First of all I want to thank you all for your support and feedback. Not for the first time now I have been asked in the comments to open a discord server. Since I really like to be in touch and talk with you guys about the project of  course I like the idea. I just did not think enough people would be interested in it. You know. Like in school when you invite everyone to a party and no one shows up. ;-) 

So I really hope you guys show up. Here is the link: 

Bound to College Discord

Since this is a zero budget game, I have to work full time in the real world. So please don't be mad with me when I don't answer right away. 

What is going to happen next?

We did have an unexpected guest: Ron stayed for the night and now they have to decide what is going to happen next. They go to a café to discuss it. Turns out Ned is the waiter. And at this point things start to become complicated... 

About the current development

The good news is: the next chapter is almost done. But I could have told you the very same thing two weeks ago. Currently I am adding more options to the story, continue the alternate endings, rework other parts and overall get lost in detail. So I cannot tell you a release date. Just that I am working on it. But it should go live soon. 

What's new?

Like I said already in the game description: This is my first visual novel and the first time I am using Ren'Py and also the first time I am coding at all. So every chapter is kind of a personal development as well. This time I played around with animations. You have seen some short animations already in the game. They are a lot of work to create and very time consuming to render. And it is even more difficult to make them look natural and not like a doll. 

On the other hand I think it is a great way to increase the immersion and make the characters feel alive. 

So what is new now? I managed to play an animation in the background and show static images in the same frame. Since these images are also rendered in the same 3d environment, they are not just placed in front of the image. They are inside of it. This way I can have to story progress and interact the figures with the animated character in the very same room. I am quite satisfied with the result and I am very curious what you think of it. Write it in the comments or the new discord channel. :-)