nottravisgames

March Bored Pilot cover

Weekly update no 10. Render, render...

Hi hi!

So, the render hamster is going full steam ahead for this months chapter, of which more later. But first we have some results!

Mike

My thanks to everyone who contributed to this months polls and there was a pretty clear steer that Mike should be left as originally planned - a pure fem MC romance option and so that's the way he will stay. (Yes, yes I know what Trisha says about him, but tbh she is a -bit- scary don't you think? I wouldn't blame Mike fo...

Bonus time :)

Hi Hi!

Sorry for the delay on this (I know, the irony right?) but I'd been using the little mini-set as a test for all sorts of things for Chapter Three. It's been jolly useful - and as I upgrade kit I might well do something like this again as it gives me a really good base on timings for renders etc. Plus Becca is such a terrible model to work with that if I can get things to work with her - then they'll work on everyone. 

Anyhoo!

Please find some links for the small ...

Weekly update no 9:

Hey Hey,

And in a direct counterpart to last week where I had a lot to say, this week it's light again. Which I dare say some of you are grateful for. :)

So what have I been doing? Well, this week has been largely seeking input on a couple of things from your good selves, such as the lighting question, Mike and of course the BP centrefold, whilst I finish render experimenting before pulling the lever on the production process tomorrow.

I've got the special with Becca done an...

It's possible I got carried away...

So whilst I was coding up Chapter Three, I've been the rendering the little special for all patrons. 

Since I like to have all the coding done before I set the render hamster fully to work on the chapter this has meant a day or so where there wasn't much call for H5 rendering bar some lighting tests. 

So...um. You know those few little pictures I was going to do by way of an apology? Would any of you be cross if I said it was a now a 40 image kinetic novel?

*coughs...

I'd like your opinion...

So, gearing up for the Chapter Three rendering and playing around with my new capacity including being able to get a bit better with details and lighting.

I've run a couple of outdoor Sarah pics. One with natural light (20 min render time) and one with added artificial light (50 min render time) and I wouldn't mind your opinion on which looks better.

I'll be honest I prefer the natural light one myself but I can appreciate that it's not showing Miss Davis in all her natural glory....

Chapter Two download: $5 Tier

Please find the links to your version of Heavy Five.  

PC Link: 

MAC Link: 

To play it, just extract the file, load your save and once past the credits scene at the end of Chapter One, Becca will take over and introduce you to the new chapte...

Weekly update no 8:

Hi hi!
Whereas last week I didn't have a lot to say, this week it seems almost as though I have too much :)
First things first. The results are in and it looks as though poor Becca is in it for it... Actually, I'm rather pleased as it allows me to try all sorts of effects such as compressing skin, using overlays and also will let me experiment with page layouts. So a win for me! Less so for her...Although I promise it won't be too harsh. We're talking spanking not anything nasty.
I'l...

Chapter Two downloads

Currently suspended for a day whilst I update a few things in the background. Normal service resumed tomorrow. :)

Keeping an eye on the poll...

It's neck and neck still!

Weekly update no 7: Future proofing

As you can imagine not an awful lot to update you on since the chapter came out, other than I'm working away on making your experience a bit more pleasant as part of my PDA data rework.

In future you'll just be able to download the individual chapter, add it to your file and then start from where you have unlocked.

It should stop monthly file sizes from getting too silly size wise.

Righties, back to work.

Laters!

Of crimes and punishment...

So! I have a new card and...whoosh! Well, whoosh-ish! we're now at 6GB on a 1060. Time saving would seem to be around 30% which may not sound much but when you're reducing 400 renders at 30 minutes to 400 renders at 20 minutes that saves a pile of time each month. Time which I can either use for more renders or to improve certain key ones. Of course I could do with testing it some more before I start getting stuck into rendering chapter three.

Which of course *looks serious* brings me t...

So how was it for you?

Perhaps understandably I've taken a little break this weekend before turning my attention back to Chapter Two. There are a few things I want to deal with on it over the next few days as follows:

• A few typo's that crept in as I re-jigged scenes at the last minute to deal with the rendering crisis
• Mike's talking frame needs a tweak
• Tidy up some of Chris' scenes. Some of them I don't think the composition works too well
• and of course, finish my work on the ...
  2019-02-17 10:39:26 +0000 UTC View Post

If you do have a problem with saves...

...just before I turn in (is on GMT) then for mine to work all I did was overwrite my earlier version of Heavy 5 in the same folder location.

Someone else has just kindly pointed out the same thing so thought I'd pass it on as it didn't occur to me to extract the game to a different location before save testing.

Watch your direct messages :)

Solved the save problem. Uploading to Mega now. Expect messages with links in next 30 mins or so.....

Just sorting out a save compatibility issue

Did a build but it didn't like using an old save. I think it's down to the new variables and the code I've used to define them. But  it seems I just need to rephrase the coding so that it loads them regardless and the save doesn't overwipe them. On it.

And it's done :)

With over 400 images, three animations, thirteen scenes and multiple paths. Despite my seemingly best attempts to destroy this chapter...It's done.

I just need to compress the images and make the separate tier files (else the file size is silly). Given that some of the images must not be compressed for coding reasons I'm going to get some sleep before I do that else I could end up screwing the game up.

Thank you all for everything and I do hope you enjoy playing it.

Who me? (or how I'm going to make it up to you)

*adds another Chris redo into her file...*

So! How to reward your patience, other than give you the bloody chapter of course :)

Well, this weekend I'm taking the plunge and getting a 6GB card.  So with three times the graphical memory of what I currently have I'll be able to render faster and/or better and mitigate against any errors like I've had this month. So this is our first step in making the game better than it currently is - and it's down to you. Regardless of your ti...

Oh did I mention...

...we have a very naughty animation this chapter? :)

A few teaser snippets...

2019-02-13 10:38:19 +0000 UTC View Post

Of lip gloss and beer cans

All,

My apologies (again!). The bug tester on Monday didn't find any (which was good! I'm getting better!) but she did pick up a couple of small continuity errors, principally around one of the girls lip gloss colours. It was small, barely noticeable - but once you saw it you spent the rest of the game wondering when it would change colour again. I'm not a fan of mini-games and certainly didn't want to add one like that in error...

My apologies also for being quiet for a day. Larg...

Weekly update No 6: Lessons learned

Well of course the big news is Chapter Two is coming out at some point today one way or another, so there is that of course :)

Also I've a friend coming over this morning to give it a last play through from a blind perspective. So she's essentially going to try and break the game for me, which should ensure that nothing has slipped through the net and ensures your experience isn't marred in any way.

What else? 

Deadlines. Alright, this month wasn't helped by re-renderin...

When the PDA is a PIA...

...but I've worked out the problem - and the solution.

So what was confusing me was why, after behaving sweeter than Sarah on her good path, the PDA had suddenly gone all HAL9000 on me. Depending on which save I was using, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, and sometimes it suddenly crashed the game.

At first I thought it was new content that was causing the issue given up until yesterday it had behaved like a charm but the answer turned out to be something else entirely. A...

GAH!

I'm finding a few silly and vexing little issues (see above.)

So far it's mainly little typos like the above, but the PDA for this chapter is causing a few problems for some reason. I'll nail it of course and just wanted to let you know that I'm doing what I can to get it out today.

I'll do an open post on here to let everyone know it's out as well as then message those patron's with thei...

Chapter Two update!

I'm pleased to say we're about there!

There are a few final things I need to do but overall we're looking good.

• one more run through of images to ensure no poke throughs, clashes and that the composition still works with the dialogue.
• ensure all the new PDA content triggers and shows correctly
• final play through to try and break the chapter for bug spotting
• make final music selection out of short list

So the final release time...

Some opening teaser scenes from Chapter Two...

Just in case you were starting to worry that all I was doing was faffing with assets ;)

Sarah's reading material...

Whilst the render hamster continues to scurry away, I thought I'd tidy up Sarah's book covers. Well, every tweak helps!

Weekly update No 5: It's coming...

Morning!

A briefer than usual update from me this week, largely as we're getting close to release and I realise that if I'm -too- chatty I may well spoil things. Which would be bit silly given the release is that close.

But! I do need to be accountable so, what's the gen?

Firstly the render hamster has been working like a devil. Progress is better than good and it looks like the renders will all be done by Thursday. That gives me a couple of days to play it through to ensure...

And whilst the new renders crank out...

Righties, this is going -much- faster.

So the good news to offset the delay is that, should a certain Chief Engineer get roaring drunk, I've been able to put back drunken singing :) Although how much of it you can bear to listen to until you decide enough is enough I leave up to you....

(has often said I have more ideas than I get into the game!)

Also, whilst Daz i cranking out the revised images I've also made a few additional background assets to slot in. It seems that by ...

Whilst the new renders are running...

...I made myself useful and finished the cover of BP.