Experimental pack 1 updated

 So I'm continuing to play around with the imaging software and have mostly settled on HS2.  KKS is a bit closer to the 3dcg style but still significantly different and is missing a few creative tools that would make a night and day difference in workflow.  Ditto for COM3D2 but the mod support there is massively shorter in mods, particularly in tattoos and body markings which Harem used extensively.  I'm still listening on the imager topic; but unless the imager has a solid static studio and pose manager, overlay system, and inline map editor HS2 is likely to win.

From the feedback on the first set of trial scenes I did and have an updated version with some model changes and new scenes.

Experimental 1.2

 -Fixed a fixed poor picture calls, should follow scene better
-Revised Noemi, Terra and Jessica models, feedback please
-Added scenes for Cecilia, Rhea, and Angelica.  Again, feedback please

I know that some of the text doesn't match events, like Angelica grabbing carpet on a wooden floor.  Don't report those, these aren't replacement scenes.
Lighting before Terra is bad, still learning that system.  And Angelica's hair is too plasticy.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RC3sARf6c0XqLe65zTWbHuJ3QNZwlccy/view?usp=sharing

 

Also working on a few new models, the feedback cycle has been useful to revising models.  Both here and in discord.  Keep them coming, and keep them constructive!  I have Vanessa and Alena model scenes started, would be open to suggestions for two more slots for the 2nd set of scenes.  

Experimental scenes

When I came back, I said it would be quite a while before I would/could decide if I would return to developing Harem.  Part of that is me figuring out if I even can do so, I deleted my 3dcg installation before my attempt and much of it is irreplaceable.  While I community member did offer their copy and I do have some mods from it still stored, I have lost many of the mods, and all of the models and scenes used to create the game.

So I’ve been looking into different, more modern, imaging programs.  I played a bit with the COM3D2 and wasn’t especially impressed with the variation of models it can create and the size of the mod community.  Tried HS2 and was far more impressed with both its modding community and studio program.  While stylistically it’s far from the VX ACE design and 3dcg, the results are very good.  I’ve always been very sensitive to uncanny valley issues in imagers but so far I’ve been able to clear the valley and been happy with the results.

I’ve spent a few days this last week recreating characters and scenes from Harem and would like to share them with you all for feedback.  Not as much as technical issues like clipping and lighting, but what you think about the models replace the 3dcg models and the mechanics of the scenes.  And what you’d think if I were to use a more photo-realistic imager instead of the more anime-styled 3dcg or CMD32

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cXciZhrLhNF8yF4WG4w5A2lQCg4794NQ/view?usp=sharing

Last of the unreleased scenes

 A few more scenes for you all, these had been written and imaged just not coded so I took a bit of time to stitch them together in VX.  While I have some partially written scenes my install of 3DCG didn't survive my attempt so I can't create any more images.  Recreating the installation/mods/hardsaves or switching to another imager would be a significant time investment so these will be the end of the unreleased scenes being released.

Link

Unreleased Scenes

 I'm releasing a few scenes that I got done during a few semi-functional periods after 8m7.  It's a standalone so you don't need to import any saves or replay files from an existing game to see them, just start a new game and it should give you a choice of the 4 scenes included (Baylie and Leona's capture scene, a progression scene for Eleanor, and Donnie/Tomas's next "conquest").  Enjoy!

Download

Note:  This does not mean I'm restarting development.  I had some things completed from before and spent an hour dropping them into a standalone package, no more no less.

Yes, I’m alive. Although it was close for a while there.

It has been years since I’ve posted here, and I feel like I should explain what happened. For a sense of closure on both sides if nothing else. I have referenced issues with my mental health before; I have a family history of depression, anxiety, and ADHD. But I never really could face the fact that I had at least two of the three, nor the courage necessary to address it properly, so it was untreated for most of my life. Part of the way I was raised I guess, one side of my family struggled with mental illnesses and the other considered mental illness a sign of weakness. Something that could be ignored if one was just strong enough and focused on what was outside of them instead of inside. I’ll give you one guess on which side I was raised by.

I had lived with it for many years, in retrospect I can clearly see dips in and out of depression and the way my quality of life was hurt by unacknowledged both the depressions and anxiety issues. But mostly I was able to deal with it, I’d have a depressive episode that lasted for a few weeks, maybe a few months, before the normal course of life helped me back out of it. Then I started working on H. While I truly enjoyed my time working on the game, it was extremely isolating. First as in simple physical isolation, working from home with my only contacts being through a discord window was not a healthy way to live. But it was also socially isolating in the sense I was never comfortable talking about my creation with local friends and family. Which triggered even more anxiety which encouraged even more isolation. Which triggered even more anxiety and depression. And I’ve always struggled with negative self-talk/automatic negative thoughts. The only voice I heard was my own and it was always hostile, reinforcing the downward spiral.

 

Which is what happened to me. By 2019 I had pretty much cut myself off from most of the people dear to me, almost all of my interactions through a discord window or hearing myself tear myself apart. I was already in a deep depression well before COVID hit, suddenly the isolation and distance I had already imposed on myself became part of the public good and the bottom fell out of my mind. I could barely get up and feed myself, struggling with the basics and even just getting out of bed every morning. On my good days it was all I could do to maybe go for a walk, get groceries, and move funds around so I could pay rent for another month. Bad days, of which there was many, I couldn’t even leave the apartment. Was just dead inside while I watched the world go by. And I spent years like that until the money finally ran out and I had to choose to live or die. I had already convinced myself that my life wasn’t worth living so I attempted suicide.

 

Fortunately, I woke up finding myself in a bloody bathroom and finally had a moment of clarity. I called 911 and was brought to a nearby ER where I spent a week under 24 hour supervision while they found a mental hospital that was able to take me in. I spent nearly a month there, working with therapists and peers trying to put my mind back together. Helping me find reason to live, effective medications, and reconnect with my family. Fortunately my family has been incredibly supportive and took me back in while I continued my treatment. Another month in a Partial Hospitalization Program where I was in therapy for 30+ hours every week understanding my own mind, developing skills to counteract my own self-destructive thoughts, and talking with my peers struggling with their own mental health. Most of whom are also suicide survivors, helping me to realize that my struggles aren’t unique and there are methods that genuinely help. I am now down to an Intensive Outpatient Program, 10 hours per week, and am working to rebuild my life. Which will take quite a while; my physical, emotional, social, and financial health were all nearly destroyed through neglect and self-sabotage. I’m growing more confident I will succeed every day, even being able to write this to you all is a major step in my recovery.

 

Which is one of the reasons I’m writing this. Partially because I think you all deserve to know what happened to me, partially because its part of my own healing process, and because hopefully it will be a cautionary tale for anyone who reads it. Take your mental health seriously. There is no shame in seeking help for mental health issues, no more than there would be in going to the hospital if you broke your leg. Both can absolutely destroy your quality of life and both are treatable. So if you struggle with depression, self-esteem/image issues, anxiety or anything else, please seek help. Things can get better if you can get yourself to a point where you can just ask for it, that I am sure of.

 

Ker

Harem c8m7 released, c8m6 gone public!

Hey all, we were able to get through the testing a bit faster than I was expecting and Harem c8m7 is ready to go out!  More content, more scenes, and (now) more challenges!  The two big plotlines continue with new quests from Aries and the Westlands Cheli.  We’re also introducing ‘challenge dungeons’ in this release.  TG22 is far better at combat design than I am, and this is me letting him off the leash a bit.  So if you choose to do the harder parts, expect to have fight a bit harder to get through the new sequences.  If you don’t, they will never be required for the main plot.  And of course, this game is for adults only, so there are new scenes!  Jessica ‘attends’ you and Aries, Vanessa gets a chance to learn a few new tricks at the King’s Pleasure, and you meet High Priestess Anaisha.  In every sense of the term.  Also, for those who didn’t grind out 75k gold in Eowen during chapter 3, you’ll finally get to add Fiona to your harem!  Enjoy your holidays, if you need a few minutes away you’ll have new Harem content to enjoy!

Harem c8m7 https://www.patreon.com/posts/31906486

Content additions

-High Priestess Anaisha, a Shada, has gone to the Fire Temple to prove her gifts.  Travel there to see if she's worth a spot in your harem!

-You have started on a plan to remove Aries from your Castra.  Time to see how else you can make his life more... interesting.

-A new feature has been added, Challenge Mode.  A series of harder bosses and encounters to test the player's skill, giving more loot as a reward.

-Her rank means Vanessa can't call you Master in public, but that's no reason she can't train her skills in The King's Pleasure.

-Chinua gets her chance to serve in your brothel.

-If you didn't add Fiona in Eowen, she can be captured in Corsix now.

-A new shop has been added to Denai with more accessories for sale.

-4 new in game scenes added, 1 new brothel scenes added, 1 new non-canon scene. Slight tweaks made to Fiona's first scenes for Corsix event.

-For the Legate+ patrons, Vanessa's Duty gets an new non-canon scene.

-118 pages of new text (not including Fiona's rewrite), 120 new images

-Bug fixes/gameplay tweaks

-Beta for improved Quest UI, can be activated in debug menu.

-Minor buffs to Sarah, Rhea, and Naitay.  Updated UI for Adeline.  Defensive and taunts skills sped up.

-Improvements to autobattler choices and TP management.

With 8m7 being released, that means that Harem c8m6 goes public!  Now everyone gets the chance to reward Angelica or Donna for healing Livia and get a viewing of/by her.  If you had gotten to Shenetore before entering Corsix, you’ll be able to find out what happened to the foul-mouthed Joan and meet some old friends… and they do have a present for you.  Samantha also learns to sing a far more powerful song.  Oh, and some plot stuff happens…

c8m6 https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3KuKjSbH2FhYmNGX1Z0U0Zpemc

Content additions

-Angelica or Donna helped Livia recover from her injuries.  They've earned a special reward for doing so!

-With Livia back on her feet, lets see how her view of you has changed

-Aries still occupies your Castra.  It's time to figure out how to get him to leave

-You've found out what happened in the Westlands and recovered Joan.  What else might that territory have to offer you?

-Danielle/Teresa have found a new weapon to use against you.  Their own plots continue

-And if all that sounds too complicated, maybe a relaxing evening with Rhea is in order.  And where did Leona go?

-Bonus off-camera scene for Legate+ patrons, Samantha and Rhea dark.  Sam's dark scene with Terra goes public.

-7 new in game scenes, 1 new off-camera scene, 202 pages of new content, 223 new images

Combat pass 3

-Samantha's singing ability has been made stronger and more complex, with her song changing as the battle progresses.  But if she stops singing, the benefit is lost.

-The enemy leveling system used in chapter 5 and later added to chapters 2-4 with many improvements to the combat there.  No new content, improved old content.

-Gold drops eliminated from non-humanoid enemies, replaced with an upgraded trophy system of saleable drops

Final notes:  There might be a few text issues left, we aren’t fully done with the reproofing.  I should have the CG packs update by the time you read this.  Polls will restart in 2020, not enough time to do one for the 8m8 release in December.

Harem c8m6 released to patrons, public version updated to 8m5!

Your fight to reclaim what is rightfully yours continues. Aries is starting to trust you, giving you the start of an opportunity to evict him from your Castra without him realizing it. And the Ratans also threaten your allies in the Westlands, but they may have a new weapon to aid you both in liberating them and your own quest. But even as you arm yourself, your adversaries are making their own moves with their own new weapons. A challenging time, but fortunately you have women back home eager to help you forget about everything else for a night at least. See all that, and more, in Harem c8m6!

c8m6 https://www.patreon.com/posts/29740189

Content additions

-Angelica or Donna helped Livia recover from her injuries. They've earned a special reward for doing so!

-With Livia back on her feet, lets see how her view of you has changed

-Aries still occupies your Castra. It's time to figure out how to get him to leave

-You've found out what happened in the Westlands and recovered Joan. What else might that territory have to offer you?

-Danielle/Teresa have found a new weapon to use against you. Their own plots continue

-And if all that sounds too complicated, maybe a relaxing evening with Rhea is in order. And where did Leona go?

-Bonus off-camera scene for Legate+ patrons, Samantha and Rhea dark. Sam's dark scene with Terra goes public.

-7 new in game scenes, 1 new off-camera scene, 202 pages of new content, 223 new images

Combat pass 3

-Samantha's singing ability has been made stronger and more complex, with her song changing as the battle progresses. But if she stops singing, the benefit is lost.

-The enemy leveling system used in chapter 5 and later added to chapters 2-4 with many improvements to the combat there. No new content, improved old content.

-Gold drops eliminated from non-humanoid enemies, replaced with an upgraded trophy system of saleable drops

And with c8m6 coming out for patrons, Harem c8m5 becomes available to everyone. While my patrons can see your adversaries new weapon in action, 8m5 is when the arm themselves. And time to find out what dangers your Cheli are in as well as start to earn that trust you’ll need to betray Aries. Business as usual, killing monsters and running your newly redesigned Brothel!

c8m5 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B3KuKjSbH2FhYmNGX1Z0U0Zpemc

Content additions

-The plot quickens!

-You've done as Mercalius requested by helping Aries. Time to recover your healer and start on a plan to betray Aries.

-With gaining entry to Eowen, you should check on your friend Hanno the governor. Make sure to bring his daughter along!

-Westalnds opened. It's been too long since you've visited your assets in there.

-You've met many new women... time to reopen your brothel and get them working!

-Bonus scene with Yvone involving her, you, and Donnie or Tomas. A small conversation if you sen them packing.

-6 new scenes, 202 pages of new text in game, 205 new images

Bug fixes/combat adjustments

-Fixed a memory leak that was causing crashes.

-Ralph has a new passive aura, Vanessa has a new TP mode. Various other character fixes.

-Brand new brothel UI! https://harem-db.lewdbit.studio/wiki/Eowen_Brothel

-Fixed an issue where you could get back to Celee without Adeline. Talk to Mercalius to have her added to your party if she was not after her questline completed.

-Retconned Shenetore Elders to have names, Kyruth and Safio

-Improved item UI and many moderate to minor bug fixes/combat improvements.