Hello everyone. Another month passed and I'm excited to share some more updates with you. First off, it does seem like things are running a little behind schedule, and I was not able to have the private beta ready for testers just yet. But I am feeling optimistic, as I've made some optimizations to my development process. Thus, I am still aiming to keep the free demo release and early access goal December 2021. Though subject to change, here's my current roadmap for the game's release:
It's been challenging and frustrating to have development affected by outside factors (such as my life), but I really hope that this schedule will persist. That aside, here are the things I've managed to complete this month, which are all related to the battle system overhaul:

New Command Handling

(Click here to view video in another tab) The battle ring menu has been replaced with a face-button menu that is much quicker and more intuitive to use. The classic and iconic Super Mario RPG was a key inspiration in its design and implementation. One of the major complaints from last year's demo was how cumbersome navigating through a list of commands was. By replacing the list with the face buttons instead, it eliminates several button presses to get to the desired action. So far in early testing, it feels very good to use.

Additional Speed Modulation

(Click here to view video in another tab) One of the unique features of the game's "Active Time Battle" is that you can fast-forward the battle speed at any time. This allows a slower default speed to allow easy adaptation to the system, while giving advanced players extra control without getting bored. Thus, it felt natural to add the reverse: an option to slow-down battle. This way, if it feels like things have become too overwhelming, a button press can give you a little more time to think without any disadvantage.

Pause Screen

(Click here to view video in another tab) Perhaps trivial, this feature has been much-needed since the beginning. Now you can take a breather and walk away to grab a much needed drink of water if battle becomes a bit too overwhelming!

Hold Mechanic

(Click here to view video in another tab) This one is a bit of a secret. I'll let a short gif do the explaining ;) But you'll have to wait for the demo to find out how it works! With these changes, battle is just about completed and ready for testing. There's just a few more UI and system adjustments left to be made. The delays and interruptions have been frustrating, but I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Next developers log should come with some visual updates! Thank you everyone, as always, for your patience and support as I continue development. -Jaiden (Originally posted on studioalemni.com)