July 31 Update (Patreon)

You're getting my weekly update early, since I'm clearing my schedule for the launch this weekend. ^^

Since we're doing Megail's route, I'm doing a lot of work on the economic side of the game. It's not the most exciting to talk about, but I think you'll be interested to hear some of the issues that go into designing it. This is just what's on my mind as I work, so we'll see how rambly it is.

I hope no one is alarmed when some investment options in Yhilin disappear this time around. They're not gone forever, and you'll have another chance at them. However, some don't make sense for plot reasons and others I chose to restrict for the sake of balance.

You see, I don't want to create an ideal path through the investments that's based on knowledge of the future. For example, if certain investments could provide returns that could pay for the others just a little later, then investing in anything else would be categorically inferior. While I've always said the investments won't be perfectly balanced, that's too straightforward and won't be any fun.

Instead, the investments are going to come in waves. Yhilin was Investing Phase 1, and eventually every single investment will pay out and you'll get access to basically everything again - that will be Investing Phase 2. But we're still in between: consider Megail's route Investing Phase 1.5.

Basically, between Phase 1 and Phase 2, I wanted each investment to provide a few little bonuses for choosing that option early. Some just provide extra money, others have plot consequences, like hiring mercenaries last update. The investments you see on Megail's route are the continuation of that, plus an extension of the investments for Phase 2.

After all the routes are done and the party is reunited, you'll get returns on everything you invested in during Phase 1 or 1.5. For Phase 2 you'll have a lot of ProN and a chance to invest in the things you skipped the first time, plus the major institutions that have been impossible before now. That's the plan, anyway.

Whew, that took longer to type than I expected. Back to work!