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Alpha Preview Update (July)
🕑 Added 2024-07-27 00:40:51 +0000 UTCPassword: hittingyou_hittingyouwithnewspaper ⬅ ❗️
Incomplete routes guide ⬅ ❗️please check if you suspect your game ended early :)
What's New:
- 17,000 words of new content!
- New Chase interlude
- The end of Chapter 9
- Finally initiate a friends-with-benefits sexual relationship with Chase, if you so choose! (Warning: steamy content in this route!)
- Confront High Augur Arameri with your findings and try to convince him to help you take down Sibella de Vespe!
- Corrected some game-breaking bugs in Chapter 7 and the last Caine interlude
- Minor tweaks throughout, including to Chase's previous character interlude
- Experimental addition/tweak to romance system
Developer's Notes:
PHEW! This month was a doozy, folks! But at least the update is finally done!!
Chase's interlude really took the wind out of my sails! Not only is it a whole-ass adventure (fitting for our prince of thieves, I suppose), but the branching for platonic MCs and FWB MCs got pretty crazy, and just emotionally it was a very intense thing to write: the sizzle and heat were off the charts for this one, and I had to do my best to make the moment they finally fall into each other's arms live up to all the build-up! I hope I did okay!
I always struggle with how explicit I want to make sexual content in this game. I can technically go way more explicit in terms of what I'm describing, but I'm never sure if the story actually needs that level of detail, plus there's all the branching and worrying about gender and body parts and preference variables. It's pretty hard to get into the flow of an intimate scene when you're trying to keep things general and not get so specific so as to offend someone with a description that doesn't fit their idea of their MC--and also, of course, there's the concern over age rating and people who don't want to see a certain level of explicitness... And also, according to Choice of Games, the app stores are pretty strict about the level of explicit content they allow, so that's another thing to consider! Maybe I'll do X-rated expanded smut scenes here on Patreon to get around those content ratings someday? 🤣 (Though don't necessarily hold your breath for that one...) In the end, I decided to keep the in-game scenes at about the level that all of the other steamy stuff in the game has been at, just a little more heated and intense for this time, because it's Chase and he and MC have been dancing around each other for longer than, say, Tallys and MC did before they got right to it. Why the men of ShoH always seem to dither around longer than the women, I don't really know...
Chapter 9 has a bit of an abrupt surprise ending, which I'll smooth out sometime when my brain doesn't feel like utter toast (the branching for that update, too, was absolutely frying!). It was always intended to end like that, but I'm sure I can do it a bit more elegantly in the future, lol. But hopefully you get the gist! I'm very excited that Chapter 9 is finally complete: that means we're finally moving into the double-digit chapters and the official slide towards the game's completion... We still have a ways to go, though!
(But yay, us! 1,200,000 words and 10 chapters completed! Who would have ever thought?!)
I fixed up some bugs here and there while I was at it, and thanks to one user's report, I tweaked the game's mechanics a bit in terms of the romance system: now, your "highest romance" can't be a gender that you're explicitly not attracted to. I.E., when you return home from Wallmire, say, the person who comes out to greet you (the person with the highest romance flags with you, usually, or one of your highest friends if not) can't be, like, Briony if you're a gay man who only likes men. That way some characters can't inadvertently eclipse scenes with your actual intended love interest, LOL. I haven't had a chance to actually test this new tweak out extensively, but it doesn't throw up any game-breaking bugs, so hopefully it's a seamless switchover. Let me know if that somehow isn't the case! It's very wonky, wobbly coding logic, so I wouldn't be surprised if it does something unexpected on me.
Finally, in other news, my fiance and I decided to do a 'no social media browsing, no video gaming, no junk food' sort of cleanse this month in solidarity with a friend who was giving it a try. I didn't really think much would come of it, but to my surprise, I waste a lot more time on Reddit than I realize... 🤔 Actually, I'm not sure if it's more of a time thing than it is a mental clarity thing, but whatever the case, to my surprise, I found myself breaking through a serious case of writer's block that I've been having on my second novel manuscript for the last few years!
I started the book back in 2019, shortly after I wrapped up the first draft of WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE, had a good spurt of inspiration for it then, and then fell off the wagon and have been wrestling madly with it ever since. It's actually been a very unhappy experience, because I'd pick up the remnants of what I had and poke miserably at it for a bit before giving up and putting it away again, worrying and fretting all the while. I burned that book to the ground and started over 4 or 5 times! (Which is nothing new with me, to be fair: I did that with WHABH, too.)
But for whatever reason, this month I suddenly had a breakthrough, and I've been writing ShoH or doing the Twine conversion during the days, and then writing the New Book during the nights LOL. I'm sort of writing on double-shifts, which is new for me, but very exciting considering the stagnancy the story has suffered from all this time! This is also the first new "IP" (and not just an AU) I've been really excited about in years, and the first new blorbos that I've really fallen in love with (but am still getting to know, unlike the toughened veterans of the Shepherds) in a long time, so it all sort of feels new and vulnerable and unnerving (who are these creatures? what are they going to do next? i genuinely don't know), but it's also very fun. One thing that's been interesting to notice is that I used to be known for my perfectionism with my writing; with both the original Shepherd novels and WHABH, I edited as I wrote, picking and chiseling at a snail's pace as I got everything in the first draft just right, which resulted in a years-long writing process but a nonexistent editing phase, as I pretty much would turn in a polished final product by the time I was done. This is not really how things are done, but it's what I became known for...
However, working on Shepherds (the game) has naturally caused my writing to evolve for the better! I've now gotten used to writing a certain output of words every month and not really needing to worry about getting it exactly perfect, knowing that we're in alpha phase and there will be time to polish things up later; the important thing is getting the story out now. Thanks to that, I'm able to make this New Book flow all the more briskly, though I'm also doing it with the absolute least amount of planning I've ever done for a novel series of mine. No outlines, no guiding plot charts, head empty, vibes only, kitchen sink of cool stuff slapdashed together, and let's just see what happens. Anyway, I will keep rotating that story around in the microwave of my head while working on Shepherds, which is still my absolute first priority, and pray that the momentum keeps up! Wish me luck! 🌟
That's all I have for this time! I'm a bit nervous about this update, so I very much hope you enjoy it! 🥹 Thanks for your patience and support as always, and I hope you're staying cool and hydrated!
Total wordcount: 1,177,050 words without code
What's Next:
More character interludes (can't say whose yet), and more cleaning up past incomplete routes, like the Ascendancy Festival and some birthdays we've missed. As I've mentioned in past updates, this will officially be my new focus as I get all of the character interludes and past content up to speed before moving into Chapter 10 and beyond, just to make everything lines up properly before we enter the pre-endgame phase.
Thank you for reading, everyone, and I hope you enjoy! As always, please feel free to leave your thoughts here, on Discord, or on Tumblr, and I hope you have a fantastic last weekend of July!
Comments
Robin
This update is making me want to start over with a new MC and romance chase! (It's very likely that I'm just going to give in and romance Riel for the 9th time...)
Lena Nguyen
Thank you Jazz, I so very much appreciate you and your ever-present thoughtfulness and sweetness!! 💖💖 I hope all is wonderful with you and that you're taking care as well!
Lena Nguyen
Kingdom, I'm so glad you enjoyed this interlude, it had to be up to snuff for the OG Chasemancer! 💖💖😮💨 I'm so happy you loved it and had fun!! Chase is SUCH a simp for MC and the annoying thing is that he's only like half aware of it lol, how dare he say the things he says while going 'lol can't commit to you, don't have it in me, anyway let's just have meaningless sex!!' while he's having the time of his life pretending to be married to them, like what! 🥺 something is deeply wrong with him, but I'm glad you guys are having fun! 🤣 Thank you so much as always for the kind words, you have no idea how meaningful and encouraging your support is!! 💖
Lena Nguyen
I never knew Zevran and Oghren could pose as twins, but that's hilarious! 😂 I love the idea of Magey iladrin MC and Chase being like "yup we're fraternal twins" lollll!
Lena Nguyen
Ahhh this is such a high compliment!! Even higher than Alistair?! How amazing! Thank you so much for your lovely words!! 💖💖
Jasmine A. N.
Lena! I’m really glad to hear that inspiration is flowing :) it’s geninuely astounding the work you put in monthly, much less another book on top of that! good luck with it all, take care of yourself!
kingdom-dance
First before I scream, I have to say: so excited for your next venture, it’s going to be amazing 🩵second: 10 chapters!!! Not to mention the interludes which are mini chapters within themselves. Goddess among mortals. I don’t know how you do it but I can only be in envy and in awe🥹 Also, you were not kidding about Briony in the scene with the Augur, if she had a tail she’d be AGGRESSIVELY wagging it😂 and honestly she’s valid for that. And finally…. Im beside myself. I need to go in time-out. I can’t believe we’re here. Fellow Chasemancer loyalists, we made it, this is the big time😭 no seriously though, it was so fun, the build up was SPECTACULAR and I didn’t expect the setting but I really should have given the Character Lore 😂 and Lena, how is he already SO down bad for MC??? It’s NUTS. Im in hysterics? How could you do this 🫠 Anyway, I will never get over this, thank you🩵🩵🩵
Ema
Do you remember in Dragon Age: Origins how your companions bust you out of jail, and if you pick Zevran and Oghren, they pose as twins? That's the vibe of my MC and Chase posing as siblings 😂😅 but I love it!!
Wywze
AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH just finished reading the Chase interlude and IT WAS SO GOOD I LOVE HIM SO MUCH 🥺🥺🥺🥺 I think he's my #1 favorite character now !!??? (Alistair being #2 for the first time in 12 years) JFGKSJHSJ I have to go walk around in lil circles now to process this love you Lena!!!💞💗💞💕💞💕💞💕
Lena Nguyen
I think it should be fixed now!
Lena Nguyen
Thank you so much!! ❤️ I think the dashingdon problem may be fixed now, btw! ☺️
Lena Nguyen
Oh no, it won't let you visit the site anyway? 😢 According to this thread on the COG Forums, it will work on Google Chrome! https://forum.choiceofgames.com/t/dashingdon-free-choicescript-game-hosting/9250/756
Amaririsu
I've had the same issue 😭 personally it's still struggling for me and I can't play but hopefully it gets fixed soon!
Lily Cooper
Thank you so much!! I love your writing!!
Lena Nguyen
Thank you so much Cattro, your support is much appreciated! 🥰
Lena Nguyen
It’s working for me now, but if you’re having trouble, click “see more details” and then “visit this website anyway” if you’re comfortable with that! It seems the website’s security certificate lapsed, but I know Don (the website owner) has been trying to hand off ownership of the website for a while due to lacking the time to manage it, so I think it’s a case of forgetting to renew something rather than anything malicious! Sorry about that, it was literally working for me just minutes ago!
Lena Nguyen
Oh no! It looks like the security certificate for the hosting website expired yesterday……. What timing! 🥹🥹 I was able to visit and upload the update just fine on my end so let me see if there’s anything that can be done!
Lily Cooper
It says the link may be trying to impersonate dashingdon and wont let me open it?? 😭 is this a problem on my end
Cattro
Congratulations on reaching double digits on the chapter front! I think this new Chase interlude means it's finally time to venture into a Chasemancer route for the first time. So excited! Also very interesting to hear about your new book. Best of luck with the work on it!
