sierralee
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July 11 Update
🕑 Added 2021-07-11 21:11:42 +0000 UTCLarge sections of the update are playable, but they aren't contiguous or well-tested. This is because I'm lacking maps... unfortunately more maps than I expected at this point. I'd anticipated saying that this was a weird week but I was ready to push forward, but I'm still missing three entire maps.
I have been frustrated at my own progress over the past weeks, but it seems that didn't matter, because the mapping commissions are proving the bottleneck. And I finalized plans and requested them so early, too. T-T
Working out of order is unpleasant and makes the process more prone to errors, but I didn't see an alternative, so that's what I've been trying to do. Unfortunately, there are some events that jump between multiple maps that just aren't practical to finish without having the missing maps. I've taken on some of the minor maps myself, in some cases to little loss. But the tileset for one of the new areas is misaligned and I just don't want to deal with it, so the map I've made is garbage. >_< You'll notice it when you see it, but the important thing is that map can be easily replaced later. That's not true for the more significant dungeons with plot events.
I've been working on other stuff as I run out of eventing I can do. The sex scenes are written, edited, and implemented (not that there are many). I've set up the battlebacks, at least for the finished maps. Several new music tracks for this section are selected. There are about 16 new illustrated scenes to do, and I haven't integrated those yet, but thanks to some help from Lamsey it should be easier. The enemies/battles are about half done and that's what I'm working on today.
I wanted to say that I was aiming for next weekend, but even if I had nearly all the maps, it would have been tight. Even if I get all the maps fairly soon and have everything else ready for them, there's a certain amount of irreducible dev time after receipt. The longer I spend on one update the more stressed I get and the more likely it is that things fall through the cracks. This update has passed my preferences, other tasks are crowding in, and I am exceedingly displeased.
In brighter news, look at the teaser of a new scene. $10 patrons just got an art post with the third whole set that will be in the upcoming update. Yes, Simon should have a black cloak there.
Meanwhile, we have some more OEA maps:
- The underground half of the Labyrinth Tale was aiming for partial ruins, including basements of buildings on the surface.
- Next we have Fenris and Hood's Tale, which has some more custom tiles like the roses. You'll see a Fenris in the trees, which is to show how visible he'll be on his cutscene path.
- Their house interior is more straightforward, but I asked for more details specific to the couple.
- Finally we have one of the last regions of the game. It will be black and white, like in the placeholders, but I thought the encroaching darkness at the edges added some flavor. Objects from outside the core are in color.
That is all for now.
Comments
Sierra Lee
Sorry, it'll have to be a belated present.
Would've been nice to get a bday present today but I'll just go touch grass and enjoy my newly acquired virus immortality. I suggest doing the same while things are out of your hands, we've got AAA companies for rushing out unfinished products. That said, can't wait to start a new run with illustrations.
WaxerRed
That's too bad, hope things get better.
BleBle
Had a very bad day. A familiar of a patient hitted me. The boss didn't care.
Sierra Lee
Yeah, I hope arriving in this Tale messes with players' expectations in interesting ways.
Sierra Lee
Thank you for the encouraging words. I really don't want to wait longer on the update, personally, but if the mapper delays further I will consider not pushing as hard instead of rushing for the release.
Decanter
The Isolated Clearing looks striking and I like it. I wonder what new players will think of the very ordinary-looking cottage in the middle. Suspicion maybe.
BleBle
Miss Sierra Lee, Because of the rough week and the hours you must do to make the new update. If you want to wait a few more weeks or even wait to next month to include the full war, I totally support it. I know you know what to do and your schedule, but sometimes things doesnt go as planned and probably this questions was on your mind. Just wanted to answer them and wish you a profitable week. Take care!
Sierra Lee
Thanks for all the feedback! I'll act on most of it, though OUaT intentionally has no southern path because the player can't backtrack.
Sierra Lee
Happy birthday, glad it could be a nice present for you!
Lamsey
OEA map feedback: the Labyrinth Tale tunnels look good in general. The walls are quite grid-like, but I think that's fine given RPGM conventions and the fact that the tunnels are at least partially man-made. The room in the southwest with the toggle switch could maybe use something to make it clear that the player can walk north through the archways, e.g. by adding a soft blue glow to the room which leaks out through the archways, or by making the archways semitransparent. I like the way the foliage in the Isolated Clearing is coloured to match Hood and Fenris. Inside the cottage, the potato sack near the door looks a bit odd lighting-wise; the dark shadowing on its east side doesn't match the lighting of the room, making it look out of place. It's also a little difficult to see the stairs behind the bookcase since they're so dark - it might be good to make the wall of the stairwell visible, fading to black as the stairs go down, rather than just transitioning sharply to black at floor level. The tiling of the grass in the Last Campfire map is quite noticeable. I like the vignette effect, since it works both as encroaching darkness and as reminiscent of old black-and-white film. The contrast with the brightly-coloured main character sprites is good, especially when they're juxtaposed with the distilled versions of the Girl and Wolf in the Once Upon A Time map, since it makes them feel like out-of-place interlopers. The side paths in the Once Upon A Time map should maybe be more shadowed, to make them look more forbidding to Good Girls Who Should Not Stray From The Path. Having them shrouded in some sort of dark translucent mist would be really good, if possible. The main path in the south should probably extend into the trees at the bottom of the map, so that it links up with the previous map and doesn't just randomly end.
Daniel Jacob Hammond
Thank you for the news! It was a nice thing to see on my birthday!
Daniel Jacob Hammond
I saw this yesterday, typed out my comment, and forgot to hit post.
Grim8P
OEA maps continue to look great. I really, really like Fenris and Hood's Tale in particular. As WaxerRed said, I also really appreciate your transparency with us. It sucks to hear that this specific update has been giving you so much grief. I, as I'm sure would others, would love it if there was something I could do to help you. However I suspect we are stuck with supporting you from afar as our only option. So I'll throw this out there: I'm supporting you here because, in my opinion, you consistently put out top tier content in an area that sorely needs it, TLS is one of my favourite games period, and your other content (that I have consumed so far) has been excellent or better. There has never been a thought of "X updates a year or I'm out" or any other silliness. I feel like I keep saying that I'm fine with waiting patiently until a new release is ready by your standards. I hope it is clear that I mean it. Of course you should do whatever you can with what you can, but please also take care of yourself! We'll all enjoy the new update when it is ready.
Darthjake
Stuff happens, take some time for yourself and then move on, that sounds like the best course of action until you get your maps. Don't stress it, you've got our backs, we've got yours, no matter what color the cloak is. :D
WaxerRed
Thank you as always for your transparency with us. And while I don't relish your misery, it is still reassuring to know that even the best of us go through hardships, and encouraging to hear you pushing forward despite the difficulties. (Even though the problems aren't even your fault, accursed slacking map makers!) Regardless I hope you the best and we all will continue to root for you from the sidelines!
BleBle
Rough week, dont push yourself too hard,murphy law, is better to breath and run a bit to brighten our head. When a lot of people dies on the ICU on my job we dont have much to do and sometimes is frustrating but thats how life is.Better to keep going. Take care of yourself.
JJS
So would you say it would be ready by the 23rd? It sounds like you are close. Hoping it all works out.
