September 1 Update
Added 2019-09-01 21:25:50 +0000 UTCFirst, check out the art commissioned by Argo the Ratfolk! I think the exact scene is clear enough from context. It's nice to see such a comfy, personal scene illustrated. ^-^
I've gotten over a hurdle for the release: updating dialogue all around the world. This always takes me a bit, even when the changes aren't major. In retrospect I wish that I had somehow balanced things differently so that the chapter ended now and the player didn't get to explore again until the last chapter, but I think another chance to invest (and try the optional dungeon) is best for the game. In any case, when the fifth chapter begins, it will update the entire world, including NPCs that haven't usually updated.
To take my mind off the less enjoyable part, I've also written up basically all the dialogue and scenes for the next update. Can I put it all together by Friday? I really should be able to, since this isn't the biggest of updates. You'll hear from me either Friday or Sunday.
Last time I said the internet was fickle and random, and as if to prove me right, out of nowhere Street Cultivation jumped up to #344 on the whole store! It's still in the 300s and I have absolutely no idea why. =/ I mean, it's nice to reach so many readers, but it feels like the God of the Amazon Algorithm just smiled on me for no reason.
Comments
Again I ABSOLUTELY love the new artwork!!!!
AJ_Dragon
2019-09-03 02:10:42 +0000 UTCThe poll was fun, but it was also more time-consuming than I expected. I've been thinking that I should probably hold off on another one until the end of the game. Though a point system is an interesting way to handle multiple votes, I don't think I can calculate that automatically, which would mean I have to do a whole lot of addition by hand. I was thinking of letting people just cast one vote for a specific number of characters.
Sierra Lee
2019-09-02 21:04:22 +0000 UTCAlso, will there be an "epilogue" chapter after chapter 5 where we can still explore the world and see the effect of the ending? Maybe a celebratory orgy, haha.
MadChemist19
2019-09-02 17:44:44 +0000 UTCCongrats on your book successes so far, hope to see many more! Onto TLS, I have a couple more ideas for consequences to your actions, though this time from investments affecting investments. Its going back a bit but out of the 3 trades you can invest in after the 3AW only the new givini trade has extra effects (relating to the givini orc merchant). I was wondering if it would make sense for the other 2 to have extra effects, like the Chalice States trade reducing the givini tunnels investment cost by 100,000 - 300,000 ProN and the Tak'kan trade reducing something like Cee'kan shipping by 100,000 - 200,000 ProN and the slum housing trade upgrade by 25,000 - 50,000. Or change Tradesmasher's guild investment price like the orc merchant. That's my preference speaking, reducing the price. You could have it that those investments are a bit more pricy to begin with instead though. Just an idea to make a few decisions seem a bit more tangible. Maybe you could reduce the price of something if you have all three? Like the givini teahouse chain, maybe with all three trades its easier for them to establish their chain across the former Incubus emperor's domains. Maybe all three could be what reduces the givini tunnels investment, or just the ng and CS trades. Like, I hope the investments in Kyangan, especially Iris' and Lynine's, have multiple effects rather than just "here's more ProN" or here's a couple more country stat points. Though I suppose there could be an upcoming erosia country score check that Iris's and Lynine's will help with. Also, if Yelarel pushed for moderate change instead of light change during the succubi acceptance vote during gawnfall, maybe have her gasm falls Ivalan church investment go down (or up, not sure) a bit, by like 50,000 to 150,00, so there's a bit of an immediate difference between the two reforms.
MadChemist19
2019-09-02 17:35:42 +0000 UTCHey Sierra, I accidentally stumbled upon the old 2017 TLS poll while on the wiki and it got me thinking that since chapter 4 is soon to be rounded up, if we could have another official character fan poll. I think it's fair to say that both the game itself and the community has changed since then and it would be interesting to see how that could be reflected in a character poll. Now I'm not a polling expert, nor a stats bachelor, but one of the problems you mentioned with the last one was that it was a one vote system where people voted multiples in. If you do end up doing it, I would suggest a point based system where voters can pick say five characters, then rank them in order of most liked. The number 1 on that voters list would then be given five points, number 2 would be given 4 and so on.
aosdh
2019-09-02 17:19:20 +0000 UTCGreat! Feel free to mention if any NPCs seem out of date. I intentionally left those with complex commentary on Gawnfall, but I probably missed some others.
Sierra Lee
2019-09-02 15:15:08 +0000 UTCI always have a blast with world updates, looking forward to this one.
A1llas
2019-09-02 08:40:07 +0000 UTCI'm glad you like the piece, which I do think is quite nice, but I'm afraid we'll have to disagree on that. I don't think art like this would be a good choice for TLS overall.
Sierra Lee
2019-09-02 01:22:42 +0000 UTCI have specific plans for certain minor NPCs, but with that guy, I'm honestly not sure. He just showed up as an amusing idea while I was making that map. You're correct on the latter part. My brain is assuming that I'm not going to find the same success with The Brightest Shadow and (irrationally) being preemptively disgruntled. I do think that this success has nothing to do with my assorted promotional efforts, so I doubt it's replicable. It's a story I'm committed to as much as TLS, though, so I'll definitely be going forward with it. If I can manage to build a similarly wonderful audience, that will be enough for me. ^-^
Sierra Lee
2019-09-02 01:20:26 +0000 UTCWell, well, well... Have to give it to Argo the Ratfolk - that is one excellent illustration. See, the problem with art in TLS (IMHO of course) that it absolutely must be top notch, otherwise it adds to that cheap, plasticy feeling that RPG maker gives to the emerald of a story that you've created with TLS. It could be just my view, but Argo's work feels much more real (well, as real as you get with succubi), more of a "emerald" kind and much less of RPG maker style. Everything is there, details are truly worked out. Even the way its delivered speaks very highly of the artist's style and vision. Plain A+. If this kind of art would be added into the game.. well.. How much do you think the author would ask to do the whole game? I wouldnt mind chipping in extra to fund that project. No offense to Annikath, but her work is second grade at best compared to this.
Dark Art
2019-09-02 00:55:31 +0000 UTCHmmm I wonder if a certain orc with door and housing problems will have his roller coaster story arc continued after the war. I can see how the out of the blue new popularity on amazon can be a bit of a mixed bag. One part obvious happiness for the success of smashing past your original 1000 goal into 300! (and well deserved success in my opinion!) Yet at the same time I can guess from a future planning stand point it can a bit frustrating to have this kind of 'Algorithm God' divine intervention as it'll be hard to replicate next time if there's no logic us mortals can understand for how it occurred. . If that assumption is the case however I wouldn't worry much. Just as it might have been momentary luck that lead me to find TLS, it's the quality writing that's kept me invested as long as it has. iIf the stars don't shine algorithm wise next time, I'm guessing this success will still lead to you having plenty of readers who find your newest work on there own volition for more that that classic SL style!
WaxerRed
2019-09-01 23:33:16 +0000 UTCHaha, it's a good thing it's in a patron-only post, or a picture that sexy would get me banned from Patreon!
Sierra Lee
2019-09-01 22:39:29 +0000 UTCNot that I can see. I did get a prominent reviewer, a plug from a bigger author, and a successful promo post... but those all happened in the first week. Now that the book is two weeks old, it's at the stage where I was happy just to hold in the top 1000.
Sierra Lee
2019-09-01 22:36:55 +0000 UTCHopefully! It's just that I figured word of mouth was what was keeping me in the top 1000, so I didn't expect it to abruptly swing so far in the other direction.
Sierra Lee
2019-09-01 22:33:01 +0000 UTCI asked Alonon why SC jumped up in rank but he just said it was "destiny". Unrelatedly, found a picture of Raigar in New Game Minus 2: https://i.redd.it/bjs8u87qsui31.jpg
Decanter
2019-09-01 22:27:26 +0000 UTCThe whip is a nice touch. So great having an artist that has actually played the game.
Dubsington
2019-09-01 22:19:27 +0000 UTCDid a review get posted from a reviewer with a particularly good standing?
Dubsington
2019-09-01 22:19:15 +0000 UTCI think Annikath does a better job of matching the characters facially, but this is really nice art. It's got exactly the right mixture of sexiness and soft affection. I like the way that Yarra is cradling Qum with her wings as well as arms, that's a nice touch. Assuming I've identified the scene correctly, I'm going to choose to believe that's the Worn Whip on the cabinet, which meshes nicely with my game's canon where this scene occurs on the last evening of the Gathering.
Lamsey
2019-09-01 22:18:11 +0000 UTCHave you considered that people might be spreading good word of mouth based on the quality of your writing? :)
DukeLeto7
2019-09-01 22:11:23 +0000 UTC
