This is it. After so many long, painful years, full of tears, regret, anger and conflict, it is done.
When I started my work on this project, I set out to build the perfect, best version of Umineko that could exist. Now, this goal has been achieved. We are our own harshest critics, and yet I sincerely believe that there has never been a better way to experience this incredible story than what I have managed to create here. Now, there may still be small issues left here and there. Incredibly minor stuff, like typos or missing punctuation. Beyond that, however... this is the perfect version of a perfect story. Nothing better than this has ever existed, and I had a hand in making it happen.
Of course, I stand on the shoulders of giants. It would be entirely inappropriate to dismiss the work that others have done to help me get to where I did. I would like to thank everyone who supported me throughout the years. Of course, huge thanks go out to Witch Hunt, 07th-Mod and Umineko Project, the incredible teams without which Umineko wouldn't ever see the light of day outside of Japan. And, quite naturally, without the massive work done on this project by 07th-Expansion, Alchemist and ENTERGRAM, it would never exist at all. So thank you all for making this happen. The Atmosphère project, as well as the incredible emulators, have then allowed this mod to actually be playable.
Thank you to everyone who contributed directly as well. The incredible reversing tools have made it possible to mod this game in the first place. Some of the thorough testing done by people in the early stages of the project has helped me identify and fix some severe issues with my tooling without having to bang my head against the wall for years. Of course, thank you to everyone who contributed code and assets as well.
I'd also like to extend thanks to everyone who took my creation and ran ahead to make something even more amazing with it. Right now, there are multiple forks of my patch that translate the game to languages other than English. Some of these translations already existed in other Umineko versions, and some others are happening for the first time ever. There are efforts being made to create a full PC port of this version of the game as well. Ironically, that was the original design. I wanted to use Umineko Project's engine and port the new content over into it. However, that turned out to be beyond me, as a lot of things have changed internally between the old PS3 release they based their port on and the current version that this patch targets. Now someone else can bring the game back to the incredible open platform which started it all, and for that I am incredibly grateful.
At last, my biggest thanks go out to my four incredible friends who have supported me through all of this from the very beginning and until the very end. You know who you are. Without you, I wouldn't have ever reached this finish line. Thank you four, most of all.
Now, I am done.
I will fix any of the minor issues players may uncover in the patch, of course. However, as far as any serious work is concerned, I bid the When They Cry world my final adieu. The series itself may continue at some point, but I'll have no part in it anymore.
This project took around five years to complete in total, through all of its different attempts and iterations. There is too much left on the cutting room floor that you've never seen. This project has been the work of my life, and it is now complete.
Nothing else I create -- if I choose to do so -- will ever surpass it.
Once again, Tara... this is for you. I hope there's a computer in heaven for you to read this on. If not... I'll bring one with me, when the time comes.
In the meantime, everyone else. Enjoy.