Dev Update - Sept. 14 (Patreon)

We’ve been reading your responses (thanks!) and we’re realizing that Book 2’s missing some…. closure.

So, we’re going to spend the next couple weeks extending the endings to provide a better sense of completion (heh). That means we won’t be able to start planning/developing Book 3 until next month, but it’s worth it to try to wrap up Book 2 into a more satisfying experience.

Everyone is welcome to PM us with any specific suggestions; we read and value them all, though they may take us some time to respond to.

We try to make each book and route unique experiences, so the endings for the love route are a little different than we usually do. I thought I might delve into each ending a little bit before we get back to working on them. Full of spoilers, of course.

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Azula-only ending:
This is, if I had to pick one, the “bad” ending. It’s a little surprising that ending up with the main love interest is the least rewarding, but while it’s a bit of a twist, there are lots of warning signs. The spirit  tells you to get out, and Azula firmly wants to keep you there. She’s been plotting against you, and has you outmatched in deviousness, leaving you practically at her mercy… and Azula does not value weakness.

It's not so surprising then that when she “wins”, you become her trophy. This ending is a “what if” scenario where Zuko never left to find the Avatar, causing Aang to avoid taking on Ozai, and leaving Azula as Firelord. She’s clearly very affectionate towards you, but is confident, dominating, and jealous in that affection, and both you and the world are a little worse off for it.

Mai-only ending:
This is a better ending… or certainly more “neutral” as one patron put it. You leave behind the fire nation, your throne, everything… to start a life with Mai. If you chose this route, I wonder if you chose the “leave  tomorrow” option? That certainly adds some more stress…. and choice.

You have an easier, more gentle life on the island, but it’s still somehow unfulfilling. Being unwilling to risk the world alone, you have love and freedom, but lack opportunity. 

Avatar ending:
AKA the best ending. You leave to find yourself - being the strong, independent, don’t-need-no-woman Zuko that you are - and get the best of both worlds!  

This follows more closely to the show’s storyline - you find the rest of the gang, learn who you are, and come back stronger -  dominating Azula and keeping Mai. Having proven yourself stronger than Azula, you successfully “tame” her, and she becomes yours, with love.
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The Azula and Mai endings are supposed to feel a little unfulfilling, but we’ll work on providing a sense of satisfaction to them all the same.

Now that Book 2 is (mostly) closed out, I’d like to reminisce for a sec. We have a tendency to keep pushing forward, but I think it’s important to occasionally look back at how far we’ve come (heh).

Book 2 was an intentional - and determined - departure from the simplicity of Book 1;  riddled with backstabbing, difficult choices, laughs, easter eggs, new mechanics, and just way so many sexings, Book 2 brought a darker, more nuanced experience that (hopefully) makes it stand alone. Our goal with each book (and route) is to make it unique from the others, so that each one is a new adventure, while still maintaining enough familiar elements to make you feel right at home… even while you’re exploring.

Both books were incredible learning experiences for us. Book 1 held the biggest learning curve, as we were mostly figuring it out from scratch, but we felt pretty confident at the end -- so we decided to continue to push ourselves and do things we'd never done or seen before. We wanted to build more complicated engines, make smoother, more detailed animations, include more characters with far more content, build a bigger world, and tackle all kinds of new themes, including morality. 

We'll probably eventually return to spice up Book 1, but we’re as eager as you guys are to keep steaming ahead into Book 3, though development on that has halted while we continue to work on Book 2’s finale.

Thanks for being right there beside us as we push onward into the great naughty horizon. There's good stuff in store.

Cheers,
-MITY