Update 25.04.08 changes:
- A sparkling note left of Ryen's bedroom triggers a lengthy scene. It appears when you use the fast travel system after you have Trey-f's wedding, Kayelinth in your party, the first encounter with Hellhound, the first meeting with Scarlett, and Grey-f as part of the female adventurer group.
- New event with Scarlett in act 2 of the time skip events. The trigger is a heart-shaped icon at the right side of Aldlyn. The event requires the scenes of Scarlett and f-Grey to be done.
- After the first dialog and CG scene with Scarlett, she can be recruited for your party in the new Thremten map of the time skip phase. She can be used everywhere in the time skip phase afterwards, but is removed from the party when you leave the time skip phase to go back to the "old" content. (And re-added to the party when you enter the time skip phase again later.)
- A follow-up event can be triggered in act 2 with an icon that appears at Old Ashton in Begus. It requires the initial events with Citrinne, and the events with training Jiliesh from Millwater. The event will unlock three more new party members, which can be used during the time skip events. Same as Scarlett, they'll disappear when you leave the time skip phase, and re-enter the group when you come back.
During the new events with Scarlett in the time skip phase, you encounter the criminal Pheloya. She won't get a CG scene or any big events, but in this poll you get to decide what her future shall be: https://strawpoll.com/6QnMQD0M7ne
- The entry to the skilltree menu was added to the in-game menu again. The icon on the fast travel screen didn't turn out to be very practical in the end, as there are too many situations where that screen is disabled. So, same as with the CG room, I put the option to enter the screen back into the menu, where it used to be.
- The skilltree screens were changed. You can now access all skilltrees from each page. So the pages of all side-characters are now accessible from the screens of the main party members.
- Since the CG room and skilltree use the old system with 12 party members and Ryen fix in party slot 1, Ryen is automatically moved to party slot 1 and locked when you enter those screens. When you use the exit button, the actor who was in slot 1 before entering the screens will get moved to that position again.
- The system changes made it possible to unlock Ryen as a fix party member in slot 1 for the time skip area. Which means more flexibility for party formations. However, he'll still remain fix in the "old" content, as his position in slot 1 is used in dozens of events, and can't quickly nor easily be changed anymore.
- The swap skill was updated to include the new party members.
The decision to make Ryen locked as party member 1 was done about 10 years ago, and is used in many places as a certain factor. In hindsight, there could've been better ways to do things, which would've allowed me to make a change earlier or easier. But I think that the time skip phase is a good place to start making the change, to allow the new content to be enjoyed without this restraint anymore.
- A few more additional party members for the time skip phase, like Lace and Hellhound, are planned for later.
- A small change was made to fix an issue with the nw.js file.