Recently, some friends who preferred the previous version have contributed to an increase in lower ratings.
I too enjoyed the relaxed experience of the old version. Unfortunately, its gameplay had reached a developmental dead end.
The art overhaul stems from these reasons:
Aligning with the new thematic direction. Without showcasing the world's brutal competition, gameplay would stagnate. My focus is societal evolution—remaining a casual builder contradicts this vision.
Previous art, while detailed, compromised clarity for controls and interactions.
It also caused performance issues during late-game scaling.
Facial/hair/clothing diversity will return—currently delayed due to workload.
To those dissatisfied with our direction: I regret any communication gaps. I shared development visuals and beta explanations, but clearly fell short. My sincere apologies.
This update demanded extraordinary effort. By March 2024 (launch month), I recognized the old design's ceiling. Some team members began prototyping this new version then, while maintaining old updates until October 2024—despite steadily declining player counts and sales. Minor optimizations couldn't revive stagnant gameplay.
The conclusion is undeniable: the old path led nowhere.
The new version is now playable.
Player counts, sales, and reception have surged dramatically these past days. I'm grateful to the team members who persevered. The team has even welcomed new members.
We'll press forward—hoping supporters of this vision stay with us.
P.S. Group marriage remains current. Family trees and kinship systems will reemerge as core mechanics, evolving the game into the era of familial invention.