No Update: Progress Report: New Items, New Skills, Weapon Overhaul, Lantern Overhaul, Enemy Loot and Search Percentage Increase, Whispering Thicket Concept Map v1.5, Character Creation v1.5 Questions, Wear Descriptions Return!

Hey everyone :) 

First off, I'd like to apologize  about there not being an update today. This is for a good reason. The  stuff I wanted this entire update to be about have been getting  side-tracked for the Duplication System, which might not sound like a  lot but there is A LOT to those two words. For instance, weapons that  are cloned weren't giving weapon attack descriptions, cloned item wear  descriptions weren't appearing in the player description page, items  weren't working with other items the way they were supposed to --- so  needless to say that essentially the game unplayable and those issues  really needed fixing and my full attention. But with 99% of those issues  out of the way, I have one last tiny problem to solve and everything  should be back to normal---with the new added bonus of being able to  stack any item that you want like health potions, weapons, clothing of  the same type and kind, oil cartridges...etc. 

Another  reason for the delay is for the past three days now the House Spouse and  I have been pretty sick. From what I understand, it might be this years  flu that we caught from our little petri dish. So I've been sleeping a  lot more, have had way less energy and worse of all, broken  concentration because of it. That more than anything causes delays. On  top of those things I've already listed, classes this semester are  getting into full gear and I'll be adding Practicum on top of it soon  for at least 2 or 3 weeks. We'll see though. I only need 20 hours so  I'll hopefully knock that out in a week or two. Three max. @_@ Oi. 

Anyway, enough complaining! Let's get to what's new. There's a lot of things I'm excited about. 

New Items + Weapon Overhaul:
I  mentioned this briefly before, but there are a ton of new items that  are officially in the game now. At the moment however, you'll only be  able to access them if you have the PVM as I haven't added them to any  rooms yet. By the next public update hopefully they'll be in there  somewhere. Now then, we have five new items. 

Princess Booty Shorts: This item gives +2 “Sexy” and +1 “Agility” and takes the variable of “buttsize” in mind. 

Nipple Shield Piercings: They give +1 “Sexy” and +1 “Resist”. Remember you have to have pierced nipples to wear them. 

FM Pumps: They give “Sexy” +2, “Resist” +2, and -3 -“Agility” ((Ugh, I had to rest here and take a nap...sorry))

Liphoria:  Is a lip increase transformation item. First, if you have “Resist”  you’ll have the option of bypassing the transformation or going through  with it. If you decide to resist it, you’ll have an 80% chance to gain  +5 health and lose -1 “Resist”, otherwise you’ll just lose -1 “Resist”.  If you decide to let the transformation happen, you’ll have a 50% chance  to undergo the transformation and gain +5 health. Otherwise, you’ll  just go through the information. If the 50% chance fails, you’ll have an  80% chance just to gain +5 health and no transformation, or a 20%  chance where nothing happens at all. This will save you from losing  “Resist”. If you don’t have any “Resist” and you attempt to down the  bottle, you’ll be asked if you would like to try to resist the  transformation anyway. If you say yes, you’ll have a 20% chance to  resist the transformation, and a 80% chance to gain +5 health,  otherwise, you’ll just resist with no other benefits. If you do fail to  resist (50% chance), then you have an 80% chance to gain the  transformation +5 health, otherwise you’ll just gain the transformation.  There’s also a 50% chance to gain the health without the  transformation. If you choose no to the resistance then you’ll have an  80% chance just to gain the +5 health and a 20% chance for nothing to  happen. Whew! And yes that is as confusing to code as it sounds.

I  think I'm going to make giving health a staple of taking potions from  now on. So if you don't get the transformation, you'll have a chance of  gaining some health :) 

Now on to weapons,  including the new one. I've decided to give weapons a standard of damage  and of bonus damage. Typically lighter weapons, which range from 1 to 2  volume will do a dice roll of specific damage starting with 1's. For  example, 1d4 or 1d5. Weapons that are 3 volume have a chance of doing  2d3, 2d5 and so on otherwise they will generally be on the high end of  1's, like 1d10, 1d12. Weapons that are 4 and 5 volume will typically do,  2d8, 2d12 --- and anything that is higher than those will have damage  jump accordingly. Right now, up to 5 is planned. So here are all the new  damage ranges of the weapons. ((Oh! Before I forget, Noble Weapons  are obviously going to have perks like being lighter versions of their  normal counterparts but doing much higher damage because Noble Weapons  are the kind that are earned through hard work or bought at very high  prices. Finding one out in the wild will be VERY rare on the Regular  Difficulty)).

Scissors: 1d3, bonus damage +1, volume of 1
Rickety Machete: 1d5, bonus damage + 1, volume 2
Beating Stick: 1d5, bonus damage +1, volume 2
Frying Pan: 1d5, bonus damage +2, volume 3
Leather Whip: 1d7, bonus damage +1, volume 2
Spellbook: 1d3, bonus damage +9, volume 1
Demonslaying Sword: 2d7, bonus damage +2, volume 3
Pumpkin Blade: 1d8, bonus damage +1, volume 2
Noble Pumpkin Blade: 2d10, bonus damage +2, volume 1
Candy Corn Shiv: 1d6, bonus damage +1, volume 1
Noble Candy Corn Shiv: 2d7, bonus damage +2, volume 1

New Skills:
The  new character creation coming up very soon is going to change a lot of  different aspects about the game and the way some of the stats are  handled. It isn't going to be anything substantial, but essentially I'm  removing emphasis from one place and over to another, which will be the  skills that the player can utilize and improve. These skills will handle  different aspects of the game's world and make some situations easier  to deal with. You already know what one of the skills are: Thiefskill  --- these and the rest are explain in the game's Help Guide, so check  there for reference if you don't know! :D But I also want to introduce  two new (and most likely final) skills for the time being until I get  all the rest actually into the game and usable. 

Charming:  This skill will earn you extra relationship points (with choices that  you pick) or help you from losing them as fast from bad choices. It is  essentially "attractiveness" --- and it'll apply to both males and  females. This skill will also help with bartering, buying, selling and  may even affect how some NPC's treat you. Naturally, this should help  with Entice as well. 

Meditation: Meditation  is going to help with survival out in the game's world. The higher your  meditation, the more health you'll get back from regen and it'll help  cure sickness if you catch a cold. Another aspect of Meditation is that  it'll help you recover more health when you rest too and will affect  companions once they are more thoroughly introduced. 

If you guys think of any more uses for these let me know :) 

Lantern Overhaul: 
I  essentially wanted to improve how the Lantern and the Oil Cartridges  worked, and I wanted to give the player the chance to turn it off and  save the oil they use etc. So now you’re able to refill the oil straight  on the lantern itself and you can turn it off anytime and save the time  remaining in case you need it later! Pretty cool, huh? I figured with  Time of Day getting introduced we needed this change. 

Enemy Loot and Search Percentage Increase:
I  increased the “Enemy Loot” rate from 25% per group to 35% per group. So  hopefully items will drop more as a result. I also increased the  “Double Search” percentage from 15% for “Big Saver” to “25%” and  everyone else from 5% to 15%. Let me know if you notice the increase or  not once the next version is released! I did this because I didn't think  enemies dropped items frequently enough. You should essentially get at  least 1 item every 4-6 enemies in my opinion. 

Whispering Thicket Concept Map v1.5: 
This  is something I'm particularly excited about. I have a more detailed  concept map for the next area; the Whispering Thicket; which means  roads, room names, side-areas/connecting areas, villages and three  planned main enemies/friendlies. So check it out :) 

Let me know what you guys think! And what you're most excited about! 

Character Creation v1.5 Questions: 
Okay!  So I'm going to post the potential questions for all the different  sections of the new character creation. I would like feedback on the  questions. If you don't see particular aspects like  backgrounds/specialites/sexuality and stuff up there don't worry. Those  are all going to be handled separately. I also would like the dominant  Mood to go first --- so it set the tone for the rest of the creation,  meaning hopefully it'll change based on your mood. The thing that I'm  about to show you is the "Serious" and "Sympathy" versions (or the  permanent if I can't change it based on moods). ((Keep in mind this is  NOT the final version, but is the closest to being completed so far. I  may tweak several things, change responses, and or stats given. I may  also distribute skill stats throughout later too))  

We’re  all surrounded by echoes; faint whispers in the dark;  remnants---fragments of friends and family, feelings, smells---all  speaking to us beneath dense clusters of distant ghosts residing in the  night sky; familiar faces of those we know and those who’ve passed away,  or moved on from here etched in a molten prison. The fire intensifies  these echoes and helps us explore our fragile mortality while at the  same time quieting our thoughts and focusing them so that we can listen  and inherit the wisdom that gives us our strength in dancing ash and  flame.

But sometimes memories and echoes aren't enough, no matter  how vivid they may be, they can never replace a loved one, nor a  friendly smile from a kind neighbor. And yet, night after night, the  flames of yesterday indulge us creating twisted, gnarled labyrinths of  thought that force us trudge on again and again. Unfortunately, the  familiar paths they guide us down have long since overgrown and the once  lush landscapes of reflection have become lost.

The world  continues on growing leaving us desperate---clinging to our memories and  youth; static moments in time that are stuck in an endless loop. The  cycle must be broken if we are to survive. We must forge new memories,  new experiences in order to adapt while at the same time drawing  strength from the echoes of the long distant past…

(Alias here).
1) Girl +1 MX HLTH, +1 AGL.
2) Boy +1 MX CRRY, +1 STR.
You’ve always believed…
Perseverance is the key to all life’s endeavors. HUM, +1 MX HLTH, +1 MX CRRY.
That you cannot rely on anyone but yourself. ELV, +1 MX HLTH, +1 AGL
The key to life is having a great time and enjoying company. DWF, +1 MX HLTH, +1 STR.
That everything happens for a reason. DRG-DND, +2 RST.
That anybody can make a difference in they put their heart into it. HFL, +2 AGL.
That to succeed in any endeavor, you must believe in yourself. OC-DND, +2 STR
That one should not be deceived by outward appearances. GME, +2 INT.
Your family’s reputation was…
1) That of responsibility, nobility and status. +1 INT, +15 GLD.
2) That of privacy and secrecy. +3 INT, +5 CRPT.
3) That they were diligent, hard workers. +1 STR, +1 MX HLTH
4) Being poor in pocket but having the kindest hearts. +1 MX CRRY, +1 RST.
5) Descending from a long line of brave warriors. +1 DEF.
6) Shrouded in dark magic and mystery. +4 RST, +10 CRPT
7) That were very rich and greedy SOBs. +3 MX CRRY, +45 GLD, +20 CRPT,
8) Wait---what family? I was an orphan. +1 STR, +1 AGL.
9) So damn broken. +2 MX HLTH, +2 RST, +10 CRPT.
10) Descendant from a long line of great thieves. +3 AGL, +45 GLD, +20 CRPT
-----------------------------
Although,  we must be careful that the memories we draw our strength from are  substantial enough to help us carry the weight of our future, that they  keep us above the abyss of disorientation. The foundation of our entire  being relies on us being full of genuine experience and unbridled  passion. The measure of our past and future can sometimes be measured by  our introspection as well, but as the old proverb states; stare into  the abyss for long enough---and the abyss will stare right back.

That’s  why it’s important not to live in the past too long. It’s easy to get  trapped there and to focus on the trivial aspects of our lives and avoid  that with carries our greatest pain and triumphs. This is why the  journey forward is needed now more than ever before. Unfortunately,  these memories aren’t enough. Gender? Wealth? Heritage? Not all of these  qualities define who we become. They carry weight, but we must delve  deeper to that which carries significance and purpose.

As you grew into a child, what did you value most?
1) Being Yourself/Authentic. +1 RST.
2) Maintaining Balance. +1 MX HLTH.
3) Exploring Your Curiosity. +1 MX CRRY.
4) Being A Leader. +1 STR
5) Blending In. +1 AGL
6) Being Beautiful/Handsome. +2 MX HLTH, +5 CRPT.
7) Having Religious Faith. +1 INT, +1 RST, +5 CRPT
8) Belief in Scientific Discovery. +1 INT.
9) Having Honor and Discipline. +1 DEF.
10) Friends and Family Wellbeing. -10 CRPT
When  you were about 10 years old, you once saw Mr.Peyten, a beggar with two  young daughters about your age, steal a bag of various fruits from a  poor travelling merchant who looked to be struggling himself. How did  you respond to this crime?
1) Stealing is stealing. I feel  terrible about the situation Mr.Peyten and his daughters are in, but  breaking the law and resorting to theft doesn’t help their situation. -5  CRPT
2) Stealing is wrong, sure. But if Mr.Peyten has a really good  reason. Letting his family starve, that’s the real crime. If he has to  steal a little to keep his family alive so be it. +1 INT
3) Who cares  if he was stealing? It’s none of my business. Let him do whatever he  wants, it’s got nothing to do with me. +1 MXCRRY
4) I confronted him  and told him not to do it again. Stealing is wrong and he should know  better. It doesn’t matter what the reason for doing it is. +1 STR.
5)  I confronted him and told him to give me half of what he stole or I  would report him to the village guards and the lord of our village. If  he’s going to steal, I want to reap the benefits as well. +1 AGL, +1  RST, +10 CRPT
A week before John and Janine (a loving couple who  were often very kind to you) were about to get married, you ran into the  Janine intimately kissing a mysterious traveler. She begged you not to  tell her fiance because it would break his heart and her’s as well. She  promised never to do something like this again. How did you react?
1)  It’s a delicate situation. Both of them treat you very well. In the end  though cheating is cheating. Despite Janine begging you with tears in  her eyes, you quickly find and tell John, as he deserved to know the  truth. A day or two later the wedding is called off.  -5 CRPT
2) It’s  a delicate situation but Janine is a really good person and just  because she had a momentary weakness doesn’t mean you should ruin her  marriage and their happiness. She promised she wouldn’t do it again and  you trust her word. +1 MXHLTH
3) The situation is delicate but that’s  why you should exploit it as much as possible. Despite all her begging  and pleading, you decide to blackmail her to get things you want from  them. She reluctantly obliges and the two get married. Your relationship  with them is never quite the same but you do get a lot of cool stuff  from time to time. +1 INT, +1 MXCRRY, +10 GLD,  +15 CRPT
4) After  seeing her and the situation, she finishes begging and pleading with all  her heart for you not to tell John, you simply shake your head and  mention that you don’t want to get involved with this love affair and  the lies, so you turn a blind shoulder. Eventually, they get married and  your relationship with them becomes a little rocky. +1 RST.
5) After  hearing her pleas, you warn her that if it ever happens again, you’ll  go straight to John with the information and the details. She thanks you  over and over and assures you that it won’t. Afterward, she runs off  and in a week’s time, the two are happily married. To this day, John  still doesn’t know. +1 MXCRRY.
-----------------------------
This  is a step in the right direction because these kinds of memories are  powerful and can be a beacon shining light when other lights have all  but extinguished. These memories also carry an immeasurable weight that  will help guide you toward your dreams and your future. They resonate  deep inside your heart and remain there tucked away; protected from the  harsh reality of the world.

As we grow, we become more ambitious,  confident and courageous. We experiment with our identity, all while  driving closer each and every day toward the distant horizon where the  unknown of tomorrow waits to guide our trembling hands. We must remember  who were back then if we are to grow beyond the stagnant wall that  blocks our vision of the road ahead...

What was the best advice you’ve ever heard?
1) A rolling stone gathers no moss. +1 INT.
2) A closed mouth does not get fed. +1 RST.
3) A picture is worth a thousand words. +1 MX HLTH.
4) Absence makes the heart grow fonder. +1 MX CRRY.
5) Actions speak louder than words. +1 STR.
6) Fortune favors the bold. +10 GOLD.
7) The early bird gets the worm. +1 AGL.
8) When the going gets tough, the tough get going. +1 DEF.
9) I never received any good advice. I just did my best. -5 CORR.
You prided yourself most on your...
1) Appearance. +1 MX HLTH
2) Brains. +1 INT.
3) Brawn. +1 STR.
4) Inner Strength. +1 RST.
5) Willpower. +1 MXCRRY.
6) Fortitude. +1 MX HLTH.
7) Flexibility. +1 AGL.
8) Fortune. +10 GLD.
9) Toughness. +1 DEF.
10) Anger. +25 CORR, +1 STR, +1 AGL, +1 INT, +1 MX CRRY, +1 MX HLTH.
11) Purity. -5 CORR.
But what was your biggest weakness?
1) Lust. +1 MXHLTH
2) Greed. +10 GLD
3) Wrath. +1 STR
4) Gluttony. +1 MXCRRY
5) Sloth. +1 INT
6) Envy. +1 AGL
7) Pride. +1 RST
8) None of these. +15 CORR, +1 STR, +1 AGL, +1 INT.
-----------------------------
But  perhaps it’s the tallest walls that are the most important because they  help define who we are deep down inside, they are struggles and goals  that teach us the absolute hardest lesson and require the sum of all our  wisdom to overcome. All for the sake of finding a missing piece of  ourselves. If fire represents a gateway and the distant echoes fragments  of time long spent, then the walls of the future are our struggles;  barriers that must be painfully shattered so that we may reach the  greatest truth.

There is more to it than that however, the  future is also about survival, fortitude and perseverance. And they are  needed more than ever. The Planet is dying and our continent, Auvora, is  all that remains. At least that’s what some believe. The Void, the  manifestation of corruption, lust and darkness has corroded the sea,  perverted the land and it’s inhabitants, and now it has brought death to  our doorstep. We all stand deep in the hurricane’s eye; one breath in  wait as our warriors, knights, wizards and ancient protectors give their  lives to hold this terrible evil at bay.

But now the tide has  begun to recede and the hour of hopeful wishing has turned dim and  despairing. The death stroke to finish us all might have finally been  dealt---The Savior, the Muse’s special chosen, the only one who can  truly fight back the Void has disappeared from the front. Taking with  her our freedom and our futures. At first, this mere whisper only  affected the paranoid and the doomsayers but when the whispers of a  terrible omen circulated into the mix, even long established  businessmen, religious leaders and traders began to flee their homes;  each wanting to get as far from the Void and the fighting as possible.  As a result, once thriving villages of commerce and trade became  abandoned remnants of family dynasties, and ancient traditions.

That’s  what happened here. Everyone from this village, save for the elderly  who refuse to leave their homes no matter how bad things got, are gone.  So I sit here trying to remember how things were when I was a kid. If I  can do that and find myself, perhaps these ancient whispers and  impassible walls can no longer trap my will and I can journey to the  southwest with the others and seek protection in these last days. But  who have I become after all this time?

My favorite saying now is that…
1) Nothing can stop you if you want something bad enough. +1 STR, -1 AGL
2) That flexibility and compromise make the world go ‘round. +1 AGL, -1 STR
3) That no matter how hard life hits, you must keep pushing forward. +1 MX-HLTH, -1 RST
4) The pen is mightier than the sword. +1 INT, -1 MXCRRY
5) That the easy lessons sometimes hit you the hardest. +1 RST, -1 MXHLTH
6) Your body's a temple that must be respected and cared for. +1 DEF, -1 MX HLTH, -1 MXCRRY
7) Everyone has burdens and demons to overcome. +1 MX-CRY, -1 INT
You’ve become very skilled with…
1) Juggling. +3 JGL, +1 MXCRRY
2) Forging. +3 FRG, +1 DEF
3) Tailoring. +3 TAL, +1 STR
4) PickPocketing. +3 THFSKL, +1 AGL
5) Alchemy. +3 ALCH, +1 INT
6) Charming. +3 CHAR, +1 MXHLTH
7) Meditation. +3 MDTN, +1 RST

Wear Descriptions Return:
So  detailed wear descriptions are coming back! It'll take a while to  implement some of them, but I saved a lot of the old wear descriptions  from a while ago, so some will tweaking here and there. The reason for  this is that the Player Description is getting a major overhaul soon,  and so to start with that, thanks to the new Duplication System, I put  descriptions of clothes on the items themselves, instead of into the  player description area, which means it can be fully customized to the  item. Instead of typing out something like...

"You are  wearing this." I just write {=GetGarment("torso")} and it'll take the  description from whatever torso item you're wearing and print it. This  makes adding clothes faster, and allows details description again  without slowing down the character viewer. Hopefully, you guys will be  excited for that! Cause I am. 

Welp! That's it for the  time being. As you can see we have a lot going on and a lot of changes  coming up which will hopefully improve the game's appearance and it's  immersion. I'll be pushing the update back for Patrons and obviously for  public release as well. But don't fret, this is for the better and a  better experience with the game. ^_^ 

COMING UP: 
More  Hannah, Entice, More Pregnancy, More Cow-Taur, New Weapon Attack  Script, 6 New Rooms in the Whispering Thicket and some random events to  go along with them, several other things too :) 

Next Update (Patrons): ((pushing it back several days)) 24FEB17.

Anonynn.