What 0.6b will bring

Still working on getting a handle on the code again so no ETA but I'd figure that I'd make a feature list for 0.6b for all of you.  The first two are spoilers in a small sense.  I've hinted and said them before but some people don't want them.  They are written in a white font so you'll have to highlight them to read them.



-Climax of Terra's arc.  And yes  it will involve quite a few climaxes
-Resolution of Vanessa's disappearance and Ariel/Cecilia will make an appearance.
-Complete removal of the random encounter system with a random event system in its place.  While this isn't used all that often in 0.6 content it will give me far more flexibility with random encounters in any zone.
-The id ring has resumed some functionality as a guide, pointing the player to the next step of the main plot.  Very much in beta stages and needing feedback for when it doesn't work properly.
-Fenja has been reclassified as a minor (or inventory) slave.  Essentially her quest will remain as it is but after she's captured there isn't any additional content for her.  Essentially it allows me to create minor slaves at the end of an optional segment or when the character would normally buy/acquire a new slave but without the burden of really creating a character or weaving her into the plot.  While there will still be more major characters introduced it gives me more flexibility in writing.
-Over 90% of people in the survey voted yes to letting me break old saves, so that will be done.  Saves will be provided whenever 0.6b is released.
-Continued editing and polishing.  While the Corsix edit is still a few months away, Western Corsix and before should be much cleaner.  Along with a change in workflow to increase accuracy it should be far easier to read  Thanks to Hitoroni on this.
-New faces.  While this isn't complete, TheEye92 showed me a few issues with my workflow in creating faces that was creating the heavily pixelated look and new faces should be much smoother.  Over time I'll work on going back and replacing as many of the old faces as possible.
-Donna's first two scenes on the dark path have been completely rewritten and imaged.  That was some of my very early rough work and really needed to be updated.  Feel free to [politely] suggest other scenes/events that could use a rewrite and I'll put them on the list.
-I haven't counted precisely yet, but 0.6b should bring on another 100-150 pages of text and another 30 scenes or so.  Wow I really am developing like Valve.
-Rebalancing of characters to make combat more enjoyable and smooth.  This has been going on for a few updates and has gotten to the point where old saves must be junked and new games must be created.

What 0.6b will not include
-With the exception of Donna's first two scenes, any new Celee (colonies) content. 
-The ability to go back after entering Corsix.  This will be the end of the current rails section, 0.6c is planning on opening up the world again.

Thank you.

I've been reading through all the comments to my last post and want to take a moment to thank everyone for their warm wishes and personal story.  It reminded me of something that I knew but had forgotten in the news.  There is nothing wrong with having dark fantasies, even sharing them with a loved one.  Losing the distinction between reality and fantasy is a threat to everyone but finding proper outlets for them can give you safe outlets for them.  I have decided to continue developing Harem.

If memory serves me correctly I had included a readme in 0.6a and I'll end the conversation by quoting something I had said long ago.  (if not, it will be in 0.6b).
"This is dark fantasy.  If at any time you watch a scene and think 'That's a good idea' you should stop playing and get some therapy.  Or at least a good hooker."

Since making the last post I've been doing a great deal of writing, nearly 60 pages worth of content in just a little over a week.  But I've still been out of the code for months and it is going to take me some time to review what needs to be done to even get a timetable for 0.6b.  I'll post updates as I get a grip on the situation.

But delay might give me an excuse to do something that needs to be done.  Never let a crisis go to waste as they say.  My understanding of VX combat has grown tremendously since starting Harem but an issue with the game is that character stats and progression are fixed by the save, not by the game.  So character from earlier saves don't behave quite how they should.  While people have tried to help me create scripts to get reset the characters, they've created issues of their own (for example Ralph renaming himself mid-game).  Wiping the slate clean and forcing new games would make the game much easier from a code perspective.  I would provide 'typical' saves from the end of 0.6a packaged with the 0.6b release for the people who wouldn't want to replay everything.  I will post a poll for it in the next few minutes.

Note : Even if we do this now, I can't guarantee that it won't happen again in the future.  I have been learning the engine continuously over the last two years and I doubt that process has ended.

Sorry

I’m sorry for the extended absence.  I had been working on 0.6b until I heard the news out of Cleveland with Castro keeping those poor women as slaves in his house and it was deeply disturbing to me on a personal level.

Harem is a fantasy game.  But fantasy is just that.  Thoughts that may excite you but that you know rationally can’t be.  Things you enjoy thinking about but know should never actually be done.  Slavery is a horrible practice and the world will be a better place when it’s finally purged.  Having fantasies of control and domination may be exciting but they must only be explored consensually. 

If you think that your mate might enjoy a bit of bondage and rough sex, talk about it before trying anything.  Be a bit rough and she how she responds.  Indulge in her fantasies and let her indulge in hers.  BDSM play can be exciting, but no means no and always have a safeword.  A simple no is far better than ending up in a prison cell somewhere.  And bedroom play is just that, it belongs in the bedroom and never to the point where anyone could be hurt.

Respect your mate.  Love them as it’s the greatest thing in the world.  Enjoy their company and let them enjoy yours.  Don’t force anything on another person.

It’s taken me a while to even be comfortable writing again but I firmly believe that everyone that plays Harem knows the difference between right and wrong and that if you do almost anything that happens in the game you are wrong and will end up in jail. If you ever play the game and disagree, please stop.  Uninstall Harem and go and seek professional help.  It would be just as bad as if you bring any FPS into real life.

As to what’s going on with the game I can’t say that I’m completely sure.  Maybe I’ll pick it up again but maybe not.  I will try.  For simplicities sake I’m just going to say that it’s on hiatus.  If that changes I’ll let you know.

Thank you for your patience and all the warm wishes.  I wish I could have spoken sooner but I need to work through this first.

And one last note, I hope Castro suffers for the rest of his life for what he did and that the creator makes a special place in hell for him.