Hello my friends and Happy New Year! Here is the first devlog for 2024. Brace yourselves, this one might be kinda long. So grab a coffee (or tea), relax, and open your Serenity Island books to Chapter 2, episode 3. Yes, I know it is blank... that's why we're here LOL

First... some actual devlog information because it is just a few sentences: Episode 3 will have 16 scenes, I am currently working on images for scene 3. So, that's where we are on that. I hope to have a release ready by middle of next month. Moving on...

RELEASES - Recently I posted a comment about possibly doing half-episode updates. After giving this a lot of thought, I decided not to do that. Sorry, but it isn't how I want people to experience my stories. I think a release should be a nice chunk of the overall story... an event or several, with a beginning and ending. It is the way I prefer to experience VN's when they are still in development. Not many devs do this though. Each episode should have it's own little 'arc' - an issue that is dealt with and resolved by the end of that episode, while also continuing to tell the overall story. So, I will continue to do what I have been doing: working on Serenity and Last Human in tandem (back and forth releases) until Serenity is completed. Yes, unfortunately this means it will be longer between each game's release dates. But, if you're a fan of both (which was my goal when crossing them over each other), then this shouldn't be too big a deal. With that said, I am setting goals and doing my best to keep a tighter work schedule when I am not working my full time job. But there will be times when my full time job has a lot for me. When my plate is full like that, it is more difficult because I have to prioritize my job over this since I still depend on that as my primary source of income.

HOW LONG WILL SERENITY BE? - Serenity is going to end with episode 9 (in Chapter 2). I have a great story lined up to complete it, but I'm ready to move on from it. I love what I created and I love the characters... I'm just ready to do something else. So yeah, Serenity will have 9 episodes. Episode 9 will be a huge update with the only choices (that matter) I have ever done in a game. And don't worry, there will be a LOT of choices, and WILL INCLUDE harem of course. I tagged it 'harem' for a reason, so don't freak out! Each choice will take a certain path with one of the six main love interests, plus a choice that will go harem. And each of those paths may offer some other choices... possibly pregnancy and seeing your children. I am still considering options for this, but I'm hoping these choices will cover a lot of your different preferences. Episode 9 will have to be released in parts because of all the branching paths. So each release may be 1 or 2 of the girls' paths (release 1 might be Trixy and Morgan, release 4 might be 'harem' which is the longest one, ect.). Anyway, that's pretty much how I have the plan laid out at the moment.

HOW LONG WILL LAST HUMAN BE? - Last Human is a bit special because it began the kind of pattern I truly wanted to do with Serenity from the start. I do have a lot of content for it, so it is possible for a season 2 for sure. However, we'll see how things pan out when we get to that point (probably well into 2025). Due to the nature of the relationships between you and the girls in your crew, there won't be any choices to end LH because no matter what, you're going to have a harem there. However, I do have ideas written down for choices on pregnancy with certain (or all) girls. We'll see how it plays out... still a long way away. If I do a season 2, Last Human could go on through 2026.

WHAT OTHER PROJECTS DO YOU HAVE? - Lots. LOL. I've been writing little short stories in notepad for a very long time (well before I even knew what a VN was). Some of them are really good ideas that could be expanded into bigger stories, and those could translate into nice VNs. I have been looking more closely at two of them over the last few months and I think I might have a winner with either of them. Now, this may disappoint some of you, but my third project will not be connected to Serenity or Last Human. I also don't want it to be 'magic' or extreme sci-fi stuff since I'm already doing that. Also, <ahem> probably no nekos.

<crickets>

Yeah, I knew you wouldn't like that LOL. Okay, I may find a way to work in a neko, even if it is a girl that does it in cosplay. As for the 2 stories I am considering for a future project... here is a little about what they are:

Story 1 - is pretty much what some call a 'life sim' where you step into the shoes of a big guy that is a bouncer at an interesting gentlemen's club. The MC is tall, muscular, tough, has a bit of a chip on his shoulder and is more intelligent than he let's people know. He's never really made time for girls so he's single. But he get's to see lots of them due to club business and his job of guarding the ladies or accompanying them sometimes as a bodyguard. The MC is VERY LOOSLY inspired by a character named Takeo Goda in an anime titled "My Love Story!!". Just, not as 'ogre-ish'. I liked that he was a good person no matter what. Anyway, no more super powered MC... just a normal guy with weaknesses and drama to deal with, although he's a pretty tough guy. Big guy with a big heart. It will be emotional, romantic, and have action and of course eventually sex.

Story 2 - Now this one has a title: Viral Affair. I wrote a short story some years back that is somewhat like an old movie called "The boy in the plastic bubble" starring John Travolta, only the roles are reversed. And the reasons and story arc is different from the movie. The MC is a psychologist that is tasked with helping a girl who lives in a glass room. She has a disease that is so contagious, merely breathing the same air as her can kill you. They interact through a glass wall. The girl's personality can be described as chaotic tsundere, perhaps a little yandere, multiple personalities. She is prone to major outbursts of anger. She's a beautiful girl in her early twenties. MC will be faced with trying to help this girl, and crossing the boundaries of being her doctor into falling in love with her. Plus dealing with romance away from her in the outside world. This one is like nothing out there (so is story 1 for that matter).

Between the two, I am leaning towards Viral Affair because it is completely different from any VN out there. And that's how I want it to be. But both have promise. Feel free to comment on them. At various times when I have the chance, I'll be slowly working on one of them and try to have most of the story ready by the time I'm ready to begin coding it into a VN. Understand of course, this game would be at minimum a year and a half away from actual full time develpment. But time flies, so I thought it would be good to fill you guys in and get feedback on the two.

Alright, I think I've written a long enough book of information for you to soak in and think about. Now I need to get back to work on episode 3 and try to get you guys some content out. The render is a really old one I redid a bit. Thought it fitting to start the new year with an old image.

As always, love you all! ...Fire