As you know, I initially set out to make the 0.3 update a soft reboot, reworking old scenes, introducing new ones, and polishing the story for a more cohesive experience. However, as development progressed, the update grew far beyond what I originally planned.

For example, the concert event started as a simple scene where MC and Cody enjoy music and meet one new character. When I made my last progress post, I genuinely thought I could finish it in just 1-2 weeks. However, as I worked on it, I realized it had so much potential to be more impactful and engaging. I ended up expanding it significantly with multiple new characters, meaningful choices that affect relationships and the MC’s development, improved renders with better lighting, and animations to make the event truly come alive. What started as a small event has grown into the biggest and most complex I’ve ever created for the game!

About two weeks ago, I completed most of the renders and writing for the concert scene, leaving only the final big event at the end. With that milestone reached, I began integrating all the new scenes I’d created so far, including MC’s arrival at the Mercers’, meeting Cody, and reworking sound design. But as I replayed the game during testing, I noticed the scene where MC plays a game with Jane felt underwhelming. Instead of just tweaking it, I decided to rewrite it entirely and turn it into an actual gameplay sequence, where player choices go beyond simply winning or losing to Jane. This not only adds meaningful gameplay mechanics but also deepens the character and relationship development, making the interaction between MC and Jane feel more dynamic and impactful.

While this progress is exciting, it’s also been overwhelming. Early in 0.3’s development, I created new scenes for where the current storyline leaves off (at the party). My goal was to make 0.3 a wholesome, rebooted version of the game, ending at the party with a complete introduction to the story and characters. I even added new animations for Apryl’s scene to enhance its impact. Initially, after finishing the concert, I planned to work on two major events featuring Jane and Apryl, several smaller scenes, a rework of Cody’s introduction, and a revision of the party event. But now with all the additions and improvements I’ve made, I find myself with new events at both the start and the end of the storyline, leaving a gap of older events in between that need significant reworking to connect everything smoothly.

I’ve been struggling to decide how to move forward:

• On one hand, I want to deliver a complete, polished reboot with all the new events and connections seamlessly tied together.
  
• On the other hand, I know this would take a lot more time, and I feel I owe you something sooner rather than later.

After much consideration, I've decided to split the update into smaller parts. The next release will be 0.2.3, focusing on the reworked early scenes and excluding the new events I've already created for the party event. This will allow me to take a breather, gather my thoughts, and approach the remaining content with renewed energy.

I know this might be disappointing to some, and I deeply apologize. I truly wanted to deliver a complete reboot, but it’s simply too much to handle in one go. Splitting it into smaller updates will make the process more manageable and allow you to experience the progress I’ve made so far.

Here’s what’s left to finish for 0.2.3:

• Concert Event: Finalizing writing, renders and animations.
• Reworked College Scene with Cody: Completing renders.
• Revised Game Scene with Jane: Implementing new gameplay mechanics, new renders, new animations and sounds.

Once this update is out, I’ll focus on closing the gap between the reworked early events and the party event. After that, updates will be smaller but more frequent, which will help maintain a steady flow of progress. I just need to push through this challenging period of refining and connecting the story.

Thank you all so much for your patience, understanding, and support. I know I’ve changed directions a lot during this process, but I truly believe these adjustments are for the best.

In my next posts on my Patreon, I’ll share a detailed breakdown of everything I’ve accomplished so far and what’s left to finish. As I get closer to wrapping up the update, I’ll announce a release date. Rest assured, I’m doing my best to deliver it as soon as possible.

Thank you again for sticking with me through this journey. 🩷