sqwl
Afterparty
Published: October 31st 2023, 11:24:00 pm
Hello, guys.
was away for sometime, just got back.
Let's talk about the last update. I've read the feedback you gave me and that I was able to find in other places.
The main issue people have brought up is a lack of action, and a lack of action with the main characters in particular. I see that point. And if I were a player, I would perhaps feel the same. However, as a Dev I'd like to give you my view on that:
Action with main characters wouldn't make sense at this point. It would be out of character and destructing for any of them.
Alice. If we really try hard, we could probably construct some hypothetical circumstances in which MC and A attend some event, get drunk and *Magic* – one-night stand. But the only point I see in that event would be providing an "action" itself, nothing more.
A is an important character, and sacrificing her integrity or inventing some *reasons* for her to behave the way that would lead to a rushed lewd scene doesn't work for any cause but lewd.
Their relationship is progressing, but they aren't near the point of intimacy yet. If we rushed it, if we forced it for whatever reason – that scene wouldn't be even half as enjoyable as a properly introduced one. It would be just another scene with a pretty face in it. I don't want it to be a scene with some Ms. pretty face something, I want it to be a scene with Alice Brown. And it takes time.
Elsa. E is beautiful by real-world standards, but by "industry standards" she doesn't have any eye-catching, extraordinary assets. So I believe the main point of attraction for people isn't her appearance but rather her character.
If E just suddenly jumped at MC, asking to be bent over – that wouldn't be Elsa, she would be dead. I don't know what kind of excuses I would have to come up with to explain such behavior.
To have value and experience any emotions, both characters have to be complex, human beings first and pretty faces later. If they're just pretty faces, then all their value and your connection with them end with their first lewd scene. And then I'd be bound to keep throwing new and new pretty girls at players to keep them entertained. It's a valid path, but I don't like it, and I don't want to go there.
It's been 3 something years since the release, and looking back, not a huge amount of story/character development happened in the time given. Perhaps there's an issue with story pace, perhaps there's an issue with the pace of my work. But I don't think that could be fixed by lewdness.
All of the above doesn't mean that there won't be relationship development with the two main girls. I'd argue that there is development right now and it will continue. But I don't want to rush things with them, I can't ruin their characters because, in my eyes, the game would lose a huge part of its worth.
In the end, I admit that I've received a considerable amount of feedback highlighting this issue. It was constructive.
Lack of eroticism.
IMO, eroticism belongs between characters who share more than friendship. Eroticism between friends or colleagues in ordinary daily situations feels out of place and devalues it for further scenes. And an extensive amount of suggestive camera angles in out-of-place circumstances feels like blue balling. This is why there aren't a lot of ME2-style shots. I'm open to your opinion on that, would you like more?
Action with other characters.
If we can't have action with the main girls so far, why can't we have action with others?
We can, and there will be some events in the near future. I'm not sure about action itself, there will be some dating-like experience. I am more open to negotiating on that matter.
Why I can't/don't want guarantee/overflow you with action with someone else?
Because MC wants Alice. If MC starts fooling around while on mission for Alice, it's either out of character for him or he's just a fuckboy. Fuckboy doesn't fit well for MC in this particular story, IMO. It could be one of destinations, but shouldn't be a starting point.
This is my opinion on the matter. Please, feel free to write yours, if you differ or not, it doesn't matter. I don't always act on the feedback, but I listen to it.
The next update.
Right now, I'm reviewing the story for the next update, figuring out what and how I can show you without keeping a reasonable release schedule.
I think the experiment with a 3–4 month release window was positive; it helps to know that the finish line isn't that far away, and you can see and rate the result of my work more often too. I'll keep this model for future releases.
The rest stays the same: I have a fixed number of scenes I can produce within a month. If I reach the target amount, then everything is good. If I can't reach it, then I'll let you know this, explaining why, and then we can work it out together.
Also, as I wrote before, I was struggling with hardware capacity during the last update cycle. So I'll have to further optimize it: the environment might become a little sterile, fewer background characters, etc. It's not because IDGAF, it's because PC's going to explode otherwise.
I plan to get back to creating scenes in 1-2 weeks. Therefore, November numbers will probably be lower than usual. I'll try to catch up with them later, or else compensate you somehow at the end of the cycle.
And while in between updates, I want to look into ways of additional promotion of the game besides our favorite site (by the way, thanks everyone doing it there, I really appreciate your willingness to put your time into it). I'd like to explore itch.io and see what it is. I don't know much about it, and if it would be of any use to have the game featured there.
And shout-out to guys from countries where it's not that trivial to subscribe to Pateon, it wasn't easy, yet you made it here. Every penny helps. Thank you.
Feel free to leave your opinion on any matter discussed.
That's it. Thank you for your support.
See you soon