Hello everyone!

Version 0.2.0

We have done a massive amount of work on the game in all areas of development in the version 0.2.0. Let’s just say that there are only common features and key points left from the old prologue in the game.

The busts of Margaret, Bou, Josette, and Melanie have not been refined in the prologue yet. We will redraw them when we start working on their quests. After that, we will redraw the scenes associated with them.

Unfortunately, there was no time to describe everything in detail, but we managed to make a shortlist of what was done over these months:

Plot:

• The entire plot of the prologue was seriously changed and edited. Many new events have appeared. As a result, the plot sparkles with new colors, and the characters are revealed, as it seems to us, much better. Your attentiveness and choice begin to influence the fate of minor characters.

The graphical aspect:

• Abraham was redrawn; 

• Jenna was redrawn;
• Nude Zarine was completed; 

• Nude Rene was completed; 

• Alisha’s bust was drawn;
• Flower for Elli;
• Elli was improved;
• Sardo’s emotions were corrected;
• Leina’s scene (thieves) was added; 

• Five artworks "letting Elli out of the dungeon";
• Artwork "Elli wakes up after an illness" was improved; 

• Art with Elli in the bathroom with variations of her actions;
• Elli’s bust in the bathroom with variations of her actions and emotions;
• Art with Elli on the sofa with variations of her actions;
• Jenna seduces Sardo;
• Happy Elli;
• Maggie, a variation of her bust;
• Art and animation of scenes in the trees at the fairground was improved;
• Art in the inn room with variations of actions;
• A large number of different sprite characters and sprite scenes were updated. I won’t be able to mention all of them right now.
• Almost all interior locations were completely finalized. Now they are alive and quite old but still have a welcome look.

Interface:

• Inventory interface was redesigned;
• Auction interface was added;
• Store interface was added;
• Answer options interface was updated;

Technical aspect:

• The highlighting system of characters, active objects, and transition points are ready. Although It still has some flaws. However, it can give an idea of how everything will look in the end.
• Keep in mind that if you see that the character or object is highlighted when you hover at it, but after clicking on it, the character runs, but the event does not start, try clicking on the highlighted object a couple more times. This issue will be fixed in the next version of the game.
• The functionality of busts in dialogues was improved.
• The issue with blinking sprite sets of characters when changing the locations was corrected.
• Camera control functionality was added.
• The interface of letters is ready;
• Auction functionality was added; 
• A bug with the cursor-pointer was fixed. It used to point at a different place rather than where a player clicked with it;
• A problem with saving the game during dialogues and before the menu for selecting an answer was fixed.  Now you can save the game at any point without being worried about errors;
• The ability to use old saves that were created before the release of version 0.2.0 was removed from the game.

Control:

• The controls in the game using the keyboard have been greatly improved. Layouts on both arrows and WASD are available now. For more information, see the Guide in the game.

• The dialogue log has been redone, and now it has become much more convenient to use it.

Version 0.2.1

In the 0.2.1 version, we fixed Act I, in accordance with the new features of the game engine. Now you can go through all the content that is currently available in the game, as well as familiarize yourself with its changes and extensions.

We’ve done much work on improving Act I, though we didn’t have time to have finished some artworks and technical functions by the date of release. 

They are ready in version 0.2.2, which was released on July 3 on our Patreon page. Version 0.2.2 includes artworks and animations that were supposed to present in the current version, some of the technical functions of the game, and the continuation of the main plot. 
After making all the necessary changes to the plot and the game engine, the further development of the plot should unfold in the right direction and will develop dynamically and in a more interesting way.

Plot:

• The storyline related to Umi has been improved. There are additional dialogues that better reveal the plot and the world of the game now. Previously, it was planned to introduce this information into the game much later; consequently, Umi’s image and character was poorly presented;
• A part of the dialogues in Act 1 has been improved and rewritten. You need to make your choice wisely now as access to arches and events with some characters will depend on your choice.
• Also, an unnecessary quest was deleted, but its events were included in the quest of the main plot.
• The sequence of some events has been reorganized, as well as their appearance in the game.
• The variability in the development of dialogues in the manor has been changed, depending on the presents of characters at the moment. So far, this has been implemented in only one dialogue with Taleona, Elli, and Umi. Still, it will be added later to other dialogues as well when it is necessary.
• Some dialogues with the blacksmith and his daughter have been filled with into the game. You can meet them at your first visit to Artaun.
• Additional answer options have been added in some dialogues in side-quests.

Graphics:

• One simple art with Elli in the prologue at the lighthouse has been added.
• The art with Taleona doing enema to Elli has been improved.
• Two new characters with sets of emotions are ready. One of them has 3 clothing options. They will be introduced to the plot in version 0.2.2;
• One extra action has been added to Elli’s bust.
• Umi’s bust has been updated as well as all her clothes. Besides, she’s got additional emotions and actions.
• Two arts of Umi’s resurrection with different variations have been drawn. (Except for one variation of Umi’s resurrection scene in the dungeon. It added in version 0.2.2)
• There are two new arts after Umi’s resurrection now.
• A scene with an animation of a fleeing thief has been added.
• The sunrise animation has been added. (It is in test mode now, but we’ll finalize it later.)
• Several new sprite characters have been added. Some of the old ones have been updated in accordance with the changes in their busts;

Some information on what we haven’t finished for this version:

• Umi’s examination animated scene. There will be several different poses and variations of her examination later.

• An improved Elli and Umi’s art on horseback;
• One variation of the scene of Umi’s resurrection in the dungeon.
• A new scene - the first meeting with Aelmar in Artaun in the Town Hall – hasn’t been completed.

Some other things we were up to:

• In addition, our artist has been working on art of the Alchemy Laboratory, which will be needed for the further development of the main plot. 
• Besides, Leonora’s (Taleona’s sister) bust is being updated as she will soon start playing her part in the main plot of the game.

Interface:

• Minor edits of the quest journal;
• All character descriptions are filled. You can read about each character in the relationship journal by clicking on the character’s name from the list;
• Editing a relationship journal. An indication of updating the character’s information has been added;
• The interface of letters and about 15 variations of the paper for them has been added. Each character has his own handwriting now. Whenever possible, we tried to adjust the handwriting to the character’s traits.

Technical aspect:

• It appeared that two parts of the plot were locked in old versions. There was no access to Elli’s events in the library, and perhaps to Taleona’s scene too. The last one was supposed to unlock after spending several evenings with Taleona in the bar. These two issues have been fixed.
• Management fix:  the highlighting system now interacts with surrounding objects when a player controls a character using the keyboard. This will partially help to find any objects for interaction located within a radius of 3-4 steps from the character.
• The busts of characters are now stored in sets of 8 pieces. That helped to reduce the size of the resource folder 4 times and to improve performance. There are a couple of minor bugs left, but we will get them fixed by the release of version 0.2.1.
• The time system in the manor is being worked on. Let me remind you that it is a kind of life schedule for the inhabitants of the manor. Some new mechanics are being tested for this system, and a general principle of operation is being worked out so far. Presumably, a proper functioning build will be ready in one of the next versions.

Nothing particular can be said about the combat system, except that it is still under development.

Have a nice game!

 ElisarStudio Team!