Dev Log #15 | Improvement

First of a little notice regarding the next update. I originally planned to release sometime this week, but I am not sure if I can deliver that. A few unexpected appointments came up and I have less time than I originally anticipated. On top of that the new content simply requires a bit more time. So the release of 0.3.1 will probably happen next week, I'll try to get it out as fast as possible, without sacrificing quality.

What you can see above is a new background for the upcoming update. What you might notice, is that the forest looks a lot better than what I previously did. Some of the changes are relatd to the story, for example how much darker everything is, but the quality overall is just better.

This is the improvement I achieved through building many forests and testing out new things for the game. It is a point I wouldn't have gotten to, if I hadn't build all those renders before. But now, they are a bit outdated. And that annoys me. So much, that I would really like to update the old forests to the new standard and redo outdated renders.

But that is a lot of work. And I won't get it done in just one update cycle, while I focus on pushing new content at the same time. I could do it bit for bit. One Render after the other. But then there would be strange disconnects in the graphics, without any real explanation. Something I don't want. Now, I could also just let it slide. The forests are fine like they are right now, the quality is already good enough. But I don't want that either. I want the game to be as good as possible.

Which means that I simply have to redo them all together. At some point, where I find enough time for it. I don't know when that will be. Maybe in between larger updates where I need more time to prepare everything, or after I publish 1.0 and go over to refining the game. It will happen, just like when I redid many of the animations, because I got much better at it.

In the end improvements are great, but also a bit scary. At least for me. They bring a lot of work with them, but a kind of work that I find really important. I've asked myself many times if I should push those improvements or finish MIST with the quality it has right now. Instead focusing my new skills on the next game that will come eventually. But I think it is important to give the game everything I have. Not only to make it into something special, but also because I wouldn't even make those improvements in the first place, if I wasn't pushing myself. MIST will get even better, I am sure of it.

Now have a nice day and stay safe!