New release schedule
Added 2018-06-14 09:34:07 +0000 UTCI think I’ve been too ambitious with the amount of content included in each release. I want everything to be great, so I cram in as much as possible into every release, but that makes the wait between releases a long one.
As an experiment, I want to try out a new model that will get smaller updates out faster.
My idea is that each of the next few releases will be built around just one major improvement.
Examples of major improvements include:
- A big avatar improvement (e.g. the avatar back view)
- An advance in the main plot (e.g. arriving in Bangkok)
- Adding a new location (e.g. a beauty salon in which you can change your haircut and dye your hair)
- Upgrading a location (e.g. adding piercings and tattoos to the beauty salon)
- Introducing a new feature (e.g. girl/girl sex, random encounters, the intoxication engine)
- Major upgrades to an existing feature (e.g. adding lots of content to the Sex Engine)
- A big new scene (e.g. the backstage casting porn scene at Oceana)
- Etc
In addition, the release will include whatever minor improvements have been made since the last update.
I’m hoping this will get new features out to you faster. We in the dev team have been playing with the new avatar for weeks; there’s no reason you guys shouldn’t have access to it while we work on (say) the dance floor engine.
The potential downside is that some releases might be built around features you’re not that interested in. Let’s see how it goes. (We’ve redesigned the game’s splash screen to include a more detailed change log, so you’ll always be able to see what’s changed before you start a new game.)
Right now we have a lot of tasks kind of half-finished, so the plan is to release an as-is version by the end of this month, then switch to the new model. Let us know what you think in the comments or on Discord!
Comments
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback, everybody, I appreciate it. Let's try it and see what happens – we can change course if it doesn't work.
Crushstation
2018-06-17 14:31:45 +0000 UTCBug testing for big updates is a pain. Better to focus on one or two major additions each release. Last release required several iterations of bugfixes since it was so big lots of stuff slipped through the cracks.
R
2018-06-15 11:55:44 +0000 UTCI understand the concerns about frequent small updates leading to decreased interest, but imo that'd be a good problem to have. Right now we have the opposite problem. The last major update was March 2 and before that was Nov 25. That's a little over 3 months between updates and of the new one rlly does come out at the end of June/beginning of July that will be a gap of almost 4 months. I know he's been hiring people and expanding the team but that's extremely slow. If people don't want to see the small updates they can just check 3 to 4 times a year. Me personally, I'd like my patreon support to give me access to early builds and previews of new content especially when we are looking at 2 to 3 payment cycles with nothing to show for it every dev cycle
Kurt Wagner
2018-06-15 08:36:34 +0000 UTCThis is the classic quality vs quantity debate that has been going on since way before any of us was born. It is however why a lot of enterprise IT uses a different model which a lot of people will recognize the term of DevOps. I can only assume that you are using a version control app like Git or Subversion to manage you code. Enterprise now use tools and platforms to recognize when new code has been delivered, integrate that into the current build automatically and then tries to run it. If it works it lets you know, if it fails it lets you know and backs out the code addition. Worth checking out some of the open source products that will help with that if the idea appeals
Iain
2018-06-15 07:11:44 +0000 UTCI agree with this. This is probably the best approach. Incremental updates for chapter based content will wear down players quickly. If it's only to progress a little farther into the story each time and then "Thanks for playing! Hope to see you at the next update!" that will grow old quite quickly. If you at least get it to the point that you are in the "sandbox mode" part of the game, then the incremental updates won't feel as bad because you can always just keep playing that while you wait instead of re-playing while you wait.
hornguy6
2018-06-14 21:31:37 +0000 UTCIt depends how regular is regular for me. I dislike that an entire month (and therefore payment) can go by and get absolutely diddly-nothing in terms of updates/content. However I'm also not expecting multiple releases per month with tiny changes/tweaks that others on Patreon do. I'm excited to see what you've put together, but if its a case of one update every 2-3 (or more) payments as it has been this time then I'll probably end up pulling support as in my personal "cost/benefit" balance it just isn't coming out as a good investment, but if that were to change to one decent update per payment cycle then I'd continue.
S Pore
2018-06-14 20:11:57 +0000 UTCMy concern , is that with other games (as others stated) which have small but frequent updates is that the shine wears off quite quickly as one constantly has to replay just to see a small change. Additionally, for content creators who do small but frequent updates - they have a habit of getting caught up in too many small adjustments and the main story arch(s) don't really move forward and the few times they do,... well.... its a small update.... :(
Biggles
2018-06-14 19:51:19 +0000 UTCI'm ok with waiting for more story in each update, at least till we have a somewhat repeating day to day thing in game. Otherwise it may feel more like we are repeating the same content with more bells every update. I am super excited for all the things you have on the burner though so I'm torn.
Lotus
2018-06-14 17:59:18 +0000 UTCJust my personal opinion, but if you can make it in the 30-45 days time period I'd go for 2 or 3 of those major improvements together.
Enrico
2018-06-14 16:52:07 +0000 UTCA link to the server <a href="https://discord.gg/SpDHhW2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://discord.gg/SpDHhW2</a>
Hyneman
2018-06-14 16:34:27 +0000 UTCI'm not sure. A few months ago I'd have said yes, faster updates please. But now I've begun to realise that lots of smaller updates means I'll play the same content through over and over, just to see one new thing. And it gets dull. That's been my experience with other games that get monthly updates. If it's been a few months since the last update, but there is lots of new stuff to see, then I'll be happier. Still, I guess I can just skip a few updates and wait for more to be added.
ultimate_elephant
2018-06-14 16:19:28 +0000 UTCI see it with a laughing and a crying eye. On the one hand, I'm happy to try out the new content that has been implemented so far. But on the other hand, it also means that one has to start over a lot of times when new content is added to a scene that has already been mastered in order to have a different experience. This brings me back to the point with the memory function. It would be nice if there was one, even if it's automatic safe's for every week. These may then just not be overwritten, but may be deleted manually, if the number of slots should be limited. P.S .: Where can I find the discord link again?
Falloutbabe
2018-06-14 15:50:29 +0000 UTCWell, every time I see your pomodoro report, I'm thinking this is a great change and can't wait to experience it. That's a good way.
SoYeon
2018-06-14 12:37:54 +0000 UTCBeen secretly wanting this for a long time.
R
2018-06-14 10:15:52 +0000 UTCI think this is the best approach. This way you don't have to stress so much and we get to try out new versions sooner. That's a win-win in my book.
Lu-Tze
2018-06-14 10:02:16 +0000 UTC
