Alpha Preview Update (December)

Hello, I come bearing an update to the alpha build (and a new password to fit the season!)

Play the Alpha Preview 

Password: merrywintersun

What's New:

• 15,000 words of content added to Chapter 6
• Nobility! Fancy parties! Barbed words!
• A few new Chandry interludes: I don't know if you can access them before this chapter, but on your fifth visit to Chandry, you get the opportunity to have a formal outfit custom-made for you, which you can then use when visiting Lavinet!
• Tweaks and fixes added to various chapters
• A little more content added to Chase's route in Chapter 2! Now he and Trouble get to blow stuff up!
• Added more save slots (for a total of 10) per several requests I've received. I don't know what that will do to existing saves and I'm very sorry for any inconvenience!
• New codex documents about the nobility! Thinking about adding one about fan language, but it would basically just be ripping off whatever the British or French were doing in real life...

Developer Notes:

• The choices to ask Ayla, Briony, or Tallys for their opinions are not selectable because they haven't been written yet. You didn't do anything wrong, those paths are incomplete!
• The choice to spy on the nobles' party is not selectable or finished, but should be by the next update.
• You guys chose Auberon and Isolde's names! I hope you enjoy Ayla's spin on them, lol

What's Next:

• More Chapter 6! We're already at 40,000 words for the chapter and haven't even gotten into the meat of things yet, so I feel like this is going to be another whopper!
• I hope to add more day off interludes next, but we'll see how the holidays pan out and how much time I actually have. Ideally I'd like to do Riel, Tallys, potentially Chase, and Caine, but no promises! Also hope to add another training session with your stalwart recruits! Either way, it's on my list.
• Slowly fleshing out routes that I've left behind, particularly Chapter 2--Chase's route and talking to Aeryn before you punch Ebert's lights out (or not). There is, of course, also the matter of Chapter 4 and Mekduk! Sometimes I like to float around... *sweating*

Total wordcount so far: 450,925 words without code

(Want more Shepherds content after you're done playing? Check out Shery's holiday letters to readers!) 

I will most likely be taking this weekend off to wrap and deliver (safely!) presents to friends and family, so if there are bugs, I'm very sorry and I scanned with quicktest and randomtest multiple times but I guess I'm a dummy and please leave them in the comments or the #alpha-build channel for me to get to on Monday! If there are no bugs then I am a genius and I hope you enjoy! :D And happy holiday season! 💖 I want to say that I'm so grateful for your support and that your presence has made this year an incredible and lovely time. Thank you so much everyone, I'm sending all my love and holiday cheer, and I hope you stay cozy and safe!