Dev notes #12 - 2023-09-07

Hello, and happy autumn everyone! Here's the latest on our game's development journey.

My  recent days have been a whirlwind, both personally and creatively. It's  fascinating how summer, particularly near the end, tends to be so busy.  Rest assured, I am doing well, and the project is progressing steadily.  This brief hiatus provided an invaluable window for reflection,  especially after the demanding development phase of version 0.02. Let's  dive into the latest updates!

As  I mentioned before, there are some changes on the horizon for the  dialogue system. To foster a smoother and more engaging experience, once  chosen, question/answer options will disappear. This not only improves  immersion but avoids the technical snag where one choice could  inadvertently trigger multiple outcomes upon selecting it a second time,  leading to gameplay confusion down the line. Example of this revised  mechanic is in the attachment below.

Now, let's talk about new characters. I'm thrilled to introduce new additions to our symbiotic girlfriend roster!
First  up is "Nameless." While I'm usually not a fan of the "fully latex-clad"  archetype due to the lack of expressive options, it's a fit for her  character. For context, she's a hybrid with a distinct trait pivotal for  players exploring the Nox route. Her face, devoid of features save for a  mouth, adds an element of mystery and, of course, there is a certain  sex appeal to a form moulded to such a singular purpose...

Our second character is more of an assault-type. Depending on the  circumstances, her suit shifts between an open state in calm situations  and full-on Nox armor mode when in combat. Armed with a spear-shield  combo, she excels in both defence and hand-to-hand combat. Picture her  defending MC and allies from a tank shell or boldly confronting a  formidable Nox creature that even armored vehicles struggle against. I'm  excited about the epic cinematic possibilities here. As for her design,  while I'm leaning toward luminescent red eyes paired with helmet  details to match her red locks, I’m aware of our overabundance of  red-haired characters.

Additionally, two mercenaries are set to join the ranks of our human  girls. Although their official introduction will likely be later on,  teasers in this version will give players an early glimpse. The intent  behind their edgy, punk-inspired style (complete with leather/latex,  yay) is to reflect their unbridled spirit, uncommitted to humans or  monsters. Of course, they will (unfortunately) not fight with bare asses  and open tits, so in the future, I will make alternate versions of  outfits in tactical gear.

On the technical front, I've  been contemplating introducing animations for a while now. Not  necessarily restricted to intimate scenes, but possibly short cinematic  snippets that set the stage for character entries or pivotal narrative  moments. Initially, when I first dabbled in the 3D field, I was thinking  about getting into animation, but I ended up gravitating towards static  renders. I confess my animation experience is limited (a couple of  times I made mega short and scary animations), so this would be new  territory.
To be honest, I  don't know if animating in Daz will cut it, it's not explicitly built  for such tasks. Transferring character designs to Blender for animation  is a potential alternative; however, clear guides on this process are  proving hard to find. Thankfully, both platforms share similarities in  rendering quality and engine principles, so we'll see.
Exploring  this avenue is an intriguing prospect, and I will keep you posted. Who  knows, it might spark a directorial flair, allowing me to take our  static renders to the next level.

Thank you for your enduring support, and stay tuned for more updates!