The Last Werewolf News

Hey all!

Just in time for PAX Australia 2024, here is a quick patch update.


[h3]Additions and Updates[/h3]

• Updated some of the dialogue to reflect the characters better and have the information flow smoother.
  
• Added new original music to the wolf investigation scenes - "Mystery Grove" by Chris Head.
  
• Added skip button to opening cut scene of Chapter Two.
  
• Updated Credits.
  
• Additional triggers for the Wolf Meter have been added.
  

[h3]Bug Fixes and Tweaks[/h3]

• Collider issues across multiple scenes have fixed.
  
• The dialogue portraits in some conversations were not displaying properly. This has been fixed.
  
• Music for Chapter Two’s opening cut scene has been fixed.
  
• During the abandoned building part of the tour, there were issues with the top left buttons being active during conversations. This has been fixed.
  
• Tweaked the welcome message at the very start.
  
• Tweaked the Quick Tutorial notes that appear right after the opening cut scene of Chapter One.
  
• Caught and fixed some spelling errors.
  
• If you forget the lavender, Lachie no longer lies to the Witch.
  
• Tweaked some 3D objects - either moved or removed.
  

[h3]Hello again![/h3]

First up, you may have noticed the change in announcement titles. As the updates have evolved since I started, they've shifted away from being just DevLogs and more towards community-focused updates, so the name has been tweaked to reflect this better. Especially with today’s announcement; Number 10!!!


[h2]Demo Out Now[/h2]
Chapter One has now been released as the official demo of the game, allowing people to try it out before deciding whether they’d like to support the project.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3136110/The_Last_Werewolf_Demo/


[h2]Lite Chapter Two has been released[/h2]
Earlier this week, I quietly released a lite version of Chapter Two on Steam. This version focuses primarily on the overall narrative of Chapter Two, though a few features are still missing, such as Lachie’s Diary, Investigations on Night Two, and the Clinic as a location. These will be added in a future minor update - at which point we'll shout it from the rooftops! As always, we'd love your thoughts on the process.

You can find the full list of updates here: Version 0.2.0.0


[h2]A New ‘Temporary’ Trailer[/h2]
I put together a new trailer featuring some of the content from Chapter Two, along with the launch of the new song Snarled Breath, written and performed by Jessica Della Vecchia. This track is the main theme song for the game, and we hope you love it!

Please keep in mind, that as we approach the full release, we’ll have a professionally made trailer.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]The Message of the Game[/h2]
With the release of Lite Chapter Two, I felt it was the right time to share why we’re taking extra care in how this story is told. Lachie’s journey of self-discovery serves as a metaphor for the challenges and experiences of living with Bipolar Disorder. Too often, stories focus on just one aspect of bipolar, which can lead to stigmatisation and misunderstandings. I wanted to create a narrative that emphasises the complexities, rather than just the most dramatic elements.

So, just how true to life are the experiences being depicted? Well, given that this is a supernatural story starring a werewolf, you can imagine we've taken some creative liberties by using symbolic elements to represent real-life experiences. As we get closer to the full game release, we'll be sharing documentation that explores these comparisons in more detail.

Content Awareness: There are discussions of suicide within the game. These themes become more prominent starting in Chapter Two. While there are no graphic depictions, the story includes significant moments that aim to foster understanding and open dialogue about these issues.


[h2]Upcoming Events[/h2]
Over the next month, we’ll be showcasing The Last Werewolf at two large events in Australia. The first is Pixel Expo in Perth, WA, and the second is PAX Aus, in the PAX Rising area, in Melbourne, VIC. At these events, we’ll be demoing the game and music, as well as selling a limited amount of merchandise. If you’re in the area, please swing by and say hi!




[h2]Streaming Update[/h2]
I wanted to let you all know that I'm currently not streaming regularly on Twitch, and for now, my streams will be more ad hoc. If you'd like to catch them, consider following me on Twitch to get alerts when I go live. Also, the VODs will be available for up to 7 days after each stream, so you can watch them at your convenience.


[h2]Updated Art[/h2]
Check out some of the art that's been recently updated. A big thanks to Skye Wolken for the awesome work!

Hey everyone,

Just a quick update on the following fixes:

• Added Content Advisory to the main menu.
  
• Added End of Chapter Advisory for additional support.
  
• Fixed a typo at a crucial moment in the story.
  

Hello all,

We're excited to announce the release of a lite version of Chapter 2! This early release focuses on the narrative aspects of the chapter. While some sections are still locked off, they will be rolled out in future minor updates; such as Lachie's Diary in Chapter 2 and Magazines available at the shop.

As always, we welcome your feedback! Feel free to share your thoughts via the Steam Community Hub or our Discord channel.

A detailed community announcement will follow shortly, outlining more information.

Additionally, we've made a series of updates and fixes. We hope you enjoy this update!




[h3]Mini-Major Update[/h3]

• Lite version of Chapter Two
  

[h3]Art Overhaul[/h3]

• The Lore section of the journal has received a much-needed revamp.
  
• The case pics on Lachie's Spooky Tales' website now look pretty cool—and I love them!
  
• Wolf Shifting cutscenes have been remade with a new art style.
  
• The book covers at the library now look like books you actually want to buy. Yes, those previous books were being judged by their covers.
  
• The town maps now look like cute mementos.
  
• Daniel received a brand-new portrait.
  

[h3]New Sounds[/h3]

• A new song has been added to the main menu! It's the instrumental version of 'Snarled Breath' by Jessica Della Vecchia. (You will notice this one in the upcoming trailer.
  

[h3]Gameplay Enhancements[/h3]

• Added a reload button that allows you to reload the scene. This will reset all variables for the scene but retain all previous progress.
  

[h3]Bug Fixes and Tweaks[/h3]

• Damn it, Daniel! He’s received a second warning. Now, as long as you ask him about himself first, you can leave the conversation on Day One without going through everything.
  
• The Wolf button in the Lore section of the Journal has been fixed.
  
• I’ve adjusted the audio levels of the music.
  
• Slight adjustments have been made to the post-processing settings for the wolf player.
  

[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.