April Progress Report

Uh oh! I didn't update the devlog for a while, but there's plenty to talk about! Lots of cool developments I haven't put the time aside to write about in detail here. As always though, you can get smaller updates as they happen via the NoGooD twitter.

The biggest news is we're going to get some voiceover work done for Nekodeito! Public auditions are wrapping up today to find a voice for Machiko. Additionally, we've contracted an experienced casting and voice director in Sandra Molina to help us assess all the submissions and give live direction to the successful candidate! We've already received close to fifty auditions for the role, which is just phenomenal. Thank you to everyone who has submitted (or is submitting in these final hours!) a read of the audition material. I've been very humbled by the number of people that believe in my game so much, and want to be a part of it.

Additionally, we've gotten some visual upgrades! The first few components of our user interface kit by ds-sans have been delivered and slotted into place. These are a h-u-g-e upgrade from the placeholder UI we've been using until now. Beautiful gradients, motifs and patterns have combined into a cohesive look and feel that's unique to the game. ds-sans did our fantastic logo too! It all fits together so beautifully, doesn't it?

Code work is completed on the config menu, including options for different fonts, message window transparency, message speed and auto speed that can all be previewed in menu. No need to shuffle between the menu and the game three or four times until you've got everything right (a problem I'm sure no one except me has).

Lastly, all our backgrounds are done! Rialyn K.V. did incredible work as our background artist, illustrating the game's environments to exacting specifications. It's been wonderful to work with her from start to finish, and watching these pieces come together! I want to do a post all on it's own about everything that went into our background art!! But for now, please look at these samples!

That's not everything that's been going on, but it is the big stuff. I know two months is a long time between updates, but we've got even more coming down the pipeline and fast, so let's try and do an update again next month at least! April and May will be super busy getting voiceover recordings organised, more work on the UI and core functionality, and of course putting together all the scenes for the game demo (!!!) so please look forward to news on all of that!