Here are the assets for the Sooby game
Feel free to download, or share the link anywhere:
https://mega.nz/#F!o48TDa6T!wiFb66VhWystYEbkk_CCjQ
I want to emphasize. The art available through the link belongs to me and me only. SmokeShank from Gunsmoke games paid for it to appear on a game I created (game design, script, UI, characters, backgrounds, scenes...) and he was planning to release first in Newgrounds, then an updated version with more content on their Patreon.
Smoke paid me so I could work on the art, but this doesn't give him or Locke legal right to share any of it without my permission. They did without telling me, and also cancelled the game I had been working on for 16 months without even a word. Part of me was glad, because the communication and organization had been basically non-existent, and when Skype calls happened, it was to either tell me to keep going, that everything was fine, or that everything was wrong and I had to change the game completely. They kept information from me, I only ever saw ONE build of the game with almost no content, changed the script many times till the production process slowed down to a crawl, all the while refusing to admit they had done, or were doing anything wrong.
Then, after I asked that if they weren't willing to do anything with the project, they minded if I took over, with Akanoes as a coder, and free of any obligations or charges of any kind, allow me to finish on my own, the threats started. Then when I asked how could this harm them in any way, and that if there was a real reason I wouldn't do it, I got called a thief and lazy. Amazing coming from the two guys that didn't give enough of a shit about the project to even read the design document to see how the game WAS going to be like.
I took a deep breath. Then I said fine, I don't get it but I won't make the game, I'll just do the same you did and give my patrons the assets so they see the work I had been doing. Then the REAL shit started flying. Threats to use all of their fans against me, to sink Ben X, to use their bank to reclaim money they had paid me... a real freak show.
I can understand if people's busy and can't work. I even think I could have made a few things clearer, like the use of documents and why communication is so important. But from my meeting with Smoke and Sunset in Canada, I got that they were really cool indie devs that just wanted to make cool games. That was the case for Sunset, no doubt. I don't think he is to blame in any way.
As for the rest. You can't just throw money at a project and expect it to magically manage itself. If I had been allowed to, I would have, on my own. I'm good at it. But all I got was changes and more changes, till the game was unrecognizable. Somehow I'm to blame, apparently. Not the manager. Not the coder who didn't send me any builds and complained about every single feature that made the game interesting -and his job more than just placing scene after scene- Me.
Anyway, sorry for the rant, but as you can imagine, I'm not very happy right now. Silver lining, here's the art for you guys to enjoy! XD I also included some design docs, I think most of it from my original vision for the game. It proves a lot of what they're saying to be either wrong, or even straight lies, but most of all I hope it proves that I really cared about this game, and I really, really wanted to share it with you guys.
Talk soon,
Newman.
Comments (18)
Shit happens I guess... Thank you for being open about this and sharing your side of things. It was an interesting read and a cautionary tale for many I am sure. It sucks about all the work lost though... ^_^
Worst thing was the threats if I showed people the game's art, man. And having to prove I had worked my ass off in this game. I didn't know who people was going to believe. I mean, it's the SU guys! In the end, I got so many words of encouragement it was actually pretty nice. Plus, I got to prove Locke a liar, which is always nice.
Newman are you going to make a Android version as well ones the game gets on the way
I don't think there will be a game, man. At least I don't think so.
Is there a correspondence? It is interesting to look..
…. it feels oh so wrong for all that work to be wasted. yet it is your work and your word at stake. why do so many good sounding games get lost in development hell...
Usually poor management. In the worst case -I've seen it-, sabotage. It makes you wonder though, how many awesome games have been lost? And when will we have the technology to travel to the parallel universe in which they didn't and play them?!
Honestly I dont know, what to say...Im gonna be honest I didnt come here to hate anybody, or declare wars, I love both proyects from both groups and I cant find myself into bringing the torch or spikes. I wanted to say, Im sorry nothing went like we ALL wanted to be, something awesome, but Im not a man that hates for the sake of hate, I will still support GG and SU, and also I will root for your success Newman, I fell in love with your art for the same reason I fell in love with SU, Both have a lot of heart and soul....Thank you for being here!
That's the best way to go about it, I agree. And thanks to you too! ;)
Great work Newman, don't let frustation and anger take the better of you. Also... damn Velma! We all know she had a great rack, but damn. Can we have her cameo in Ben X, even if just for a minute? Please?
Damn shame, I agree. Wouldn't fit Ben X though, sorry man.
Holy shit man, 16 months of working in vain O_o I work on my game for 9 months and barely keep myself motivated to continue. So I can't even imagine how devastated you feel after that. To be fair I cannot take your side or GG's, since I have only your word and word of GG. It's between you and them. But I feel really sorry for you for getting cancelled the 16 months work. Dude it's a really deep shit. I hope it'll not break you but make you stronger. Keep your good work bro and don't let the crap to stop you.
Sorry to hear about your frustrations. Maybe at some point in the future the game can be completed at a later date when other BS has passed.
"There is no monster" Finds the pic of the monster you mentioned in discord. Art -characters --sketches and stuff "Modified March 2017" So they potentially had something from last year. Plus all the sex scenes they claimed didn't exist.
Oh yeah, make sure to check the PSD's with Photoshop so you can see all the different clothes for the girls and the layer on the sex scenes. I'm planning to make a better version of this, kinda like an art book, explaining all about the game and how I work. I'll probably share more sketches, so you can see my painting process as well. Maybe the script too? I dunno. Still a work in progress.
Sorry for your frustrations, thanks for your contributions. Maybe someone more industrious than me will pick up the resources and try to run with your vision. That'd be nice.
Welp, I told Smoke I wouldn't do it, so I'd rather nobody does. Can't say I wouldn't like to play the game with my original script and features in, but I don't know. I'm just releasing this so people see I've worked my ass off, prove Locke a liar, and to show Smoke I don't respond nicely to threats, no matter how politely they come.
bless 🙏