shirokoi
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Development Blog - February 28th, 2019
🕑 Added 2020-02-28 21:12:01 +0000 UTCHello folks, hope you're all enjoying the beginning of the spring season! Here's a little update on my future plans on Repeat and my visual novel development process in general.
Repeat Update 0.7.1:
For the next Repeat update, you can expect to dive deeper into Owen's route. There'll be an "exploration" sequence similar to Day 12 of Sissel's route where you were searching through the school for Sissel, where you can interact with various people at the Visitor's Day dance and perhaps uncover some strange happenings. I'm changing up my writing style to get to plot points more quickly and character conversations will be shorter but more punchy and interesting. Hopefully this will help speed up the story pacing to a more exciting degree!
I also really appreciate the feedback you guys gave about the last update! It seems like most of you enjoyed the small retcons I made and that it added a good amount of intrigue/foreshadowing into the story. I'm sorry Owen's story suffered so many retcons in its development. Since then, I've created a new organization system for my writing with massive flowcharts and events, which should help prevent these issues in the future!
Please note that I am currently undergoing my final semester of college at the moment, so I'll have even less time to work on Repeat than usual. However, I will do my best to keep you guys updated and in the loop of my development progress! At my current pace, I predict that the next update will be ready sometime in mid to late March.
The Future of My Visual Novel Development:
As many of the long-term patrons know, I have been working on Repeat almost nonstop over the course of the last 5 years. Repeat has been my magnum opus and at the center of my life for a very long time. But lately, I've hit a wall as both an artist and writer. After grinding on this singular project and story for so long, I'm starting to feel some major burnout in terms of creativity.
I haven't been very happy with the quality of my work lately and feel that I have so much room to improve, but I've honestly been regressing over the past few months. I feel slightly trapped by the endless Repeat updates I have to work on one after another. I still love Repeat so much and it's my darling baby project that I fully want to see completely, but I think there comes a time where I need to take a break from it for a little bit.
I currently have enough written plans to another 2 to 3 updates for Repeat. Afterwards these updates are complete, I have decided I will take a small break from Repeat and begin pre-production on a small-scale side project to refresh my work environment. I simply need something new to work on for a little while.
This will be an opportunity for me to look over the state of Repeat, my process as an artist, and where I want to be in the future. I understand that this decision will probably disappoint many of you, and you are all welcome to cease Patreon support if things go in a direction you are unhappy with. However, I believe that this decision is better for my long-term health and journey as an artist. Rest assured that I will return to Repeat after my break.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you all so much for your support these past few years, and I hope to continue creating great works for everyone to enjoy!
-Shirokoi
Comments
Vincent Ellis
while I just recently joined your patreon and found your work i would be horribly depressed if repeat were never finished due to burnout, of if the writing were hurried along to an ending. Take the time you need to recharge your batteries, we will all benefit from it in the end.
Rhanz Wolfe
Do what you gotta do for sure. Burnout's no joke! I'm perfectly willing to wait longer to see this fully completed if it means you got there in a more healthy manner. It'll probably turn out better that way too!
Teyhr
Do what you need to do for yourself. Whatever rough edges it may have, Repeat's one of the best stories I've enjoyed in a long time. If taking a break is what you need to not burn out completely, do what you have to do.
Kharnos Strayder
As for needing to take a break after the next few updates I understand completely and agree you sometimes need a breather and work on something different for a bit.
Kharnos Strayder
I for the most part liked the retcons, well bar one. When you first entered Owen's mother's room and you see the origami birds and something like "You did not need to count to know exactly how many were there" was the first person thoughts. Referring to there being 999 of them, one shy of 1000. The 1000 one being the one Owen gave you.
Laura Castrillón
If that is what you think you need, then I will support you with all my heart. You have all my confidence, and if you need to do this on a personal level to rest or set other goals as an artist or prove yourself, don't worry that your followers will continue to support you unconditionally. P.D.: When will you finish the Sissel route? P.D.2: Don't get me wrong, I'm loving Owen's route, but you needed so little to finish the Sissel route that it seems a bit of a waste to me that now you decide to focus on other routes. P.D.3: And in my opinion, you have been improving as an artist.
