Preview 2: My Girlfriend~Birthday Present 2-2 (Patreon)

Before starting my loooooooong rant. The images on this update correspond to the images on my last update (the second set of images). I'm using the double screen idea (I already used in Helpless), to be able to show you what's happening in the video and the room at the same time.

I'm really sorry I haven't been able to release the chapters yet. It took more work and time than I thought it would.  The reason was that I haven't worked with many sitting positions before. After many tests and experiments (along with many adjustments along the way), I could finally decide the best course of action. I think subtle changes are the best way to go in this kind of situation (along with some major changes in poses when the situation requires). So now that I have the sitting positions I wanted, the progress is going smoothly (I spent the last 3 days or so experimenting with different sitting poses).

I said this before, but I'm kind of a perfectionist. That doesn't mean I want to make everything perfect, but what I do, I want it to be the best of my capabilities... sometimes that's a drag. For instance, I'm often taking a lot of care not only on the pose (that conveys a lot of information) but also on the facial expression (that also conveys a lot of information). Sometimes it takes two minutes going from one expression to the next... sometimes it takes half an hour or even an hour. I just want it to be the closest to the expression I imagine for that kind of situation.

I often thought that's probably a futile task, most people won't notice/care about it... but some people have noticed what I do. Some of them have even written me (publicly or privately) saying (or asking me) about this pose, or this expression. They've noticed those subtle things I wanted to convey. But regardless of the people that consciously notice those kinds of details, I think everyone notices them in an unconscious way. The proof is Kanon. I made more than 200 sprites for her (you can check all of them in the image folder of TDK... that is not encrypted), just because I wanted to use the exact expression/pose I wanted for every situation. I think Kanon wouldn't have been so endearing if I haven't done it that way (If I have done 20 sprites for her like in most VN/games, she wouldn't have had that impact on you... but maybe I'm wrong...). I think her charm (besides her personality) has a lot to do with how she always is changing expressions and poses that convey, in a subtle manner, her feelings at a given time... or maybe is that the variety of sprites multiplied the effect of conveying her personality and charm (but then again, maybe I'm wrong).

 Whenever I create a Heroine I make a set of expressions for her (a preset that is very useful and helps me save a lot of time). Around 50 expressions that convey 25 basic emotions. When you combine that with combinations of eyes open/close/divert, and mouth open/close... you have more than 200 different expressions for that heroine (Kanon sprites are an example of that). If you combine them with eyes/mouth degree of open/close, you get thousands... and if you add blendshapes to it... you have literally millions of different expressions. That's why I make sets of expressions whenever I create a heroine, to try to limit her range of expressions (based on her personality), so I don't have to spend millions of years deciding on a given expression. Still, I (sometimes) have to make some magic (blendshapes) to make her do the "right" expression.

Now, I do this whole extra work not just to save time... but also because I'm a fucking perfectionist. Maybe it won't be much of a difference if I just: "Whatever... this expression looks good enough?!... This pose doesn't look bad?!... Ok!!... I'm done with it!!... Next!!!"... But I wouldn't be satisfied with it (because I'm a fucking perfectionist!!). So, I guess this whole wall of text is just to tell all of you: I'm sorry!!... (for being a fucking perfectionist!!)... Please, forgive my selfishness...

Now, I'll go back to work, so this can be published in the next couple of days!

As always, take care of your selves and be healthy!!