The original plan was to release this update around now.
The truth is the second half of this update has ballooned in scope into a full revamp. Minor cutscene brush ups won't suffice any more.
RUBATO v1.3 will completely replace the final third of the game. This will be tighter and shorter. It will be completely redone. The only things that will be kept is the bosses and some of the level design. Additionally, the main character controller and gameplay is being brushed up. Every single area and subarea is also being improved to some degree too.
The "director's cut" update is now a revamp of the full game, from start to finish.
The release date and overview of this update will be announced once production of the update is complete. Additionally, it will have a much closer dual release with console.
If you've been holding off from playing the game, then you should just play it now. It might give you perspective onto why these things are being changed.
Why?
I'm not happy with the game. I feel like the intent didn't come through and I want to communicate that better. I feel the original released version of the game had too much positive feedback during testing and it obscured a lot of the flaws of the game in the final rush to release the game. I also have had a lot of time to reflect since release and it's given me good perspective on what's gone right and wrong
These changes come from self-introspection and the belief that the intent of the game has been muddied quite a bit. This isn't so much perfectionism, as much as I want to set things right. The final result will still have its own flaws (as does any game), but hopefully the point will get through better
So, is this final form of RUBATO an uncompromised "true vision" of the game? I'm not sure.
In the production of games (and creative work in general), ideas change naturally. The final result is created from the weaving and shifting of ideas and concepts. As players, it's easy to perceive the final result of a creative work with alternate/previous versions as a concrete thing that had to change due to outside influences when in truth... This is the creative process. All works in progress are fluid.
To me, RUBATO is an incomplete work. I want to develop it further closer to what I know it should be. As oxymoronic as this sounds, I'm glad it released as it did!
This update was never originally planned. I just feel uncomfortable leaving the game in the state it is. People who enjoy the current version of the game may even hate these changes further. People who didn't like it might not even care for these changes. This could tank the reputation of the game and make it worse, but I still I want to push on and give this game a nice farewell on my own terms. It's selfish and self-indulgent, but in my heart I know this is better than regretting the game for the rest of my life
But, can't you just put this energy into other games?
I want to make other games, but it will be a while before they come out. So RUBATO will be all I have as a released game for some time. I want to be at peace with it before localisation starts and before I move onto other work. If this is the only thing that represents my work, then I'd like to improve it
I want no regrets
After this update, I will finally stop production of RUBATO. There will be further work on localisation, but this is where feature additions and changes will stop. I plan on handing localisation programming over to Tiniest Turtles, who's a longtime friend and collaborator on the game
Other News
RUBATO V1.2 will come to console soon as "V1.2B". This patch will come to PC at the same time and will fix some minor bugs. Sorry for the wait!
The soundtrack will be available for streaming shortly.
Because of the amount of changes made to the game, a second volume of the soundtrack will be released in the future. This will come after the update
The original 1.1 and 1.2 versions will still be available on Steam as separate branches
Thank you for supporting the game and for your patience!