Hey y'all! Long time no see. I apologize for the silence, from the last update to now there has been very little progress to talk about due to things going on behind the scenes. However, delays will no longer be an issue, and the project will now move forward at a steady, reasonable pace.

So where does Candied Hearts stand right now?

• I will be taking over Lakritz' route and finishing it up.  I'll also be taking the time making story/lore edits to it before sending it over to our editor.
• A GUI artist was brought on to revamp the GUI. They'll make an interface that fits with the game's aesthetic better AND improves upon readability, as multiple users reported having difficulty reading the game's text.
• Anna has been writing more of Reginald's route! I'm expecting to see that in his respective Google Doc this weekend.
• Aca is hard at work on new illustrations!

You'll be some of these changes and new content in the revamped demo!

Revamped Demo?!

Yep, you read that right! The demo is a need of an update (outside of me catching typos and us giving Reginald a face). So, what will this new demo entail?

• New GUI
• Small writing changes to the common route
• New illustrations (One of which you can see above!)
• Better cinematography (I learned a lot since Otome Jam 2023)

Funding? Why Do You Need Funding?

Once we started selling merch, it was prudent that I started paying everyone involved, even if I only sold a few charms because it was the right thing to do; if I make money, so should everyone else. So, I will be paying everyone out of my own pocket. However, I'll need help. Once I finalize the number of lines for the VAs, I'll be making goal on Ko-Fi, followed by a dev log that contains a full breakdown of how much is needed and where.

EDIT: In addition to the Ko-Fi goal, I'll also open up donations on the game page itself. Any money made here will also go towards paying the team.

Full disclosure, I will not be taking a cut of these funds. Instead, I'll  be looking into making income through monthly subscriptions on Ko-Fi and Patreon, where I'll post exclusive updates on the game for members.

Now, I want to say that if the game does not reach its funding goal, that does not mean the game will not be made. Like I said at the beginning of this devlog and at the start of this section: I am determined to release this project, and I am determined to pay everyone involved. It'll just take a while, that's all.

Will the game remain free?

Yes, the game will remain free!

Conclusion

That's all I have for y'all for now! In January, I should be able to release that dev log with the cost breakdown. Until then, y'all have a fantastic day and keep a smile on that face!