"Yandere Dates" is released!

On Monday I released "Yandere Dates", a short, free, light-hearted visual novel about dating a yandere (i.e. an extremely possessive partner). I am proud of it and invite you to play it!

It was made in 72 hours for South Africa's 2024 game jam. The fast-paced game dev experience was fantastically, beautifully torturous.

Read the experience below this cute sprite of your sister in Yandere Dates...

The agonising development: 72 HOURS

Friday, 6pm: The theme was released. We picked our yandere dating idea.

Saturday: TK wrote up the introduction for the game. I had too many family and work responsibilities to assist at all! I knew Sunday would be rough...

Sunday: I wrote scripts with TK from when I woke until midnight. I ate popcorn for dinner. ONLY THEN did I start drawing! I drew the two characters, their expressions, four backgrounds, and the user interface, picked fonts, until 8AM. I slept, then woke up with four hours to spare to finish backgrounds, to playtest, and add in the music.

Thank you:

- To TK, aka Tristan, for coming in clutch with the writing, drawing assistance, story ideas and for being a optimistic, hard-working and dedicated team member. Your amiable personality and constant joke-cracking made the process so pleasant, and I hope this kickstarts your own creative career!

- To yaebafang, who I asked on SUNDAY for music, for helping give the project actual atmosphere and vibe! Your music is awesome and I'm grateful that I could rely on you in a pinch!

(And thanks to my back for all the support - I'm sorry I ignored your wails of pain this weekend. I promise to repay you with yoga).

GaG Dev Update?

We made a game, start to finish, in 3 days, and I am proud of it. I feel like a Sim with platinum aspiration. Taking a creative break from Grow a Girlfriend was exactly what I wanted, because trying to be 100% creative and productive all the time on such a long-term project is like forcing yourself to walk the same, arduous hiking trail every day, but never reaching the summit.

So taking a tiny hike somewhere else, at a sprint, and seeing the beautiful sunrise after depleting all my energy, hits so different. It has refreshed my perspective, and put more pep into my step. I look forward to returning my focus on GaG!

Release?

Although I wanted to release GaG mid 2024, a lot of hurdles for everyone in thee team, myself included, made that impossible. Now, I am aiming for the end of 2024. Thank you so much to those who have donated, commented or supported me on Patreon this year, and given me motivation to finish this hike. I am so excited to see the final view at the top with you.