Dev Update - 10/14/2026

Hi everyone,

I hope you're all doing well!

I know it's been a while since my last development update, and I want to apologize for not being as active on Patreon as I usually am...

I've been dealing with some personal and financial issues over the past couple of weeks, which have taken up quite a bit of my time and energy. Thankfully, I'm hoping to put most of that behind me now.

Well, that's what I was hoping for, anyway... until...

Steam decided to be a massive pain in my ass by refusing to approve the demo build. It's been dragging on for longer than I'd like, and honestly, it's starting to seriously piss me off. Especially since it's something I've been looking forward to getting out there for quite some time.

But enough about that. Let's talk about something a little more exciting!

Chapter IV — Rework

Development of Chapter IV — Rework is officially underway!

I'm currently about halfway through the first scene of the update. That might not sound like much, but I've spent a considerable amount of time preparing the various locations, creating new backgrounds, and making all the necessary assets and props for the upcoming scenes.

A lot of that groundwork is now in place, which should make things a little smoother moving forward.

Now, let's talk about the chapter itself.

When I revisited the original Chapter IV, I realized something.

I liked most of the events that happened in it. What I didn't like was how they were executed.

For starters, practically everything happens on the same day. Looking back, that's honestly a little ridiculous considering just how much happens throughout the chapter. xD

So, one of the biggest changes I'm making is spreading these events out over a more believable period of time, giving the story and its characters more room to breathe.

But that's far from the only thing I'm changing.

Playing through the original chapter again, I couldn't help but notice just how many opportunities I'd missed. Scenes that could've been expanded, interactions that deserved more attention, choices that could've led to entirely different outcomes...

There's so much potential here, and I really want to make the most of it.

So, what's changing?

Here's a quick overview of what you can expect from the Chapter IV rework:

• Better pacing: Events will unfold more naturally, giving the story and character development the attention they deserve.

• Reworked events: Certain scenes and story elements will be adjusted to better align with the previous reworked chapters.

• Twice as many NTS scenes: Some will be completely new, while others will build upon scenes from the original chapter, with additional choices and different possibilities regarding who participates.

• More MC involvement: The protagonist will be present for more of the action instead of missing out on certain events. (Assuming he survived Chapter III, of course. Maybe he's dead. Who knows? xD)

• More meaningful choices: Additional decisions will help establish and develop the different relationship routes, allowing players to shape their preferred experiences.

• Expanded scenes: Existing scenes will receive significantly more content, alongside plenty of completely new interactions and events.

And that's just a general overview.

My goal is to make Chapter IV feel like a substantial new experience, even for those of you who've already played through the original.

I'm particularly excited about some of the new content I've planned, but I'll keep those details to myself for now. Wouldn't want to spoil all the fun, now would I? ;)

Let's Talk About Some Polls!

A little while ago, I ran a poll asking subscribers whether they'd like to see more of Alice's internal thoughts during certain scenes, particularly the NTS-related ones.

I've noticed that quite a few of you are interested in knowing more about what's going through her head during these moments.

What is she feeling? What's she thinking about the situation? Is she enjoying herself? Is she conflicted? And perhaps most importantly, are there things she's thinking that she isn't necessarily saying out loud?

I think exploring those thoughts could add another layer to her character, especially considering how differently certain situations can play out depending on the choices you've made.

And well...

I think the results speak for themselves. 😂

So yes, I'll be incorporating more of Alice's internal thoughts into certain scenes moving forward, but also, I've added some of these already in the demo build that will be available on steam for the final alley scene of Chapter III. (There's a new OogleFans scene as well...)

Another Poll Coming Soon!

I'll also be running another poll shortly, this time regarding collectibles.

I've noticed that some players are having a difficult time finding them, so I've been looking into a few ways to make the experience a little more accessible without taking away the fun of discovering them. I actually saw a really great suggestion from someone in the community, which I really liked.

More on that soon!

That's All for Now!

That's everything I wanted to share with you today.

I know things have been a little quieter than usual, and I genuinely appreciate everyone who's continued supporting me and the development of Shadows of Ambition.

Despite some of the frustrations I've been dealing with lately, I'm still incredibly excited about where the game is heading.

I'll be working my ass off to make Chapter IV — Rework the best version of itself it can possibly be. There's a lot of good stuff planned, and I can't wait to start showing you more of it.

As always, thank you for your patience, your feedback, and your continued support.

Much love,
~AbyssGames ❤️