BUILD 12: Open World Foundations 🌸

This is a Major Update with big improvements to the game’s direction.

⚠️ New Game Required! You will need to start a new game for the best experience. Old saves may still load, but are not recommended. Sorry for the inconvenience, this should be the first and last time a restart is needed going forward.

🌍 New Direction & Vision

• The game is now moving toward a larger open-world experience

• New Gym system planned: battle and earn badges

• Each Gym will focus on specific Japanese learning themes (hiragana, katakana, kanji, etc.)

• NPCs are now central to the world and story (not just static). In future updates they will take actions and move to other maps based on your choices.

📖 Story Changes

• The old “scientist creating monsters” story has been removed

• New goal: → Learn Japanese → Earn money → Buy items & cards → Battle NPCs and Gym Leaders while doing quests in the open world

👉 This is just the beginning. Many more maps, systems, and features are coming. Thank you for your patience and feedback!

🎮 NEW CORE FEATURES

🧠 Two Game Modes (Choose at Start)

• Study Mode: Japanese + furigana + English support

• Immersion Mode: Mostly Japanese (no furigana/English)

Notes:

• School still shows English study help

• UI (menus, prompts, etc.) will evolve based on your mode over time

💬 Player Thought System (NEW)

• Your character now shows on-screen thoughts and responses

• Makes the world feel more alive

• May evolve later based on JLPT level + feedback

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 NPC Overhaul

• All-new NPCs + new art style

• Built for future expansion with different themes and stories

⚔️ GAMEPLAY & PROGRESSION

❤️ Stats & Growth Changes

• Start with 30 HP / 5 MP

• Gain +1 HP / +1 MP per level

• Skill Tree expanded for customization

🌳 New Skill Tree Options

• Costs 3 skill points:

  • +10 HP

  • +10 MP

  • +1000円 👉 Many more skills coming in future updates

🕒 Time System Added

• Time displayed on screen

• Sleeping in bed resets to 午前07:00 and restores HP/MP (with sleeping potion)

Time cycle:

• 04:00 → Dawn

• 06:00 → Day

• 19:00 → Dusk

• 20:00 → Night

⚔️ Combat

• Battle will now be vs Monsters and NPCs

• Expanded encounter design coming so that you can use your cards attacking more than 1 enemy, and night events

🛒 Trading System (Expanded)

• Castle trader now available 24/7

• Sell almost anything (gear, food, books, and things you crafted or don't need)

👉 Coming soon:

• More items (gear, potions)

• Ability to sell unwanted cards

📚 STUDY SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS

🎵 Music Room Rework

• Unlock songs by looking at the CD cover and price before purchase

• Planning:

  • Hundreds of study songs on different floors

  • Possible JLPT labeling

  • Quiz integration if needed

👉 Feedback welcome (Some requested a toggle furigana, meanings, etc. which I'll include)

📊 Study Scorecard Update

• Total study points now displayed

• Tracks total songs purchased

🎨 VISUAL & UI UPDATES

• New Main Menu + music

• Updated crafting UI & recipe art

• Huge icon overhaul (items, HUD, materials, etc.)

• Removed grey background from money display

• Main character size reduced (better visibility)

🛠️ ITEMS, CRAFTING & ECONOMY

🔨 New Craftable Items

• Pickaxe, Axe, Hammer (also sellable)

📦 New Items

• Steel

• Nails

• Experience Book (readable)

• Mana Mushrooms

💰 Economy Changes

• Item pricing revamped

• Almost all items are now sellable

🌉 World Changes

• Bridge repair / building now requires 4 nails

🌱 Farming (TEMPORARILY REMOVED)

• Growing grapes and carrots temporarily removed as I'd like to make a new better farming system with seeds. 👉 Will return later as a larger, more complete update

🎴 CARD ART (IMPORTANT NOTE)

• Current card art is placeholder/minimal

• Looking for a professional artist

• Will improve and refine over time

👉 This will be a big visual upgrade in future updates

🔧 FIXES & POLISH

• Fixed rare crash (Alt+Tab during crafting/inventory)

• Improved item descriptions

• General art fixes (more coming)

🔊 SMALL IMPROVEMENTS

• More / improved sound effects

• Controls moved to classroom start location

🚀 WHAT’S NEXT?

This update lays the foundation for a much bigger game.

Planned / in-progress:

• More Gyms & badges

• More NPC stories

• More skills & builds

• More items, crafting, and trading depth

• Study system expansions (songs, quizzes, JLPT scaling)

• Full farming system overhaul

• Card art upgrade with a professional artist

• And many more...

👉 If you’re enjoying the updates, please consider leaving a review. it really helps support the game. You can share your feedback on the Steam review page, in the discussion forums, or on Discord (all linked in the game menu).

I'll see you in the next update!

よろしくお願いします

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