Progress Update | Aalam's Route
about 1 year ago – Wed, Oct 04, 2023 at 07:55:35 AM

Aalam's Route

I just finished editing scene 22 of Aalam's route! This was an Andrea scene that I made a note to add in the first draft. While it does still focus on the Aalam/Terra romance and the marriage, as is the focus on the route, you can also get some deeper insights into Andrea and have some time with them away from the hustle and bustle of wedding planning. 

I'd love to add in more of these calmer scenes, but Aalam's route is already the longest at about 74,000 words and I still have editing to do in the later scenes, so I want to avoid it getting overly padded. As much as I'd love for Celestial Crowns to go on forever it's got to have an end 🥲

The routes are meant to be about the same length as the first three chapters, which you've played (or can play) in the demo, at 60,000 words (the first three chapters are around 57K). So in game time you're about halfway through at the end of the first three chapters. 

This wasn't entirely intentional as I didn't expect that portion to be so long, but I think it all worked out as I'm quite happy with the pace of them and the different character interactions I got to show. CC is the first game where I've tried to do three entirely separate routes. Usually in my games there is a shared common route and then the LI's scenes branch off and then come back together multiple times throughout the story. I'm very happy I finally tried this way and I look forward to using this method in future games, as not only does it make the routes feel more coherent (to me), but it was also a bit easier to write not having to plan everything around a single common route (for me). I like visual novels that do it both ways, and I'll probably continue to implement both in the future as well depending on what narrative style best suits the game.

Moving forward from here I'll be editing scene 23, where you get to experience more of Terra as a ruler and can make some decisions that will impact Andromeda's viewpoint of you. 

Throughout Aalam's route there are choices that will affect how the people see you. You can still get the good/best end no matter how you decide to rule in Andromeda, but gaining favor with the people and council will change some details in the story.

Route Gameplay Video

Don't forget to vote for which route gameplay video will be released! The poll will close when the Kickstarter's over. I'll be recording a stream where I'll play through the first three routes and allow the chat to choose which choices they want. This method was voted for in a past stream as people thought it would be more interactive and fun. I might also just do a plain recording for people who don't want to hear my voice 🥲

Alignment Chart

I made these a while ago for Instagram and thought they were fun :) 

Kickstarter Recommendation

A dark fantasy visual novel just launched on Kickstarter! This is being made by another solo dev like me, check it out. 

Eva has a world inside her head: the land of Astraela, where Darkness and Corrupted beasts threaten eternal doom. Vivid dreams have given her four books as an up-and-coming author, but when undead fiends appear on Earth for a killing spree, she is caught in the crossfire between dreams and reality.

Check it out here.

Community Goals

Tumblr followers: 471/700

7/20 fanworks 

488/1000 wishlists.

We are nearly at 500 wishlists! This is very exciting 🥳

Vote for a route by 10/12!
about 1 year ago – Mon, Oct 02, 2023 at 06:45:41 AM

Hello all! As we hit over 50 backers, I'll be releasing a route gameplay video showing the first three scenes of a route. Please vote here to choose which route you'd like shown. I'm using Google Forms so people not on social media or who don't want to join the discord can participate, and so that voting is kept to backers only. You shouldn't need a gmail address to vote. If you have trouble, please leave a comment here.

I'll be releasing the video soon after the Kickstarter as the first in rolling updates for rewards, the next being Lune's voiced love letter! So make sure to vote if you're interested.

Link

Want to learn more about Andrea? We are less than 30 followers away from their microfic! Here's a bit about them. Are they more or less of a workaholic than Lune?  

Have questions about the other characters? Feel free to comment here or AMA on Tumblr. 

Community Goals

470/700 tumblr followers

7/20 fanworks

471/1000 steam wishlists (I just missed getting the same number as tumblr 😆) 

We're creeping closer to our goals! I know exactly which CG I'd add to the prologue... (assassin *cough*) if you haven't wishlisted the game on Steam already, help us get there!

Personality Branches and Stat System | Endings
about 1 year ago – Sat, Sep 30, 2023 at 09:58:03 AM

Hello all! I logged on today and saw we'd broken $11,000! We are just $2,000 away from our first stretch goal! I know we can make it  💖

In this update I wanted to go in-depth about the Celestial Crowns stat system and how it works. So let's dive in.

There are 9 stats in Celestial Crowns that determine player personality. 

3 Strengths, 3 Flaws, and 3 Ruling styles.

Strengths: 

Confident, practical, witty

Flaws:

Impulsive, naive, spoiled

Ruling style: 

Gentle, aggressive, strategic

In the first three chapters (the demo), your choices will heavily determine your base personality and give bonus points to the LIs based on traits they like. In addition, your ruling style will determine whose route you get put on. Gentle = marrying Aalam = Aalam's route. Aggressive = going to war = Sahi's route. Strategic = ? = Lune's route.

Choice menus, in general, alternate between locked and unlocked. Locked choice menus are when you will need a minimum of a certain stat to pick it in that menu. For example, in the video above, you need to have chosen confidence at least one time for the confidence option to be available. 

The unlocked choice menus ensure there are always chances to continue building on stats you haven't focused on much yet, or had been staying away from. 

I am still balancing the menus so that the thresholds are fair and natural in-game, so you might notice some choices were easier to unlock in the new demo build.

There are multiple times when your personality will cause a small, one- or- two- line branch, like below. 

In this example, your MC would say something different if witty or spoiled traits were high enough. This allows you to see direct results of your choices and helps really finetune the MC's personality how you want.

Each LI has liked and disliked traits. Choosing a trait they like is more likely to raise points, while choosing a trait they dislike is more likely to lower them, but it's not a hard and fast rule as it all depends on context. So mix and match how you like and think about each character's personality while playing to get the best ending! 

Is it clear how the stats work? Any questions? Put them down below!

Endings

There are 9 endings in Celestial Crowns, a bad, good, and best end for each LI. The most common ending you are likely to receive is the good end. Choices that accumulate to lead to the bad end will be fairly obvious. I don't want this to be a 'hard' game where it's difficult to get a nice ending. Getting the best end might require some thinking though! 

Community Goals

Still slowly heading toward our community goals!

Tumblr followers: 466/700

7/20 fanworks

Steam wishlists: 436/1000 - Make sure to wishlist the game if you haven't already! This really helps us.

Masc version of spicy CG | LI's ideal dates
about 1 year ago – Wed, Sep 27, 2023 at 09:43:20 AM

Hello all! The Kickstarter is halfway over! We have met our goal and then some! I am so happy with how things have gone so far and so grateful for all the support and well wishes. Thank you! 

Masc Version of Spicy CG 

Erupan just finished the masc version of this wonderful Aalam CG! I can't wait for you guys to experience it in game.

We have a tentative plan for finishing the rest of the CGs, and I'll be posting WIPs in the sneak peek channel as she goes! 

LI's Ideal Dates

As requested by Belxsar during my weekly drawing stream, here are the LI's ideal dates! Which one is your favorite?

Aalam: It would be an all-day affair. It would begin with a lavish breakfast and then a stroll through a snow-covered glade. Some sledding and hot chocolate later, you’d return for a light lunch and then retire to your rooms for a different kind of exercise. Dinner in bed and some stargazing from the balcony.

Sahi: A picnic on the beach with all your favorite foods. Swimming together in the ocean, then drying off with a long walk in the sand.

Lune: Getting some work done together in the library, then having dinner. Afterward, an evening play.

Update 

I have finished editing Aalam's bad end and am currently on scene 20/30! I think I will finish his second draft before the Kickstarter ends. This will be great because I can jump straight into testing and move on to Sahi's route a little quicker! I'll be posting snippets in the sneak peeks channel once the Kickstarter is done!

Community Goals 

Tumblr followers: 460/700

7/20 fanworks

433/1000 wishlists

400 Follower Present: Celeste Microfic | Schedule
about 1 year ago – Sun, Sep 24, 2023 at 01:37:45 PM

As promised, here is the Celeste microfic for 400 followers! If we hit 450, I'll write one for Andrea, too!

-

Celeste wasn’t always in love with the Monarch. She’s fairly certain of that. When the late King Terra assigned her as the Heir’s personal maid, she’d been over the moon, but just because it meant extra coin in her pocket. Her mother would be well-fed from then on.

When she first met the Heir, she’d been surprised. She’d seen them around, of course, walking behind their father, sitting at his side. Eating daintily during meals. She’d never heard them speak before.

That was the surprising thing. Their voice was so warm, so kind. As if they were speaking to their equal and not a servant.

They were observant, too. It only took three meetings before they asked, amused, “Why do you stare at the Advisor so?”

Celeste had been embarrassed for only a few moments before they’d laughed, one of a shared secret rather than mocking.

As soon as her feelings for Lune had been ousted between them, it was as if things changed. The Heir asked them endless questions about what she could possibly see in him, and she was happy to extol his virtues.

This led to her chatting about other things, like castle gossip, her annoying little brother, or her mother back home. About how she hadn’t been the same since father had died, and the only thing keeping her from wasting away were Celeste’s letters and coin.

Her pay doubled after that. The Heir never said anything about it, and Celeste had been afraid to ask, wondering if it was all some fever dream.

When the Heir became the Monarch, Celeste stood outside of their room for hours listening to them cry. She prayed and prayed that she’d be called in, that she could do something to help. But by the time they eventually called for her, for tea of all things, their eyes were dry and their expression firm. They didn’t speak of their father for a long time after.

Then they were nearly killed. Celeste hadn’t been able to wait outside that time. She’d cried, and clung, and in a burst of insanity, she’d kissed them.

She hadn’t even realized she’d wanted to. When she pulled back, they were staring at her with those wide, marbled eyes, blushing, flustered, like they’d just been kissed by someone who mattered and not a servant.

But that was just it.

She was a servant.

The Monarch called her name as she ran from the room, but she couldn’t look back.

-

Would you play Celeste's route if she had one?

Writing Schedule

I also have an updated timeline for completion of the writing and programming.

2023 

• October - Finish Aalam route second draft and send to beta testers 
• November - Finish Sahi route second draft and send to beta testers 
• December - Finish Lune route second draft and send to beta testers 

2024 

• January - Review feedback  
• February - Implement feedback for Aalam's route, write final draft - send scripts to VAs 
• March - Implement feedback for Sahi's route, write final draft - send scripts to VAs 
• April - Implement feedback for Lune's route, write final draft - send scripts to VAs 
• May - June - Additional coding, adding sound effects 
• July - Implement voice 
• August - September - Testing, VA retakes as necessary

Reward Schedule

Finishing the routes will be my priority. Once the writing is complete, I will put together the Digital Guide, then begin work on the Illuminated After Stories! I already have the basic overview of each story, I just need to outline and write them. After the after stories will be putting the lore book together. As the time for those draws closer, I will share a more concrete schedule so you can have an idea of when they will be finished. I'll be drawing the pinups during my weekly streams, so feel free to join! 

The pinups will be distributed as soon as they're complete, but all other rewards will be released upon release of the game to avoid spoilers.

For those with the Design Your NPC reward, I will be reaching out during the testing phase in August 2024 to discuss your NPC and how you'd like to include them in the game.

The discord channel reward will be distributed as soon as the Kickstarter is complete and all pledges have been safely received.

Community Goals

Tumblr: 459/700 followers

7/20 fanworks

Wishlists: 429/1000