The great revision

By midsummer the game was complete on paper, but a cold-headed global analysis told the truth: it worked, without yet breathing. These two versions were the answer.

The ending and the beats

First: the interactive ending and the post-credits scene, the farewell the Santa Maria cycle has carried since its first chapter. Then the story received its beats: paced moments, character portraits in the right places, second visits to locations that do not repeat the words of the first.

Puzzles with more depth

Puzzles that could be solved “in one click” were redesigned into multiple steps, with new items and intermediate choices. Micro-events were born too: small environmental reactions that reward exploration, and hand- written responses even when you use the wrong item in the wrong place.

The log and the clock

Two additions changed how the ship is inhabited: the ship’s log, which records the events of your playthrough and can be consulted at any time, and the day counter, which paces the pressure of the inspection: time passes when you take important steps, and the ship knows it.

Trial by fire

Closing the phase, a real full playthrough — New Game → ending → credits → post-credits scene — with no softlocks and every system verified in its place. Twenty-nine checkpoints, checked one by one. From here on, we build on rock.