As promised for the Tier 2 and above patrons, I wanted to provide a little “behind the scenes” insight on the creation process for Now & Then.
First up? Building scenery. As I’m of the opinion that locations are as important as characters are to a game, I spent a lot of time researching a solution for this issue.
Because so much of the first act needed to be played out inside the Brooks’ apartment, I really needed sets that could be employed for ...
2020-06-10 16:47:45 +0000 UTC
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Just dropping off a short update on the progress. Most of the first five scenes are currently playable in the 0.04.0 build. As stated in the last update, most of the sets already exist, so a lot of the early work is scene arrangement, writing, and lighting. The only real change is one precipitated by a major story event (hint: the lighting in one of the sample screens is not for romantic reasons.)
2020-06-08 22:41:57 +0000 UTC
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The theme for June is Summertime Fun, with a little bit of Father's Day thrown in. As such, the girls are letting Jack enjoy time at the beach while they float in the water. As you can see, though, Naomi's dad, Ted, is in the background trying to get their attention.
June 2020 #1 2020-06-06 15:17:04 +0000 UTC
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After a couple days off after the release of 0.03.0, we're back at it. Content for the first two scenes is already in the works. Luckily, this chapter features a lot of assets that were already built for the first three chapters.
The big new addition for 0.04.0 is the Replay Gallery (see image below). This screencap was taken from a save at the end of Chapter Three, so there should be a c...
2020-06-04 22:16:01 +0000 UTC
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In addition to cast members introduced in Chapter One and Chapter Two, players will meet for the first time...
By the time she rea...
2020-06-02 23:27:54 +0000 UTC
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Part One: Chapter Three [Version 0.03.0]
In Chapter Three, it become increasingly tense around the apartment as both bandits and infected get too close for Jack's liking. Also, when out on a supply run, Jack considers a frivolous gift for Carol.
PC - ...
2020-05-27 21:34:52 +0000 UTC
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This should be the final progress update for Chapter Three (0.03.0) because it's on the slate for release. Soon. Like, if I don't run into any last second issues, it'll release for Tier 3 Patrons before the end of Wednesday, the 27th.
Planned Release Schedule:
Tier 3: 5/27/2020
Tier 2: 5/29/2020
Tier 1 5/31/2020
Public: 6/1/2020
Change log for 0.03.0...
2020-05-26 21:31:29 +0000 UTC
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The theme for May's final batch of wallpapers would have been Graduation, but with the current situation and numerous college and high school kids having to forgo their last semester, I changed it to a more School Locker Room theme.
As stated earlier, my general plan for wallpapers/pin-ups is:
- Standard Patron-Exclusive wallpapers/p...
2020-05-23 12:56:34 +0000 UTC
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A bit of boring and certainly NOT FUN housekeeping to pass along. If you're a patron to multiple accounts, you're likely to receive some variation of the same form letter Patreon provided for dissemination about this upcoming change in policy that starts July 1st, 2020.
Frankly, I don't know the degree to which accounts like myself will be impacted. So, be aware that this might crop up for you. Below is a link to the FAQ and the form letter they provided that I certainl...
2020-05-21 19:42:19 +0000 UTC
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Not a lot to say except that progress is humming along. We're at 56%, with three major events still on the schedule that should take us close to 90%.
Pretty much all of the base code for the eventual release of the Replay Gallery is also done. I've done a bit of "future proofing" where if I need to expand the Gallery into a full blown Extras section, it shouldn't take too much work to do ...
2020-05-19 22:25:34 +0000 UTC
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Progress is a little slow going, but it is going. The first three days of development were tied up in polishing up the GUI and doing some essential asset building, including two sets that needed to be finalized for a number of scenes. While the menus and user interface aren't 100% final, they're pretty close to done for this release.
Technically, right now, the first three scenes at neari...
2020-05-16 12:12:54 +0000 UTC
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The theme for May is Hot Rod Racing. A long ass time ago, back when I used to stock magazines for a bookstore, there used to be all sorts of sports car and hot rod racing magazines, with models splayed out on the front covers or in fold-out pin-ups.
On the topic of Wallpapers, my general plan is to have monthly releases with the option for more as inspiration strikes.
Something, something, striking while the iron is hot.
Formal work on 0.03.0 is getting ramped up as we speak. While the numbers below look meager, I assure you that a lot of stuff is already in development stages. Writing is in little chunks here and there with the opening scene in a near-finished state. A lot of the stages and characters are built, they just need new costumes.
I've...
2020-05-09 17:31:31 +0000 UTC
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May's first Patron-exclusive Wallpapers are for Mother's Day. Which mean they feature the game's only mother, Alice Walters, her daughter Naomi, and friend-of-the-family Carol.
Mother's Day 2020 #1 Hi-res version (3840x2160)&n...
2020-05-08 15:59:44 +0000 UTC
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In addition to cast members introduced in Chapter One, players can meet for the first time...
Carol's best and only friend. Having...
2020-05-07 01:00:46 +0000 UTC
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Part One: Chapter Two [Version 0.02.1]
In Chapter Two, Jack must decide whether or not to tell Carol about how bad things have gotten out in the world. Also, Carol is concerned about her best friend Naomi and her family, with whom they haven't spoken to in months.
DEVELOPER'S UPDATE:
Made a minor update to 0.02.1 due to some missing name...
2020-05-04 10:21:11 +0000 UTC
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We've hit the big 90, well ahead of schedule.
As I've said before, the 90 percent threshold usually means a task is complete, except for a pass-through for rewrites and reshoots. With the entire update locked in at 90%, it means I'm ready to shift into review and polish mode.
What does...
2020-05-02 15:51:38 +0000 UTC
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Here's your semi-regularly progress update on the state of things.
All of the necessary assets have been completed. There was a few unplanned, additional sets that needed to be created along the way. As I was arranging scenes, I felt that these were necessary, purely for a better cinematic presentation.
That number--56%--doesn't look to properly represent the ...
2020-04-29 01:31:15 +0000 UTC
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Now & Then's first ever wallpaper!
The theme? Stay at home, stay safe!
While the cast is limited, I will try to produce some side art that's not a part of the story, purely as giveaways for my patrons. The theme will sometimes be seasonal, sometimes topical and maybe even a little cosplay-ish, if I can pull the assets together. While this month's art is purely SFW, there will be future wallpapers that are decidedly less so.
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2020-04-25 21:27:22 +0000 UTC
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Just a small update on progress for Chapter Two. When I got going with the content for this update, I realized I didn't have a proper tracking mechanism. Long story short, I dumped my checklists into a spreadsheet with some formulas, so my numbers may not be properly weighed, but they will give you a ballpark idea of where we're at.
As you can see from below, most of the assets a...
2020-04-22 01:21:03 +0000 UTC
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No rest for the weary. :) I've begun the development process for Chapter Two, though that statement is true for a lot of the game (a bit of the writing was in progress even before Chapter One launched). Attached below are my high-level roadmaps for the next chapter. No worries about SERIOUS SPOILERS as I've trimmed the scene data down to cast members and locations. Now, if you want to avoid any mention of new characters or locations you've yet to see, then maybe don't look to...
2020-04-17 21:57:22 +0000 UTC
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Part One: Chapter One [Version 0.01.0]
Chapter One reveals how things went bad, forcing Jack and Carol were forced to hide away in their apartment complex. Jack’s memories of the past reveal how, after his wife’s passing, he came to raise Carol as his ward.
PC -
2020-04-13 14:56:01 +0000 UTC
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You play as Jack (or a name of your choosing), a widower who lives with his adopted teenage daughter during the aftermath of a global pandemic. As the fabric of society deteriorates, he must make hard decisions to e...
2020-04-12 19:47:10 +0000 UTC
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