Progress 28.03.2022

So the Monday after the release weekend, which actually went better than I thought. Only few irritations and one broken feature. I've already touched in the previous progress post how things are going to progress onward regarding the releases.

But that being said, rendering day 3, has started. To be fair it shouldn't too big of a surprise after all this time. But I did take bit time off over the weekend, mostly because I didn't want to cause damage to my system because of the storm that was around and lot of things could have gonewrong. So I wrote Saturday and most of the Sunday was spent on building few sets.

Writing side, day 7 is going, and I'm in a writing mood so hopefully I'll be done with it by the end of the week. Probably not, but one can hope.

Part of me has always hated empty bar scenes. Or any empty scene where there realistically should be other people around, but I know from experience that they require a lot from hardware that not everyone have. But now that I have hardware that is more capable than what I started with, I don't see why I couldn't add people to the scene when it is warranted. Oh and that? That's just a test render I did, need to add some neon stuff to it.

Also as of note, yes all but one them are out of the box characters, but I tend to use them as background characters. Even in Sorcerer lot of the people in the background were just some random characters that I didn't modify.

TRS2 Changelog, first release (aka Update 2)

 

It's 4 in the morning where I am, give or take couple, so this counts as Saturday

Changelog: Update 2

• First release: Day 1 and day 2 implemented
• 901 renders in total
• Grammar, spelling, and other fixes (Thanks to Adry Lemon, Shaddy, and BryonSmothers3DX)

This is it, a month later, the first release of Terminus Reach: Sentinel 2. I still get the first launch panic, probably it will never go away. Ah well. The release schedule.

Release schedule:

• Patrons: In about 5 minutes after I've tested the links.
• Public: 2nd of April

Progress 25.03.2022

 

So... what's up? A lot. Day 2 of the initial release has been sent to be proofread and tested, so my work is done until those two phases are completed. Then it is making the fixes and doing the final build, and final testing.

Now as a complication there is a spring storm coming this way, it started actually last night, which might complicate things for a bit, but I'll start uploading and doing the usual release stuff as soon as I do the final test that everything works. Hopefully it is sometime on Saturday but I have to give a warning that it might be later than that.

So how is it going to be?

Obviously this first release will be one download, but right from the start I will offer the compressed and uncompressed versions, like I did towards end of Sorcerer. Also from the update 3 onward I will provide the "update" only option as well for both.

The release schedule after the initial build will stay as it was with Sorcerer, the initial build will be given to all current patrons since you have patiently waited for a month for it.

Also TRS2 will have music and sound effects (mostly for communicators and "door bells", depends on what I can find/make). The default volume levels are set to 50% of the "full volume" so your ears (and speakers) shouldn't blow up on the first run. And the music, and sound effects are normalized so there shouldn't be a need to adjust the volume constantly.

Now as stated few times, I'm not a sound engineer, and my taste in music can be questionable at times. So it might be bit hit and miss. And once I find suitable music for the scenes, I will add more over time. There are currently, few variations, there are 5 ambient music that will play mostly, then few situations have their own music. I try to switch things around between days so you won't be always starting with the same music.

But all that is done and dusted and no more spoilers so concept stuff with random rambling.

The biggest difference as an author between sci-fi, fantasy, and modern day settings is, in all honesty how do you get from place A to B. Sci-fi it's space ships, fantasy horse carts and boats, modern day airplanes and cars. Roughly put.

The setting is mostly the dressing, every fantasy setting can work easily as scifi, you just replace the bows and arrows with a gun. Swords with... well some sort energy sword. Magic with psionics, for example.

What entices me as an author to enjoy sci-fi settings the most is that they offer the most freedom out of the three types I listed, if built right. And as someone who enjoys creating weird creatures occasionally it allows me to do so and not break the setting.

But that being said, even though Terminus Reach allows almost everything, there is the other side of the coin, the limits and the laws of the setting. While creatively it can be as enjoyable to write a setting that has more stricter limits, like Shattered Seals (Sorcerer). In there I'm limited by what exists in the real world and what mythologies offer. The fun part comes from trying to fit all of those together so they work in believable way. And trying to find the ways to bend the limits of the setting so it benefits the characters, truthfully those more often than not don't work but it is fun to try.

So what about these concept renders of some weird dude? Well, as said I like making weird things, I like trying different things to see what works and what doesn't. I needed someone that can look menacing. Although while creating a character can give inspiration, it also can mean that unfortunately some of the characters won't be seen even if I end up liking them.

And at times, I just want to see how things work together. Although, I might need to buy the hair color textures for that one.

Progress 21.3.2022

 

And it's Monday! And that means progress post. 4 ish scenes left to do, some building so that slows it down a bit but not too much, manually placing props is always time consuming. And sadly there isn't big button that automatically creates room full of props... at least I don't know one.

Although good thing about doing sci-fi is that it accepts a lot of things, theoretically speaking, I could easily take any fantasy species and add it to Terminus universe and it wouldn't feel out of place with proper explanation in place. No, I won't be adding Gorgons to this one, doesn't mean they couldn't exist. But that being said, it allows me to add characters that people wanted to see more, but were background characters with little to no reason to interact with the MC at that time.

There is 200 plants give or take in this scene so there will be bound to be some clipping since I'd probably still would be placing them without a help of a script. Sadly the scripts can't detect other objects. Granted in this particular image the choice was either floating or clipping, I chose the latter. Anyway, some of the things from TRS1 will be closed in TRS2, that particular Ot'ai was the one from the tank.

On writing side of things, it's going smoothly, I have no complains about it really still on schedule to finish when rendering is done, but that assumes I won't be pulled away too often.

Progress 18.03.2022

 

Whops, almost traveled back in time with the title... anyway way.

Progress! I'm about half way through of the day 2, but that shouldn't be too surprising either. I say about half because the style I'm doing things for TRS2 makes it bit more difficult to estimate. But the script file is about half way there so yay.

Now writing, I'm confident that once I actually wake up enough I'll finish day 6 about the same time as I'm done rendering day 2, still not happy about the buffer being so small. But that's how things are.

It is in inevitable that things change, take the Ot'ai gowns for example (for those who played TRS), I didn't like them that much in TRS1, simply because they just were a compromise what I originally wanted them to be. Which is what you see in this image. They were supposed to be cloaks like this but they actually didn't exists until mid way of Sorcerer. At least not with a version for both genders. And yes, the guards cloak is huge, but I liked what it looked like and it isn't like he is going to move much ;)

Progress 14.03.2022

 

Ever had those days when you just want to do a list of things you did, post it, and leave it at that? No? Okay then...

So what I've been up to? Day 2 renders are underway, totally shockingly I know. Day 1 is wrapped up and waiting for day 2 to be finished, sorted the remaining, hopefully, minor things that are needed to be done once over the course of the weekend. That and since I had a revelation during the last progress post I've been fixing some things from day 5.

But otherwise on the writing side I'm... not really sure. I'm kind of happy how it goes so far? Outside few changes on focus that has happened just need to get my brain cells aligned (read more tea) and all is good once again.

Hmm I suppose I could us the female pants and the male coat but meh, funny that the female counter part of that doesn't look anything like the male version. That and more textures available irritatingly.

And now to more technical stuff. There are some additions on how things work, for instance there are more options in the preference menu and it's style is different than on standard ren'py VN. Big thanks to Shaddy.

Every option that Sorcerer had are there, with some additions.

Standard tab is the usual ren'py stuff as seen. Dialogue has everything related to the dialogue box, transparency, font size, font color etc. The "Extras" tab has all the scene controls that Sorcerer had, so yes you can pause the images if you wish right from the start, or have them running automatically if you want, up to you.

And yes, there are music, and well one sound effect at the moment. And yes, the VN starts with reduced (50%) volume levels on all channels by default. That and I do normalize the music and sound effects so you don't need to constantly alter the volume up and down.

Progress 11.03.2022

 

Apparently Patreon is doing some background changes, and some options didn't work with the poll and everything else is bit odd at the moment as well. But to the results.

 

The two days in the initial release it is.

And now the good news, I'm about to be done with day 1 and I'll start the day 2 no later than tomorrow. In mean time I'll send the day 1 script to be proofread. Now there are few little things I need to sort out, and some things will change over time, like the GUI, first few releases it is probably going to be the basic ren'py one. At least until I figure out what I want from it.

As for writing, it will resume tomorrow when those little things are done.

And totally exciting stuff! Meetings! But seriously though, there first two or three days will introduce some new people that are plot related, and getting back to most of the old one from TRS1. This lot, is the High Command of the Sentinel Station.

Truthfully, I'm kind of exited of the whole matter, as over the past 2 years I've bought a lot of assets that I can use to make alien worlds and places, so you aren't as confined to the Sentinel station as you were in TRS1, so there are scenes that are on planet side as well. 

I didn't delve on the psionics in TRS1 in detail really, and I sort of regret that. Truthfully, there were few scenes that were cut from TRS1 simply because I wasn't able to make them at the time with the knowledge I had then. TRS2 will expand what are know about psionics. After all, Ot'ai aren't the only psionic species out there...

Truthfully speaking, in all of my settings there is some sort of magic, just how it forms is different matter. I have a stone age setting that I write occasionally, it's magic is based on spirits, shamanism, and manipulation of natural elements more than tossing fireballs left and right.

Anyway before I ramble on more time to continue my work.

Progress 07.03.2022

 

Monday, which means progress report!

So, wow this actually feels weird at the moment, mostly because last time I was starting a new project I did it in silence. But regardless, the progress. I'm roughly halfway of the renders. There is a scene I'm considering doing as bit extra but that's bit uncertain, depends on time.

I'll be starting day 6 writing once I've sorted the launch build, simply forgot how many things there needs to be in order to be able to even launch the damn thing. Then there all those little images I need to make for things to do.

Moving on. Among the things you will notice on the Sentinel station that the rooms have changed. They aren't, for most parts, those gigantic things anymore, but more smaller as they would be on a space station. Another thing you will notice is the lightning. It feels artificial, and comes from straight up. Again this is intentional and how it would be in most parts of the station that are maintained more often.

As such, the view in Mevaar embassy lobby. So why they were gigantic in TRS? Truthfully because I listened other people's advice and didn't build the lightning manually right from the start, tried to rely on HDRI to light things as was advised. No. HDRI's are only giving some sort of scenery behind the window or for outdoors renders where you need consistent lightning on large area. Beyond that I don't use them anymore to light my scenes up.

So let's talk about changes a bit. Sage and Lindsey. For Sage it's mostly clothing and updating the hair to be more modern, not entirely sure do I like that hair as lot of fiddling with it but it's just something that I need to get used to. For Lindsey, hair and skin. She is bit paler than in TRS1. Sadly I'm uncertain of status of her original skin so had to change it to something I bought. It was made by same person, just paler. Of course the old hairs would have worked to a point, but they were made for genesis 1 figures so they are old.

So that is for today, back to rendering I shall go... and coding... and writing cause I can. And sorting other stuff up. ..

Public release: Sorcerer 1.0.0

 

Public release of Sorcerer 1.0.0

Tested and played through a few times, all the saves worked. But that  doesn't mean things didn't slip by. So as always, if there are any issues please report them on discord (https://discord.gg/GJK5kfKypg).

So, this is it, 20 months of work culminates to this moment, the epilogue of Sorcerer. I hope you have enjoyed the journey, and enjoy this final installment to this particular story. I will return with a sequel to Terminus Reach soonish. And hopefully, I'll see you all there.

Thank you all, and please enjoy!

Small bugfix, there is an possible issue regarding Eva and Xiu, restores Maria's "views of the future" image, and fixed typo in a variable regarding the Hag. Sorry for the inconvenience.
https://mega.nz/file/fzBHGJIC#9x9PCa1Sn05Z0OzJppi1_L8_PW3Sh-EQscxrVai1MYM

Uncompressed:

• PC (9.34 GB): https://mega.nz/file/SvhA1R7L#s1leVqWXk6G_uyN1d1HV7iTifeltKDf2K1eKMBddaa4
• MAC (9.32 GB): https://mega.nz/file/izoC1bQY#nrQiJ3O2iJjA7qxh_Tk8ysenxW0dj7K912mbMaYQG64 

UPDATE: From 0.37.0 to 1.0.0 (943.2 MB): https://mega.nz/file/Tj5wETbR#AOeH8xB5aH_rqgWRIPV4tQlg3ZbIQG4hrsej_2RnKW8 

Extract the files from the zip-file into /game folder and overwrite the files it asks to.

Compressed:

• PC (4.16 GB): https://mega.nz/file/OjwGkRqS#huPVWO-lX77HfDUGFnj_SEWKW0fJS0YLgenuSXir1Mo
• PC Alternative: https://www.mediafire.com/file/6ix0zywd1lsphe3/Sorcerer-pc100C.zip/file 
  
• MAC (4.14 GB): https://mega.nz/file/a6g20b6b#D16ScrtGEHT2c-VhAUOcvhOk96MD1q-ts9ZLiyiyPsw 

Compressed update  0.37.0 to 1.0.0 (360.0 MB): https://mega.nz/file/3mwAkDTL#D9W06KkN5F3CC4ReKjOc5EvwE6-i4zb8TOEHh8iVANA 

Android (Courtesy of DA:)
https://mega.nz/file/bywCBTQQ#Lf47rcKHqfdJrbhIX2dWwRyGUGBkpaAlM8hv_uD3JQM 

The pickled edition:

https://mega.nz/file/3mBkjZTL#5py09YSgRXbjuDk7wb0RSsQ3W7qrpgbdEd1u4fNti7k

Adds pickles... don't ask, better for your sanity.

Progress 04.03.2022

 

So the Sorcerer is done, and full speed ahead towards TRS2. With the renders I'm not exactly where I would want to be, although amount wise I am right on target, but what slows me down is that I need to build or rebuild all of my sets, either because they don't exist or because it would take as much time to fix the existing sets as it would take rebuilding them. But I'm not complaining, I anticipated that and because of that I have some tools that helps me to build things once the characters are back on Sentinel.

Now since I don't want to spoil too much on what happens on "Day 1" since the outfits and environments on some characters would give too much spoilers for my liking at this stage. So... some more refined and some "concept" stuff of characters that will appear at some point, some sooner some later.

She is a new character, not named yet, and I know she appears either on Day 5 or 6, and she will be more "core" cast instead of one off random character. Also see? Alien with HAIR! ;) 

And speaking of Day 5, writing has sucked balls this week, and I'm so behind where I wanted to be with that as well. But not as bad, the stuff is flowing in the right direction just need to stop writing and erasing the bits because I'm not happy with them. That and I completely "forgot" that I actually need to put together the code in functional order to actually have a game that works. Go me!

But I'm still around halfway, bit over so it isn't like I'm too much behind of my "schedule" for it. And it's the easiest to catch up, just need to cut the distractions.

Her some of you have seen before, although now she has more... interesting skin personally. Yes I know the foot is clipping but it isn't like this is anything more than a concept render of more or less finalized character.

Speaking of new things, there are few new things I'm adding and trying with TRS2. One of them is music and sound effects. Not everything has a sound effect, partially because despite I have fairly decent library there just isn't that many suitable, so they are mostly used when it makes sense and what I have. And for the record, I'm not audio engineer so I barely have a clue what I'm doing with them. And obviously I'm making these so that they can be turned off, or completely optional.

Then there are Nova and Aegis. Nova hasn't gone through any changes really. Aegis other hand has had bit more changes. All her implants are gone so her body has regained bit femininity over the time. Hair I'm not entirely certain yet. But then again, I don't have a problem with it. And yeah, I'll probably us the male version of that clothing set as more general clothing set for the military personnel and mix of female and male for the civilians so to say.

I kind of wish that set had existed back then... anyway, that's it for today. Back to doing stuff!