While you've been away, I've been making a lot of changes.

The city streets have gotten darker; the fog thicker; the mysteries deeper; your foes more dangerous.

As this is a (somewhat) mini update, I'll summarize:

• Card-based Combat System --> Booted out. (Too complex to maintain/build-on unfortunately.)
• Action-based Combat System --> Back in. (For those familiar with the original Unity-version of TAE, it's a simpler version of that)
• World Events --> Random occurrences are now possible in the world and are liable to make a home for themselves on your map while you travel. If not taken care of, they accrue horror quickly and can cause devastating events.
• Inventory --> Gone is the old, text-and-list, based system. Now is the time of limited-space inventory management and more visible equipment.

• Spells --> The Arcana now permits you to trade sanity for spellcasting. Presently, its scope is limited but soon it will grow and grow. 
• Dynamic Animation System --> This new animation system allows for the creation of more complex visuals and sound design to accompany your pugilistic exploits in confrontation management (combat).
• Death --> Even though the God of Natural Death lies rotting in the stars beyond the Veil, Artificial Death is alive and well and knocking forever on your door. If you fall, you may yet be saved by your companions and allies, or at least so long as there exists a way to reach you.

• Rebinding --> The Journal has seen a near-complete overhaul. All of its pages are now functional and useful for any enterprising investigator who wishes to save their world. A summary of your present Mystery as well as a reminder on your present task can be found now in the Journal as well as any missives left by the astral hand narrating your journey.
• Configuration --> The game now has a proper in-game pause menu and settings button. Soon, those settings will even be saved! For now it allows you to swap palettes (or even turn off the palletization filter for the game, though it is not recommended) and alter the sound level for music, sounds, and so on.
• Scaffolding --> A lot of work behind-the-scenes on the various cogs and pipes which drives The Infernal Machine, all in service of lubricating and making easier work the business of grafting flesh, tone, horror, and content onto this dread beast.
• Upgrading --> To Ash and Ember now runs on Godot version 4.3.

"When?"

Soon. Likely a rough year from now for the final launch and a few months for the launch of a more limited-scope-demonstration of the game.