OPENING

Hi everyone! It's been awhile since we've uploaded a long-form devlog. Most of our progress is tracked internally, with more public announcements over on our Twitter/X page. If you haven't been able to keep up with them, don't worry — here's a consolidated version, easily readable in one sitting and on one page. Let's get into it!

While the primary purpose of the demo was to establish the main locations, the assets still need to be built upon. Whether it's through updates to existing art or expanding the game's world with new places to explore, we're committed to ensuring that all new changes are both visually appealing and stylistically consistent. Without spoiling too much, we currently have 5 new backgrounds conceptualized by Squid, Moff, Dannydoods, and Jackson, with more to come soon! We're also working on concepts for game over/death screens, because there will be lots of opportunities for them to appear. High-res downloads of these will become available on Ko-Fi to use as references or assets in edits prior to D1's full release!

One of the best parts about making a game's OST is that you can reuse entries to convey different moods. Because CH1: D1 is going to be featuring some new moods, people, and places, we're adding to the game's soundtrack to reflect that! Previews of the new songs so far will be available on Ko-Fi during upcoming Secret Sundays, so click the link at the bottom of this post to make sure you don't miss them! If you're not a Ko-Fi supporter, don't worry— some of these previews will be public, so stay tuned for them to appear on Twitter/X!

We've also gotten word that our OST has been taken down from Spotify due to an error with our distribution service, DistroKid. No worries! We'll be doing everything we can to get the songs back online, as well as releasing them on other platforms like YouTube in the meantime. Updates will be provided on our socials!

The script is by far the most important part of any visual novel. Without a good script, the rest of the game falls apart. We're working tirelessly to make sure CH1: D1 is a fun read that comes with more choices than ever before! Our first draft is currently at ~10k words, with many more to come!

We've uploaded a narrated version of our introduction before, but do you want to see some new script snippets teased in this style? Let us know if you think it's interesting or worthwhile, and it'll be incorporated into more public update posts in the future!

Now that we've got a more stable framework for the first day, we know exactly what characters will show up and when! There have been some posts discussing the main faces that'll appear, but did you know that our casting call will be coming soon? If you're a voice actor seeking work or someone who just wants to give it a shot, you'll be able to apply through Casting Call Club! Official posts with the link and parameters will be uploaded once the first draft is at 100% completion!

We're also going to aim to polish Bob Velseb's sprites. The awesome initial concepts were done by Dirty Jack, and were rough drafts of what we hope to achieve with the final game. Hitting this goal may be a slow process. Bob has about 135 sprites in total, but it'll be worthwhile to finally see him polished like the rest of the cast!

In addition to programming the first drafts of scenes and placeholder assets, we're also working on some upgrades to the demo that can be uploaded before CH1: D1 is complete! These will include fully implementing item use. The current item gifting system is locked behind a disappearing inventory that won't allow access unless you're in a shop. The upcoming system will allow you some chances to use the items you're able to buy, and trigger new dialogue as a result! This will be added to the demo before the first chapter is released, so that as we continue into the main meat of scripting CH1 scenes, we'll be more easily able to integrate any special scenes that come with giving your favorite characters their favorite items.

In other programming-related news, we've received permission from Pelo to upload the game to Steam! Since this will mean reworking the achievement system, we plan to create a Steam release after CH1: D1 is complete and uploaded to other platforms like itch.io and Gamejolt. We also plan to create a web build for the demo, primarily to publish on NewGrounds! This will also require some major optimization. It's not an immediate priority, but it'll make TLC much more accessible. This may also create the potential for mobile users to play via Desktop Mode on major browsers!

MERCH UPDATE

We'd like to introduce a new addition to our merch lineup! These Deadly Cute bracelets will make a sharp addition to any butcher-themed ensemble. When production and shipping are fully complete, orders will open up! Discounts will be provided both to developers and Ko-Fi subscribers. Your support means we'll be able to bring you more Velseb-themed keepsakes in the future, along with some future additions themed around The Candy Club and other characters/locations!

IN CLOSING...

Thank you so much for your support! It means the world to the team, and it motivates us to keep working hard to bring you more content! Before we close off this devlog, we'd like to showcase some of the amazing fan creations that have helped keep us going!

By @Sharkytheplush on Twitter/X!

By @tendrl_in on Twitter/X!

By @JazzHan81319423 on Twitter/X!

If you love the above art as much as we do, please consider supporting the artists on their socials. Thank you so much for your time and support!