We've been a bit quiet for a few weeks, but that doesn't mean we haven't been busy.
We are laser focused on delivering Chapter 1 of Firebreak this summer, and our goal is in sight.
Above is a sneak peek at our prototype main menu for the Firebreak Beta release. One of the improvements in newer versions of Ren'Py is the ability to work with vector graphics, which presents all sorts of cool new options for build interface widgets and whatnot.
This is also a glimpse of the framework we'll port Chasing Sunsets into as a function of the Remaster.
Speaking of that, the CS update is very close. The lastest commit is nearly bug free and Alain is (not so patiently) waiting on me to break free to make the creative and cosmetic finishing touches to get this out the door.
That said, my final changes to Chasing Sunsets do have some dependencies in the Firebreak framework, so I'm doing my best to tackle those items first so we can hopefully deliver a double shot of Stone Fox bitch lasagna during the dog days of summer!
Firebreak's last features are under development now, and we're firmly in the post-production phase where we're bringing all the pieces together into a cohesive whole.
I have to say, our second game is certainly benefitting from the lessons learned with our first one. Each element is made with an eye toward easily localization, modular design, and broader platform compatability (like Android.)
While I know waiting is never fun, I can safely say Kent and I are in screen shares every night looking at how things are coming together and bouncing improvements and enhancements off each other. Sometimes it's as simple as a piece of music, or a menu widget. Tonight we spent some time critiquing element placement and improving those.
All the while, art is meeting dialogue in the story script and heading toward a beta our testers can sink their teeth into.
So, the TL;DR version of this is yes, we still plan to launch this summer, so the wait is almost over. The good news is our subsequent chapters are unlikely to take as much time to put together as we had to build a whole new game from scratch this time, and the remaining work is largely pure content and refining what we've already done.
We'll make an update when the beta goes out, when the Chasing Sunsets remaster is available, and when we're confident of a launch date for Firebreak Chapter 1.
As always, thank you for sticking with us while we kick the tires and find new places to polish.
Best,
Stoya and Kent.