B.E.S.T News

Hello B.E.S.T.I.E.S!

Part 1 is complete, and we’re now working on Part 2! The scenes are already written, the coding is partly done—what’s left are the images and animations.



Here’s a quick recap of the Beta along with the changelog:

Phone Updates:

Character biography section
Integrated gallery/replay feature
OnlyStan app
New customization options
Notification system to let you know when you can send messages
Comment system in OnlyStan that directly impacts the gameplay

New Challenge:

Updated ranking system with a few surprises!
Option to toggle save name displays
New scenes tied to the girls you’re pursuing
Multiple possible outcomes for the challenge depending on your results

That wraps up what’s been included in Part 1!



For Part 2, we’ve got some scenes left to complete with the girls, plus a special scene tied to your comments on OnlyStan. And, of course, the second match!

New Feature Coming in Part 2: The Talent Tree!
Once you reach 10 points in a stat (Buddy, Education, Sport, or Temperament), you’ll unlock the talent tree for that stat. You’ll then be able to choose one talent from the available options, with additional talents becoming available every 5 points.

These talents will open up new possibilities in certain scenes or challenges, creating unique variations depending on the talents you use.

For example: during a match, if you’ve unlocked the Resistance talent in the Sport category, you’ll be able to keep going even after a rough tackle. While others might lose the ball, you’ll stay on your feet and continue the action.

That’s the kind of gameplay depth we’re aiming for!

Let us know what you think—we’d love to hear your feedback!



Alright, I’ll leave it here for now—there’s still a lot of work to do, and the Visual Novel Festival is just around the corner. We’d love for you to have the episode ready by then!

Have a great weekend, everyone!



– Dolyla

Happy New Year, B.E.S.T.I.E.S! 🎉

I truly hope you're enjoying this festive season! Lots of gifts and new games to try out, right?
As for us, things are speeding up!

The first part of Episode 4 is complete and will move into testing once we've ironed out the coding issues with the new challenge we’ve prepared for you!

We’ve also made plenty of UI adjustments to the in-game phone to offer you more interactions. Since it’s a foundational update, we’ve done our best to get it right so we won’t need to revisit it later, allowing us to focus on advancing the story.

You’ve already seen our new application, OnlyStan.
We’ve also added a "biography" section for the game’s characters. You saw the initial version last time—now here’s the "final" version:





Initially, we had a white background... but several players suggested a "dark mode" or a less bright color to reduce eye strain. So, we’ve tried a few options, and this is where you come in:

WHICH COLOR DO YOU PREFER? The original white? The more formal gray? The blue that matches the game’s color scheme? Or the retro-style pink? Let us know your choice in the comments!

Here’s the "final" design for the character profile page:



The little hearts update dynamically based on your relationship progress with each character. These features lay the groundwork for the characters, so please share your thoughts! We’re excited to hear from you.



Now, we’re moving on to the second part of Episode 4, which will be far less "technical" and much more visual.

Part 2 will focus on visuals, renders, animations, and the second match. While Part 1 undergoes testing to ensure all the changes to the phone and the new challenge function smoothly and don’t corrupt your saves, we’ll be advancing Part 2. Our main goal is to deliver the full episode before the next Visual Novel Festival in March.

As for our roadmap this year, here’s the plan:

• Complete Episode 4 by early March at the latest.
  
• Episode 5 by July at the latest.
  
• Episode 6 by December at the latest (including a rework of Episode 1’s translation).
  

We’re really aiming to stick to these deadlines and deliver as much content as possible throughout the year to keep the adventure going.

Regarding the game, more and more of you are playing, and we thank you for that! The game’s review score is steadily climbing (77% positive) as it works its way back to its original score (83%) before Episode 3 and the quiz. 😉 Thanks to the adjustments we made and the option for players to participate or skip challenges, it seems we’ve found a good balance that satisfies more players.

If you haven’t already, please consider leaving a review on Steam to share your thoughts and, if you’re enjoying the game, to support us and help boost the score back to 80%, which would restore our "Very Positive" rating!



Well... That’s a lot of talking with not much in the way of previews...



But we promise to share more images next time!
See you soon!

Dolyla

Hey B.E.S.T.I.E.S.!

It’s been a whole month since our last devlog… That’s way too long! I’ll try to keep you updated more often from now on. 😊

So, what’s been happening over the past month? A lot! We’ve made big strides to bring you the best gaming experience possible. Here’s what’s new:



🛠️ New Features

We’ve been expanding the in-game phone, and as you can see in the screenshot, we’ve added a contacts page!
👉 You can now track your relationship progress with each character through a heart scale.
👉 Plus, you’ll get additional details about the characters, helping you learn more about them while keeping track of your save. Handy, right?



📖 Story Progress

Several scenes are now complete, including renders and animations.

You’ll soon get to meet Madison’s family:

Her daughter might just melt your heart.

As for her mother… well, we can’t wait to hear what you think. 😏

The girls are gearing up for the next B.E.S.T challenge, and trust me, it’s packed with surprises!



For those of you who love Rufus, he’s back too! Keep your eyes peeled for hidden Rufus moments throughout this episode. 🐾

🎯 What’s Next?

We’re now halfway through this episode.

The first part will soon be available for testing on our support platforms.

This will help us squash bugs and fine-tune a few details before releasing the full episode.

If everything goes as planned, the full release should be ready around February!



🌊 A Little Tease…

I’ll leave you with this: Grace is heading back into the water soon. What do you think that means? I can’t wait to see it unfold—how about you?

Thank you all for your incredible support and patience. You’re the BEST!
See you soon for more updates… The girls are waiting, so it’s time to jump back in.

🚨 The Steam Awards 2024: Let’s Shine Together! 🚨

To all the B.E.S.T.I.E.S out there!

The Steam Awards are here, and it’s the perfect opportunity to make our community’s voice heard! We’ve decided to aim for the "Sit Back and Relax" category, and we need YOUR help to show that B.E.S.T deserves its place in this prestigious competition.

🌟 Why this category?

Because our game is more than just a story. It’s a moment to escape, relax, and immerse yourself in a universe filled with emotions and meaningful choices. You’ve shared unforgettable moments with Julia, Madison, Gabriella, and others, and it’s thanks to YOU that this adventure comes to life in every episode.

💡 What happens if we get nominated? A special surprise for YOU! 💡

If we get nominated in this category:

🎭 A bonus exclusive scene will be created for the next episode, featuring the character YOU choose!
👉 Whether it’s a special evening with Ruby, a heartfelt moment with Julia, or an unexpected adventure with Madison, your vote will decide what’s next!

How can you help?
✅ Step 1: Head over to our game’s Steam page.
✅ Step 2: Click on "Nominate this game".
✅ Step 3: Select the "Sit Back and Relax" category.

It’s quick, easy, and every single nomination makes a huge difference. You can also share your screenshots of support on our Discord/Steam forum – we love seeing your enthusiasm! 🎉

Why does it matter?

Participating in the Steam Awards is more than just an honor. It’s a way to show that our community isn’t like any other. It’s a family of passionate fans supporting a game they love and want to see grow. With your help, we can introduce B.E.S.T to even more players worldwide.

Thank you all for your incredible support. Together, we can make this happen. ❤️

🚀 Let’s do this! 🚀

And don’t forget: your choice will shape the future of the game. So, who do you want to see shine in the bonus scene? 😉