Intro

Long time no see, folks! Glad to see you're still hanging around.

First and foremost, I'd like to inform all the people awaiting the update: the game is not abandoned.

Long story short, things got a little spicy there for a bit, but the heat's died down now. Plus, let's be real, there was a touch of laziness mixed in too. Consider it a temporary detour. Anyway, I'm back at it now. Expect more frequent news from now on.

Let's kick things off with the Immersive Mode. Most of the media below are YouTube embeds, because GIFs couldn't handle the visuals without exceeding the 3 MB limit. If you're having trouble viewing the videos, you can also check out this post on Patreon (publicly accessible, of course). Browsers are not especially fond of autoplaying stuff, so a high chance the videos will be automatically blocked.

It should be possible to display the videos in full-screen.

What's That?

So, Immersive Mode, huh? What's the deal?

Well, it's basically a visual overhaul designed to make things prettier, more engaging and extra comfy. Think of it as a fancier way to display information, compared to the default Compact Mode.

Currently, this feature is experimental. Why experimental? Because the current implementation adds approximately 18 MB. This is projected to balloon to at least 40 MB upon the full release. Further increases are expected as additional portraits are added. So, if nobody actually cares about this thing, there's not much point in inflating the game size, right?

Just to be clear: Immersive Mode isn't trying to kill Compact Mode. You'll be able to pick whichever version you prefer.

There's More!

Immersive Mode is packed with features, it's designed to be your go-to destination for anything related to a specific girl.
Beyond the clearly visible animated portraits, we're talking: replayable events, a dedicated music player featuring tracks linked to each girl and all the stats panning at the top.

About Section

If the idea will be received positively after the update, then some more things will be added to the Immersive Mode, such as 'About' section, where you can read what your favorite girl thinks about a broad section of topics. The more you spend time with her, the more you will learn. Some parts might be hidden behind easily achievable friendship and love points.

Performance Concern

Okay, so there's a potential elephant in the room: performance. I want to be upfront about the possibility of experiencing some lag, especially during the entry/closing animations or even just in the Immersive Mode's idle state. It's a feature-rich mode, and with all those moving parts (including some high-resolution video portraits with masks), it could put a strain on some systems.

To combat this, I've implemented a kind of pseudo asynchronous loading system. Think of it as trying to juggle everything at once without dropping the ball. But honestly, I can't guarantee perfectly smooth performance across all machines. Even on mid-to-high-end setups, you might notice a slight hitch when switching between portraits. All the previous assets are unloaded one second after you enter the next girl's window, giving the animations some breathing room.

Flowchart

No idea what is it? I wrote about this feature on Patreon under this link. 

Most of the improvements are difficult to demonstrate. Think of it as a massive overhaul under the hood. The only thing I can visually show you is a fancy animation of the lines connecting the event labels. Pretty, right?

The goal was to make sure the flowchart runs absolutely flawlessly on all devices. This involved a ton of code tweaking and optimization. So, while it might not be flashy, trust me, it's a huge improvement.

I'm feeling generous today, here's an extra GIF.

Outro

Alright, that's all folks!

Just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who's been hanging in there. Whether you're a long-time supporter, a Patreon, or just someone who happened to stumble across this post, I appreciate you taking the time to check it out.

Before I go, one more thing: In my haste to get this update out earlier, some animations weren't quite up to the standard I wanted. So, I've made a decision to archive most of them.

I know this might sound like I'm just buying time, but I want to assure you that's not the case.  As a thank you for your patience (and as proof that I'm not just pulling your leg), all those archived animations will still be available in the game, accessible from your PC in your room. Think of it as a little apology bonus for the silence.

Okay, I know what you're all thinking: "When's the next update?!" I wouldn't leave you hanging like that after this whole yap session.

Look, I'm not a fan of giving exact dates because, let's face it, life happens, and this is a side project. I could get hit by a bus tomorrow, or I could just completely burn out and need a break (not the case now). And honestly, missing a promised deadline makes me feel awful.

That being said, now that I have more time to dedicate to development, I'm aiming to release the next update within the next three weeks. I want to stress that's an aim, not a guarantee. And this update should offer more than just a 10-minute playthrough (unless you're skipping all the dialogue to get to the good stuff)

The dialogue is essentially complete, clocking in at over 15,000 words (for now). BUT... this isn't just a wall of text with lazy dissolve transitions. I've poured a ton of effort into making the experience visually engaging and genuinely fun.

Damn, I'm starting to feel like I'm overselling it. Let's just say I'm excited for you to see it.

That's it! Cheers!

Visq.