Episode 11 Update - 03/31/22 (Patreon)

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Hello all,

I apologize for keeping you in the dark for a bit.  The script writing process has taken a much bigger toll on me than I'd realized.  Because I have missed so many updates, I have turned off the Patreon charge for this month and next, and won't be turning it on until the updates have become more consistent.  I am pretty sure I'll be doing so in May.
Additionally, about a third of you have told me that you'd rather not see spoilers in the production updates, so I figured a way around it.  From now on, the updates will feature the blocky/glitchy image above covering the in-progress image, with the option to see an unblocked image for those that don't care about spoilers.  I will ask you to please not comment on the images themselves for people that want to avoid spoilers.  They're going to get really spoiler-y in the future.

Now, as for the script:  I went through a very scrupulous process this time around, considering many different ways of executing the plot, re-writing over and over, and hiring several writers, including one with a masters in writing, to get it in the shape that it's in now.  The script is now in working condition.  I wouldn't call it done.  It still needs a lot of polish, and I want to clean up the dialogue to get it sounding just right, but all the plot points are there, the structure is there, and everything I want to happen for sure in the episode is on paper.  It's now intact enough to where I'm able to start getting all the assets together and going into production.  I plan on recording a certain character in early April.  His dialogue is mostly intact and I think once I get his lines in, I'll be able to work around his scene properly.  For the main characters, I'd like to make sure I have everything polished before recording.

This episode is VERY LONG.  The script for Episode 10 was 27 pages long.  The script for Episode 11 is 45 pages long.  Yeah.  I did not intend for it to be as long as it is.  In fact, I kind of wanted it to be shorter than last episode, but with all the plot points I had to cover, it ended up being far longer than I'd imagined.  I really didn't want to do this, but I think I'm going to have to release this episode in two parts.  I plan on recording all of it and working on the whole thing at once, but prioritizing earlier scenes so I can potentially release Part 1 first.  This will mean waiting a long bit for the first part to finish, and then a little shorter for the second part.  I'd really rather release the whole thing at once, but I don't think I can ask people to wait for as long as it's going to take to do the whole thing.  I didn't realize how ambitious I'd have to get in order to carry out everything I wanted to carry out, but this might be how it has to go down.  Feel free to let me know what you think.

I have also already started working on all the new assets I need and hiring out modelers/riggers to get them made.  I need to assemble a good amount of new characters and five set pieces in total.  One set is done already.  Two of the sets, I have all the pieces for and just need to assemble properly.  The last two sets will have to be constructed from the ground up.  Every actor in this episode is cast except for ONE voice, who I will either have to find or open auditions for.  I am considering hiring out a casting director to find this one this time around, as I need a very particular voice that is difficult to describe.

This episode has come leaps and bounds from its original state when I started working on it, and being really unsure about its direction the past two months has been absolutely painful.  But I am now very sure about where I'm going with it and I know what I need to do in the immediate future.  A long climb lies ahead at this point, and I thank you all for joining me.

-Shippiddge