So, many of you may have noticed that an email has appeared in your inbox from me offering to give you something of incredible value for a reduced monetary amount. Rewind has now released an early access retail version on Itch.io (it's the same thing you guys get here, but rather than being linked to a subscription, it's a one-time payment). A lot of patrons will be getting the highest tier of discount, which is a free copy to add to your Itch collection. If you haven't seen the email, check your spam folder, because it seems to go there 30 or 40% of the time. I don't really say it enough, but thank you guys so much for your continued support of Rewind's development... all of you are amazing.
There has also been a minor update made to the game (bringing us to version 0.3.6.2 for premium and 0.3.5.5 for free versions). Those updated files are available in the original release post. For both versions, it's a fix for a bug causing text to display without an outline in replays and an alteration to the main menu to add a small blurb about the next version of the game (and some sneak preview renders).
Bookkeeping stuff:I'm phasing out the current $1 tier and moving to a minimum $2. Anyone currently enrolled as a $1 patron will continue at that price point until they choose to cancel or upgrade... it's just that Patreon fees make it so that I only net about 30 cents for a single dollar patron, which makes it more a donation to support them than us. I feel like a penny-pinching shit for needing to do this, but the alternative is to just not accept supporters at less than $5.
(the only renders I have so far are changing room stuff, so prepare to be inundated)
Immediate Plans:Obviously right now I'm dealing with immediate customer service needs related to the Itch premium launch, but I expect that to normalize in about a week (if anyone has questions or concerns about the discount codes, the free keys, or the launch in general, please do ask).
After that dies down, I'm planning to sit down with my business advisor (wife) and do some much-needed actual business stuff (bank accounts, taxes, websites for the studio and game, maybe consider a browser version and what exactly that would entail, and she's been harping at me that I need to make a game wiki for literally years now). I don't know exactly what will bubble up to the surface because of these conversations, but I do know that the conversations will take place. If you're interested in adding your opinion into the mix on any of that, you can do so either here or in the Discord.
Next Version Plans:The next version of Rewind will be a sound update. I'm committing to it right here and now. I simply must have sound in the game before we can expand locations and add in the Academy or any further storylines, because it'll just get harder and harder the more stuff there is to consider.
In addition to music and sound, the next version is planned to have:- Additional changing room scenes in Threadbare- Exploration collection scenes for Lani in explore map 2- Overnight sleeping scenes for Lani while camping (so she no longer sleeps on the ground...)
If sound isn't as hard as I think it will be, we'll have:- The quest system will be added (a legit quest system, rather than the placeholder in the guild).
(The future Academy System is intended to nestle into the Quest System (imagine that assignments/tests/classes are a subcategory of quests), so I'd like to get it working now rather than trying to create both branches of the system while also juggling the new characters and renders that come along with the actual Academy story.)
I think that's pretty much everything I need to say this time... it's been quite busy for the last few weeks, so I'm looking forward to slowing down at least a little bit to get some much-needed paper work finished. Hopefully when I get back into the game code, it'll be with a fresh mind.
Cheers, guys!