Friday, July 21, 2017

TLS 0.28.3 Public Release

Download*: https://mega.nz/#!C8sDETpL!5buRxMvRFDWttW_ZeKskxg0eXsiqnhLi_popytRwzQc
Mirror*: https://www.mediafire.com/?qvpbpyjyk013uvp
RTP: https://mega.nz/#!a1MQ0QBT!XH-AGiP3rEYlHWM5sHILwVJ8n5uciELjuCvtuAHyAGI

*Requires RPG Maker VX Ace RTP to be installed. If you don't know what that means, use the RTP link.

TLS 0.28.0
 - Double update: the first two thirds of the war against the Incubus Emperor.
 - Three new plot sex scenes.
 - Implementation of the new party splitting mechanics.
TLS 0.28.1
 - Riala balance update, unique combat reaction added.
 - Character updates: Antarion and Sho equipment, Grubbak skills.
 - Several internal mechanical change.
 - Misc polishing.
TLS 0.28.2
 - Further internal mechanical fixes and balancing.
 - Varia skill rebalancing.
TLS 0.28.3
 - Yet more polishing to war calculations.
 - On Yarra's route, the variable "Empress Approval" now works properly.
 - The Kingsmen and Queensmen bars now have more variability throughout chapter three.
 - Flower Speculation investment now removed from ledger after the reunion.
 - The Dusty Horde and AriGarda are no longer listed in the ledger after taking over Yhilin. The Iron Cudgel remains, however.
 - Since some people were unclear on this, rewrote dialogue to make it completely unambiguous when the Dusty Horde is destroyed.

In addition to more balancing and getting feedback from players, I used this week to finish off some old bugs and minor issues that had been low priority while I was rushing on new content. These are not a big deal, but I do try to go back and polish whenever I get a chance.

As a reminder: I might make retroactive changes to this section to balance the entire war, once I finish the next update. So if you definitely want to play only once, maybe wait a little. Having said that, this update has loads of new content for everyone to play!

207 comments:

  1. On Yarra's route, the variable "Empress Approval" now works properly.

    I have a save in the last night of the Gathering. If I start from there, will I get the extra day or I have to redo the Gathering again?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I believe the relevant calculation is done when the Empress talks to you at the end of the event where she can potentially give the Worn Whip.

      Delete
    2. Ok. Good to know. So saves prior to the Endgames will be safe to play. Basically is to mention on the wiki, as I was planning to redoing it anyway.

      Delete
  2. Also I forgot to mention that I think that the RTP link should be the Mega one and the Mirror should be the Mediafire one (I hate that Blogger don't let me edit my own posts :-( ).

    ReplyDelete
  3. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!

    I hope...

    Sucks I'll probably only play on Tuesday... :/

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm gonna have to restart the whole game again one of these days...and oddly, I don't mind that in the slightest. Goddamnit I love this game. Can't wait to try out this release...been waiting anxiously all week. Hahaha.

    On a side note, how often has anyone else restarted the game? I've gone through 4 times now, and I'm sure I'm nowhere near the top of that scoreboard there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think there were a few people who didn't know how to export save files and replayed the entire game every time a new version was released. Those are the true, uncontested champions.

      Delete
    2. In my case, probably about 10 times or so. Although, in my last two I just started playing from a save very near the end of the chapter 1, as prior to that there are no relevant decisions to take (Aka needs the RPs more than the other two, I hate to whore Qum and the penaties are not worthy to me too...)

      Delete
    3. I've restarted a whole bunch of times, generally when decisions I made come back and bite me in the butt, like when the Queensmen get wiped out if you don't keep the destruction of the slums to a minimum.

      Delete
    4. There's just something fun about doing the game over and over. It's one of the few games that actually has choices matter, even though it's railroaded in a progression plot. Like, you can make choices that better your standing with other countries and armies and stuff, or choose not to at all. I like to keep saves in my older versions though if I ever have to go back to them. I remember screwing up at the Ardoheim voting summit for the Orc extermination bill to fail because I forgot to talk to the ambassador in Aka's route. So many little details that you can forget if you don't comb through or consult a guide.

      Delete
    5. I'll often play through 2 games for each release I play (though sometimes I get caught playing something else so I miss some releases). A normal play through and an altered play through (cheat engine/saveedit/etc) to see the difference.

      Delete
    6. I do a single new save with every release just to help with bug testing and balance changes. I want to be helpful to the Sierra when I can be.

      The game is just fun in general though and I like trying different routes.

      Delete
  5. I think I'll wait so I only do it once. I'll still take this time to say how I appreciate how professional you are. You give massive updates regularly each months while other developers only give updates on what is happening in their life to explain why they are constantly reporting their release date.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, I try to be as professional as possible. This is my dream job, so I'm happy to throw myself into it! ^-^

      Delete
    2. I always thought writing for games I love to create would be a great dream job too, and I could tell from how fun and engaging these updates are that they're full of love. I too am working on a game project recently actually, but am still trying to get by on my writing talents.

      Delete
  6. Liking the content so far. It's fun to go back to old locales, I particularly liked the refresher course on the Academy for my own reasons.

    I actually almost died in the first fight of the update, since it throws you right into it against a Seed of Corruption and Yarra and Qum (the party I happened to have from last update's end) are near-useless against those things.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow, that war was really hell. Might redo the stuff and choices later, but I loved the Fancy Walk Ogre. And Sho for potential harem member? She's not nearly as strong as Robin but she's cute and a welcome surprise. But there were bad surprises too, like how far the Incubus King was willing to go to win a war. Something tells me someone might take his idea for their own later, like the Fucklord.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah I was appalled at what the Incubus Emperor did to his own people. Can't wait for the next update so I can finally knife the sonuvabitch. The plot twist with the meeting was pretty awesome though.

      Delete
    2. Actually I think Incubus King is more fitting at this point. He kept remaining himself like Incubus Duke, and it was that particular line crossing where Iris just called him Incubus King behind his back.

      Delete
    3. Speak for yourself, i want to fight against Super incubus kami Guru

      Delete
    4. I specially like the line when he says: Incubus Sovereign.

      ... what was that?

      No, no wait! Incubus Superking! That's a way better name!

      Delete
  8. Choosing where to use reinforcements was troublesome I knew I had 5 but had no idea if that was little or much and how often there would be choices on using it. I didn't use it in the first one but if the one where you use two is the last one then I think I have one left I could use in the beginning. Well not that it matters that much it is not like I will lose.

    What was also hard is winning the 4 fights where you have to split your team, took me a few tries to find a configuration where every team is strong enough.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do think there's a gameplay/narrative problem with the reinforcements. From a gameplay perspective, people who want to optimize will need to check outside the game, as there's no way to intuit where to reinforce - that's not ideal. But from a narrative perspective, I really like the feeling of the war extending for an unknown length of time, having to make choices with limited numbers of reinforcements when you don't know what might be coming next.

      Delete
    2. I do believe the easiest solution to that is to give the player an option to commit the reserve troops to a set of objectives once the war is nearing the final phase. Either reinforcing a front (for a war score bonus), or sending them to provide relief/keeping the peace in certain areas, raising economic scores and acceptance in Yhilin/diplomatic reputation with other nations.

      Alternatively, having some soldiers in reserve could simply raise acceptance in Yhilin – it’s not like those guys are in limbo, they still hang around the capital/strategic chokepoints. It would certainly contribute to the feeling of stability in Yhilin, and once news of destruction in other areas comes to the region, the common people would surely feel glad that they never were in any actual danger, as the Doom King still had troops to spare. (though that could piss of other nations, if they felt the Doom King was not contributing nearly enough to the war effort).

      There are options that would not break the gameplay/narrative.

      Alternatively alternatively, we could simply use more opportunities to use them – I only counted 5 in my play through, with 5 reserve troops. I would have loved to have the opportunity to commit them to either giving Robin a proper escort, or sending a strike force to secure the bridges (though I understand that might not have been possible, as the attack was quite sudden)

      Delete
    3. I guess how many you get depends on your army score or something, because I got 6. I only used 3 or 4 of them though because the first choice of sending reinforcements in Aram seemed to imply that I'll need to hold off for a while for the worse stuff to happen. Like in the final battle against the Incubus King.

      Delete
    4. Yes, the number of reserve troops depends on your army stats. All I'll say at this point is that the war isn't over and you're not getting any more reinforcements next update.

      Delete
  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. By far the best update yet. Definitely worth the wait.

    ReplyDelete
  11. So I ended up staying till 5 am to play the update, and I did enjoy it massively.

    It most certainly feels like a grand conflict – your team is split, the actions switches between multiple fronts, and you get to feel the repercussions of certain actions. I especially loved how Ardoheim gets screwed by the Orc Eradication and New Unhumans edicts not passing – we benefited from that, but now they pay the prize. This is also a great equalizer for those who “Failed” the negations, as Ardoheim doesn’t need nearly enough help as it would otherwise do.

    The map is fantastic. But it’s such a shame we only it see it ever so often! I would love if we could review it on demand – like, for example, have on display in the headquarters, so whenever we switch to Simon and Janine we could browse through the regions to see the situation on the two war fronts.

    I loved some of the new scenes. The pious succubus, the… Scholar Nun from the starting city, the entire plotline with Sho – great additions. But the one that truly captured my heart, was the doubting Chosen One.

    For the first time we see one of those f*ckers that actually has the potential to BE the hero. Live up to his title. I know Simon is the MC in this game, but that guy has this… “Hero of another story” Vibe to him. A man who finally realizes what does it mean to fight for justice, and the sacrifices that come with it.

    So to me, it was honestly a bit of a disappointment to see the meeting between him and Simon be so short. This was the perfect opportunity for Simon to mention some of Chosen he met in recent “months” (As, obviously, Dargai saw the Doom King dispatch countless numbers of them), and explain what he thought they did wrong. Try to… Steer him in the right direction. The guy is obviously in need of guidance, and Simon is THE man to give it. To see him barely spare the time for the guy… It feels like a wasted opportunity. If there was one scene that I could expand in the game, it would most certainly be this one.

    But, again, that’s just one scene in an otherwise excellent update. 8/10 overall, definitely.

    Now, I do have one suggestion, as I see you are still working on the balancing of the war.

    I have noticed, in the recent update, that they were people who barely got… 80 on the army score, with 200 being the norm. People who didn’t use the guide, and made some wrong decisions in the past, ended up handicapped during the governing segment, so they couldn’t raise up a good army. But obviously, they still have to win the war, or else the story can’t progress. It seems the story is set to make Adroheim and Aram take the brunt of the damage, as to not handicap the player further. That is an excellent design choice, and applaud that.

    But I do believe there is an opportunity here to give the struggling player a helping hand.

    The main problem here is f*cking up Yhilin invasion. The results of doing poorly there - the lowered acceptance scores, the city destruction –they basically handicap you through the entire next segment. There is simply no way to catch up, you are losing on bonuses, you have to spend budget on rebuilding the districts - getting a good army borders on impossible. You won’t be able to help in the war nearly as much as you ought to be able to.

    So the opportunity that presents itself here – if Yhilin was destroyed, then it would be more than likely for a sizeable amount of citizens to flee to neighboring countries. These refugees could now raise up against the Incubus Emperor, adding a not insignificant army bonus to both Ardoheim and Aram. You know, form their own volunteer corps, hunt wild orcs, join the silent knights, maybe even volunteer to become unhuman. The already lost one homeland to a Incubus King, like hell will they will lose their new one.

    “Never another Yhilin”, that sort of things.

    It would certainly fit the narrative, so I thought I’d just put it out there.
    (Unless you already put in something like that in, and I’ll feel silly for suggesting it :D )

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll take your thoughts on balance into account for the next version. Mainly responding to say that you haven't seen the last of the Chosen you're referring to. He's a side character, obviously, but if you've made the right choices with him, he'll have a lot more to say.

      Delete
    2. The flood of Yhilin refugees from a poor takeover swelling the ranks of Ardoheim's militias and knight orders would be totally awesome, I admit.

      Delete
    3. That's great to hear Sierra! Always happy to see you take the time to read through all the comments, I know It must take a lot of time you would rather put into the development of the game. I hope you don't think me conceited for making suggestions - I'm sure you get a lot of people who believe they could do your job better ^^'

      If I find the time, Maybe I'll do a "All the worse choices" walkthrough next game, just to see what changes. Looking forward to the next update!

      Delete
  12. Honestly I've been holing off on playing this again for a long time. I always end up starting over to make things JUST right.

    Now I've decided to wait until the entire wonderful project is done.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have never commented before, but I have been playing this game for the past month or two since I discovered it. I wish to communicate my thoughts about this game.

    I have only one complaint. I don't like the porn. I typically avoid it where I can, although I appreciate the effort to avoid porn for the sake of porn.

    That is my only complaint.

    Because this is easily one of the best RPGs I have ever played, the best RPG Maker game I have ever played.

    My love for the game is centered around three areas.

    First, the gameplay. I am a relatively easy sell so long as the mechanics make sense. But what I love about TLS is how well it incorporates story with gameplay. A clear-cut example is the Imitation power Simon has at the beginning of the story. I assumed that it would be a part of his arsenal to the end of the game. Imagine my surprise when not only does he rid of himself of it under Esthera's guidance, but trains himself to combine his very debuff strikes into the single Unified Strike. This admiration extends to the various synergy skills, which adds extra weight to the harem's relationships.

    I confess that I'm one of the players who is more than willing to grind to be the higher level than the dungeon and to make sure I'm going in with the best equipment. Therefore, I struggled when I quickly learned that it was impossible to grind in this game and the high-quality equipment could quickly bankrupt me if I was not careful. Despite my early frustration, I came to respect this mechanic and enjoy it as another facet of incorporating gameplay and story. And, in doing so, I realized that the value of gear and encounters rose.

    That all I said, this is the least of my joys.

    The second is the story, which is phenomenal. Orcent has single-handedly become my favorite orc in all of fantasy, followed by the FANCY WALK orc, encapsulating the twin pillars of drama and humor in a fictional setting. Obviously there is so much more, but I fear that I would end up writing a small essay on the topic. All I will add is that I love how well the story flows, how intelligently it is written, and how subtle it can be. The example that comes to mind is Simon conversing with Carina outside the Stineford Cathedral. Carina almost discovers Simon's true nature but then retreats in prayer for a moment before letting the moment slide. Yarra makes the obvious comment about incompetence, but after a second playthrough, I am convinced that Ivala herself interceded on Simon's behalf to prevent Carina from discovering him. The potential answers for this suspicion offer such fascinating possibilities. For a more straightforward (and less conspiracy-minded) example, how well foreshadowing is used in the story. The player is given snippets of the Fucklord and the Anak long before they can truly comprehend who they are and what they represent.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. (I apologize for the double post, but I apparently hit the character limit.)

      Finally, the aspect of the game that I love above all is the cause-and-effect system. Long have I been a fan of Bioware games because they are famous for their ability to have a decision to have on-going effects. Yet, there is simply no comparison between what Bioware has attempted, and what TLS has mastered. Decisions made all the way in Chapter 1 continue to resonate in Chapter 3 and beyond. I can think of no finer example than the war and battle segments. As a former military officer and a historian, I can't help but gush how these conflicts are as equally affected by not only the decisions made during the conflict as the decisions made to shape the conflict. Wars are defined by the events that precede them, and I see this truth respectfully acknowledged in TLS. To me, the highlights of this game is not when I am slaughtering my way through foes and bosses in the heat of battle, but the tactical and strategic choices that I anguish over as I try to prosecute war in my favor. Second to this is the economic domination aspect of TLS. I loved the investment and funding game as I tried to balance future prosperity while pleasing my lovers. (And now have a burning hatred for the Flower Speculation investment that I foolishly chose in my first playthrough!)

      As I finally wind my way down to the end of this post, I hope it is clear that despite my complaint, I have truly enjoyed this game. For one last example, I plan on creating eight distinct playthroughs based on various aspects of Simon brought to the fore. (I've even come with various titles for these playthroughs such as Simon the Merchant Prince, Simon the Saint, Simon the Warlord, etc.)

      So, thank you, Sierra Lee for creating this game. I eagerly look forward to the next update.

      Delete
    2. Hello there! I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the game and very happy to read your thoughts. ^-^

      I like to integrate gameplay mechanics and story where possible, so I'm glad that worked for you. I won't comment on the storyline theories, other than to say that I'm trying to balance a number of subtle currents that I hope will be satisfying once the story is complete.

      Especially glad to hear you felt the cause and effect worked! I am almost always feeling the difference between the types of choices/consequences I can conceive of and what is actually feasible to create in a project like this. I usually feel like I fall short of my aims, but I'm glad the consequences can add weight to your actions.

      Again, thanks for your thoughts. Hope you keep enjoying the game!

      Delete
    3. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    4. Thank you for your response, and I understand the lack of commenting on story theories. I don't actually want the story spoiled, but I wanted to give an example of what I thought were 'the subtle currents' you mentioned.

      Of course, while I don't want anything confirmed, I can't help but theorize since I am so engrossed into the story. More kudos for that.

      Delete
    5. Your thoughts are quite similar to mine. Not into the porn parts for the most parts, (even though I can enjoy porn, just not that type of porn^^) but the rest of the game is really phenomenal. If I would run a big game development studio, Bioware for example, then I would hire Sierra instantly to manage the next big game project.

      One favourite of mine, even though they have a very minor role in the story, are the Iron Cudgel. Always happy when I see them pop up and see how they progressed. Really appreciate Sierra's attention to little details like that. Especially since hiring them, didn't seem to be worthwhile at first and many surely didn't hire them since saving Carina's soldiers didn't seem to have any effects.

      Delete
    6. It's adorable that hiring the Cudgel way back when and husbanding them ever since turned them into veterans with succubus fangirls and stuff.

      Delete
  14. In case, could you provide the archive in normal (non .exe) format ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I might for final versions of games, but this adds significantly to the time to prepare each release. Multiplied by many releases and many versions, it adds up to a lot.

      Delete
  15. There's a problem at the point where Varia and Hillstara team up with the orc for a big chain battle: there's a big chain battle.

    Those were acceptable in the days of the SNES, but our understanding of game design has evolved a lot since then. When the characters have no chance to access the menu, in order to take healing potions and change equipment between fights, it feels like fake difficulty. Could this be fixed up? I had to play that sequence three times because of dying on fights I could have easily won if I'd only been able to restore my health before starting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm afraid I fundamentally disagree with you here; I feel attrition is a useful tool of game design and a worthwhile element of difficulty. Particularly during that sequence, where the party is meant to be scrambling from crisis to crisis instead of proceeding at a controlled pace.

      Delete
    2. No saves in between was pretty rough, though. I had to pick a different group to rescue because I didn't want to go through another 3-set of battles only to lose to the two ogres at the end of trying to rescue the main line.

      Delete
    3. Uh, really? Those fights were ridiculously easy once you know they're attrition fights. Just leave one enemy alive and heal up between each battle.

      Delete
    4. Yeah, but it doesn't really feel like you're "scrambling from crisis to crisis" with no time to catch your breath. You stop and have conversations, thinking about things, making decisions, waiting for people to explain things, etc. There's obviously time to down a few potions in there!

      Delete
    5. In my personal opinion those scenes are supposed to be seen as fast paced actions and not simply things you're reading on a screen. You've gotta see it from the perspective of the game and immerse yourself. That's kind of the point- again in my opinion.
      This is literally a war, if it doesn't feel like you're scrambling from crisis to crisis are you SURE you're reading the dialogue and what it infers?

      Delete
  16. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Just finished this update and... wow. The unsuccubi... *shudder*.

    Suddenly I want to sneak Aka into the Incubus King's chamber and have her plant her dagger between two of his vertebrae, and then use it again, a bit lower down...

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh, and that cavalry corps can just fuck right off. I can't believe they just left my guys to the unsuccubi. And after I bought shares in the Ardan bank!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Time to optimize Guile ;-). You should try to increase how accepting the Arclent people are of the new Yhilin...

      Delete
    2. The first time I played the update with Simon the First (my completely blind playthrough) I was disappointed when I saw them retreat instead of a good, old-fashion charge. So, when they ran for it, I assumed it was an unchangeable cutscene.

      When I did my second round with Simon the Paragon (I'm allowed to study the wiki for help), I was both pleasantly surprised and frustrated that the cavalry will charge if you do it right. But my frustration was aimed more at myself since I'm the one who has screwed up my first playthrough.

      Delete
  19. BTW, all you guys should check his/her fanfic about TLS. You can find it here (requires to be registered to read).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All I see is a warning message for a dead thread.

      Delete
    2. That's because it's NSFW and you need a Questionable Questing account to see it.

      Delete
  20. Hi! I've thanked you for this game a long time ago when I first played it. And now that I've downloaded it again I couldn't resist coming back to thank you again. Really, I love your writing.
    Keep it up and good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Sierra, Rein again.

    I’ve been consulting the guide that was posted earlier, and I did noticed the “Declare Martial Law” decision is tied directly to Yhilin Acceptance score rather than the Coup Result outcome. While it does makes perfect sense now that I think of it, and no Point is that fact hinted – I was 100% certain it relied entirely on the Coup outcome. It made sense to me – crushing the coup reliably meant nobody would dare to try anything in the near future, doing poorly meant temperaments would spike, so a putting the boot down is necessary.

    Could we get Simon to mention offhandedly he must consider the general sentiment of the public in regard to the Martial Law, rather than the Damage done by the Coup? As the two won’t always go together – it’s possible to do poorly on the coup despite having a high acceptance score, and vice versa.

    As always, thanks for looking through the comments. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If your Yhilin square isn't destroyed the scene are enough to discern the situation, if the people rally to defend the succubus your acceptance is fine and you don't need to declare the martial law, otherwise...

      Delete
    2. This is something I'll take into account. As was stated, though, I did include the scene with the succubus in part to provide a hint about this.

      Delete
    3. The Square scene is a pretty good hint, but from a player viewpoint there could exist several reasons why Martial Law might be necessary - high economic damage and unrest due to Coup, Elf Ghetto Rioting, continuous Noble disloyalty, or simply playing it safe. After all, one would be excused for thinking that declaring Martial Law lowers Yhilin Damage at the expense of Acceptance and Reputation with other countries (as we do show our true colors as tyrants) – that it is a ‘Trade-off’ decision. But it is not – there is one clearly superior option, with a simple value check.

      When it comes to binary decisions like that, I will always insist on providing clear hints to the player, so they don’t feel the need to consult the guide in order to play “well”. The Square Scene does tell us if the Acceptance is high or not, but the game does not hint that the Acceptance check is the only important value when considering the Martial Law.

      I know it’s a petty complaint on my part, but I dislike it when the game penalizes me if I don’t correctly guess the creators line of reasoning. 90% of the time there is enough info to make reasonable assumptions, but sometimes there are choices like this one, when it’s easy to overthink the issue.

      But again – that’s just one choice. Everything else looks well thought and I applaud you for it Sierra.

      Delete
  22. Awesome update, though I feel terrible for the Unsuccubi, I think it was a brilliant move that helps to underscore exactly how evil the Incubus Duke/King/Emperor/Asswipe really is. A lot of it gets lost in his random fixations on new and more perverse orgies that something as focused and ugly as destroying the very core of succubi and leaving them still alive to use them as shock troops... I'm looking forward to maiming him for good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad to hear it all worked for you! The game will be increasingly weighted toward payoff, so I hope it will be satisfying.

      Delete
  23. I just love this update, and feel ashamed that I can't think of a better way to say it. There were enough plot elements built up, and enough things happening in this update, that you could've left it at that and not disappointed me. But the surprises were well thought out, even that rather sinister one. And the part on which you ended this update, well... Thank you. I don't what else to say. Just, thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're quite welcome! This is a long game and I like to throw in setbacks, but that's only to make the eventual moments like this more satisfying. ^-^

      Delete
  24. I just played through the War again, trying to measure my choices and the mechanics before we get the full picture.

    And it put me into a bit of a writing mood. So, I'm going to indulge myself for a bit.

    Now, I respect that Sierra is not confirming any story theories, and I'm not asking for it. This is simply an exercise in analysis for my own pleasure.

    Given that we're two-thirds through the war, it's an easy observation that we're probably going to get a few more strategic sequences. To me, the most interesting possibilities center on the Aram front. Unless I am misunderstanding the nature of Ivala's Wall, the Ardan army can't cross it, which removes Ardoheim as a potential offensive force unless the Wall is dropped. That means Aram is the sole army on the attack.

    Now, I'm not entirely sure what Simon's goal is for the Incubus King's domain. I flit between two big ideas. One, Simon wants the Doom King to officially gain control of that territory. This puts the Doom King in a much stronger position to react to the other Incubus Kings and gives him more power in dealing with the Arclent nations. But, it could easily backfire with Arclent uniting against the Doom King who would have the former Incubus King's empire and Yhilin. Additionally, this upset might trigger the Fucklord or the Lustlord's interest and accelerating a new potential war with Erosia or Rodak.

    Idea two is Simon quietly assassinates the Incubus King and then uses Iris as regent to rule for himself. The goal then becomes to end the war without the borders shifting too much. With the 'status quo' re-established, Simon is able to hide his newfound strength and less likely attract the unwanted attention of the other Incubus Kings.

    In both cases, Aram might throw a wrench into the plans. Even with the loss of the Holy Legion, the Aramite army is still intact and large by Arclent standards. Once the Aramite army gets past the wasteland, there is no heavy-hitters to stop them from advancing and can raid for resources to substitute for long supply lines, unless Iris has anything left in reserve to counter them. I'm very curious if it's possible to have too good of an Aram Front score where Aram is able to take a chunk of lost territory back and shrink the Incubus King's realm.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now, I'm also curious what happens after the war. Regardless if Simon chooses the obvious or the subtle route, there's probably going to be a period of consolidation. This is where Arclent is given a chance to recover from the collateral damage, reduce instability, and increase acceptance. I'm willing to bet this will also be the time for the players to investigate and influence what's going on in Zirantia and Aram. In the latter, I hope we finally get to meet the last of the High Priestesses. I also hypothesize that we'll finally be allowed to earn and invest ProN, specifically in the elf kingdoms.

      On a personal level, I suspect this is the period where Simon and Wynn completely reconcile their relationship, Simon and Janine might consummate their relationship, and Simon and Carina permanently establishing their relationship. (The last one I'm the most unsure of.) If there is a Zirantia sequence, that might be when Uyae is formally brought into the harem.

      This consolidation period ends with one of two events. One, a new Gathering. This is a chance for Simon/the Doom King to make an appearance and establish himself among the Incubus Kings and set-up for the next war, which I'm betting will involve or occur on Thenours. This will be Simon's chance to politick his way into more favorable conditions before the Theonours War, while gathering more intel.

      Two, the Fucklord, in the grasp of one of his whims, promptly launches an invasion against Arclent. This will force Simon to engage and slowly pull him into a war with Theonours.

      Now, why am I so focused on Theonours over Renthor? There are several factors. Yarra will obviously be one influence since she knows how crappy the situation is in Erosia. We already know that the situation in Theonours has slowly been destabilizing from the Gathering, while Rennthor hasn't since neither Esthera or Xerces has shown any urge to expand their territory. Speaking of Esthera, Simon will do everything he can to postpone any confrontation, until he knows he can save her. Meanwhile, Fheliel might be a potential harem addition, encouraging the narrative to move to Theonours. And it would give us a chance to see the only Halfling Kingdom in existence. (Mildly curious if our dealings with House Rose will become very important in that particular situation.)

      Finally, our Incubus King opponents seem to be on a sliding scale from shallow to deep which correlates to their threat level. The Incubus King/Emperor/Duke/Fool was by far the most ill-disciplined despite his power. The Fucklord is only a step above him, which leads me to suspect that he's the next one Simon will kill. Despite his pretentious title, the Lustlord looks to be next, especially if a war breaks on Theonours. By contrast, the Bloodlord and Xerces have both shown strong self-discipline. The former immediately understood that he's currently out-matched and retreated to increase his strength, while the latter seems to be a playing a much deeper game that leads me to suspect that he might be the final threat.

      Those are my current theories. Again, I'm not looking for official confirmation though I would welcome friendly speculation. In any case, I'm eagerly looking forward to the next update.

      Delete
    2. I actually think there is more to the Fucklord than he shows. He may act as a fool, but he is also a very powerful spellcaster, has defeated and enslaved what might be a goddess and has set up a very effective intel gathering scheme with his "succubus hunt".

      Also, the fact that he still looks perfectly human contrary to all other Incubus Kings besides Simon (well, maybe the Anak too, zirantians vary too much to tell) tells me he is special.

      Delete
    3. Nice theories, but i think you overlooking something, the tower go both ways. And the Fucklord has one big scary spell according to Qum, that gets real scary when you think about what the Incubus just made. I do thing there might come a class with a king and a few brats. There more to shard then Simon knows.

      Delete
    4. To Felix. That's why I place him above the Incubus King as a more dangerous opponent. He does have his whims, but, as his harem has mentioned, he can be a very driven and relentless opponent.

      Also, what's this about enslaving a potential goddess?

      To Steffen. I actually didn't include my theories on the meta-narratives of the setting. There's another essay about the nature of the goddesses and the Lustlord. I might save that for the next update.

      But for this topic, I'm not sure if the Fucklord knows about the tower. I think it's Xerces who knows about the tower, and who might be the one climbing up that the one Mother's Guard saw, if it's not the original Lustlord.

      Delete
    5. The odd girl the Fucklord beat and has as a trophy. Also the other most likily divine being say that the one of them was captured by him

      Delete
    6. Ah, that one. Hm, it's certainly an interesting possibility. If she is a goddess, I would bump up the Fucklord's threat level up to Xerces.

      I had originally interpreted that statement as to mean that the Lustlord (not the IK) had managed to re-capture one of the goddesses. If the original Lustlord isn't dead, that is. If the Lustlord is dead, I had assumed that they were talking about Xerces since I suspect his study of theology was nothing more than code for him to climb the towers.

      Re-watching that cutscene actually dropped another mystery for me. Both Mithwyn and 'Ivala' are worried about catching the eye of a female entity, not male. Who are they trying to hide from?

      Delete
    7. Re-watching that cutscene actually dropped another mystery for me. Both Mithwyn and 'Ivala' are worried about catching the eye of a female entity, not male. Who are they trying to hide from?

      Pretty sure that is Xestris, but I had been wrong with this game so many times already...

      Delete
    8. That's an interesting idea, especially if it ties into my suspicion that Xerces is the one climbing the tower to capture the goddesses.

      Or, in reverse, it's the Fucklord's potential goddess captive who is being forced to find the other goddesses.

      Delete
    9. So, I was reading through Sarai's wiki page to see what I did to prevent getting the best result in one section of the Arclent War sequence.

      That's where I was reminded that Sarai is the High Priestess, not of Yhilin, but of the Lost Territories. AKA, the entire Incubus King's domain.

      If the Doom King officially conquers the IK's territory and invites Sarai in, Sarai will go from spiritually leading a small kingdom to the largest nation on Arclent.

      It actually makes me wonder what would it be like to see Sarai trying to establish the Ivalan Church in the IKD and what 'compromises' she might have to take.

      Delete
    10. I want Sarai smut as much as anyone (except maybe Yarra), but I'm pretty sure Hester is the High Priestess for the Lost, not Sarai.

      Delete
    11. I want Sarai smut as much as anyone (except maybe Yarra), but I'm pretty sure Hester is the High Priestess for the Lost, not Sarai.

      No way. Hester is the High Priestess of the Ardoheim and her place is in Ardford. Both her nationality (Ardan) and her age (90) are canon, as that data is only added to the wiki after they are confirmed by SL.

      Delete
  25. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  26. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I have found small mistake... When you enter simons home and you are with Sho, you are being called "Simon" not "Dragai"...
    And i belive thats all for now...
    Gawelcus

    ReplyDelete
  28. I don't play with a guide, but I did look at the wiki afterward for this one. I did pretty well overall, but a few scenes went badly. My orcs are mediocre, but it seems I missed a recruit by failing to prevent the extermination campaign. Having them at 7/9/7 hurt a lot when the results only look at 5-7 and 8-9; if you do go back for a balance pass, it would be nice to have more result variability there. But I don't know how much of a pain that would be to do.

    9 points in the duel due to not having "increased lust flow." No big deal, but I wonder where I missed it. OrgEmpire section? I thought I got everything important, but I generally exhausted an area before I moved elsewhere, so I missed one subquest for sure. Could there be second chances to get unique missable training in later downtime? Maybe gear too, with reduced affection gains?

    Overall, it was enjoyably tense. I appreciate all the extra work you do considering all the variable results for those of us flying by the seat of our pants.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thv lust flow is in the training grounds in Yhilini, probably if your Simon got perfect on his stay in the Orgasmic Empire

      Delete
    2. for the 'increased lust flow' you need in the simon route (aka Orgasmic Empire) learn "unified strike", "dominate", "corrupt", "lust renewal" and "king's aura"
      the total days of simon route are limited (from 100 to 106 if you play well the other route) and nearly any action take some time, if you waste precius days in some repeated action o wrost in the slime outskirt you lost fos sure some unique event.

      Delete
    3. Yes, there will be second chances to get many things. For example, any skills you missed in the Orgasmic Empire are received in the training grounds, with increased lust flow being given only if there's nothing left for you to learn. Likewise, later on in the game you'll receive increased lust flow if you didn't get it earlier.

      Delete
  29. Dear Sierra, a friend recently introduced me to the game and I am severely impressed with it and frankly desperately in love with most of the characters! I searched for the artists of the portraits, but could only find a list of names in the read.me file. I was hoping you could provide a List showing Links to the artists and which characters they drew for all of the harem members! Especially who drew my favorite character Qum D'umpe. I hope this request doesn't bother you and thank you so much for your continued work on this brilliant game! <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, happy to hear you like the game! Unfortunately, the answer to your question is nothing fancy: the majority of the characters are edits of the RTP, which is a large set of resources created and expanded by the original Japanese RPG Maker team.

      Delete
    2. Oh, I see. Thank you for your fast answer!

      Delete
  30. Hello There is any chance to Mestan can be dominated later by Yarra or Riala? (and become our ally) or this is the plan from the begin?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. An will be a new game withn the TSL world with costumable heroine and can be different outcomes like you dominated by succubus (then you need to do what the succubus want) or you can seduce your "crush" and you can live together or you can chose witch side do you want to assist (The game can be start before the War the Incubus king at the time when "Simon" conquer Yhilin) And the heroine can be Yhilin native male/female/succubus/orc/lamia/halfling.

      Delete
    2. Going to have to say "no comment" on future plot developments, sorry.

      Delete
  31. Hi! when Dari ask for stopping the Unmen recruiters i found the 2 but i cant finish it since the 3rd is inside the defence barrier unless you normalize the relation with the Order of Yhilini Thaumaturgy. I only manage to remove the recruiter on the preparation for war.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think that that is the intended behavior. The relevant thing is that remove him before the start of the war.

      Delete
  32. Well, becouse i have some spare time right now, i will start the gameplay from the beginning.... "yaaaay" and see if there something unbalanced or buggy with all new changes..., but... What i wanted to ask was is it possible to make custom eq for everyone without the smith from Yhilin? I did not invested in it and now ye...
    Gawelcus

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, to get custom equipment forged you need to be the owner of the Premium Steel. But if you don't invest on it on Chapter 1 or early Chapter 2, you can buy the business when Simon returns from the Orgasmic Empire. Here is the wiki page with the whole list of possible investments.

      Delete
    2. Also if you have Pron, you can actually invest into Premium Steel post Invasion even.

      Delete
  33. well how the work for updating is going i hope this week will have something or maybe lost cause again!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hreinn Games had released the new version less than 12 hours ago (version for 15$ backers), so I imagine that Sierra is busy checking bug reports and making corrections for the 5$ and the public version. So I don't think that it's reasonable to expect an update to TLS so soon.

      Delete
    2. I am not sure if you're just trolling or...

      Delete
  34. Random question, but is a Lamia harem member likely?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seeing that we don't know her name I find the possibility unlikely, sadly.

      Delete
    2. And hi Omega2501. Long time not see you.

      Delete
    3. A party member isn't likely due to the resources I have available, but there will definitely be more lamia scenes!

      Delete
    4. Fair enough and hey lostone2 I've been here just quiet :)

      Delete
    5. Also lostone2 I have a list of some of the important variables if using saveeditonline.com did you want these for the cheats page of the wiki?

      Delete
    6. Although I'm not personally interested in cheating, I know that there are people who do, so yeah I want them. Thanks a lot Omega2501!

      Delete
    7. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    8. I like to use it to see how different the "perfect" path is from mine :). So it's not a complete list of important stuff there are some of the harem missing and most of the hidden stats (religion/economy/etc). But should be most of the values people want to change. I'll collect more as i go and let you know.

      Var 10 = ProN
      Var101 = Aka Affection
      Var103 = Yarra Affection
      Var105 = Qum Affection
      Var107 = Robin Affection
      Var109 = Hilstara Affection
      Var111 = Megail Affection
      Var113 = Trin Affection
      Var121 = Altina Affection
      Var123 = Varia Affection
      Var127 = Nalili Affection
      Var129 = Balia Affection
      Var133 = Dari Affection
      Var135 = Ginasta Affection
      Var137 = Lynine Affection
      Var139 = Orilise Affection
      Var169 = Simon's Anger at Wynn
      Var11 = Orc Army Size
      Var12 = Orc Army Quality
      Var74 = Orc Strength
      Var75 = Orc Intelligence
      Var76 = Orc Discipline
      Var131 = Doom King Acceptance
      Var185 = Slum Petition Funds
      Var73 = Discretionary Fund

      Sorry about the deleted post had to fix up the spelling.

      Delete
    9. Some others I forgot to confirm when I was collecting these.

      Var115 = Queen Janine Affection
      Var117 = Carina Affection
      Var141 = Wynn Affection
      Var143 = Uyae Affection
      Var157 = Queen Neranda Affection

      Delete
    10. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    11. I appreciate the info. After I set up my various, different role-playing playthroughs, I'll indulge my power gamer for one. (Fixed an error, really wish that blogspot could put in some kind of Edit button.)

      Delete
    12. An edit button would be helpful. As I mentioned the hidden stats aren't there (still trying to work out which ones they are) so you can't change them for the best war result yet.

      Delete
    13. Out of curiosity Sierra. What resources would you need for something like this to happen. You know- in case some random sprite artist wanted to make a small lamia sprite if that was all that was needed or does the story not allow for more characters as per the already plotted out "????" in the overall Harem list?

      Delete
    14. Thanks for sharing, Omega! I have added them to the Cheating page.

      Delete
    15. I have lamia sprites (you've seen some of them introduced just this update) but I lack busts and facesets. Ones that match the art style and that I like, anyway. However, the bigger issue is simply that the plot is fairly set in stone and I haven't added a new character for literally years.

      Delete
    16. Anytime lostone2 :) and if anyone asks Var = variable

      Delete
    17. There is a guy/gal (ExaltedMigdet) at the BKG thread looking for a good Samaritan that edits his save to get more ProN. Do you mind if I suggest him that he contacts you?. (Maybe in the wiki, as I have no idea if you keep a profile in any of the game threads).

      Delete
    18. You can if you like but with the save edit site they could do it themselves.

      Delete
    19. created a BKG account replied there with a quick tutorial, will still alter their save file if they can't be bothered.

      Delete
  35. FYI, The Last Sovereign has now its own TvTropes page.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, neat! Thanks for linking it!

      Delete
    2. The page is at the moment under review (triggered by the creator )MailleKerchief) due to the rules about porn of that site, so he is asking the following:

      So: I know how obsessive fans can be about details, but please, everyone, keep the page clean.

      Thanks in advance!

      Delete
  36. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  37. well 30 july is approaching and Sierra lee has stated that we will have update hope she make it happen and at least see the end of war and kill the shit out of that emperor of bastards

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are posting this in the comments section of the update I posted one week ago, so I'm really not sure what you're going for.

      Delete
    2. well i just remind the readers here of the promise you made and i cant post there and i hope you really keep your word for this one and let us see the end of the war

      Delete
    3. I'm sorry, but I think you've misunderstood me. I promised two updates in July: TLS 0.28.x and KoD 0.2.0 - both of those are delivered, though the public KoD release are still incoming. If you read me as saying that I would finish an entire new update of TLS in just nine days, then I'm afraid you're mistaken.

      Delete
    4. the patreon release is been out for decades from now and been 2 weeks for just public release is enough time for you to start the update and i don't think 0.29 update well big be like 0.28 update so we have question here how time is needed to make 0.29 completed i guess 29/08 will be enough to make it patreon version and 01/01/2018 to have the public version!!!!!!!!

      Delete
    5. Guess some one dint notes the number XX.3, this has taken a lot of bug fixing. And i will wait to hell freezes over, before i would want a mass effect 3 conclusion on the incubus king. It will take the time it needs, and should never be a rush job.

      Delete
  38. So, I've decided, yet again to start over, to see what changes / additions have been done at this point (That, and I lost my last save :( - I tend to have that happen to me a lot)

    Anyway, I notice something at the start of Chapter 1... Now, based on what I've seen, characters introduced who have a large bust of themselves above the text, tend to either be Major Characters (Allied or not - or even Harem members). What I saw (or didn't see, in this case) was that the AoA / current IK didn't have a large bust above the text at his introduction. This leads me to believe one of the following: Either i missed it, or He doesn't seem to be as Major / Important as I once thought.

    Just my thoughts here... I apologize for my rambling. Keep up the great work, Sierra!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think that who has a large bust and who hasn't is just a question of resources available. For instance, Simon doesn't have a large bust available. The same thing happens with the late Skullcrusher, Lord of Blood or Sho...

      Delete
    2. It's a mix of importance and available resources. For example, Min is clearly a minor character, but I had nice images for her, so I figured I would include them. On the other hand, there are a few important characters like the Incubus Emperor that I lacked busts for, but I liked his design enough to use him anyway.

      Delete
    3. With a good image editor you can edit this bust for Simon

      https://i0.wp.com/i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq168/grandmadeb_rmvx/Shareable%20Artists/VX%20Portraits/People1-5_zps1a78ac58.png

      Delete
    4. I never really noticed that Simon didn't have a big introductory picture like most other characters, but I like to think that was the point of the prologue. He was the stereotypical advisor/helper crutch character who is really helpful in the beginning but will later be side-lined by better, more attractive, female warriors. Although if he DOES get a introductory bust, it should be right after his scene with Riala after his escape in the river. That's just me though.

      Delete
    5. That's correct. Kai and Altina's busts are meant to make you think they're main characters and Simon is just an NPC.

      Delete
  39. [Possible bug]
    I've noticed that, on Aka's route, if you lose a battle at the Underground Arena, she no longer has that corruption/draining debuff thing going on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. I think that it's a known bug that Sierra Lee hasn't been able to fix yet. The draining effect reappears once that you sleep in Robin's bed, anyway.

      Delete
    3. Oh, ok. Sry to bother and thanks for replying so quickly, both of you! I couldn't find it if it was known already :S

      Delete
  40. I finally had time to play today...

    -No more Varia roflstomping :(
    -I was curious to see how big the update was so I used leftCtrl on everything and I still took 2 hours to finish, which is huge considering you don't walk much, don't have to chase enemies around, and don't have many instances where you need to figure out what to do. Reading everything would make this update go to 4-5 hours easily.

    -Poor Sho...

    -I didnt read I was about to fight Seeds at the beginning, and I was scared as fuck when I had to split the party myself. But I like the idea, allowing us to do
    our party choices so we can do some dumb shit increase the chances to get a Game Over. =)

    -If I didnt get it wrong, the Emperor transfomed her own succubi into that... things. Pretty sure Iris should be done with him right now.

    -Antarion is VERY underwhelming offensively.

    -I was expecting to find out some goodies but I think our party is already overpowered right now.

    -Ginasta still not very bright.

    -RIAAAAAALAAAAAAA! But her AoE is meh.... I was expecting someone that powerful would need a specific strategy, I was ready for some Game Overs...

    Now I'll read everything and update all my saves...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your feedback and glad you enjoyed it!

      Delete
  41. Just found this when replaying the game from start to the finish of this update, it should be just "you" otherwise it doesn't make much sense. :)

    https://ibb.co/kDQjfQ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. seems like it was supposed to be "you're really thinkING..."

      Delete
    2. I concur with rpgreviewblog:

      "Hpm. So you really think you're not [...]"

      Sounds fine to me.

      Delete
    3. You're correct, that's a typo. Fixed, thanks!

      Delete
  42. I don't know if anyone has tried this yet, but I gave the last bosses this chapter a try with Simon only. This was the 3rd time I've managed to do it, but I recorded it this time.

    Had to use all those healing items from previous updates, but it's not like they could of just been Huge Health Potions (except the second fight having 1 Holy Draught). You absolutely need Simon with "increased Lust Flow" though unless you want to chug chug chug. Requires also quite a bit luck due to a number of times two Lightnings in a row could of killed me.

    Excuse the 360p, I'm apparently not too good with recording software since it came out that way.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM5t5wwOv30

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, that's fun! I do testing with low level parties, but not trying to solo bosses. Interesting to see that it's possible!

      Delete
    2. That was interesting. Thanks for sharing! I was curious to know if Simon 6 Altina were able to take revenge for their defeat in the prologue, but you had taken a step further. Good job!

      Delete
    3. Thanks! Ever since the Mestan fight, I've wondered if something like this was possible in bosses intended for more party members. Just so happened to be the case here :P

      Delete
    4. Never thought about uploading TLS on YouTube... Where the fuck Simon do hide all his potions?
      It was a very unlucky run, Simon couldn't to save his life, part due to you using a claw, but I wouldn't risk switching to a sword seeing how much damage you took.
      Also, all your runs are over 50 hours?

      Delete
    5. Oh no, that's just my very bizarre manor of organising saves.

      Top 4 I alternate between playing, 6 and after are checkpoints per say, and the bottom saves are from the previous update or this update, be it finished or something I might want to load back into in between updates.

      Delete
    6. ...I also save way too often, or forget I already saved and save again. *sigh*

      Delete
    7. Trust me, you are in similar company. During my first playthrough, I would save constantly and ended up using all 99 slots.

      I cleaned that playthrough back down to one save slot...then started 10 different thematic playthroughs, so now I'm using at least a quarter of the save slots currently.

      Delete
  43. Not asking for spoilers but, will Vhala stay in the party a little longer? I gave her some Crusader gear that I don't want to lose.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm pretty confident that she will stay with the party until the end. In any case, so far only Reshaped-Varia can use the Crusader Sword and for Hilstara, it's better to use Crusader Plate vs. Crusader Mail. So neither will have a major effect in other party members, IMHO.

      Delete
    2. Yes, don't worry about equipment put on her. Same for Sho.

      Delete
    3. I think you lose access to Sho's equipment for the final boss fight though, so don't put anything on her you can't go without.

      Delete
  44. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Okay, this is stretching WAY back and is the most nit picky of nit picky observations. But I love this game to death and I RARELY see any grammatical/spelling errors...but if you go back to the part of the game just before the invasion of Yhillin when Simon and Janine are talking, there is a moment when Janine is commenting on Wendis and how, "She brings a smile to even your face." Now I re-iterate this is supremely nit picky, but I think you mean "She even brings a smile to your face." Because otherwise the grammar seems to indicate that she brings smiles to more than Simon's face. Now while this is true in the case of Wynn and potentially many others we aren't aware of at this point, I think Janine is implying that Wendis' memory has an ability to bring a smile to Simon's face while her late husband only brings up darkness. Sorry again if this is taken as an insult, this is literally the only jarring point of dialogue I've encountered in 3 play-throughs and for a game this extensive...that's downright impressive. Thanks again for the great game Sierra. This is a masterpiece in the making. <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey, thanks for the kind words. I see what you're saying, but I'll have to think about whether or not I make a change in this case, as I feel the rephrased version you suggested changes the meaning slightly in a way I don't like.

      Delete
    2. I think the phrasing is OK as-is - the way I've always read it is that she brings a smile to Simon's face despite the pain of her memory. Maybe something along the lines of "she brings a smile to even your face, through the sorrow" would be clearer?

      Delete
    3. If we're being nit picky then why does the "Lost Merchandise" quest appear in your quest log as failed even if you never pick it up? Seems a bit odd to fail a task you never agreed to do.

      Delete
    4. The most likely reason is that I have a clause to fail the question that doesn't properly check if you ever picked it up. Do you know the exact time it appeared in your quest log?

      Delete
    5. I don't really check it often. I noticed it before Zirantia but that was the first time i checked the quest log after that section of the game.

      Delete
    6. In my case, it first appear in the save in the Dark Ruins. The previous save is in Withered Mountains doesn't have it in any category. The quest disappear after the start of Chapter 3.

      Delete
    7. Found it, and I indeed just didn't check if the quest had been revealed. Fixed, thanks!

      Delete
  46. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  47. is there any news for the next update(release date or anything)???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just lurk here every friday around 10pm GMT to check for updates... Next one will probably in 4-6 weeks..

      Delete
    2. For the three route just keep checking here or on a forum where he posts updates, Though if you want more Updates you can go to patron and subscribe

      Delete
  48. here we are again to speak about the date we expecting new release and i don't want a vague respond like it will complete when complete well its not much of task isn't it?!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is only one person working on that game, so whenever something slows Sierra's work there won't be anyone to pick up the pace or replace her. You shouldn't expect firm dates because delays are inevitable.

      That said, Sierra always update on a Friday night and usually have an update every 4 or 5 weeks. Considering the delay caused by the release of Crimson Gray, I would expect the next update Friday of next week at the earliest, public build a week later.

      Delete
    2. well i doubt about that i think the update we will have it 15/08 or behind that date.

      Delete
    3. It's done when it's done. Since you're asking here, I doubt you're supporting through Patreon anyway, so you have absolutely no right to be that demanding.

      Delete
    4. well hi little shit mouse don't stick your ass were is not belong because may get raped and you do not want that(maybe you do) and yes i support via patreon so don't dump jump on me you piece of shit.

      Delete
    5. As a troll, you've failed miserably...

      Delete
    6. That's probably giving him too much credit.

      Delete
    7. i may have troll dick well you both see it so i cant argue with you in that one but at least think before you get your asses in rape-rape situation its kinda scary because i don't know if you like been insult or you just have lowest luck in the world(been in shit situation like this)

      Delete
    8. I am sorry to hear about you deformity. I hope, it's not too inconvenient to live like this. Does it hurt when you relieve yourself? When you masturbate or during sex? Maybe i shouldn't have asked that. It might be a bit too personal. Once again, apologies for being insensitive.

      Delete
    9. well having giant dick is always good you can make it like torturing ass or go all the way in the bottom of your womb just like the last time we do it i guess even a Stubborn pussy like yours should be melted by now by the way raise my child well i want healthy child and good behavior one not shit ass like you flay lust wind!!!

      Delete
  49. There are some odd coincidences, like between the Incubus King and the chosen, almost like he is one with a shard, the mysterious goddess and Carina, Zelica and Qum, how the Lustlord behaved and the Zirtanians. Is there more to it than that or are these just coincidences?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  50. I'm new here and I like what I see so far.
    Funnies of them all is dramatic hamster Ivala.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you like it! And I figure since everyone will be opening the game files, I might as well have some fun with it. ^-^

      Delete
    2. Saying everyone will decrypt gamefile would be a little exaggerate, but I like the way you handle it. xD

      I also really like your writing style. I wish I could do at least half what you can. Not that I underestimate myself, but not being a native-english speaker kind of difficult to write decent story in english.

      Delete
  51. its been about 6 months since i read the story you have written, and damn Sierra you did not disappoint.

    only one comments, small one:
    1) Commander Geoff is too petty, he repeats himself. An established commander should show some decorum (referring to the last time we see him. No spoilers from me) i mean come up with a better insult please.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He's probably still just pissy over his pants ending up in the stew.

      Delete
  52. Still waiting for the next update....

    ReplyDelete
  53. Still waiting for the next update....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Please quote the sentence where I gave the impression that I would break my usual pattern and contradict my explicit statements about the next update in order to deliver an update at some other time.

      Delete
  54. Are there sets of saves anywhere, like if I wanted to jump right to the Stineford section of the game?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There isn't a centralized place for that (there had been talks about creating one in the wiki, but nobody has created one yet), but I (and others like BetatesterFP) had shared saves when there were requests in the past. Let us know what you need, in any case. I have an optimized save at the start of Stineford and other just before leaving for the Devil's Pass.

      Delete