sierralee
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January 8 Update
🕑 Added 2023-01-08 18:01:25 +0000 UTCSeveral things this week: the big roadmap you see above, a brief TLS report, and a request for potential contributions from players.
I wish I'd had a TLS update for you this Friday. For the past several years, I've worked hard over the holiday season and started the new year hot out of the gate with a substantial release. This year I still worked hard, but it was a melancholy season and I didn't accomplish enough.
But this post isn't about that. Instead, I'm unveiling something new: a precise roadmap for the remainder of TLS. Back in 2017 I posted a text roadmap for the remainder of the game and we've been following it, but it's come to my attention that many players have forgotten or never saw it. So, since we're getting closer to the end, I thought it was a good time for a new roadmap. Many thanks to Lamsey for improving the visual garbage I started with!
This version doesn't give all details, but it shows you exactly what content remains in the game compared to what has been done in this section. No more need to speculate about who gets a harem quest and who doesn't. Perhaps more importantly, I hope it will remove the need for promises or arbitrary dates: everyone will be able to see the changes in the remaining content and judge my progress for themselves. Look forward to this image being updated every release.
Some of these icons are far more work than others, of course. You've seen how some of the harem quests are quiet character moments while others are elaborate events, so the number of checks per update will vary. But I believe this will give a strong enough overall impression. The only thing likely to change is that I might add some time doing revisions in between the postgame update and officially releasing the game as 1.0.0, just to create a better first impression for any new players.
If I'd been more focused over Christmas, I might have a quick two checkmark update ready for you. Instead, I've made progress on five different elements. Since January started, I have been focusing to try to wrap these up and not scatter my attention any further. The update won't be next week or anything, but it will include a lot of content when it arrives!
Now, request #1: do I have any patrons familiar with RPG Maker who would be willing to help me with a huge chunk of work for the base portrait feature? This is the one that will let players hang the custom portraits all over their base.
Work on this thing has really been slowing me down. It's probably not that many hours total, but the repetition is tiring. -_- Thanks to help from Decanter there are no more technical obstacles, but there's just a huge chunk of work making all the events. Each portrait location needs several events that can't be entirely copy-pasted because they include unique elements.
Information for potential volunteers: you don't need particular expertise, but you do need RPG Maker VX Ace and familiarity with it. I'd send you map files with completed logic and it would just be a matter of replicating it.
Request #2: I've lost contact with my people who used to edit RPG Maker resources, or they've slipped away. Do I have anyone with the knowledge to edit a few things? I want an orc and two succubi to have unique "painter" sprites and faces, to give the painting element more flair. I'm not sure what it should be... little painter hats? I'm hoping either an old collaborator will get in contact with me or someone new will take a shot.
If there are no volunteers I'll still get these things done, this is just one of the few times when there's something that could be easily delegated.
Comments
DukeLeto7
We're leaning towards declaring the other bug a freak of the RPG Maker engine. Glad the Dari thing wasn't a hassle. :)
Sierra Lee
I put this off for like a day, only for it to be not so bad in the end. It looks like I just need to move 1501 after the common event. The issue you stated first I'll leave to you guys for now.
DukeLeto7
Got two bug reports from long time patron Arachne. The first one is an odd event code problem in the Incubus Ruins in Zirantia in Ch 3 that I'm still in the process of diagnosing. More on that when I have more info. The second one is that it does not appear to be possible to have RP credited for researching Dari's disunwomaning in Yhilin Govern III as opposed to Yhilin Govern 3.5. The event code report for this on the Bugs forum is sufficiently detailed I'm passing it on as is without doing any more testing. The bug seems sufficiently benign as to probably not be worth messing with the game code to fix at this juncture. https://thelastsovereign.flarum.cloud/d/21-bugs-thread/380
Sierra Lee
Dari and Janine both have content that could have sufficed for them, but it's also long ago in the story. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by Janine's quest, while Dari's is more just a fun opportunity for her. Esthera intentionally won't get exact resolution. She's giving Simon and the harem a century or two to see how it feels. ^-^
Innocuous
I am surprised, but not disappointed, that Dari and Janine are listed as unchecked. They each have a fair bit of content that feels like it completes their character's arcs (un-unperson-ing Dari and the wedding with Janine). Same for Wendis and getting her cohesive, although it does feel like she could get a bit more given her history and importance. A few characters do not make an appearance (unless I am missing them): Esthera, Sabitha, and Tertia. I'm not sure what you'd do with Sabitha, and Tertia's character almost feels antithetical to personalized content (although she does need some kind of end game/post game closure). Esthera missing seems odd, unless she gets wrapped up in another character (like Nalili) which I guess makes sense now that I think about it. And of course the also missing and clearly very important characters: Super Ralke, Reletima, and Antarion. How will the game be complete without them? I spent my holidays going through a very long and very painful relocation, so best wishes to all for the new year.
Sierra Lee
Will do!
Runcible Technician
Yeah, I feel the downer holiday season blues as well. Hellova year. But I can still help with sprites if you would like. Just DM me the sprites you want altered and I'll see what I can find. If you have a face set already I can match it, if not I can 'try' to alter one and not butcher it to badly.
Sierra Lee
No problem, I wasn't expecting many people to be able to help with this one. Appreciate your support!
Long Tran
The Roadmap really does put things in perspective! Nice and clear too! As for requests? ...I, have ZERO familiarity in VX Ace unfortunately.
Jeffrey Lebowski
Yay for the roadmap. Also glad to see Vhala and Orcent have dedicated content slated
ushiroace
Exciting! Those bits of "other content" have me curious. Looking forward to the Tyna/Kalant content especially! (as a side note, I always thought Kalant surviving was completely dependent on the player's choice, but according to the wiki this isn't the case? Huh.)
Sierra Lee
Arguably I should have started later or introduced the roadmap earlier, but I wanted to situate the full endgame in context.
Sierra Lee
Haha, going to give it my best. The first "draft" will include quite a bit of payoff from various decisions, but I intend to keep improving it, including based on player reactions.
Sierra Lee
Sorry to hear it was a difficult one for you. I'll join your hope for the new year.
Decanter
I see you have used the classic motivational trick of starting your to-do list with some items you can check off immediately. I also note your picture frames are from the game dialogue windows. Tyna's quest icon is amusing.
Nathan Phoenix
Is it weird that I got supper excited when I read Postgame "explore the world you created"... When I read that on the back of a AAA game I call bullshit immediately, however TLS has so many small variables which snowball later in the story. I genuinely want to see how far you can push yourself with this.
DukeLeto7
FWIW, you're not the only person who had a melancholy holiday season. Here's to hoping for a more hedonic new year.
Sierra Lee
Credit for making this presentable should go to Lamsey! But yes, I look forward to updating this image as we roll toward the conclusion. Vhala and Orcent will be getting content focusing on them, but in general any of these images could involve wrapping up plot threads.
DankPotatoes
Wow! Can I just say that I absolute love the detail and design of the roadmap? I thought you were just gonna type out what's to come, not have a beautiful, updateable image board coming. It's like a christmas chocolate calendar, but for updates! A brief question regarding the roadmap: Does the prescence of Vhala and Orcent on the right side of the board rather than the left imply that they are getting "harem" quests similar to all the other girls or are they simply poster children for broader general events, like tying up the Unperson plotthread or finishing up the bar crawl?
Leveler All
This is boys and girls, regardless on the size of update, how things change, we are heading to the goal, im sure it must be quiet satisfiying for you.
