Hello RMN,

Wall-o-text be here. Also, special thanks to whoever approved this game.

It has been almost three weeks since I've started work on Oculus, and I can say that a lot has been done in terms of filling up the database and acquiring the needed resources. My initial thoughts going into this project were mainly focused around exploration and character interactions with the world, specifically their squad-mates. I want everything to be an interactive. From barrels, to decorations on the wall, to wooden dressers. I also want the player to want to explore, which can be a tricky thing to accomplish. To entice you to explore, I've made almost every interactive object offer some sort of reward, though it may not be material stuff. It might be a sick reference or a funny line of dialogue. Regardless, you should have fun exploring. Furthermore, nearly every interactive object is easily noticeable. Nothing's hidden, except for Easter eggs. And that's just while you're walking around cities, outposts, laboratories. In space, you can explore the galaxy freely using the Ulysses. There aren't any restrictions where you can/can't go, but some planets may be unavailable. These will become unlocked as you progress through the story.

The other thing I wanted to focus on was interacting with crew members. One of my favorite experiences with the Mass Effect series were the chats you could have with your squad-mates. They kept up with the recent happenings, even if they didn't follow you into battle. I'm not proposing that I'm going, or even can for that matter, to write thousands of extra lines of dialogue for the aftermath of each mission, but for the most part, your crew will know what's happening around them. They will also offer you their opinions on decisions you've recently made. I'm also considering possible romance options for the main protagonist. Currently, two viable options come to mind. Beyond that, developing a closer relationship with a crew member will open up their side-plot. Each member of the Ulysses (Miranda, Sam, Hire, Echelon, and Icarus) has one that you can complete, earning bonuses for both them and yourself. The story won't be affected by doing their missions, just for the sake of saving time. They will comment on it, but it won't really change anything in regard to the main storyline. I'm just one man; have mercy.

The third thing I want to talk about are my plans for the future. Oculus will be episodic, and you can expect the first episode soon. Beyond that, I'm not sure where I plan to take the story. It's not entirely mapped out in my head, beginning to end. I did sit down and write up an extensive outline for the first episode, and I do plan to do that for each one. Hopefully that'll be enough to avoid inconsistencies and plot holes. If not, I'll patch 'em.

To summarize: I'm focusing mainly on exploration and building relations with squad-mates for now. I'll keep working on the direction of the story and will update you about its progress later.

Drachen out.

See what I did there? I made a Mass Effect reference. Leave a comment if you know who I'm referring to.