#hatboy ot release

[hatboyproject]

Lost Content

I originally recorded this on August 14th, 2022 in the final run up to submission. This is for the original build, not Legendary, and uses the old synths. Somehow, I bungled up the build, and this conversation I did never actually made it into the files on Nexus, which is a shame, because it's some of the nicest facial animation I've ever done. (Some of the head movements look a little strange to me, but remember, these are all animated blind, by looking at a graph!) Unfortunately, none of the backups that I work off of now have this in the files, and I'm on a completely different machine now than the one I developed the OT on. In fact, until I went scouring my private Discord server and found this recording, I thought I may have hallucinated doing this scene or something. But no, there's proof... it existed, but it's lost, now. I didn't post it at the time because silly me didn't want to spoil what I kind of considered "the emotional moneyshot" of the mod. Well, it was a secret too well kept, I'm afraid, turns out...

[hatboyproject]

First, you are a legend. Second, I have finally broken down and started playing thru the ME trilogy thanks to (a) my ability to take a sabbatical, and (b) a friend buying me the legendary edition, and (c) threats of violence from my loved ones should I not play it. I've finished ME2 and I am 100% not booting up ME3 if there's snowball's chance in hell that the LE version of your mod is dropping any time soon.

*sings* you're not our bitch and you're not a machine * I'm a fic writer, I expect nothing. And I know this stuff takes forever and I 1000% expect the answer to be 'no' but the only thing I am inquiring is whether there is an updated ETA for your mod. OR if you have need for a legendary edition beta tester. OR if I can send you cash money to help offset the time being spent on a labor of love. OR if I should say -f- it and get my hands on the original edition of ME3 so the hatboy mod you've already (gloriously) provided us, works.

Also thank you for giving me hope that I will get to play a Shoker option, which makes the most sense thematically and narratively and I am aghast at what bioware chose to do with Joker (and EDI, wtf). You're doing god's work.

Just this week, I got some of the updated synths I've been waiting for, but I'm still waiting on BroShep.

I am still working on HBLE, don't you worry! In between writing fic myself, doing a painting, and a playthrough of ME3 to refamiliarise myself with its pacing, I have been going in and putting some necessary setup stuff in place, which is all very boring and un-exciting and not really showcase-able. Big chunks of the structure have been built, but most of the audio work has to be done, still.

In the OT, a lot of work had been done before I had the ability to read a line to the synth myself and have it transpose the voice directly, which noticeably improves delivery. So much so that it is difficult to use a lot of the previous edition's takes. This has the knock-on effect of the line needing to be re-animated because, of course, the timings of everything are now different with the new audio. There are very few lines whose takes will not be re-done.

Fortunately, however, I have my lipsync automation tools, and I'm much better at animating now than when I started. So it takes a lot less time this go-around... but still time!

Sadly and wonderfully, this is a massive mod and is much more than just a straight port. If it was a straight port, it'd have been done already. I would apologise for that, but I like to think the end result will be worth it, haha!

I am adding new content this time, including an entire conversation about his sister that you can unlock by completing some vanilla dialogues.

I am so glad that you've been enjoying your time with Mass Effect and that my mod is on your list of things to do. In what I am sure is the most shocking statement of the century, I agree that Joker is the most thematically satisfying romance for Shepard. I can't wait to get it to you! I promise, I am doing my best and there's nobody who wants it in your hands more than me.

Regarding testing, it's not quite in a state where it can be tested just yet. A few conversations work (first convo, EDI body convo, EDI discussion, some ambients) but nothing else yet.

Regarding supporting me, I do have a Ko-Fi. You can find a link to it in the pinned post, and donations absolutely do help my creative efforts, and I go a little feral when I see someone has donated. But as always, I want to make it clear; The Hatboy Project is free and will never be gated in any way. Everyone gets the same release at the same time. All you have to do is own a legit copy of the game... Which you already do!

Excitement like yours helps keep me going. Thank you so much.

Edit: lmao my link is not in my pinned post lol rofl it's hatboyproject.ko-fi.com tho

[hatboyproject]

ORIGINAL TRILOGY VERSION RELEASED: Get it HERE LEGENDARY EDITION: IN PROGRESS

So, what's next? Well, I've got to port this over to the Legendary Edition, and I have more content planned for that. Things I couldn't do for the original because of technical limitations. So, don't think this is over just yet... I'm listening out for feedback on how this plays. I've tested it as much as I can myself, of course, but I'm eager to hear how others go with it. Lots more new stuff to come! I don't charge money for this, it's all made for free and everyone gets the same version. But if you'd like to buy me a coffee, you can! I won't say no! I could use the caffeine!

[hatboyproject]

mostly i was hoping for outfits! ten years and i still cant deal with having to look at the trash bag dress LMAO. thats good to know, thank you!!

The potato sack, or the scary bin liner?

I know exactly what you mean. Those ought to be fine, but I'll have a look to make sure.

[hatboyproject]

maybe a silly question, but when you say most mods are probably not compatible does that only apply to mods that affect dialogue/story? would ones for textures and whatnot be fine? (also while im here congrats on release and thank you for all your work!! this is SO impressive im still kind of in awe that its possible)

Hi, and thank you!

Installing something like ALOT or texture complexions, or armour for Shepard - these things should be fine. Things that modify the Bridge, CIC, Flux Bar, or the Presidium (specifically Phase 2) in any way, will conflict.

A notoriously conflict heavy file called "BioP_Nor" is also edited in my mod.

So, things like EGM will absolutely conflict.

What mods are you thinking of installing?

[hatboyproject]

No, I Just Have Something In My Eye

A nice still from animations testing today. We Shokerites won’t get a Beam Run goodbye... but we have a little moment on the Normandy, just before. A while ago, one of you fine readers asked me for an option to have Shepard tell Joker she’s always loved him. Well, here it is. Originally I just had him say one line here like, oh when it’s all over, I’ll be here. Or something. But... No, I could do better, so I am. I’m pulling out all the stops for this one, really trying to flex how well I understand the ME3 facial animation system. I wanna make it sing. I am sincere and brave enough to admit that I kinda got a little choked up seeing this bit of the conversation play out live ingame. As you might know, I directly manipulate FemShep’s vocal synth with my own voice, now - so to get that line, I performed it, and then listened to my voice filtered through the synth’s... and then saw it happen in context and it was kinda... powerful for me, I guess. It’s... a weird feeling, because like... It’s the line she’d say, it’s very in character, it’s what I wrote, it’s in keeping with the kind of stuff she says to other LIs. But, this line is definitely more than just Shepard saying this, is all I’m gonna say. I mean to be fair, the entire mod is more than just Shepard saying this. This entire thing is a love letter to the characters and the community. I’m feeling some kinda way about all this because I have worked on this almost every day since September 2020 and it’s finally here.

Okay sappy cringe over

🚨 🚨 HATBOY OT RELEASE IS ON MONDAY. 🚨 🚨

BATTLESTATIONS -- THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

[hatboyproject]

You may have answered this elsewhere, but if you plan on publishing the OT Joker mod this month by nixing ending content and then port everything to LE afterwards: do you plan on updating the OT mod with content not included in the original release until it's fully fleshed out, on including extra content in the LE mod (not counting allowing for an MShep romance) that won't be in the OT version, or leaving both mods as-is once OT releases?

Hi!

OT is only going to be released the once, and any updates to it are going to be bug fixes (and even then, only major bug fixes.) It's best to think of it like an open alpha.

Some of the stuff I plan to do for LE just literally isn't possible to backport to OT. LE has a whole bunch of stuff to make modders' lives easier, and there are developments such as being able to put in new soundbanks that simply cannot be done on OT. That's huge in terms of what I do.

My aim with LE is to have it be completely non-destructive on install. As in, you can have it installed and it will never interfere with any other romance paths. It'll simply be another option. A player could end an existing relationship to go for Joker, etc.

This isn't the case for HB OT. I've had to do stuff in hacky, dirty ways sometimes, in part because I was learning, in part because of having to work around OT limitations. In OT for example, there's no way for the player to turn down going to bonetown in the love scene, because I had to hijack the no-romance scene to inject my content. In LE, Joker has his own romance framework that was built specifically for me to use, and this will not be a problem.

Some big LE mods (like AHEM, & EGM) have some content specifically built to support Hatboy LE right out of the gate!

The userbase has simply moved on to LE. There are always going to be those who only play on OT for whatever reason, and so this operational OT version will be there for them. I promised I would still release an OT version and I will; I've kept developing OT for a full year after LE released.

I will test it first and ensure it's the best version I know how to make it be, but the OT release is the one and only release it's going to see. I will ask for 2 dedicated OT users to start testing this thing in the next few days.