Defending Lydia Collier Development Log

Hello everybody!

I hope you all enjoyed the last update!

Just to let you know, I'm currently working on several improvements to Defending Lydia Collier that will make it a much better game, while also providing tools to integrate these features into future projects right away.

Coding

I don't have many previews since 99% of my work has been on the code.

I've finally tackled the long-put-off task of fixing the computer head-on, replacing thousands (probably tens of thousands) of lines of code.

I now have two fully functioning news websites, filterable by journalist and date. This lets you easily view the day's new stories or, when meeting a journalist, check all her articles to investigate her activities without manual scrolling.

This was tougher than just building a news site, as I had to sift through a dozen updates' worth of layered code, recover old data, and edit pictures to preserve everything.

You might have noticed the new computer lacked older articles, limiting reading beyond a certain point—now it includes everything, plus articles I'd skipped from recent updates due to the mess.

For those unaware, I lack a coding background, so I'd learn a bit, then force-fit it to my needs—like hammering a square peg into a circular hole.

In the past, I'd code one news article with my limited knowledge, then copy-paste and tweak for the next. Images were pre-made in Photoshop with text, requiring 3+ per article, which took ages.

It wasn't bad at first with just 10 articles (handling 10 code groups and 30 images, adding variables in multiple places), but after many updates, it became a mess of technical debt—dozens of articles across thousands of lines. Simple changes, like shifting text 2 pixels left or fixing a headline typo, meant manually editing every article or image, repositioning based on length, and updating folders.

Now, the sites are properly built. I input a headline, date, journalist name, and article, add the ID to a single list, and it's done—no copying, no scattering variables (reducing bugs). All old articles are converted and working.

A template handles layout, so edits require changing just the template or article. Bugs are minimal; troubleshooting involves a handful of variables, not hundreds of articles.

Adding new articles now takes minutes (after prepping images/content) versus 20+ before.

Why bother? It's key to the story, with useful info that was painful to access—now it's easy. I enjoy exploring in-game lore like Fallout 3 terminals or Mass Effect's Shadow Broker emails, and wanted something similar. I've always aimed for more "game" elements beyond choice-based VN, and this fits my limits.

For future projects, this code provides a ready-to-use news website with minimal tweaks.

That's complete now.

Next, I'm fixing "Our Moments" (the game's Instagram), with its many images, to make it viewable from the PC. Once done, it'll be reusable for future projects.

The Radio

I've also redone the car radio.

It was a single long audio track—randomized start points, but always the same order, and hard to edit beyond appending tracks.

Now, I've added new adverts and tracks; it functions like a real radio, randomly pulling songs, inserting ad breaks with custom spots, then more music.

I've long wanted a GTA-style radio, especially given the cost of the custom audio—now it's here.

This should enhance the game's long car scenes, and provides a Ren'Py radio system for future projects.

Character Reports

Previously, only some characters gave reports via mission screens; many didn't.

Now, everyone provides a report, adding immersion beyond just button-clicking to advance the story.

These arrive in your emails (which I've redone); no separate screen anymore.

The Mission Screens

I considered removing this but kept it, recoding it properly to eliminate past bugs when selecting characters.

In-Game Walkthrough

It's 99% done; I'm just integrating it with mission selections for optimal results. It uses my fixed character selection screen instead of default Ren'Py menus (now working everywhere).

I'm considering an overlay or icon to highlight the best character if walkthrough is on, plus a separate icon for rescuing Tanya.

That's what I've been up to—thousands of lines changed, making me feel like a real developer.

I've always wanted a story-heavy game, and fixing the computer was essential to finish, especially with the finale near and endings tied to missions.

Sorry if anyone dislikes the time spent, but it's necessary for completion.

This will all be in v0.17.1, hopefully done this month.

Knowing a "coding and story" update might not excite everyone, I'll post a poll this weekend for supporters on cut scenes from v0.17—the winner gets added to v0.17.1 for new content.

I'll also beta-test the computer once ready (while working on the scene), so anyone can try and break it.

Thanks for all the new and continued support!

WP