Dev Blog

Hey everyone. We've been heads-down for a while, and it's been the good kind of busy. Here's what's been cooking. (We got a first look at the combat below!)

The phone came alive. It's not just menus anymore. The in-game phone now reacts to the world as the story moves — news, socials, and messages that actually respond to what's happening. It feels like a window into campus, not a feature list.

The writing got some love. We did a proper craft pass across the dialogue — tightening scenes, sharpening voices, making exchanges land faster. Same characters, more life in every line.

Choices carry more weight now. The way you play shapes the story in bigger ways than before. Your version of the main character genuinely feels like yours.

Some new tricks too. A potion-brewing minigame, dueling with real stakes, and a fresh batch of achievements to chase — plus polish across combat and the phone.

📅 Big change: we're going biweekly. From now on, expect an update here every other Wednesday (midday or evening). Smaller, more frequent drops — so you're never left wondering what's happening. The game's moving fast, and we want you along for it.

Nothing's released yet, but Episode 1 keeps getting more real every single week. Thanks for hanging with us through the quiet patch — the payoff is coming.

— Moar Interactive

⚡ TL;DR:
✅ Episode 1 is now playable end-to-end — all story acts, choices, and branches verified
✅ 75k+ words of dialogue across the full episode
✅ 20/20 combat system check, phone apps all (15), UI polished
💰 EP1 price: $10 USD on Patreon/Itch.io (Early Access) — 3-episode season bundle later
⚠️ Render pause until ~September — too hot for machines to handle right now
🖼️ This post includes WIP character previews (subject to change)

The Big News

After an intense period of development and a complete script rewrite, we're thrilled to announce that Episode 1 is now fully playable from start to finish!

This isn't just a small update; it's a foundational one. We've just completed a rigorous end-to-end QA pass, verifying every branching path, every critical choice, and ensuring a smooth experience from the cold open all the way to the climactic Act 5. The core story for the first episode is locked, the gameplay systems are robust, and we're officially moving into full-scale art production to bring this world to life.

What It Costs

We want to be transparent about our new pricing model. Due to rising development costs (render farms don't come cheap, and neither does full-time audio work), we're shifting from "free while in dev" to a paid Early Access model:

• Episode 1 price: $10 USD on Patreon & Itch.io (Early Access)

  • You get immediate access to the full playable episode

  • Perfect if you want to jump in now and experience the story

• Full Season Bundle: Will launch at a premium when all 3 episodes are complete

  • We're consolidating from 5-6 episodes down to 3-episode seasons for tighter storytelling

  • This means a shorter development cycle and faster content delivery

  • Early supporters get the best value (pricing TBD but ~$20-25 expected)

Why the shift?

The old model—free builds until season completion—worked while we were bootstrapping. But with inflation, rising rendering costs, and the need to hire dedicated audio artists, we need a more sustainable path. Paying for EP1 gives us:

• Consistent revenue stream during development

• Ability to fund quality assets (portraits, CGs, backgrounds) without external investors

• Faster iteration cycles—we can ship content sooner without waiting for the entire season

Still no content paywalls on Patreon—your tier gets you sooner, not different story. Money supports the work; it doesn't gate scenes. That promise stays.

For Those Just Joining Us

Signed in Secret follows a seemingly ordinary student whose life takes an extraordinary turn after encountering an ancient relic. This awakens powerful magic within you and binds you to a mysterious entity—Athena. Suddenly, you're thrust into a hidden world of magic, secrets, and Bancroft Academy, a school unlike any other. But not everyone is thrilled about your newfound power, and dangerous forces are already taking an interest.

Characters You'll Meet

We've spent months refining the narrative direction and the characters you'll meet during Episode 1. Here are some of the incredible women who will shape your journey:

Athena — The Ancient Heart

Bound to you from the very beginning, Athena is a 5,000-year-old magical entity whose past is deeply intertwined with the world you're about to discover. She lives inside your mind, sees what you see, and experiences the modern world for the first time through your eyes. Athena is your emotional anchor, your guide, and your constant companion—learning to navigate human emotions and physical sensations after millennia of isolation. Her witty commentary and unique perspective will be with you every step of the way.

Sarah — The Anchor From Home

Your best friend, Sarah, has been by your side for years, your rock in the mundane world. She's warm, passionate, and fiercely protective. When magic disrupts your lives, Sarah will be right there with you, grappling with the changes and the incredible connections you're forming. Her journey through Episode 1 explores what it means to be truly close to someone when their world expands beyond comprehension.

Amber — The Genuine Spirit

One of the brightest lights you'll find at Bancroft Academy. Known for her infectious warmth, generous spirit, and unwavering loyalty, Amber genuinely cares for those around her. She has an empathic magical affinity, allowing her to sense and harmonize with emotional energy. Her open heart and honest reactions will create some of the most wholesome—and at times, most vulnerable—moments in your academy life.

Your Choices Matter

Every conversation, every interaction, and every decision you make in Signed in Secret has meaning. We've implemented a robust relationship system that tracks your connections with every character, influencing dialogue, unlockable scenes, and even how characters react to you during critical story moments. The journey really is yours.

Guided Free Roam: Explore Your Way

Episode 1 features our new "Guided Free Roam" system, allowing you to explore Bancroft Academy at your own pace while still advancing the overarching narrative.

Your in-game phone acts as your task manager, guiding you through required story beats, pointing you towards optional character moments, and even revealing hidden discoveries and lore scattered throughout the campus. It's a blend of freedom and focus—ensuring you always have something exciting to uncover while maintaining tight narrative pacing.

Under the Hood: What We've Built

We put Signed in Secret through its paces during an end-to-end QA sweep:

• Word Count: Over 75,000 dialogue words across approximately 8,788 dialogue blocks in Episode 1 alone

• Playability Gate: Full cold-open-to-ending playthrough completed; low/high relationship replays passed for Athena, Sarah, Hana, Roxy, and Amber

• Polish Pass: UI hover/interaction sweep verified across all menus, phone apps (all 15)

• Combat Verified: That's all we're going to say ;)

Art Production Update & A Quick Note on Weather 🌤️

With script and code complete, our immediate priority is bringing the world to life through production art.

Quick heads-up: We're likely pausing renders until around September due to an unexpected weather crisis. Those render machines push hard when it's hot (and right now... it's hot). To keep them healthy and avoid thermal throttling/overheat failures, we've decided to take a brief cool-down period. Think of it as our PCs sipping cold water under a palm tree ☕

This gives the team a breather while ensuring quality output once we're back at full temperature. Stay safe out there if you're dealing with extreme heat waves too—keep hydrated, stay cool, and take care!

When renders resume in September, expect:

• Full production-style character portraits for Episode 1's cast

• Location art for Bancroft Academy, Athermoor, Croft Express, and more

• Key scene renders for combat encounters

• UI mockups and menu graphics

We're keeping our eyes on the weather forecast, but right now September is the target.

What to Expect Next

July–August: Render production (when temp permits!), character portraits, environment art
Late Summer/Early Fall: Integration pass—art into engine, audio polish, performance touches
Episode 1 Release: Early Access on Patreon & Itch.io — $10 USD for EP1 standalone or full season bundle at launch (3 episodes = 1 complete story arc)

(Note: We moved to a paid-release model due to rising development costs. This keeps the project sustainable while you get quality, polished content. Still no content paywalls on Patreon—tiers gate timing only, not actual story.)

Thank You!

Seriously. Your passion fuels us every day—the Patreon supporters who've been here since the old title, Discord folks who test builds, anyone who's asked "when" but kept showing up regardless. We see you all. This community is what drives us to finish this thing properly.

You can find us:

• Website: moarinteractive.com

• Discord: Discord server invite

— Amber
Public Comms Lead for Moar Interactive / Signed in Secret

Hey everyone,

We all hope you're doing great today, we got a lot to cover today.

The Rebrand Is Live.

MrAuroraGames is dead. Long live Moar Interactive.

Same team. Same games. But a name that doesn't carry the weight of abandoned projects. We're shipping now. That's the standard.

Bancroft Academy v2.6 — Live on Steam in NOW.

If you already own Bancroft Academy on Steam, the update drops tonight. Patch notes hit the store page alongside it — but the headline is: the "cancellation" notice is gone, the game is clean, the bugs are fixed, and it's properly owned by Moar Interactive now. No more DLC nonsense (Unless you're on Steam). No more "Our Letter" screen. Just the game, working the way it was always supposed to.

New: Bancroft Academy on itch.io.

Don't have the Steam version? It's on itch.io now. Fresh page, fresh download. Same game.

https://mraurora.itch.io/bancroft-academy

What's Next: Signed in Secret.

This is the one. BATR — our next project — is getting its final name: Signed in Secret.

I'm not saying much yet. But I will say this: the combat system we've been building feels like a completely different game living inside the one you're playing. It's tight. It's reactive. It's not bolted on — it's baked in. When you see it, you'll understand why the name fits.

More soon. Much more.

— The Moar Interactive team

Hey everyone,

It's been a minute since our last update — March 16, to be exact. If you've been wondering whether we vanished into the Bermuda Triangle, got abducted by aliens, or finally lost our minds trying to rig Daz hair... we get it. The old MrAuroraGames had a habit of going dark. But that's not us.

We've been quiet because we've been building.

(And occasionally crying into our coffee. But mostly building.)

Also: we may have accidentally created a sentient Blender cube at 3 AM. We're still negotiating with it.

The Rebrand Question

First things first: we're seriously considering a new identity.

The truth is, we're not technically the old MrAuroraGames. We're picking up where they left off — same passion, same project, but a fresh start. And "MrAuroraGames" carries the weight of an abandoned project and broken promises.

We're exploring whether a new company name and possibly a new game name would help us separate from that legacy. This isn't a decision we take lightly. Bancroft Academy has history. But we also want you to know that what you're supporting now is new. Different people. Different standards. Different commitment.

Think of it like a phoenix. But instead of rising from ashes, we're rising from a pile of unfinished renders and "final_final_v3_reallyfinal" project files.

Nothing's finalized yet. But we wanted you to know we're thinking about it — and that if a rebrand happens, it means we're serious about doing this right.

Where It All Starts

Before we get into the big stuff, we want to show you something.

This is Kingsley's Curiosities — the storefront where your journey into Bancroft Academy begins. It's unassuming, a little mysterious, and exactly the kind of place you'd walk past a hundred times without noticing... until the day you need it.

We won't spoil what happens inside. But trust us: everything starts here. The academy. The secrets. The women. All of it traces back to this dusty little shop with a sign that barely stays lit.

We're building this world from the ground up, and Kingsley's is our front door.

What's Actually Been Happening

While we figure out the big-picture stuff, the real work hasn't stopped.

Environments
We've been designing and building the world of Bancroft Academy from the ground up. Locations, atmosphere, the visual language of the game. It's a lot of work. More than we expected, honestly. Turns out "make a spooky magical academy" involves a surprising amount of deciding where the bathrooms go. But it's starting to come together in a way that feels right.

New Characters
We've created new characters — full designs, backstories, personalities. This has been one of the most fun parts of the process. These aren't just renders. They're people now. With histories, motivations, voices, and in some cases, deeply questionable taste in romantic partners (looking at you, future players).

We've also learned that naming a character takes approximately 47 times longer than actually designing them. One of them was "Mysterious Girl #3" for three weeks. She has a name now. We think.

Blender
We dipped our toes into Blender and... it's promising. Really promising. We're experimenting with animations and potentially still renders. Our first attempts looked like characters having an exorcism, but we're getting there. Nothing's locked in yet, but the workflow feels like it could be a game-changer for how we produce visual content. More on this as it develops.

Finding Our Groove
This is a hobby project. We all work day jobs. Life gets in the way — it always does. Some days we're coding wizards and render gods. Other days we're just staring at a screen wondering why a character's arm is inside their own head. We've spent a lot of time testing workflows, figuring out how we actually work together, and trying to find a sustainable rhythm.

We're not a full-time studio. We're people who care about this game, chipping away at it when we can. That means progress isn't always linear. Some weeks we crush it. Some weeks we barely touch it. But the trend is forward.

What This Means for You

If you're a patron, you're not just funding renders. You're funding the foundation of something we're trying to build properly this time. The environments. The characters. The systems. The workflow.

We're not ready to announce Episode 1's release date. We won't do that until we're confident we can hit it. But we are closer than we were in March. And we're closer in a way that matters — not just more scenes written, but a stronger foundation under everything.

Also our "definitely won't take long" internal timeline was hilariously wrong, and we've learned to stop making those. Progress is real, though. Pinky promise.

What's Next

• Finalizing the rebrand decision (we'll update you as soon as we know)

• Continuing environment builds

• Character renders and integration

• More Blender experimentation

• A more regular update schedule (we're aiming for monthly at minimum)

Thanks for sticking with us. The silence wasn't abandonment. It was construction. And a little bit of chaos. But mostly construction.

— The Team

P.S. — Yes, we know we owe you more regular updates. We're working on it. Please don't send the pitchforks. (Send cookies instead. We accept chocolate chip.)

The Untouchable Queen of Bancroft Academy 👑

Walk through the halls of Bancroft Academy and you'll hear her name whispered everywhere. She's the girl everyone knows, the one everyone watches, and the one no one dares to challenge.

With her striking features — those different-colored eyes that seem to look right through you, and the elegant pointy ears that hint at something otherworldly — she commands attention the moment she enters a room.

She's confident. She's captivating yes, she's absolutely aware. And of it.

Coming from a family of means, you'd expect her to flaunt it. But Vanessa? She hides her wealth like a secret. She doesn't need her family's name to stand above the rest — she has her own presence for that.

She's untouchable in every sense of the word.

Or so she thinks.

What happens when someone dares to see past the crown?

TL;DR,

Development is still moving forward, but the last few months have mainly been focused on backend coding, fixing old systems, and adapting the game to its newer style. Because of that, a Q4 release is looking difficult right now, though we’re still pushing. Character showcases are also coming soon, starting with Vanessa.

---

Hey everyone,

I wanted to sit down and give you a proper update on where things stand with Bancroft Academy: The Remake.

The truth is, these past few months have been tough.

A lot of the work lately hasn’t been the flashy kind of progress that’s easy to show off in screenshots or previews. Most of it has been focused on coding, fixing older systems, learning the old codebase, and figuring out how to adapt everything to the newer style and direction of the game. It’s been a lot of backend work, and honestly, that kind of work can be slow, frustrating, and really demanding.

But it’s also necessary.

Right now, the focus has been less about pumping out visible content and more about making sure the game has a stronger foundation underneath it. That means understanding old work, cleaning up what isn’t holding up, fixing what needs fixing, and trying to make the overall structure better for the long run.

I want to be honest with you all about that, because I don’t want to pretend everything is smoother than it is.

About the Q4 release window,

At this point, a Q4 release is probably not doable.

I’m not saying we’ve stopped pushing for progress — far from it. We’re still working, still trying, and still moving things forward. But I also think it’s important to be upfront instead of making promises that may not match the reality of where development is right now.

There is progress happening. It just happens to be the kind of progress that lives under the hood.

And while that may not always look exciting from the outside, it matters a lot. This work is helping the game move toward something more stable, more polished, and more in line with what we want it to be.

What’s coming next,

On a more exciting note, I also want to start sharing more of the game with you all in a way that feels fun and tangible.

So soon, we’ll be starting character showcases.

The first character showcase will be Vanessa, so stay tuned for that.

I think that’ll be a nice way to start showing more of the game while development continues behind the scenes.

---

Thank you again for the patience, support, and encouragement. I really do appreciate everyone who’s sticking with the project and giving it time to grow into what it needs to be.

There’s still a lot of work ahead, but we’re still here, still pushing, and I’ll keep you updated as things move forward.

— MrAurora

Hey everyone!

The long awaited MASSIVE development update for you and I've got some exciting news to share about the future of Bancroft Academy.

The Decision: Remake, Not Scrap

Many of you have been asking about Bancroft Academy, and honestly? I heard you. When I was considering shelving the project, the response from this community was clear — you wanted it back. And not just back, but better.

So instead of scrapping it, I'm doing a full remake from the ground up.

Same world. Same heart. Completely reimagined story and gameplay.

What's Changing?

The Story: The original version had... issues. The pacing was off, characters needed more depth, and the lore felt incomplete. BATR fixes all of that. I've spent a lot of time rebuilding the narrative foundation — deeper characters, richer world-building, and a story that actually earns its emotional moments.

Without spoiling anything: the core conflict is more personal now, the antagonist has real motivation (not just "evil for evil's sake"), and the relationships feel more genuine.

The Gameplay: This isn't just a visual novel anymore. Episode 1 alone introduces:

• 🗺️ Free Roam System — Explore locations, manage your time, choose how you spend your days

• 📱 Phone System — Messages, calls, and apps that react to story progress

• ✨ Magic Practice — A skill-based system that grows with you

• 💬 Deeper Relationships — Your choices actually matter

The Length: The original Episode 1 was about 45-60 minutes of linear content. BATR Episode 1? 3-4 hours with a mix of story and exploration.

Episode 1 Structure Breakdown

Here's what you can expect from the first episode:

Act 1: The Awakening - Linear/Cinematic - 45-60 min

Act 2: The New Normal - Free Roam/Exploration - 60-90 min

Act 3: Secrets Revealed - Mixed (Story + Free Roam) - 45-60 min

Act 4: The Gathering Storm - Linear/Cinematic - 30-45 min

Plus:

• 📱 Phone content scattered throughout

• 🔍 Optional side quests

• 🎮 Minigames & activities

This is a complete experience — not a short demo or teaser. When BATR Episode 1 drops, you're getting a full chapter of story with real gameplay systems in place.

What's Next?

I'm deep in development right now. The story is locked, the systems are designed, and I'm working on bringing it all together.

I'll be sharing more updates as things progress — character reveals, screenshots, maybe some early looks at the new systems.

Thank you all for believing in this project and pushing me to make it better instead of letting it go. BATR exists because of you.

Stay tuned. This is going to be worth the wait.

— Mr.Aurora

Just a little teaser to prove I haven’t vanished.

Here’s the new MC… and another mysterious new face you’ll be seeing more of soon

I’ve been quietly rebuilding things behind the scenes and planning out the new direction for Bancroft Academy. It’s taking time (and lots of coffee), but I want the next chapter of the game to give a proper comeback.

Thanks for sticking around. More details and a proper dev update coming when I can show you something real.

Hey all, I've taken over of MrAuroraGames, I've also come to know about Bancroft Academy and it's progress.

I've now made it my goal to pickup that torch and carry on with it. Be it by fully redoing it to a higher quality standard. It still will be the an Adult Visual Novel. With some characters making a return. But I'll keep the Bancroft Academy School setting. So Stay tune for any updates or milestones. It's going to take a long time to get this going but I hope I can fix this!

Mr.Aurora