WOWZA!

Another week already, huh? This week was... MOSTLY spent on doing updates to my dialogue editor, because after writing a python script to import my entire script into my Dialogue.json file for game use... it started loading SO SLOW. So, after a few days reworking that, I was able to finally get some game work done again!

Let's see what delights await! (Also, aside from game stuff... I didn't really do anything fun this week, so we're skipping right to updates, lmao)

CUTSCENES CUTSCENES

Finally got started plugging in more cutscenes into some of the various early areas of the game. I'm kinda saving the big Chapter 1 ending scene til later in development, since I'll need it to hit nice and hard, so I'm working on some of the Chapter 2 and onward scenes now.

Just be cool.

I think I have a nice system for putting together scenes, so I can actually add more than one each time I sit down to work on my game. Very cool. I've also added several smaller scenes to the game that I didn't have in my script just to give the world a little flavor and give you more opportunities to hear the characters banter with each other. (There is gonna be a LOT of banter, so just be ready for LOTS of reading.)

LEADER SWITCHING

I always thought FF4 was pretty amazing for allowing you to switch which character was the on-screen party member in the overworld, so I've added the same functionality to Negative Reverie!!

LOOK AT EM GO!

The only problem is.... the step counter increments every time a character puts down a foot... and if you CONSTANTLY mash the switch party leader button, no one ever puts down their lead foot... meaning you don't get into battles...
I should either
A. Fix this
or
B. Leave it in as a speedrun strategy

Whatever.

SPOILER ALERT???

I also made some very poor storyboards for a cutscene...
I'll share them here so, PLEASE KNOW THIS IS A SPOILER ALERT, BABY! THIS IS THE REAL DEAL!

Turn back NOW and I love u and thank u for your support if you don't wanna see! (There's no text or anything on it, no big reveals, but it IS something that happens in the game.)

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wow, sugoi

YE OLDE GIT DUMP

Added entire google doc worth of script to Dialogue.json, moved the riser shaft from the 31st floor hallway to the showcase room. added ladder to riser shaft. fixed text box to work with dialogue lines longer than 17 characters, added a "instant text" check. BUT IT DOES NOT WORK CURRENTLY, added "instant win" to battles and playerglobals, dialogue manager will not start if asked to play the same dialogue twice, turned "Elevator Buttons" into a class, removed the "accessible floors" and "elevator floors" resources from the game -- they now live in "flags", fixed a movement bug with the key_swipe scene, pikc uppables now correctly display dialogue about their contents, select floor prompt now accesses flags but checks logic in itself, added the rest of the chapter 1 end dialogue, fixed bug where stats did not correctly display on the save/load screen, added a portrait of senor cardgage mortgage.... remember to remove this
Updated script, redid dialogue editor (different repository), renamed parking pass to just Gisele Access Pass, finally completely decoupled party on screen order from formations, added R and L buttons for switching party order, reworked party switch logic, text boxes now operate on delta time instead of a timer, added a default value to the NPC move_to_position() function, reworked some choice branch logic.... but I might need to revisit this, changed character resources in PlayerGlobals to const instead of var, added a scene to the parking gate, added cutscene where gisele finds vuota, added position tutorial scene, added options for "leader" back to portrait and display name

OK THAT'S ALL I GOT

OK.
That's all I got.

I'm typing this at work and I actually gotta get up and DO things and COMPLETE projects, so I'm gonna leave it there this week!
Thank you so much for your support! I'm tryna get back in the saddle and really bang out some new work every week and I'm feelin' good about getting back up to speed! WAHOO! Fingers crossed this week will be EVEN BETTER, HOO BOY!

Alright, stay safe out there! BYE BYE BYE!