Opinions on guide? New mode, 16 free 4k wallpapers! (Guide now in discussions)

We're another month deeper into The Series Test and another month closer to the next phase being released! Which is great news, but I was hoping for a bit of feedback this month if anyone has time!

Going to break this up into three sections as there is three different subjects I'd like to talk about. Not really a necessary read, but I haven't done a monthly update in a while so here it goes.

First off, does anyone have any opinions about a guide?

Since the release of phase 3 I've received a few emails and comments about how to uncover the six (seven if you count Alei-yin's) true routes in the game. I always intended The Series Test to be a play as you go experience where you're never quite too sure of where your choices would lead you. That way you can try out different options and be surprised when you get the next outcome. Leaving mystery behind your choice... However, I can also see how it can be annoying trying to get down one specific route but missing it because of one wrong choice and then having to go back and do the same thing trying to figure out what went wrong.

So with this in mind, what are peoples opinions on making a guide? Do you feel like it would take the mystery and choice out of the game or would you rather have the option to sort of pre-pick your path?

I could either draw up a guide on steam, or implement on into the game itself. (This would be just a guide on how to get the true routes though. Just bullet points on what options to take and all story aspects would stay removed. I'll tell you how to get to the ending, just not what's in it.)

Secondly, on about player choice. I'm happy to announce the development of the Xiao Trails!

This will be an entirely new story (hopefully coming in phase 4 and for free. It won't be DLC) which is going to take The Series Test in a whole new direction! The test now is all centered around player choice and what you pick. So I figured, what would happen if you took that out? Well, you get the Xiao Trails!

You'll enter Series Shores again, but this time playing as a new volunteer, Alleyne Xiao. The difference with this mode is that the game will be completely random as you experience the complete meltdown of the test. The replicas will fly off the rails, things will go wrong, and you will have to survive.

This new mode will all be based off a random number generator. At the beginning of each phase the game will run a random generator, assign a value to each replica, and during the course of that phase the replica chosen will malfunction magnificently!! Only problem being, you'll never know what replica it is until it happens. It's The Series Test, but fully randomized!

There won't be any true routes in this mode, as the randomness would simply make getting to one near on impossible. How it will actually end is to be worked on.

Lastly, an update on phase 4 and the free wallpapers.

This time around I'm not going to overestimate my abilities and say the next update will be finished within a month, (hopefully two or three months max. Hopefully.) The addition of true routes has increased the work load, although it does add substantially more to each update. However to make up for this I am releasing free 4K wallpapers to my patreon every other Tuesday. There is no need to be a patreon either! It's simply the easiest way for me to offer you free extras Although I do release more adult orientated wallpapers for those who sign up. Patreon doesn't allow post involving nudity public.

Last week I uploaded 16 free 4k wallpapers, 3 of each character! Two weeks ago I released 6 wallpapers with Aiko's many different outfits. Grab them for free here!

So thank you everyone for being here, I appreciate you all and the support you give just by playing the game, enjoying my stories and letting me ramble on once a month. This month I finished off the aftermath of phase 3 and Freya's phase 4 route so i'll leave a quick glimpse of that below.

But yeah, thank you all!!