Ahhhhhh I am glad!!! I was quite worried for multiple reasons with this part, not only because it's just a half-arc so I was worried ppl would be disappointed, but also because of the return to some of the more fantastical stuff. Then again, I worry and fret about literally every release, so maybe it was not really any different than normal 🤣💦
""we're not doing 'lethal vs. non-lethal' choices again, you sadist" joke made me laugh hard " --> LMAO I'M GLAD YOU GOT A CHUCKLE OUT OF THAT. I was hoping it would get at least a few laughs as it quite amused me while making it 🤭
"I also like how you took the animation lessons you learned from Our Fantastic Wonderland and applied them here - the novel has never looked so animated." --> Oh, that's really nice, I'm glad you think so 😭💕 I definitely spent a whole heck of a lot more time scripting and setting up scenes in this arc than I have in the previous ones and trying to just really make it feel cinematic and engaging as much as I could. I'm sure I still have plenty more to learn, but I'm glad it's at least noticeable that I'm getting better LOL
"shame no-one seems to remember the events of Our Fantastic Wonderland. " --> I ADMIT I WANTED TO ADD MORE REFS THAN I DID. But I was also slightly worried if I did TOO many big refs, ppl who haven't played OFW might get confused (it has like 1/4 the plays of the main game after all, so I imagine many people haven't played it LOL). That being said, Jerry will definitely play a new and large role in part 2, and I'm quite excited about it. I hope it will be fun 🤭
"and the choice of music being suspiciously similar to the choices used for Orlam's." --> LMAO some of this is probably the result of my using a lot of the same music from the same composers. Actually a lot of the music from this arc in particular came from a new composer I used a lot of music for in OFW, so there is probably also some similarity there, as well. Though it's true also the Gidget in this arc does start to take on an air that's more similar to Orlam because of the emphasis on pomp and perfection LOL (so then it'll be curious how Orlam turns out in part 2 teehee).
"very tight budget regarding third-party asset licensing for the assets you can't get for free likely is a factor there." --> GUHH,,, this is indeed the case with sound effects. Basically the only budget I have available goes into music licenses and subscriptions. All my sound effects just come from searching on freesound.org—which, while great and does have some really great sounds that I've been able to use, is still quite limited in the amount (and quality.......) of sounds available, so I'm not always able to find the exact types of sounds I want. And I admit when I can't really find the exact thing, I tend to give up LOL I remember there being a few scenes in particular I wasn't able to great sounds to match what I wanted. Though I was happy with how the rabbit chase scene and creaky boat scene turned out at least lasdkjfas 💦 Maybe in the future if I'm ever able to actually have a budget for a game, I'll be able to get higher-quality custom sounds. GOD, that would be the dream,,,
INDEED, HOW WILL IT END?? 🤭 I hope the final conclusion will end up being satisfactory to people, especially after all this build-up. I have the major beats of it planned out in my mind, as always, but I often don't know exactly how things will align in the narration and how all the beats will come together on paper until I actually get to that point and write it. It makes it both exciting but also nerve-racking for me I must admit LOL But it's done me well so far I guess 🤣💦
AT ANY RATE, I AM GLAD YOU LIKED IT. Thanks so much as always for playing and for leaving all of your thoughts! I always enjoy reading them!!!!! And I'll keep working hard to get the next and final part (FINALLY) finished!! LOL