A Royal Glow-Up & A Prince's Wardrobe

[p]Welcome to the first official devlog for Fates Masquerade! I'm excited to start sharing regular, in-depth updates on my progress with you. I've been working incredibly hard, and I can't wait to show you what I've been up to![/p][p][/p][h2]The Road to Maximilian's Finale[/h2][p][/p][p]The biggest news this month is that a major milestone has been reached on Crown Prince Maximilian's route: It's now 75% complete![/p][p][/p][p]I am officially entering the final and most dramatic act of this story. It has been quite the journey, both in terms of writing and in terms of my growth as an artist and developer. I've evolved my approach to directing scenes to be more engaging and cinematic, and I've completely overhauled my sprite creation process to make the characters more detailed.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h3][/h3][h2]Maximilian's New Look[/h2][p]A significant portion of my focus has been on improving the quality of the artwork for the final game. The result of this overhaul is a sprite with a resolution that is 300% higher, as well as more detailed hair, facial features, and a completely redrawn outfit.[/p][p][/p][h3]Maximilian draft:[/h3][carousel][/carousel][p][/p][h3]Maximilian update:[/h3][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Lucian's Polished Look[/h2][p]Prince Lucian received similar treatment! I increased the resolution of his sprite, refined his hairstyle, and gave him a new, more princely outfit that better suits his enigmatic character. However, I expect him to continue evolving as I work on his storyline.[/p][p][/p][h3]Lucian draft:[/h3][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Lucian update:
[/h3][p][/p][h3]What do you all think of the new looks?[/h3][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]A Wardrobe Fit for a Prince[/h2][p]Of course, a prince can't deal with political intrigue in just one outfit. I had a blast designing a full wardrobe for Maximilian. Each design reflects his story, status, and state of mind. Here's a spoiler-free selection of a few pieces![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h3][/h3][h2]A Look Ahead: High Stakes & High Emotion[/h2][p][/p][p]For writers, the final 25% of a story is often the most exhilarating to create. All the threads begin to weave together, long-buried secrets come to light, long-awaited confessions are made, and pivotal moments unfold. Some scenes are achingly bittersweet, while others are warm and tender. All of them carry the weight of every choice you've made so far in the story. [/p][p][/p][p]I'm pouring all my energy into ensuring that the reward for your previous choices feels impactful and satisfying. I can't wait for you to experience it! [/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for keeping me going![/p][hr][/hr][h3][/h3][h3]Which of the outfits shown are you most excited to see in the game? Let me know in the comments below. Feel free to join the conversation on our Discord server.[/h3]