It's the "Images, Images" post...

Hello!

My usual apologies for not being overly chatty of late (I should just use that instead of "hello", I think) but I've been tied up fighting on three fronts in respect of all things H5 and I think you're going to approve...

The bonus pack

First things first, the bonus pack with its new games has been getting a good testing and the feedback on the content and the concept has been good. I talked briefly about this the other day but to summarise, I'm taking all the bonus content out of the main game and putting it in it's own pack. This helps with the file size for the main game, allows me to make a sub 5GB build, solves the problem of ensuring people keep their content when switching between tiers and allows me to provide regular fresh content in between main game builds. 

It also looks rather pretty.

*can't show anything naughtier on a public post*

The GUI refresh

This started out as a bit of a tidy up but has ended up being something much bigger and much stronger and I really think the player is going to find this hugely beneficial. It also looks a damn sight prettier. 

The first major change is that Becca's results screen at the end is going and is being replaced with the following achievements screen. Not only does it allow for a few more to be slid in but it's run by permanent values. By that I mean it doesn't matter what save you play with it will retain whether you have that achievement or not. Why? Well it was coming to my attention that even some of those players who try to find everything I've done were missing things. This way at least, the player is aware that there is more content they haven't seen. Now that doesn't mean they have to find it of course - just that they'll now know it at least exists. On top of that, hovering over the achievement gives the player an idea of what it was and might at least point them in the direction of finding it.

The PDA has been given a good polish too and should now be a lot more useful. The old, rather janky, clues system has gone and is now merged with character sheets and item information sheets as you can see from the examples below. I've also made all the pop up screens full size as well for ease of reading as I know some of you play on pads as opposed to monitors. Also, now when you get a clue notification you won't have to hunt around to see which sheet has updated. I'll be adding a notification flag for each screen that has changed which you haven't opened.

Finally, the character boxes have all been given a polish too and Annie's rank badge has a tweak to make it more familiar to players where she stands in the structure.

All of these changes will be in Chapter Five.

Chapter Five

On top of all of the above I've also been working on the chapter. Coding mainly as I wrestle with two key aspects of the next release. The tactical combat module is my main coding focus. I want this to "feel" right, to have that little edge about it but also to make it fairly intuitive without suddenly finding myself trying to make Call of Duty - Ophion. So far I haven't quite got it right as it swings between being a walkover for the MC and Chris or them just getting steamrollered. It's nothing that tweaking can't solve of course but as this is a module I want to be able to use again I need to nail it. The other coding issue is the strip poker with Chris. As a poker game it works (apparently I'm not meant to be able to make a poker game in Renpy but....hey, ho) but the play is wonky with Chadders being quite the worst poker player I've ever come across. Betting high on a pair of fours or folding with three Kings for example. In some ways this is a worse problem than the tactical combat as you just know she would be good at it - or at least calm and collected and not spraying bets around like Sarah on a sugar high. It's solvable of course but just needs some work.

And more!

On top of all that I've also been pushing myself to give you better visuals having finally got myself Adobe After Effects I'm looking to produce more polished animations. (At the moment they are just a glorified "flick book" of stills run one after the other). Early days yet but I have high hopes on this one.

Finally...

Oh and the Penny poll is coming up soon. I've played around with all three concepts and so no matter which one you choose it should be fun.

Finally (part two!)

I'm just waiting on a few final tweaks for the pack and then I can get get that and fresh builds up.

I know I've been a bit poor at comms of late but having broken the back of that lot *points up* I should be able to get something a bit more regular rather than emerging every now and again like the dev from the black lagoon. But quiet as I may be (well other than if you see my Twitter ramblings) you can see I have at least been busy :)

Notty