This so late, and I apologize. Let's get jiggy with it.

TLDR: No update on Sacrarium Pario. The Woeful Rose & The Bitter Crow is now 90% programmed (only missing finalized CG code, SFX code, and pop up codex code). I'm going to burn and restart Sacrarium Contego's first draft. I severely underestimated how draining a 40hr work week can be on one's creativity, but I'm making it work.

Sacrarium Pario

No update.

The Woeful Rose & The Bitter Crow

I've successfully gotten all of the sprite, BG, music, and affection score code implemented throughout WRBC from start to finish. I've handed this version of the game over to my play tester buddy to break however he can. It should - theoretically - be playable from start to finish, though I have some concerns that the affection score and romance score (this separates if you're on a friendship or romance path) are too easy/hard to get. Needless to say, I await his feed back.

I've received some lovely artwork from our CG artists, and I can't wait to get it in fully. I'd share them, but they all contain spoilers.

I still need to do another pass to add in SFX and pop-up codex code. Once that is done, all that we will be waiting for is finalized CGs and Sprites for Dante & Lysandre.

Of course, WRBC won't release until Sacrarium Pario is finished. After all, playing a sequel when one of the two games that heavily explain the story doesn't make sense. Still, I highly recommend adding WRBC to a collection to keep tabs on it. Especially for those of you who love lore! This game will be your first glance into a post-Old God, Living Gods to Wardens, world.

Sacrarium Contego

The first draft (30k) I did for the first Challenge is...ok. I was really testing writing with Contego's memory and Challenge-Separate-From-Affection-Score systems, so everything feels a bit off.

So...Imma burn it and start over >.>

I've got a better idea of how to get things organized and connected. I just really need to polish this section up before I feel comfortable moving into the second Challenge. This game is a lot more brutal with failure (neutral ends are more common. Fail a challenge, neutral end), so I really need to make sure each leg of the journey holds up.

Project I.C.

I've been refining key data for the MC. They're intended to have a few bells and whistles customization wise, so to make my life easier, I've been trying to nail down their constants and determine what variables I actually need for them.

I also fiddled with a character customization screen - like a doll maker. I've got a functional (FUGLY) one that has revealed that there will be upper limits to certain categories. The pencil (@brbbringingnachos has got me calling him that now lol) is currently set to commentate on the MC's appearance. That means every option that gets added is another variant >.> I'm going to have to really think about when those choices are invoked.

Still, I've liked the options we've built up so far! They'll be a lot of fun to play around with in the future.

That aside, I've also slowly started chunking away at a skeleton outline. It's been a nice way to stay creative when I don't have enough spoons for Sac, but I have too many spoons to not do something with.

Me (StygianEyeDev)

Man, it's easy to underestimate the physical exhaustion that can come from having a mentally taxing corporate job. Like, the actual tasks aren't that hard, but I want to drop kick my boss (frequently).

Still, I've gotten moved to 7-4 instead of 8-5 which is great. I associate early morning hours with work work anyways. Getting home at like 4:30 gives me time to decompress and actually do a bit of game devving before it gets so late that my old crone bones demand sleep.

I'm hoping that as I get more adapted to this job, it'll get easier to handle and less draining. At the very least, I hope to learn how to turn off work work brain once I get in my car. The steady paycheck helps. I know as I get more settled and my New-Job-Who-Dis? stress goes down, not worrying about if I'll have enough hours to pay the bills will be great (I get consistent hours now).

I will always probably move at a slower rate now though. I've still got to see how that goes moving forward, so I can't give any solid estimates at this time.

I am doing some small side work as an editor though! I really wanted to diversify my experience and put myself out there some more. As those games get closer to completion, you'll definitely see me babbling about them.

...and well, that's it for now!

- StygianEyeDev