May 2024 - Update and news
Hello everyone!
For anyone wondering, I'm still here. I didn't really have anything to share since my last post as I was caught up in many things as usual (from tackling different projects to struggling with motivation) but finally found the drive to get back into it and finish the long-promised Ch 11 Prologue walkthrough. You can get it here: https://boosty.to/bloodymares/posts/48df1db9-caf1-40ce-92b1-65c71d68e540?share=post_link
I also decided to make my previous release available for free (no point in keeping it locked behind a paywall), so if you weren't able to download Chapter 10 guide, you can check one of the previous posts!
One of the things that happened is that this February I built the new PC for myself! However, my SSD failed and I had to buy a new one and install a fresh system which meant I had to restore all of my programs, fonts, etc, just to be able to continue writing the guide, so I had to deal with all that first. But it's so refreshing working on a fast system!
I'd also like to share some things that I realized about my burnout and what in my opinion helped me push through. After trying different things, from diverting attention to different projects (distractions + beta-testing ORS) and taking breaks, to just taking it slow, I realized that what ultimately caused my burnout wasn't that I was tired from writing the guide (well, maybe a bit), but that I was just taking on too many tasks by myself and feeling stuck in all of them. I was just overwhelmed.
I felt responsible not only for the guide, but for the quality of the game as well. And testing the game turned out to be infinitely more draining for me than writing the guide and yet I prioritized on it more because I thought it was more important for the players to enjoy a polished game and I didn't want to rewrite the walkthrough each time to adjust for the fixes (Rewrite caused by Chapter 9 overhaul was a massive effort).
However, now I know that I'd rather modify previous chapters in the walkthrough whenever there's a need for it than try to carry the coherency of the game's confusing plot elements on my shoulders. At this point, the game became just too big for me and I decided that I can't really do all that when I already have the walkthrough to worry about. While it's disappointing that I won't be able to regain the level of support I had on Patreon, I was still failing those few of you who chose to stick around and support the walkthrough no matter what. And with that out of the way, I was finally free to focus on the guide without worrying about anything else. I'm still going to help with the game on occasion, but the guide will be my number one priority going forward.
For the next two chapters (11 and 12), I don't think I'm going to bother with the Alpha / Beta releases, and instead just release the finished chapters and give the 1-week early access to the upper tiers like in the good old days until I'm fully caught up with the game. And then, I'll be free to maybe get back into the game and do some more playtesting if I feel like it.
Anyway, hope you're enjoying the the latest ORS update and this spring has you in high spirits!
For anyone wondering, I'm still here. I didn't really have anything to share since my last post as I was caught up in many things as usual (from tackling different projects to struggling with motivation) but finally found the drive to get back into it and finish the long-promised Ch 11 Prologue walkthrough. You can get it here: https://boosty.to/bloodymares/posts/48df1db9-caf1-40ce-92b1-65c71d68e540?share=post_link
I also decided to make my previous release available for free (no point in keeping it locked behind a paywall), so if you weren't able to download Chapter 10 guide, you can check one of the previous posts!
One of the things that happened is that this February I built the new PC for myself! However, my SSD failed and I had to buy a new one and install a fresh system which meant I had to restore all of my programs, fonts, etc, just to be able to continue writing the guide, so I had to deal with all that first. But it's so refreshing working on a fast system!
I'd also like to share some things that I realized about my burnout and what in my opinion helped me push through. After trying different things, from diverting attention to different projects (distractions + beta-testing ORS) and taking breaks, to just taking it slow, I realized that what ultimately caused my burnout wasn't that I was tired from writing the guide (well, maybe a bit), but that I was just taking on too many tasks by myself and feeling stuck in all of them. I was just overwhelmed.
I felt responsible not only for the guide, but for the quality of the game as well. And testing the game turned out to be infinitely more draining for me than writing the guide and yet I prioritized on it more because I thought it was more important for the players to enjoy a polished game and I didn't want to rewrite the walkthrough each time to adjust for the fixes (Rewrite caused by Chapter 9 overhaul was a massive effort).
However, now I know that I'd rather modify previous chapters in the walkthrough whenever there's a need for it than try to carry the coherency of the game's confusing plot elements on my shoulders. At this point, the game became just too big for me and I decided that I can't really do all that when I already have the walkthrough to worry about. While it's disappointing that I won't be able to regain the level of support I had on Patreon, I was still failing those few of you who chose to stick around and support the walkthrough no matter what. And with that out of the way, I was finally free to focus on the guide without worrying about anything else. I'm still going to help with the game on occasion, but the guide will be my number one priority going forward.
For the next two chapters (11 and 12), I don't think I'm going to bother with the Alpha / Beta releases, and instead just release the finished chapters and give the 1-week early access to the upper tiers like in the good old days until I'm fully caught up with the game. And then, I'll be free to maybe get back into the game and do some more playtesting if I feel like it.
Anyway, hope you're enjoying the the latest ORS update and this spring has you in high spirits!
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