Announcing a change in patron benefits and public releases
After the release of Saving Chloe, Mortze and I sat down and discussed how to better engage with our fans. We decided that a significant problem was that we'd release a game, then go dark for a year while developing the next game. We looked at what other game producers were doing and found that most of them were releasing their games in regular small chunks rather than all at once at the end. So we decided to try doing the same. That was the genesis of our current "Episode" strategy.
It doesn't seem to be working. We gained some patrons at first, but then our numbers started to decline. In May we literally lost 10% of our patrons, and we're currently negative again in June.
There are a number of potential explanations for this. Maybe people haven't liked the stories we've been telling since Saving Chloe. Maybe people haven't liked the episodes. Or maybe releasing the episodes to patrons just two weeks before releasing them to the public isn't enough of a perk to keep patrons happy. I've read all of the patron exit interviews, but the answer isn't there.
So, we're going to change gears a bit. The stories we're telling now are already episodic, and wouldn't lend themselves to switching to the old way of doing things. But I can change the patron benefit.
After DF Ep2, we are no longer going to release episodes of Coming to Grips with Christine, Darkness Falls, or AAA to the public. Instead we're going to wait until the games are completed and release them as full games then (for free, as with all of our other games). (I haven't decided yet whether or not to ever release AAA to the public or keep it as a patron benefit.)
However, we are going to keep releasing episodes to patrons. $10 patrons will continue to get CtGwC and DF episodes on the same schedule as before. And $1 patrons will continue to get AAA episodes as well. The weekly pictures for $5 patrons won't change either.
I don't know whether this will stem the patron bleeding or increase it, but we have to try something. When we finish the current stories and release them to the public, we'll reassess how we want to move forward from there.
For the large number of you who have stuck with us for so long, we are extremely grateful. We literally would not be able to do this without your support. Thank you.
Tlaero
Comments (19)
Hi Mortze and Tlaero! I am huge fan of both of you. I even started playing adult games because of you, because of Dreaming with Elsa, Redemption for Jessika and Pandora. The thing that kept me stuck were initially, the image renders of all the beautiful girls. Then I got addicted because of the story. Now I also play games made by other creators. So, in my opinion the reason for the decline is mainly that the content is full of quality but it lacks quantity. And as others said, we play these games to have some release from the frustrating daily mundane routines. So, we expect that the gameplay is at least so much that we can engross ourselves in it for about an hour. And especially since your games are rich in story, it just doesn't do justice if the gameplay ends in a short time. Another thing about other better performing creators is that they have a team of developers, artists and testers, which divides the work eventually leading to the best quality AND quantity. But again, I understand, that requires funds. I will surely support you guys on Patreon as soon as I get my credit card (I'm a student right now... LOL), I promise. But speaking in general, I really think the quantity is the main reason.
Well, at least you tried. In my opinion, there are 2 possible reasons for this decline. As I said in other thread, CtGwC's Ep1 and 2 seemed just like a linear story. In Ep3 we'll realize that's not the case, but maybe it's too late for some people. You're creating a Tlaero&Mortze standard game, after all, but releasing it in small chunks. I think people who support other episodic games expect these episodes to be more 'gameable' in terms of giving different sexy rewards within the episode depending on their choices -instant rewards apart from longterm ones which will be discovered later in the game. DF structure is beeter suited for this episodic release format - but it has just a few sexy pics here and there so some people sure feel slightly disappointed. And the second reason could have to do with the double-game thing: If I just like one of your games I will have to wait 2 months for a new installment which I'll have for free 2 weeks later -many people would choose to wait these couple of extra weeks because the available content for patrons won't be different by then. So no real benefit from being a patron unless you really crave for new content. Most of creators only release a free version once a new patron-only installment is released, thus making patrons to be one month ahead of free players - which would be 4 months ahead in your case. Well, that's a difference
My opinion is that it's hard to top Saving Chloe. To keep me happy I need games of the same type. I know you can and will make it, the question is if I can hold out waiting for the next one.
Honestly, your games are the best in your genre I have played.i am supporting one or your competitors, but I would easily drop them before I do you guys. Your stories are strong, your characters grow and have realistic shapes and sizes, and the sex always feels earned and impactful. I honestly wish more creators were like you.
My one thought is, maybe after these games, work on one story at a time instead of switching between two every other month. Maybe even doing the teased sequel to Pandora?
It's a bummer to hear about the continuing hemorrhaging in patrons. As I've said before, I'm on board with however you guys want to do it. (Even if I have been utterly baffled by the last few "weeklies".) I hope the new setup yields some results. I upped my monthly pledge to $15. A drop in the bucket, I'm sure, but I felt like I needed to do something to reiterate how much I appreciate all your hard work.
Tlaero and Mortze. You guys are great and I love your work. Speaking from my own experience, pleasing patrons is tough. My only advice is to simply to paraphrase Confucius (I think) who said "One can bend over backwards so far that they fall flat on their face." I enjoy everything you two are putting out, but at the same time I kind of felt that there was a bit too much going on and it fractured the overall Tlaero and Mortze experience. From the AAA to the episodes to the side stories. I kind of think that reigning it in a bit and refocusing on the core could be very beneficial. Too much focus on pleasing us Patrons might be eroding the base a bit. Of course, I could be completely wrong! Either way, you likely have me forever, so keep up the great work!
Didn't mean to disparage the quality of your work by omission, Wolfschadowe. It is also awesome!
Sorry about that. Satisfying the public is always a mixed bag. As a writer from time to time, I am aware of that. Personally I enjoy the teamwork yu two bring to the table. As Tao Dude mentions above, one of your problems may well be that there is a great deal more competition for funds here at Patreon then when you started. Another may be that many are less interested in the stories you write so well than they are in the sexy pictures Mortze writes. Waiting for six months for an excellent package, if trying to the patience, had its benefits. But serialized stories also have a following, which is why they sold so many magazines in the early days of print. My advice is to do what your best at. and let the followers develop. I understand all to well that this puts a strain on the financial side of the equation. Only you can resolve that balance. Some of us will be loyal regardless, as there is no one else that combines the quality in both art forms that the two of you share with us.
Thank you, Thrymson. The advice and encouragement from long time incredible supporters like you means a lot. --Tlaero
Satisfying the public is always a mixed
Hmm. I am $5 patron. If I understand correctly, I will have to wait a year or so before I see any more of the stories currently in production. I will get to see the weekly pictures, but pictures aren't stories and I decided to patronize you based on stories plus pictures, not just pictures. Now, when it would take a year for a new story to be created and released, waiting an extra 2 or 4 weeks was of little import to me. Nor was the fact that I would get the story a few weeks ahead of the public. My point is that a few weeks amortized over a year is not that significant to me. But with the new setup, I will be aware that new chapters are in fact being released on a monthly or so basis, but that I am not privy to them. So the question I ask myself is do I raise my support level to $10 so that I can continue with monthly releases, do I stay where I am, or do I drop my patronage altogether. (I don't think the text-only story is bad, but honestly I'm here for the story plus naked-people-having-fun pictures.) Since signing up to patronize you, I've added several creators to my list and, as someone has already mentioned, total outlay per month becomes a factor needing consideration. I am undecided as of now.
Rake, you also have been an incredible supporter. Thank you! My advise to Tao applies to you too. Also, back before the Episodes when our $10 patron perks never went to lower paying patrons, I occasionally sent them to the $5 patrons anyway. I may still do that. And it will always be the case that pledging $10 once will get you "caught up" on content, just like before. --Tlaero
For me, it's purely financial: i am supporting quite a few creators and it was costing me over $100 per month, plus 20% UK tax. I have had to cut back and so i have reduced several to just $1 so that i can keep in touch with their work and others to $5. I am still supporting some of the better ones (you included) at $10, but that might have to change in the next month or so.
Tao Dude, you've been an incredible supporter. Thank you! I will completely understand if you vary your contribution from month to month. Maybe drop it to $5 or $1 for a few months and then pop back up to $10 to catch up on the stories, etc. --Tlaero
I don't understand your patron bleed either. I actually was an admirer of your games almost sonce the beginning, but only became a paying patron when you began your episodic release. I always wanted to support you but with your long term projects, waiting another week or two didn't feel like too much time. The release intervalls of CtgwC an DF kind of gave me the last notch. I have a regular release of your magnificent stories and I get them as soon as they are out. Maybe some people feel like the story is not progressing fast enough (I felt a bit like that with the last episode of CtgwC). Anyway, I really hope you will experience an increase in patron numbers again! I am looking forward to you next releases. Your stories and pictures, to me, are unmatched. I love them! Keep it up!
Thanks Whiskeydoodle. I think you'll like CtGwC Ep3. Things progress quite a bit in that one... --Tlaero
I'm not sure what your schedule is like but it seems to me that most developers are releasing episodes monthly and I'm not sure if you guys are quite up to that speed. Don't know if that helps or not.
Since we started doing this, we consistently have released a game episode at the beginning of every month and a story episode in the middle of every month. --Tlaero