It’s snowing outside. People sit in cozy chairs, surrounded by their loved ones. The spirit of the holiday is in the air, it has removed the recent feeling of fatigue and anxiety. Finally you can take your time and enjoy the moment before another year is left behind. And all that means…

… it’s time for a New Year’s post!! Today we have self-reflection, a LOT of self-reflection on the past year, it was a busy one, so we can afford it, and expressing modest hopes for the next one. I hope you have a free minute for reading (you can skip the middle section and go straight to the credits and conclusion -- you’ll find plans for the project there).

Grab your cup of tea, hot chocolate or something lite and have a good reading! ✨

✨What a year it’s been for me ✨

It would be a huge understatement to say that this year has been something... something for me. It was full of difficulties (which I now realise were just challenges to grow), gains (mainly new people) and much more. It was not simpler than the previous one, but much brighter. I think in a nutshell I could describe this year as a "year of growth" ‘cause when I look back at the person I was in the beginning and the person I am standing on the threshold of the new one, something inside of me feels changed. It's still me, as UnderTale likes to remind us, but at the same time something has changed that is hard to express.

After all, this year has opened up new opportunities for me, from being part of the first Doctor Who fan convention in November to getting into UnderEvent. The latter I'd like to elaborate on.

✨The year for DoctorTale, UnderEvent etc.✨

2023’s been a fairly quiet year for the game (although it would seem quieter with no news). I spent one half of the year preparing for the script submission, which will have to be postponed again, so I didn't write much here (I doubt most of you'll be interested in page progress 😅), and the other half of the year preparing a teaser-trailer for the UnderEvent with a small promotin for all December by posting small BBC-style teasers. But how did DT end up at this event in the first place?

Everything started at the end of April. On one of the usual days, the director of the event Rusty suddenly wrote to me with an offer that was hard to refuse: it turns out he had been looking at our project for a long time and this year there was a place for us. I've been following the event since its first year, so this news hit hard. Of course I agreed without delay!!! There was only one problem, though -- there was no visual part of the project for the first half of the year, and we needed to show something. However, Ksan and I were ready to work "overtime" to appear at this event -- it was an important step, because after many years of silence, it would both draw attention to the project and, in theory, help with finding people for the team, which we really needed. That's how we landed ourselves a spot in the Special Mention category, and throughout the summer (with breaks for exams) we made a video, managing to find a musician MatthewNova -- his sound was the closest to what I wanted in DT, so hopefully you'll hear him in the main game.

Everything was ready for September, we just had to wait until December, but we had plenty things to do until then. First, in November, it was the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who. The plan was to congratulate you by 'gifting' the script, but the impending end of term prevented this (although many pages were written and the end was finally in sight). Then in December, two weeks before the event, I decided to stir up interest: to draw teasers, write a welcome post for all newcomers to GameJolt and do a couple of other things. It ended up in complete exhaustion and consequent illness, from which I'm still recovering to this day. In the end, I had to put all the developments on hold and enjoy the broadcast when the time came.

The moral is simple: don't take on too much or you'll snap.

The event itself went just fine -- even bigger and cooler than before! I'm just incredibly thrilled that DT was amongst other great projects and ended up looking good. The shouts of "IS THAT DOCTOR WHO????" in the comments were worth all the effort 🤣 And I just don't know how to put into words my gratitude to everyone who was there and who helped me before.

Or… maybe I do.

✨Closing credits✨

There’s been plenty of people I can thank for all the things they’ve done. Although they don’t read these devlogs, so I’ll say a short version of this part.

Alongside with my teammate and great friend Ksan, I’d like to thank @therustysfm and Octo, two amazing UnderEvent directors. Rusty believed in DT's potential and lent a helping hand when the project was in an uncertain state, giving it a second wind; Octo got us into the general broadcast and did a heroic deed by editing even when his health was failing. Hopefully the next two years will be even more wonderful for UE and it can get the attention from Toby himself -- he needs to see what a great fanbase he has. Thanks for showing the community at its best!

And, of course, all you dear companions! Thank you to each one of the 500 people sitting here and especially to those who read these posts, comment and wait for the release of the game. Your presence is very important and I never thought that this project could be important to so many people. Thank you.

And here's the teaser-trailer itself for you to enjoy! The channel version was supposed to contain an additional scene, but as I mentioned, that idea had to be shelved. However, I will try to revisit it or make something where I could use it.

✨What's next?✨

I am not a fan of making big wishes and grandiose plans (not really), because from experience they are all doomed to be postponed one way or another, but since we are on the threshold of a new year, why not allow yourself to sketch out a few thoughts?

Firstly, since there are so many of you and the project is entering a new stage, it is necessary to redesign the page on GameJolt -- this banner has been hanging for I don't remember how long, as well as the logo, so we'll change it during January.

Secondly, we need to find some people to join the team. This will happen a little later, after the first edits to the script, but it's time to start the engine of our 'TARDIS', and that's what I wish for the following year -- a great production of the project.

Thirdly, I hope that with the fulfilment of the second point, I will be able to visit you more often. This year has been rather poor on news and mostly uninformative, so I will try to show you progress at least once a month. For example, I can already tell you that there is a big news story planned for January and I just need to work hard to get you to it.

Fourthly, I want to take some time off. No, that doesn't mean hiatus, God forbid! Just a couple of days of doing nothing, so that I can regain my strength after November-December exhaustion. Although we all know very well that I'm only given the opportunity and I'll immediately rush to DT -- there's always something to do all the time. So expect me to be engaged in the script while you're reading this...

2023 was an interesting year. And I'm expecting some equally interesting events from the 24th. Unfortunately, not all of them will be good, but if there is one thing I've learnt over the past four years, it's that no year will be completely peaceful, but it is in our power to change our attitude towards it, finding light in all events and the opportunity to grow. I think that is what I wish for you.

Happy New Year and Merry Christmas to all, dear companions! Thank you for coming and staying here -- we have a grand adventure ahead of us and we're confidently on our way to it. Have a great weekend and see you soon ✨✨

OUTTERS, 2017-2023

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