Hey everyone!
I have a lot to share with you today, but let's start with a summary of the latest update and some of my notes. I've already shared these on Discord, but I'll summarize them here too.
The days after releasing a new update are always the toughest for me mentally. I spend them combing through every forum reading players feedback. This includes everything from trolls and long-time critics to supportive fans. I’m also on the lookout for bugs reported by players so we can fix them promptly.
Bugs and Issues
We've fixed all the reported bugs. One critical bug related to the iSpy app was preventing further progress in some cases. There were also minor issues with minigames, Discord on Mac, and a missing scene in the replay gallery. These have all been fixed. We've also made the dance minigame a bit easier and we’re ready to fix any new bugs immediately.
Feedback on Update Length
I've addressed this many times, but here’s my previous information about the developing job (I wrote it some time ago, so that's copy-paste):
...my job as a firefighter sometimes allows me extra time off, which I dedicate to game development. Over the past three months (aside from my vacation), I’ve been working 12-16 hours daily to create what we’ve released. Despite this, some still find the update “short.” I might need to slow down and give myself more mental freedom because no matter how hard I work, people will always complain about the update being too short. (edit. we are actively looking for additional Daz3D artists, but we rather want to improve the quality of the renders, so finding the right person(s) is very hard and we have not succeeded so far).
Content and Story Feedback
I agree that we could have added more sexual content to the yacht scene, but I didn't think it was appropriate and really needed. We don't want to add empty sex scenes just for the sake of it. This update was not shallow in my opinion, as it containted three other sex scenes. I'm sure we'll soon get to the point where everyone will see what they're waiting for, but scenes in which sexual acts don't occur also affect the main character's mental attitude. You may disagree with this, but it does not change my approach to the storyline we are creating.
It’s important to remember that an Adult Visual Novel combines both - "Adult" content, but also "Novel" aspect. If someone is here only for the adult content and ignores the novel aspect, they might be disappointed—that’s not our aim (yes, I'm aware we are creating porn game :wink:)
Regarding complaints about the D&D, Elijah or any other plotlines: it's impossible to please everyone. Some enjoy these storylines, others don’t. Making them optional would undermine the main narrative. Every plot point, including D&D, has an impact on the main character, if not now, then in future updates. We don't add random storylines; everything has a purpose. We also can't feature every character in every update. Episode 2.2 focused on Elijah and Richard; 3.0 focused on other things; episode 3.1 will be about something else. We’re doing our best to release content quickly and on time. If you found this update small, you might want to wait for 4.0 and skip previous two small updates till then.
Lastly, regarding the bar minigame: it’s optional and doesn’t affect the main story, but we already made it easier for everyone. It will have its development in episode 3.1 but will remain non-essential to the main plot.
That would be it. I take every feedback to heart, we have our idea for the game, but we also take your opinion into consideration. However, we will not add a sex scene with Riley, just because we feel such pressure on our backs. I am always available to you and I write back to every message, however, if you need help with the game or you have encountered an error - share it on discord so that it is easier to solve them. If you would like to add something, feel free to comment and share your thoughts.
That will be it about Episode 3.0, so let's move to development of Episode 3.1 and some notes!
Progress on Episode 3.1 is going smoothly. As you can see in the image below, our scripts and writing are almost done. We've also completed about 40% of the graphics and renders, and started adding new scenes and content directly to the game. We're planning to add six main scenes, one extra scene, and more activities related to the park, school, and the bar minigame.
Episode 3.1 will be a small update. We're sticking to our plan of releasing two small updates (x.1 and x.2) followed by a bigger one (0.x). If you don't like small updates, please wait for the next one or even Episode 4.0. Respect our work and refrain from comments like "too short." We're doing our best to release updates regularly and spend all our free time creating the game. The new update will be out in mid-August.
(Who would I be if I didn't share a few new renders?)
Take care and see you soon!
