LordArioch
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News From the Six Realms #49 - March-ing Towards the Future
🕑 Added 2020-03-12 13:22:22 +0000 UTCHello everyone,
Time for our usual monthly update about what we have been up to here at Venus Noire. We've been having another good month on the business side, last month we broke 10k for the first time on Patreon, and we are just about to hit 5k sales over on Steam (and are only 3 reviews shy of earning a "Very Positive" rating, so if you still need to write one *hint hint*). As always, we will push on as best we can, and maybe we can keep this upturn going. :)
I haven't got a lot to say about the release, so I am going to talk about something else (which we'll get to in a minute), other than we are continuing to work on it as discussed last month. There might be one small hiccup as I haven't heard from MDN in a few days (which isn't like him), hopefully it is nothing, but worst-case scenario, we already have last month's CGs (and Sommy is doing another group sex illustration) and I will use these to release the update on time, and then follow up with any missing CGs in a second release ASAP.
Anyway, now that Rastedel is nearly almost finished (oh Lordy, praise Jesus), I thought it'd be a good idea to talk a little about what we are planning to do next. I know I have mentioned it before, but here's a little more detail:
Mechanics overhaul - There's been complaints about the mechanics for a while now, so Rein designed an entire new system in order to address them. This system will allow you to specialize in things such as stealth, deception, etc. using "levels", allowing you to pass checks without random dice rolls, eliminating some of the frustration. Our python coder (who does all the work beyond my skill level), Dragoon, coded the core of this system a few months ago, but we haven't had time to test it due to Rastedel. Now that is pretty much behind us, implementing the new mechanics will be one of our top priorities.
Map update - We are also looking at ways to improve the map. Sommy would like a bit more visual flair, so he is in discussions with Dragoon about what can be done on that front. We'll also be looking at adding quality of life improvements that have been requested in the past (such as a zoom out function, to view more of the map), as well as adding more content to the east side (more villages, resources, and the upcoming Goblin quest).
NPC arcs - Moving on to the writing side of things, we'll be working on giving every major character in the castle a narrative arc that incorporates player choice. The reason we slowed down a bit on character events was that we wanted to move from random events to ones that told a story, so we have been planning for a few months. There are already two of these arcs in the game that have made significant progress (Winter's Helayna events, and Rein's Cliohna ones), and each major NPC will be getting a similar arc. These will be a series of events that shape Rowan's relationship with the people around him, and play out differently depending on your choices. They will not only affect things in act one, but also in future acts.
Other arcs - We've also been doing a lot of planning on the other two arcs that take place in Rosaria, the fey arc, and the goblin arc. Hooky is going to be getting back to mostly working on the fey arc now that Rastedel is pretty much done, so you'll be seeing some of that in the next few months. We'll also be starting on the goblin recruitment narrative in the future, but there'll be more on that nearer the time.
Act Two - We have also been spending a lot of the time in the last few weeks plotting act two. As we get nearer to the end of the first act, we'll be trying to find time to work more on act two to make the transition as seamless as possible. We need to figure out a few things, like how to best import act one data, and look at opportunities to improve the game in a completely new build, but our main goal is to avoid a long delay between the end of act one and the beginning of act two.
So, that's it for today. A bit of a long one this month, but hopefully this will have been of interest to most of you. I'll be doing the CG poll in a few days, and then, assuming everything goes well as usual, the release will be on the 29th (as mentioned in the last news post).
Comments
Marcus Shepherd
Did someone say G O B L I N S ?
Lord Arioch
Thanks for letting me know, will take a look when I get the chance and sort those issues out. :)
Scott Carter
As for the first question, I've been keeping several saves, so I was able to figure out the problem; there are two bits of dialogue that run that seem to be on different relationship levels, but both run. They happen after the line: "He graced with a soft smile. He stopped by her desk, and she could see a folded up note on it, no doubt just left by him." "Her" is also missing in that sentence, but that's minor. There's also a bit with separate bedrooms that seems to run whether Rowan and Alexia are supposed to have them or not. As for the second, that makes perfect sense. Of course Andras would continue being a shitheel. I also notice he gets a lot more threatening if Alexia continues refusing him Thanks a lot; I'm sure it must be a lot of your time having to read so many comments, but I really appreciate your taking the time to answer.
Lord Arioch
It will be bimonthly releases. Whether the gap will be two months before the end of act one and two is too early to say, might be slightly longer. Too many factors to say now.
Lord Arioch
"Some of the Rowan/Alexia dialogue at the beginning seems to be messed up. " How so? Can't really answer this, too vague. As for the second question, it turns off the follow up events, not the harassment as Andras would still harass her whether she wants him to or not.
N L P adult story's 18+
Nice.
Can't wait for goblins!
TCoffin
As one of the three or so goblin fans on this kickstarter, I'm hoping the goblin arc has plenty of opportunities for sexual hijinks like the Orcaid.
VitAnyaNaked
Yes, I think it’s better to avoid any delays in the transition from the first to the second act, I think you will succeed with this.
Scott Carter
Shaya - definitely Shaya.
Robert Arctor
Great news! Mechanics update sounds great, as do the NPC arcs. I'm sure everyone has their favorites ;)
Requiem
Speaking of Helayna, is there going to be any further content for her on the arc where Rowan did not claim her? She still ends up in the palace, and then she escapes, but will there be an option that instead keeps her there so Alexia, Rowan, and her can begin a sex triangle? Also, for the arc where Rowan let's her train as a warrior, it doesn't seem like it went to far, and that she became a bed slave anyways...
Scott Carter
Also, how is Part Two going to be handled? Are there going to be bimonthly releases once things have reached a certain point, or will it be handled differently? I thought this had been addressed before, but I don't remember seeing the post about it. We'll be very happy to see more of Helayna's bedslave training, if that's on tap.
Scott Carter
I have a couple of questions about "Powerless". Some of the Rowan/Alexia dialogue at the beginning seems to be messed up. The choice not to go to the throne room doesn't switch off Andras x Alexia NTR the way refusing Jezera in "In Her Hands" does; I thought that that was the point of making that choice.
Polar_Bear
Been eagerly awaiting the mechanics update. I've been holding off playing any of the releases until that comes, since I find that I get bored/annoyed playing through content I've already seen several times before when a mechanics update makes me restart fresh (this game hasn't done that, but other games I've followed have, and it never ceases to frustrate me). So, I'm ready for that changeover and then finding a whole ton of content I've not actually played through yet.
![[takeostudios]](https://runfaps.com/kistorage/106010.jpg)
