Some good news!¡sʍǝu pɐq ǝɯoS (Patreon)

Bad news first?
Good news first?
Balance?
Balance!

BAD NEWS
We won't be able to release the build in time (in the extended time) because we still have so many things we want to add and polish before release.

GOOD NEWS
It's not far away! We should be ready for internal testing very soon! And that's usually a short period before actual release.

BAD NEWS
We're not sure if Options menu makes it into this build. It's a bit bigger undertaking because we wanted to include so many options in it to allow players to properly optimize for their machines.

GOOD NEWS
If not, we'll release options menu build separately fairly soon after the next build!

BAD NEWS
Eh.. erm... ...there's five digit number of words to read in the build and more still pouring in... and it doesn't start with 1 x)

GOOD NEWS
Kess FxF!

BAD NEWS
Erhm... 

GOOD NE-...ws... I'm sorry we're late with the build! It is coming along very well, there's a lot of stuff in the build and sometimes there are just unaccounted for factors in development which can make release dates a bit hazy ^^

What is still on the list:
- Binding remaining Options menu buttons to graphics features (Medium to long task)
- Binding swimming to new water shader/effect (Short)
- Some more writing to tie in certain characters with each other (Short)
- Adding animations to new minor NPCs (Short)
- Making some of the remaining animations for minor NPCs (Medium)
- Prettifying save game menu (Short)
- Internal testing thatistotallynotsexualevenifitsoundslikeitsorry (Medium)

What is done for the r5.24:
- Kirhaal and surrounding area overhaul
- Optimization and updating of Skiia vegetation
- Optimization and updating of Skybox/weather/lighting
- Optimization and updating of Sea
- Save game menu (save states, load states)
- Kess full act
- Dozen NPCs
- Bunch of small acts
- Adding of against wall acts around Kirhaal
- Realigning and improving some positioning of ~few thousand act positions on Skiia
- A small "secret" place
- Improvement of Star New Game -> Make new Character flow making it clearer and easier to start with new characters and less confusing and I'm saying it here because it's kinda bit thing for basic usability... ALSO YOU CAN START A NEW GAME WITH THE SAME CHARACTER WHOOHOOO! x)

I would estimate a couple of weeks max until the internal testing, and then short while from there to release. We don't want to rush builds out though, it's not good in the long term, but it's definitely not a long time until the release!

Sorry again for the delay!

Best wishes,
Ruffleneck