The Last Werewolf News

[h5]Hey everyone,

It’s time for another quick update. [/h5]


[h2]Minor Update Version 0.1.5.0 has been release[/h2]
While waiting for Chapter Two to be releasable, I decided to push some of the new updates 2 weeks ago. These included features such as dialogue portraits and brightness settings.


[h2]New Marketing Material[/h2]
You may have noticed that the new marketing material has been released across all platforms - a big thanks to Izzy Huizen Art for the amazing work.




[h2]Updated Shifting Videos are coming[/h2]
Here’s a sneak peek at the revamped shifting clips coming soon. Thanks to Izzy Huizen Art.




[h2]A sneak peek at Tainted Bloodlust[/h2]
I’m excited to share this sneak peek of the film that Chapter Two revolves around. Big thanks to Skye Wolken @skyewolken for their amazing work!




[h2]We’re Heading To PAX Aus[/h2]
I’m super excited to announce that we’ll be showcasing the game at PAX Australia in October. If you’re attending the event, make sure you swing by and say hi!

We’ll also have some exclusive merch available at the booth. I’ll be sharing more on this over the next couple of months.





[h2]Delays With Chapter Two[/h2]
I blinked and it was the middle of July.

If you’re reading this part of the DevLog update, then I can tell you’re just as keen to see Chapter Two as I am to release it.

I believe I might have mentioned this before, but being new to running a studio has been one hell of a learning curve and is eating up more time than I thought it would. In the future, there are many things I would approach differently or implement sooner to mitigate risks. But for now, I’m doing the best that I can to manage a lot of different tasks that I’ve never needed to consider before - such as the major admin side of running a studio.

I’ve been considering releasing an early beta version of Chapter Two, which is still missing some of the minor elements, but it would still give players the vast majority of the chapter. Then, I can release the other elements in some minor updates. I feel as the game is still in Early Access, this could be an effective way to not only show that the game is being worked on, but also give you, the players, the chance to let us know if something feels off, or if you are concerned about elements of the story. You could even tell us if you like the direction the story is taking.



[h2]The Latest News Updates[/h2]
In a previous announcement, I mentioned doing Twitch streaming every Sunday (my time). For the last couple of weeks, I haven’t been able to stream dev work, and I hope to pick things up again very soon, once I’ve got a lot of the admin side of things back on track.

Hey Everyone!

While I was going to wait for the next major update to release the following, I’ve opted to push them through now, alongside the Steam Summer Sale.

As always, please give me a shout if there are any issues/bugs and I’ll squash them as fast as I can.


[h2]Minor Update[/h2]

[h3]Features Added[/h3]

- Dialogue Portraits are now in the game 🎉🎉🎉🎉

- Additional Volume Settings. You can now adjust Main, SFX and Music. While tech SFX is still incoming, it’s ready to go when it’s in.

- Brightness Settings. You can now adjust the brightness settings for the game. This will not impact the UI, but the game world. Please let us know if there are any issues with the visuals of the brightness settings.


[h3]Features Updated[/h3]

- The character portraits in the journal. We have replaced the screenshot placeholders with some great illustrations.

- Information about controller inputs has moved to the pause menu and is no longer on the Tablet.

- When you first meet Daniel, he now has the option to leave the convo at an earlier point. I agree. My, my, that man can talk.

- Cursor image improved. This one is a long time coming.

- Removed links to external sites due to grey area with Australian Classification guidelines. Related to online interactivity.

- Updated game credits.

- Updated splash screen to include a shout-out to Screenwest.

- Updated Main Menu image.



[h3]Also Fixed Some Things[/h3]

- Fixed error with WASD interfering with buttons and dialogue choices. You now have proper control of your choices.

- Fixed some UI alerts not showing when they are meant to.

- Fixed the two rats in the park. They were camera shy and kept hidden. Now they’ve been given a little push.

- Adjusted lighting in the final scene when you failed the case. Yeah, even though it was meant to be nighttime, that scene was a bit too dark.

- Inventory buttons are now working properly and not overlapping in some areas. I thought I had fixed this, but Unity was saying that I hadn’t. This has now been fixed. Please let me know if there are any issues.

I’m excited to announce that as we gear up for our first major update, I'll be streaming some of the game’s development work live on Twitch. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to see behind the scenes, learn about new features, and ask me questions.



[h3]🗓️ Stream Schedule for The Last Werewolf[/h3]

Sundays:

• 11 AM - 2 PM (UTC+8)
  
• 3 AM - 6 AM (UTC)
  
• 8 PM - 11 PM (PDT) (Saturday)
  

I might experiment with different times in the future to find the best schedule for everyone. Please check our Twitch schedule for the latest info, and follow us to get alerts for any adhoc sessions.


[h3]🔥 What to Expect:[/h3]

• Sneak peeks of new features and content.
  
• Live coding and design sessions.
  
• Interactive Q&A where you can ask anything about the game and its development, or just hang out and chat.
  

You can follow Unnatural Freaks Studio on Twitch to get notified when we go live. VODs will be available on Twitch for up to 7 days, and selected VODs will also be uploaded to YouTube.

I'm looking forward to having you join me on this development journey!

Hello everyone!

A lot of little things have been happening, as well as some big things. Unfortunately, I’m unable to talk about some of them just yet, and others are rather too boring to dare to write here (admin, I’m looking at you).

I’ve heard some music, I’ve seen some art, and the narrative is getting some polish. I’ll share what I can in this devlog, while I hold my tongue with exciting news I’m eager to share.


[h2]Major Update Two is coming very soon.[/h2]
“But you keep saying that.” I hear you. I do. I feel a lot of anxiety that the delivery date has been extended and extended, and I haven’t hit the deadlines I promised. All I can say is that I’m really sorry, I love the support I’ve received and I am more than appreciative of people’s patience and understanding. Thank you
I have hit the first milestone for Screenwest, which means I can focus solely on Chapter Two. Woo!

Now, technically, I could release a version of Chapter Two in about 2 weeks, however, this would be barebones and similar to what Chapter One was when I first released it on Feb 23. But since Chapter One has received a few updates, I feel this has also upped the standards a little more. Even though we’re technically still in Early Access, I want to make sure that the level of quality aims to be at a point that isn’t vastly less than Chapter One’s current state.

In saying that, I will admit that the wolf-shifting investigation scenes will still be in a simpler form as this is a mechanic that I want to test out with you all. I want to see what you think about the concept before fully committing to it.

[h3]Here are some things to expect from Major Update 2 [/h3]

• Chapter Two (obviously)
  
• Dialogue Portraits and an updated dialogue box
  
• Additional Volume Settings - Main, Music, SFX
  
• Updated Cursor
  
• and more...
  

[h2]Upcoming Marketing Material[/h2]
Currently, we’re working on some new official marketing material. I had been trialling a few different types since I started, but a lot of this was me learning, tweaking and trying something new. However, I’ve now brought someone onto the project who is making something super special! Check out the progress of the concepts. I cannot wait to see the final result! Big thanks to Izzy Huizen Art!




[h2]Events Coming Up[/h2]
This year, I’ll be attending Pixel Expo again. I’m excited to show the locals the progress of the game since last year. This is happening in late September when chapter two and (hopefully) chapter three will be out in Early Access!

I will also be attending another event later this year, which I will officially announce soon. This one I’m super excited for! Now, I’ve just gotta work out the logistics.

Hello everyone!

The project is still alive and being worked on behind the scenes. I was waiting to post a devlog with something visual I could show off, as I’ve been focusing on the programming and admin side of things since the last update. Though… I suppose I could share a screenshot of some interesting code in the future.



[h2]Launched one year ago[/h2]
I cannot believe it has been a year since I’d published this game on Steam. While I had hoped to have all three chapters out by this time, the journey has taken a few unexpected turns, which I feel have been for the better. With art and music being made specifically for the game, and some talented programmers to help incorporate more accessibility settings, all thanks to the support from Screenwest.

It’s amazing to see how this little side project has received such amazing support from the community who have taken their time to play the game and let me know their thoughts and experiences. I have loved reading both the good and the not so good feedback as it helps me to understand what it is you are all wanting to see more of within the game to make it stronger.

There were three reasons I took this game into Early Access.

1. To give myself goals and deadlines. Which may seem a bit odd because I’ve missed the few deadlines I’ve had, so I’ve given this an entire subheading below.
   
2. I wanted to show people who are not programmers that it’s still possible to make games without extensive programming skills - don’t get me wrong, you still need a little understanding but playing to your strengths allows you to create something you can share.
   
3. I wanted to build this game alongside a great community. I wanted to hear people’s liked and disliked areas and improve on the game. And, can I say, I have been loving reading the feedback. I have loved reading every single one of them, so thank you to those who have reached out.
   

[h2]Impact of your feedback![/h2]
Here’s an example of how some simple feedback has impacted the overall game: Originally, the ghost in the game was going to be a different character in each case; just popping in to mess with Lachie. However, now, thanks to positive reviews of the ghost in chapter one, I’ve made this character a regular and a strong part of the story. I’m liking this new direction, and I hope you do too.
So please, keep that feedback coming, no matter how big or small.


[h2]Discord[/h2]
I am a profound and proud lurker of Discord channels myself, so please know, if you’re like me, and enjoy lurking, this is definitely a safe space for that. It is the best way to receive updates on the game, with me posting a few progress shots when I have something cool to show off, with potential spoilers blacked out. While the official Devlogs come out every 1-2 months, the discord channel receives the most love from me by posting when I get a new mechanic working or something visual to show, like art of environmental design. And those who love socialising are also most welcome.

I’m not a huge social media person, and while I aim to cater to other platforms, I’m noticing those platforms are becoming less and less friendly to small game dev studios, so Discord is my go-to.




[h2]Some Customisation and Accessibility options are coming[/h2]
There have been a lot of requests here. And I 100% agree with this and I’ll do my best to cater for as many as I possibly can. I do greatly apologise for the delay with this. While working solo, I was learning a bunch of new skills to help achieve this. Thanks to the funding support from Screenwest, I am now able to bring on a skilled programmer who'll be able to incorporate much-needed options. This will mean a slight delay while they get comfortable with the project in its current state.


[h2]Delays[/h2]
Once again, I need to greatly apologise for the production delays. I pushed myself a little too hard at the end of last year and I’ve needed more downtown than originally expected to bounce back. At the moment, outside of resting, I’ve been working to make sure I reach a deadline for the production fund I received as well as bringing contractors on board, and all the other (not so fun) admin that comes with running a studio. Making that jump from solo indie to starting a small studio with contractors was a little more involved than I originally thought.

Now that things have settled, I’ve jumped back into the game engine full-time for the next two weeks, and once I hit Screenwests first milestone, I’ll polish chapter two a little more and release it into public beta.



[h2]Sneak Peeks[/h2]

You have a chance to win a teddy in Chapter two.




The Lore notes will have additional content for Chapter Two.


Lachie goes camping in Chapter Three