Log in[~June Mini Update News~]
Hiya everyone!~ This is going to be more of a personal mini blog/news update post, but we'll begin first with MA project mentions, since we're not quite ready for the next newsletter yet.
Okay! So, first thing on the list~ We're still chipping away on the next updates for both public and supporters. There's good reason for why it's taken a bit longer into this month, but I've been trying my best to keep up with the team and ensure we're getting the content ready asap!
I'd really like to kick it into overdrive mode this weekend into next week, so that we can get even a decent sized demo for what's ready and get the ball rolling again.
As of right now, we're thinking the demos will be out by the 27-28th at the latest. We'll most likely have our newsletter for June out early/mid next week to showcase sneak peeks and previews of what we've been working on as well!
We're sorry it's taking a while longer.. But we're hopeful the new gameplay features added, plus the female protagonist differences will easily make up for it as we move into the other episodes of the game, including her into them, and expanding upon the new features naturally as the game progresses.
I'd like to personally avoid any delays or issues like this again, and so we're considering the option of releasing smaller pieces of content every 2-3 weeks. Even if that means, there's 1-2 new written scenes added to the public and supporter updates to the game for a little while. It'll let us build up a buffer of content to release a little here and there if there is situations that delay things.
(Some delays are out of my hands technically, if say the programmer runs into a issue with their hardware. I can't physically fix that when they're half way across the globe. ^^" At least with a solid chuck of buffer content ready, we should be able to use those as safety nets for these periods when it's a bit rough. That way, we're still delivering content regularly, just maybe a little light on the content for a little while before we can get into the groove.)
With MA stuff out of the way first, since many are here for that naturally. The next stuff is more blog and personal stuff, so you're free to check out from here if that isn't your thing. <3
Still with me? Okay~ So, I've been extremely busy here the past 2 weeks. Even more so in the past week.. For some context: My parents and I live in a park community, and a few months back my Dad got me my own place within the park so we're not too far away. (The place was around $5,000) It is technically a mobile home park model with a enclosed lanai attached.)
There's been a number of home improvement projects I've been taking on with the place, mostly on my own.. Although my Mom and Dad has helped when possible. I'm in the process of prepping the place for my best friend who's coming down for a month in July to test if she wants to be my roommate long-term or what not. So, I've been getting the place updated and fixed since her last visit a few months ago, back in Spring.
The biggest battle recently with Florida's summer that decided to begin super early this year.. Is trying to keep the place cool and comfortable during the peak hours of the day, typically by 10-11am you can notice the humidity and warmth inside the place building and increasing as it hits noon, lasting sometimes until 7-8pm before it begins to feel good again.
So, recently I've installed a AC unit in the wall of the lanai where my bedroom is and it helps, but even with 2 AC unit's in a 28x10 feet lanai. There's barely any insulation or sound proofing. The walls go.. PVC siding -> foam board -> PVC exterior skirt siding. That's it! *melts in humidity*
I've been slowly working on getting the materials to build a finished wall to replace the existing ones in the lanai, starting with 2x6's to create the wall's frame/studs and get the electrical boxes attached. Then, I'm going with rock wool sound proof insulation, even though it's a bit more costly..
It's technically waterproof vs other options, and for a flood prone zone during hurricanes. Anything that won't become moldy or destroyed instantly.. the better! But, the big reason I'm going with that insulation is to cut outside noise down by 50% or greater. As of right now, my neighbor could easily hear me speaking at normal volume in my lanai, or just in general hear movements and any noise I or my dog's make. (They're about 10 feet or less away from my lanai.)
So, I really want to cut the noise as best as possible to have more privacy and ease of mind.
It's all a on-going process as I slowly get the money set aside to tackle these material costs, but I was able to recently get the money together to get the 2x6's needed to do my bedroom in the lanai, so.. I'm hoping to do my bedroom first entirely for around.. $400-500 to cover the 10x8ft space's walls.
That won't entirely fix everything, because the rest of the lanai will allow cool air to escape and noise will bleed out that way, since I don't have a door between my bedroom and the entertainment room (rest of the lanai). ^^" But the rest of the lanai will easily be about $700-800.
So, I'm tackling it little by little, but Florida summer makes it feel pretty rough right now. :S
The rest of the place has 1 window AC unit in the main bedroom (now guest bedroom for my friend) and I've been using a box fan to suck and blow that cool air down the small hallway into the kitchen/living room space. Although, it really doesn't do a lot.. ^^"
I really need to see about getting this split unit installed in the living room, but I also have to be careful about power usage. The place can go up to 50amp's of service for the entire place and while I was at my parent's place last year, we tried running 3 AC units in their lanai around this time last year, which worked for a little while..
Then.. My Mom went to plug the golf cart into the outlet outside and it knocked power out for the lanai, and that's a whole other story.. <.< But, the short of it is.. You have to be really careful here with off loading everything, turn stuff off if it's not being used, etc.
(We've already looked into upgrading the 50 amp service. A electrician at the time said he could upgrade the service panel for my parent's place, but it'd be nearly $2,000 to do. ;_; Not only that, but the park won't let them do that, because it's their service panel and rules, etc.)
Which leads me into some more recent issues actually that's kept me extremely busy in the past 2 weeks...
Earlier this month, my parent's needed help moving the last things they had in storage to cut down on monthly costs. So, that was a solid two days of getting stuff from point A to B, unloading and finding spots to put everything, mostly it all went into their lanai space for now.
Then, I noticed a letter on my parent's front door.. A notice from the park's front office, that said my parent's have 7 days to remove one of their two sheds, stacks of pavers, and a number of things from the back porch area or they'd be evicted if these things weren't tackled in this cure period.
Naturally this happened right before the weekend, so the main lady at the front who runs things wasn't in until the following Tuesday.. So, we couldn't really get any confirmation on what they meant, because.. everyone in the park has 2+ sheds for one thing, other people have pavers stacked neatly up against their house and it isn't a problem? So, there's that too..
With no other choice and my Dad working 6 days out of the week.. It comes down to me to help my Mom with these tasks. So, to save some time.. In the past week or so, my day's have roughly been more or less like the following...
Wake up -> take the dogs out to potty -> take a shower/general hygiene, dressed etc -> make something small to eat -> head over to my parent's to do 6-8 hours of tasks. (with breaks, since you can stand outside in the shade for 5 minutes and already foam sweat all over your arms, forehead, etc without physically doing anything.) *melts just thinking about it*
For example, I think it took me all day to move about 200+ pavers that I kinda understand what the park meant, since they weren't up against the house or hidden out of sight. But, just moving these neat stacks about 8-10 feet by hand, 2 pavers at a time plus the heat.. I probably ended up taking about 6-8 mini breaks in-between to go inside and drink like crazy, sit in front of the AC and cool down for about 5 minutes before going right back out there and moving stuff again.
(I wasn't going to have my Mom go out there and help, because she recently got sick from the heat and physically, she can't do all that bending, lifting, etc.)
So, after moving the pavers neatly against the side of their place, hidden out of sight better. I tackled their back porch with her help, and here's the awkward part.. Anytime we have stuff that's a bit bigger or awkward to toss in the dumpster up front for regular trash.. The park won't let you dump big stuff in that dumpster, instead.. They suggest having a worker from the park pick it up for a fee to get rid of it. >.< (Talking $30-60 to get rid of something, and beyond if there's more items.)
The other option is load up the back of the car with what we can, take it to the dump and still be charged a good amount to dump stuff there. <.< So, it really makes getting rid of some stuff harder, and I can understand now why some elderly folks in the park just stash stuff in their shed, lanai, or hide it elsewhere if they can't get rid of it. (That or if it's decent enough, they can put it out by the road and someone in the community might take it off your hands for free = the best outcome.)
After back to back day's like this for about a week, my back is starting to really feel it and I've only now starting to take it a little more easier.. >.< Even then, I still have some tasks with helping my parents out with their eviction notice/warning.
When we called the front office the day that the main lady was in. My Mom went over the letter with her, trying to figure out and reason with them.. because getting rid of a heavy aluminum shed that's empty without a fork lift or truck in 7 days or less after receiving the letter is a pretty big request..
Not to mention, their park rules make zero sense.. Everyone has 2+ sheds, despite their rule/s that claim, only 1 shed allowed. Which after asking the office before the main lady was in.. they were trying to say no sheds are allowed? Okay.. well, tell that to every single person who has 2+ sheds actively right now? Did they get notices recently too? All of them? That's where things don't make sense, and it feels like they're singling certain people out for some reason..
I asked around, since it's the off-season, the park is maybe 50 places out of 300 or more that's still here year-round? But everyone I knew to ask who lives here, only one said they knew their neighbor was given a notice to paint their shed.. But not remove it, adding more confusion to their "rules" they enforce or rather.. lack of enforcement until they feel like doing it, and only selective enforcement. (I'm aware there's laws here to protect against being singled out like that, etc.)
Okay.. So, the shed needs removed still and the only "upside" to this mess, is that the lady said someone who works for the park can come by and get the empty shed out of there for no fee. (Which is the most shocking, because they charge for anything when given the chance!)
It still makes no sense they have to get rid of their one shed, when it sounds like it isn't being enforced to others and so we're keeping an eye on that as the active season kicks up in Oct/Nov into next year before people begin leaving again to see if other people's sheds begin to disappear.. or if it's not being enforced, and maybe build a case against the park if my parents are being singled out.
Secondly, the pavers are a bit up in the air.. because she didn't say if they can stay where they're at or not. She just told my Mom pavers can't be put into the ground without the park's permission, despite many other people in the park already having grand driveways with fancy pavers and one case, where someone's lot/yard is 80% pavers.. They have a full blown mini community setup with multiple tables and chairs out front of their place for get togethers.. ^^"
So, that's another oddity, and I know a few places where they have pavers stacked next to their place, a little out of sight and nothing is done about them? So, we're keeping an eye on that too in the coming months.
For now, the pavers need to be stashed away under my parent's place. (remove the pvc skirting and slide them under the home) and I told her, I could take some and replace the old ones already in the ground at my place's back garden since the old pavers are cracked and needs updated in general.
The back porch is technically fine now? But.. they did say the washing machine that my Grandparent's left behind, even though it's hooked up and could be used right now if wanted.. That needs to be moved into the lanai, or rid of it.. or add a enclosure closet kind of deal on the back porch to hide the washer.
(Another thing other people have outside their places too. Not to mention, the shed and washer have been there for 5+ years? The shed's been there since 20+ years while my Grandparent's owned the place and it wasn't an issue until now? Just seems a bit fishy..)
It'd be one thing if the enforcement is happening across the board, no special treatment or making up new rules as they go along, that weren't in the original contracts signed.. There's cracks in the management in this park, not so much a problem with the people living here and I don't want to screw anyone else over by pointing the finger at them.. But if you're going to claim to apply these rules and then earlier this year, when I talked to one of the security guys in passing..
He told me during the active season, he's told by upper management to let certain rules slide to not upset the tourists/snow birds who stay here for 4-6 months. Including.. When there's a burn ban, they're told to let it slide here or there when all it takes it one mistake and a bigger issue is on their hands for letting things slide..
So, when I hear things like that are allowed to slide by and unfair treatment, rules applied selectively, made up rules that counter-dict themselves from what they say 2 months ago vs now, etc. It just really feels like there's a lot of cracks forming and now I can see why many people who have been here for many years are getting out of here.. It's making a lot of sense now.
The only saving grace in any of this.. is that the notice my parent's received was given a extended week to get the shed cleared out and figure out where things in there are now going to be stored without more issues.. (It's almost as if you're not allowed to have anything outside, because even our gazebo that was there prior to moving in.. soon as the active season ended in 2025 shortly after we moved in, the park told us the gazebo needed taken down and removed, plus chairs, etc.)
Meanwhile.. other places have gazebo's or similar up all year round, even during hurricane season when it can become a hazard with the high winds. It just doesn't make a lick of any logical sense to me..
So, lately I've been extremely busy with this mess that the park is doing and sadly my Mom can only do so much physically, so it lands on my lap to help or watch as they're evicted.. Or if we have a legit legal case of being singled out, then of course bringing up proof and written documents of everything presented, dates, etc. We could use that to avoid any eviction issues, since they'd prefer to stay out of court and settle the issue before it becomes a larger one.
Thankfully after today's help with clearing out the shed, I should be able to fully get back into my regular schedule, where I do my daily tasks, taking my dogs out, etc. Sinking 6+ hours of writing and project work in during the weekdays, and get back to some level of normalcy again. <3
It's just been a lot on my plate here recently, and being so physically and mentally tired, that by the time I settle down at my computer in the past 2 weeks. I've more or less briefly checked a few sites for half a hour before I'm too exhausted and end up passing out, only to repeat things the next day, and the next day, etc. ;_;
Sorry my blog portion here is really long.. But I know some of you really enjoy these more personal blog mentions, and I hope many will understand.
More posts are coming regularly once more for Subscribestar and Twitter~ I'd like to do 2 posts per week on Subscribe star on average, more if we have more to show or do. Twitter will be shooting for 2 posts per week as well, but geared a bit more towards what we can share publicly. (Keeping the latest previews and stuff exclusive for supporters for 2 months for art before we slowly tease a little bit of that publicly, linking to the full preview posts, etc.)
Next post will get caught up on some CG art previews this weekend, followed by a newsletter/demo stuff next week/weekend ideally!
