DEV LOG 007

3-10-2024

Grrrreetings!

GENERAL STUFF:

One nice thing about writing and programming simultaneously is that I can procrastinate one by doing the other - it sounds funny to say, but it’s actually been working really nicely in terms of production! I’m still chugging away on this game and making progress. On the other hand, as I write I think of more things, which then require more assets. It’s the downside of doing both at the same time. If I had the script all ready and then moved into another area, I probably wouldn’t have much to add on.

This week, as I was writing the meeting Fluffy scene, the characters brought themselves out onto a balcony. Completely unplanned, but I figured that if every character was getting their own space (Jefurry and the ballroom, Felixia and the bar, Fido and the courtyard garden) then it’s only fair for Fluffy to have their own too, right? Right? 

That’s how I found myself spending my art time this week making a brand new, previously unplanned background, instead of the Fluffy sprite and expression I had been planning to do. Still, it was an easy background in the grand scheme of things (a night sky and a basic balcony structure) and I had fun with the two constellations. I put them into Ren’Py and they look nice, so although it was a detour, I hope it is one that will improve the overall game experience!

Here it is: 

(minus the constellations - those will be separate overlay images)

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PROGRESS REPORT:

Since the previous Dev Log update, I have made the following things for Catsquerade:

WRITING:

- Finished writing the second bar scene (before the final act)

- Started writing the meeting Fluffy scene + 1,600 ~ words

GUI:

- DONE ✓

ART:

- Resized Jefurry sprites to better fit in Ren’Py

- Created a new, unplanned balcony background with two constellation addition images

PROGRAMMING:

- Started and finished scripting the Jefurry meeting scene

- Started and finished scripting the second bar scene

- Started scripting the meeting Fluffy scene

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SOME FAILURES:

Things that didn’t go too well in production.

- I really need to figure out the best way to do sprites. I’ve been making them very large for high-quality files that can be zoomed in on, but then I need to go in and resize every single expression so that they fit into Ren’Py. There must be a better way to do this (layered images, maybe?)

SOME SUCCESSES:

Things to celebrate :)

- The balcony background came together very quickly, and both it and the two constellation overlay images worked purrfectly in Ren’Py - it was smooth sailing!

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GOING FORWARD:

Within the next few weeks, I’d ideally like to:

- Make the Fluffy sprite

- Finish writing the script (meeting Fluffy, endings)

- Continue adding the script into Ren’Py

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That’s all for now- thanks for stopping by and for supporting Catsquerade!