Pandora is done!

Although not being a rule in the patronage offer, I Think it is a good gesture to release first to all patrons, even if one day earlier and even if it is copyed everywhere. I would be happy if I received first even if by a few hours.. Its like a film pre-release or lauching day. Its a good gesture and a way to thank the supporters.

I'm not sure if this will work out for your games and community or not, but for BEW, there is an option to login to a hosted, ad free site and early access is limited to playing on the server based on patron level. Once general release occurs, the game can be downloaded normally and played offline and progress can be synced either automatically or via export/import of json files to the offline game. I found that this compromise has prevented early leaking of BEW and maintained patron privilege for early access for those who wish to partake. Just thought I'd share the idea with you. :) Thanks for the great games!!

What a great news... :)

Create a DRM protection

Congratulations on completing the game! I'll be waiting for the public release.

If you are still unsure you can do a swift poll to ask your patrons, maybe giving more values tier values, like 25 patrons 1 vote is like 4 and see the answers, i think that also from the 25 the majority will vote to release for all or at least only a week before for patrons. Releasing a week before only for patrons will mean the game released to public from pirate instead of you, I don't know how you see this, in some way people ask in those forums is also publicity in other way can be frustrating, but you have to decide.

I can’t speak for everyone, but I really think both of you are one of the few creators who don’t have to offer their supporters an earlier release in exchange for their money. You have already proven many times that you finish the games you announce and that you deliver great quality in the process. We know we can trust you and that is a big reason for our continued support. I already thank you for Pandora, no matter what you decide.

Tlaero here. In my opinion, we should release Pandora to everyone (patrons and the public) at the same time. The main reason we did the early patron release for RfJ and FM was that we needed to have SOME kind of perk for $5 patrons. But, even though that perk was my idea, I didn't really like it. I didn't think it was a very good perk, and I thought it muddied the release (not to mention the piracy issue). That's why I came up with the Weekly pictures perk to replace it. I'm guessing that most of you will agree that getting a cool Mortze picture every week is better than occasionally getting a game a week before the general public does. So I've been advocating a single public release to Mortze. If you think that's a terrible idea, you can blame me. (-: --Tlaero

My thoughts are you make a game I support, I support you to help you make that game, not to see what I can get before others. If you wait others nigher up might release it out, than the lower supporters do not get it as soon. But your game up to you not us, I hope others support cause they like the game not for rewards, The game is the reward and feel we help get it made by our support. big hugs to whole team there.

Why would you release to Shark's Lagoon at the same time you release to patrons? It might be that some folks are overthinking this. Since early release is not one of the tier perks, I'd suggest just releasing early to ALL patrons. Then in a day or two, release to Shark's Lagoon to thwart the pirates. We get to feel a bit rewarded with the game a day or two ahead of the pubic but the time to public release is short enough that the pirates are not rewarded.

Whilst I appreciate that you may want to reward those who contribute more than others. Please bare in mind the individuals who have consecutively provided donations for a much longer period albeit at a smaller amount.

I've read all your opinions very carefully and Tlaero also got my ear. I had to ask you your opinion out of respect and gratefulness. There isn't any consent safe for the lack of opinion from higher tier patrons who would want to benefit from an earlier release just for them. The point is, as the model is now, the tiers define each level benefit and early release isn't one of them. I also have to put high value on the weekly pics and monthly perks that are released. That is a reward for those patrons who feel like they should get something for their hard-won money they generously send us monthly. For those who support us with the motive of patronage the release of hard-work financed by their support should be good enough. There is no way to prevent misconduct and the game will eventually be leaked. That's one of the reasons why every game we've done is free on the internet. There is now this consideration of releasing the game to everyone the same day, here to you, on Shark's Lagoon for everyone else. I would like to know, now, what would your opinion be if that was the case; the day the game is test free, we'll release it to the world. Let me know. -- Mortze --

It's nearly impossible to please all, but if you want to have some possibility to avoid that the game would be pirated immediately (I would be very surprised if some 5 or 10 wouldn't do) you have to release by tiers (even if waiting 2 week for people that have pledged 5 for months is not a little time and also playing 2-3 days before the others is not little, in the pirate forum there are people that ask continually games, and die to wait 2-3 days), but above all if the game is pirated don't feel bad, I think that your patrons are more sorry for your feeling that losing some exclusive time, at the end all your game would be public.

I think tiered releases is bullshit. It's a fake reward, I gain nothing from other people being unable to play the game. It's a punishment for those who don't pay you. Letting Patreons play an early build would be a reward for some, but not delaying the actual release for non-patrons.

Same like Alex and Dasati, i became a Patron to support you guys, not to get early acces to your games.. i dont think anyone here became a patron to be sure they get to play your games before anyone else, but because they love your games, and want to support you 2 in creating them (and ofcourse somehow "force" you to keep making them :p)

Kind of thinking that one dollar patrons, like myself, at the very least probably shouldn't be getting the game at the same time as everyone else. Tiers sound okay to me as long as the intervals between levels aren't to long.

My main concern isn't piracy. It's one of the great concerns I have but not the most important. The most important concern is to reward loyal patrons. -- Mortze

Patreon has an API that let you autenticate on your website according to your patronage level using login:pass of Pateron website ... if piracy is a big concern of you (that I perfectly understand) you should look at this solution in the initial phase of the release

If piracy is your main concern with releasing it to patrons first, you could have a release schedule of: $25 patrons -> other patrons -> public, with each level separated by a week. I doubt any of the $25 patrons would leak it, and it rewards them first. After that, you could release it to the rest of the patrons so none of them feel too screwed over if it gets leaked early.

I would say that patrons with $25 Get 2 days before 10$ -> 10$ Get 2 days before $5 -> 5$ Get 2 days before $1/Public -> Everyone else The longer you wait the more likely it is that it will be leaked, I would say. Good luck with the release, can't wait to play it!

Three releases.... 25 and 10.... a week later... 5 and 1..... 3 weeks later.... non patrons (if you are releasing for non payers.)

Great news that it's done and about ready for testing, am eager to play this next part of the story :-) About Tier release: As a $5 Patron I'm a little conflicted, I understand all the reasons for this thought, but as some already mentioned Piracy is impossible to avoid. The chances of $25 Patrons to leak your work is smaller of course, as presently only 13 of those exist. In theory if one does, how to investigate who? Would a pirate admit to it if simply asked? Also, as someone pointed out, the Tier info does not inform of a release system.. first step would maybe be to include such? Looking at other developers, yours could for example be: $1 Get the games 1 month before they goes public. $5 Get the games 1 week before $1 Patrons. $10 Get the games 1 week before $5 Patrons. $25 Get the games 1 week before $10 Patron. I'm not a fan of that solution mind you, I would rather see this system instead: $25 Gets to test the games before release, if wanting to. $10 & $5 Gets the games after testing is complete. $1 Get the games 1 week after other Tiers, but 1 month before public release. That's just my input and ideas on how this could be dealt with, if the games are not to be made available for all Patrons at the same time, which is my absolute favorite system btw :-)

Thorny issue, in a perfect world the tiered release idea would be good, but as has been mentioned the moment its released to any patron's it wont be long before its pirated nullifying the whole point of tiered release. Piracy will happen, anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves. With that in mind I believe it would be best to release it to all patrons at same time. I ofc can only speak for myself but I patron you guys to support you as far as I'm concerned getting the game earlier is just a nice bonus.

Sounds good, since I am a Sugar Dady 😊

There are only 3 things that are sure in life...Death, Taxes and anything that can be pirated will be pirated. It's a fact of life. You can struggle your entire life to fight it, but just like death and taxes, you'll always loose in the end. The best option is to simply get on with doing what you do. Release the games in intervals, top tier down, about a week apart, and the honest people will get it when it gets to their tier.

This is the best news of the week! I am unsure on how to release this though. The tiered system makes sense and could easily work, but like Ministry points out, in the end you just can't trust everyone. Either way, you have my support no matter what you decide.

i'm not sure if releasing by tiers is a good idea. your 1,- patrons have to wait e.g. four weeks for their download, but they can find the game already on pirate-sites. you can find almost every patreon-game on pirate-sites. i think pandora will be available max. one day after you release it to 10,- patrons.

First of all, great work already being done with the game! II think the tier system is a great way of releasing it.