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TOXICity 0.16.0 update 3 and release schedule
Here we are. Packages for the new release are being uploaded and will be ready for the release notifications scheduled for next week. As commented in earlier posts, this chapter is jam-packed with scenes moving the main story along, so much so that we've tried to avoid showing whole sequences in our teasers. But, I think there's enough there to hint at things.
For those wanting to see some resolution (or at least movement) to some of the emotional threads being set down, 0.16.0 and the next episode will do a lot of that, changing up the team balance as certain characters are given a stark revelation that the status quo is unsustainable.
For anyone curious about the poll we've been teasing, that'll be posted for patrons/subscribers not long after the release of 0.16.0 goes public.
Here's the release schedule for 0.16.0 (all scheduled for 11:59 am EDT release):
Tier 3 - March 16, 2026 Tier 2 - March 18, 2026 Tier 1 - March 20, 2026 Public - March 21, 2026
Change Log 0.16.0
Added Chapter Sixteen
Fixed typos and grammar errors
Tweaked code in CH10/12 to address issues with Laura/Kallie threads when telling Laura about your relationship with Kallie
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TOXICity 0.16.0 update 2
All right, here we are. Had to do a little work to find some screenshots that didn't give too much away, but maybe look away if you want to go into this episode unspoiled.
In terms of the actual chapter itself, there's a lot jammed into it. Think of it like Now & Then's Chapter 16, which was packed to the gills with content and served as the dramatic peak that led into the back end of the story. With that said, there's a lot of moving the plot along and some serious action, which usually means that the smaller emotional moments take a back seat. Recognizing that, we are trying to weave in some more of those little scenes that push the romantic threads along.
Also, the chapter will end with a decision that's probably already out of your hands - one produced by earlier decisions made in the game. For those of you playing the game, focusing on different girls, this will produce different results build around a fairly similar core.
As for the previously-mentioned Future Projects Poll, we're still working on a rough "proof of concept" image for both, but that post should go live by the end of the month. And when we say "proof of concept," we mean that just about everything you see will probably change as it's refined into a final product, but we wanted to show where our heads were at in the concepting stage.
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TOXICity 0.16.0 update 1
Have I said how much I hate February and losing 2-3 days of dev time? Yeah, I know I have. Which means that when this morning rolled around, I realized I was due to post an update. So, this is mostly written in between projects during my day job (which is also impacted by deadlines missing 2 business days).
So, how about that ending? As someone in the comments called it: "Chekhov's Grendel". We've always tried to drop little things early on as hints for later revelations or moments, like the UPS van, the missed text message from Naomi in N&T. The only thing we didn't really telegraph was Marisa's secret in TID, and even that had some background build-up, but not in the expected way.
I think we've done it enough that folks on the Discord are looking for clues that are really just background noise meant to make the world feel lived in. There's a certain level of world building a writer has to do to make their story exist in a tangible environment: mentioning family or friends, or just talking about simple things like Girl Scout Cookies. If your characters don't exist solely to push the narrative, then they feel more like actual living people.
On another tangent:
While going through my collection of old video games, trying to mine some story/gameplay concepts for future gold, I unearthed an old PS2 game that I forgot I'd owned, much less played, well over a decade ago: Siren (or Forbidden Siren). I bring this up because it struck me that TOXICity borrows some elements from this game, as well as all the other movies/shows/games I've already credited. It's not a strong connection, but the isolation, the limited visibility, and the human-like threats to normal, everyday people all come across as at least tangentially influential. Probably a lot of horror games from that era seep into our work, more than even we realize.
Also, I recall the PS3 remake being nerve-wracking.
Thanks for your interest and patronage, -Kinderfeld
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TOXICity 0.15.0 update 2
Progress on the new build is going well. We've got it into a rough playable state and will start placing the audio, date/time markers, and stat flags as we test it out to make sure the story flows as intended. This is usually the point where we recognize that the chapter needs an extra scene for pacing or to let a moment breathe.
Also in the works is some initial writing for a few big scenes to pop up in 16 and 17. Considering how loaded the plot maps for both are, we need to get going on those as well. Because the fools who make calendars decided February only has 28 days, we lose 2 of our usual build days.
By now, players have already made numerous choices that will impact their relationships (unless you're one of those people running multiple playthroughs at a time for each girl). If you're juggling Kallie and Laura, you already gone through multiple scenes that may have defined your involvement with Laura. Expect more of that as we press on. In fact, the Shelley/Kallie arcs overlap through the next few chapters, so be on the lookout for at least one heart-to-heart.
As mentioned in discussions on the Discord, Trust is a major stat to keep an eye on as you get deeper into the game. If you're romancing certain girls (and more than one), that is. Low trust, coupled with some reveals of playing the field, might end things prematurely for your romantic interests.
Thanks for your interest and patronage, -Kinderfeld
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TOXICity 0.15.0 update 1
You know, it's funny that we think of Chapter 15 as a bridge episode, where the story works on existing plot threads that will play out to some form of a conclusion shortly. Why is that funny? Because it's bookended with serious drama, horror, and action that's almost a whiplash in intensity when it hits. Still, we're looking forward to 0.16.0, which (like N&T) promises to be packed with story developments as it shakes up the status quo and sets the table for the last half of the game.
Some users have inquired about the possibility of a bad ending, separate from the normal "No one" endings, where you don't romance any of the girls throughout the game. Like what we did with the Director's Cut of Now & Then, where there was an extended epilogue after Jack dies in the school, we're toying with a scenario where John dies, and the others make it out. Implementing that ending might be something that happens near the end of development, just so that its existence doesn't ruin certain plot elements of the main story. We're still figuring out the logistics behind it, but it's something we're seriously entertaining.
I'll admit to having some negative opinions on "You're Dead" endings and fail states in visual novels, mostly landing in the territory that they're often a waste of time when someone can just roll back to/reload the last autosave. There isn't a level of true anxiety from the gamer about it. So, if we do it, there should be something painful--emotionally--to make it stick. That's why the No One end in TID was so melancholic. (I wanted to mention other media that follow a similar arc, but that would really dip into spoiler territory for movies/games that you're not expecting, and that isn't cool to do.)
Thank you for your patronage and interest, -Kinderfeld
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