Seasonal Princess Flora, which had been on the backburner, will now be a high priority VN for me. I will be working on it and completing it in my partner's memory.
Flora was a VN that my partner was eager to see. It hurts beyond words that they won't see it. But I want to at least complete it in their memory, it's what they would want.
We treasure each and every one of you, exactly the way you are. Thank you for playing our games, and we hope that you've been able to find a piece of yourself represented in them.
Here's to a comfy, lovely, and safe June! āļø
(And hold on. I spy two new Step 3 faces in this crowd š)
Mori chapter 7 is here and the stakes have never been higher!
There's been a lot of housekeeping behind the scenes so here's a quick changelog.
- The gallery got an upgrade in terms of back-end stability and UI/GUI beautification + functionality, including on controller and in the Steam Deck version.ā
- The game is now capable of being modded through the Steam Workshop. Check out the workshop for more information on that!
- The "Dig Deeper" achievement has been slightly retooled so that the achievement is granted the second the click link action is executed.Ā It should therefore grant the achievement regardless of whether or not a user's local browser or network settings prevent Renpy from opening the internet browser.
- FINALLY we got DESK MATS up in the TCM etsy shop! If you're looking to support TCM, this is a great way to do it!
⦠Amon: Chapter 1 Sneak peek! by Ravenstar Games on Patreon. Join Ravenstar Games's community for exclusive content and updates.
Been working non-stop because coding of Amon's first chapter has begun! You can take a look at the first four minutes of gameplay (with a few placeholder assets here and there) by joining our āØPatreon⨠where our main tier is now available at a discount!
Hello, and apologies for the update delay. We were waiting on the accompanying chibi art and decided to push this update out to June. We'll be right back to the once every two month schedule after this!
PROGRAMMING
We're currently looking at about a three month timeline for completing the backend programming, plus some other updates.
This will include the in-game shop, additional features, player upgrades, an anti-cheat system, and bug testing. This is really good news!
We're also dropping in the sound effects for the routes, which has been fun. Things like footsteps, doors opening, and background chatter in crowded rooms.
VOICE ACTING
We're excited to share a teaser for Milo's phone calls. Pasta is mentioned (of course) š
ARTWORK
And finally, we thought we'd share the full promo artwork of Brooklyn. You're definitely distracting him from work here! He has a green phonebooth phone case š
Thanks for readingĀ ā¤ļø
š¦ļø Follow us onĀ TwitterĀ and join ourĀ Discord
The last week in June marks the start of Cove's favorite season. We've got a jam-packed month planned to match the hype!
June's guest art is a show-stopping piece of Step 3 Vianca, in the heat of a tennis match! It was created by the very talented astrovvitch_ on Twitter.
Click here for our June Start blog! āļø
Last week I submitted a short game submission for Noise Jam 3. Of all the tools at my disposable I decided to go with TuesdayJS again.
I wanted to test out if I can use it to make a longer game format, outside of the satirical Unloving Venus. I'm happy to report that their desktop version will work even if you're locally offline!
Though I would still recommend the engine as beginner friendly, there are aspects of it I found tedious the first time that were reinforced again.
Cons:
You have to re-upload the project folder each time you add a new asset in the engine
Every background image requires a story block
There are no transition effects
Music files must be in mp3 format for it to play on web release if that's what's you're going for
Partial knowledge of javascript can help you a lot on the long way (i have plans to learn that one this summer!)
Pros:
You can copy/paste dialogues around story blocks (yey!)
The undo button on the menu tab is your best friend
Each story blocks can be color coded
You can run a video file as a background image
You can reposition and drag around buttons and art assets
Exporting a web game is easier
You can't decrypt your game assets
The default size is mobile friendly
Overall, if the idea of coding in Ren'Py feels overwhelming at first, working with TuesdayJS is still comparatively easier compared to TyranoBuilder. Unlike the latter, it does not limit you to export projects based on your operative system since it exports it to a zip folder.
If you have plans to work on bigger projects using heavier file assets then Ren'Py remains the optimal engine what with the exorbitant amount of tutorials and plug-ins available online through the years.
Again, TuesdayJS may have its limits but it's not bad as a starting point to make short visual novels if you're looking for open source engines with no coding required to dip your toes into the medium. Once you get around how everything works on the interface, everything becomes intuitive enough.
This is an incredibly important announcement regarding TCMās next major update.Ā I know this is information-dense, but please take a minute to read it over.
As always, I'm available here and on discord to answer any questions you might have!
So, Iāve made a point of discussing the future of TCM regarding pricing, and after a lot of deliberation, I have decided to charge for the full release of the game.
This past year has been insanely stressful, as thereās been a global āanti-pornā shift that has made virtually all spaces for monetized adult content hostile.Ā Traditionally stable marketplaces for 18+ content have been absolutely besieged by chaotic TOS changes, bans, delistings, and more to a degree that I literally could not have conceived of five years ago.Ā Things are currently so bad that TCM canāt monetize on itch.io at all without being completely delisted, and even Steam has been quietly removing some adult content under threat from their payment processors.Ā Just last month, Patreon and Kickstarter have both released new changes to their TOS that put further nebulous restrictions on their adult content.Ā The Kickstarter I ran for TCM in 2023 would no longer be permitted under their new rules.
All three final chapters will be released at once on July 11, 2026.Ā At that point, the game will cost $24.99
For Steam Users:
If you already have the game in your Steam Library when it leaves Early Access, you will not have to pay for the game to get the final chapters.Ā Ā
That being said, put it in your library asap if it isnāt already.Ā You have until July 11 to get the game for free, and that includes the final chapters update.
For Itch Users:
I know itch.io issued a statement claiming they were looking for new payment processors, but because nothing has changed on that front, I am not permitted to monetize TCM on itch.io.Ā Because of this, the full version of the game will only be available via Patreon integration and will not be freely available to people who have already downloaded the game.Ā I encourage you to make the switch to Steam if at all possible.
For Kickstarter Backers & Patrons:
Keep an eye on your DMs, I have more info for yall you should be receiving shortly.
Eastasiasoft has announced that Hakuoki Memoirs: Drifting Clouds (Hakuouki Shinkai: Ten'un no Shou) will be released in English for the Nintendo Switch in 2027!
"Reunite with beloved characters and get to know them like you never have before! Hakuoki Memoirs: Drifting Clouds is a 'fan disc' expansion to the romantic tale of heroine Chizuru and the handsome warriors of the Shinsengumi. Explore a variety of character-focused vignettes set between the chapters of Hakuoki: Chronicles of Wind and Blossom and make key decisions for Chizuru along the way.
Previously unseen events and moments of romance unfold in gorgeously illustrated style! Engage in sweet, funny, lighthearted and sometimes surprising dialogue localized in English for the first time and immerse yourself in authentic settings inspired by the history of Japanās Edo period. As an essential new supplement to the seriesā core narrative, Hakuoki Memoirs: Drifting Clouds becomes an essential part of the definitive Hakuoki experience!"
You can visit the official site here!
Limited and standard physical editions will also be available in addition to the digital version. They will be available to pre-order on Playasia starting Thursday, June 4th (11:00am ET / 8:00am PT / 4:00pm UK).
THEY'RE HERE! Our latest merch items are now available to view and pre-order. š³
We're selling two ORCA-themed items, a t-shirt and sock pair, to celebrate Cove and the non-profit he loves so dearly. This drop is also a part of Makeship's pride month program, so it'll be available for the full month of June.
Like the Ocean Hoodie, these wearables are here for a limited time, so grab them while you can!
Hey, guys! This is something I've been noticing for a while and it hasn't really stopped so I thought I should mention it.
If you post stuff about Where Winter Crows Go or Killer Trait (gameplays or streams with thumbnails, reviews with images, etc), please, please, PLEASE, use the new designs for Crowe and Oz.
A lot of people keep posting the old art and I'd really rather they didn't so as to not confuse other players and, frankly, because I've also been harassed a lot over changing the art style.
Issue 61 Release of the Amare Fortnightly Bulletin (May 16 - May 31)
Hello everyone!
Issue #61 of the Amare Bulletin is out now! š
As we head into June, the Amare scene continues to deliver a steady stream of new releases, demos, updates, and announcements.Ā
Inside, youāll find:
New full releases and demos covering romance, mystery, fantasy and psychological drama.
Demo updates and new announcements for upcoming visual novels to keep on your radar
Episodic and interactive fiction updates, including new chapters, content releases, and a fresh game launch
Crowdfunding results from several recently concluded campaigns
Community highlights, including a bundle celebrating and supporting queer creators
See you in two weeks.
~ The Amare Bulletin Team
A gentle reminder that if you use the #ā amaregamesbulletin tag, it really helps us find your game news. Itās getting harder and harder to find news with the algorithms hiding things lately, and we really donāt want to miss anyone.Ā
Hello everyone! Issue #61 of the Amare Bulletin is out now! š As we head into June, the Amare scene continues to deliver a steady stream of