Research Blog

This build is primarily a bug fix build, as well as being a public release of the non-story chapter content thus far.  For public players, this is the first release of weight/height/panda/normal dragon tfs, the shop system, and chapter skip system.

• Wrote foxgirl victory sex
• Fixed bug that would cause screen to get stuck if item/enemy name changed while it was being looked at
• Fixed bug where panda tf would cause dragon tf descriptions
• Fixed bug where defeating naga would cause crash
• Added panda necklace to the tf shop
• Game text XML organization improved
• Indicate where end of story content is for public build
• Bamboo is now one-use only (like the other tf items)
• Cleaned up some old room descriptions
• Fixed *** COULD NOT LOAD TEXT: NIXIEBOSS_PLAYER_DEFEAT ***
• Fixed *** COULD NOT LOAD TEXT: NIXIEBOSS_LUST_OK ***
• Fixed else-if statements not being parsed correctly (was especially visible in naga queen victory text).

r10 materials are now uploaded to the employee portal.

• Shop System added.  There are seven shops currently, each with their own selection of goods.
  • Some goods are available for purchase immediately.  Other goods must be unlocked by finding them in the world first.  The shopkeeper will give you a hint on how to unlock the item.
  • Shops use a new/different navigation system then inventory does.  This seems easier to use, and may replace inventory’s nav system.
  • NOTE:  Some shop items are unlocked by defeating the enemies in the Dragon Temple.  Unfortunately, the enemies in there don’t respawn and there’s currently no way to get back in there after you leave.  In future, these items will either be assigned to different enemies, or there will be a way to re-run the dragon temple dungeon again.
• Normal anthro dragon TF added.  You unlock the Dragon Gem in the TF shop once you have defeated the Dragon Temple.  Transforms you into a normal anthro dragon (doesn’t affect gender or eggs).  Unlike the Dragon Queen, normal dragons have a hideable tail and wings, so they can blend in better / escape the Underworld when needed.
• Fixed infinite-death loop where if you were cow TF’ed outside the farm, you’d never be able to reach the farm in time to be milked before dying a milk death.  (Cows now respawn in the farm if they have no way to milk themselves)

Dear Researchers,

Here are the tentative plans for the upcoming r10 & r11 materials release:

r10 will be another private build, and will properly introduce Shops into the game so you have a place to spend the cash you earn in-game.  Each item will need to be found in the world before it unlocks in the shop, but you’ll be able to get a quick hint for each item from the respective shop keeper.  Multiple different shops are planned, each carrying a particular category of item.

The navigation for the shop is a little different than inventory navigation, but it should be easier to use.  Inventory may get redone to use this new nav system if the research team likes it better.

After that, r11 is planned to be a public build.  It will not include the cowgirl chapter, but it will include the item shops, height & weight systems, and panda TFs.

This chapter begins right after the Nixie story arc ends.  As you’re leaving the Dragon Temple, you realize that even though you’re no longer a Dragon Queen, you’re still stuck in The Underworld due to your unhideable dragon wings and tail.  A shadowy figure appears and claims to have a solution.  Who are the VCiV organization, and what do they want?

Soon you’re off to infiltrate The Farm, a new dungeon filled with Cowgirls.  But the resident minotaur overseeing the farm has his own plans, and you end up getting trapped there yourself — you are transformed into a cowgirl, complete with massive breasts and a heaving udder.  As you explore the farm as its newest member, your body will constantly produce prodigious  quantities of milk.  Due to your new hoof hands, you’ll be forced to seek out others who can milk you, all while trying to find an escape route and defending yourself from the other lustful cowgirls and the part-horse farm hands.  Will you be able to escape the farm, or will you succumb to the pleasures of your milky new life?

Along the way, you’ll learn a bit about SkyCorp’s shadowy past and meet seven new characters.  This is by far the largest chapter yet, with more than 10,000 words and multiple scripted sequences.  If you’ve played before, the new Chapter Skip feature lets you get right to the new content.  Two different endings are available as you escape the farm, which will affect your standings with SkyCorp or VCiV in future events.

As this is a story chapter outside the Nixie story arc, it will only ever be available to private build supporters.  Play it now on the Private Builds page!

Based on feedback and to hopefully reduce confusion around public build content vs private build content, I’m adjusting the labeling of public/private builds and introducing the concept of ‘Chapters.’

Chapter Content

The game has always been organized around logical chunks of content, primarily experienced through a linear story.  For instance the Dragon Queen TF system and the Dragon Temple dungeon interact with each other heavily and are introduced as part of the same story.

Going forward, we’re going to adapt a book analogy, with most new content being part of a specific chapter.  These chapters will each advance the ongoing story of The Underworld.  So far, there are three chapters that have been released (a breakdown is now posted here).

The public build includes the first three chapters of the game — this corresponds nicely to Nixie’s story arc and lets players experience a logical beginning, middle, and end of a story.  To make it clear what content is included, the public build is now tentatively subtitled ‘Nixie’s Story’ on the download page.

Additional story chapters are planned covering other the stories of other denizens of The Underworld.  These chapters will be available to private build backers only.  To differentiate this content, the private build is being tentatively subtitled ‘The Underworld Anthology.’  The upcoming fourth chapter, Cowgirl Farm, will only be available as part of the private build.  Except for the first three chapters, all other chapter-specific transformations, dungeons, and monsters will only be available in the private build.

System & Misc Content

Some features, transformations, or enemies may be added (ie, the weight TF system), that affect the entire game or just don’t belong in any specific chapter.  These will always be introduced in the private build first, and on a case-by-case basis may make it into the public build later on.

In this case, the weight TF system is planned for a public release.