24/07/2021 Patreon Devlog

Hi everyone! Time for this weeks devlog!

Here we go. OwO

This Week's Summary:

• Coded Morgan's expressions up through chapter 8 (Caleb's route)
• Coded all character entries/exits through chapter 8 (Caleb's route)
• Worked on some new BGs + variations
• Worked on a mini-CG
• Worked on building Ari's flowchart images.

The Ramble:

Okay so the ramble.

This week I worked on coding Morgan's expressions and everyone else's entries/exits. For the record, I do actually code in some expressions besides Morgan's even if I'm focusing on hers. Particularly in one on one scenes with Morgan and just one other person. Where I usually don't code in everyone else is group scenes.

But it can be kind of hard to quantify since I don't really keep track of how many scenes I code for other characters. I just know I've coded in "some" expressions for everyone else so far.

I also had to pause and work on some background images again.

In case, I had made the BG variation but apparently never saved it for some reason so I had to go hunt it down and save it (that was fun since I've moved computers since then).

I also had to make some additional "dream sequence" BGs and that took about a day to work out because those BGs are not really proper environments like, say, a room. They're just weird images Morgan sees in her head. LoL So I had to play around with how exactly I wanted to set those up.

Finally - Caleb's route is a little more complicated plot-wise compared to a lot of the other routes. There's an action sequence in Chapter Five with two one-off "extras" that I initially thought I would not need sprites for.

But as I started coding the expressions in that scene I realised that one of them was going to need *some* kind of image. But I also wasn't sure a sprite was going to serve the purpose either.

I ended up deciding that I was going to do a sort of mini-CG there of the character. So I sketched that out just to ensure I could get it to look the way I wanted. So that took a day.

Finally, I worked on starting to set up Ari's flowchart images.

Here is a secret.

Flowcharts are a huge pain in the butt. True story.

So I actually really love the idea of showing a flowchart - especially for a game like Gilded Shadows with a lot of significant "hidden" branches.

By this, I mean branches that the player may not realise they're passing through. This can include choices within choice scenarios. So you choose choice B but don't realise that choice A had additional choices within it that led to more scenarios. Another example of a hidden branch would be the personality branches. It's not written in a way where you always realise that there's going to be a different variation of that moment - and some of the personality based branches are pretty significant. Finally, stat-based branches (so those you get from having your "affection" points high enough) can pass by without the player realising.

I think flowcharts are really useful for showing the content the player isn't seeing on their first time through the game. And I will probably try to include flowcharts on at least some of my projects going forward (probably with really simple branching or few "hidden" branches" don't really need them in my opinion. But they're good for games structured like GS).

ANYWAY. The reason they're a pain is just that you have to actually make the flowchart images. And it's a little time consuming. I have a file full of all the little modules. I use an additional one full of different "connector" shapes (though I still have to make 'custom' connectors sometimes depending how the branching connects up).

I first build a template for myself in diagrams.net so I know what it needs to look like, then I use that to create the actual flowchart in photoshop. It's another one of those things that isn't difficult so much as just kind of time consuming. After I make it, I have to go code the individual screens for each chapter's flowchart. Then I have to go put in the individual lines of code that unlocks the flowchart as you encounter each scene.

Ari's initial chapters have very simple branching but it'll get a bit more complex as the route continues.

Sneak Peeks and Previews:

Alieeeeeeen circuits.

Upcoming Week:

Same as last week, really. Expressions and flowcharts.

Maybe a bit of art (CGs or BGs) and the like as well. I know that Caleb needs an additional outfit I'd forgotten about. So when I get to that part of the route, I'll probably take some time to pause and take care of that.

As I typed this I just remember I'd given him an additional hairstyle for when they're training and I haven't been using it. >=o

So I need to go back and put in that hairstyle too. LoL. *writes that down on her to-do list*

Anyway, that's it for this week. I will see you all next time.

(Still waiting to ship out Ari's route for beta testing until I have his flowcharts done.)