stone to the citadel for now.
The citadel was intended to be Citadel City. It would be a highly futuristic area that would even confuse Sparkle at times due to the technological advancements. The group would have to navigate this almost alien landscape to get to the citadel proper and only then deal with the Tyrants. All of the "service" routes have a ton of content planned in Citadel City thanks to how much potential "service" Sparkle could offer in a place with instant communication, rapid transportation, and advanced medical technology. Regardless of how s/he did it (through technical knowledge, feminine/futa/femboy wiles, or plain old sluttery), Sparkle would be the group's major source of information and income in Citadel City. She would be the only reason they were able to reach the citadel and that fact would not be lost on the group (whether she was at this point a productive group member or alternatively being used mostly as a resource). Sparkle would be in her element and therefore would either find herself in a dominant role (lots of harem and wholesome relationship stuff there) or find herself constantly dismissed/subverted/gaslit in order to keep her in the lowly position she refuses to admit she enjoys (lots of subby stuff there).
I also want to mention Leigh, who has definitely gotten the shortest end of the shit stick. "Mirror Universe" (evil) Leigh was intended to be the result of a poor decision that Sparkle made. "Good" Leigh is loyal to his cause of helping Kayden not be such a bastard, and although he is maybe a bit weaselly (especially as to responsibility for his actions), he always tries to be good and kind despite his horrible upbringing. He was intended to be a buffer against Kayden and a completely non-judgmental pillar of support for Sparkle even if she indulges in the most raunchy and degrading things possible. Where Lel would encourage 'bad' behaviour, Leigh would excuse it for Sparkle's benefit (which would enable Sparkle to sink lower and lower into depravity thanks to the loop of coercion and acceptance). He is honestly the most genuine character outside of Wejit -- he accepts Sparkle as s/he is no matter what -- and I sacrificed him for time and drama. I despise the fact that I did that to him.
But at any rate, a lot of sacrifices of sexytimes content and story development have occurred in my push to finish this story before I die. I know that's a dark and depressing thought but I have to be real with myself. And I know I won't give a shit about any of this once I'm dead (because I'll be too busy being dead) but I do give a shit now.
And for now, I feel good. I'm clear-headed and I'm not in any serious physical pain. I hope to live another twenty or so years and that gives me lots and lots and lots of time unless something unexpected happens -- which is a regular occurrence IRL and even moreso in Healslut, I'm sure you'll agree.
So my plan has been to finish the story (as rushed and somewhat humdrum as it may turn out). Then I'll go back and enjoy my time building out everything I set up without my morbid mandate looming over me. I know I've been inconsistent with that plan in the past since I have often gone back and added things earlier in the story for an update. That's usually because I'm busy butchering the outline behind the scenes, or I'm feeling pretty good and I decide that I don't need to rush so much, or I've hit a block that I need to work through, or perhaps I thought the update would provide some decent content value for supporters that pushing another ten or fifteen minutes of hastened main story would not. My inconsistency has only caused more confusion, unfortunately.
I'm very sorry I wasn't forthright with this information previously. After reading the comments in the questionnaire I sent out -- most of which were very encouraging and kind even in constructive criticism and I am so very thankful for that! -- I realised how many people were invested in the various routes/branches only to be let down by a cheap dodge or a lousy subversion of expectations. I'm sorry about that and I'm going to fix it. I just need to finish the story first for my own serenity.
Thank you all for your interest, kind words, and financial support. I always say "thank you for supporting development" but honestly you are supporting me living out a bona fide dream: creating something 'permanent' in this world that makes people laugh and feel something (and maybe have a lovely little fap, too). I can't express to you how grateful I am and I will use the time I have to fix the problems and fulfill the promises I have made to you within the game. I just need to finish the story first.
Always, I appreciate you.
Comments
tamidoll
Thank you for being so transparent and sharing that with us. You have created something awesome, shortcuts and all and I think you should be crazy proud of that. If getting HS to your desired state takes 5 more years, or 10 or 70, we are here for the ride. Thanks!
PW1747
I hope very much that you have many more great years and I will definitely be here supporting you. I hope you can finish telling this story in its entirety and complete the vision you have and then move on to something else, equally fun and amazing. If it's anything like this, I'll be supporting you then too.
I am here for the long haul. I need to see Sparkle be treated like the dirty little loot bitch free use slave slut she truly is.
SinMarked
Thanks for all your hard work. I'm sad to learn about your ailments and wish you all the best in treatment and hopefully recovery if that's possible. Love all you do!
Jasmeria
Healslut definitely is one of the best and most unique and compelling ren'pys that I play. Needless to say that I wish you all the best in the world! I hope your life's gonna be free of bothers as much as possible, and that, despite your predicement, you'll have a fine 2024. One more constructive criticism about Healslut: In the current version (I played the 'p' version last), it is unclear where each act starts and ends, making spooling forward in the next version a bit of a gamble. You may want to add "start of act" screens between the acts.
