Lemma Soft Forums

As I started feeling a bit guilty about not disclosing anything about my current project, here is some information. I feel it will also be easier to add entries here than having to edit my homepage whenever minor updates occur. Current status as of 06 December 2008:

Story: To avoid spoilers, I will only tell that the setting is moderately light retro-SciFi (whatever that means), and the main protagonist is female. All four chapters are written, and re-editing is done at 75% (3 chapters of 4).

Programming: The 1st chapter is in playable Ren'py format. I will generally keep programming needs down to a minimum, except for a few bits of eye candy I'd like to have.

Visuals: Title screen, screen setup, menus, characters are finished. I need to re-draw some uniforms though. Also, animations and various facial expressions are still missing.

Rik: Done. Animation in progress
Robbie: Done. Animation in progress
Kai: Done.
Kollakowski: Done.
Thernak: In progress (outlines to be redone)
Xavier: Not started

Background graphics: After discarding pictures and Inkscape drawings, I am currently re-drawing everything using SketchUp.

Building outside: Done
Potsdam square view: Done.
Girls' room: Done
Second room: Started
Zac's Room (1/2): Started / not started
Mall/shopping arcade: In progress, 80%
Office: Done
Building hallways: Started
Café/Bistro: Not started
Rally hall: Done

Event CGs: Four are planned. I will ask for help when the VN is finished, so that the artist(s) know their time won't be wasted.

Music/sound: The setting is not appropriate for continuous background music, thus there will mostly be sound effects in the background. Two location-based music pieces are needed (I will compose those at the very end). The ending song is finished (has been for many years actually).

Door opening/closing noise: Done
Ending song: Done

Release date: April 2007 was the rough target once... but family/work slowed progress down. I'm constantly working on the VN though, so it's only a matter of time - maybe spring 2009 if the graphics do not challenge me too much. I will post updates here whenever some significant progress is made.

Wow, didn't know it's very close to completion.

I'm assuming 1700 story screens ~ 1700 lines of dialogue / 1700 textboxes?

Well, close... I'm not sure. I could make it by April, but I don't want to cut corners to get there.
Yes, 1700 is the text box count, although that is a bit unspecific, since some screens may have three lines of text.

Well, in the light of your previous work, I'd say I'm eagerly waiting for this ^^

Well, just to keep you posted (and to prevent you from thinking the project is dead), work is still ongoing. I did have to pause from February to April due to an appalling workload in my daytime job, but apart from that the story is progressing very well. If a bit slowly. But hey, it's a hobby. Currently I'm at ~3000 screens of text, and I'd guess I'll need some 500 more to finish the story off in a good way. The plot is all there, I just need to fill out the empty bits. Thus no release date yet, but definitely not April 2007. ^_^;;;

You know, the only story that I've ever gone beneath 100,000 words on and worked so hard on is Controlled Chaos ... so, somehow I've reversed my typical thing of "I was going to write a short story, but it turned out to be 157,000 words "

I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't play a sci-fi game by someone whose name I associate with Bion

Yay! News! ... And good ones too ^__^. Well, I'll admit I kinda forgot this project was running but I'm glad to be reminded you have a project going ^.^

I like Alessio's approach of minimal posts and maximum work... really reminds less mature makers like myself that it's more important to be working on the project rather than talking about it

Just for the sake of documenting: I've started working on the sound effects some weeks back (real fun - I'm wondering if I should have been a foley artist). Last week then was background graphics week. Four location screens are finished (outlines in Inkscape, colouring in GIMP), including movable and re-colorable parts so that some graphics can be used for multiple locations. Two locations still need to be drawn. When that is done, I will continue with the script.

Teasers...

looks partially composited.

It is. Best of both worlds.

Heh, just to keep people updated: There is a reason why my last post on this topic was on 03 August - it's because the Real-Life Dating Sim (TM) branched into the good ending, meaning that since 04 August I've been mostly busy changing diapers. That's why Cyberlin has been progressing much more slowly lately. But no worries, it will get finished, someday.

Bring on the cheergirl squad!

Woaaah... Congrats ô_o... How close to completion does that get you? Any cool CGs along the way? :p