Phew. Brace yourselves—this one is packed, so let's have a bullet list for those who don't want to read me yapping for another month!

• Extended Demo: Prologue backgrounds done! ✨
• All the new sprites for the LIs and their expressions are done and coded! ✨
• The Prologue script is done and ready to be proofreaded, with more than 36k extra words! ✨
• Extended Demo: Prologue tracks are done! ✨
• New QOL features added!
• Achievements coded!
• Concept art phase started on Evie!

First of all, let's talk Extended Demo! We can confirm our first update with the new sprites and some new features will come not in June, but in May! :^) We'll set a date pretty soon; even if it's not the juicy major update you're waiting for, we hope you are looking forward to it!

As for the CHUNK of it all, the new prologue, that'll have to wait a bit more. We want to wait until we can give y'all a precise date before saying anything, but know work is going well. Sadly, we have decided not to join Steam's Next Fest this time around as the big update won't be coming until a bit more later. Let's see it!

A very professional graphic, you see! Our...roadmapish graphic with no dates because we'd rather not make promises we can't keep!

So, first of all, our first big big update, version 2.0, will come this year. Version 2.0 will include the new prologue, which features you can see listed on the right. There's more, but we have listed only the juiciest stuff. Our Kickstarter Beta Access Backers will receive the first build of the update (without any major bugs), and once they deem it ready, it'll be sent to our Kickstarter Early Access backers. Then, boom! To the world!

This update will pave the path for the first chapter of every route, something we want to offer for free, as you may remember. First will be Amon (v2.1), then Gael(v2.2), Raeya, Envy, Ara, Xal, and Pride. Then, we'll work on two routes simultaneously (script wise) but prioritize one. That means we'll work on Gael's route while working on Amon's, but Amon's will have priority. After every chapter of every route is out, no more free / public updates will be done until final release. We'll enter public early access for those who want to pay for it. Of course, our Kickstarter Beta and Early Access will have all the content before it goes public.

After our first big update, we'll open a Patreon as some of you have suggested to keep investing in the game and maybe, if things go well, to start supporting ourselves :^) You'll be able to enjoy special content, updates, and get Early Access to the game's progress (at a price we'll discuss with our backers first to make it fair for them. Please keep in mind our Kickstarter Backers will have priority on everything!).

Now, changes in the workload / responsibilities have been made after analyzing Raquel's new situation and it becoming a (for now) permanent part in her life.

To compensate for the amount of work Raquel won't realistically be able to pull of, we've decided to officially have Airyn work on our concept and character art as well. If we want the development of the game to keep going steadily, we have to put our (and your) money to good use. Don't worry, we've mathed hard and we've got the funds for it! Our composer has already been paid for our original soundtrack (our first and only stretch goal!), so that and other stuff are secured :^).

As of today, the new sprites and the new expressions of all our LI's are done and coded! Also, Raquel has implemented the fixes you all suggested for our dear dad. Tree Pride is no more, the golden accents are yellower, and the original tone of the gauntlets is back! Also his head tilt and his smile have made a comeback, as y'all wanted!

Thanks to Raquel for her hard work, all the sprites are ready for our first update!

Also, work on Evie's concept art has started! Our Kickstarter folks will get a sneak peek of some sketches, so you folks will have to wait a bit to see her! In addition, Astro has begun working on more voidbound, so you can encounter more versions of them instead of just voidbound-chan! :^)

All the backgrounds for the Prologue of the Extended Demo are done!! ✨And animated, by the way!

Now, as Airyn will be helping us with the characters, we will have to halt work on the backgrounds for a little while. After the Prologue come Amon and Gael's first chapter, and those will include a lot of new locations, and we'll have to dedicate some time to properly flesh out the aesthetics for both routes. During this small break, I'll properly design the moodboards to give to Astro and Airyn as soon as the new characters are done :^)!

The writing for the Extended Demo: Prologue is done. DONE. I'M DONE.

Originally the new prologue was going to be 20k extra words, buuuut we are sitting at 36k extra. Our editor Allie side-eyed me a bit (with love), and we both know some chopping may be done because I tend to write above my possibilities. So, now we are entering the "this could've been an email" phase. I hope the wait for the first update of the Extended Demo is worth it—I think it'll be, but you'll be the ones to judge!

I've, obviously, been programming the new sprites, as well as the bones of what will be our Achievements section, again thanks to beloved Feniks who has a tool for this in Ren'Py. Achievements won't be coming until our big update, but I want to get the jist of it with enough time!

I also have been battling the code to make it so those of you who turn off the Timed choices know easily when there's a timed choice and when a choice is...well, not timed. Timed choices will have a cute little hourglass on each side! Also, a lot of miscellania like adding Tomás in our credits, revisiting the game to make sure the sprites work accordingly, changing the gallery graphics so they match the new sprites, and so on!

New art has been added to the artbook, and our manufacturer has finally given us a date in which our pins will be done! That's more relevant to our Kickstarter backers, so more about that in there. Kayden is still working on a bunch of mini CG's, as per usual!

Soundtrack wise, Tomás has delivered even more than we needed for our first big update—instead of only two tracks, we now have four original tracks that will be added to our big update! They are finished, cleaned, and ready to go. And let me tell you, they're absolutely breathtaking :`)

April has also been the month to fight taxes, the government, and our own counselor. We even had a big scare with a bunch of oopsies that surprisingly weren't our fault, but that's solved now!

As for our personal lives, I've been fighting the demons of my PhD courses and trying not to cry when faced with math (I failed). Astro has made some big decisions about the course of his life that we see as something positive, Raquel is feeling the pressure of her irl work and wanting to give more to LiL, and Kayden is existing peacefully. Damn I hate that guy /j.

Oh, also, Airyn is very happy to be able to help us a bit more. She's also been working a lot on different stuff (not only for us!), so send good vibes her way!

Somehow this devlog doesn't feel like a lot????? And we did a lot of stuff! Progress is going great!

I guess we are feeling a bit down because the first big update won't make it to this June. We were giving it our all, but even with Airyn's official help, we don't dare to say it'll be ready for June. You always feel like a...not pressure, but duty? To give a date (even if it's just an approximate one) but we'd rather not this time around. Let's just see how everything flows while giving it our all.

That being said, I'm headed to get some rest! I hope you all are doing alright, and as always, thank you so much for the support, the kindness, and everything else 💜