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DD#46 The Early Access Release

Hi, everyone.
After quite a few months, hundreds of updates, we are finally here at the early access.
First, let's start with an early access release trailer.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
It may not be a great trailer. But, at least, we are getting somewhere.

The development is not all that smooth.
The engine is old. It has its limitations.
The life sometimes kicks in, requiring my attention elsewhere.

But, I choose to make this game with this ancient engine and do almost all the things all by myself, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because the project carries over a promise from 17 years ago; because there are memories I am unwilling to let go.

RMXP is the first game engine in my life that I tried to make a large-scale project.
It starts as a fan-game of an online game called Stone Age 17 years ago.
When I was that young, it's almost like I have all the time in the world that I can use to make games.
However, it turns out that's not totally true.
I got carried away with studying, working, and fulfilling others' expectations from time to time.
I am now relatively free from all the boring works, no need to worry too much about money as I learned how to play around in the stock market, and my job as a lawyer pays well.

But, what price have I paid?
Stone Age Online is no more.
The entire RPG Maker community in Mainland China is almost dead.
And the official support of the RMXP engine has been dropped.
I got many friends lost contact. Some of them even passed away.

One day, I was playing Cyberpunk 2077 and heard a song.
I realized maybe I shall not just let things be like that.
Those memories shall not just fade away.
Thus, I packed all the legacy from this old project, replaced all the art/audio assets, wiped the world, and started anew. And, here we are, on Steam.

It's not the most beautiful game on Steam.
It's not the most fun game on Steam.
There are bugs. There are ugly UIs.
There may be compatibility problems on the latest Windows system.
Even the story can go grimdark can make people feel uncomfortable sometimes.

Maybe, It is just an ancient game's final reverberation as it's quite likely nobody will ever make a game with all the crazy features this ancient game engine can achieve. After that, maybe it's the end of an era.

The end of the world may not be a big boom.
Instead, it may simply just be things in life, cease to be remembered.
Maybe one day, we will all be forgotten just like many others.
At least, today is not that day.
For our early access just starts!

I hope, the game is still be something that is enjoyable.
Please let me know what you think.
Leave a review or comment about this game.
Maybe we can shape the future together before everything comes to an end.

Public Beta Version 20211207

English
#########Content################
The alternative art style game versions known as the Dark Toon and Dark Toon Lite have been updated to 20211206
简体中文
#########Content################
可选的其它美术风格版本“黑暗童话”和“黑暗童话轻量版”现在已经被更新到了20211206

Public Beta Version 20211206

English
#########Content################
Added two documents of UPEP3002 and dialogue options after reading each of them.
Added a bit more details when you ask UPEP3002 about what happened in Site Demeter.
#########Debug#################
Fixed a bug that the weather effect duration is halved. (This is a RMXP engine bug in default script.)
简体中文
#########Content################
加入了两篇关于UPEP3002的文档,以及每份文档阅读后对话选项。
加入了当向UPEP3002问起在德米特到底发生了什么的时候的一些细节。
#########Debug#################
修复了一个造成天气效果时长只有一半的BUG。(这个是RMXP引擎默认脚本的BUG)

DD #45 Containment Breaches Further

Hi, everyone. Welcome to another week's developer's diary.

This week's main focus is on extending the story content of the side quest known as the containment breach. I will try to make this diary spoiler-free.

Two gates previously locked in the quarantine sector of Site Demeter are now unlockable. Some toy cars were added as a bonus.

After getting through those two gates with the help of our hacking skills and...the toy cars, we will finally meet the director of Site Demeter. A 40-second action cutscene will play and a Boss fight will start.

The cutscene itself may contain spoilers.
So, I will just post one frame of it here.

It's rendered into 1920*1080.
However, the RMXP engine cannot handle that without losing some compatibilities to old machines that I still don't want to drop support. Thus, the game will use a 640*480 version of the cutscene.
Let me know if anyone wants the original size version of this cutscene.
I may decide to post it somewhere else later.

After that, we are going to see the part of the unethical experiment of this facility.
I do not enjoy making such content.
But, there are villains driven by their dark desires, committing atrocities in this world.
Things will be even darker when we find out how they become villains in the first place.

That's for this week.
The game will be released into early access on her birthday.
That's next week.
I will put an additional dairy by then, to provide more details.

Here are some plans for now:
1, The public beta that's known as the demo will continue updating till the main story in Queensmouth comes to an end. Previously, I planned to finish this part by the release date of early access. However, I got delayed while also trying to add some additional unscheduled content here and there all the way in the last few months. But, anyway, I am just not satisfied to leave the public beta in such a state.
Meanwhile, I can't delay the early access release date as the date itself means a lot even to the in-game story.
As a result, the public beta period will extend even after the game is released into early access.
Thus, the purchase of the game will not be necessary for a while longer.

2, However, in order to thank everyone who wishlisted or followed this game, the game will release into early access with a discount and a price that will be the lowest historical price of all times for the first week.

3, From there, the price will slowly increase as more content gets added to the game. The first price increase will likely take place when the main story in Queensmouth is done. But, honestly, I can't predict when that will happen. There are a lot more contents I want to add.


Today's changelog:
#########Content################
[Containment Breach]
The story continues.
The second gate in the quarantine sector can be unlocked.
Added a 40-second cutscene. (It can be skipped by clicking ESC or the right mouse button.)
Added a Boss fight.
#########System#####################
the "counter-attack" tag in the code is now English. (Previously it was in Chinese. Thus, it may cause some unknown issues in some systems.)

Public Beta Version 20211201


English
#########Content################
Extended the side story "Containment Breach" to the point where the first gate of the quarantine sector can be unlocked.
Added 4 more toy car variations. (Red, Blue, Yellow, Pink.)
#########Debug#################
Fixed a bug that the Servant of Bazaar is showing debug information when you sell love story to him.
简体中文
#########Content#################
支线剧情“收容失效”的剧情发展到了解锁隔离部第一道大门的位置。
加入了四种新的玩具车家具造型。(红色,蓝色,黄色,粉红色)
#########Debug#################
修复了你在向巴扎的仆人贩卖爱情故事的时候会出现debug信息的BUG