It's been three weeks since the public release of Chapter 3, so here comes the first devlog for Chapter 4!
What's Been Done?
Very slight rework of Sayuri, Misaki, and Katsumi's faces (jaw area). I had some issues with how these three looked from the side (especially Misaki), which limited what I could do in renders. The changes should be mostly unnoticeable, maybe their faces will look slightly rounder from the front?
Increased Sayuri's butt size by 10% (very important)
Reworked Katsumi's body to make it more lore-accurate (more on that below)
Redid 103 renders tied to Katsumi's new body
Added a new important character who'll appear in the next chapter
Minor plot change in Chapter 3: Pink mob now also restricts MC's rollback ability. (Thanks to R@ndomman for pointing it out!)
Chapter 4's script is (mostly) complete! As I'm writing this, I still have two events left to finish, but I should be done by the time you read this devlog.
About Chapter 4
Another big chapter... guess that's becoming the norm? I'm still unsure if it'll end up longer or shorter than Chapter 3, but it'll definitely be more wordy.
This time, I tried to work on pacing, adding breathing spaces between, uh... "chapter arcs"? Not sure what to call them. Anyway, Chapter 4 will have three of those, which should make the story flow better.
I also plan to make some small adjustments to previous chapters to improve pacing there as well.
As for renders, this chapter will be all over the place. Some events will have the highest render-to-dialogue ratio I've ever done, while others will have just a few looping renders with tons of dialogue.
About the plot
I already warned you back in Chapter 3's first devlog, but it's worth repeating: The plot will continue to get darker little by little as this episode goes on.
If you're sensitive to heavier themes, please proceed with caution... or take a break if it's too much!
Katsumi's Makeover
Well, it's not as dramatic as it sounds, but I still think it deserves an explanation!
Katsumi's new appearance won't really change much while she's fully clothed...
Her old model had some issues with her overall figure... especially noticeable during the shower room event in Chapter 3.
The most visible changes are in her breasts and thighs, so let's talk about that!
With her new body, Katsumi now has thicker thighs, a wider waist, and a slightly rounder ass... giving her a more balanced hourglass figure (I think).
Her height remains unchanged.
Then there's the matter of her breasts. I always felt her original size was too close to Maya's for comfort...
In some camera angles, the difference between the two wasn't clear enough, which bugged me.
Katsumi was conceived as the big-breasted heroine, after all!
And, well... I also felt she lacked that Boom! factor when suddenly unclothed... if you catch my drift. I know reworking a character's appearance can be a bit risky, but I think Katsumi earned this one.
...And did I just spend half this devlog talking about Katsumi's thighs and breasts? Yup! Only the most important info for you, dear players!
Anyway, let me know what you think of the new Katsumi! I hope she gets a bit more love after the next chapter.
What's Next
Working on a few new outfits
Preparing the maps used for events and the Scene Scribbles.
Then moving on to the usual render and animation work
ETA?!!!
Way too soon to say, but... I'll do my best to have it out before the end of the year... Hopefully before Christmas... Maybe even early December...?
...or you'll just see me crying about animations in Devlog #9!
And that's all for today!
As always, I want to express my gratitude to all my amazing subscribers, old and new, who support this project, and to everyone following and playing along. Thank you all so much!
For my subscribers: see you in a week or two for Chapter 4's Scene Scribbles!
For everyone else: see you in the next devlog!
Thank you for your time.
-Haptales
P.S. Don't forget to vote for the Best Bikini here!
Chapter 3 - Review: Is This the End for RomCom: Divergence?!
Short answer: No.
...
Hello everyone!
Sorry for the clickbait title and image, nothing is actually at risk...
Ah, wait! Don't leave just yet, please! Look, if you stay with me for a minute or two, I promise I'll give you a reward~! You like rewards, right~?
Anyway
It's now been a week since the Chapter 3 public release, and two weeks since the early release. With Chapter 3 out, we're officially halfway through Episode 1...
So I think this is a good time to take a step back and do a little review of RCD's current state, the latest release, and maybe ask what you like (or don't like) about the game so far!
Just a heads-up: this post isn't a proper devlog about Chapter 4 (the next one should be in about two weeks).
Boring numbers
Base game: ~2500 renders, 18 animations
H-Patch: ~600 renders, 90 animations
Script: 97,433 words
Soundtrack: 53 musics, 77 sound effects
About Chapter 3
Chapter 3 was a big success compared to Chapter 2, which was itself kind of like the game's second birth.
I don't have every single stat, but on Itch we were at about 2.5k downloads for Chapter 2, and we're now a bit over 10k total downloads. As for other sources... well, based on the numbers from my Pixeldrain and Mediafire accounts, it's a bit over 6k.
So altogether, Chapter 3 should be sitting at a bit over 14k downloads from what I can track. So yeah... I'm pretty proud of myself for those numbers!
Itch's situation
I didn't realize it before the last release, but apparently removing the payment option re-indexed my game? Well, that's good enough for me!
I do feel sorry for the kind people who donated during the Chapter 2 release, since I honestly don't know whose pockets their money ended up in... but at least it wasn't a huge amount.
Android's issue
I already mentioned this on Patreon and Subscribestar, but let me apologize one last time to my older Android players. I messed up the package name during development and completely forgot about it, so Chapter 3 was treated as a brand-new game... meaning your saves didn't transfer. And since we're already this far in, fixing the package name now would just cause even more problems for other players. So I decided to leave it as-is.
Seriously... everything Android-related makes me feel like a monkey smashing rocks together. At least you'll get to laugh at my package name all the way until RCD's completion!
About the writing
This isn't exactly a new issue... I mean, I already had to rewrite the entire Prologue and Chapter 1 for the Chapter 3 release. But yeah, it feels like I'm not quite there yet.
The main problem is the pacing: every event just comes one after another without really giving the player time to breathe. I'm still a beginner when it comes to writing, so I definitely struggle with that. But I'll do my best to improve it for Chapter 4!
Funny thing: I actually ended up dropping the Toaru Majutsu no Index series (despite really loving it) because it gave me that same feeling. So trust me when I say I take pacing issues in my own writing seriously.
On that note, I feel like Chapter 2 handled pacing a bit better... but what do you think?
Renders and animations
I had to cut back a bit on animations for Chapter 3, but that was more because I lacked the skills than a lack of time. Well... I guess I lacked the skills because I lacked time? Yeah, let's go with that.
So I tried to put a bit more effort into the renders themselves, I hope it shows!
Although, personally, I think one of the best renders I ever made was for Maya's first time, back in Chapter 1. I really think I nailed the angle and lighting for that one...
Monetization, death, and taxes
Honestly, from the start I didn’t think a game like this would do well… I mean, just look at that description! And does the story even make sense?!
Though I secretly hoped to hit it big on day one, give the middle finger to my old boss, and work full-time as a dev! (Yes, all that with that crappy 0.1.0.0! My dear older followers will remember!)
No worries though, I'm a bit of a pessimist/realist, so it didn't take long to be brought back down to earth and start working on the game again! (See my Christmas update from last year!)
Ah yes, for the new folks who haven't checked my other pages: I'm only working on this game after I get back from work, or on weekends. Well... that's not totally true these days, but that's the general idea.
Making this game is really important to me, so don’t worry, I’ll see it through to the end, success or not. But I’m immensely grateful to everyone supporting this project financially, you’re awesome! And nothing would make me happier than being able to reinvest back into it one day.
About Subscriber perks
...So that brings us to the perks I'm offering to my generous subscribers...
Class councils won't be a thing for a couple more updates, and the early release isn't really that big of a deal... So that leaves us with the Scene Scribbles, Misaki's Treasure Box, and Katsumi's Notes.
Well, to cut to the chase: it wasn't a success... in fact, the last two were a complete failure.
Those bonus contents don't seem to appeal to those who already have access, so I guess I shouldn't expect them to attract new people either.
I still plan to keep doing them, though, because they're more of a byproduct of my work on the main game, I don't spend that much extra time on them. And for the Scene Scribbles, they even play an important role in the game's atmosphere.
But I'd love to hear your thoughts... What didn't you like? Or what other things would you like to get as rewards?
I'm thinking of trying my hand at 4k renders, but honestly... with my current skills, I can't help feeling like a total hack.
And so... I need your feedback!
It can be on every point mentioned above, some of them, or even completely different ones!
There are a lot of things I didn't mention (music, release schedule, the way I write these posts, etc), but this post is already longer than most of you will read before skipping to get to the reward, so-
Thank you for your time, support, and (hopefully) feedback!
I'll also leave this link to a new poll, which I'm sure will bring some interesting results!
...Are YOU excited for Call of Uma: Crisis Kingdom - Online?
-Haptales
TLDR:
Oh...? A lurker-skipper has appeared~ Enjoy the attached 4k Sayuri picture~
The Music Room is functional, but I didn’t have time to customize it yet (low priority).
The mobs' appearance will change a bit during this new chapter (outlines). This isn't plot-related; it simply wasn't worth redoing every render.
Known issue:
I messed up the Android package name, so older players will lose their saves. Unfortunately, it’s too late to roll back the release with the proper package name, so it will stay as is. I’m really sorry about this.
Did you miss me? Of course you did! Your favorite gal is here to give you the thing you've been waiting for the most, after all~
That's right! Chapter 3's preview is finally here~
"Heeeeh~ Who do we have here?" And since the last one it's only been... Uwah... three and a half months?! At this pace we won't see each other again until next year! LOL
...Oopsie, I made the dev cry~!
Anyway... what do we have this time around...? Let's see...
"Clearly you're not taking it seriously..." First up is... Sayuri's bad end! Oof, well, MC deserves that one, right?
Next is...
"...You already know my term ends this year. Why try to destabilize the school now?" Katsumi's bad end! Mmm... Yeah, that seems about right~
MC should be focusing on Misaki, after all!
"Pathetic... worthless... girl."Wait... Misaki's bad end too? Oh, that one's a bit problematic...
Weeeeell, at least Sora should be safe to go-
"No! I'm not joining those clubs again!"... Guess it's gonna be one rough chapter, all right.
Also...
I-I'm not into that, okay?! I'm only interested in girls! Really! So... please don't... not even as a joke...
...We might just have one of those bad ends too~ Yeah, you know the one, when you fail to get any heroine!
Tee-hee~!
Chapter 3 will be releasing on 09/17 at 2pm (UTC+2) for all Tier 2 subscribers, and on 09/24 for everyone else!
Thank you for your support, and see you next year!
It's already been three weeks since the last devlog... and honestly, I didn't even notice them go by.
Right after the last devlog, there was that one big event I focused on, and before I knew it, an entire week had slipped past...
Anyway, time for a new update on Chapter 3!
What's Been Done?
Right now, I'm at 648 renders and 32 animations.
I also have about 15 more renders mostly ready, but as I'm writing this devlog, I'm still deciding which background to use. By this point, I expected to have more renders and fewer animations... looks like Chapter 3 might end up with a lot more animations than Chapter 2.
Note: This render count includes both vanilla and patch content, since I'm working on both at the same time.
Rendered all Scene Scribbles.
Your messages have been properly added to their respective events. Thank you for participating!
Set up the script so Sensei's event now uses layer-based scene renders.
This event comes back every chapter using the same visuals, with only the chalkboard changing. Using this system will save time and space in the long run. I'll also update the older chapters to use it starting with the Chapter 4 release.
Preview Pic
I was torn between this pic and one of Misaki, but I've got to save the better ones for the full preview!
So, what about Katsumi... and MC holding a sword? Maybe he's trying out a bold new speed-dating strategy? Or maybe he finally had enough of all the rom-com nonsense and decided to commit violence on school grounds just to get this game deplatformed! ... Ah, but don't worry, both of these fictional characters are fully consenting adults. Aaaand, as luck would have it, we even have a respected member of a totally legitimate fictional feminist group in the background, ready to vouch for the whole thing!
On a more serious note, I also found a way to improve mob appearances (not in this preview pic). Still need to figure out if it's worth going back and applying those changes to all the Chapter 3 renders I've already done, though.
What's Next?
More rendering and animating...
I'm getting close to the finish line, but I definitely underestimated the work needed for some events. Like seriously, that one event that ate up a whole week? It was supposed to be quick and easy. Damn whoever wrote the script! ...Well, I might have also been a little too inspired while working on it... Tee-hee~
Takeshi's cultured preview
Another one is coming next week for Classmate-tier subscribers. I hope this new format, shorter but more frequent than before, works well for you.
Fixing the writing in previous chapters
Along with some other miscellaneous tasks.
About the current situation (Itch, payment processors, the E.U., censorship, etc.)
lol
Where to follow me if something happens
Check the support links displayed in the game (Patreon, Subscribestar, Boosty, Itch).
I also have a (mostly abandoned) Ko-fi page, but I at least post new releases there.
And if worst comes to worst... you can probably find the latest release on your favorite pirate site.
For each release, I'll make sure the support links displayed in the game menu are updated to wherever I'm currently active.
ETA?!!!
I won't lie, I underestimated the amount of work needed for this chapter.
Overall, I still think I've made good progress, but time is flying at a scary pace.
The 'good' news is that I've been working on this game almost full-time since last week, so I should be able to make up for some of the delay.
I'd prefer not to, but I still have options to save time, like skipping the rewritten Prologue and Chapter 1 in the early release.
Right now, I think a release in the second half of September is a realistic estimate, maybe even mid-September for the early release.
Final Word
Again, I'm fully focused on making the renders right now, so I'm sorry if I missed things.
The popularity poll will be closed somewhere around the first half of September, so if you are still yet to vote, don't wait too long!
And finally... I hate skirts. Next time? Every single heroine is wearing baggy pants. No exceptions. No skirts. No fighting Koikatsu to make them behave. I mean it. I hate skirts.
And that's a wrap for this 3rd devlog.
A huge thank you to everyone supporting and following this project! I'll ask for a bit more patience as I keep pushing forward.
I hope you'll enjoy what's coming next in RomCom: Divergence!
For Classmate-tier subscribers, I'll see you next week with another little sneak peek of Chapter 3's "plot."
As for everyone else, I'll catch you again by September 10 at the latest.
It's already been three weeks since the last devlog, so here's a new update on the next chapter's development!
What's Been Done?
215 renders and 4 animations
It should have been 5 animations, but the last one is still giving me some trouble to finish.
Started rewriting the prologue
I had some issues with my computer last week and couldn't work on the renders, so I ended up tackling the prologue a bit earlier than planned. No worries, my computer's fixed now. I usually prep scenes bit by bit on weekday evenings, then render them over the weekend... so it only threw off my schedule a little.
Rough scene setup for half the events
This will help me speed up rendering over the next couple of weeks.
Added a 'Hide' option to the quick menu.
Nothing like a quick two-second job to sneak one more line into the changelog!
Preview Pic
Finding a proper house for MC and Sayuri was a huge headache. I wanted one of those classic Japanese-style homes you always see in slice-of-life anime and manga. That's how I ended up with the one you can spot in Chapter 2, behind MC's lemonade stand.
Of course, that created a new problem for Chapter 3... What the hell am I supposed to do with the interior? I've already shown MC's bedroom and kitchen, so I couldn't just go with a traditional Japanese house layout, it wouldn't match what's already in the game.
In the end, I decided to handle it the same way I did with the school. So uh… please don't look too closely at the missing tatami mats or the questionable house dimensions. ... What? Sora being carried over MC's shoulder? Totally not important. But if you're worried about this fictional character's well-being, don't be. Both of these fully grown, entirely fictional adults signed a certified Fictional Consent Agreement™, in triplicate, witnessed by a neutral NPC, and archived in the Hall of Narrative Compliance. We take our imaginary paperwork very seriously here.
What's Next?
More rendering and animating...
You know the drill.
The return of Takeshi's Sneak Peeks
I've changed my workflow a bit for this chapter, now I'm working on patch content alongside the main (vanilla) content. It should help me standardize the characters' poses between versions, thus reducing the workload... well, at least it should. I'll also be trying out a new format for this Tier 3 perk, so you can expect something next week!
About the Itch Situation
I'm a bit late to the party because of work, so I'm not going to repeat what every other dev you're following has probably already said. I'm not sure what will happen to my project. Actually, I haven't noticed any drop in views or downloads, so I guess I'm safe for now? Well, if it happens, it happens. Although it'd be pretty funny to wait three months to get my project indexed, only for it to get removed a month later!
ETA?!!!
It's a bit of a long shot right now, between work and everything else, but I'd really like to have the chapter fully rendered before the end of August. There'll still be plenty of minor stuff to wrap up before release, but that's just how it goes.
Final Word
I've been really busy the past couple of weeks, so sorry if I missed anything or didn't get back to you. I'll do my best to catch up next weekend!
Just a quick reminder to vote in the popularity poll if you haven't already! And for my subscribers: entries for the Scene Scribbles perk are still open until August 13!Don't miss out!
And that's a wrap for this 2nd devlog. As always, a huge thank you to everyone supporting and following this project! I hope you'll enjoy what's coming next in RomCom: Divergence!
For Classmate-tier subscribers, I'll see you next week with a little sneak peek of Chapter 3's "plot". As for everyone else, I'll catch you in the next devlog (scheduled for August 20, hopefully).
Thank you for your time! -Haptales
P.S. Only TWO weeks left for the Scene Scribbles!!!
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Creator Stats
5 subscribers
36 posts
Goals
$29 of $100
per month
I can consider that my VN isn't a flop!
Yeah!
$29 of $400
per month
This will be a huge help to my finances, for sure.
It won't be enough for me to go full time, but it will be a great motivation to go further!
$29 of $900
per month
Beyond this goal, I'll consider changing my full-time job to a part-time one, thus increasing the time I'll have to work on my game.
$29 of $1,500
per month
Making this VN become my main job!
I'll still have to work on the side to make ends meet, but I'll be able to dedicate most of my time to developing this game.
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