Dev Log – Preparing Stories

Hello everyone, this is LactoQuest.

It’s time once again for a development update.

Since the last post, I have to admit that overall progress has been a bit stagnant. This past week, I’ve been focused mainly on foundational tasks—preparing new character busts, pixel sprites, some pixel animations, and various base assets. Although the game itself hasn’t moved forward much, I’m still confident that I’ll be able to push out an update by the end of this month.

Seeing how many of you are excited about the new project truly makes me happy. I also understand that many of you are curious about the game’s details, so in this post, I’d like to talk more about the overall structure of the game, and answer some of the questions I’ve received since the last update.

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About the Game Structure

As for the story, I’d prefer not to reveal too much just yet. But I’d like to share some insight into the game’s system and design.

If you remember the map I posted earlier, the full game follows a journey from Dawnreach to the royal capital. The content shown in the demo—daily life in the starting village—makes up less than 10% of the full gam

While the ultimate goal is reaching the capital, the player will be free to choose the route. I call this structure a modular narrative system: you might take the forest path to the east or the desert path to the south—each direction leading to entirely different stories and events.

At one point, I considered creating multiple endings and unpredictable story branches depending on player choices. But after reconsidering, I realized the workload and production complexity would grow exponentially. So I’ve simplified and trimmed those plans for now.

Regarding the “trilogy” I previously mentioned—it doesn’t mean the escape to the capital will be told across three games. Instead, each game will feature a new set of protagonists and tell a complete story. It’s an ambitious goal, but I want each title to stand on its own.

That’s why, even with this first title, preparation has been quite extensive. There are 12 characters planned, each with multiple outfits (such as armor and casual versions). Designing and preparing these busts and related assets alone has taken considerable time.

You’ll find new character art previews at the end of this post.

Although the workload sounds heavy, everything is still within control—so please don’t worry. I’m fully committed to development. However, the original goal of releasing in September is no longer realistic. The new target for the full version is December 2025.

This game was originally meant to be a small-scale project, but your overwhelming support and interest inspired me to expand the scope—adding more CGs, events, and story branches. Naturally, this also requires more development time.

The plan is to release the fully updated prologue demo in July, along with the DLsite preview page. I hope you’ll check it out when the time comes!

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About Her Fall in the Last Days

I know many of you are also interested in updates on Her Fall in the Last Days, both the main game and the side content.

While I was waiting for some art assets for the new project, I took the opportunity to work a bit on the script for the side episode of Her Fall in the Last Days. I’ve been planning to create a short bonus story—about one hour of gameplay—exclusively for supporters. It focuses on Miharu, the protagonist, and Inoshita, and follows their journey after escaping the safety zone.

However, since most of my energy is currently devoted to the new game, progress on the side story has been very slow, and I can’t promise a release date yet. That said, please rest assured—I haven’t given up on it. I’ve been pushing it forward little by little whenever I find time.

That being said, it hasn’t been an easy process. I’ve realized I’m not someone who can emotionally commit to two different game worlds at once. While developing the new project, I’ve become quite immersed in its characters and tone. So when I switch back to writing Her Fall in the Last Days, I catch myself unintentionally writing in the light, cutesy tone of the new game—which doesn’t fit the atmosphere of Her Fall at all. Because of that, I’ll most likely return to that world only after the current project reaches a major milestone.

As for the DLC and Neighbor Route for Her Fall in the Last Days, I plan to begin working on those once the current title is completed. Thank you so much for your continued patience and support.

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Answering Questions

Q1. How many NTR characters are there? Will there be group scenes?

A: Excluding characters from future entries in the series, this game features 4–5 NTR characters. At this time, group H-scenes are not planned. I understand many players were hoping for modular combinations—unlocking hidden CGs or branching outcomes by selecting different paths—but due to the scale of this project, those systems had to be trimmed down. I’m hoping to explore that type of structure in future titles.

Q2. Are there animated CGs? Why not use Live2D?

A: Like in the previous game, some CGs will feature motion or silhouette-style animation. Full Live2D implementation isn’t currently feasible due to both time and cost limitations. I’m still refining my skills and tools, and I do hope to get closer to that goal in future projects.

Q3. Are there marriage or pregnancy elements in the game?

A: No, not in this title. Those elements are currently only planned for the Neighbor Route in Her Fall in the Last Days.

Q4. Will the heroine have multiple outfits? Is there any content from her perspective?

A: Yes, the heroine will have multiple outfits. The main story is told from the male protagonist’s perspective, but scenes from the heroine’s point of view will appear in the recollection room. For future games, I may explore fully playable female POV depending on audience feedback.

Q5. Are the Pure Love and Corruption routes mutually exclusive? Can they be explored in parallel?

A: Much like in the previous game, key items (such as antibiotics or the mask) will influence which path you end up on. The player must observe, interpret, and make decisions accordingly. Once a critical choice is made, the route is locked in and cannot be reversed.

Q6. In the Pure Love route, is it possible to have H-scenes before any corruption? Can the male protagonist be the first to sleep with the heroine?

A: Yes. If the player makes the right choices, exclusive Pure Love scenes between the protagonist and the heroine will be unlocked. In one of the good endings, the male protagonist can take the heroine’s virginity.

Q7. Does the game have any combat or battle systems?

A: No. There are currently no combat elements in this title.

Q8. When will Her Fall in the Last Days be released on Steam? What about the DLC, Neighbor Route, or mobile version?

A: I’m currently working on integrating three language versions and fixing critical bugs for Her Fall in the Last Days. Once that’s done, the game will be released on both Steam and mobile platforms.

The DLC and Neighbor Route will begin development after the current project is finished.

The new title is also planned for release on Steam and mobile.

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Final Notes & Thanks

To close, I'd like to share a small update with you.

I'll be traveling to Japan in early June, mainly to handle some tax-related paperwork, meet with old friends, and push forward a few upcoming collaboration plans. It's also a chance for me to take a short break and recharge a little.

Because of that, I might not be able to devote my full attention to game development for a short while. I hope you’ll understand.

That said, I’ll do my best to ensure the development stays on track, and my personal schedule won’t affect major progress. Still, plans can always shift unexpectedly, so if next month’s update or in-game content appears slower than usual, I hope you’ll be patient with me.

Also, all paid content and preview CG will be updated both in this post and the previous one, so subscribing to either one will give you access to everything — no need to subscribe twice.

And just a reminder: once the preview page goes live in July, the demo will be available completely for free. So if you’re only interested in checking out the demo, you can simply wait until then to enjoy it.

Thank you again for all your support and understanding.

It’s your encouragement and enthusiasm that keep me moving forward.

This post ended up being a bit long — thank you for sticking with me to the end.

See you next time!

— LactoQuest

Here’s a quick look at some of the upcoming characters:

🐉 Dragon Hero
Age 25. Known as the “Hero of Heroes.”
Strong, composed, and the true leader of the team.
Yet in unseen corners of fate, he’s slowly being consumed.

🪓 Axe Hero
A brawny powerhouse with the vibe of a friendly big brother.
But beneath that cheerful exterior lies something hidden.
His “relationship” with a certain teammate might not be as simple as it seems.

🗡 Female Adventurer
A beautiful and capable warrior who always wears a smile.
She’s the emotional support of the group.
But the choice she makes… tears everything apart.