Public release info below, otherwise the start is me rambling about the update.
Update's due to be released on the 14th. I really did want to make the 12th so it's at least on the start of a weekend but unfortunately, the last mile is always the hardest. I'm giving it my all to push it out on time as I really don't want a delay but if it does happen, it'll just be a day or two. I apologize to anyone looking forward to trying the Beach bar route this weekend.
As this is the first half of act 1, please keep expectations in check in regard to the actual adult content. And as this comes shortly after the previous update, I also kindly ask that expectations towards the number of graphics used be fair too since it's a shorter cycle.
A good gauge would be Masaru's first act (bakery) all the way until after the air conditioner scene would be right...? I don't know, you make the judgement when you play it.
Like I mentioned in this post, the upcoming update is a phased update and that future update releases method will change going forward (2 weeks drops) for Superfan tier and then a Milestone update (comprising of 2-3 phases/as long as it makes up an arc) for Supporters tier. You can read the post for the reasoning but like I've mentioned then, I'll drop it for Supporters too for this upcoming one so you can get a feel of what to expect and whether you want to support the game/get the phase updates. If it's not your jam, then you can always choose to stick to the milestone format (arcs). By the way, I'm an idiot so I didn't update the pricing of supporters like I said I would 2-3 weeks back, ahahaha i'll do it later (I also haven't made new badges, so you can see how all of my time is going into the update).
Public Release: Drops tomorrow. I wanted to drop it after I've made sure I fix every single thing that free/public player has given feedback for and complained about and also to add a bunch of quest journals for new players + a really decent walkthrough(start to finish) to attach with the download. Except it's not going to happen now <_<.
That's given how the current update has me all tied up, I don't have the time so like an idiot, I'm opening the floodgates to more public criticisms by dropping it tomorrow. There's still some stuff I can fix for the Masaru route for first time players, but I can't grow another pair of hands to do that for me.
But that's fine, this is for the folks who's been supporting the game but are not in the position/or can justify the financial support. It's well worth it.
As a matter of my own policy as a developer and really what little I ask from you if you're playing the game for free, it's that the free version will not have a save file attached to it. Wait, don't murder me just yet, yes, I know maybe you've been here for awhile, yes I know you don't want to replay it all but I'm not against you asking for a save file from other players/other sources. Not at all. What I do dislike and want to avoid (even though it'll never 100% work) is someone who has never played it downloading my game and using it as just another gallery viewer.
You've played the game, you know it is not just a gallery viewer. (No, not because this is a masterclass in NTR game or my ego, but because some scenes only REALLY work when you play the game and go through the journey.) I don't want to encourage that and present my game that I've spent hundreds of hours on as a game that someone can just use, first time, as a gallery viewer. I don't really care if that's how you/they roll, but the least they can do if that's how they treat my game (of Many hundred hrs of dev) that they get for free is put in a minute or two of effort to seek out the save file if they really want to treat it as just a scene viewer. I'm not going to hand it over, someone else can and I won't bitch about it, but I won't.
That's all, if the free version doesn't drop tomorrow just take it as I've fallen asleep from trying to get the new update out. If the new update doesn't drop on the 14, don't take it as I've fallen asleep but that I'm sobbing like a bitch that I didn't make it.
(Look at this dev, he's pulling the hard work angle to draw a positive response!). Hey might as well owned it right; I did work hard folks. But only because I want to and enjoy it so it's fine, really.
That's it for now. Catch you later!