Fiction Factory Games

Laugh Track Alpha-07 Released! And About Credits...

Introducing Alpha-07, the LAST alpha before we officially enter Beta! This includes all episodes up to the finale, adding in the episode "Where's The Beef?" to the list.

The download link and testing notes are here. Enjoy!

For the October release we'll have ALL the episodes, which will make a nice enticement for folks coming in from the demo that's r...

Huh. I finished it.

For the past week and a half I've been on an absolute tear writing for the game. When I finished the Daniel and Cat chapter, I thought, what if I just kept going? What if I just maintained this momentum? Apparently the end result is that I finish the game.

Don't get me wrong, there's still a lot left to do even though I finished writing the dialogue. The script is utterly littered with placeholders, doesn't have any facial expressions or voice tones tagged, and is absolutely not going t...

Whoops

So apparently, the default text speed when you start playing the game is maximum. That means that the text instantly draws on screen with each line of dialogue. Problem is, the character gibberish system that almost all the voice acting is tied into as well as the audience laughter at the end of jokes gets ruined or not played at all when the speed is that high.

I fixed it so the default is now right at the sweet spot but that means everybody who's been testing the game to this point ha...

Whaddya know, I finished an episode

"Where's The Beef?", the Cat / Daniel focused episode, is done. Written, coded, tested.

I'm going to hold this back until Sep 1st, though, to maintain monthly schedule -- I want to make sure we have enough stuff in the pipeline and enough leeway for assets to arrive from actors and artists between milestones for updates to be significant.

This forthcoming update will include both the new episode and a "jump to any episode" feature, allowing you to set up whatever relationships, ro...

Laugh Track Alpha-06 Released!

Apparently I COULD get it done for August 1st. Who knew? Zero promises for another episode on September 1st, of course, but it's nice to know I can still crank when I gotta.

The testing notes and download link are here. This includes episode 7, "Just Say No." However, as I warned before, your previous save games won't work. Too many variables have changed since th...

Good News Bad News

The good news is that my warning that I may not have a build ready for August was premature. I was able to get through visual effects and design and testing faster than I thought it would. So I'm gonna have a build together soon.

The bad news is that your old save games aren't going to work. There's just too many variables that weren't set correctly the first time around so you're gonna have to start from scratch. There is the skip button in the lower right corner that can zip you right...

Workin' On It

While at no point did I actually promise monthly beta releases because like, real life isn't always that neatly timed, I was hoping to get one out before August 1. This is proving to be a very technically complicated chapter though, with a lot of visual effects and whole new subsystems that I didn't have in the game before, on top of all the revamping that I've been doing to the audience laughter and character mood systems, so we're probably looking at early August for the next release.

Back End Work (Entendre)

This month has been less about writing and more about improving the base on which I'm building this game.

For starters, getting the Steam NextFest demo build ready. Valve's approved it, and I just need to get the voices for Cat, The Director, and The Producer in place and it'll be ready to go. NextFest hits in October so I'm well ahead of schedule there, but it took a bit of time to prep the actual demo itself -- taking the tutorial episode and making adaptations here and there to bette...

Laugh Track Alpha-05 Released!

We've got a new build for ya! Testing notes and download link right here.

This includes fixes, new assets, and the episode "Be Kind Rewind."

Enjoy! Be sure to leave your feedback -- both bugs and story feedback -- on the testing sheet.

Roadmap! Always works, right?

So... funny thing happened this week. After saying in my last post "I don't know if I can finish this episode this month" I finished this episode this month. So sometime in a week I'll have a new build out to $5 backers.

I have setbacks and blocks, but I'm generally setting a pace of one episode a month. So I think I feel confident enough to drop a roadmap on you. A thing developers always follow to the letter and never fuck up, right? Ha ha! Well. I'll try, anyway.

• JULY: ...

  2025-06-27 01:52:24 +0000 UTC View Post

Update on Updates

I've completed the raw script for "Be Kind Rewind," the next episode of the game!

But I did it a little differently this time -- I was experiencing serious writer's block because even though I had a full outline and everything ready to go, I felt a little overwhelmed by how much programming goes into facial expressions, camera angles, scene changes, music cues, visual effects, sight gag animations, gibberish tones, audience reactions, etc.

So this time I tried something different....

Laugh Track 04b Hotfix

New release -- testing notes are the same as before but the download link has changed, so go get ye game.

This version fixes a game-breaking bug that prevented players from completing the tutorial episode. No other major changes, although it does have a few more assets including backgrounds and voices. I haven't addressed any reported bugs yet.

P...

Wanna Voice Act?

We've got a number of micro-sized parts ready for open casting. Like, REALLY open casting. As in "Everybody, here's the script, submit what you want and we'll pick from there."

For more information, read the script and learn more.

Because this is more of a thank-you to our community and a fun participation project, there are some caveats involved...

Some Background Fun

Here's some new art to tide you over until the next big update. I haven't started in on writing the next episode -- been too distracted by other stuff -- but we've had some progress on voice and art even since the last beta.

With this we now have enough art to make the Steam NextFest demo. Still working on the voices but I have Remy's gibberish dialogue in place, and have scripts out for most of the other characters with a July deadline, so we should be all set.

My pacing on this ...

Laugh Track Alpha-04 Released!

Get the download link from the tester's document, located here.

This includes "Second to Some," the Very Special Daniel Episode, as well as main story content leading through the end of Episode Four. It also adds in a toggle for "Vocal" vs. "Beeping" gibberish, and adds final art for a few backgrounds.

A lot of work was done behind the scenes thi...

A Tease of a Teaser

Apologies if that video is bitrate heavy -- I've never used Patreon's video functions before.

My task list is currently:

• Prepare the Steam page, so folks can start wishlisting the game. This teaser video is a part of that effort; Patreon folks get an exclusive early peek at it.

• Get ready for October's Steam NextFest. I'm hoping to release a playable demo for it, because why not? So what if it's not a commercial game? I may as well build some hype.

2025-05-23 00:22:11 +0000 UTC View Post

Go Sports !!

Writing is going really well on the Daniel-focused Very Special Episode! Much easier than the Cat one was. So, figured I'd share a little early look at a training montage I cooked up. Backgrounds aren't final, but otherwise it's in great shape!

Next alpha release will include this episode. I'm aiming for one a month, but can't make promises.

Laugh Track Alpha-03 Released!

It's been a little over a month, but we've got a new episode for you! Along with bug fixes, new art, and a missing scene at the start of episode two restored.

The new episode this time is "Take Out The Trash," the Very Special Episode for Cat. The content warning isn't finalized but I'll note this one carries with it a warning for threats of self-harm, and religious trauma.

2025-05-01 13:47:14 +0000 UTC View Post

Progress Update

Things are going well! Final art is in for the Writer's Room, with the new look for Management-aligned characters. Side characters like The Teacher, The Champ, The Idol and The Officer will have similar aesthetics.

We've also got final art for Daniel, which I haven't implemented yet but is simply adorable. We love our good boy.

I'm restructuring the game, as discussed previously. Instead of having to play through a five episode season twice in order to "complete" the experience, a...

Brainstorming Solved (Probably)

Okay, I think I've figured out the new structure for the game.

Spoiler protection whitespace follows.

Seriously.

I mean it.

I was pondering "Can I do all the episodes in one playthrough, with a 4/4 balance ending?" and then JamesUsername in Discord quoted this:

"Oh god, it would be like that scene in enterprise were the captain says vulcans, you're working with me, andorians, you're working with me, not each other, now st...

Brainstorming (Spoilers!)

So I'm rethinking the overall structure of Laugh Track. This is INCREDIBLY spoilery but I need some help brainstorming an alternative approach that uses the same general idea and assets I've cooked up.

Please note that if you do contribute an idea I end up using, you'll get a special thanks in the credits but won't get legal ownership of the story -- the ideas are considered DONATED to the work.

I've also started an identical thread on the Discord, if you'd prefer to contribute th...

Laugh Track Alpha 02 Release!

We've got two episodes now -- the pilot episode, "Let's Get This Bread," as well as a normal episode, "Democracy Inaction!"

Download link available on the testing sheet document.

Please use the google doc to file your bug reports, feedback, and other such offerings. Discord is also acceptable, or comments here, or email, or smoke signals, or carrier ...

Incoming Game

So, in a massive binge of writing, I finished one of the ten episodes in the game. Because I'm me, I chose the most complicated one with the most challenging political themes instead of something simple like the "Remy and Cat rent a videotape" episode. I sure know how to bite off almost a bit more than I can chew.

I'm doing some final polish on it now -- I need to book some "sitting time" to do placeholder imagery, it's not something I can do on my phone while bedridden -- and plan to h...

Ye Update

Obligatory I really need to get better about updating this thing statement goes here.

Work is continuing on the new game. Three of the four main cast members are now fully and finally implemented, with great artwork. Just have to do Daniel next, and then backgrounds.

Writing is continuing, a bit slower than I'd like since I am massively distracted by both games and health stuff. But that's very much the point of my retirement, to take things at my own pace. Kind of the antithesis...