Art update: What the F is going on? (Patreon)

Hey folks, first of all a big apology for taking this long to write a news update. That's basically what these art updates have become. I wanted to do one earlier but there's a reason I didn't.

I was hoping and waiting for the coder to send me some good news(a viable build) first, but that didn't happen which made me decide to wait another day. Rinse and repeat. Rinse and repeat

But it's time to write this update and share some conclusions I've slowly come to accept. let me get to the point. I'm pretty much convinced the coder is rubbing up against a burnout or something which looks and smells just like it.  You've heard me mention this before, but back then I was still not certain. If anything the coder is super good with words, putting on a happy smiley face.

But now, with the increasingly long time it takes for him to get stuff done and some other private admissions recently, I'm pretty much convinced things are simply becoming too much for him. This isn't just a matter of the collectable card game not coming together the way he wanted and taking too much of his time.

If I let things go on as they are right now it will only get worse so I'm going to put my foot down and force him to take a break. A real one. Not one of those "I'll take one in between working on FET"-things. I suggested for us to take a small break several times before and all of those times he pretty much ignored them. 

I'm hoping some real downtime will rejuvenate his desire and ability to shine at his finest. Because imo he has done some pretty awesome stuff. And to tell you a little secret... there's been a lot more bad things going on in his life while working on FET than he has shared publicly. Naturally I can't tell you either since that sort of stuff is up to the person it concerns to share or not, but it was the reason I've been wanting him to take a real official break earlier.

So that means I'm going to stop sending him any new scenes/art for awhile. It's pretty much the only thing I can do to force him to get some rest. I have no control once I sent him the stuff needed for a new build and I generally send him the bulk of what's needed during the first few days of a new dev cycle. He's had what's needed for the current build a long time, but none of the stuff needed for the next one so that's where my "veto power" comes in.

I'm going to hold off on sending him anything for at the very least a week. Then I'll carefully see how he's doing and probably add another week before I check again. I already mailed him this in the morning and hoping he'll get back to me soon.

Addition: I got a reply from the coder.

He pretty much admitted my suspicions are far closer to the mark than he'd like to admit. I've proposed for him to immediately take that break so he can hopefully come back swinging again afterwards. Or at the very least take it veeeery easy. I really don't want the build we're working on to be a filler or substandard. It has too many elements which are important for the route.

So what about the build? When will you get to see it? I don't know. Which right now is the only and suckiest answer I can give.

But this is the moment when if we push things, stuff is going to crack and FET is too important to me to want to risk that. As soon as  I have any other answers for you I will immediately talk about it and I'll keep doing my part of the work on here, but expect a complete shutdown for at least a week on the coder's side of things, probably two.

It's a disappointing setback but one we'll need to have right now to come back better later. And don't be mistaken. I'm fully convinced with a real breather the coder can and will get back to  his "Can do!"-mentality.  If anything I blame myself for not doing this earlier.

Who knows, maybe I can take this time to make a small game for Halloween again. I wasn't planning on that, but I already have finished a bunch of art for the next build(s) and I don't want to completely get out of synch with the coder's ideas/plans.

So as not to end this on a low note, here's some pics of better/sunnier times!