All still renders are done for the chapter and the coding is very close to being done. I have 4-5 animations that are yet to be done and then it will be time to release the chapter. There is a lot of discussions regarding how long it takes for devs. to finish their chapters/updates and I have to say, I'd rather do it fast and not have so much riding on one update...but I'm not fast so I'll have to live with it:-) 1st animation cooking, next probably won't happen until next week as I will be out of town for work next hand full of days.
I just started rendering last scene. It will be done today. I was hoping that I would have it done by midday today, but that won't happen. So for you that support me, I feel that there is some "getting to know me" needed. I am in most aspects of my life a realist, but when it comes to this endeavor I tend to be optimistic. I don't see this as a flaw necessarily, but I do think it's a way of moving the project forward without getting tired/overwhelmed by the whole thing. In no way am I trying to pretend to be more productive than I am just to string you supporters along. I just felt the need to express this, since you guys do make a difference in how I feel about making the project and I appreciate the support. Last scene will be finished today. I am still hopeful that I will also manage the animations. There will be a bunch of temp graphics for the character cards, and gallery. This will as I mentioned be a piece at a time project, I won't hold up a release to get it done...with the exception of chapter 10, which will be the last of the current case. I will have all functionality done 100% before releasing that.
Yes, this is quite possibly the last case log before the next chapter is released. I was (my optimistic self) thinking that I would finish the stills today and move to animations on Tuesday, but I still have a half day of renders to finish the chapter sans animations. The grand total as of right now is 917 renders. All coding is done up until scene 14 and working. Working on graphics for Player Card menu and pages. Might be some place holders there. I have decided not to follow the idea that I was going to focus on mop-up work right after the initial release, instead I will focus entirely on rendering and writing chapter 4. As I mentioned, the rendering is what is holding me back, so no reason not to put all available hours on that. I'll work on the to-do list as I go, with minor changes to design and some content. Tuesday could be the last render day for this chapter. At least that is the goal.
Coding finished for scene 11. Post work on images finished for scene 13. Rendering is really the bottle neck. I'm out of town working. I'll do an update as soon as I get a proper render day in. Until then I'll finish up the coding for the chapter.
Today was spent coding and putting images in the right spots. I will continue coding next couple of days to catch up with the renders. I have about a day and a half of rendering to do to finish the chapter. 1 day to finish scene 14 and 15 and half a day for 4 animations or so. If I get a good handle on the new resource that I got, I might do more. I don't know exactly what days I have for rendering this week, but I think I will get one full day in (at least).
What I will do week after the initial release of this chapter.
1. Look for more music.
2. Finish the player cards (some will have temp cards in the initial release).
3. Re-render the shots of the Mayor at the Berg party. (She happens to be exactly the same model as Police Officer Johnson...can't believe that I did that).
4. While I roll out this chapter to all tiers, I'll get on finishing up the writing for chapter 4 and plotting the rest of the case.
Today ended at 859 total renders. I didn't quite get to my goal of finishing scene 14, but I'm working on it. This means that I likely need 2 or 3 more render days to finish (including animations). I will keep you posted as the Chapter becomes fully formed.
So it's actually Sunday! Currently working on scene 13 and render 800 even. I'm aiming to finish scene 13 today/night, and then we will see where we stand tomorrow night (tomorrow is also a full day of rendering. Scenes 14 and 15 bleed into one another but are in a couple of locations. Coding is still on scene 7, mainly because of the additional writing. I'm past most of it, so that should be downhill from here. I will add the player cards and the gallery on this update. Some might be place-holder images (depending on rendering time). Music needs some more time, mainly because it's looking for the right stuff...and it just takes time, which I'm unwilling to sacrifice this go-around.
Yeah, I wasn't even sure that she would get a card at this point, lacking meaningful interaction...but look at those legs. Of course she gets a card:-) Quick mid-week update as we are getting closer to the release. Currently rendering scene 11, coding/rewriting scene 7, post processing images from scene 9. Render total 761. I might go back and redo the player card design and try something more like the nude of Amy with the finger print in the BG to have a more interesting visual concept. Don't worry. If I do that, it won't be done until the final release, when I polish some of the stuff that is a little rough around the edges at this point. My plan is to finish scene 14 renders on Monday. There are 15 total scenes, but I don't have a scheduled render day after that, but will be working to finish up everything else in between. It does feel like the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer (I just hope it's not a freight train. Metallica, No Leaf Clover).
I don't like the time it takes to create a chapter. The real problem I think (after nearly two chapters experience:-) is the lack of continuity that I have for rendering. I get a ton done when I have 3-5 days, but it's not ideal because I over do it. I would love to add a couple of rendering hours each and every day. That would immediately add 5-10 renders per day that's 150-300 a month, which would make a two month chapter turn around not only possible, but very likely. So thinking long term I'm trying to solve that particular problem first. It's the bottle neck that I think both you guys and I could live without. My plan is to maybe be able to make this a part time job at some point, but that can't happen if I have to spend 4 moths per update. You guys have been incredibly patient and supportive. The only realistic solution to the problem is to invest in a laptop that is powerful enough to render. I think I can do that this summer, until then, the pace is what it is. Once that is a reality, I will aim for each chapter to be done in 2 months. I have some fun plans for the next couple of cases (will poll which goes first when we get a little closer). A case per 20 months sounds pretty good. I also have some ideas for another project, but that is obviously a thing of the future. Anyhow, I don't intend to disappear anytime soon...despite seeming slow to the punch;-)
Is it Sunday yet? No. But I want to communicate my progress. I guess Saturday will have to do. I ran into a real problem with logic in the setup of scene 9. I changed it a bit to make more sense and I got a little bonus opening for the future. Downside? We got a little less of YuJun, but she will be featured later on. The flashback scene crashed a few times and I decided to trim it a little in the interest of getting this chapter finished soon. As of this moment, I am rendering scene 10, total renders 736. I'm trying to remain positive. I would be happier if I was rendering scene 15 right now, but today was a good day. Will try to continue the streak tomorrow. The sisters certainly make me happier.
Thursday was a bummer of a render day. I created the jungle environment (really just expanded on what I already had, but had to bring in some ground tiles that were more grassland that I could build a village on. Then I created some villagers, realized that it looks dumb to have a bunch of 20 somethings only in the village...bought one of the aging assets. Finish all the characters only to have the whole thing crash as I started the first render. Characters were saved, but not posing or environment. My own fault. So Thursday was a massive let down in number of renders, but we got 4 to take us up to 700 chapter 3 total. So last week I rendered just shy of 150 images, which is a massive step in the right direction. I took Friday off. Last couple of days have been coding and image post work. Scene 5 is almost fully coded. I hope to catch up to scene 9 before Friday, when I will continue rendering.
I realize that it's not Sunday...hell, it's not even the weekend. I missed an update, so midweek update feels ok. Today I hit 696 total renders for chapter 3, I think we will hit 1000+ by the time it's done. I read the last 6 chapters to prepare for the final stretch today. It's my favorite chapter so far. Hoping to finish scene 9 tomorrow, then focus on catching up with coding during the week when I can't render a lot. End of January release should be possible. Flashback from the war. Everyone might not make it out alive. Pecker, of course, will survive to tell the story.
Finished the day at the grand total of 623! Still scene 8. I'm expecting to move into scene 9 some time tomorrow...not sure when, but I have a good feeling that it will be sooner rather than later. And I'm pretty excited about the next scene. I'm not sure I will share any renders prior to next release from the flashback...don't want to give it away.
I'm sorry that I missed a case log and this is really more of a status check than anything else. I haven't gotten more than a handful of renders done and some coding since last case log, but that is about to change. I am starting a 5 day render frenzy today. I will keep you posted on the numbers. The short goal is finishing scene 9. That is the last large scene in the chapter. I want to promise much closer to the final product, but I will start with a manageable goal and then we can see where it goes. Expect daily updates here and on Discord. Yujun is, of course, part of the scene 9 flashback.
Would you as the player want the Player Cards for ALL the characters in the Pecker Universe? LIs, Supporting cast and the male characters, or is it just the LIs that are important? I'm leaning toward the characters that Pecker interacts with, up to you guys though.
