What's to come!

Happy New Year!

I hope your year is off to a fantastic start and that 2025 brings you all the good things you wish for. Last year was quite a tumultuous one for me personally, which impacted the time I could dedicate to the project. Despite that, I’m thrilled about what’s on the horizon and wanted to give you an overview of what’s to come.

First, I’m excited to announce that the test project FratUniversity is set for release next week after many delays and challenges. This project served as a gameplay test, incorporating reader choices, a clothing system, and customizable player models. While some elements turned out really well, others still need refinement. For now, I’ll be releasing a shortened version highlighting the most important aspects for you to playtest.

On a bigger note, I’ve decided to switch to 3D development for Arena of Thebes. Many of the challenges I’ve encountered in Ren’Py and 2D are more easily addressed with 3D tools, where I also feel more confident, especially working in C++. This shift has already sped up progress significantly and allows for more dynamic features, like interchangeable player models, clothing options, and a planned character creator.

I'll drop some current pictures later this month for now have a look at a preview I dropped quite a while back.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/92484199

The gameplay updates for Arena of Thebes will introduce a more choice-driven narrative, letting players experience the story through the point of view of a single character and make decisions that shape the outcome. These updates require some reworking of the story to add branching paths, and I’ll likely roll them out character by character - some initially offering only visual customization before full narrative integration.

For mobile players, I’m considering maintaining a smaller Ren’Py version of Arena of Thebes with character sprites instead of full artworks to ensure it remains accessible on less powerful devices.

Lastly, there’s a lot nearing release, and I’ve been talking with collaborators to make future updates more consistent. While there might be a few setbacks early in the year, I’m confident 2025 will bring this project to new heights.

Thank you so much for your patience and support - it means the world to me. I’m excited for what’s ahead and hope you’ll stick around to see it all come to life.