Tiny Sneak Peek (Chandry......) (Patreon)

Also, as a tiny update, we've massively ramped up work on the Twine version of the game this month: I've been working constantly on it as we build the game's UI and various features (inventory! interactive maps! pretty codex! character cards! keyboard shortcuts! art and music!), and my partner (who I've actually passed off the text conversion to because I was doing it so slowly) has gotten everything up to the last half of Chapter 6 converted so far (excluding Chapter 4, which is so unfinished it seemed more worthwhile to tackle the other chapters first). After the rest of Chapter 6 is converted, that only leaves 4, 7, and what we have so far of 8!

Of course, even after the text conversion is fully 'complete,' there will be a thorough process of editing everything, adjusting stats, and making sure it all works and as many bugs as possible are squashed before debuting this version to you guys. So things are still a ways off; but it's incredibly exciting to see my vision for Shepherds pull together into (what I think) is an absolutely gorgeous, lush game, full of features that make me feel like an actual indie game dev! 😊 It's all very exciting, so I've been hard at work on this in between my usual work of Patreon stuff, working on my next novel, editor stuff, author stuff, and--of course--writing more of Shepherds itself!

Between all that work and friends and family coming in to visit for American Thanksgiving, I'm finding myself in a massive holiday crunch this week, trying to work on the alpha build update... But I'm hoping that I can finish the "saving Mekduk" route this month! Getting that done may or may not cut into my ability to deliver an update on Some Kind of Virus before the 30th, so that may be delayed by a day or two; but we'll have to see! But hopefully I can start to wrap up the threads on Chapter 4, not only so it can be converted, but also because you all have been waiting so patiently! 😁

As a parting note, one thing that absolutely cracks me up about the Twine version is that it allows Chandry to get his own little sprite. Like I am not kidding, for some reason this fact makes me want to cry with laughter, it's so stupid. You're going to open the shop and this goofy motherfucker is going to have his own little text box at the bottom like

THAT'S HIM. THAT'S CHANDRY. THAT'S WHO YOU'VE ALL WANTED A CHARACTER SHEET FOR. This is the first documented, canonical appearance of Chandry anywhere, and I told you he isn't hot, he's ridiculous and he makes me want to howl with outraged laughter!! How can someone like him even exist in Blest... I understand why Riel regards him with such mixed feelings of loathing and contempt 😂

Anyway, everything except his little sprite is just a visual to show you what I'm laughing about, the fonts and box are not in the actual game! I just wanted to share a little something that brought me joy today; hopefully it made you laugh, too! Thanks for reading, take care, and to everyone who celebrates, happy US Thanksgiving!