GAME PROGRESS REPORT - BARB and other games (Patreon)

Hey folks,

I know it's been a while and I thank you for your patience.
As you know, I have changed my content and work schedule to better support both the production of image sets (to keep providing content monthly) and also have consistent monthly progress on game projects (Mostly translating in game reports and sometimes actual patches)

However, to put this new format into full throttle, I still had to finish two very large image sets to my old way of doing things (The Yor set and and Maggie femboy set).

Rather than jumping back and forth between games and finishing these two sets, further delaying my complete shift to the new production workflow, I decided to dedicate  December and January to finish these two last large sets so that they are out of my way and I can fully dedicate myself to the new work schedule and content structure.

For this reason, you haven't seen a Progress report these past two months. I apologies for making you wait on these, but I made the call to get rid of these last big sets so that game progress can be smooth and consistent sooner rather than later. Thanks for your understanding.

Now that the mega image sets are no more, I can put my new work schedule in effect. That is: Dedicating two weeks to images sets and two weeks for game dev every month.

This doesn't mean I'll releases patches monthly. That's not possible. Understand that game dev takes time. That's just the reality of it. It's a complicated and iterative process.

Also, I'm still dedicated to my new "It's ready when it's ready" approach to improve content quality. You saw that with the D-Tox remaster. And that is even more so true for Barbwire and other projects. This approach aims to avoid "rushed out the door" content, like the entire SPLATTER chapter (which will needs its own remaster after the Barb Chapter is done). This is the difference between me taking the time to make it right, and rushing it to get patches out really fast.

I want to focus on quality, not a "get it out as fast as possible" approach. That said, with the new work schedule, you will definitely notice more consistent progress and yes patches down the line.

I hope this report will illustrate this, as I'm dedicate to deliver you a great experience.

Without further ado, here is the report.

- NEW MAPS WITH CUSTOM MADE TILESETS -

While I was busy with the last large image sets, this doesn't mean I didn't make progress related to Barb.

During that time, I took some courses to learn how to properly make my own tilesets.

Previously, I would use free tilesets available online with just some slight editing in color etc...

This time however, I'm doing tiles from the ground up to really make my own maps.

What you'll see here is 90 percent custom made.

I wanted the level to really reflect what barb is about and I think this was achieved.

MAP: From outline to final product

First, let's go back to this image from a previous report post, that shows the general map configuration I had in mind for the Barb level. With the actual maps next to it.

Now Let's break it down to each individual map.


ENTRANCE AREA

 First you have the "Entrance area". This is where you'll arrive after opening the door leading to barb's level. The very lively "wall" setting the mood for what awaits you.



HALL OF PAIN (Main room)

Which leads us to the main room, the HALL OF PAIN. Where barb will be waiting for you. Along with some of her pets.

Note that the screen behind her is not static but animated with different words popping up.



BARB PRIVATE PLAY ROOM

Now we go to Barb's private playroom. This is where she takes potential "pain slave" candidates to test and train them.

In short, this is the room where SUB ASH's mini games will take place as Barb trains you into gradually more difficult tasks and challenges. Pushing your limits.

SLAVE STORAGE AREA

This is the part of the map where barb will store both of her slaves and potential candidates (Where you'll be stored if you play Sub Ash in between two training sessions).

That said, there is an other extra map I'm making for the storage of her enemies that she doesn't see as potential candidates (Warrior ash), which is mostly done but not finished so I'll share that in a next update.

That's it for the map news.


- NEW CHARACTER AND ANIMATED SPRITES -

New sprites assets were produced to populate the level.

New Character Sprites

These include your general Pain slaves, but also two named characters called Alpha and Beta. Who are part of the narrative. More on them later.



New Sprite animations

To further flesh out the experience, more sprite animations were made. In this case the encasement/storage process. In this example with Slave BETA. But this also applies to Slave Alpha, and SUB ash. As I eluded too in the map section there is an other storage area for enemies rather than potential slaves for Warrior Ash which will have its own sprite animation that I will share in a next update.



-NEW IMAGE ASSETS -

And with that, comes more image assets. One of the biggest changes due to my "it's ready when it's ready" approach is making a lot more image assets to flavor the experience. Where previously these were reserved for the bare minimum (Characters for dialogue, combat and game overs), now I'm adding more images in context of special events and narrative moments to increase immersion and engagement with the story.


Regular Pain slave

The pain slave. The most common encounter in barb's level. These are blind, deaf and cannot speak. Not much to interact with, consider them walking pain toys and decorative pieces walking around the place or being stored.



Alpha and Beta

Two new characters.

Alpha (Blue haired character) and Beta (Punk and white hair).

Barb always keeps two "unhooded" slaves by her side. Though that position is not permanent, any Alpha or Beta can be replaced by a new one. I won't say much about these two, you'll have to discover that when the patch comes out.

Vacuum storage unit (Angle 1)

This is what I meant by images to flesh out events and story beats.

In this case, it's MAG getting captured by Barb.
By the way, this event does not trigger by default and requires a set of conditions to happen. The first being that you have to play Sub ash, but there is also a second condition, which you will have to figure out on your own. It's possible you'll have to use a save to make the right decision to trigger this.

Note that this angle will be used for other shots like the prisoners at the ENTRANCE AREA. Also, yes this will have struggle animations.


Vacuum storage unit (Angle 2)

A different angle of the Slave storage units. Here, showing Ash being "stored" in the slave storage area. In the past, I would have done just the Sprite and leave it at that (like the Bijou storage pod, which I will update with its own image once I get to that small rework of her).

And yes, this will be animated as well




- Road to the first BARB patch -

With all that said, let me lay out the plan for the first patch I have in mind.
For this first patch I have several "minimum" content objectives.

- Narratively, having everything done up to when the real combat/sub mini games have to be fleshed out. That is to say doing the introduction portion of Barb. Where you will be "Stored" for the first time after failing. With the actual combat and rest of the minigames being finished and balanced at a later patch.  

- Having the first "beginner" level portion of barb's mini game when you play Sub Ash. Which will be the boot cleaning.

- Doing the QTE mechanic rework I hinted a while back. This will be used for some of the Sub Ash mini games, and in this case the boot cleaning one. The reflex and revamped breathplay  (Used for the D-Tox remastered) minigames are done and work well, but the QTE still needs a much needed rework.

- Packing this first patch with a lot of secret stuff and surprised to discover. There is a LOT more I want to show and talk about, but I don't want to spoil it just yet. Ideally and I want people to experience in patch first before mentioning in in a report. But let me just say, there is a lot of surprises to discover. The Mag triggered event is an example but there is more of that type of stuff that I want to put in that first patch.  

That's the content I want done for the first patch. The patch after that will be finishing all the different Sub Ash minigames and her gameover sequences.

No ETA yet, but with the new work schedule now in place, you will be updated almost monthly on the progress. I want to get this patch done soon like everyone else, but there is a lot of high quality content I want in and that will take time.

I hope that this game report at least shows that a lot of hard work and love is going into this. And it will be worth it.

But It's definitely not coming in March, but I hope April, though this can change.


- Other game projects -

Right now, I'm focused on getting that first Barb patch out.

But after that's done I will go back to other side projects.

The squeal little piggy is a femdom game that was once canned and resurrected last year.
I first thought of maybe making this my first made with Unity engine game, but truth be told, mastering Unity is going to take me much longer than expected.
At least to the level that I can produce a game fast.  So I'm going back to making it with the RPG maker MV engine so I can get a first patch out this year. For games on Unity, don't hold you breathe on it, it will take me a long time before I can make that jump but I'm constantly learning.

No escape reality is a Collab project with artist Scriptor that is side story in his own game universe. A first patch was released last year and I intend to finish one of the two possible paths the game offers. My plan is to do that right after I publish the first patch for Barbwire.


And there you have it.
This is it for this patch report. This one was really big due to it condensing work from these past 2-3 months.

Hope you liked it and see you for the next one.