Zen: A Gay Sequel
February 2021 Update: The Alpha is Here!
Special Announcements
The Alpha is Here!
The first alpha build for the game is ready! The standard update section this month includes some "sekrit" information pertaining to alpha access.
If you've preordered ZAGS, you can get alpha access now! Simply fill out the form below, and make sure to read all of the disclaimers. I'll send a link to the alpha build to your email address.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdgFjBN27bkTlkATYBLhtLDiSYPq3IiZSdwk-AB...
Alpha build updates will be released "whenever I feel like it", which will probably be when major dev milestones are complete. Bug reports for the alpha can be submitted to https://forms.gle/tkWUmPeETaqTksn9A .
March is Nanoreno
I'll still try to get in some ZAGS progress in March, but I'll mostly be focused on a nanoreno project, instead.
Dev Progress Update
All updates apply only to the (in-progress) full game release and not the demo.
Writing Status
As planned, I added some more IM conversations and planner variations. The game is now at 229,150 words, 21,282 dialogue blocks, and 470 menus.
CG Status
Wolfscade finished the ending CG for Malik's route. David has started on two additional CGs. General status is 13/17 CGs complete, with 2/4 in progress.
And actually, I added a (final) two CGs to the list (thanks to all of your preorders!), so we're actually at 13/19 CGs complete, with 2/6 in progress. This is it for game CGs, at least until the game is released.
Other Progress
Added another minigame: Dancing with Eva
Staged music throughout the game
Clothing variations should properly reflect the seasons now
March Goals (TODOs)
Even more Instant Messenger conversations
Finish staging placeholder CGs
Recognition of characters' birthdays (where possible)
The sekrit word is "Adam"
More testing
Comments
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Is there a Dan route planned? Judging by the achievements, there seems to be but I am guessing it's not implemented?
There will be a Dan route but it is not in the alpha build
Could you tell us which routes ARE in this build? So we can better test?
The current routes are Malik, Chris, and Nate/Jake (as a pair). There's a fourth secret route technically in the game but that may not be obtainable yet.
In general, if you want to help test right now (thank you!), it'd mostly be useful to find obvious errors (sprites missing faces, missing clothing, actual game crashes and errors, typos in text).
The actual obtainability of things (and how routes and actions link together) may be changing as new scenes and routes are added, so I'm not concerned about them at this point in time... that's really what the beta will be for testing. (For example, if you can't obtain the end-game bonus for maxing out James' friendship currently, that's fine, because more scenes in the future may let you do so.)
I've been trying to get Nate alone.
The only thing I've seen that is problematic is that in several areas the shading of people's hands seems weird. I'll try to send screenshots in the page you've indicated.
Only seen some obvious WIP disclosures near the end.
Had a few errors but . . . I'm a dirty cheater so it might be me messing with scores.
I do find happiness to be fairly restrictive.
Thanks for the feedback
Nate alone is not possible; you can only date them as a pair (or get them to break up)
Happiness is supposed to be a bit restrictive, but if it feels oppressive, I can increase the amount of happiness gained from some planner activities