Calabi-Yo-Manifold

So, some info for you guys

Added 2024-09-01 18:53:10 +0000 UTC

Yo,

So, the next update is finally ready... Basically. The BETA version is up for Sweety and Chaaya Tiers, of which there are no supporters but you know, Tier perks don't make sense if I don't adhere to them :D The release for the Ilim tier should be pretty soon though as my testing was pretty thorough, I don't expect there to be any major bugs.

That's not what this post is about though. Warning, this might get a bit lengthy. Tl;dr at the bottom.

So, if you have followed my progress updates then you know that I've started experimenting with SDXL and the Pony models. If you don't know much about AI in that regard: What I'm using for the game is SD 1.5, the models of which have been trained on low-resolution pics whereas SDXL has been trained on high-resolution pics. Therefore, they naturally produce much, MUCH better images. Naturally, I wanted to tap into that potential.

By now, I think I can say that I've harnessed the power of these superior models. Yet, the point I made in an earlier post still stands, I don't see them being the future of the game since they are BAD at generating 'monsterey' monster girls, which I won't accept. However, the more I used these models the more it felt like a gut punch, in one specific area: The x-rays. I'll just come out and say it, I do NOT like them. To be more precise, I like having them, but I don't like MAKING them, nor do I like their quality in the end. Like, it's just frustrating... With these x-rays, it takes a long time to make them, a lot of manual labor and editing, and the result is not at all what I want whereas I can generate a blender-level pic of Widowmaker in 15 minutes with the better AI models. I also can't really use these models for the x-rays because of the reason I stated earlier, they are god-like when it comes to humans and humanoids, but NOT when it comes to monsters. I just can't seem to find any semblance of a sweet spot...

So, for the past 2 weeks I've been trying to decide between my two options: Either live with it for now and continue what I've been doing or ditch x-rays altogether, returning the game back to its original form of being purely text-based.
I've chosen a third option: The middle ground. This means the following: From now on, DON'T EXPECT X-RAYS TO APPEAR WHEN A SEXYTIME EVENT STARTS! Generally, I won't do them anymore, however, if there is a scene that, even with text description is hard to image, I WILL MAKE THEM STILL. In a way, I've decided to just listen to my gut and only make them when I feel like a scene should have them.

This doesn't apply to sex, though. I actually DO like these x-rays, as well as creating them. You know what I don't like though? INSERTING THE DICK! The way I currently do it is the cavemen way: Open Paint.net, copy and paste the same cock pic on a blank canvas, paint the rough outlines of an inner vagina around it, and then use inpainting with the LORA to create them. Sounds exhausting and inefficient? IT IS! :D So, what I will do is DITCH the cock! This means that sex scenes (and anal scenes) will have two x-rays: Empty pussy and cum-filled pussy. I don't think it'll be hard for anyone's imagination to fill in the dick thrusts. I'm happy with this approach. Luckily, the LORA also has an SDXL version, so I'll have some fun experiments ahead of me.

Please note that nothing else will change: Sound, changes in facial expressions if appropriate, and cum will still be in sexytime scenes.

Finally, one more thing: NOTHING IS SET IN STONE! While I'm content with this resolve, I still have more experiments I want to do in that regard. I feel like SDXL CAN be a way, I just have to find it. Perhaps it's finally time for me to learn Controlnet. So yeah, if I find a way to get rid of the manual editing which I SUCK at, and finally utilize AI to do it for me, then x-rays will come back harder than ever. For now, though, this is how we will go forward.

Truthfully, I'm just happy I have this off my chest, it drove me crazy recently. Also, just FYI, we are currently halfway through... The intro of the game. Yes, the INTRO :D So, I'm pretty stoked that all post-processing of older scenes is done and that the time-consuming crappy x-ray edits won't return. Now, I can finally focus on and drive forward what makes this game what it is: The story and the characters. And oh boy, playtime is over. The next 5 updates will be dark and serious as the final missing pieces to set everything into motion will reveal themselves.

Tl;dr: X-RAYS WON'T BE THE NORM ANYMORE FROM NOW ON, THE GAME WILL BE PRIMARILY TEXT-RELIANT AGAIN, BUT X-RAYS AREN'T INDEFINETELY BANNED!