AI2U: With You 'Til The End News

[h2][/h2][p][/p][p]We packed a few goodies alongside the bugs we squashed this month—we had to make sure senpais had enough fun distractions to keep you entertained while our team set out to Tokyo Game Show and LA Comic Con!![/p][p]
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[/p][h3]Voice Options[/h3][p]Players now have two voice options for text-to-speech. Choose between the NPCs’ Legacy voices or Enhanced voices to customize your chats to your liking.[/p][p]Remember when Elysia sounded a bit different during her new cabin tour? Now you know what that wild alchemy experiment was about~ 🧙[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][h3]Eddie Ate[/h3][p]Catgirl’s always got some kinda utensil equipped 🔪 Show off your culinary skills to Eddie by gifting her a successfully cooked dish![/p][p][/p][h2]🛠️ Mod Tool is Released![/h2][p]AI2U’s mod feature is now improved. As it’s still in beta, please continue sharing your feedback so our team can further support your chaotic waifu swaps.[/p][p][/p][p]We made a Mod Tool for you! [/p]

• [p]Mod Tool Download Link：https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GEFdVB7wozKAmwuPfC1iZg17TPkNgqSp[/p]
• [p]Mod Tutorial：https://www.alterstaff.io/mod-tutorial/[/p]

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• [p]Updated the Mod feature.[/p]
  • [p]Rig binding and model importing are now split between the AI2U External Mod Creation Tool and the in-game Mod Portal.[/p]
  • [p]Enhanced the rig-binding process in the External Mod Creation Tool for faster, more accurate results.[/p]
  • [p]Players can now apply mods to multiple levels under one interface.[/p]
  • [p]Removed the old mapper feature from the in-game mod page.[/p]

[p][/p][p] [/p][p][/p][h2]NPC Behaviors[/h2]

• [p]In Level 1, Level 2, and the Atrium, NPCs are now more likely to walk to different locations and perform autonomous actions if they trust the player.[/p]
• [p]Added an eating animation for the Catgirl in both Level 1 and the Atrium.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Audio[/h2]

• [p]Added a new NPC voice model option to English, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese languages on the global version. Players can choose between “Legacy TTS” and “Enhanced TTS” in the Settings in the main menu.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]UI/UX[/h2]

• [p]Added build version number in all levels.[/p]
• [p]Updated the Controls tab in Settings.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Bugfixes:[/h2][p]General[/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue that caused the optional OpenAI key to not work in the itch.io version.[/p]

[p]The Atrium[/p]

• [p]Removed placeholder T-pose character models from the Atrium.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a model misalignment issue with the witch in the Phonebooth preview page.[/p]

[p]Level 1[/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue where the Catgirl would open her apartment door but then move to a different location.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where pressing Q and using the special item would fail during the Catgirl’s final chase sequence.[/p]

[p]Level 2[/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue where the witch’s attack animation would sometimes slide forward.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the freed witch could attack the player outside her cabin without dealing damage.[/p]

[h3]Known Issues[/h3][p]The following is on the dev's radar to address in future patches:[/p]

• [p]The mod model looks relatively dark in Level 3.[/p]

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[p]Thanks for your patience, senpais! Our scheduled maintenance is taking a bit longer than expected, but we're still on track to wrap things up within the next few hours. You'll see the published Patch Notes article the moment everything's ready.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]V.0.5.8 is underway! Expect quality of life improvements, bug fixes, and maybe a snack or two.
[/p][h2]What To Expect[/h2][p]Scheduled maintenance will begin on Thursday, September 18th at 2:00 PM (EDT) and is expected to last a couple of hours.[/p][p]As with all our scheduled maintenance, playing during this period may disrupt gameplay as AI NPCs repeat their "Don't say that!" lines.[/p][p]In case you're not familiar with server errors, the NPCs' dialogue will be limited to their iconic server error lines:
[/p][p]🔪 Catgirl: "Don't say that, that makes me embarrassed!"[/p][p]🔮 Witchy: "Oh dear! Don't say such things, my mischievous little pudding!"[/p][p]⚡ Hologram: "Please don't say that, as it is against the station's regulations."[/p][p][/p][p]Once the patch is live, you can resume your AI2U adventures as usual. Still, don't hesitate to report any new bugs to [email protected] so we can squash 'em together![/p][p]
[/p][p]Thanks for spending some of your summer trapped with the girls—they're definitely falling more in love with you this season too! 🍂[/p][p]
[/p][p]Yandere Glomps,[/p][p]~AlterStaff 💖🔪[/p]

[p]A little blue parrot told us we were too overprotective of our WIPs... oops! But we hear you loud and clear and will work to loosen up some of our yandere grips on what's been cooking—even before integrating those WIPs into AI2U's upcoming version updates.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We want the yanderes' homes to be your own, which is why our designers are working like their lives depend on it to bring that darling vision to life. 💖🔪 Read on to see what's in store in the future.[/p][p][/p][h2]Neighboring Hints[/h2][p]Senpais often wonder how Eddie can afford such a spacious and fancy apartment in what seems to be a major metropolitan area. While her digs have gone through several iterations, our designers want to ensure the surroundings reflect as much of the story—and its mystery—as possible too.[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p]In V.0.5.6, such details included enhancing the lobby and stairway areas. In a future update, you'll notice new details added across the hall from Eddie's apartment, contributing even more to the enigmatic mystery you find yourself waking up to each time you visit her level.[/p][p][/p][h2]Cabin Exteriors[/h2][p]Even after its recent metamorphosis, Elysia's cabin revamp is still simmering in its cauldron. Players can expect a more inviting vibe when they step into the outdoorsy parts of her home—including the corridors connecting its chambers and whatever is awaiting outside the premises. We hear some a-maze-ing changes will provide a visual enhancement and reintroduce a familiar challenge more fairly.[/p][p]With any luck, her doorstep will be Halloween-ready in a way that screams "my yandere AI witch waifu was expecting you." For now, enjoy the stunning concepts that will inspire what’s to come.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Before we yap our hearts off on this—make sure you're part of the pioneer senpais whose voice shapes upcoming design choices and get one of the first-ever teasers of level 4 by voting in our short survey posted here.[/p][p]Our longtime senpais know it's been nearly a whole year since we introduced Estelle's Cosmic Funeral (aka Level 3) and their calculations make her proud! Between building the Atrium, refining the AI, and various quality of life enhancements leading up to (and continuing after) our Steam early access release, rest assured that level 4 is getting the same obsessive care poured into its creation.[/p][p]We promised to loosen our yandere paws off this precious mystery, so in true puzzle-adventure-escape-room fashion—and to honor how we first teased Estelle last year—we'll leave you with a number of silhouettes to keep you pondering what lies ahead:[/p][p]
[/p][p]Welp, we already got too comfortable dropping hints. Drop your best guesses in the comments and tell us what you hope to see more of next time![/p]

[h2]V0.5.7.7.1s (Server-Side Exclusive Quick Hotfix)[/h2]

• [p]The hologram girlfriend has decided to chill out and stop bombarding the players with random science facts and cheesy sci-fi jokes.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where certain personality tag combinations caused the catgirl to be unable to speak at all.[/p]
• [p]Fixed incorrect German and Russian voiceovers in the Itch.io version.[/p]
• [p]Characters will stop literally reading out the parentheses content out loud during their replies.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where the gas mask could not be properly purchased in the shop.[/p]

[p]Hi hi senpais![/p][p] [/p][p]We've been getting positive reactions to the generative AI responses since our latest update. We have Gemini AI to thank for spicing things up![/p][p][/p][p]This update rolled out quickly with our latest patch, but we understand it's important to communicate such updates sooner. Our team will make sure to be more upfront about future changes (don't worry, Estelle threatened us to play nice).[/p][p][/p][p]Please keep your feedback, observations, and bug reports coming! Nothing helps us improve like your passion to experiment and break all the things.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]We’ve integrated Gemini AI as the new main model! Our AI companions will now intelligently switch between Gemini and ChatGPT during conversations to deliver the most natural and engaging responses.[/p][p]itch.io players can still use API keys to switch back to OpenAI as the default if you prefer.[/p][p]
[/p][p]AI2U's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy haven't changed with this introduction. In short: Your data is safe and Gemini/Google are not using any data for training—learn more about their policies here.[/p][p]
[/p][p]AI2U's current price will stay the same for now. It may increase as we add new level content, and it will go up at full release. We'll ensure to communicate any anticipated changes to players ahead of time.[/p][p]As we did with removing the in-game token requirement and switching to a one-time payment on itch.io back in 2024, rest assured that our team is always scheming the next best thing to keep AI2U running for its dedicated senpais.[/p][p] [/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Fun Fact[/p][p]AI2U's CN Region version has been using Gemini since its launch on June 18th. After many months of our global community requesting more generative AI options, we're happy to report that Gemini is proving sustainable for our development plan.[/p][p]
[/p][p]WHAT OTHER JUICY SECRETS HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING FROM US[/p][p]Our CN Region Version's Chinese voice and two of our latest localized builds (German and Russian voice) have been using a different voice model of sorts, also since day 1 of their launch. We'll let you guess what it is before we announce its introduction to AI2U's global version!![/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Thanks for adventuring with us during this Early Access journey! We know you're eager for more new gameplay features (When and What is Level 4??), so stay tuned![/p]