Hello! It’s been two weeks since my last update, in which I took some time to step away from development. I was able to catch up with family and take a breather. I still don’t have the healthiest relationship with my work, but I’m working on it!

I tried to take work slower as I got back into it to focus on areas I was ready to approach instead of forcing it. This week's progress includes: 

• Sprited a very dense environment and complex character that I can’t show yet. Also some NPC work. I'm very excited about Track 2's art direction! 
• Completed a still turnaround and four directional walk for another character. 
• Improved save stability across rooms and character loading. Ideally I will not have to change this and loading across tracks will be smooth.
• Cleaned up new textboxes and reimplemented font selection. There are a few minor tweaks left in this department. 
• Cleanup work across both episodes. This is ongoing and I expect it to take me through this week. Essentially, I’m playing through the Overture and Track 1 in every possible way (yes, the game will subtly adapt if you complete or skip certain encounters), to make sure everything is in order. This includes working with the sound controller. 
• I also drafted a script for the 1000 follower special and plan to record it tomorrow!

This week I move into school, though I study games and scheduled my classes around having as much time as (in)humanly possible for LIFELIKE.  My plans are: 

• Film and begin editing the 1000 follower special video. 
• Continue playing through the complete version to make sure everything is where it needs to be. This includes: 
  • Getting the sound controller up to date.
  • Finishing touches on new textboxes. 
  • Finish asset reorganization in engine. 
  • Address QOL issues: show current save in menu, toggle text effects in game, fullscreen preset recalled on load. (There are more QOL updates that will be added incrementally over future builds)
• I haven’t forgotten about the script. I’m still struggling with how to put some final pieces in place. I’m hoping keeping it in the back of my mind while I clean up this week will bring inspiration. 
• If I somehow meet all of these goals, I will work on more character assets for Track 2! 

This is probably more work than I can complete this week, though I found that I tend to drift if I don’t have a concrete plan. I will be gentle on myself if I don’t complete these larger lists because they’re not there as something for me to complete on time every time. I'll be returning to weekly updates every Monday, so I'll see you next week!

Mantis