Hey all,
I'm still floored to this day that a game I made with almost no experience working in game engines that started as a class project ended up being so well received, and I'd like to thank those who've played it for all the amazing thoughts and feedback. That said, it's time bid this game adieu, in the near future I'll be removing Together from being purchased indefinitely.
Why, you may ask?
Together was made at a time in my life where I was still processing a lot of emotions regarding its subject matter, such that it was therapeutic at the time to work on it and share it with others. In the process of doing that, I now feel that I did let my personal emotions get in the way of good game design. While some players did understand the intent I had behind this game, others had very valid interpretations that communicated the opposite of the message I initially intended to send.
There's a multitude of reasons this miscommunication happened (lack of context in the intro, confusing messaging, the fact that the vast majority of players never did find the ending where the heart doesn't break), and there's a lot of other problems with this game (I apologize to those with anxiety that played it without a warning, that was an unintended consequence). Regardless, in a game about love, mental breakdowns, depression, relationships, and heartbreak, getting the messaging right is really important, and I do feel that I failed some of my players in that regard.
I know that some of you would much rather I go through and fix these issues, polish it, and make Together into the game it was always meant to be, and while part of me does want that.. another part would rather just let this one go. Together has served its purpose, and I don't personally want to dredge up all of the emotions I was feeling while making the game to rework it into something that can better communicate its message.
To those that enjoyed the game: thanks for your support, I hope that you may find other games like it. Lastly to those who hated it: I do greatly appreciate your criticisms, I hope to improve so that my games are better in the years to come.