Hello fans! I’m introducing a new concept to my blog in 2025, where I’ll be creating entire entries under specific categories instead of covering a bunch of things in each entry. In theory, this should make it easier for me to post more consistently 🤞
For now, I wanna chat about HON3YPOT updates from 2024, as I (once again) fell off the face of the Earth and failed to write any updates.
In this post:
- Updated UI
- Writing & Coding Update
- Sprite Reveal (a draft)
- Goals for 2025 (I’ll get you this time..?)
Without further ado…
Updated User Interface & Layout
In my last update I revealed some sneak peeks at the UI I was working on. At the time, it was largely an “idea” with some basic graphics; I’ve updated the idea as well as produced some better placeholder graphics – obviously, nothing is final, but the layout and menus are a little more accessible now (and require fewer clicks to access).
First let’s take a look at the splash screen; this contains a partial menu in the same layout as the game menu, including your “bank” (achievements, trophies and other meta-goodies from previous playthroughs, if they exist). This will eventually contain an actual splash image, but for now it’s just filled with purply camouflage:
Next is the typical layout during character interactions; this one’s a bit lacking as an example, as I’m currently in a state of programming where I’m not calling any characters. The player character, Gideon, will hang out permanently in the little medallion in the lower left – this is a piece I’ve kept from my original design. If you’re curious why, there’s lots of discussion about that in the last post.
The “HL” line below is the horizon line for the purposes of placing character sprites into backgrounds. This challenged me for a long time but I’m pretty sure it’s in the right place, now, for what I want to achieve 🤔 I’ve still got a whole tutorial coming for how and why I put so much work into the character/background compatibility.
Finally, a look at the in-game menu; this one happens to be the date selection screen (still in-progress visually, but it’s functional!). Ideally, this menu screen will appear as an overlay to the actual scene we’re looking at in the game (i.e. mid-date), as though we’re accessing this information via smart-lenses. I’m not sure that’s actually possible, yet, but that’s the idea.
The UI concept is basically complete and functional, though I still have two things on my list:
- Updating the “choices” menu when the player needs to choose dialogue or other options. I’m still using the Ren’Py default.
- Creating a “texting” dialogue layout for when we’re talking to a character via chat, rather than face-to-face. I have an idea about how to do this, but haven’t got to work on it yet.
Stylistically, this still has a way to go – I need to actually design buttons, frame this like an app window, draw the Gideon sprites – but it’s good enough for testing and concept work.
Writing & Coding
As far as writing, I’m still working on the “first” date option and it’s about halfway complete – I think – and currently at about 500 lines of code/writing. This date will work on a “points” basis – the player’s choices will be worth points, and there’s a success threshold at the end of the date. BUT! There are also “bad” points: if we make too many downright wrong choices, the date will end early (and fail). The player will have to thread the needle between pleasing one character and not totally annoying another.
This date will also contain a branching path where the player can select from two choices; both have win scenarios, but each might reveal different details and foreshadowing for the end-game heist…
Once the date is complete, I’m looking forward to inviting some friends to play through – both for their comments and to get an idea of how long it takes to get through.
Sprites
Our first date is with Jellybear, a children’s brand icon by day, and big ol’ mystery by night. When she’s out in public, she always wears her cartoon bear hologram, so no one knows her real face…
This isn’t a final design but I’m really proud of how this character is developing; Jellybear’s design went through a lot of iterations because I really wanted to lean towards “magical girl”, but found that everything was getting too sexy to be a kids’ icon. I’ve also struggled in the past to draw more varied body shapes/sizes – grateful to AdorkaStock for the reference!
Goals for 2025
This year, I’m trying to keep my goals more realistic and controllable, as I have blown past all my past self-imposed milestones. My main goals for 2025 are related to HON3YPOT’s art. There are only three, and while they seem simple, any progress here will mean a pretty big level-up in my artistic abilities:
- Practice anatomy and post regular sketches: I’ve already started on this one, but posting regular sketches will help to keep me accountable
- Practice drawing NSFW images – and post them: this one’s a next step. Most likely I’ll be posting these on Bluesky.
- Practice backgrounds: I’m aiming to work on backgrounds both as their own pieces and with (behind) characters.
That’s it! We did it! Thanks for catching up <3