[Twine] [Patreon] Empire of Corruption

[Sitribella]

Today brings Empire of Corruption's ninth public release, version 0.3.2. Changes include:

• Reward tweak: XP for unlocking codex entries now scales based on your level, so they'll be rewarding to track down throughout the game.
• The pregnancy framework is in place! To be impregnated, you'll need to turn on the "involuntary transformations" option (which defaults to OFF); wording has been tweaked to let new players know this option includes being bred. (If this option is turned off but defeat-sex is on, victorious monsters may attempt to breed you but there will be no consequences after that.)
• Being defeated by the succubus boss, or consensual sex with a Felluri futa-demon, can now result in pregnancy. (Not a physical one, though -- she'll see you in your dreams.)
• Being impregnated by a Xith marauder's ovipositor can result in becoming an egg-incubator (for both female and male characters. Ouch.)
• Once you've met Sheltie, you can return to the bank to talk to her (two conversation topics added).
• Next two steps in chapter three's storyline have been added including a one-shot quest, setting the stage for a bigger, repeatable adventure to come.
• Two new foes, the Fathomer and Sea-Cult Zealot, with three sex scenes (one victory, two defeat).
• One new codex entry to find and unlock.

You can find the files at:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1daLo7e959ZDRdOSWTS7sG9YVr_Us-yiV or
https://mega.nz/#!GyxknCrS!Y8IV1G1JyJJ5YDGEiHKMxGU7tCOD8mvy-E7PA_N_G4A

Also, version 0.3.6 has been released today for $5+ backers. Work "under the hood" on the stat/mechanics/combat overhaul is underway, and here's the rest of the change-log:

• The next stage of chapter three's main plot is in (one part following Sheltie's plotline, one following Morden's), with an optional sex scene.
• The game's first bad ending is in, accessible during chapter three. (It's signposted. Heavily signposted. Like, seriously.)
• One new codex entry to find and unlock.

 

[Sitribella]

It's our tenth weekly public release! Version 0.3.3 is now live for everybody. Changes include:

• An empire-builder needs worthy gear, and in this update -- if you've investigated Josiah Morden's problems and also begun the "Riddle of Precursor Steel" quest -- you can forge your own custom-crafted weapon!
• Your signature weapon can be renamed and reforged (changing its appearance) as many times as you like. Going forward, major quests and bosses will drop weapon adornments as trophies; a collectibles page has been added to the notebook (once you forge your weapon) to keep track of the ones you've found. (As with the codex page, new unlocks will be added bit by bit with every new game update.)
• Rune-word inscriptions, once found and learned, will power up your weapon even further. (The framework for a second kind of improvement, elemental attunements, is in place and they'll be fully added in a future update.)
• To help test the new framework, two quick one-shot adventures have been added. One will reward you with your first rune-word, and one with your first cosmetic adornment. To find them, check outside the city. (One involves an NPC you've probably already befriended by the time you reach chapter three; the other requires good relations with a certain dryad tribe...)

You can find the files at:
Mega: https://mega.nz/#!yihxySqS!fBh0VWSTXdFeEruLSIdEZC_ly0PBQabk_5-YKosUz9c
Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ld81qyzkPbiNnwUNg2sU8EXN_JRLG4br

Also, version 0.3.7 has been released for $5+ backers at https://www.patreon.com/sitribella. Changes include:

• Allison the futa seamstress has (finally!) two sex scenes, one with two possible endings.
• The first big transformation update! Advance your relationship with Allison to level 3 and she'll add ten new alchemical recipes to her shop, allowing you to shift your character's gender and sexual characteristics in any combination you desire.
• Extensive (mostly invisible player-side) tweaking to how body parts are handled and removing dependencies, to make future transformations easier to implement. (For instance, you can now have balls but no cock, or vice-versa.)
• Adjusted the crafting-bench UI to make it cleaner to read (especially when you've learned a lot of formulas.)

 

[Sandeklaus]

Just tried this game out, and hoo boy is it one I'm going to keep my eye on. The writing is solid and fun, the setting is neat, and the characters are engaging. It's not content-light, but there are clearly lots of frameworks in place for stuff that's going to be fleshed out even more, and I can't wait. Hell, I was apparently only on v0.2.3, so I clearly need to catch up...

Only point of irritation for now is that the Bounty targets seem to scale according to my current level, rather than the rank of the target, which makes them a tedious and difficult way of actually making cash compared to just stomping on a succubus a few times.

 

[Sitribella]

Thank you! And yeah, I feel like the game is very much in "building frameworks" mode (while plot is still rolling out regularly), getting a solid foundation in place for the long haul. In two weeks I'll be introducing the stat/combat overhaul (it works on paper, now I just have to code it), which will make -- I think/hope -- for more compelling RPG aspects and sort out a few ongoing annoyances like the bounty system scaling.

 

[Intents]

Hey, I'm very early on in the game (have basically created my character, gone to the warehouse, and now down to the sewers to fight). I just wanted to register to ask if there's anywhere you'd prefer bugs to be reported, or is here okay?

There's a bug with being in combat, looking at your character sheet, and then returning from the character sheet back to the story.
So for example: if you are in the sewers and defeat a rat, then click 'Character Sheet', then click, 'Return to Story', you'll enter another combat round.
I'm not sure how much that'll matter with rats, but sometimes I do flub the combat round, get hit by a dead rat, and have to hit it again to kill it and get the victory screen -- sucks getting hit by a dead rat just for checking character sheet lol

I'm on 0.3.3, by the way. Thanks for making this game! I'm definitely going to play more.

 

[Sitribella]

Hey there, thanks! Issues with jumping between the character sheet and game (well, it's ONE issue that manifests in a few different annoying ways) are at the top of my to-fix list after the upcoming stat overhaul. I think I've found a solution for it, but it's going to take a bit to implement and test.

 

[Nuggholio]

I've played till some part in chapter 3, keep losing my progress because chrome and I are both, unfortunately, retarded.

Still, even though the game is pretty new, It's incredibly well made. The only thing that needs some changes, in my own humble opinion, is the combat being too easy and having few options on what to do, (a block or dodge would be nice). Though now that i think about it, being able to form a party for harder expeditions would be interesting as well.

Definitely a must try game though. The writing is head and shoulders above the competition, most text games i play I'll typically just skim the writing, not here though. There's quite a lot of content already as well.
One thing I love in this game especially is the guild, Any anime/manga nerds should be familiar with it.

 

[Sitribella]

Thanks, Nuggholio! Combat is getting some big tweaks shortly. Still solo for the time being -- I have a plan for party-based expeditions in a future update, but that'll be after chapter three is done and the brothel-management aspect is completely implemented.

On that note, everybody, it's a new week and a new public release. Version 0.3.4 is up for download!

Mega: https://mega.nz/#!G6xDCLwA!iV_q9ZYg2A4gwsq-FytrW7c5S8_rKqvJmRNgjN5mONg

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1F8rNnrQY4iBMjol7eDlplolskD-_T8AU

Version 0.3.4 Changelog:

• Once you attain level four and have your signature weapon, a new side-quest can result in your weapon growing permanently stronger plus an unlocked adornment (and optional sex).
• Chapter Three's storyline now splits into two tracks, which can be tackled in any order. While you're trying to secure the land that the Black Rose sits upon, Sheltie is angling to secure the building itself...and she's run into a little problem. (4.5k-word multi-part scene.)
• You can go deeper below the smuggler's run to face more encounters with the sinister sea-cult -- and uncover a deeper mystery in the process?
• New encounter, the Sea-Cult Skirmisher, with defeat sex.

Currently I'm working hard on the full stat/combat overhaul, tossing out the stat-based mechanic (which was a valiant effort but just didn't work) and replacing it with a skill-based system. If my pen-and-paper tests hold up, it should make for a more fun and interesting RPG element in between the sexytimes. Also, that should be coming sooner than expected, thanks to a certain Sitribella being home from the day job all next week (at the least) due to pandemic (I'm healthy, my job isn't). I'm planning on devoting the entire time to getting this overhaul done and delivering it by the end of next week.

Meanwhile, version 0.3.8 just went live for $5+ backers at https://www.patreon.com/sitribella. Changes include:

• Defeating beasts and animals may result in harvesting alchemical components (eight have been added, of varying strength). Right now it's a flat random chance, but that'll change next week when skills are implemented. Monsters that shouldn't have been carrying money (like dominator vines) now potentially give components instead.
• Notebook improvement: for any quests that aren't fully implemented (right now, just Cesca's precursor steel quest and the two parallel tracks of chapter three's main plot), the notebook will tell you when you've seen all the current content.
• Notebook improvement: the Humbling the Wolf-Bitch quest now breaks each step out in detail, since more people get stuck on this one than anything else. Going forward I'll be doing this with other quests as well, to make it easier to jump between quests and also to remember where you left off if you're returning to the game after a hiatus.
• UI improvement: in any shopping area, the sidebar now automatically changes to display how much money you have.
• UI improvement: in combat, the sidebar automatically changes to show your stats. (Not super-useful right now, but I'm getting framework in place for the big stat/combat overhaul, at which point it'll be more relevant)
• The Northern Grace salon has a new service; you can get your facial hair transformed as well as head hair, with 13 options to choose from.

 

[Sandeklaus]

One concern I do sort of have is the signature weapon; it's a cool idea that I like, not least because it throws all the inventory-juggling I see in TiTs or CoC2 out of the window, and will presumably remove any problem of, say, needing an ice-type weapon when I've already got my character a cool whip weapon that I like the image of.

But it also feels like it makes access to other weapons in the early game a pointless trap; as a magic user, I routinely found myself fucked once my per-day spells were blown (and frankly, even before then) so I ground for cash to grab a better weapon than my sacrificial dagger. And that was a total waste of time, because progressing down the main storyline handed me The Only Sword You'll Ever Need, anyway. Maybe consider just ditching the blacksmith's stock of weapons, if you're going to invalidate them relatively early on?

 

[Sitribella]

Yeah, that's an issue. The magic user trap won't be a problem once the stat/skill system overhaul is in (still aiming for the end of this coming week with that), but it leaves the fact that the player has access to other, inferior weapons up until that point and doesn't need them after. What I'll probably do is implement a buy-back, where Cesca will purchase any weapons the player might have bought up to that point; essentially a refund (since she can always sell them to somebody else, and she has a reason to give you a good deal.)

 

[Sitribella]

A new public release! It's time for version 0.3.5 to make its debut, while I pull myself from the rubble of a week of nonstop coding and testing (more on that below). You can grab the new files at:

Mega: https://mega.nz/file/Tno1CLiI#yMzCMnOrQHS7MP22xrf4tMl3YeInD5Y2VJfouU9E9JU

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_LIiP4sQAJgJScy5btkkjSifxeS2K2I-

And here's the changelog for the new version:

• Bugfix: An issue with alchemy crafting could mess up the experience tracker. This should be fixed now.
• Bugfix: Alchemy was sometimes awarding items even on a failed roll. Was.
• Bugfix: Character creation said the rogue scholar started with 14 Str, but actually gave 12. Bookworms now hit harder.
• Updated character creation to give each origin option an easy/medium/hard difficulty rating. (Temporary measure until we overhaul the stat system)
• New Keltra scene; if she's submissive, you can publicly humiliate her. (Keltra's personality now swings between +2/dominant and -2/submissive, with some under-the-hood tinkering to make adding content easier.)
• The player-whore path promises that bad things will happen to you. We're starting to make good on that, with three new scenes. These trigger over time based on how many times you've whored yourself out (same way the slutweed dealer is unlocked), so they'll be spaced out properly for a new character but might fire in quick succession for an existing one. (You will also have to have a relationship of at least 2 with Tarja for the chain of events to begin.)
• The Northern Grace Salon has opened in Governor's Court. Change your hair style, length and color anytime you want, with a host of options not available during character creation.

Now, then. Today also marks the release of version 0.3.9 for $5+ backers, and it's a doozy. As promised, I spent the entire last week (thanks to being home from work due to, y'know, the global pandemic) coding nonstop for a full overhaul of Empire of Corruption's core mechanics. I assessed a ton of player feedback, and worked hard to come up with a new system that'll be 1) more fun to play, 2) allow for more creativity and customization in terms of builds, and 3) scale better. Of course there's still a lot of work to be done, but I think what we have now is a much more solid foundation for long-term development.

There may be bugs; that said, I ran fresh characters through all the existing content in the game to test for errors as well as to tune the game balance and difficulty, and there shouldn't be any glaring problems. The auto-updater will work, too, letting you keep your existing save! That said, I strongly recommend starting a new character: the auto-updater has to basically guesstimate how to translate your old stats over, and there might be balance issues or weirdness. I made sure it was an option for people who really hate the idea of starting over, but otherwise, please do. And here's the epic changelog. Next week, we're back to content and plot and smut!

• Stat overhaul: the old stat-based system has been replaced by a more flexible and scalable skill-based system. Combat is based on your offense and defense skills. Not all miscellaneous skills have functional effects yet (butchery/foraging are still based on random chance and will be revamped with the next update.)
• Replacing the old leveling system, every 1000 XP awards 2 skill points to spend at a trainer. Hamzis, Chastern and Jellica offer training in various skills, and all training is now free. We'll be adding a respec option in a future update. The more you level a given skill, the more points it costs to improve. Level-gated quests now trigger based on total skill points earned.
• Combat overhaul: combat has been reworked with a new basic roll system (both player and enemy have to roll over a set target number to hit, instead of two different mechanics). Both player and monster HP and damage have been rebalanced across the board. Players now have a Balance stat to manage, which is consumed by aggressive attacks; running out of Balance inflicts serious penalties.
• Weapon overhaul: the player now progresses from their starter weapon directly to their signature weapon in Chapter Three (which can still be powered up with further quests). Store-bought weapons, which were quickly rendered obsolete by the signature weapon questline, have been removed from the game. Weapon damage has been rebalanced.
• Rewards overhaul: unlocking a codex entry, a signature weapon adornment or a signature weapon rune now awards one free skill point. Combat XP is now awarded on a sliding scale based on the adventure difficulty vs your combat skill levels (so you'll receive less XP for facing weaker opponents, and have an incentive to spend skill points on non-combat skills as well.)
• Alchemical brewing has been revised to be consistent with the combat overhaul (it's now a d20 system instead of d100, and influenced by your new Alchemy skill. Like everything else in the game, your alchemical prowess used to be more or less set in stone based on your starting character stats -- now your character can become as skilled, or not, as you want to be.)
• Bounty difficulty is now based on your guild ranking (so D-class bounties will be less lucrative over time compared to other adventuring options, but they also won't explode in difficulty as you advance.)
• Combat codex entry rewritten to reflect changes, and a Skill entry has been added to your notebook (automatically unlocks.)
• Bugfix: harvesting monster parts could sometimes result in a chunk of blank text, instead of a chunk of monster meat.

 

[To&Fro]

This is one of the best, if not the best, formatted and written of the text based games I've seen out there. Some of the recent changes are definitely for the better, some don't help much. There are still some basic balance and play-ability issues. What's fascinating to me is that the kernel of fixing the issues is there and working well.
Like most RPG's, it can get 'grindy', and you must grind in order to use the Guild arc. If you level up and try to run a bounty quest, odds are you're gonna lose because the bounties and the city guard scale directly with your level and after leveling up, you may not have the right offensive or defensive balance yet (due to cash or whatever) to succeed. So, you go grind in another area (sewers, Marsh, etc.) to get the cash or experience you need to deal with the bounty brigade. The odd thing is, the grind mobs never scale. So, they can be a bit of a cakewalk which makes it somewhat boring. Thus, it feels 'grindy'. So, one side scales, the other doesn't.
Personally, the fix should be to have a more random feel to the scaling. Since it's D20 based, make a 20 result have player level +1 as a mob level, thus hard and you have to be careful but due to this being random, you might be at the end of your rope and this would be an automatic loss, so instead, you also need to have an escape mechanism (sometimes it's better to run and fight another day). Other results might be "1-2 = Player level -3 to minimum for the mob", "3-7 = Player level -2", "8-14 = Player level -1", and "15-19 = Player level". Thus all mobs would scale. With a good chance of run away (maybe a combat Dex check) it would be fair and still be challenging rather than a click-fest. There should also be better loot, not just copper/silver. The bosses need to occasionally drop a gold piece or two.
Next, utter lack of armor. You can have a shield, but you're out adventuring in threadbare clothes, don't get that feature. I realize it's still game start, but basic armors should be available, it would help with the new scaling system as well.
With the armor problem in mind, the clothing shops need more clothing types. You can grind out plenty of gold but try to find a decent set of underwear and outerwear, forget it. Put in some higher end shops with good clothes and add some more common clothes (Good shirts, pants, dresses, nice underwear, etc.) to the existing shops.
Last commentary, there is a basic reputation system for the Hunter Guild. Expand this idea to the other factions, the Dryads (ally and foe) so if you are hunting the bad ones, the good ones reward you or hold you in higher esteem, call it a bounty system like the guild uses. The Bank could hire you as a 'collector' or 'enforcer'. There is an underground black market, the bank isn't getting it's cut from it so you go out and rough up the competition to convince them to keep their money in the bank or move on to a different port. This could also add into the reputation section and affect your brothel business both for good and bad. (I have ways to help the brothel thing as well but this post is already too long... wall of text!)

TLDR: Great game, needs some more polish and tweeks to be awesome. Thanks for reading this far!

 

[Sitribella]

Thank you, To&Fro! A lot of this is addressed in the 0.3.9 update though of course balancing and improvements are ongoing (for instance, the stat/level-based system is gone, Guild targets no longer scale based on your power, etc.) Armor is something I continue to grapple with, because I don't want to force people to dress their characters a certain way for survivability; what I'm leaning toward right now is a wardrobe improvement that can store and swap between entire outfits with a single click. 100% agreed on the need for more clothing options, and that's coming.

I like the idea of a reputation system for the dryads, and that'll likely go in when they have more and repeatable quest content. That'll probably come in chapter four -- I have an outline for a long-term plot involving the Dewflower tribe and the growing threat of dominator vines/plants in the wild, and that'll be a great place to introduce it. There's definitely going to be more to do with the bank, too (though again, that's post-chapter-three: my main focus right now, now that the big mechanic overhaul is done, is finishing that storyline and setting up the brothel management part.)

 

[To&Fro]

Thank you for your response, it clears up a bit. I was trying to digest the changes you were talking about in your posts but couldn't quite align them up with what I was seeing in the latest playable version.
Honestly, I saw the intent of trying to minimize what you are wearing affecting what you could expect in a fight, but the presence of the shield threw me. After that, I went "well, if there's shields there should be armor"... but, I found if you keep your character DEX based, that seems to be armor in and of itself. A tanky style character would need to invest so much in HP mods that you kind of lose out on the damage bonuses. So, I was a bit conflicted in how to interpret it all.
Reputation and The Black Rose kind of need to go together. As the main character, you have one set of reputation to worry about, with the girls, they have a totally different set of stats to worry about, so I'm wondering if you aren't biting off a little more than is easy to chew.
However, if you're game for chewing challenges, I'd suggest you add in another dimension to The Black Rose... let you tailor the girls to their natures or to what you'd like them to be. Maybe you want some higher class customers, Valoris would make a great high end type, bring in good money but have fewer clients and more rest time. Juniper would be a good candidate for a mid-level "Stay indoors at the Rose" kind of girl. Seni makes a good outdoor girl and Trixie a 'go to the parties' sort of girl. Each one's stat gains could be influenced by their likes and tastes. The Black Rose would serve as home base for all of them. One thing that needs to be added... desperately... is a schedule. Their time out and time to rest. Doing this manually just to keep them happy and at higher energy levels can become quite the chore. It would be a fine chore if it had a benefit to the player, but it seems to be mostly busy-work.
I'm reading the inference that these ladies are going to be the tip of your spear in different ways when it comes time to get revenge on those that deserve it. It's definitely a far cry from most of the 'run a brothel' kinds of games out there, the girls have purpose and they aren't just story fodder.
If you'd like some development help, a spare writer, or a sounding board... I'm happy to assist. I truly enjoy your work and skillful approach to a topic. It's also a really fun story line. I like mucking around in it. There's so much 'Meh' out there, it's nice to like to sit back and read something that has a little bit more of heart to it. Thank you for your work, can't wait to see what's next.

 

[Sitribella]

There will absolutely be scheduling added when the Black Rose is implemented, along with a lot of quality-of-life tweaks to make management more fun and less fiddly. (For instance, you'll be able to install an alchemical lab, and Juniper can be tasked with curing any girls who get sick so you don't have to take care of it.) You read my mind; each of the girls will have their own particular niches to fill, and their storylines will continue for a long time to come.

And on that note -- new public release! v0.3.6 is out now, and it can be found at:

Mega: https://mega.nz/file/DroB0KwR#Uxjb00UYnUYpCYS7xEa-2WRCBWq17tNuxcAjEkN3tmE

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1A_BGYWwe_BUnPRjFW81cBN6L674KxrqN

Here's the changelog for this week:

• The next stage of chapter three's main plot is in (one part following Sheltie's plotline, one following Morden's), with an optional sex scene.
• The game's first bad ending is in, accessible during chapter three. (It's signposted. Heavily signposted. Like, seriously.)
• One new codex entry to find and unlock.

And version 0.3.10 has been released for $5+ backers. This week's additions:

• A couple more stages have been added to chapter three's main quest. (Once you've reached the end of the current content, an update in your notebook will let you know.)
• The Illustrated Sailor, a tattoo parlor near the fishmongers' stalls, has opened for business. You can get customized tattoos on eleven different body parts. (Custom piercings are coming: I didn't like the first effort at implementing them, and it was holding up this update, so I tabled them for a future expansion)
• You can meet a new character: Rina, a futa thief. Meaning she is a futa and also a thief, not that she steals futas. I mean, she might do that too. Anyway, her first appearance, with an optional sex scene, triggers automatically when you visit Salt Street several times (so it'll happen organically on a fresh playthrough). Her second triggers after several visits to Cannery Bay. (This is the setup for a big new quest and chapter three update coming next week.)
• The chance to harvest parts from defeated monsters now depends on the player's Butchery skill.
• While on a gathering adventure, your chance to find alchemical reagents (instead of a fight) now depends on the player's Gathering skill.

 

[Preacher]

Well I've reached the end of the game's current content and it's pretty neat. My only two issues are that you can't interact with your girls when they're not out whoring and that some scenes have no variation at all for if it's your first time in the situation or a subsequent, case in point the wolf chimera if you choose the option talking about her using a strapon(which really is only clicked on because it's the only way to fuck her) she acts in the scene as if you've never dominated her at all(Currently it and many others are just buttons to re-enact the exact same "first-time" scene with no changes based on your relationship).

I personally don't mind the grind, just that I've collected all those rank points for nothing. You could implement rank-ups straight away and rather have the guild enemies scale with your rank and instead of your level IMO but I don't really know your plans sooo... yeah. Also the occultist enemies don't seem capable of transforming you despite the warning and me purposefully making it so that I lose to them(transformation seems a bit limited in all aspect currently tbh).

 

[Sitribella]

Glad you're enjoying it! More interactions will come once the chapter three storyline is in place -- getting the brothel set up is my core drive ATM, because it's the foundation for a lot of future story (and smut) involving the core cast and it'll let me better-organize things. Varations during existing repeatable scenes (like Keltra's dom/sub stuff) is high on the priority list too, just had to get the central mechanics in place first. I'll take a look at the occultist enemy code! I may have broken something.

 

[Sitribella]

And we're back with a new build! The public release of version 0.3.7 is up, and here are the changes this week:

• Allison the futa seamstress has (finally!) two sex scenes, one with two possible endings.
• The first big transformation update! Advance your relationship with Allison to level 3 and she'll add ten new alchemical recipes to her shop, allowing you to shift your character's gender and sexual characteristics in any combination you desire.
• Extensive (mostly invisible player-side, but it took a ton of under-the-hood rejiggering) tweaks to how body parts are handled and removing dependencies, to make future transformations easier to implement. (For instance, you can now have balls but no cock, or vice-versa. Lots of combos and maybe more importantly, now I should be able to add non-human parts.)
• Adjusted the crafting-bench UI to make it cleaner to read (especially when you've learned a lot of formulas.)

You can grab the files at:
Mega: https://mega.nz/file/6y5ExCxL#eCVBcH2PMFEKB1_VXv9jz-utLZgv11T2-bH6zMRES60
or
Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1o404a-Ryd6IJFHeAXfrWo_u9uERfFrcg

Also, version 0.3.11 has been released today for $5+ backers at https://www.patreon.com/sitribella. Here's the changelog:

• A cheat menu has been added (look under your options menu to enable it, it's disabled by default). Intended to let you quickly jump a new character up to the latest content, you can auto-complete the tutorial and all four recruitment storylines (selectively, in case there's certain content you want to replay), and a "chapter three starter pack" will kit you out with skill points and money.
• Bugfixes: fixed a bug in the bounty-hunt system that could mess up your coin totals, and corrected some character-sheet references that hadn't been changed to match the new mechanics.
• The bounty shop is open. You can exchange your Hunters' Guild rank points to buy two new consumable items. Local tips can help with certain non-combat encounters, while vanishing powder both helps with non-combat encounters and can make you harder to hit in combat. (More will be added soon, now that the template is in place.)
• Three new non-combat encounters are live, and have been added to the random tables for all bounty-hunt type missions.
• Befriending Rina leads to a new one-shot adventure, "The Forger's Trail," which awards a weapon adornment, a free skill point, and advances chapter three's storyline.
• The next couple of stages in the Morden family/sea-cult quest have been implemented, with an optional sex scene.
• A few player-requested options have been added to your signature weapon appearance choices.

 

[Sitribella]

I'm pleased to introduce the first free update of May. Version 0.3.8 is live, and you can grab it at:

Mega: https://mega.nz/file/SnYwhYQR#YhiiGl96F1rE7X49gw331FjwAM43ZJDE63rlDWmJHX4

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lHhn5vrRfDtDdkZj2pugaObXqnZLrCuQ

Version 0.3.8 Changelog:

• Defeating beasts and animals may result in harvesting alchemical components (eight have been added, of varying strength). Right now it's a flat random chance, but that'll change next week when skills are implemented. Monsters that shouldn't have been carrying money (like dominator vines) now potentially give components instead.
• Notebook improvement: for any quests that aren't fully implemented (right now, just Cesca's precursor steel quest and the two parallel tracks of chapter three's main plot), the notebook will tell you when you've seen all the current content. No more guesswork!
• Notebook improvement: the Humbling the Wolf-Bitch quest now breaks each step out in detail, since more people get stuck on this one than anything else. Going forward I'll be doing this with other quests as well, to make it easier to jump between quests and also to remember where you left off if you're returning to the game after a hiatus.
• UI improvement: in any shopping area, the sidebar now automatically changes to display how much money you have.
• UI improvement: in combat, the sidebar automatically changes to show your stats. (Not super-useful right now, but I'm getting framework in place for the big stat/combat overhaul, at which point it'll be more relevant to gameplay)
• The Northern Grace salon has a new service; you can get your facial hair transformed as well as head hair, with 13 options to choose from.

Also, version 0.3.12 has been released today for $5+ backers, which includes:

• Bugfix: the Obscured status now properly shows up on the sidebar.
• Bugfix: some non-combat events were showing die rolls when they weren't relevant.
• Bugfix: the codex handler had a habit of miscounting your total unlocks. Rewrote it so that can't happen anymore.
• The final stages of Sheltie's quest (half of chapter three's main storyline) are done. Her quest is playable from start to finish, as you assemble the various parts needed to forge a property deed, in any order you choose.
• New item, exquisite bone lockpicks, added to the bounty shop. One existing non-combat event has been updated to allow them, and one new event has been added.
• Buyer's remorse? You can now have your tattoos removed at The Illustrated Sailor.
• A new codex entry (and free skill point) to find and unlock.

 

[Sitribella]

It's update day! You can find version 0.3.9 at:

Mega: https://mega.nz/file/32IylAwB#qFfBuf5QgUQYfKI2-mRD-zit_rYJ5Xob9TMDZ89eoT0
Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1skWSLMeanQSlXLhotLzuO6VHVNfY8_nX

The changelog for this one is slightly massive. I strongly recommend starting a new character due to a total mechanics overhaul. I did my best to make the auto-updater work, and it pretty much does but there's the potential for weird bugs, so use existing characters at your own risk.

-- Stat overhaul: the old stat-based system has been replaced by a more flexible and scaleable skill-based system. Combat is based on your offense and defense skills. Not all miscellaneous skills have functional effects yet (butchery/foraging are still based on random chance and will be revamped with the next update.)

-- Replacing the old leveling system, every 1000 XP awards 2 skill points to spend at a trainer. Hamzis, Chastern and Jellica offer training in various skills, and all training is now free. We'll be adding a respec option in a future update. The more you level a given skill, the more points it costs to improve. Level-gated quests now trigger based on total skill points earned.

-- Combat overhaul: combat has been reworked with a new basic roll system (both player and enemy have to roll over a set target number to hit, instead of two different mechanics). Both player and monster HP and damage have been rebalanced across the board. Players now have a Balance stat to manage, which is consumed by aggressive attacks; running out of Balance inflicts serious penalties.

-- Weapon overhaul: the player now progresses from their starter weapon directly to their signature weapon in Chapter Three (which can still be powered up with further quests). Store-bought weapons, which were quickly rendered obsolete by the signature weapon questline, have been removed from the game. Weapon damage has been rebalanced.

-- Rewards overhaul: unlocking a codex entry, a signature weapon adornment or a signature weapon rune now awards one free skill point. Combat XP is now awarded on a sliding scale based on the adventure difficulty vs your combat skill levels (so you'll receive less XP for facing weaker opponents, and have an incentive to spend skill points on non-combat skills as well.)

-- Alchemical brewing has been revised to be consistent with the combat overhaul (it's now a d20 system instead of d100, and influenced by your new Alchemy skill. Like everything else in the game, your alchemical prowess used to be more or less set in stone based on your starting character stats -- now your character can become as skilled, or not, as you want to be.)

-- Bounty difficulty is now based on your guild ranking (so D-class bounties will be less lucrative over time compared to other adventuring options, but they also won't explode in difficulty as you advance.)

-- Combat codex entry rewritten to reflect changes, and a Skill entry has been added (automatically unlocks.)

-- Bugfix: harvesting monster parts could sometimes result in a chunk of blank text.


Also, version 0.3.13 has been released today for $5+ backers. Here's the changelog:

-- The finale of the Josiah Morden quest is in place. His story arc can now be played from start to finish. (You have a few choices at the end, and there may be long-term consequences. You can do things the sexy way, the stabby way or the ridiculous way. Or just hand him over to the cult, but c'mon, you're not going to do that, right?)

-- Once you have both deeds, Sheltie is waiting to finalize your partnership. (Note: you'll need to have all four currently-recruitable girls unlocked, or she'll send you off to do some recruitment first.)

-- And with that, chapter three is complete! I was going to end it after you start running the brothel, but sealing the deal and looking toward to the future felt like a good emotional beat to wrap on. Content for chapter four, and the incoming management system, begins with the next update!

 

[Sitribella]

Did someone say "free update"? Yes. Me. I said it. Version 0.3.10 is live now, and you can find it at:

Mega: https://mega.nz/file/Hr5gDQTT#-UNARxCFXxPYaDV4o-6BFwgcnVV_hr-4H2jbYgdfaKs

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1JbjeKemOjBNG17y6JwzQZUKAHA495Jo9

Version 0.3.10 Changelog:

-- A couple more stages have been added to chapter three's main quest. (Once you've reached the end of the current content, an update in your notebook will let you know.)

-- The Illustrated Sailor, a tattoo parlor near the fishmongers' stalls, has opened for business. You can get customized tattoos on eleven different body parts. (Custom piercings are coming: I didn't like the first effort at implementing them, and it was holding up this update, so I tabled them for a future expansion)

-- You can meet a new character: Rina, a futa thief. Meaning she is a futa and also a thief, not that she steals futas. I mean, she might do that too. Anyway, her first appearance, with an optional sex scene, triggers automatically when you visit Salt Street several times (so it'll happen organically on a fresh playthrough). Her second triggers after several visits to Cannery Bay. (This is the setup for a big new quest and chapter three update coming next week.)

-- The chance to harvest parts from defeated monsters now depends on the player's Butchery skill.

-- While on a gathering adventure, your chance to find alchemical reagents (instead of a fight) now depends on the player's Gathering skill.


Also, version 0.4.1 has been released today for $5+ backers, marking the beginning of chapter four. Here's the changelog:

-- Your brothel is open for business! This patch implements the basic system, while upgrades and improvements will be introduced in the next. After the opening scene (if you last saved in the brothel courtyard, you'll have to leave and come back before you can go inside), your girls will begin working out of the brothel and their earnings will be automatically deposited in the safe in your new office.

-- Seni has a management tutorial ready for you; if you skip it when she first offers, talk to her at any time to revisit the lesson.

-- The management logbook has been redesigned to provide more detailed information, and more of it, so you more easily see how your employees are doing and who they're catering to.

 

[Sitribella]

We've got a free release and a development-roadmap update today, to let you know what I'm focusing on now that we've got chapter four underway. You can read all the details over at https://www.patreon.com/posts/37513992.

Or you can download version 0.3.11, over at:
Mega: https://mega.nz/file/7rozgABK#xLuLIsCTX2O6Zqd7BCF4FIipw10Fx925sQKEsCDoE4s
Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KlZzLJczflCZMiQnDyh-TBF04mK1PFab/view?usp=sharing

Version 0.3.11 Changelog:

-- A cheat menu has been added (look under your options menu to enable it, it's disabled by default). Intended to let you quickly jump a new character up to the latest content, you can auto-complete the tutorial and all four recruitment storylines (selectively, in case there's certain content you want to replay), and a "chapter three starter pack" will kit you out with skill points and money.

-- Bugfixes: fixed a bug in the bounty-hunt system that could mess up your coin totals, and corrected some character-sheet references that hadn't been changed to match the new mechanics.

-- The bounty shop is open. You can exchange your Hunters' Guild rank points to buy two new consumable items. Local tips can help with certain non-combat encounters, while vanishing powder both helps with non-combat encounters and can make you harder to hit in combat. (More will be added soon, now that the template is in place.)

-- Three new non-combat encounters are live, and have been added to the random tables for all bounty-hunt type missions.

-- Befriending Rina leads to a new one-shot adventure, "The Forger's Trail," which awards a weapon style, a free skill point, and advances chapter three's storyline.

-- The next couple of stages in the Morden family/sea-cult quest have been implemented, with an optional sex scene.

-- A few player-requested options have been added to your signature weapon appearance choices.

Also, version 0.4.2 has been released today for $5+ backers, with a slew of bugfixes. The changes include:
-- Bugfix: There was a chance that a bounty's name or nickname could pop up as "undefined." A 1 in 40 chance, which is why it took so long to catch and fix this sucker.

-- Bugfix: The Gathering Reagents in the Sewers adventure had a chance of bringing up unrelated encounters due to a misnumbered table. Fixed.

-- Bugfix: Training the Rogue skill raised Alchemy instead. Now it doesn't. It also SAID you raised Constitution when raising Butchery, though it did put the point into the right skill -- the wrong text has been corrected.

-- Bugfix: Your hair can no longer be “worn worn neatly.” It CAN be worn neatly.

-- Bugfix: A quest change broke some of Cesca's side dialogue. Now working as intended.

-- The framework for improving the brothel is in place. You can buy nine renovations (only one tier of each for now, but more are coming soon.) Note -- these are expensive, deliberately so. Restoring the Black Rose is meant to be an ongoing goal.

-- You can now talk to Sheltie to change the name of your brothel, as many times as you like.

 

[Sitribella]

I'm welcoming June in with a new free release. Version 0.3.12 is live for everyone, and you can grab it at:

Mega: https://mega.nz/file/DmQglIqI#ZOOVNeW-0mBPhcQGb98a9q4XVwTvN5riMCoTCa1fsXE

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kP4wSQ12i0jFscA9TfX--VsEWrPIow1t/view?usp=sharing

And here's what's new:

-- Bugfix: the Obscured status now properly shows up on the sidebar.

-- Bugfix: some non-combat events were showing die rolls when they weren't relevant.

-- Bugfix: the codex handler had a habit of miscounting your total unlocks. Rewrote it so that can't happen anymore.

-- The final stages of Sheltie's quest (half of chapter three's main storyline) are done. Her quest is playable from start to finish, as you assemble the various parts needed to forge a property deed, in any order you choose.

-- New item, exquisite bone lockpicks, added to the bounty shop. One existing non-combat event has been updated to allow them, and one new event has been added.

-- Buyer's remorse? You can now have your tattoos removed at The Illustrated Sailor.

-- A new codex entry (and free skill point) to find and unlock.


Also, version 0.4.3 has been released today for $5+ backers. Here's the changelog:

-- The opening scenes of chapter four's storyline are in; talk to Seni about holding a grand opening to get started (and your notebook will remind you.)

-- The brothel events system has been implemented. Once you unlock it (follow the chapter storyline), every eight hours (game time, not real-time) an event will be generated for you to resolve at your leisure. These can be storyline/quest events, or repeatable, random slice-of-life events with choices that can grant various bonuses. If you've already seen a random event, you can revisit it or resolve it with one click. The events you've seen are tracked on your Collections page.

-- To get the system tested and running, there are three initial events. One is a storyline event (your brothel's grand opening), and two are small random vignettes. The grand opening scene plays out a little differently depending on if you've been initiated as a whore or not (since Tarja is present and she either recognizes you or she doesn't; she has more to say if she knows you already).

 

[Sitribella]

Chapter four is underway, and now that the game's foundations are in place, I want to make sure development priorities are on the right track; in other words, that I'm focusing my time on content that you will enjoy most. To that end, I've put up a couple of polls (they're public posts, so you don't have to be a Patreon supporter to vote -- but if you are, I appreciate it!)

https://www.patreon.com/posts/37985862 is about the player-as-whore side content, which is going to be expanded in chapter four. How much should I expand it? Well, that's why I'm coming to you.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/37986609 is less important, but I'm curious to see which characters people most enjoy engaging with/who you want to see more content for.

If you've played and enjoyed the game, your feedback will be really useful!

 

[Sitribella]

Along with this week's polls, we have this week's update! And with it, the ending of chapter three. You can find the files for 0.3.13 at:

Mega: https://mega.nz/file/26I0SQjC#vIaPBKeJuuABOG1IR2U0s6UoZR3IpBQL039APOekorI

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m9C8CsJb6nqPhKRsoADvVbY4zIYbl7Z3/view?usp=sharing

And here's the changelog:
-- The finale of the Josiah Morden quest is in place. His story arc can now be played from start to finish. (You have a few choices at the end, and there may be long-term consequences. You can do things the sexy way, the stabby way or the ridiculous way. Or just hand him over to the cult, but c'mon, you're not going to do that, right?)

-- Once you have both deeds, Sheltie is waiting to finalize your partnership. (Note: you'll need to have all four currently-recruitable girls unlocked, or she'll send you off to do some recruitment first.)

-- And with that, chapter three is complete! I was going to end it after you start running the brothel, but sealing the deal and looking toward to the future felt like a good emotional beat to wrap on. Content for chapter four, and the incoming management system, begins with the next update!

Version 0.4.4 has been released today for $5+ backers. It includes:
-- The next scenes in chapter four's main storyline are in. Visit the Wolf Whistle! Get threatened! Get threatened again on your way out! Includes optional sex scene.

-- Once you've spoken to Jellica at the end of the new chapter content, quests to recruit three possible lieutenants open up (just the initial scene for each, this week, to start the ball rolling). You'll only need one of them to complete the chapter's storyline -- your choice.

Because some players might want to hunt down the eligible lieutenants blind or see if they guessed right, I won’t spoil their names here. However, if you just want to know (and jump to the content), they are named in the in-game changelog (along with the special added requirement for one of them).

 

[Sitribella]

It's a new week! First up, thanks so much to everyone who participated in last week's polls (which I'm keeping open for anyone who missed them). The feedback on the relative importance of both the main storyline and the player-whore content was extremely eye-opening, and showed me there's a great deal of demand for both, balanced pretty strongly right down the middle.

(And, best waifu? Valoris and Seni were the runaway winners on that one, though everybody got at least one vote and the middle of the pack was pretty evenly spread.)

Version 0.4.1 is free to download for everybody today, and you can find it at:

Mega: https://mega.nz/file/22gxkT4D#WIHNvSEDdpm_el0_EtWkhnQtfXMf8QdEbpxB6rfVHh0

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cVftVF2qJiEQOVNFkIKUxHk31S3g9Fcl/view?usp=sharing

Changelog:

-- Your brothel is open for business! This patch implements the basic system, while upgrades and improvements will be introduced in the next. After the opening scene (if you last saved in the brothel courtyard, you'll have to leave and come back before you can go inside), your girls will begin working out of the brothel and their earnings will be automatically deposited in the safe in your new office.

-- Seni has a management tutorial ready for you; if you skip it when she first offers, talk to her at any time to revisit the lesson.

-- The management logbook has been redesigned to provide more detailed information, and more of it, so you more easily see how your employees are doing and who they're catering to.


Also, version 0.4.5 has been released today for $5+ backers. This includes:

-- Three new random, repeatable brothel events have been written (so there's six total, five repeatable, with more to come). Two of the new events have optional sex scenes.

-- Brothels have a new stat, Militia Relations. This will be important later...

-- As part of setting up for more slice-of-life scenes with the cast (and your girls' personal questlines), four post-recruitment scenes have been moved from the girls' dialogue menus (which were getting cluttered) to their bedrooms at the brothel. They've also been made one-time events (being infinitely repeatable was a bug, fixed in this update), so if you've already seen them, the option won't appear. (If you're at maximum relationship level with Seni, Juniper, Valoris and Trixie, you've seen everything.)

 

[Sitribella]

Happy anniversary! Today marks our twentieth weekly content update in a row. So if not a formal anniversary, at least that's a nice round number. Thanks for sticking around!

Version 0.4.2 is free to download today, and you can find it at:
Mega: https://mega.nz/file/br4WkIAC#PTe_dz4qbDCDEQirjmW7Qs8Fm1v1eB3vfxpEaut1ogY
or,
Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cuNuM10tWMIysxli3x6D4qtXcRJxePmS/view?usp=sharing

Changelog:
-- Bugfix: There was a chance that a bounty's name or nickname could pop up as "undefined." A 1 in 40 chance, which is why it took so long to catch and fix this sucker.

-- Bugfix: The Gathering Reagents in the Sewers adventure had a chance of bringing up unrelated encounters due to a misnumbered table. Fixed.

-- Bugfix: Training the Rogue skill raised Alchemy instead. Now it doesn't. It also SAID you raised Constitution when raising Butchery, though it did put the point into the right skill -- the wrong text has been corrected.

-- Bugfix: Your hair can no longer be "worn worn neatly." It can be worn neatly.

-- Bugfix: A quest change broke some of Cesca's side dialogue. Now working as intended.

-- The framework for improving the brothel is in place. You can buy nine renovations (only one tier of each for now, but more are coming soon.) Note -- these are expensive, deliberately so. Restoring the Black Rose is meant to be an ongoing goal.

-- You can now talk to Sheltie to change the name of your brothel, as many times as you like.

And in keeping with the anniversary, today's Patreon update for $5+ backers, version 0.4.6, brings the first steps toward a visual overhaul and adding some graphical flair to the (up until now) stock Twine format. The changelog includes:

-- Accessibility and aesthetics update. The eye-searing default Twine color-scheme has been banished in favor of easier-to-read colors and a font change. This is NOT the final version and I'll keep tweaking it, but IMHO it's a big improvement for long-term comfort (and looks nicer).

-- System for location graphics/character busts has been implemented. Right now there's just a handful of rendered locations, to get the system tested and working. Also, a new item in the options menu will turn them off, if you want a pure text experience.

-- A batch of assorted typos fixed.

-- Next stage of Sheltie's recruitment quest is in, with a one-shot adventure.

-- Two new non-combat challenges have been added to the pool for all bounty-type missions.

 

[Sitribella]

Version 0.4.3 is loose! (And so are all the characters in it!) You can find it it at:

Mega: https://mega.nz/file/Cy5WFILK#MGtXGRbXJFLpRUqh6KlspyFf9K2S7gUBeAsBHZd-6sk

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YiSb4_gvacDzmeH8AZ-86wOrSY4dkq3E/view?usp=sharing

And the changelog includes:
-- The opening scenes of chapter four's storyline are in; talk to Seni about holding a grand opening to get started (and your notebook will remind you.)

-- The brothel events system has been implemented. Once you unlock it (follow the chapter storyline), every eight hours (game time, not real-time) an event will be generated for you to resolve at your leisure. These can be storyline/quest events, or repeatable, random slice-of-life events with choices that can grant various bonuses. If you've already seen a random event, you can revisit it or resolve it with one click. The events you've seen are tracked on your Collections page.

-- To get the system tested and running, there are three initial events. One is a storyline event (your brothel's grand opening), and two are small random vignettes. The grand opening scene plays out a little differently depending on if you've been initiated as a whore or not (since Tarja is present and she either recognizes you or she doesn't; she has more to say if she knows you already).

Our graphical overhaul, which started with Patreon-backed version 0.4.6, continues with this week's backer version just released today. If you want to see what the newest version looks like, I've added some screenshots (placed behind a spoiler due to size).

Spoiler

 

[Sitribella]

Ringing in the weekend with a new update! 0.4.4 is free for everyone today. You can find it at:

Mega: https://mega.nz/file/GnAQmIDL#EQ_7f_s8CFRrbPKA7zhaT-wDBbcw0sTAowq6edmDxNc

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mbTdfrZQKg_Ib5A1oBUBFveP5SA5UXI_/view?usp=sharing

Version 0.4.4 Changelog:

-- The next scenes in chapter four's main storyline are in. Visit the Wolf Whistle! Get threatened! Get threatened again on your way out! Includes optional sex scene.

-- Once you've spoken to Jellica at the end of the new chapter content, quests to recruit three possible lieutenants open up (just the initial scene for each, this week, to start the ball rolling). You can try to recruit Keltra, Rina and Sheltie to help your growing empire, though you'll only need one of them to complete the chapter's storyline -- your choice. Keltra's option only opens up once she's become decidedly dominant or submissive toward you, not neutral.

Also, version 0.4.8 has been released today for $5+ backers, with more of Keltra's recruitment quest. (BTW, I've been hard at work on the mechanics to let you work in your own brothel -- that's going to be a BIG update and I have to steal a few days off work to make it happen, but I'm planning to have it in by the end of the month if all goes well. You should see the initial setup as soon as next week's update.)

 

[v3hemenc3]

This game is great, and I'm always looking forward to your next update. There's something compelling about an underdog's rise to prominence, especially after a serious downfall. My only gripe with it is the lust meter, since on-demand sex scenes are relatively difficult to do outside of your girls. I realize there's a potion to help with that, but I still would like to suggest increasing the buildup rate or just making you always ready. Keep up the good work!