Progress 19.01.2026

Hello all!

Ehh... Monday. It wasn’t the most productive weekend, some rerendering, coding and other things but still more or less where I should be. Rendering otherwise is going okay. Doing the scene renders and doing some codex stuff on the side. A lot to do, luckily the renders for Codex are simple. And I need to remember to do the portrait for Ryder and someone else as well.

Writing went nicely over the weekend, about where I should be. Update 6 has some... let’s say branching. Nothing too drastic, just variations of the relationship and how people interact with Alexander due to it. Maybe different locations for them as well.

Ryder, Kai, and Alexander... I said it ages ago somewhere that while we aren’t going to focus on the "normal life" too much, it is there at the start of the VN so some plots can be opened, and some people can be introduced. The focus will shift towards the "magical side" of things relatively quickly, and the "mortal side" will be more in the minority scene-wise. Not that it exactly matters since there is a lot of overlap with things. Usually, the "mortal side" scenes are triggers for something, or for gaining some insights into some other things. Anyway, break time, and then more renders.

Progress 16.01.2026

Hello all!

I started rendering the 0.2.0, so we are one step closer to the release. It is a relatively simple update, and I have the characters ready. But you never know. I just rendered again a few things from the 0.1.0 that I wasn’t happy with. Couple of things I’m still not happy about, but I’ll have to live with it for now.

Most of the basic coding is done, as well as some of the additional features I want to include. I’m uncertain I can get the codex up and running for 0.2.0 since that depends mostly on getting the various auxiliary renders done. There are about 48 or 49 entries so far... And most of them are returning cast.

Writing is going okay, so hopefully I’ll get more done this weekend. But overall, it is looking good.

And then... I think I’ve found my main menu. Now I just need to figure the banner and things. Anyway, quick break and more rendering, writing and coding. You all have a great weekend!

Public Release: Tribulations of a Mage 1.0.3

 

 

Tested and played through it a few times, and 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 if possible. That way, I notice them quicker.

https://discord.gg/GJK5kfKypg

Tribulations of a Mage 1.0.3

 Android is older version. Hypothetically it can be patched to 1.0.3 by dropping the scripts.rpa into \Documents\RenPy_Saves\com.talothral.toam\game. Except WT version.

1. Patch 1.0.3: https://mega.nz/file/Tz5FRAIS#yVShBb_OQoAIuxzOfEVQtktSHpq0Mf0GXgV0uk9JyBA PC https://mega.nz/file/Lmh2CK4R#0MMWZMrMI4EcqShSfIv-scy6gBseWqCvNK_Ytu2u0Go
   PC Compressed https://mega.nz/file/avBBwbAI#e6Eol0m28IpgxLORTvBdDscUOyQlUWGqYwP6zhJIfH0
   MAC https://mega.nz/file/OixRQYQA#bmVc1tpMRKUz3YNc485SmTLjRcMrxkSVkUv17QTgLv0 MAC Compressed https://mega.nz/file/Lr5WyIjA#4VzsM-ATO_sO-EjZ_ZCqkfUpycfQml3p3gqNwLC_wnU Android https://mega.nz/file/b2ABBbTa#wXaeI_emk1Ws8btwnE8dYTqG5MM-BBd5SkzLygKl1No Android WT https://mega.nz/file/rjRlzYCJ#koQpgmFK4IwCpK3uAKBhqrKwOSutQr6R_hg3NCMnPR4
2. 
   
   
   

Progress 12.01.2026

Hello all!

0.1.0 is rendered, so for the next two days I’ll be focusing on coding various things in, and doing as many "auxiliary" renders I can, such as trying to figure out the main menu image. Then hopefully by Wednesday it is in a condition where it can be tested. Then I’ll continue rendering the 0.2.0, which is the release build.

Writing is going, so I keep writing between tasks so I can get something done on that front.

And well, last of the non spoilery things, sort of. Yes, Alexander can teleport at will. But at times the question is, is it smart? If you teleport around in North America or Europe, no one is likely to look at someone like Alexander twice. But else where? And what do you do when you don’t have suitable papers on you? Great Houses have a way around it. I think it is even mentioned in one of the updates even. At least I think I wrote it. Anyway. So at times it might be better to use slower transportation methods, that and depends what they are carrying. And it is a nice place to end the update, for a change...

And something of a bonus. I’m not a graphic designer, nor a UI designer. I’m still certain that the ToaM’s menu screen was a once in a lifetime occurrence. I can make a decent render. I can code most things. But trying to make UI elements is just... something that happens to other people. This? This was just me tossing things at the wall and seeing what would work as the main menu background. Yeah... probably not this one. But it gave me some ideas, just now I need to find the parts for it. Anyway, a shortish break and more coding and wondering why things work...

Progress 09.01.2026

Hello all!

So what’s up? I have three scenes left to render of the first half (aka 0.1.0). So I’m... more or less happy with how that is going. After it’s done, not even going to guess when, I’ll code a few days and send the first half to be tested so it doesn’t take that long when the second half is done.

Writing is going on update 6. There’s not much to say about it. As long as it is done before I render the 0.3.0, it’s fine. Generally speaking, writing is harder to measure outside of pages and what "day" is being written.

And a mystery location. Writing things overall is slightly annoying since you are dealing with a lot of returning cast and at this stage of the plot there aren’t that many choices to be made. You’ve made your choices regarding them in Sorcerer if I nitpick, even though you either go with canon or custom like in TRS2. Well, it is going to be an interesting journey. Anyway, short break, then more rendering, and maybe some coding. Not sure yet.

Progress 05.01.2026

 

Hello all!

I always forget how much work starting a new project is. All those little, seemingly insignificant things eat the time. And then your brain decides that "Nope! I don’t like the thing that was finalized eight months ago! Redo!" Ah well, anyway.

Rendering? It’s going, just need to get back in the rhythm, partially why I dislike taking more than a day off as it throws the rhythm I work off. Although that being said, I was supposed to start rendering today, so technically I’m a couple of days ahead of the original plan.

Writing? I’ll start update 6 on Wednesday, need to give the nogging a bit of a break since there are a lot of those little things to do. But it’s all good. I know what to write. I just need to write it down.

And the end of our little jungle excursion. It wasn’t in a jungle originally, but I couldn’t get the required environment to work for the original, so I had to change it. Slightly more work, but nothing too drastic. Part of the reason why I buy a lot of environments. Some that I might even need for a few years. Easier to have them than hunt them down when you need them. Anyway, short break, and more rendering.

Changelog: Tribulations of a Mage 1.0.0

• 2664 renders

• Implemented the epilogue

• Grammar, spelling, and other fixes (Thanks to Adry, Shaddy, BryonSmothers3DX, Bread, Horny Toad, Bernie64GER, OBE, DocWhoJ, Oaiki, Digitalzig, Jaike)

Note, there is a patch incoming with the public release to fix something that was reported. Or around there.

Public release is on 14th of January 2026

SHA256:

• 8C3E1FE3D37C80A08A7F929AEC46A564F802ADF1F7B7A3DC105DD0A17D55E0C
  ToaM-1.0.0-mac-C.zip

• 7F6C1E5823F7F2F9CF36E859F5815F9BE6405B215BDFFCA3712DE599B84B0593
  ToaM-1.0.0-mac.zip

• 890C61D1412C8C407268E542AAB6CA0D3B3393F3D690D44AAB21086EFC4C9FBB
  ToaM-1.0.0-pc-C.zip

• 063FF033A51B849001F2E67703475657A0735228AA19D1B96571E2B6F426E268
  ToaM-1.0.0-pc.zip

• 613BD8FF6087E7932DEC960AD7A20A58CD8E50C4AAD60424D68484EFB105C538
  ToaM-1.0.0-Update-C.zip

• 4EF31213752511C1F5C1CD5C668B5587BE55F8BA19EB686150CB292478DD02B6
  ToaM-1.0.0-Update.zip

• 7CD12BB4D83B9AE148EC1D41CB424C5D1F62B9FBF6468A07A87B35F1E300C317
  com.talothral.toam-release.apk

• 73B6EF6C5C0CCF380BF4F19584B3ED9E56948C089ADF11E8E8757121ACA21DDC
  com.talothral.toam-release.apk (WT)

Progress 02.01.2026

Hello all!

Happy New Year to all of you. So, Friday, just off the release, so what’s up? Well, Sorcerer 2, that’s what. The first production renders are being made. Well, some are done, and the first lines of code are underway. It will take me a day or two to settle back into the usual rhythm, but that’s a nonissue. The UI work will be a pain in the backside, but I’m not a UI (or graphics) designer. Have to see what I’ll do this time.

I’ll resume writing now that I’m rendering the actual VN, not that I had that many pages left of the update 5. So I’ll do the usual one hour before I go to bed, just to relax myself.

Hmm... a preview. Just Susan and a sniper rifle. Hmm... interesting. Some of the renders are more, let’s say, complex. There are a few images that I need to render twice and compose in post. Although just looking at that render, I might be better off building a custom grass set as the ground texture is... it works, but it isn’t the greatest for close up such as this. Ah well, a short break, then build a grass set. It is good that I noticed it now and not after 50 renders. You all have a great weekend!

P.S. Public release of 1.0.0 will be on the 14th. I’ll post the SHA’s on Monday’s progress post along with changelog. Although need to do a patch to fix a couple of irritations. As usual... ah well.