Hi everyone, and welcome to my 20th Dev Log!

Well, well, well. What a milestone! If anyone had told me at the beginning of this journey that this project would actually see the light of day, I probably would have just said, "Well... I really hope so!" And now, here we are. Wow.

I know I get emotional easily, but this is one of those times where it feels so natural and pure that I can't stop myself from sharing my happiness with you all. A release date is going to be announced very soon, but before that, I'm entering the final polishing phase to get every single detail exactly where I want it. Even though I've set the overall progress to 100%, I still have a few finishing touches to wrap up, so please bear with me. The heaviest lifting is done, and I am beyond excited to have you all play it!

Without further ado, let's delve right into the numbers.

Development

These past two weeks have been incredibly productive as I managed to push through and complete the final two scenes. That means all scenes are now fully rendered!!

The dialogue still needs a bit of polishing while I check for grammar, syntax, and overall narrative flow before sending the build off to playtesters. Here are the latest numbers showcasing the state of the game (note that these stats might shift slightly before launch if I add missing renders or tweak dialogue):

• Chapter 1 Progress: 29 out of 29 scenes are now complete!

• Renders This Week: +147 new renders.

• Total Chapter 1 Stats: 1,787 total renders, 17 completed animations and 20,392 total words.

Sneak Peek

This might be the last visual sneak peek before I announce the release date (though I might drop a few extras depending on how things go!).

There were times when the gates where golden and full of life. But things change...

So, What's Next?

I still have a few crucial tasks on my checklist: adding the final music tracks and sound effects, thoroughly checking the code for bugs, ensuring the Gallery and Profile systems function smoothly, and getting the build into the hands of playtesters. I hope to have all of this wrapped up within the next two weeks, but I don't want to make any firm promises I might not be able to keep. Rest assured, I am working as quickly as I can to set an official release date.

Because this is the final dev log before release, I can't help but look back. What a journey... it honestly feels unbelievable. I feel genuinely happy, but also somewhat sad that this path from "nothing" to "here" is coming to a close. While I know there will be many more updates and chapters to come, this is the only time it will ever be the first time.

I've realized a part of me doesn't want to let go just yet, a part that wants to stay in this safe, naive "work in progress" state for as long as possible. I guess that's a natural defense mechanism, but it's one I actually appreciate. It proves that I've poured my entire heart into what I've built so far. I can only hope it touches your hearts when you finally get to play it.

A Few Final Notes

I will be away for the weekend visiting friends, taking a brief step back from the project to recharge. Starting Monday, I’ll be back at my desk full-time to get the playtest build ready as soon as possible. Once I gather feedback from the testers, I’ll formally announce the release date. I am aiming to launch within this month, but again, no strict promises yet! The last thing I want to do is break a commitment to you all.

I’ll also be including an FAQ in the final release date post. If you have any questions about the game or its launch, feel free to drop them in the comments below or over on our Discord server!

This is my final "thank you" before Chapter 1 drops. I never thought I would build such an incredible, supportive community so quickly. I’m beyond grateful for every single one of you.

I’ll see you all very soon with a release date in hand!

Until then,

— MisheruMaxis