Weekly News #196

Version 0.982b is already available for download for subscribers of the Super Best Friend tier ($25). To view the post with this version, follow this link: https://www.patreon.com/school123/posts/released-0-982b-172417261

Version 0.982a is already available for download for subscribers of the Best Friend tier ($10). To view the post with this version, follow this link: https://www.patreon.com/school123/posts/released-0-982a-171453334

So, another week and a half has passed since our last update - time for some new news covering all the work we’ve accomplished. You’ll find a mix of unexpected new features, anticipated additions, and even things you specifically asked for! Let’s take it one step at a time:

First up: randomized NPCs. After we introduced the system where they interact with one another, some unpleasant… moments could arise in the game. A character you were interacting with might simply start a relationship with someone else - even while professing their love for you. Now, the more you interact with a randomized NPC, the less likely they are to start a relationship with another randomized NPC; as your character accumulates "Relationship" points, they become a higher-priority candidate for a relationship than other randomized NPCs. Previously, this factor wasn't taken into account at all, meaning even an NPC with a "fanatical" devotion to your character could end up in a relationship with another NPC. Now, this will be properly regulated. In addition, we’ve added a button to the randomized NPC editor: "Can" or "Cannot" have relationships with other randomized NPCs. This allows you to fine-tune exactly who enters into relationships during your game session - giving you precise control over the session's romantic dynamics.

A toggle button for "Chubby" characters has been added to the filter screen (accessible via the settings menu). You can now disable MILFs/Chubby characters in-game; even if they have already been generated, they will no longer roam or interact with the world - their AI will be completely disabled, and they will remain stationary.

The interaction where your character proposes sex or oral acts to a randomized NPC has been completely overhauled. Unique dialogue is now generated (similar to standard conversations), and NPCs may refuse repeated advances depending on their personality and the circumstances. A host of other minor details regarding this interaction have also been refined to make it more engaging and replayable.

Interaction odds with randomized NPCs are now displayed across five tiers - low, very low, medium, high, and very high - on Medium and High difficulty settings. Additionally, if your character has a high "Genius" stat, the specific percentage chance will be displayed.

A highly requested feature has been added: a button to switch to the standard dialogue menu during visits (whether you are visiting a randomized NPC or hosting one). This allows for ordinary interactions to take place in a home setting rather than a generic location like a park, creating a unique atmosphere and generally increasing your chances of success. If you switch to standard dialogue, some interactions with RNPS are hidden for obvious reasons.

Secondly, the story. We’ve really packed a lot into this update - enough to cover several standard updates at once. To start, we’ve expanded the storyline involving Suzuki Matsui and the loss of her apartment. We added numerous choices and branching paths, resulting in a storyline enriched by ten new events totaling 20,000 words. We also introduced new sub-locations, locations, and mechanics to add variety to this new content and make the playthrough more engaging. Additionally, we made minor adjustments to Yuki Oota’s story scenes: the scenes now feature new CGs with strong romantic undertones, as well as clearer "hidden" narrative hints to help the player better understand her character throughout the arc.

We also redrew several assets specifically for the game: the remaining four CGs featuring Yuki Oota, two CGs with Meiko Tsukasa, the final scene with Ayano Yoshida, nine scenes with Hitomi Watanabe (essentially redoing the entire set at once), and three scenes with the secret admirer. These updates support new breast sizes (switching between large and small), new in-scene expressions, higher resolution and detail, and improved game interaction. A massive amount of work went into this - dozens of hours of illustration - and it is now fully integrated into the game and available directly within the storyline.

And finally, here are the new scenes we’ve created:

https://x.com/kaitosi11/status/2109599824815481155

https://x.com/kaitosi11/status/2110616628220309878

Thirdly, system-level changes. And right here... we have a lot to tell you. First is an in-game change: a full-fledged calendar interface has been added, accessible via the main game menu. This calendar displays all events, your character's days off, lecture times, upcoming birthdays of NPCs you know, and so on. Among other things, there are handy filters to view upcoming events by month, as well as a dedicated "Gifts" button. This section lists all the birthday gifts your character receives, allowing you to selectively keep or discard them. The interface also displays exact lecture times - details that might not have been immediately obvious to some players. To notify you of an event happening today without requiring you to constantly open the interface, the icon changes to display a specific indicator whenever something is scheduled for the day.

And the most interesting part... A special "LIVE" button has been added to the main menu. Currently, it is available to "Best Friend" tier subscribers ($10), but it will eventually be accessible to everyone once the beta test concludes. It provides direct integration with our website and the custom save editor created specifically for the game: https://slothscommand.com/editor/. On this site, you can modify relationship data with randomized or story NPCs, as well as adjust attributes and hunger/satiety levels in real-time. The game synchronizes with the site via a bridge, meaning any changes take effect within a second, and your in-game actions update the information on the site - absolutely everything stays in sync. Among other things, the site displays all the story arcs - showing how much progress remains, what lies ahead, and so on; you can view everything there. This feature was implemented partly because standard save editors simply aren't suitable for this game; the "LIVE mode" allows you to make changes in real-time without the hassle of downloading or deleting save files - the mode handles it all for you. Here is what it looks like:

Another new feature involves our site: we’ve made it possible for SubscriberStar subscribers to obtain exclusive game access keys. We resolved various login issues caused by the service's privacy settings using this interesting method. All you need to do is launch the game and connect via your SubscriberStar account to receive a special access code.

And, of course, there is the matter of language: the English text has been completely rewritten - spanning 100,000 lines, or roughly 300,000 words. We have fully localized the remainder of the game, from the interface to minor events and story characters - including the storylines for Suzuki Matsui, Hitomi Watanabe, Yuki Oota, and Aiko (the secret fan). Absolutely everything has been rewritten from scratch; the new text better conveys the tone and meaning, representing a high-quality localization. We’ve introduced inside jokes and additional features to better capture the atmosphere, ensuring an enjoyable experience for English-speaking players without any confusion about what is happening.

Japanese language support has been improved: text now displays correctly from left to right rather than right to left. Additionally, NPCs now have Japanese names when playing in Japanese - using the Japanese language instead of English or Chinese as before - along with various other refinements.

Fourthly, bug fixes and refactoring. There is a lot involved here as well. We have put a great deal of effort into making this update a step forward in terms of game stability, and you can view the full list of changes below:

New content:

Specifically for the game, the remaining 4 CGs featuring story character Yuki Oota, 2 CGs with Meiko Tsukasa, the final scene with Ayano Yoshida, 9 scenes with Hitomi Watanabe (essentially the entire set was created at once), and 3 scenes with the secret admirer were all redrawn. These updates support new bust sizes (large vs. small), new in-scene expressions, higher resolution and greater detail, and improved game interaction. A massive amount of work went into this - dozens of hours spent on the artwork - and it is now fully integrated into the game's storyline.

The storyline involving Suzuki Matsui and the loss of her apartment has been expanded. Numerous variations and branching paths were added, resulting in a storyline enriched by ten additional events totaling 20,000 words. New sub-locations, locations, and mechanics were also introduced to add variety and ensure an engaging experience for this new content. Additionally, minor adjustments were made to Yuki Oota’s story scenes: a new CG with strong romantic undertones has been included, along with clearer "hidden" narrative hints to help the player better understand her character throughout the story arc.

A special button has been added for use when an NPC is visiting you or you are visiting an NPC: this allows you to switch to the standard dialogue screen. This means that whether you are visiting someone or hosting a guest, you can look forward to standard interactions with NPCs - not in a generic park setting, but in the comfort of your own home - creating a unique atmosphere and boosting your overall chances of success. Please note that if you switch to standard dialogue modes, certain NPC interactions will be hidden for obvious reasons.

A full-fledged calendar interface has been added to the game, accessible via the main game menu. This calendar displays all events, your character's days off, lecture schedules, upcoming birthdays of NPCs you know, and more. It features handy filters to view upcoming events by month, as well as a dedicated "Gifts" button. This section lists all the birthday gifts your character has received, allowing you to selectively keep or discard specific items. The interface also displays exact lecture times, which may not have been immediately clear to some players previously. To notify you of an event happening today without requiring you to constantly open the menu, the icon changes to display a specific indicator whenever an event is scheduled for the day.

A special "LIVE" button has been added to the main menu. Currently, it is available to "Best Friend" tier subscribers ($10), but it will be accessible to everyone once the beta testing phase concludes. This button provides direct integration with our website and the custom save editor created specifically for the game: https://slothscommand.com/editor/. On this site, you can literally modify relationship data with random or story-based NPCs, as well as adjust attributes and hunger/satiety levels in real-time. The game synchronizes with the site via a bridge, ensuring that any changes take effect instantly, while your in-game actions are reflected on the site just as quickly - everything stays perfectly in sync. Additionally, the site displays all story arcs, showing your progress, what lies ahead, and more - you can view everything there. This approach was chosen partly because standard save editors simply aren't suitable for this game; the real-time mode lets you make changes on the fly without the hassle of downloading or deleting save files - the system handles it all for you.

A special button has been added to the RNPC editor to toggle whether an RNPC "Can" or "Cannot" form relationships with other RNPCs. This allows you to selectively configure which characters in your game session can enter into relationships and which cannot, giving you full control over the session's relationship dynamics.

Now, the more you interact with a randomized NPC, the less likely they are to start a relationship with another randomized NPC; as your character accumulates "Relationship" points, they become a higher-priority candidate for a relationship than other RNPCs. Previously, this factor wasn't considered at all - meaning a "fanatical" female RNPC might start a relationship with another RNPC even while harboring thousands of relationship points for your character. This is now properly regulated.

The interaction where your character proposes sex or oral acts to a randomized NPC has been completely overhauled: firstly, unique dialogue is now generated (similar to standard conversations); secondly, the system now accounts for refusals based on repetition, personality, and circumstances. Additionally, a myriad of smaller details regarding this interaction have been refined to make it more engaging and replayable.

Interaction probabilities with randomized NPCs are now displayed across five tiers - low, very low, medium, high, and very high - on medium and high difficulty settings. Furthermore, if your character possesses a high level of "Genius," the specific percentage chance will be displayed (corresponding to the fourth tier). A toggle for "Chubby" characters has been added to the filter screen, accessible via the settings menu. You can now disable MILFs/Chubby characters directly within the game; even if they have already been generated, they will no longer roam or interact with the world - remaining stationary instead - as their AI will be completely deactivated.

The English text has undergone a massive overhaul, involving the rewriting of 100,000 lines (approximately 300,000 words). We have fully localized the remainder of the game - from the UI to minor events and story characters such as Suzuki Matsui, Hitomi Watanabe, Yuki Oota, and Ayako (the secret fan). Everything has been rewritten from scratch to better convey the intended tone and meaning, resulting in a high-quality localization. We’ve introduced localized humor and additional features to better capture the atmosphere, ensuring an enjoyable experience for English-speaking players without any confusion regarding the events on screen.

During combat scenes with randomized female NPCs, the sprite now displays correctly when fighting a MILF; clothing, expressions, and facial features are all rendered properly without any issues.

The version detection system has been updated to eliminate problems with missing content; the game will now accurately detect the version without any errors. The game's file size has been reduced by 250 megabytes thanks to the compression of certain archives and files, the removal of redundant files, the reuse of existing assets, and so on; these changes not only lowered the overall size but also slightly improved the game's performance.

Fixed bugs:

Fixed a `SyntaxError` caused by the incorrect passing of assignment operations (`+=`) to the `eval()` function within the alchemy interface and during potion creation. This was resolved by implementing string parsing and safe attribute updates using `getattr`/`setattr` within the `store` namespace, as well as by adding handling for other custom instructions via `exec()` with exception handling (`try-except`).

Fixed a NameError: name 'rnpc_dev_config' is not defined bug in the rnpc_dialogue_dev_editor screen, which occurred when beta-test mode was enabled and the RNPC interaction interface was open.

Fixed a bug where the RNPC sprite would appear noticeably blurry for no apparent reason during interactions via the interaction interface.

Fixed a bug where, when playing in English, inviting a female RNPC to your home could cause the game to abruptly exit the dialogue menu and return to the previous location screen.

Fixed a bug causing visual distortion of the story character Suzuki Matsui (specifically her sprite).

Fixed a bug where a fight with a randomized male NPC could trigger exceptions due to issues displaying points on the sprite (if such points were present when the fight started).

Fixed an issue where, even with the neutral "Fortress" skill at level 4, the health of certain limbs could drop below the displayed values, reducing the perk's effectiveness below intended levels.

Fixed a bug where the game could throw exceptions when using the flea market menu during rare gameplay moments, caused by an inability to determine whether or not your character possessed a specific item.

Fixed a bug where the game could throw exceptions when attempting to kiss a randomized female NPC. Fixed a bug causing a NameError: name 'candidate1' is not defined when navigating to the journalism club during Yuki's story arc (jump main_page_for_club_zhournalism).

Implemented the init_journalism_candidates() function to ensure the correct creation of candidate dictionaries (candidate0 through candidate8), thereby eliminating potential data initialization errors when opening the journalism club management interface.

Fixed a bug in the journalism club management interface where assigned tasks could stall and fail to progress. Everything now works correctly: safe type casting (int) for science attributes has been added to journalism_tech.rpy during experience calculation.

Fixed a bug causing a NameError: name 'value3' is not defined when starting a new game (new.rpy), triggered by Ren'Py's background screen prediction.

Declared default properties (default value, value1–value4) in the editor_main_character_new_page6 screen to prevent potential exceptions in the character editor.

In the combat system involving randomized NPCs, stat calculations now include explicit casting to int to avoid TypeError exceptions when adding strings and numbers, resulting in a more stable system.

Fixed a bug causing a TypeError: 'NoneType' object is not subscriptable when attempting to access the swimsuit data of randomized NPCs for whom no swimsuit had been generated.

Fixed a bug causing exceptions in several sleep and kissing events due to a typo (renpy.randon.randint). In home_for_RNPCs.rpy, the definition $ npc_id = cycle[0] has been moved to the very beginning of the loop, before the apartment check, eliminating a potential NameError/UnboundLocalError.

Safe handling (using try-except blocks) for both string-based preset names and pre-defined dictionaries has been added to exist_skirt() and the skirt-lifting check, effectively eliminating potential errors associated with using this function.

Fixed a bug causing incorrect wet-water texture overlay during rain when interacting with randomized NPCs.

The mod download function (via our servers) has been wrapped in a safe try-except block, preventing crashes caused by KeyError: 'boto3.s3.inject' when launching without a network connection or AWS settings.

Safe key checks with default values ​​have been added to the business data initialization function within the business purchase interface, completely eliminating the risk of exceptions or errors in that interface.

Fixed an issue where, when playing in English, certain dialogue lines remained untranslated and appeared in the game's native language.

Added default declarations for dialoge_version, dialoge_version1, is_npc_guess, dialoge_version_old, and dialoge_version1_old in npc_interface.rpy to prevent NameError or UnboundLocalError.

Fixed an issue where MILFs or "chubby" characters could still be generated even when these options were disabled, potentially causing confusion.

Fixed a layout issue where the toggle controls for specific content in the "Generation Filters" did not account for button positioning, resulting in an incorrect visual appearance. A safe lookup from the dialoge_version_for_reaction dictionary (using default keys) has been added to the text_of_reaction() function, and function/condition calls have been wrapped in try-except blocks.

Fixed a bug where the "hover" state of the diary button in the main interface appeared greyer than adjacent buttons, disrupting the interface's visual consistency

Fixed a bug where Japanese text was incorrectly centered on the screen, making it difficult to read (it now displays correctly, running left-to-right rather than right-to-left). The same fix applies to Korean text, which now uses the same centering as the Japanese version.

Fixed a bug where the fight scene involving a female randomized NPC (RNPC) would display incorrectly at certain points, causing issues with the rendering of the NPC's sleeves and clothing.

Fixed a bug where fight scenes involving male randomized NPCs failed to account for the sprite's body type, defaulting to the "Thin" body type regardless of the actual setting.

Fixed a bug where the gallery of completed scenes would occasionally display outdated CGs for the story character Yuki Oota.

Fixed a bug where certain story scenes used the old sprite for the character Hitomi Watanabe instead of the intended new one.

Fixed a bug where the sprite for the story character Aiko (the secret fan) failed to display correctly - specifically, the sprite appeared without a body.

Fixed an issue where randomized NPCs in relationships would not engage in sexual activity with each other; the relevant system was simply not functioning. Fixed a bug where the game might incorrectly register your character as visiting someone else, or an NPC as visiting you, causing a special tab to open.

Fixed a bug that caused exceptions when attempting to cure an NPC's illness after your character had tried to help them at their home.

Fixed a bug where the names of certain status effects applied to your character were not displayed when playing in English.

Fixed a bug where using certain location-based interactions in your hero's room could occasionally cause exceptions when playing in English.

Fixed an issue where the custom color management interface lacked translations in certain tabs when playing in English.

Fixed a bug where the game might - with a certain probability - hide the pupils of male NPCs or your character during the "Lying on Laps" interaction CG.

Fixed an issue where the card game interface with randomized NPCs was not fully translated when playing in English, resulting in a sparser interface than intended.

Fixed a bug that could cause exceptions when attempting to display a female NPC sprite (occurring with a very low probability).

Fixed a bug where perk descriptions in the journal were not displayed at all when playing in English.

Fixed a bug that could cause exceptions during fights with randomized NPCs at rare moments when the game failed to detect the presence of blood on the animated fists.

Fixed a bug that could cause exceptions when opening the inventory interface after other interfaces at rare moments during gameplay.

Fixed a bug where the scene featuring your character lying on a female NPC's lap might fail to close, remaining visible over all other scenes or interfaces.

Fixed a bug where, during the scene where an NPC confesses her love to your character, the previous scene with her was not hidden, causing them to overlap.

Fixed a bug where the buttons to hide the "Pace" column in the randomized NPC sexual encounter interface were positioned lower than intended when the full interface-hiding function was enabled. Fixed a bug that could cause the game to throw exceptions during rare gameplay moments - specifically, when your character visited a randomized NPC (an event that had a low probability of occurring).

Fixed a bug that caused the game to award excessive amounts of money, leading to the accumulation of hundreds of thousands of credits for no apparent reason.

Fixed a bug where modifying your character's neutral skills via the relevant interface did not work correctly.

Fixed a bug where subscribing to (or renewing a subscription on) Boosty was not properly registered by the game, potentially preventing players from accessing their purchased perks. The same fix applies to SubscriberStar. Everything is now working perfectly. Additionally, backup servers have been added to the game to prevent potential connection issues in the future.


As you’ve likely noticed, a tremendous amount of work has been done. We’ve made improvements across the board - refining game systems and the game’s ecosystem, including the website. We will spend the remaining time focusing heavily on game stability, and you can also look forward to some exciting new website-integrated features very soon; thanks to your increased financial support, we are actively hiring new team members, bringing the release ever closer. We thank you for this. The next update is scheduled for October 27th - for now, all that’s left is to wait.