Sable's Grimoire news & patch notes

Version 1.09.2 is a minor update required for Sable's Grimoire to become Steam Deck verified. It adjusts a few things related to controllers, but otherwise doesn't alter the game. If you encounter any issues with the new build, please report it either on this announcement or on the bug reporting thread. If that happens, you can switch to the "oldstable" beta to run the previous build of this game in the interim.

The store page for Sable's Grimoire 2 is now live! You can find the announcement and store page here: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2702740/view/3879352246605340243

Minor update with the following changes:

• Fix for one of the terminal cast images not showing
• Fixed pause button on the music player
• MacOS cloud saves now sync with Windows and Linux

Hotfix for an issue some Steam Decks have with Renpy games which would cause the game to randomly freeze up for a minute

At last, it's time for the After Story update. This is the final planned content update for Sable's Grimoire, and it sets the scene for Sable's Grimoire 2. After Story can be accessed from the main menu. It doesn't require you to have finished the game first. However, it does warn you about spoilers and the like when you click on the After Story button, just in case you haven't already finished all of the routes you plan to play. Aside from the After Story content, this update also includes the following changes:

• added logo for Sable's Grimoire 2 (shown in the After Story prompt)
• game engine updated to Renpy 7.5.3
• smoother font rendering for bold, italic, and bold italic fonts
• fix for credits page link
• better keyboard/controller navigation on some screens

The demo has been updated too with the same changes, where applicable. Steam-specific updates:

• the game is now in separate depots for Mac, Windows 32 bit, Windows 64 bit, Linux 32 bit, and Linux 64 bit. This shaves around 100-130MB off the install size.
• implemented cloud saves

Quick note on consoles:

• After Story update and Eris's route update are both being released simultaneously
• Switch and Xbox update should be out today, if they aren't already
• No ETA on the update coming to Playstation. It's in review, but it was hard to get Sable's Grimoire through review the first time around, and Playstation have only gotten more strict since then

If you're unable to start the game after updating, please verify the local files. You can do this by right clicking on the game in your Steam library and selecting Properties. Then go to the Local Files tab and click on Verify Integrity Of Game Files. If you have any problems with Cloud Saves, you can find local backups of the saves on your PC in the following places: Windows: %APPDATA%/RenPy/SablesGrimoire-1507418173/ MacOS: ~/Library/RenPy/SablesGrimoire-1507418173/ Linux: ~/.renpy/SablesGrimoire-1507418173/ You can copy these files, then right click on the game in your Steam library and go to Manage -> Browse Local Files Then go into game/saves, and paste the files you want to restore. If you encounter any other problems, please report them on this thread. You can also switch to the oldstable beta for the time being, but please note that saves from the new build won't work on the oldstable build.

This update wound up being bigger than intended. TL;DR: it contains Eris's route and a new ending for Eth/Rei's route. Eris's route is a bit less focused on her than some other routes are on their heroines. However, Eris's route is roughly twice as long as the others, so it should even out.

What's new?

• Eris's route
• Another ending for Eth/Rei
• 4 CGs
• 4 music tracks
• 5 backgrounds
• 2 character sprites
• 3 achievements
• 3 endings
• 4 checkpoints on the route map

What's changed?

• Removed a dead link from the credits page
• Updated sprite sizes and positioning, so characters actually appear to have different heights now
• Fixed a bug with NVL mode scrollback
• Typo fixes
• Changed where the route map checkpoint at the start of Eth/Rei's route takes you
• Recoded remaining sprites to use the game engine's newer format. This is a change which was started in v1.06 and should help to speed things up. Particularly when loading checkpoints on the route map.
• Updated classroom music track. Some players noticed a "popping" sound at one part of the track. The updated version shouldn't have that.

Separate from the new build, achievement images on Steam have been updated. Steam now allows images up to 256px in size, rather than the old 64px size limit. So all achievement images have been replaced with higher res versions. The game's OST has also been updated with the fixed classroom track, and the 4 new tracks.

What's broken?

• If you load a save game from version 1.07 or earlier, and there were character sprites on the screen, they will initially be sized/positioned incorrectly. This is due to the character size and positioning changes made in this version. They will fix themselves as soon as the character is moved or shown/hidden.
• Lisha's uniform being shown instead of her elven outfit fixed in version 1.08.1
• Lisha's elven outfit being shown instead of her underwear fixed in version 1.08.2
• One instance of Sable's side sprite showing at a reduced size fixed in version 1.08.3
• Two instances of Drakan's side sprite showing the wrong image fixed in version 1.08.3

If you find any inconsistencies or problems with the new route (other than the bug mentioned above), or the game in general, please report them so I can fix it up. Ideally, errors should be reported here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/717850/discussions/0/1692669912393326000/ If you encounter any game-breaking bugs, please report the problem, then use the "oldstable" beta in the meantime. The oldstable build is the previous version (1.07).

What about consoles?

This update is currently in the process of being ported by Gamuzumi (who publish the console release of Sable's Grimoire), after which the new build will need to be approved by the respective consoles.

What's next?

This is the second last content update for the base Sable's Grimoire game. Info on further updates/installments can be found here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/717850/discussions/0/1697174779853208464/?ctp=3#c2521353993649996144 Be aware that the above post, and the thread in general, contain spoilers. So if you haven't already finished playing Sable's Grimoire, you might want to hold off on visiting that thread.

Sable's Grimoire: A Dragon's Treasure, along with its 18+ patch DLC and soundtrack, has now been released. Continue Drakan's route from the end of Sable's Grimoire as we delve deeper into Sable's relationship with dragonkind. https://store.steampowered.com/app/892990/Sables_Grimoire_A_Dragons_Treasure/

Sable's Grimoire: Man And Elf is now live! Continue Lisha's route from the end of Sable's Grimoire in a new story following our tsundere elven heroine. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1131410/Sables_Grimoire_Man_And_Elf/

TL;DR: A Dragon's Treasure will now be released on July 27th instead of June 22nd. Man And Elf's release remains unchanged. Unfortunately it looks like ADT won't be ready by June 22nd. No, it's nothing to do with covid. There are no problems with the development either, and I do not believe the release will be pushed back a second time. June 22nd was just a bit too optimistic of a timeframe. The main reason for the delay is that I wound up spending significantly longer on version 1.07 of the original Sable's Grimoire than planned, which pushed development on the sequels back. What was supposed to be a quick playthrough, taking notes and checking for consistency with the sequels, resulted in a number of text changes, new backgrounds, a couple of sprite fixes, and a variety of other changes. You can see the release notes in the announcements of Sable's Grimoire for more information. Since that ate up a month of development time which was supposed to be spent on the sequels, I had the choice to either delay one of the sequels and release the other on time, or to delay both. Man And Elf has already been delayed once, and it was closer to completion than A Dragon's Treasure, so I've chosen to focus on MAE's release and to delay ADT. Man And Elf is pretty much done. The time between now and release will be used for additional testing, proofreading and editing. The game itself and the OST have both passed review on Steam. The 18+ DLC is currently being reviewed. So I think it's safe to lock MAE in with its current release date. A Dragon's Treasure is close, but still has a little more work to go. A few more CGs are needed. The updated GUI is still a work in progress. The script shouldn't need many additions or changes, but we'll see when testing time rolls around. Delays suck, I know. But spending that extra time on the original was worthwhile. It resulted in a number of changes being made to both MAE and ADT to better match the original, with consistency between the three being a big concern, and has hopefully reduced the likelihood of post-release fixes being needed for the sequels. Here's hoping the next announcement will be something a bit more exciting.

TL;DR: no new routes. Just fixes and some pretty pictures. In the lead-up to the releases of A Dragon's Treasure and Man And Elf, I went back over the original Sable's Grimoire from top to bottom, making notes and checking for consistency with the new games. This process wound up taking significantly longer than expected. I found a number of things in the original which I felt could be improved, or which were just plain wrong. The end result of this is version 1.07, which contains the following additions and changes:

• aether vision and gravity spell animations replaced with new backgrounds
• 2 new item images added
• cover artwork added to the music page
• lots of nit-picky rewording
• typo fixes
• consistency fixes
• additional explanations added in some places
• changes to mature content setting
• improved readability on a couple of GUI elements
• smoother music transitions
• animation setting replaced (now that the animations have been removed) with the previously removed "After Choices" skip preference
• fixed an expression not loading correctly at the end of Eth/Rei's route

So nothing ground-breaking, but plenty of minor improvements. If you encounter any problems with the new update, you can revert to the old version by opting into the "oldstable" Beta. Please report any issues either as a reply to this announcement, or in the bug reporting thread in the forum.

The store pages for Sable's Grimoire's sequels are now up! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1131410/Sables_Grimoire_Man_And_Elf/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/892990/Sables_Grimoire_A_Dragons_Treasure/

My Heart Grows Fonder is out now! Available for Windows, Mac and Linux. 18+ patch is available as free DLC. https://store.steampowered.com/app/892980/My_Heart_Grows_Fonder/

Synopsis

When his girlfriend suddenly vanished without a word, Cassius feared the worst. All communication was shut off, he had no clue where she went, and nobody seemed to be able to get ahold of her. The person closest to him disappeared, seemingly for good, and he had no way of knowing what had happened to her. Now, without warning or fanfare, Maia has returned. What's more, the years of separation have done nothing to change how she feels about Cas. The two of them never formally broke up, and in her mind, they are still a couple. But as the person left behind, Cas' feelings aren't so simple. After years of anguish, he has finally started to move on, and Maia's return isn't as welcome now as it would have been all that time ago. Will Cas manage to mend his relationship with his ex-girlfriend and return to what they once had? Or will he leave the past behind and find happiness with someone else?

As you may know, nowadays Steam requires games to receive a certain amount of attention (ie. sales, forum posts, reviews, etc.) before the game is allowed to have trading cards. Popular games hit this threshold immediately, but for others, it can take a while. At long last, Sable's Grimoire has reached this threshold. You will now be able to receive trading cards, emoticons, badges and backgrounds.

https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/c088fec99f179efedf8d92074587add425762b36.png

What's new?

-4 new CGs (+1 variation to an existing CG) -2 new music tracks -2 new backgrounds -1 new sprite -5 new achievements -5 new choices -2 new endings -3 more checkpoints on the route map With this route being focused on a nudist heroine who belongs to a race which glorifies breeding, you shouldn't be surprised to learn that this new route has a little more sexual content than the other routes. It's still nothing 18+, but there are many sexual references and scenes with partial nudity (again, nothing more explicit than what was already in the game). So if you're averse to that kind of content, you may want to keep that in mind. If you find any problems with the new route, or the game in general, please report them so I can fix it up. Ideally, errors should be reported here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/717850/discussions/0/1692669912393326000/

Other changes

Along with Tix's route being added, this update also brings the following changes: -Updated game engine, with (most) sprites recoded in the engine's new format. This seems to have fixed the lag which sometimes manifested immediately after loading a checkpoint on the route map, and should lead to minor performance improvements in general. -Background/CG transition fixes. This problem might not have actually made it into any live builds. I only noticed this recently after a full recompile on the development machine. Either way, I found five or six (out of ~800) scene transitions which ended prematurely. This is now fixed. -A few typo fixes and some minor rewording. The most wide-spread change is normalizing the way Drakan refers to her mother. The spelling is now always "Mama" instead of going back and forth between "Mama" and "Momma". If you're skipping through scenes you've already played and are randomly stopped on Drakan's lines, this is why. -Music added/changed. There were (and still are) occasional moments with lengthy pauses in the music. Some of these pauses have been shortened or removed. In a few cases, the actual track being played has also changed to better suit the mood of the scene.

What's next?

Tix's route may be complete, but that doesn't mean development on Sable's Grimoire has ended. Info on further updates/installments can be found here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/717850/discussions/0/1697174779853208464/?ctp=3#c2521353993649996144 Be aware that the above post, and the thread in general, contain spoilers. So if you haven't already finished playing Sable's Grimoire, you might want to hold off on visiting that thread.

TL;DR: there are two new settings to hide/warn about certain content, instructional text has been added to the route map screen, SG's OST is available as free DLC, Tix's route is still a work in progress.

New settings

This update introduces two new settings aimed at people who want to play Sable's Grimoire, but don't want to view sensitive content. The first time you play Sable's Grimoire, you will now be presented with a content warning screen which prompts you to set the new preferences. Initially, "Mature Content" is enabled, and "Bad Ending Hints" are disabled, so the default experience remains the same as ever. https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/32e8f8985cfe3ba6cb499f2eeb3c5d0a90e848a8.png What can be classified as "mature content" is obviously subjective, and I don't intend to go on a crusade to make this a G-rated game. Instead, I've taken a conservative approach to this setting's implementation and only hidden the most extreme content. The biggest change is that choosing to disable this content will stop you from going down Jorou's route. Jorou's route contains many mature themes and several dark, confronting scenes, which cannot be removed without turning Jorou's route into a fractured mess. As such, it's all or nothing with her route. Other than that, there are only two scenes affected by this setting. One is a bad end, the other is the violent conclusion to a side-story. So even if you opt out of viewing mature content, the majority of Sable's Grimoire will remain completely unaffected. https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/8e6359ca7857a3c5ded1a4859d2275f797f78583.png Even if you're okay with mature content, that doesn't mean you aren't frustrated by those pesky bad ends. By enabling "Bad Ending Hints", you will be shown a small knife icon on the far right side of choices which lead to bad endings. You won't be blocked from reaching bad endings. This just provides a subtle hint, so if you're wary about reaching bad endings, you may exercise appropriate caution.

Route map instructional text

This is a minor addition, but I think some players might find it helpful. The route map isn't just a tool for viewing which route you're on. It's also an interactive checkpoint system which you can use to restart from a later point in the game. https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/ac22c191b4875e5af8fb587e1adda764c9f906aa.png A small piece of instructional text has now been added to the route map to make this feature easier to discover.

OST

https://store.steampowered.com/app/941900 As was recently the case with Tomboys Need Love Too, I discussed with the composer of Sable's Grimoire, Mario Luengo, the possibility of providing the original, high quality WAV audio files of SG's soundtrack as free DLC. The OST is not downloaded by default (it's bigger than the game!), but if you choose to download it, a new option of "Soundtrack" will come up when you attempt to launch Sable's Grimoire. Selecting that will open your operating system's file browser (should work on Windows, Mac & Linux) in the directory containing the music files.

What's next?

I'm still working on Tix's route for the time being. I don't have an ETA yet, but it's looking like December at the earliest, more likely early 2019. Additions after Tix's route remain undecided. There will be more new content after her route is complete, but the nature and timeline of that new content is yet to be confirmed.

https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/21f56cbb50d4684da02ab9bbabc829cee22ab72b.jpg An additional (happier) ending has now been added to Jorou's route. This update includes a new CG, another achievement, and an additional choice earlier in her route. If you've already played Jorou's route, you can go to the Route Map and jump to the last checkpoint before her other endings, then skip the previously read text until you reach the new choice. From there it should be obvious how to reach the new ending. With Jorou's new ending done, I've started working on a new character route. In other words, Tix will be getting a route. A new route takes a lot more time and effort than a new ending, and I'll be working on other games at the same time, so don't hold your breath waiting for this next update. Tix's route has been outlined and the writing has started, but it's still a long way off completion. So for now the release date is "hopefully this year".

https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/8f4fa65fe58fc0314ffe64ddab169a4a173b7c27.jpg This question has been asked a few times already, so let me take this opportunity to address the subject of additional content being added to Sable's Grimoire. Yes, I would like to add new content to Sable's Grimoire. Be it in the form of new routes for characters who don't currently have them, additional endings for characters who already have routes, or something else completely. Even so, whether that actually happens or not will ultimately depend on SG's reception. Feedback has been positive so far, but the number of people actually playing Sable's Grimoire is very small, and it isn't even close to breaking even financially. So as much as I want to add new content, that may prove difficult. For the time being I'll be taking the "wait and see" approach. I'll continue to monitor reviews, forum posts, sales, etc. and regularly re-assess the situation. If more people play SG, and it receives more positive reviews, then obviously that will increase the likelihood of additional content being added in the future. Even if it doesn't stack up, I'll likely release a couple of content updates anyway. Full character routes are a best-case scenario, given the time and cost involved, but additional endings and scenes aren't a big ask. As for what new content is on the table, there are a few things I've been thinking of potentially adding. 1. Character route for Tix. This is something that was planned from the beginning, but I ultimately decided to focus on refining the existing routes rather than adding one more to the mix. Now that SG is out in the wild, Tix's route may yet see the light of day. 2. Additional (happier) ending for Jorou. Personally, I don't believe that every story - or every character - needs a happy ending. That being said, I can see how someone might be disappointed by the lack of one. especially when a tragic story seems to be going that way. Is a happier ending for Jorou something you'd like to see? 3. Additional ending for Rei. If you've already played Eth/Rei's route, you already know why this is a possibility. I'm trying to avoid any spoilers here, so let's just say more branching would be a good thing for their route. Those are the big three, but I'm open to suggestions. Keep in mind that additional endings/scenes are more likely to happen, especially in the short term, than full character routes. At any rate, it'll be at least a couple of months before any new content gets added to Sable's Grimoire. The next time I reassess new content for SG will be at the end of June. At that point I'll make another announcement regarding what's in the works, and what I've decided to do.

With Sable's Grimoire getting closer to release, most of the finer points (features, character routes, etc.) have now been finalized. In this announcement I'm going to briefly cover two features of Sable's Grimoire which aren't especially common in visual novels.

Route Map

Sick of winding up on the wrong route, wondering where you went wrong? Wishing you'd saved at the last choice instead of plowing straight ahead? Navigating your way through a branching visual novel can be tricky, and skipping through text you've already read before is hardly what I'd call fun. That's why Sable's Grimoire features an interactive "route map", which you can use to not only visualize the path you're currently taking, but also to go back to checkpoints you've already passed, even if you forgot to save. As the black squares on the route map are filled in, you will be able to click on those images in order to return to a scene from that place in the story. https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/bb1a714e0206dc5912d7dd6a30ea1197d14400b7.jpg https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/20ae882df68eefbe3764d31b07edee0b87e8d258.jpg

Resume and Auto-Resume

When you open a visual novel more than once, you generally want to pick up where you left off last time, right? Some visual novels will remember which page your last save was on. Others will go an extra step and highlight your last save. And then there are a few which go even further still and let you load your last save straight from the main menu. In case you haven't guessed from my rambling, Sable's Grimoire implemented the third option. https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/8a3a826d1378d736844dd85101541ef9b20dccae.jpg "Resume" will load your last save - even if it's a quick save, or an automatic save. But why stop there? https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/e03365a826622f5e95e360bb141490bdcfa366b4.jpg If all you want to do when you open the game is jump straight back into the action, enable the "Auto-Resume Last Save" option. This will bypass the main menu entirely and load your most recent save.

Heroines

Sable's Grimoire has 4 main routes. After the common section of the game, it diverges in 4 different directions, without any text overlap or repeated scenes. Each of those routes focuses on a different set of characters, with a particular heroine at the center. https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/97f0357376268ff750ac4c708f0ff5f91d8d9c43.jpg Take to the city with Drakan, a half-dragon girl who wants to know more about her human half. Drakan's destructive impulses and ferocious lineage make her an object of fear in the eyes of others. But is she as dangerous and violent as others claim her to be? Help Drakan to understand her duality, and give others the push they need to see Drakan for the person she wants to become. https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/bf894e383afdf41da6e365b030ccaa66192c6b76.jpg Leave Amadronia on an important mission alongside Lisha, a proud elf whose respect isn't easily won. Why is it that Lisha seems to trust only herself, and looks down on others - even her own father - as if they are inconsequential? Answer those two questions and you may just become the first real friend this defensive girl has ever had. https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/62a9c28257eb4db9b895367839e18a4b3ee7af38.jpg Underneath Amadronia Academy exist the infamous "underground facilities", where students who have been traumatized or hunted by human beings may live in peace. Jorou's route deals with heavier subject matter than the other character routes. If you're looking for happy endings, this isn't the route for you. https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/32098238/b660775936c2185ef9beb3811aefdc5673dd66eb.jpg Eth and Rei, the inseparable duo. Or should I say "dunces"? These two are on the brink of being expelled. Worse, neither one of them seems to be willing to put in the effort to change that! All they ever want to do is talk about boys and food. Rei has love on the brain, and Eth is impossible to read. What's it going to take to get through to these girls?