Split Peak Studios

Update Regarding HAPS

Added 2025-01-05 20:49:08 +0000 UTC

As some of you may be aware now HAPS is withdrawing both from Cleaved, and Northern Lights. You can find his statement on the matter here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YNuzVnPG7jI88mNCJwLUdRZr-WHdP18j3YBCO7tOQKg/edit?usp=sharing

As for what this means for NL going forward. At present there will be no delays in builds because of his withdrawal. We will continue working as we have for a while now. We've had no new HAPS art for Northern Lights (Save for Misty) since Chapter 2.

We have an incredible art team making backgrounds and CGs for us. We will continue to use HAPS's sprites going forward while we hire a new artist and give them time to not only make the entire cast. But actually be able to flesh them out more than ever before, expressions, poses, outfits, really give us the capacity to bring the characters even more to life. Something we've been struggling to do as we waited on HAPS.

I'm looking forward to bring more vibrancy to their existence in every build going forward, and every build to date.

Once the entire cast is complete, whatever build follows that, this is when they'll be implemented in the entire VN, rather than piecemeal.

I know this is not awesome news to hear, but I respect HAPS decision, and from the outset of NL have stood by the fact that personal life and health comes first for our entire team. NL is a passion project first and foremost, not something that is worth losing sanity and passion over.

I'm still aiming for end of March release for Chapter 5.

I promise that we will work hard as a unified team to locate and contract an artist who will fit with the art direction of NL and make this transition easy.

So, while the sprites will eventually change. I'm glad that it will allows HAPS to heal as he leaves NL and Cleaved.

As far as Excursions goes, depending on when sprites for Aldric, Dev, and Misty are done, that might come out early to mid-summer. Telling the story of what went down at Patterson Mill that fateful day the pack went exploring the abandoned structure.