Progress 30.09.2024

Hello all!

Not really the post I wanted to make, but have to make it. 0.24.0 is uploading at the moment so it is done, but now is the uploading. I wanted to release it today but I got to hand it over to testing late Saturday/early Sunday. It is what it is. I'm slightly hesitant saying when the release cycle starts, other than soon. But a couple of small things I should mention, first check your sound levels. Especially if you are using headphones. Secondly... there are conditional choices in this update, so you might get only one or two depending on the choices made in the past. And one of the choices seems pointless right now, but everything has a plan... unless they change which can happen but still it will have a point... somehow. Anyway. Hopefully all of it has been uploaded tomorrow so can start releasing it relatively on time.

But beyond that, started rendering 0.25.0. So it isn't like the small "delay" changes much with the process as is.

Writing, I need to reread through 0.28.0 since there was a part I wasn't exactly happy with. It might put me a bit behind but it just means I need to write some more, it will be fine. It isn't a long section I need to revise. I'll probably start 0.29.0 on Tuesday, maybe Wednesday.

So... in spirit of keeping spoiler free (and within public post guidelines) a daily motivational render. In fantasy meteoric iron has always been this highly sought "magical" metal, that isn't mithril, the line of thought was what if it attracted something more than other adventurers seeking to claim it... That and I haven't really done this kind of render in a while. So a good change, and unsurprisingly it helped to clarify a few plans I've had. Plans that didn't have anything to do with the image and it's subject.

Public release: Tribulations of a Mage 0.23.0

 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

PC
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Update only
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Android
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Android WT
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Progress 27.09.2024

Hello all!

One scene left to render, or well half a scene but it might be 20 or 60 renders depends how the scene flow goes. I'm at 360 renders which is around where I should be a the moment if we count renders, but there are some additional renders so it's just in the ballpark. It has been, slightly annoying updated to render. A lot of renders took a lot longer than I expected, or should I say had hoped. But in the end, renders take the time they take.

Writing is where it should be, not that it makes me happy since rendering takes the time I would want to write. But it will be fine, part of the reason I have the buffer. Just need to ensure it doesn't get reduced too much. Also been doing most of the coding and post work at the same time and still haven't grown extra pair of arms... ah well.

Now this is an actual preview, to a point. It is missing a character because including that character would have been a major spoiler. Without that? It's just Tomas, Shani and a couple of masters... and students in the background. And this is one of the things I wanted to talk about on Monday, but I forgot.

Most of the light in this scene and one of the previous ones comes from a small source, namely the crystals on the staves. The red tint comes from Master Sunan's (the bald guy who isn't Magnus) staff because the gem on the top of it is a ruby. So should have picked another colour, but hindsight! And next small weird render.

The previous scene that is set in this room is mostly lit by this:

So, in certain scenes, the light creates interesting patterns. It's due to this. How the crystal is cut and the shaping of the filament that holds is creating shadows. And that being said, that particular scene is fairly dark, so there is the "enhanced visibility" option for that particular scene. They aren't overtly bright, but bright enough to see clearly.

 

And then a little bonus render... of sorts. Regardless of the choices made, Miki's life is about to change, whether it is for good or bad remains to be seen. But little divination can't hurt... even if it isn't as accurate as it used to be at the moment. It is sort of amusing. This wasn't supposed to be the "bonus render", the one I was originally making for it ends up as a hidden image because it allows me to show something I might not have been able to show otherwise... Plans within plans and all that.

Progress 23.09.2024

Hello all!

A busy week ahead of me. I have three scenes left to render, and all of them are relatively long. But that isn't surprising as text wise this is the longest of the updates so far. Plus some personal stuff distracting over the weekend didn't really help, but it will be there. Might take a day or two longer than normally but it will be done. I have a feeling I said that with the last update though...

Writing of 0.28.0 is in okay shape, it is in a state that I know what to write just need to get it on paper so to say. I'm mostly content with it really. Just spinning how I will do 29 and 30, but that I'll sort when I get there.

Unfortunately, what I render at the moment has two issues: major spoilers and not exactly suitable for public posts. So this is a purely something conceptual. The curse of the creative mind... something I've said before. Ideas comes and they need to get out of the head somehow. Some are stuck in a limbo until there are parts that I can use to make them. That's one of the good things when you can draw, it is easier to manifest them. With 3d unless you can make the models from scratch not so much. So how about this one? Now I know there will be riots, albeit minor ones, but right now I have no idea do I have need of her. But such is life at times, maybe idea comes later for her... Although, might need to alter the visual of the wings to indicate that they are more temporary than permanent feature... hmm. Something to think about. That and kind of wanted to test the environment as well, which was more important really...

Anyway, short break and back to rendering and writing I shall go...

Progress 20.09.2024

Hello all!

Rendering of 0.24.0 is going, render count wise I'm not where I want to be, but in relation to the script, I'm more or less where I should be. There are a couple of variants I need to do but shouldn't be too much of a hurdle as is.

Writing of 0.28.0 is in a decent place overall, needs some writing, but that's nothing new, really.

I've been saying in various places that the heroes, well some of them, will return to the empire. And here it is... the trip consist of three updates basically, but only two days. Well technically four updates but the bit at the start of 0.27.0 isn't that large

.And then... a bonus. Those of you that have played FarCry will groan with this image. I have no real use for the environment as is but I knew I had to make render when I saw it. But doing so it did give me an idea, or should I say refined an idea I already had...

Anyway, short break and back to doing stuff. Have a great weekend you all!

Changelog: Tribulations of a Mage 0.23.0

 Changelog:

• 374 renders
• Implemented the next part of the story
• 1 hidden image
• Grammar, spelling, and other fixes (Thanks to Adry, Shaddy, BryonSmothers3DX, Bread, Orion, Oaiki, Abs, DavidCF, dogswithguns, MurderHobo, Horny Toad)

It's done. Yay...

Release schedule:

    $15 Tier: As soon as the post has had its final touches and links been verified.
    $10 Tier: Released
    $5 Tier: Released
    $3 Tier: 19th of September
    Public: 30th of September

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Progress 16.09.2024

Hello all!

Update 0.23.0 will start the release cycle shortly. Note about the update. There is one choice in the previous update (0.22.0) that will make the update much, much shorter. This is related to one of the ongoing "plot lines"... which I should have mentioned already ages ago. There is the "world plot" which is the incoming alignment and troubles relating to that, the "main plotline" that is regarding getting back the soul, and while this one seems to go nowhere it is actually advancing, just not in clear ways at the moment. And then there are the "companion" lines. Now the choice in question relates to the world plot line and preparation for what is coming, so the choice doesn't matter directly to the personal or companion lines. But it can have darker undertones in the future if gone on the "non-canon" route. So if it feels extremely short, you might want to revisit the previous update. Now I know it isn't necessarily easy to determine which line goes where. This is a kind of the point as they are intertwined. Some choices affects all three, some are more clear to what they affect. Anyway...

Outside of that, started rendering update 0.24.0 and already moved writing 0.28.0. 

And this isn't really a spoiler, it's from 0.24.0, the first render of it actually. A couple more familiars shown. Satya has a rat, and Riya has a butterfly. Part of the reason why she was exited seeing flowering meadow in the previous update. As for Aisha? Well here familiar is work in progress. It was supposed to appear now but I wasn't happy how the textures looked. But there will be other times to show it.