Dev Blog: The Journey to Aracelis 3.0

Nearly a year ago, Aracelis began as a small idea—an immersive story about a young woman stepping into a complex world of law, power, and difficult choices. From the beginning, I wanted to create a protagonist who felt real. Annelise, the heart of Aracelis, has developed into a strong, layered character: ambitious, curious, and occasionally out of her depth as she confronts the moral and ethical boundaries of her profession. Making her feel authentic and true-to-life has been a priority, and seeing her character come to life with each update has been one of the most satisfying parts of this project.

The story itself is about Annelise, a young woman taking her first steps into the professional world as a soon to be lawyer.
Building a career path that aims for the absolute highest. A trajectory that crosses the dark side of crime, politics and power. Operating on the fringes of the law and balancing ambition with her own moral limits. A thin path, difficult to navigate.

On the technical side, there’s been a steep learning curve. When I began, I had no experience with DAZ3D, so each render has been an evolution, growing from basic visuals to detailed, atmospheric scenes that build Annelise’s world. The journey with DAZ has been one of discovery, learning how to capture realistic, meaningful expressions and settings. The result is a visual style that matches Aracelis’s realistic, grounded themes—a goal I’m continually striving toward with each version.

Ren'Py coding has added another layer of complexity but also excitement. Each coding challenge has been an opportunity to improve, creating a branching narrative that reflects real-life choices and dilemmas. Designing a realistic experience where every decision shapes the story has pushed me to think about how small details impact the larger narrative. And while there’s always room to grow, seeing these elements come together in Aracelis 3.0 is deeply rewarding.

With Aracelis 3.0, I’m excited to bring an improved, deeper experience, and I’m incredibly grateful for the community’s support. This update is a significant milestone, and I look forward to building Annelise’s story and world in new, exciting ways. Thank you for being on this journey with me!

(The last two images are promotional pictures only and are not in the game.)