WC: 8.6k, not counting an optional sex scene of 1.5k words.
This will be over 10k words, the longest of my completed writing projects published when it is released.
My regular prose novels (>50k words) were only ever partly shared. “Spirit of the Latch” is 5k words.
We have only a few days remaining to the jam deadline.
Character sprites and backgrounds are in flux. Because three major scenes haven’t been completed, I’m holding off on some decisions for the visuals.
What I draw in preparation for the scene is different than what comes out of a scene. I can’t fully realize things visually and need to feel out the setting and characterizations through their interactions to understand the details.
If somehow you’ve been hanging around me and my publications online to have witnessed covers art and illustrations I’ve made for my own stories not matching colors or shapes as depicted in the story: that’s part of what went wrong. I worked on the graphics without referencing the narrative carefully. The other part is that illustrations sometimes need to portray a concept more than they needs to be accurate to the story narrative.
Plus, sometimes, the pictures are both wrong and correct at the same time. Seriously don’t read all of “Little Red’s Hoodie” if you aren’t into subversive literature or are currently struggling with the over-prevalence of horrible bi antagonists, but the closing lines are an explanation of why the cover art doesn’t match the opening lines.
My point is I worry about these mismatches.
So far, nine character sprites are in use. I’m estimating there will be ten, with three additional variants of the main characters replacing two side sprites that I might write out.
There might be two fullscreen character graphics. I’m not sure I can include them next week.
All the backgrounds need finishing. I wish I had help picking through source materials for reference, but that’s my own fault doing this solo.
Someone (remaining anonymous) has made an animatic for a logo screen for me that I might develop when feeling mentally worn out from seeing an excess of the same script and characters. (Jumping around tricks my mind into relaxing.)
Today’s clearest goal is to create a temporary cover icon and project description to avoid working entirely on those on the last day.