Wow, this one took way longer than expected. That's the way it goes sometimes, apparently. For a single piece of content, the new fan (Aaron) turned out to require a significant amount of extra testing (Thanks Ash) because of it's many extra choices and endings.
It's one of those situations where we had this specific apex moment we wanted to reach, but the lead-to and fallout both required a sizable amount of variance to follow the "real choice" logic that SAM typically demands. Would have felt dishonest cutting the options short or pasting them into eachother, so it came down to just writing a ton of extra script and adding appropriate variability mechanics based on your character's stats. Anyway, it's a cool scene, and we hope you enjoy it.
Going forward, we hope to add more content like it if people are interested in it. It's a little less like some of the world-features, and a lot more story-focused. Though it's relatively isolated, it speaks to where the player is in terms of the main arc, at the point it happens. Let us know what you think of it.
New Fan: Aaron
In the latter days of your New Creole stop, players who explore the city may encounter a new NPC named Aaron. This character is a little disgruntled, a little opinionated, and a little aggressive about the new book that you're working on. He comes from a place of earnest passion, but things can quickly take a turn for the worse if he isn't satisfied by your answers during the confrontation. There are a lot of different ways that this encounter can end, but it's a fairly isolated incident. Be cautious, things can get ugly.
Spoilers:Fit players, and those who learned boxing in ASM will have an advantage here.
Missing Puzzle Pieces
Not a terribly deep feature, but the authors on board the bus will now sometimes work on a puzzle that will complete itself over the course of the tour. There's a minor thread about a missing piece that needs the player's help, but it's a pretty dumb piece of content all-considered. More importantly it sets up a bit of framework that'll help expand future activities for authors sitting in the table-seats.
Here what else is in the update:
Added a flashlight to the player's inventory
Expanded win and lose dialogue with the authors playing AirPuck with ~50 new lines
Added additional dialogue for spouse playing AirPuck, and fixed their portrait display
When playing AirPuck in gym clothes or swimsuit, players will no longer appear in normal clothes
Edited a typo explaining that you need to "throw babies out of the window" in Fire Escape
Reduced duplication time of fire in Fire Escape game to make things a little easier for everyone
Changed the art for newly-spawned fires to help indicate direction of the spread better
Improved art for the Sequoia movie theater exterior to better highlight the entrance doors
Removed the Box Mover arcade game from Con-Mart
Players can no longer masturbate in public, or in front of the other authors at will
Added sexy comments from your spouse, if you masturbate in front of them
Spouse may now incite sex if you masturbate in front of them
Made transfer into Stalker media immediate after the authors leave you
Players may now get painkillers and prescriptions (WIP) after visiting hospital
Edited a typo in the Meaningful Mother sequence
Fixed a gamefreeze when dealing with the drunk driver NPC at 2ELF
Viper / Darkeff will no longer give players a reservation to Pancha's Plancha (your spouse will)
Updated the Haunted Mansion and Alexa's misadventure with more Character Mode content
Updated the visit to Casey's apartyment with more Character Mode content
Added manual control to the game's initial philosophy shout
Players will now have the option to write when the typewriter suggests not to
Writing in jail will no longer be impeded by loneliness
Fixed some muddied save data sets in some endings where player went to jail
During the finale, characters will now never disappear after suicide
As a small parting aside, the stats are telling us that a lot of you have missed the free Party Dogs DLC that we released, so... go download it. This thing's free, and it's fun! Cool dogs are the best. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1292640
We've got more cool stuff cooking, but we'll spare you the details for now. Until then, we'll catch you on Twitch, on Discord, or on Twitter.
- VD
Quarters and Calls - Build Update #441
This week we felt like working on some more opportunities to hang out with the other authors, as it's one of the elements about the game that's most fun for most players. A new commentary system has been developed that's going to make it even easier to add little sit-down conversations with your fellow scribes, and (apart from the breadth of writing) they can be implemented with relative ease. In coming updates this is likely to manifest as opportunities to chat over coffee, or other similar situations.
We also resolved a common request to summon authors to you via phone call. The feature has been tested fairly thoroughly on the public beta over the past week, but it is a game-wide change and so it's possible there may still be some situations where authors can be inappropriately accessed. If you run into any weird, just let us know. We've got a clever setup for quick fixes on this particular feature.
Arcade Upgrades
Golden City Arcade in Portsmith has had a minor remodel, and some new features added. Players can now take manual control of the air hockey table, and can challenge the other authors to a game. Authors have variable skill, and commentary on the game. There's a new seating area that players can chill at, and bringing another author with you will trigger a conversation about their ideas on video games.
Phone a Friend
Calling your fellow authors while out and about will now sometimes trigger the option to invite them to join you, wherever you are. This will let you have more freedom, as you won't need to walk back to the bus to switch active party members. Your current party member will always return to the bus if you switch, but this should allow you
Here's what else is in the update:
Trying to call an Unter car from 2ELF now concludes properly.
When calling authors before the finale, it'll no longer suggest that they're on the bus.
Updated the "Same Old Song" achievement in Gator Bay to pop for all possible cases
Added better explanation for how to use the gun range, and added numbers to the gun bays
Cleared an improper portrait of the spouse appearing inappropriately in Pancha's Plancha
Guaranteed that the Sisyphus achievement will pop after 1000 levels completed
Replaced a duplicate dialogue line for Alexa in the Haunted Mansion
Updated some door triggers for the author's toasting at the Quarry Bar in Slab Town
Changed inventory graphics for clothing / towels to help clarify them at first glance a little better
Revamped the laundry cycle system (again) to better guarantee the system cycles properly
Casey will no longer misgender their child when the player calls
Your spouse will no longer misgender their parent while playing Never Have I Ever
Added better conditional checks for save scumm accusations in the finale
Spouse will no longer ask to read the Stalker Media article if they're with you when you read it
Prison portraits will now appropriately show in relevant save files game data
Being in jail will no longer turn all your save file game data to prison portraits
Cancelling out of handing the librarian a book will no longer recall the last book accessed
Hung Chan will no longer try to invite himself to hang out at the alien museum
Detective Ricky will now call the player one day later
Detective Ricky will no longer call the player while they're in jail
Improved the dialogue of folks exercising on the machines, and prevented them from misgendering
Prevented players from attempting to re-enter Pancha's Plancha after they've been through once
Wives will no longer suggest that their husbands get pregnant
Updated some art for a bunch of food items
Various additions to character mode dialogues
Various typo and dialogue updates
Going forward this week we'll hopefully finish the jigsaw puzzle activity / quest that was started on our last development stream, as well as some progress on a few new lengthy NPC side-quests that we've been working on. As of now there's plans to inject a new character with extensive interactions into New Creole, and unlock one of the buildings in Sequoia. These additions should help get the early-mid game feel a little more full, before folks get to Gator Bay (which is absolutely packed with content).
Progress on Character Mode has continued, as all new and retouched content has been made to work with the feature. Though, it's still going to take a very long time to get it operational across the entirety of the game. It's a very daunting task for a single writer.
Lastly, we expanded out presence on Twitch this week with a new schedule, and also enabled a bunch of fun new features. This means that in addition to the development streams airing on Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 PM EST, you can now watch The Devs battle in Dog Gone Golfing every Monday at 7:00 PM.
Hope you guys enjoy the new content. Feel free to stop in the Community Discord to make a request and we'll catch you on the next one!
- VD
Character Romance - Build Update #438
So, we're running a sale on both Sometimes Always Monsters and Always Sometimes Monsters for the next few days. This promotion is part of an effort to help the conclusion of the INDIE MEGABOOTH organization which is shutting down due to the situation surrounding COVID-19.
The folks at the IMB have been incredibly supportive of Vagabond Dog over the years, and helped us get the exposure we did during our first showcase events. We've been grateful to be part of the community ever since, and are hoping that this sale will help ease the transition for the organization as gaming events worldwide cease operation. Check out the massive sale, help one of the pillars of the indie game community, and grab some cool indie games in the process. There's tons of fantastic titles on discount.
As part of the promotion we'll continue doing daily streams for both Always Sometimes Monsters and Sometimes Always Monsters, returning to Steam Broadcast (instead of Twitch) until this weekend. They've been very productive for us, and have resulted in the new content you'll find in this update.
Lastly, we want to thank all of you who've been leaving (or updating) reviews lately. We see the positive reaction to the changes we've been making to the game, and appreciate your response to it. It's really energizing our work, and feels like a confirmation we're continuing in the right direction. Thank you!
New Content
Romantic Dinner Date
While in Gator Bay, players can now go on a romantic dinner date with their spouse to the restaurant known as Pancha's Plancha. While there, they'll be able to have an in-depth conversation about the spouse's career prospects, discuss their plans for after the tour, and engage in a little bit of "public fun" (assuming you don't get caught). The dinner reservation is gained on the morning of the last day in Gator Bay, and can be enjoyed in that evening before you go to the book reading.
Character Mode (WIP)
One of the biggest bits of feedback we've seen repeated in reviews and posts about the game is a desire for the protagonist to speak more, show portrait, and engage with the conversations beyond their choices; as they did in Always Sometimes Monsters. The current design was chosen because of some old feedback we got regarding the excessive exposition and misinterpretation of choice options in ASM. Although we are personally happy with the current dialogue system, we recognize that people have different tastes, and we want folks to have the experience they desire.
Thus, we've implemented a new option in the menu for variance in dialogue modes. Now you can choose between the current (Immersive) mode and a new work-in-progress (Character) mode. This new mode will let players have the more pronounced protagonist they desire, with shown portraits, verbalization of their choices, and some extra reactions/responses in dialogues.
Please be aware that although we are adding this feature to the options now, the content for it will take a very long time to fully develop and implement across the entirety of the game. Currently only a very small number of scenes have this functionality, but we will continue slowly working on revisions to existing content, as well as build new content with the feature in mind. Though, we encourage players to try out the mode with the newest scene (Pancha's Plancha) to get a taste of how it should play.
Here's what else is in the update:
Improved graphics / seating in the back room of the arcade
Players will have fewer hungry notifications before going to bed
Eating piles of hamburgers with other authors will no longer make you hungry before bed
Wrote a missing blurb for the spouse interacting with Yasi's book posters
Fixed a game freeze during the "Sam Cuts Sam" ending
You can now use the keyboard to name your character during the C&C game
Cleared a sticky portrait after declining to play video games at home once interacting with the TV
Cricket sounds should no longer persist in the house
Reduced the level cap for Sisyphus arcade game, making the achievement 10x easier to get
Collisions during the dance class can no longer freeze the game, if dancers get stuck in corners
Improved accuracy of the reflection's positioning in reloads in The Church of Reflection
Renamed the delete key on some keyboards from "ESC" to "DEL"
Repaired some incorrect triggers surrounding the closure of Hermes is Missing in New Creole
Made Casey have appropriate dialogues when laying on the couch during secondary visits
Theater films now have credits sequences that affect speed of re-watching
Fixed some portrait issues with a homeless guy that Hassan pays off for information
Prevented players from ghosting on to the roof of the Bricklayer Society building
Re-lit a scene that went black after playing C&C with Sheena
Sitting with authors on double-chairs will no longer trigger temp conversations
The librarian now considers Mein Kampf a racist book
Made it more obvious how to conclude interaction with the mirror at The Church of Reflection
Added a controller-friendly quit system to Sisyphus
Added variant hotkey explanations for controller users during SwagFest introduction
Treadmill now has unique comments based on player outfit (or lack thereof)
Added easier exits to the treadmill for controller-players
Players can now throw rotten fruit and spoiled food in the trash, instead of just the compost bin
Fixed a stoplight in Sequoia that was still allowing players to get killed by stationary vehicles
Allowed meatballs to be selected as an extra ingredient in the cooking system
Improved follower move routes during the self-defense class in Sequoia
Limited how many chickadees the hermit will take if you try to give him more than 10 at once
Allowed players to clean their own garbage after eating at Bullet Burger
Authors, spouse, and drivers now comment if player runs into a stationary vehicle or get hit by car
Fixed some issue with the washing machine at home
Added new music to play after you finish watching a movie at the theater
Fixed a variety of musical deadzones where music required manual player control
Improved the tutorial for Fire Escape: Orphan Inferno
Added character selection options to Fire Escape: Orphan Inferno
Forced new music to play once finished with Fire Escape: Orphan Inferno
Fixed shower / cooking end of laundry cycles to complete whole cycles (not just turn it off)
Removed a duplicate line from Sheena's post C&C game conversation
Moved achievement trigger for feeding the mechanic to after you feed him (not during his request)
Added more convenient exits to the gym showers for players using controllers
Fixed an issue where tiny background people could phase through the break room environment
Changed the spelling of rizotto to risotto
Updated the mechanic's list of hunger desires to include a new variety of items in New Creole
Made the mechanic accept the delicious french toast you made him
Alexa / Sheena vignette now has variant dialogue if you have an all-girls author group
Removed invitation for spouse to play "Never Have I Ever" if they aren't on the bus
Added a vending machine in the gym change rooms that sells soap, shampoo, and conditioner
Wrote additional variance lines for the bouncer at 2ELF
Rewrote part of Trisha / Sheena vignette to better dialogue flow and retain character accuracy
Removed duplicate portraits from cultists
Changed the text from "Quick$tarter" to "Beef Heaven" for the Unter option in Sequoia
Improved variance of text for Xander and Ted if player kills Malva during the C&C game
Blocked players from re-accessing the fan's email once they leave Portsmith or finish that event
Removed some duplicate event triggers for DeMarcus at the Gun Range
Stopped phone calls from prison (until new ones are written)
Wrote unique reactions for all authors and spouse when you return from prison
Added a clear notification that you're supposed to call an Unter car to go to Shelly's party
Fixed a couple issues that made it very difficult for Big Deal to buy concert tickets
Edited a bunch of typos, improved a bunch of dialogue
We hope you enjoy the new content, fixes, and updates. Don't forget to leave us a review on Steam if you haven't yet, as we monitor the feedback there and it helps us a lot. There's also plenty of room left in our Discord Community if you're looking for a place to talk about the game, ask questions, or just waste time.
Saturday and Sunday at 1PM EST, we'll be returning to Twitch for more Development Streams. Join the chat, talk with The Devs, and influence what gets built in the next update: stream.vagabonddog.com
- VD
Drunk Burger Haggling - Build Update #434
We had a really interesting weekend with LudoNarraCon and our first experiences doing development livestreams. It was really invigorating to have a bunch of you watch our process making new content, and join the chat to leave extra suggestions. We'd never considered having such a collaborative development experience, but it's been a lot of fun.
In addition to getting to talk with all of you and show off our ridiculous workflow, we actually got a lot of things finished. This update, more than others, has a lot of new content to enjoy. Check it all out:
New Content:
Seafood Vendors Two new detailed NPCs are ready to sell you some fresh seafood, and can be found in New Creole and Gator Bay. They both deliver regional specialties, and offer players the opportunity to haggle prices on their daily catch. Just be sure to get to them in the morning, as stock dwindles over the day and costs go up before they completely run out in the evening. Bring a friend with you to the buy and get a pinch of insight into how they feel about crustaceans.
New Store (Beef Heaven) Where the old QuickStarter shop once stood in Sequoia, now hosts a new butchery called Beef Heaven. In there you can pick up some steaks for grilling, or meatballs for spaghetti. There's also veal and ground product, along with an exclusive new barbecue sauce. There's also a lot of little interactives, some new interactions with the authors, and some deep lore about Sequoia's farming industries. Plus, a subtle little nightmare for certain save importers.
Burgers w/ FriendsIncludes new achievement Tired of eating food on the bus? Tired of eating alone? Grab your spouse, or one of the authors and head to Bullet Burger for a serious chow session. After buying your burgers, grab a seat with them and eat until the two of you can't stomach any more. Light conversations revealing more about the author's opinions of one another will come to light, and you'll be able to stake a claim about your friendships as well. Note that this is a one-time venture per friend, as few can stomach multiple monstrous burger chow sessions.
Never Have I Ever...Includes new achievement Being stuck on a bus without much to do can lead to some pretty desperate plots for entertainment. Now, on evenings while rolling between cities, the authors have a chance of sparking up a game of "Never Have I Ever". During the game, the authors, the player, and their spouse will stand around, revealing truths about themselves while getting plastered. It's a good way of getting to know each other a little better, and to pass the time while you travel between towns.
Here's what else is in the update:
Fixed a handful of little errors in various rare finale sequences
Fixed an error where player would walk to the wrong author to talk during event setups
Made the compass clear properly when players are rescued from the desert
Removed chickadees from inventory when you abandon them
Hermes will now ask to speak to you (to get his phone back) before you return to bus
Added some happier music to some of the happier finale credits
Taking one plate to wash from the home table now takes all of them
Water sound effect in bathroom ends if you don't turn off faucet
Players now have to poop less
Edited a couple typos
Considering the benefit of the stream and the joy it's brought us, we're making plans to do more of them.
Starting on Saturday and Sunday at 1PM EST, we'll being broadcasting more development and gameplay previews at twitch.tv/vagabonddog. Follow the channel, and come join us while we're live.
Hey gang, We're doing another developer livestream really soon!
You can watch it right here, starting at 4:30 PM EST: https://steamcommunity.com/broadcast/watch/76561197970929040
Last night's stream was ridiculous and a lot of fun. Thanks to everyone who joined us.
Together, we managed to make a new Seafood Vendor who lives in New Creole. You can buy his daily catch of lobsters and shrimp, haggle for better prices, and help put his kid through college!
We also finished a new feature where you'll be able to take the authors (or your spouse) with you to Bullet Burger and chow down on piles of hamburgers while you talk shit about the others on the bus.
No idea what we're going to make tonight, but if you're keen to see how Sometimes Always Monsters gets put together, then join the stream chat and hit us with your requests and suggestions as we add new content for the patch going out early next week.
- VD
Developer Livestreams through LudoNarraCon
This weekend, Always Sometimes Monsters and Sometimes Always Monsters are being featured as part of the LudoNarraCon digital games convention. It's an event happening here on Steam that celebrates a variety of independent narrative games with sales, demos, and livestreams.
Throughout the weekend, we'll be livestreaming both gameplay and development of Sometimes Always Monsters right on the main store page of the game. Check it out, as the devs will be answering questions and taking requests for additions to the game.
We're excited to bring the event to you this weekend, and hope you'll take this opportunity to check out the new game, convince your friends to experience Always Sometimes Monsters, and join us for some of the fun with the Sometimes Always Monsters livestreams!
- VD
Still Back At It - Build Update #429
As we said in the last patch, it's probably impossible to reach a truly bugfree state for the game. Just as we finished crushing the list we were given, more reports began to pop up. Considering our plans to continue adding content to the game, this is likely to continue as new features get tossed in the mix.
Speaking of adding new content, this build features a number of recent additions that help with guidance and some random sprinkles of extra story, exposition, and flavor for various characters and sequences. A lot of the ideas for these changes have come from watching a handful of players who've been streaming their gameplay, which has given us some interesting ideas for new additions.
Our next update is also likely to include some new stuff, as we'll be entering LudoNarraCon this weekend and we plan to run some livestreams on Sometimes Always Monsters store page starting at 1 PM EST on April 24th and continue through the weekend.
The streams will feature some gameplay, but also some live development of new content as suggested by folks in chat, on the Steam Forums, and in the Community Discord. If you're around to view, stop by and say hi, ask a question, or leave a feature request.
Here's what's in this latest update:
Panel attendees will now be visibly angry when Mason cuts in line
Panel attendees now have additional angry comments that trigger if Mason cuts in line
Added multiple stages of comments to each author regarding their stank
Old man in Portsmith will no longer misgender lesbians
Added additional monologue prompts for e-mail notifications to improve guidance
Made the toothpaste at home now start with 4 units
Edited some typos with the "Elopers" crossing conversation in 2ELF
Fixed a glitch where the kid in the arcade might start playing the counter instead of the machine
Detective Ricky will no longer misgender Sam
Added additional dialogue to Ricky so import players better recognize him as a returning character
Added additional dialogue to Benny so import players better recognize him as a returning character
Removed the potential to get stuck in a blackout after watching the Comedian
Reverted the haunted mansion tour guide to being a brunette
After Hassan's mission, your spouse will no longer appear in the bedroom if you left them at home
Hassan's exploration of the Bricklayer Society now takes less time to complete
Prevented DeMarcus post-adventure dialogue from double-triggering when you re-enter the store
Improved the accuracy of Big Deal's adventure triggering, so the ticket seller recognizes you better
Going to the concert with Big Deal now takes less time to complete
Fixed the musical conclusion to visiting the concert with Big Deal
Added an additional conversation with Big Deal during his misadventure to talk about addiction
Moved the Wet Ticket achievement trigger to the end of the event, instead of the start
Time advancement notifications now take less time to conclude
Time advancement notifications will no longer re-play if it's already as late night
Improved the structure of the middle couch seat on the bus
Replaced the art for the congratulatory level in Fire Escape: Orphan Inferno
Pablo's shopping list will stop quantifying fruit as snacks
Rollie cigarettes will no longer activate the dreaded infinite coughing loop
Edited some typos with Big Deal's book reading
The hermit in the wasteland will now ask for and properly collect up to 10 lost chickadees
The hermit will now reward your chickadee rescues with a new friend
Players will no longer lose 99 of their SSX Shares when they pack their suitcase
SSX Shares will now be carried in the player's wallet
Added an achievement for beating Sisyphus (good luck, you poor souls!)
Trash cans will now accept rotten fruit and soiled food instead of requiring the compost pile
Compass destinations are now obscured until players reach them for the first time
The spouse no long misgenders Sam during the delusional conclusion in the finale sequence
Asking about gym facilities now gives a better explanation of all that's available, including showers
The spouse should now properly appear on all relevant save screens
Added internal comments for the player to focus on writing, during days where the bus is traveling
Daily cooking counters should now properly reset every night
The librarian will no longer accuse straight players of writing gay content in their book
Added multiple reactions from the authors whenever player feeds or pets one of the dogs
Thanks for checking out this run. Hope to see you in the livestream chat this weekend.
Also, don't forget to grab the new free DLC if you haven't already!
- VD
ALL CLEAR?! - Build Update #427
It's been a few weeks since Sometimes Always Monsters released, and this is our 10th update to the game. With the over 80 changes below, we've officially updated over 400 ticket items.
While a truly bugfree game is beyond feasibility, we genuinely feel that your experience playing through Sometimes Always Monsters now will be vastly improved over what you may have seen at launch. This is suggested by a large number of fans in the Community Discord, as well as others on the Steam Forums who have been playing the various updates as they've come.
Both of us are very dedicated to this game, and appreciate the support and passion all the players have exhibited. We've listened carefully to all the feedback and have addressed what we could for now, and made plans for additional content in the future for some desires that need longer to satisfy. We always planned on this game being something you could go through multiple times, and with further updates, we'll be providing even more reasons to replay the journey.
In addition to the list below, we are also releasing our first DLC today for FREE:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1292640/ It's a costume pack for the dogs Lady Bird and Tyson, who you can find in the game. When you install it, you'll be able to control their outfits via the closet in the bedroom on the bus. It's free for all players, and adds a little extra style to some very good dogs.
Here's what's in the latest update:
Edited a typo in the "Pure Jealousy" flashback
Increased the speed of time advancement display
Set time advancement display to automatically ON for all players
Dogs can now eat chickadees as tasty, crunchy snacks
Moved the trigger for the Kinder Select achievement to make it more accessible
Added dog Tyson to the epilogue backyard, if you're good to the dogs on your trip
Fixed some font changes between save imports and Regarding Alleyways flashback
Save import confirmation screens are now transparent within the window
Replaced some old chair technology in the psychiatric ward
Prevented the player from sitting down when calling an Unter car after the psychiatric ward visit
Better variance to the spouse's talking after reading the newspaper for Forgiveness timelines
Edited text of the arcade achievement to better reflect its actual requirements
Updated new art for "Hassan The King" posters in Sheena / Hassan vignette
Prevented player from standing on break room chairs (because there's books on them)
Replaced bad chair technology throughout the premiere lounge on the casino boat
Trash cans now work in all directions
Crushed cans can now be tossed in garbage cans properly
Edited a bunch of typos in Mason's article and interview
Edited some typo in Big Deal's reflective conversations
Prevented players from having sex with their spouse while they were out buying booze
Prevented players from entire sex system once they are divorced
Made the sky react appropriately to the time of day when leaving Casey's apartment
Replaced the Con-Mart skin on the fruit vendor with the proper store images
Fixed an issue where players could destroy Super Condoms by looking at them
Changed conditionals for Chance recognizing save import players who met him in ASM
Replaced bad chair technology in the Voodoo House
Adjusted Sheena's sprite in a specific chair so she turns her head instead of a legless body
Updated the art for an old traffic light in Slab Town
Prevented player from walking into walls after exiting some chairs in Pancha's Plancha
Removed deprecated sandwiches from the vending machines
Blocked players from walking on top of some buildings in Gator Bay and Sequoia
Closed a loop that forced you to sign Yasi's book during the finale reading
Changed conditions for starting Yasi's personal quest so it's more accessible
Replaced the sprite controller for one of the twenty crossing characters in Stalker Media
Updated the art for the sitting blue hair lady in the Hassan / Hung Chan vignette
Added some new conversations for Jake and Justin, and framework to add more later
Showers at home no longer take up any time
Showers at home will now complete the laundry, dryer, and coffee cycles
Doubled the threshold for dirty dishes before burning time (now 6+)
Added new dialogue to Shelly's phone call insisting and warning players to join the bus tour
Cooking twice now concludes the dryer in addition to the washing machine
Doing dishes now concludes the dryer in addition to the washing machine
Playing games for a length will now more steadily advance time
Added mild (basic) character animations for eating snacks while in non-standard outfits
Fixed a hard freeze when reusing the Church of Reflection's mirrors after getting your fate sealed
Made the spouse lie about their job applications a little bit less
Casey is no longer omniscient about the light switches and will not comment if not in the room
Massive revamps to Hung Chan's misadventure in Outer Worlds to prevent some technical issues
Remodeled the bathroom in Shelly's hotel room so you can now use the sink and wash your hands
Prevented an issue where player would abruptly be ejected from their computer chair
Stopped players from using a chair with Alexa that'd have a lit candle between their legs
Prevented Hung Chan from suggesting we invite Hung Chan to do Hung Chan's mission
Modified some of the scenes when packing for your tour naked and having sex before finishing
Enabled the SSX (Sandwich Stock Exchange) terminal at your home computer all the time
Updated the SSX to use bank balance instead of cash
Modified the SSX texts to showcase bank balance and provide more general information
Improved the scene art and added NPCs to the Hassan / Pablo vignette
Prevented players from calling Unter cars once they reach the epilogue
Deactivated the typing suggestion to explore the city while the bus is moving between cities
First vignette for Trisha / Big Deal now uses the correct nudity sprite for Big Deal
Your spouse will now stay awake until you get home from the hospital after being hit by a car
Your spouse will now always remember to talk to you about how you got hit by a car
Changed an inappropriate portrait call for when the spouse is talking about your car accident
If you were with someone while you got hit by a car, they will comment on it if spoken to afterwards
Getting free music at the cellphone store no longer causes a crash
Gay and Lesbian characters should now have better access to appropriate pornography
Made it so DeMarcus and Hung Chan pay for their drinks with money, instead of a taco
Widened the desk in the library so players no longer sit with the back of a chair up their ass
Alexa and Hassan will only join Big Deal and Ruth for a doobie, if they're actually on the tour now
Added function to the bench near the playground in Sequoia
If you buy art from the old dude in Sequoia, he will no longer call the cops on you
Fixed leaving Kinder Select after helping the old guy to show the right time of day
Big Deal now specifically mentions that the guy with the concert tickets is around in the afternoon
Buying tickets for the concert no longer takes up any time
Prevented some false situations by removing the ticket seller guy from morning scenes
Edited some typo in Diogenes' prattle
Chickadees will now spawn more appropriately in the desert after you smash one to death
Edited a typo where Detective Ricky could misgender the player
Talking with Detective Ricky now takes less time
Pablo is now referred to properly if he is the first author chosen for the panel
Added a new sequence to better serve the "Sam Was Author But MC Wed" timeline
Updated Mason interview to better fit the "Sam Was Author But MC Wed" timeline
Massive improvements to the "Sam Was Author But MC Wed" continuity dialogue
Added controls for DLC outfits to the closet in the bus bedroom
Activated Party Dogs DLC content
Once more, we thank all of you for your reporting, and the feedback. We'll continue to update the game over the remainder of the year, and taking feature / content requests through the Steam Forums. If there's something you'd like to see added to the game, create a thread and let us know.
Grab a copy and enjoy a sweet selection of 17 tracks from Sometimes Always Monsters, including full themes for each of the authors, that killer finale track, and much more audio goodness.
In addition to the album, we're pushing another juicy patch with some more fixes and updates to various things in the game. Nothing too major in this one, but happy to see the latest reports still coming in as we round down our list of bugs to squash.
We've heard significantly fewer complaints regarding continuity confusion, and some compliments about the latest sequence additions that clarify things. Those of you who've been replaying since these changes, we're really glad to hear your thoughts on them.
Here's what's in the update:
Fixed Mason's confusion about dead characters in New Game
Edited some off wording during Shelly's introduction of Sheena at the panel
Added better explanation of controls during intro for controller players
Returned gym clothes and swimsuits to player inventories when showering at home
Fixed exit of the hot tub to better work with controllers
Ensured that Lois shows up for all players after completion of the library mission
Fixed a hard lock when player used a specific gun in the shooting range
Replaced a missing portrait in the library
Allowed keyboard typing for bank passwords
Allowed keyboard typing for renaming your nom d'amour
Added icons and better functionality for wine and tequila
Killing chickadees in the desert no longer makes their corpse linger everywhere in the wasteland
Improved librarian recognition of books, and Lois' ability to recommend relevant titles
Shelly's laptop in her hotel room now works better with controllers
Cooking breakfast for your spouse has been improved
Your spouse now has the ability to feed themselves
When players get shot by cops their spouse's reaction no longer has chance to glitch
Edited a typo in the gym staff dialogues
Sinks in the change rooms should now fully work
Prevented the tour guide from trapping players in the haunted mansion
Players can now properly enter with same-gendered authors or their spouse
When showering in the gym, authors and spouse will no longer follow them into the waters
Receptionists in police stations now have extra dialogue
Removed unintended follower from spouse's epilogue sequence
Guy outside the hospital now accepts the "Words" response in dialogue properly
Replaced a rogue text line when talking to your suitcase while packing clothes with your spouse
Edited a typo when player enters Portsmith for the first time and gives traffic warnings
Made the chairs outside Starcups face players in the right direction, instead of backwards
Re-centered the map in the flashback sequence so spouse no longer moonwalks over a grave
Added additional dialogue for authors being invited into an inappropriate changeroom
Deodorant applications now only last one day
Authors and your spouse will now properly comment if you talk to them after getting hit by cars
Edited a typo on Shelly's computer
The sexuality listed for your character on the save screen can now possibly change
You can now find your wasteland coordinates via the compass, in addition to direction
Changed the placement of Yasi's achievement to fire at the end of the quest (appropriately)
Improved guarantee of getting an Unter ride to Shelly's Hotel when it's time for her party
Added new ending "shot ex" to the finale
Added a sexist NPC who sells steroids in the Slab Town gym
So, yeah. There's a bit of new content in this one, but not a ton. We'll keep grinding, and updating you with the latest as our progress progresses.
Enjoy the album!
- VD
'Twas a Dream - Build Update #418
One of the most misunderstood things about ASM's conclusion was its alley finale. The sequences that bookend the start and end of the game. They're contentious in context with the rest of the story and a lot of people (self-included) find them at odds with the grander theme and message of the game. It's also caused some greater confusion for people importing their saves, assuming that characters ought be dead when they aren't.
All along, the alley finale was intended to be the furthest point in the SAM/ASM timeline. However, while it was powerful at the time, it was a bit poorly conceived in terms of its lasting effect on the total continuity. It became a creative handicap, and stopped serving real purpose partway through SAM's development. We had hoped more players would recognize it as a meta scene (it was never intended to affect the status of imports), but that was never explained well enough outside of forums and private discussions.
So, in our infinite power as creators, we are officially hand-waving that piece away as a dream. It's not an easy decision to make, considering how many people felt deeply about the sequence, but it is quite necessary to free SAM from those shackles, and let it grow. There is now a new sequence that runs at the start of the game when you import a save that explains it as such, and we're going to stick with that.
We've also made a lot of improvements to overall continuity recognition and other small tweaks as we run out the last of our bug list. Thanks to all of you who helped beat the game up since the last update, we really feel like we're starting to see the last of all reports.
Here's what's in the update:
Made the default pornography at home relative to spouse's gender
Added some prompts for to the typewriter to remind players that there's more to life than writing
Edited a typo on the save screen data
Prevented conversations with the spouse at television from running while they're not present
When you throw away the photo of your rival, it will now actually vanish from inventory
Changed the tone of save import sequence to prevent tonal clashes with new content
Gave the spouse new dialogue so they now recognize Darkeff / Viper in Gator Bay
Implemented some environmental overlay graphics to increase walking space in gym change rooms
Fixed an issue where controller players were asked to use a keyboard during the finale
Added a "Controller Mode" setting in the options menu to let players control their keyboard style
Replaced an incorrect portrait with the mechanic in New Creole
Adjusted more of the hygiene system so that it caps at a certain level
Fixed an issue where washing your hands actually made them dirtier
Fixed an issue where mouthwash and teeth whitener actually made you less attractive
Removed chance of getting dirtier as time passes, capped dirtiness increase while sleeping
Improved the effectiveness of toilet paper
Cleared a rogue block that interfered with traffic pathing in Sequoia
Increased processing speed of Sunset clear after Shelly's sequence
Changed dog names so that they're appropriate to their model
Allowed Yasi's adventure in New Creole to take place at any time of day
Updated some portrait conflicts regarding the town drunk in Quarry Bar
Pablo's mission should now trigger properly when you enter the shops with him for the first time
Prevented players from entering 2ELF without Trisha
Added some missing dialogue for Yasi during the player's final reading
Stopped some cars from turning toward the player on interaction like NPC people do
Forced map in memorial flashback sequence to stay centered
Resolved some conflict between your naked spouse and their reflection
Changed the universal companion responses in library to be unique to each author and your spouse
Added text variance for napping while divorced
Improved callback and reference to import continuities in a variety of scenes
Edited some dialogue and variance for various import players in the finale
New Content:
Added a new experimental option to reveal time passage more overtly like in ASM
New sequence at the start of the game revealing the alley finale from ASM was a dream
Added new post-library interaction with Lois to make the First Edition reveals easier to find
This will likely be our last update before the ALL CLEAR push, and we begin considering new content and road mapping our potential additions given our available runway. If you've got requests, then let us know!
We encourage all you to give us your final final bug reports, and let us know if there are any lingering irrationalities in your continuity. We believe they should almost entirely be resolved.
As we said in the last patch, it's probably impossible to reach a truly bugfree state for the game. Just as we finished crushing the list we were given, more reports began to pop up. Considering our plans to continue adding content to the game, this is likely to continue as new features get tossed in the mix.
It's been a few weeks since 
One of the most misunderstood things about ASM's conclusion was its alley finale. The sequences that bookend the start and end of the game. They're contentious in context with the rest of the story and a lot of people (self-included) find them at odds with the grander theme and message of the game. It's also caused some greater confusion for people importing their saves, assuming that characters ought be dead when they aren't.