Dev Log #122 - A familiar release format!

Hi all! This week, I'll be sharing some news about the release of Episode 3, so let's get into it!

Development update
At this point, it is likely that Episode 3 will follow the same release format that Episode 1 had, which is the episode being released in two parts instead of in its entirety!

The reason for this changeup is due to the number of overlapping scenes present in Episode 3 across the many possible choices and outcomes. Those that spring to mind now are the Natalie/Poloson/Stanford branch, which is the focus of the first half of the episode (i.e., more character emphasis and build-up with Cara), and the second half, which re-focuses back onto the prominent antagonist and contagonists in the story.

I look to have this first half ready during July, while the second half will be ready during September! This two-month separation and window will allow me to add more scenes and renders that I see fit to ensure that the game remains as replayable as ever, with quality scenes and varying paths that explore many of the different decisions already available in-game and in the episode itself, while making sure that the main story beats (i.e., the "must-see" scenes) remain deeply rooted to the story!

This is obviously not great news, and I do apologize for this added delay, but I want to stress that the months mentioned above are final to me, and I will see to it that the episode parts are ship-shape and ready on those respective months, with no additional delays/pushbacks!

With this game being my first foray into storytelling and creating my own visual novel, I do want to make sure I get things right and release an episode that hits all the marks, and I'm thankful for everyone's patience on the matter as I continue to work on it!

Custom render fixed release dates
Regarding monthly custom renders, I will be fixing the monthly release dates to the 21st/22nd for every month. This means that the custom renders will be released on these two days of every month. This is mainly to keep the content flow of these renders consistent, instead of bouncing between days at the end of the month or even overflowing to the next!

The weekly breakdown will now be adjusted to account for Episode 3 Part 1's (E3P1) progress, and thus, almost all percentages will be increased.

----------------------------- EPISODE 3 PART 1 WEEKLY BREAKDOWN --------------------
Story: 100% done. No change from last week.

Renders: 82.5% done. The total render count is 4,615, which is 195 more renders than last week. Adjusted to account for E3P1.

Dialogue: 80% done. Adjusted to account for E3P1.

Game Playability: 80% done. Adjusted to account for E3P1.

---------------------------------- END OF BREAKDOWN ---------------------------------

I will be getting back to things posthaste and will continue to chip away at the work remaining! Until then... stay safe and healthy!