v0.30 Roadmap and 2 New Chars

While I SHOULD be sleeping for work, ideas keep flowing in...

I have the next 2 characters (1 public, 1 private) planned out. They are archetypes I've been wanting to bring in, but hadn't had a clear idea of until tonight.

Don't worry, there's still a lot to do before I can/will bring them in, so this isn't a side-track from the main progress. Quite the opposite in fact, these character ideas come on the heels of working out some of the storyline quest/progression goals for the other characters.

So, I'll be adding more locations, quite a few jobs, job-based encounters, and a questing system- before these new characters join the regular roster. (I will probably punch them up for the private beta, stats/powers only in the meantime, but that doesn't take long)

Anyway, back to progression... while in certain locations & positions, characters will have a chance to encounter the next part of their main storyline quest. Cindy, for example, the one character that actually needs to scrounge for change in the beginning, will find a ticket-stub from the local theater... which will remind her of her lost dreams and point her toward working there.

While these quests are part of the intended story for each character, they are not mandatory; they will, however, award progress on the character's special powers.

I've been debating how I want to handle leveling powers, and while I still intend to eventually open up a manual way to raise unlocked powers, I believe the main method should be through a story/questing system. Story based powers/origins are far more interesting and fulfilling than anything I could do point/resource based. (That said, once a storyline is complete, the related power will fully unlock to be leveled by other means. So once Cindy is an Action-Mega-Star, the [story-]cap on her Super-Physique power will be removed and she'll be able to grow it with levels/caliber increases.)

To this end there have been a few additions to the town map/locations planned, and a number of related occupations.

The upcoming v0.27 (we're at v0.26916 right now) will include housing and refactored locations, which will make adding new sites/homes to the game much easier.

Once housing is done, we'll be adding Skills & Jobs for engine v0.28, along with some job-based encounters.

Then we're back to converting the Time-system to passive and making the two UI branches compatible for v0.29+.

Finally, engine v0.3 will release with the new-UI, which will include a "situation" system, which replaces the old encounters model, allowing multiple people, objects, and situations/encounters to occur in parallel at your current location. (for jobs this means having more than 1 customer/co-worker demanding your attention at the same time ;p)

The new public character (Lena/Elaine) will be released around engine v0.28-0.29, when we get the story/questing system going.

The private/cameo character (Kendra) will be added once the appropriate (or rather, in-appropriate/lewd) systems and descriptions are in the game. (for those unfamiliar, her powers are rather akin to a Succubus/Nymph)