Poll: Animation Overload - We Need Your Opinions!
With the release of v0.16.2, we have 4 content builds left before Episode 2 ends! The final content update is scheduled for March 2nd, 2027.
We always knew this would be tight, but we were optimistic that monthly revenue would increase. This would let us hire more animators and animate more scenes. Unfortunately, this has not happened.
The launch of v0.15 in February, which marked Unity's start, saw an initial jump. March was our highest-earning month, and we still haven't surpassed it.
This means we, as a studio, are not growing.
Since we cannot grow, we cannot hire new team members, offer more hours, or give raises. We had hoped the Free Demo in October would see a resurgence, but it was business as usual.
Barely any demo players were swayed to become paid members.
This has created a real dilemma, as we were hoping for growth so we could hire more people. Now, all the animation work falls to one person. Koth does an amazing job, but he can only do so much in a week.
We looked ahead at what is needed for the rest of Episode 2's animations, and this is what we found.
Character Sprites and Lewd Animations each take about 2 weeks to animate.
I am writing this on November 3rd, which means we have 17 weeks until March 2nd, when we are scheduled to have Episode 2 content complete. We have 18 Animations to complete between Sprites and Lewds.
That means we need 36 Weeks to do them all.
Clearly, we don't have enough time.
So I've put together 3 plans for the community to vote on and discuss. We make this game not only for ourselves, but also for you. If you are here, you care about the game's development, so we want to hear your opinions and give you a voice in our decisions.
Other factors
The extended release times of Plans A & B will give everyone else on the team some time.
Lotus can focus on building the features we want to add to the game, such as studio mode and the player’s phone, while also refining what is already in the game.
Kokman can start drawing lewd scenes and moments for Episode 3, which features Vera and Tay.
Kikii can draw backgrounds for Episode 3, the Jade City map, and other UI elements such as the Studio Mode, a Keybind screen, and a special route screen we want to do.
Frisbee is leaving the studio by the end of November, so Rad can have time to do final edits on Episode 2 and write Episode 3. They also need to readjust to being the sole writer again.
It gives everyone else on the team breathing room, except for Koth, who is really fighting hard with the time and money we have available.
If we go with Plan C, we'll remove planned content, both announced and unannounced. This would help us focus on the main love interests and avoid distractions from additional content. This means no servers at Noto's at all, no Dave route, no Finn route, no future hookups, and no additional routes we were intending to start that deviated from the main love interests.
This would mean the core game gets finished sooner, and if there is time, money, and interest later, we can potentially go back and add these other routes back in. If there isn't, we won't go back.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
We are not making an executive decision today. We want to hear from you, the player base, both paying and waiting, what you want us to do.
After all, this is your money and your game.
Internally, we have a preference, but we want to know what you want.
Comments (38)
I genuinely think it’s good to focus less on updating supports as much. Caz most people won’t engage in this content, they will just play it and not look into a community. So getting the full game out soonest would be best. And do what marketing you can in the mean time with the content u have.
I used to subscribe to your account, but ever since you switched engines, I haven't resubscribed. Playing it feels really weird, so it would be best if you improved the skip and replay features.
The latest build added an adjustable skip speed that goes from pretty slow to extremely lightning fast :D
This kind of thing happens a lot unfortunately from what I've seen in the adult games community. The one things I've seen across all the highly successful games though is Consistency. The loyal fans will almost always be here in the long run, so the votes for Plan A is kind of expected. If you are looking for growth though, new fans are gonna come in and see months without anything and either think the game may be dead, or just not worth it. I don't think you have to do Monthly (Plan B) if it will compromise quality and content, but I've seen everything from bi-weekly (which usually doesn't last) to 4 months see some success. Key is commit to it, and then meet it. People who are gonna stick with you are gonna stick with, and new people will actually be able to see the consistency to have faith that they'll get an expected value back. I just wish you weren't being forced to compete with so much AI femboy slop, this game is a real gem.
I dont think B is really compromising quality though, and maybe I didn't do a good job explaining but Plan B is just taking the builds we were gonna do and breaking them into smaller, more manageable build sizes to maintain an update every month. They wont be huge updates, but they will be something. And yeah I hate that I gotta compete with slop ai games that can churn out content lol
I'll go with 3:16 Use AI for animation
No thanks, we're trying to make a good game.
I'm here for quality, not quantity. Plan A
Patience, quality, and trust in the process. My vote is for "a".
I really feel that the only correct option is A or maybe B right now I'm a free user but I really want to support this project next month I'm definitely upgrading my subscription right now I'm broke as fuck
I can wait. We live in a fast World that's hectic. Please, take your time!
As long as its financially and physically feasible, i think A would truly be the best for both yall and the product, im glad many seem to agree!
It is not. In a few months is going to be more problems and we will never see a complete game. Perfect is the enemy of good
My vote is for plan A. I personally prefer a good amount of content before i jump back in. As it stands i havent played for a few releases to build up the content for when i do. The work ya'll have done is amazing to turn around and rebuild the game.
A is how every game development cycle should work tbh, the hardcore fans are in for the long haul anyway, and the fans that leave will be back eventually since they do want it at peak quality they just dont like feeling like they're waiting for it so they leave with the purpose of coming back later to a more complete project
if i'm going to be honest, I supported you at the beginning but stopped subscribing when it felt like the priorities were being spread out too much. It felt like there wasn't enough to engage me enough to continue a constant monthly membership. I'm just trying to explain why I stopped my membership, I do buy into a release when there is some more meat in an update, but I just felt disappointed with the content release, it just felt slow and the desire to continue my membership kept decreasing. I just wanted to give my opinion on that. Plan A looks like the best choice out of the three. Though I feel like you guys need to readjust because the way things are, you're spreading yourselves too thin on trying to add too many things to this game that doesn't have alot of depth in the first place. With the fact that Koth is the only animator there (and I really do enjoy their animations, they're a rockstar) Ultimately you need to lighten what you need animated and if honestly it feels like animated character sprites for characters other than the main love interests feels like the path you guys need to go towards, or just no more animated character sprites and focus solely on animations for important and lewd scenes. The way things are, your updates are solely dependent on whether or not Koth can finish, considering that everyone else gets breathing room except for Koth, the one who needs it the most. Please, feel free to ignore me since i'm not an actively paying member anymore, I just wanted to share my opinion because I do believe in you guys and this game, one of my favorites. I just hate to see you guys burn yourselves out, especially Koth who I feel has alot on their plate.
If I may ask, what priorities did you think were being spread too much?
No way I'm letting yall cut the Dave route. A it is.
Damn, so close
Personally, I'm not in any rush. I love the game because of how genuine it is. If it released sooner, but with less quality, breadth, and soul, it wouldn't be the same. I'm just happy that things like this exist. (I wish I could help more. I have free time, but I'm not sure I have any sort of skills that could be valuable 😅)
Nah man, everything good in Life takes time, plan A is just The way to go. With such an amazing team behind The Game doesn't Matter how much It takes, y'know radlord's quality seal isn't failinh
(A) for me, as some have said we're here for the long-term and trying to force anything could lead to burnout so I'm definitely willing to wait longer for bigger content drop and it (hopefully) stops stress from getting to you guys.
Personally, as someone who enjoyed the previous mock-up of the game, originally played on the previous engine on a old itch demo, and finally joined back a few months ago to realized that everything started over again. At first I was originally disappointed, having to slowly watching the story have to be re-fleshed out and changed, but over time I realized that this game as a whole has improved quality-wise significantly. And personally, as someone who's now invested into this game quite a bit and as a gamer at heart, I'd hate to now start rushing out everything just for the sake of content. And I feel like a lot of businesses nowadays accidentally fall into that way of thinking, and I personally hate it. So, to just keep this from spanning another paragraph or two, keep your heads down, and take as much of your time as you need. Still post regular updates and notices of everything going on of course, but a good game that lasts doesn't sacrifice quality just to push so they can push out more content to satisfy the few. At least to me.
Sorry for the huge comment.
Option A, for sure. As others have said, this is a long haul that we've happily stuck around for. I'd rather it done right with gaps in releases than chopping sections or rushing anything.
nah man just never release the game itd be kinda funny
You stop that (low key tho)
Hey, I know you may be pretty aware of this but I will like to still say it. The main subject of Hazelnut latte to fuck femboys or trans is a very niche topic, it has it's fans like ours but the situation with this is that it is going to be limited so it may be possible that the limit is close to be reached so that could justify that the income is practically the same since March. The work and passion that this team is doing is out of this world but this is a topic that it is not for everybody, so by knowing the limit and ambition would be the best for this project. If it were for me I would donate more for the project but 20 bucks is quite the amount for my third world country. In any case, for me the best option would be A, I want to see the game as complete as possible and you can take your time with it, know that your community is very passionate about this project as you so we are going to stick by as much time as you need.
I get you, but I have seen other adult games in this niche make way way way more than us so I know we haven't hit the possible ceiling. I wouldnt think otherwise if there wasn't precedent, ya know?
I’d say slowing down a bit isn’t gonna be a problem, what’s most important is to keep communicating as small milestones in the development are reached, thank you so much for your work😸 I’m all for waiting and getting a big update at the end, rather than risking to rush things to meet a monthly deadline.. And..hopefully steam will be able to give a budget boost to everything
I think Plan A is the most similar to what it was before unity, I was happy to wait because you guys always delivered great writing and spectacular lewd scenes imo. I prefer this one.
I feel like plan A with even a tiny update monthly, aka something to tide us over while making sure its at its best for the proper releases would be best
That is basically plan B though, right?
Getting this much in depth info on the process already feels like I'm way too involved in the development of the game. I feel like you guys should work at a pace you're all comfortable with and still meeting deadlines you've set for yourself within a reasonable time frame instead of solid dates. It'll be ready when it's ready, so my vote's for Plan A. :D
Honestly I hope most people would prefer full completed content more than content being rushed and things being scrapped. Take y’all’s time. Y’all are doing great work.
I feel like a lot of us have been along for the Long haul and me personally. I don't mind waiting
Appreciate all of you ❤️ seriously
Since March 2nd is my Birthday, I want it to be special. Give it your all! You guys do an amazing job putting your heart and soul into this! I believe in you Mi'Lord and your amazing cabinet of Nobles!