Welcome to the final reboot of the infamous UNDER DREAM ISLAND: RIGGED VOTES. Over the last few months since its arrival, we've been carefully planning each and every aspect of its final iteration, from story to gameplay.

Why don't we start off simple?

Part 1: Basis

As of right now, you are staring at UNDER DREAM ISLAND: The Ballad of Firey Jr, which is the official name for the final era of Rigged Votes. If you look around the page, you'll find it was decorated quite nicely! Much better than when it was meant to be a joke.

The game has ended its canon streak and now serves as an actual fangame to Under Dream Island by @ribimaka , who is assisting development to this game.

Since it has been reduced to a fangame as per my own choice, I am able to go back to what I think was its prime: The J.S. era. If you are unaware of what the J.S. era is--it's basically when Rigged Votes was starting to get modernized but still primitive.

I believe it had its best ideas, from Firey Jr. throwing chairs at you to him using your own zappies against you. By revitalizing the J.S. era of this game, I get to finally visualize those ideas with the help of some wonderful people who've volunteered to help me finally put this game to fruition.

Part 2: Final team cast.

I'm proud to officially announce the final team cast who will bring The Ballad of Firey Jr to life.

Starting with the OWNER: me and @ribimaka , obviously.

Continuing down the roster we have:

PROGRAMMERS: Me, @Wik-the-dustbelief-guy

SPRITERS/ARTISTS: @dELTA_valory , @ribimaka

MUSICIANS: Me, @malkmalk

WRITERS/IDEA CREATORS: @Looneth , @QuinUT , @ribimaka , @dELTA_valory

Some team members are Team Hedge veterans, others are names you might recognize! Each and every member was selected very carefully to make sure this game goes PERFECT.

After all, people do say you need to go out with a bang.

Part 3: What we have so far.

In the last few months, we've planned out nearly the entire game and its content, and we already have a handful of assets and the entire OST almost ready!

Coding progress is not fully available at the moment, as I've spent a good chunk of time deciding on what engine to use. As Godot is severely lacking in shaders I require and I know no one that can make them, I'm doing the entire game in Clickteam, which is why Wik is a co-programmer!

We still have yet to do any programming as the engine is 90% complete, but I promise that when it's done we'll lock in like we've never locked in before! My main goal is to have the Firey Encounter done before the end of the year.

We still have things we can show you, though!

Part 3.1: The soundtrack.

https://soundcloud.com/severe_voting_mistake/sets/the-ballad-of-firey-jr-disc-1

https://soundcloud.com/severe_voting_mistake/sets/the-ballad-of-firey-jr-disc-2

Every track from the original J.S. era has been given a much-needed revitalization, meaning you get to hear the glory of FLAMING VENGEANCE, the bitter rage of ALGEBRAIC DIVISION, the supremacy of IGNITION, and the conclusion with BRIGHTEST.

Don't think DUST MODE was forgotten--I've taken the liberty of merging it with the DUST MODE of later eras, meaning the form of Doom Era 1's DELETED SCENES will survive the new era transformation!

Part 3.2: The artwork!

MAKA and Delta have been hard at work making sure the new Rigged Votes shows you its very best for it's final Big Bang.

Starting off, check out the new Firey Jr. sprites done by @dELTA_valory ! Personally, these are my favorite Rigged Votes sprites. (And they kind of make me start to like Firey Jr. a little again.)

Next up, the official Firey Jr. renders for the game, done by none other than @ribimaka themselves!

These are done for Normal and Dust Mode respectively, and you'll actually be seeing them in-game! I'm aiming to have the game a little more decorative since this is the last time I'm going the extra mile for this little brat. putting my passion into this AU. (For the good of my mental health, naturally.)

Part 3.3: The writing.

The game is around 30% done writing-wise, but our ideas are all there, so technically we're like already done...we just need to flesh our ideas into actual in-game situations.

I'm willing to show a portion of the intro...and it has a good surprise too.

That's right, Four and X are long gone, with a good replacement standing before them. One feels more ominous as a Chara role, and they technically have the power to "Reset" using Yoylite...which she'll use to set the events of "THE BALLAD OF FIREY JR." into motion.

As for the Frisk replacement...you'll just have to check the Under Dream Island page in some time.

Alright, I'm out of cool shit to show.

Part 4: Conclusion.

I'm so happy to finally feel passion for this AU again after so long, it feels like the inner PlainBoi in me finally came back out! (Let's just hope he doesn't take control...because he was and still is a huge bitch.)

...Oop. I may have forgotten something to show off, haha! Excuse me for one second.

Part 3.4: Official Battle Mockup!

While I have zero actual coding progress right now, I hope this mockup can satisfy in its place. As you can see, huge changes have been made to what was once originally the J.S. era UI, now restructured for 2025.

The Firey Jr. sprite used in this mockup is actually an older version of the Phase 1 sprite before it got cleaned up. (Make use of that information how you will.)

Part 4.5: Actual conclusion.

Now back to where I was--I can't wait to finally put my real passion and heart into this game, and make it come out as its best self.

The only reason Doom Era was so shitty when it came out was because I was too scared to put actual passion into it in the fear that it'd get leaked, (and it kinda did...) which in turn resulted in me hesitating to put more details into the inner workings of the older game.

But now? Things have changed, and I finally feel safe and open enough to go back where things were!

I'd like to thank my team members for inspiring me to dig this game out of its grave one last time. I promise, one way or another, you won't regret it.

Thanks for reading!