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Continuation of Mind drop #13 (Addressing concerns)
🕑 Added 2021-03-02 09:48:21 +0000 UTC
Thank you guys a ton for all of the feedback on my last post. 😊
So I've slept on it and I've taken all of the comments and feedback into consideration and after seeing some of the major concerns I think it'd be a good idea to talk about them and talk about how I'd try to plan against them. As well as some other things.
The main concern that was brought up is a lack of productivity that can come with the new schedule:
As a few mentioned I'm not the first to go this sort of route where you only update when it's ready and without deadlines. Not all but a lot of devs that decide to go this route seem to slow down some.
And it isn't anything to do with effort, it can just be the nature of a looser schedule. You'd want to tweak things and be a perfectionist and it's easier to do and fall into that trap without a rigid schedule.
This is a very valid concern and one that I've already put a ton of thought into.
I would never try to claim I'm immune to this because I've already been there. That exact scenario is where I found myself with Day 7 final.
It's not the perfect comparison because on top of everything I was only a half functioning person at that point in time but still. I completely understand why some of you would be worried about this.
I'd like to think I've learned the signs of falling into that and I'd know how to avoid it. I also would like to think I learned how to get out of it. But in all honesty that's not a safe enough bet.
So let's talk a little about how I'd try to keep myself in line.
- Continuing the weekly mind drops and being completely honest about how an update is going with full weekly reports on it
- Render count in weekly mind drops
I'll post the amount of renders I made in that week so you guys can sort of check on how I'm handling things.
(Render counts don't tell the whole story. Some of my most productive weeks have been on weeks where I didn't render much. But they are a good gauge of overall work over a period of time. And of course I'll go into detail about where my time was spent. I have no issues doing that.)
- I'll plan out specific events better so I can give a realistic roadmap for each update.
As I work now I plan out all the scenes and everything that will happen in those scenes but I don't plan out the specific renders. Which is why it can sometimes be difficult to gauge how much time I need for something. But I'll work on fixing that. And luckily it's not a difficult fix.
- I'll set private timelines for things
On top of all that I'd be the first to tell you guys if I felt I wasn't living up to my own expectations of myself. And if this change happens and it doesn't work out then we could always try something else. There's no reason this has to be permanent.
Another big concern is amount of time needed for a full update to be made:
It's no secret Day 7 and Day 8-9 are both very large updates that both took / are taking a lot of time to make.
As the update schedule moves towards weeks instead of days I understand why you could assume the amount of time needed to make an update would continue to expand but it'll actually shrink.
As the story calms back down and some of the plot lines are completed / past the point they need to be for now the pacing will change.
Most full updates will be between 800-1200 renders. Which will usually include a few big events and a basketball game. (Sometimes the games will be 300-400 renders long and sometimes they'll only be 50.)
So given my expectations for myself and the private timelines I'd give myself you can expect 2-3 months per update.
(Also some updates would be shorter so potentially only 1 month for some)
The next full update after day 9 will be days 10-14. Then after that will be week 3.
And in the event that an update exceeds that timeframe I'd likely release it in 2 parts.
I wouldn't go more than 3 months without a release. Potentially less.
Betas:
- A few people brought up the idea of doing beta builds for higher tiers when I think a good chunk of content is complete. I like this idea but I wouldn't want to put any sort of timeframe on them. They would be more of a "when it works" kind of thing.
Why not hire help?
- WVM is my baby and I'm not good at managing others. I really don't want to give any creative roles to others that directly influence the game but there are some things I could use help with.
I've mentioned them before but I should hire a programmer and an artist. (In the works)
A programmer to help with some cool features like the calendar and interactive character sheets. And an artist for different team's logos and some clothing.
Losing the render buffer could be an issue right?
- I mean, yeah. Any time lost would have an immediate impact instead of a future one. But with a "when it's ready" update schedule it's not as crucial to have a plan for the immediate impact. I think I have to weigh the pros and cons and realize I as an individual work better without the buffer.
How would pledging work? When would you pause?
- My previous promise was "if I get the things I promise out, I won't pause." But now that there won't be many promises it's not the best thing to go by.
So I suppose I'm not sure yet. I'd likely just go off of if I think I did the work that you guys expect from me in that month. And pause if I don't feel that way or if things are taking longer than they should.
I won't be super duper hard on myself. Not everyday has to be a perfect day but I won't relax on myself either. I have enough experience to know what I can do and I'll just be honest with myself about it.
Why not just do monthlies?
- I mentioned in the last post that I think this route would have the same problems as the bi-weekly just over a longer period of time.
It does fix a lot of the issues for the most part but only sometimes. And in all reality this is a plan that would probably work, honestly I could make the bi-weekly plan work if I had to.
But I thinking moving to full updates are what would make me the happiest and would give me the best chance to consistently put out updates that I'm proud of. And in turn that gives me the best chance to deliver quality content which is at the end of the day the most important thing.
Regarding the polls I mentioned as potential tier rewards:
Just a quick note that all game altering polls would be held for all patrons, such as the client polls.
The tier specific polls are only for the tier specific content like monthly render sets and pinup sets that have no affect on the game. (Though some may be featured at some point in game)
Okay, that's all. Just wanted to clarify a few things. 😊
Thank you all for the feedback. I was a bit worried that things would go south after the post yesterday but everyone has been really respectful in giving valid support / addressing concerns. You guys are amazing.
Sorry for the books these last two posts! I'll probably be quiet for a few days but you'll see me again soon. Once again thank you all.
Love you guys <3
Comments
JunkoFett
>I love this game, and its not because of its erotic scenes, but because of the characters themselves THIS. I came for the hotness boner, but stayed for the emotional boner. For the unspeakably genuine feeling romances. Fell in love with Shauna. And the other girls are great as well! This game is a rare gem in a genre--hell, an industry--that sadly neglects character writing. So this game easily beats big AAA titles in my book. Plus, this game starts where so many other games end, and it's exactly what I've always been wanting to play; hurts to think that I'm in day 5 or 6, and I'll reach the end before the next update, but it's so hard to resist reading some more.
Kings
is the next full update 10-14 going to be this month? I only have $1 MS at the moment as we are waiting for more updates, when they release I will try and update it to a higher tier.. keep doing the good work you are doing, I love this game, and its not because of its erotic scenes, but because of the characters themselves, they are so alive, emotional connected, and in all games like this I have played this is certaintly TOP 1 my faves... Wish you all the best, so much success and health to you and everyone you love.. anything you need (even if I cant do much ahahah) I'm right here!
Jan Wojciechowski
OK, so I will be honest. I'm very disappointed. But not for you, its just sucks that I will need to wait more for an update. I don't want to be seen as ungrateful little shit, so I'll say this - I don't have any problems with you changing your plans. It's like you said - WVM is your baby and it's wonderfull baby, so you should have all time which you need to pamper it. Of course you also should have time to just live your life so if you're gonna work alone on WVM (which I totally understand) it's understandable that you need more time. So like I said earlier with this situation - I have nothing against you, its not your fault. Waitnig longer for update will be horrific because this is freakin awesome game (which is your fault : D ). Ok, my comment just got bigger than I planned so I'll be finish before you die from boredom when you read it. I wish you luck and succes Braidrop.
JunkoFett
Sounds great! And I absolutely approve of you not wanting to give away creative power over the game. You’ve created a top of the line VN so far, so why change a running system.
unholyfrek
Hope we get pool party sooner than later! Great job with the game so far btw ^^
Troy
This Game Rocks! You are doing great waiting for a couple of month for the great content you produce is ok by me, I think that this mind set is from the majority patrons here. I normally wait for a few updates to play as I prefer the longer play time. Getting help from a programmer and artist is a good idea to help free up some of you time, you need to take some time off. I don't know if you know DrPinkCake creating Being a DIK another great game, I believe he is still a one man team and he has no update since November I support him and I am good with that as his updates are great and huge. Keep up the great work and don't worry about about the few complainers.
Braindrop
With the recent move power outages shouldn't be much of an issue anymore. I also own 3 UPS's, one for each machine so that's not really one of the issues. 😊
Matt Schulte
Or buy a UPS.
Matt Schulte
In my company we call this kind of thing you are doing an experiment. Experiments are always good and healthy so long as there are a few ruled. Set clear and measurable criteria for what you call a success and failure. Each experiment has a fixed expiration date and on that date you evaluate the criteria and see if it's was a success or a failure. Success? Yay! Failure? Time for another experiment.
Traveler 0368
Try a render farm service. Then power outages would no longer be a problem for rendering and you would more likely be able to keep consistent schedule. Also less up keep for personal equipment.
Stuart
Thanks for talking this out with us through these posts. It’s reassuring to me as a backer that you’re open and honest about this; why you think it’s the right way to go, what the benefits and the risks are. You’ve clearly given this a lot of thought. I can only speak for myself, but I back you because I enjoy WVM. It’s a great game with great characters. The best way for that to continue, I think, is for you to be happy about how you’re making it. If you’re not happy now then changing that is definitely the way to go. I know this is not the first change, but it’s for the same reasons. You’re trying to find the best way of working that let’s you make the best game you can. That’s a good thing. Sorry, seems I’m writing my own essay here... I guess what I’m saying in too many words is if this feels the right move to you then do it. You’ve already shown if a change doesn’t work for you you realise that and try something else. That’s the right attitude.
Nice work 🔥
Jeff Sandau
In my honest opinion, there are PLENTY of other games out there... even just in the lewd VN market. Waiting a month (or more) for an update - as long as the quality is what we've come to expect from your work - is not a difficult thing to do. On top of that, you've been the best Dev of anyone I Patron to about pausing your pledges when things are running roughly; that is something that I admire in you as both a person and a developer. Again, IMHO, keep up the good work. You've been awesome, and your work reflects that.
Furball
I understand what your saying. But if a tier description states that you will get 1 update a month and there is no guarantee there will be a update that month due to the "new" schedule, The tier descriptions must be changed to reflect the new schedule and upper tier bonuses. I"m just saying we should wait until the tiers are updated and then based on bonuses and individual abilities, chose the best tier for you. In the end, If you are paying $20 a month and getting 1/3 of a day every month or waiting 3 months for a full day update, Your still paying the same amount for that day..
Chris Keith
Sure it's suck to wat months, but if it give you time to have a life, take time for your family, and especially yourself and helps you keep from burning out, than go for it, I may only pay a dollar, but I am not stopping payment anytime soon, so no more pausing, IMO.
xxTHESTYGIANxx
Hey I will support the choice you settle on....so firs let first say this is just me playing devils advocate. Changeing the timeline again could cause issues that you might not have considered. Such as the blow back in fan forums. You have always been honest and upfront with us and thats why we support you, but we also know you hate to let people down and can get frustrated on that front. So be ready for the parade of comments that will surely come from this change. Second changing it again tends to make people nervous. We have all seen Devs change the timelines of updates just to be let down. Now again all of us here have supported you and will continue to do so...just want you to be ready again for the posts in the forums, that will more than likely start saying you are doing the same thing that this dev did or that dev did. Again, I will still pledge my support. I just thought you should know what has a high chance of comming.
Markus Hlastec
really did i forget that??? it is a difference if you pay 40-60 bucks (with taxes 55-75) for ONE update in 2-3 month or 25 or so for it without charge upfront paying does not matter to me how large it is as long as the content has a decent lengh. i am onboard since almost the very start of WVM here so if he want to change to one update every 2 or 3 month it is only a fair trade to change the payment methode too if the tiers are going to stay like this.orginally the high tiers where for weekly updates,that has changed but the price has not... i dont say that he should not do what he has in mind,i am just saying he should consider to change the payment method because the tiers will again not fit in anymore in this new update schedule,and changing the payment method is easier than changing the tier description every time something changes.
Bruce Vahl
Slowing down and occasionally taking some time away from the game to clear your mind is not necessarily a bad thing. We all want updates yesterday. But we don't want to have an abandoned game, because the developer has burnt himself out and gone off to Tibet to study his navel.
Furball
BD, You said a long time ago that you started WVM for YOU. You designed it and created it as something that YOU would want to play. You worked at your pace, your goals and it turned out to be loved by many others. Here we are a couple yrs later and you have over 2600 supporters that feel it is good enough to monetarily support you and thousands of others that still play it without being able to pay. You created something that has taken this game genre by storm. You did this by creating YOUR game the way YOU felt it should be. My point is, keep creating the game that YOU want to play, The way YOU want it done. At the end of the day if you are not happy with it, nothing else matters. You have 2600+ voices trying to talk to you. Just remember that it was ONLY your voice that created this phenomenon. In the end it should be the only voice you truly listen to..
Furball
You seem to forget that you are playing HIS game. If you don't want to spend (as you said) $40-$60 for an update simply switch to a different Tier. That is why he has Tiers ranging from $1 and up. I pay what I can afford to spend per month not per content. Not trying to bash you. Just expressing an alternate view.
Morticus
Having worked in IT for years, think about creating your story (project) plan. The story should drive the update time table even though renders take longer. Decide how much of the story should be in each update; from their best estimate of how many renders are needed (think about re-using previous renders where possible) and you can build your sprint length (Agile practices) based on story length plus estimated render count.
I'm good with this
Markus Hlastec
ähhh did i get that now right?? updates gonna be every 2-3 month?? i hope your are joking... if not,change the payment method to paying per update or something so you do not need to pause the payments everytime that will be only fair.and for me : as much as i like this game i will not pay 40- 60 bucks for one update every 2-3 month that would be slightly in the pricerange of complete pc-games now. i hope you consider changig the payment method too.
michael1984
My hope is that we will at least be done with the pool party before the waiting game gets extended
Dipper Pines
Seems like those typing lessons are really paying off for you, and us. I think this plan sounds good, seems like you are going into it with eyes wide open and not being to cavalier about the whole thing. And like you said, you can always change if it seems like it's not working out. Can't wait for more!
