All right, so we're getting the first build ready to go. Gonna say that making a new build brought up things I forgot we customized in our previous titles, so there are more than a few items that we're having to update.
Including the prologue and Chapter One, 0.01.0 is very much an introductory experience that sets the mood and stakes. I'm sure a few of you will wait until we have more episodes out before diving in. But, in terms of this release, we have a functioning user interface. Sure there's some stuff we'll add later on (like the gallery mode), but this should mostly be ready to play.
Let me say that adding a new game to all our various locations, including social media, is a lot more work than I recall. It doesn't help so many of these websites have different specs for their banner artwork. But, by the time the public release is out, we should be good to go.
I know we may have mentioned it before, but TOXICity will feature an Achievement system. I shouldn't have to explain it any more than that. If you've played games on consoles or through Steam, you know what to expect: Do a thing, get an Achievement/Trophy. Though, for TOXICity, each Achievement comes with a pinup. So, much like TID's selfie gallery, this is a "gotta unlock them all" with a reward.
On the topic of The Interim Domain: I guess it has to be said, since we've been getting some questions about it, but the 0.99.0 build for TID will be some time away. The new ending wasn't part of the original plan document, so there's a fair bit to write/render/code. While the new ending will take content from many of the other endings, there's a fair bit of new story to be done, including a bunch of new scenes not already in the game.
Thanks for your interest and your patronage, -Kinderfeld
Happy Thanksgiving to you Americans. And all you non-Americans as well. There are enough good vibes going around that I feel I can share them with everyone. And here at ILS Productions, we're thankful for all the support and fans who've been following us for years. And all the new folks who just discovered us. Even that one guy who constantly complains about everything on social media, even though they keep playing month after month. You know who you are. :P
Well, it's time again to start talking about our new adventure, which will be released in December.
About TOXICity:
It rolled in slowly. In a town in its off-season, no one noticed when the city streets grew empty. No one thought twice about it when people called in sick. And then, while at work, John and his coworker, Kallie, witness an unusual fog surrounding their office. Cellphone service stopped. Phone lines went dead. Almost immediately, they lost contact with the outside world. When they went out to investigate, the fog burned their exposed skin and made them sick. Stranded, they have to find out what’s happening and how they might be rescued.
TOXICity is a character-focused, narrative-driven experience, smaller in scope that our previous efforts. After having to juggle a sizable cast for TID, we decided to go back to a handful of characters. This, hopefully, will produce a more intimate experience where you grow to learn about your fellow survivors throughout the story. Unlike N&T, these won't be people you already have a pre-established relationships with who are more prone to like you from day one. Sure, Laura and Kallie are coworkers and you know them as such, but you'll have to talk with them and consider their perspectives when making choices. You'll have to earn their trust because they have lives to return to if they survive their situation.
One of the main elements of TOXICity is a concept we call "micro-choices" where you can respond to conversations without it making huge changes to the scene. Instead of your comment triggering an alternative path, what you say will just be heard (and maybe briefly responded to). But, what you say will alter how your fellow survivors view you through one of five stats.
Love - A measure of the romantic feelings a character has for the Main Character. Raised by performing activities that involve intimacy or affection. Do you show kindness or care in a moment when they’re struggling? Or, do you blow them off?
Friend - A measure of your friendship with the other characters. Improving this will alter conversations and potentially unlock variations in scenes that might allow for romantic events.
Desire - Represents the sexual tension between characters. Even if they are not romantically involved, this stat might open up moments you normally wouldn’t see.
Trust - Does the character trust the Main Character’s decision-making ability? Can they be relied on to follow his lead? This is a modifying stat that can alter conversations and scenes.
Anxiety - Is the character stressed by the events that go on around them? Can the Main Character convince them that it’s all going to work out or they are safe in the meantime? This is a modifying stat that can alter conversations and scenes.
In terms of graphics engine for renders/animations, we are now using Honey Select 2 Studio. While I won't say we were experts with HS1, we were good enough to knock out 8-900 renders and 30+ animations in a month with it, so making the jump to a new program is going to take some time to learn. Sure they share a similar UI, but there's a fair number of plugins and mods that are different or don't exist in the new Studio, so we've had to figure out how to make the same experience through a different means. A bit of on-the-job training.
Also, for those who don't like to go in blind, for TOXICity, ILS Productions is producing an official walkthrough, which will be fleshed out more as we progress through the game.
Thanks for your interest and patronage, -Kinderfeld
I'm here to formally announce ILS Productions' next game: TOXICity
About TOXCity:
You are John Houston (or whatever your name him), a recent divorcee stuck punching the clock five days a week for a company that's in the process of downsizing your office. Every day feels exactly the same, except when people start calling out sick and the air quality outside gets increasingly worse. And then the dense fog settles in. Phones stop working. The internet, too. And when John goes outside to get into his car, the fog burns his skin, forcing him to retreat to the temporary safety of his office. Trapped with his coworker, Kallie, John must figure out what their next step must be. They surely can't stay there, can they?
Gameplay notes:
Game is narrative-driven with a focus on the main story. Romantic options will add optional scenes and arcs, like most AVNs.
Smaller cast than The Interim Domain so players can focus on the nuance of the moment with each of them. These will be people who come into the story with their own lives and you have to consider the impacts of your decisions based on what you know and learn about them.
Multiple stats to manage which may alter conversations or entire scenes. "Micro-choices" system where you can respond to a conversation without creating a huge shift in the topic. Your choices have the chance to change the opinions of those around you (not unlike in Now and Then). We've been teasing some of this in recent TID releases but this title will have more stat options to impact.
0.01.0 will include the prologue and chapter 1.
User interface is still in development phase and will probably be finalized a few builds in (gallery and other unlocks to show up later on)
We're considering a Trophy/Achievement system based on what you do in the game.
Sample screens: (Renders are in Beta and may not represent the final product. Some images are examples of future scenes done for reference purposes.)
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