Later I will post here something.

A few hours ago, I received a long-awaited response from customer support. They apologized for the lengthy review and identified two issues with Deep Russian Depression that need to be addressed before submitting the game build for re-review. Valve Corporation takes financial matters seriously, and the first issue is that their employees don't fully understand the programming aspect of the current distribution and monetization system for user-generated content in Deep Russian Depression. The other issue is that the process of creating modifications is not as simple as advertised on the game's store page. A buyer may get the false impression that they're dealing with a visual novel constructor. Deep Russian Depression is not a constructor, as there's no special functionality within the application for creating modifications. Both claims are justified. Customer support doesn't oppose my innovative ideas, but they require a build where all the game's features are available for use within the application without any external interactions. Unfortunately, creating such a build in a short time is difficult considering my skills and the initial data. In order for the game to be released, the previously announced features will be adapted to Valve's requirements. The ability to create modifications based on Deep Russian Depression will remain unchanged, but it will reluctantly cease to be a key feature of the application, resulting in changes to the game's page on the Steam store in the near future. As before, users will be able to upload their additional stories, sprites, and backgrounds to the Workshop to share them with the community, but only on a non-commercial basis: monetizing such content through Steam will not be possible. The in-game store and Steam inventory will be temporarily disabled: in some project development scenarios, this functionality may be useful in the future. Once all necessary changes have been made, I will request a re-review of the game build. Considering that the last review took almost three months, the next one may be equally lengthy, although this is unlikely. I will definitely notify you of the results as soon as they become available. And I remind you: as before, DonationAlerts is available for anyone wishing to support the game's development.

April 1st, 2024, Monday:

I think everything will be fine, I just need to wait a little bit. They will write to me, I'm sure of it, I just need to wait a little longer. Wait. A little longer. Everything will be fine.

Launch the game on February 29, 2024, to unlock the "Bissextus" achievement in 2024. *** Bissextus is an ancient term for a leap year in the Roman calendar. The term comes from the Latin "bis sextus," which means "twice sixth day." A leap year adds an extra day to February to synchronize the calendar with the solar year. The concept of a leap year was introduced in Ancient Rome, where an extra day was added every fourth year to compensate for the extra six hours in the year that were not accounted for in the regular 365-day calendar. This allowed for consistency between the calendar and the seasons. Today, the concept of a leap year is widely used in the Gregorian calendar, which we currently use. It mandates the introduction of a leap day if the year is evenly divisible by 4, except for years that are evenly divisible by 100 but not by 400. This complex algorithm ensures precise alignment of the calendar with the duration of the solar year. In the modern world, a leap year is important for maintaining order in our time measurement. Without it, dates would quickly become misaligned, and our calendars and clocks would be out of sync with natural cycles. Thus, while the term "bissextus" may sound archaic, its significance for our everyday lives remains undeniable. *** The next possible date to unlock this achievement is February 29, 2028.

I apologize, but the game release has been postponed. We failed the Product Build Review on Steam, and the destiny of the game is uncertain for all of us. Please inform me clearly below this post if you want to get a copy of the game right now. I will personally send you a key, which will grant you a copy of the game and full access to it before the release. Also, I strongly recommend that you get for the achievement "Bissextus", which can be earned by launching the game only on February 29th of any possible year. Don't delay with this: you have only 142 hours from the publication of this post to get the key and the achievement. After that time, we will delete this text, and any opportunity to get the copy of the game before release will be lost.

Steam Next Fest Live Stream (#2). Join us!

Steam Next Fest Live Stream (#1). Join us!

Greetings! Apologies to each reader of this blog, as this part was supposed to be out in the summer of 2023. Unfortunately, at that time, I forgot to publish this on time, and there wasn't much to say. I must mention a reader who became concerned when I stopped communicating. This reader is known to me under the nickname Puck, and for their vigilance, they have earned my respect and a mention in the last edition of this blog. Yes, this is the final part of this blog. As you may have noticed, the material from previous parts is no longer available for reading. In my opinion, this news format was initially a mistake as it forced me to find some words, sometimes unrelated to game development. From now on, all game news will be based not on the publish date but on the information I want to share. As of today, the game has attracted the attention of five thousand five hundred Steam users from around the world! The greatest interest in the game was shown by users from the USA and Russian Federation. Still, on the eve, an unknown user from the small European state of Andorra also learned about the game, after which he/she/it added it to his/her/its "Wishlist". This small happening reminded me that on the Internet, we are not limited by distance or language, and that's wonderful! However, many of us are limited by weak financial situations and modest incomes. To ease this situation, I've decided: in each country, the game will cost approximately as much as one US dollar in the local currency. If you want to support the game for a larger amount, pay attention to the penultimate paragraph. I highly recommend testing the game's demo version during the Steam Next Fest: February 2024 Edition, which will take place from February 5 to 12, 2024. Everyone who adds our demo to their Steam library will receive a small souvenir in the main game. I'll be grateful for any feedback during the demo version testing. Perhaps during the festival, I will conduct one or two live streams where we can discuss my plans and your suggestions regarding the game. You can still immortalize your name in the game menu by making a donation and leaving a message for players and descendants: visit DonationAlerts to find out the details. All donated money will be used to buying a new PC to me. I could patiently wait for the game's release and receive money for sold copies, but currently, I can't receive payments from Valve, because Russian banks was banned in the SWIFT. Good luck!

Later.

Welcome to the new part of this blog. It is becoming more and more difficult to write the right words, because I have already wrote about the most important things. And yet, some people look forward to the first day of each month to see something new about Deep Russian Depression. From now, I prefer to be silent about new features in the game, because a lot of things may be changed before the release. In April, I worked on segmenting the code, which will make it easier to translate it into multiple languages in the future. Also, I am still correcting the main story, removing everything unnecessary and adding the necessary to improve the quality of the narration. Everyday I think about how I should advertise Deep Russian Depression. Given my modest advertising budget, several options popped into my mind. I may print out several hundred pamphlets and hand them out to teenagers hoping they will be interested. However, many modern teenagers never had Steam or personal computer, and somebody may misperceive why an adult strange man approaches unfamiliar children. I may print a lot of stickers and stick them all over the city, hoping that someone will search Deep Russian Depression in the Internet. This option is a little romantic, but not at all productive, alas. And now a little bit about personal. You may be happy for me I opened five Anubis Collection Package in the game Counter-Strike, which resulted in me dropping an expensive item M4A4 | Eye of Horus, which has been sold by me for near 666 USD. I do not advise anyone to repeat something like this I just got lucky once. It's nice to see that the Deep Russian Depression statistics are growing every day. More and more people learn about this game, which will be released in February 2024. If you would like to support the development, you can donate your money through DonationAlerts. Also, feel free to comment my blog it's important for me to know what my readers think and don't forget to join the group chat of the game. The next part of this blog is in a month, as usual. If the next and all subsequent parts do not come out on time, then something terrible and irresistible has happened to me.

[strike]Greetings my readers! On this beautiful day, I have to inform you that the development of Deep Russian Depression has been temporarily suspended. I know some of you have been waiting for this game, but something is more bothering me than your waitings. For a year now, our guys, at the cost of their lives, have been defending the Russian people of Donbass from the encroachments of the Kyiv neo-Nazi regime, while soyboys like me sit on their asses and watch anime around the clock, masturbate and degrade. I am tired of such a shameful life, so I made a strong-willed decision: I am going to Donbass as a volunteer! I could sign a contract with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and receive some payments, but I consider such an approach to protecting the Motherland to be hypocrisy: a true patriot doesn't need handouts from the state in the form of money - he is not a mercenary, but a volunteer! The motto of a real Russian man is: help yourself by yourself! That is why I spent your donations on things useful for wartime: a flask, camouflage pants and NKVD knife. The next part of this blog won't be out soon. When the our army will be in Kyiv, I will have the opportunity to launch Steam and look at the statistics of Deep Russian Depression. I really hope that by that time there will be dozens of comments, thousands of people will add the game to wishlist and follow and also join the group chat of the game. And remember: everyone who donates money through DonationAlerts receive place in heaven.[/strike]

In February 2023, I finalized several important game systems. I believe that together they are able to make each walkthrough of Deep Russian Depression unique, encouraging the player not to delete the game after completing the first story. In this game, the characteristics of your character play the most important role their value determines how events will happens. There are six characteristics in the game. The starting values of the characteristics depend on which character archetype the player chooses. Archetypes are balanced among themselves: each of them has two good (high starting value), two normal (medium starting value) and two bad (low starting value) characteristics. You will never know the exact value of the characteristics of the character they are hidden and formed randomly at the beginning of the walkthrough. The only thing you know is the range in which the starting value of your characteristic lies: good, normal or bad. Sometimes during the main story, the game will start a random event from large pool of them. This events are small but variable plots that affect your character. Different results of the different events will give a different combinations of buffs and debuffs to your character, which will change the values of his characteristics. This means you may make your character stronger in several ways: cover your all weaknesses or become the best in some playstyle. There are dozens of random events in the pool already, but in the future there may be more than a hundred events in the pool. I conclude that the combination of random events seen by the player makes his walkthrough almost unique. It is also important to mention that the sequence of the same actions in different walkthroughs can give different results, because the starting characteristics value of the character are chosen randomly, which makes each walkthrough truly unique! And most importantly, noone will be able to calculate the correct sequence of their decisions using arithmetic. In Deep Russian Depression, as in real life, you will have to rely on luck and understanding what you and your opponents are like. To prevent the player from broke my gameplay idea, I have removed the ability to undo player's selections. Returning to the save before the choice are impossible the game will have only one save slot, in which the game will be saved automatically. It is also important to tell you about situation in Steam. Some users were unable to accept the change in visual style in favor of anime. At the beginning of February 2023, there were noticeable removals of the game from the Steam wishlists, but the situation has stabilized, and now the increase in wishing to purchase the game is much higher than the decrease. For those who don't like anime, I have an announcement: I and one good photographer are ready to make an alternative version of Deep Russian Depression in photorealism art style, but this will only happen if the main game gain recognition and commercial success. That is why I urge you not to delete, but to add the game to your wishlist, follow and join the group chat of the game. I'm sure that Deep Russian Depression will appeal to many people, but these many don't know about this game yet. I am grateful to the donators of this month: the amounts are small, but greatly simplify my life. If you have a philanthropic impulse, then here is a link to DonationAlerts. Thank you for your attention. Good luck!

Hello. Today I will not analyze the political and social news of the past month. Instead I will tell you about Deep Russian Depression. Deep Russian Depression is a paradoxical visual novel. The paradox is that the game follows the canons of the genre, but does it slightly unusual. Let me explain everything so that you don't have any misconceptions about this game. Nowaday screenshots in the Steam Store don't match what you will see inside the app. If you are waiting for photorealism art style, I will upset you: Deep Russian Depression is an anime that is generated by Stable Diffusion. Don't make hasty conclusions: I select only those images that correspond to the general style of the game. After that I edit them and get a decent result. Since the visual part is still in development, I don't post new screenshots because a lot may still change. The aspect ratio of the game screen is 4 by 3 and no other options are provided. Music for the game is not ready yet. If suddenly will appeared something that can create a soundtrack with a correct mood, I will try to use it. If not, I will have to use musical skills of my closed buddies. The only thing I will never do with someone else's help is a text. My questionable writing style may be (God forgive me) questionable, but not everyone can write essay for 100/100 result in entering exam in academy and get the 1-st place in literature competition Golden Pen in the nomination Let Me Argue. Deep Russian Depression is a semi-commercial project. First of all, I do it to realize my own ambitions in creativity, but I will not refuse to earn money. That's why the game won't be free, but will cost the lowest possible price in the Steam Store. Don't wait for game keys or retail versions. The only way to get the game in future is purchase in Steam Store. Whoever you are: streamer, collector, donator, ordinary player we are all equal in front of Deep Russian Depression! Finally, I would like to send my respect for everyone who is actively involved in the life of this community. Any contribution motivates me to work harder and more efficiently! I am especially grateful to three donators of this month your contribution was very appropriate. I hope after my explanations about the game, you have made a decision: wait for this game or not. And if you're waiting, see you in the next part of this blog!

2022 has come to an end. I would like to believe that the worst is over, but it is not, of course. Forecasts are beginning to come true: at the end of December, in the lower house of the Russian parliament began active talk about reprisals against "traitors" who had left the country last months. Soon they may start to look for "traitors" inside the country. The criteria will be set by the local authorities: they will punish everyone objectionable and that will be an intelligible message to "not yet traitors". Pessimistic scenario. I don't deny that they will come for me too. If this blog stops updating, then consider that I died and Deep Russian Depression will not be released. Last time I promised to announce the planned release date of the game. I plan to release the game on February 24, 2024 (02/24/2024) this will be the second anniversary of the day of the Russian Federation shame and moral plummeting. The release of the game in that date has another advantage: Deep Russian Depression will be appear at the Steam Next Fest in February 2024, where everyone can try out the demo version of the game. There is a link to DonationAlerts for all who want to support the development of the game. Fundraising details in part #3. As before, I invite you to join the group chat of the game. Happy New Year.

Hello again. In this cold and dark time of the year, I want to share my thoughts so badly about happens with me and around me. For a start, I would like to thank six amazing readers of this blog for completing my request and joining the group chat of the game. There are links to their Steam profiles in the above words. Let everyone know the names of these worthy people! As expected, winter in Siberia begins in November, bringing cold and darkness with it. And this year, after a short walk at an air temperature of -28 C (-18,4 F), I got understanding about the total powerlessness of human in front of nature, especially now. Somebody will object to me because there is an opinion that humanity has been adapted to the cold climate by building many cities throughout Siberia and all over the world. However, outside heated rooms, an unprepared person, as before, is powerless against the cold and his chances of survival tend to zero. But why does this question bother me right now? I think it is not necessary to explain that the "second wave of mobilization" is extremely likely to happen and may begin very soon. Now the government has the experience of holding such events and it will not make past mistakes. After the official announcement of the "second wave", Russians will not have a chance to leave the country easy. Now is the time to buy a ticket if there are opportunity and desire. Some of my buddies left the coutry already: one is somewhere in Kazakhstan and the other came to the United Arab Emirates, got a job and received the status of a resident. But what about Russians who cannot leave the country for any reason? Here my anxiety about powerlessness before nature finds justification, because in wintertime it is not be possible to hide from the crime mobilisation somewhere in a country house or in a tent in the forest. In the case of round-ups at my place of residence, I have critical problems: I have nowhere to go (except for the military registration and enlistment office) and no one is waiting for me (except for the military commissar)! An unpleasant situation became worse by a completly stop of personal income. My main activity for making cash (brickselling) is temporarily suspended because there are no demand during wintertime. And now I have to look for a new ways to get money for live. That's why I am opening a fundraiser to support the developer of Deep Russian Depression. The only resource I need for a successful release is time and I will have enough of it if I am not concerned with finding money to pay for the Internet and cat food. There is a link to DonationAlerts for all concerned people. A top-list of donators are already created in Deep Russian Depression app. By the way, the release date of the game is already chosen and I will announce it in the next issue of this blog with some extra information. Take care!

A month passed since the last publish in this blog. Despite all the absurdity of what is happening in Russian Federation, my October 2022 was very dull and ordinary. That's why I managed to abstract and continue the active development of the Deep Russian Depression. I recommend you to join the game's group chat, where I will post important information about the game before anyone else. And I also wish everyone a Happy Halloween! Among the common Russians, this date is despised (along with human rights, morality and common sense), but I don't care about their opinion not at all. That's why I traditionally tasted some gummy worms and made a thematic photo. Do you celebrate Halloween? What did you dressed up this year? Write in the comments, I'm very curious! https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2882538229

In the second half of September 2022, the Russian Federation moved to the next logical stage of its criminal campaign: president Putin announced the mobilization to continue the war in Ukraine. During seven months of illegal stay on the territory of independent Ukraine, the Russian Federation wasn't able to achieve what was planned to be done in three days. And when Russian Federation has run out of contract soldiers and mercenaries from prisons, president Putin has decided to use the Russian civilians for his own insidious purposes. Many unenlightened Russians have already submitted to his will: hundreds of thousands of men aged 18 to 60 have already been sent or are preparing to be sent to the occupied territories of Ukraine. Judging by the videos from the Internet, these people are completely unsuitable for combat operations. Everyone understands that an inglorious death awaits the mobilized Russians, but this doesn't frighten them, because there are no prospects and hope in their lives. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of Russians have already left the country, going to Georgia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Bus tickets were sold out, and air ticket prices could reach a million ruble price. Long queues lined up at the borders of those who decided to spontaneously move. Unfortunately, not every one of them left the territory of the Russian Federation, because the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation has taken measures to counter migration. Propaganda will proclaim everyone who crossed the border as cowards and traitors, but this is not so. They have much more determination than those who obediently accepted the criminal order to mobilize. Both will spend the rest of the year in a foreign land: some as refugees, others as occupiers. In the current situation, it is difficult to continue the development of the game, but it opens up a huge scope for the knowledge of what we call Deep Russian Depression. Autumn also contributes to this: gray sky, falling leaves, cold nights. I am in a warm and safety place right now, but I don't know what will happen to me before the end of the year. I may say for sure I will do everything possible to not become a participant in the immoral and senseless war. I will hide, listen to and be careful (my luck that I learned this). It might not be the best idea to reveal my plans here, so I won't go into details, but I promise I'll try to make decisions that I won't be ashamed of.