Dev Update (Patreon)

Hi folks,

As it's getting close to month end, I just wanted to drop you an update on episode 23.

Current estimate is that there's at least another 4-5 weeks work left to go.  I don't want to bore you with details but a quick summary is to say we have had some delays due to re-dos on some of our Cosplay artwork and we are still really bottle-necked on animations.  Currently working with two additional animators but progress is slow.  The art problems were exacerbated as our lead artist (Cell) had to swap out his GPU and for some reason images from his new GPU didn't match his old ones, so if a scene with 40+ images needed a re-do /touch-up on a couple of images (which is the norm), then he had to end up re-doing ALL of the images in that scene so they would match (obviously not the norm).

So based on that, there are no guarantees that we'll hit an August release (I am also out of action in the last week of August  due to personal work commitments (so that limits our August window too).

So, rather than commit to an August release and potentially miss it (and disappoint people who paid for August and don't get a release), I am going to go with a commitment for a September release (but we'll still aim for a hail-mary in August).  So for anyone pissed off with with this news, please ensure you drop / reduce your pledge before end-of-month. This is completely understandable as I know this dev cycle has been way too long.

And for anyone who sticks with us in August, I will post the relevant links (prior to a release) in August, so that you will still get access to your relevant tiers in September even if you are no longer a patron in September.

And although I never usually makes promises...I will promise that no future episode (or epilogue) will take as long as episode 23 has taken.  I have booked some unpaid leave (1 week per month for 6 months) from my real job starting in October to ensure I hit this commitment and get this game finished before we all die of old age.  I mentioned previously that I foresee this game to last 25 episodes, plus epilogues (to close out each female character's arc) and this is still the case.

And for those of you that took part in the poll - thanks a lot!  There were some surprises and some not-so-much....But the details can be found below at the end of this post.

Also:  For anyone looking for our discord link, here it is:  https://discord.gg/PaxbKpsRm6

As always, please post any suggestions/questions/comments/feedback/complaints in the comments below or send me a DM.

Thanks,

CG

Poll results:

(Spoilers from episode 22 below so please don't read if you haven't played it yet)/

Give the house to Elaine?

56% percent of you gave the house to Elaine (44% didn't):

You will get a lot more details on the outcome of this decision in episode 23.

Beach-house:  Bachelor pad or chick-nest?

9% of you chose to keep it as a bachelor pad.

4% let Jolina, move in but not Bella.

5% let Bella move in, but not Jolina.

A whopping 82% of you dirty dogs let both girls move in!  Is this a dream threesome or is the house of cards about to fall down on you two-timers?????

Big-Decisions

Firstly, a little explanation of why I wanted to introduce the "Big decisions" flag (because I know it scared the shit out of some of you).  Basically, there have been many occurrences earlier in the game where you could back-track or change your mind about an earlier decision (i.e. tell a girl you're interested and then break up with her later....OR tell a girl you're not interested and then pursue her later....OR pursue a multi-girl route and then later change your mind and then attempt to go solo with one of the girls).  As we get closer to the end-game, I have to remove some of these back-tracking options just to start locking in some of your "big-decisions" to remove less flip-flopping every episode.   So in these later episodes, the "big-decision" flag is basically our way of letting you know that this isn't a reversible decision....So if you decide to commit to a girl this ;late in the game, you're committing to her...OR if you want to continue blatantly lying to someone (rather than drop subtle hints), then this will remain as your approach as we enter the last couple of episodes.   Hope that makes sense....If not, let me know.  Basically...It's time to man* up and start sticking with some decisions, rather than keep every escape route / back-track path open.   

(*No apologies for the use of the non non-binary gender term "man-up"!  It's a valid expression!  :)  No snowflakes allowed here).  Anyway....

12% of you panicked and broke up with someone based on the "Big decision" moments.  We call you the "fainting goats"

80% of you decided to ease into the end game and drop some subtle hints in the hope that you have been so charming that the ladies win question will forgive your indiscretions when it all comes to a head.  We call you the "Risky business-men."  With great risk...comes great reward....OR an early grave.   Who knows....?

8% of you ignored all warnings and continued with your blatant lies.  We call you..."The Juggernauts."  Will you keep the head down and successfully smash through all obstacles...OR are you just heading towards a trail of tears, destruction and a lonely finale?

Natasha:

39% of you managed to completely dodge that car-crash -I bet some of you had to go back and un-do some previous decisions to arrive here  (I don't believe 39% arrived here without a re-do)

24% of you are at her beck and call and don't like it.  Episode 23 will resolve this....one way or the other.

37% of you like having the crazy lady dangling her threats (and her tits) in your face.

Models:

82% of you are still dating one or both of these ladies.  For what were introduced as side-characters, this is surprisingly high but I'm glad to see they had an impact and are proving popular.  We will see them again.

Zarah / Monica:

83% of you want to be the meat in this MILF sandwich.  Also, surprisingly high.  Is this just a pipe-dream we have alluded to but never going to happen or is there a glimmer of hope???

New girls:

Many episodes ago, we made a conscious decision NOT to introduce any more females....and then we went and tore up THAT contract.  It's really difficult not to introduce a bit of fresh meat (especially when they look like Mabel / Porsche, etc.)

78% of you like these new additions...22% don't.

Gold-digger:

Only 1% of you think that her identity is very obvious. (I hope using "her" isn't a spoiler :) )

65% of you are very sure  (But you probably fucked her anyway)

34% of you have no clue. (So you have definitely fucked her! )

Final-Plan:

4% of you are horny chihuahuas who want to hump anything and everything, regardless of consequences without even looking up to see what's happening around you.  (I bet all of these folks are also Juggernauts)

74% of you are hound-dogs!  You want to reach end-game with as many women as possible clinging onto your love-sausage!  But you're hoping to sniff out the safest path to get there.

22% of you old romantics want to settle on one girl (or maybe have a little hound still left and looking for a threesome/foursome but aren't as greedy as the two groups above.)

Thanks again for voting...It was actually great to get some insights as to how you have been playing the game (Thanks to MoonLight for suggesting - he is really racking up the brownie points!!)

Let me know if there are any other questions you'd like me to poll.