Cicada
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Dev Log 3.6: Wholeheartedly (or, Tally)
🕑 Added 2025-09-28 11:00:12 +0000 UTCHello!
Attached to this post are some new previews for the chapter 4 prelude. Currently I've rendered 3 out of the 12 scenes for the next update. So I'm on paper a quarter of the way through, although as scenes 1 and 2 are probably the shortest two this isn't exactly an accurate measurement. But still useful as a rough guide.
I've put this out as a public post because the rest of this dev log feels like something important for everyone interested in the project to have a chance to see. Future dev logs will be usual paid tier access, unless in the future I have another important update.
As of this week, I'm currently unemployed. My contract at my old job was expiring, and I'm not in a position where I wanted to continue working there. Instead, I'm going to take some time off and theoretically work on this project full time. It's worth noting perhaps that this hasn't been a snap decision, I'd been considering this since before even the release of ch3.
Now, as you can probably imagine I'm not currently in a position where I'm earning a full time monthly salary off of this project. But I also won't be actively seeking new employment for a while. I'm lucky enough right now to be in a position to be able to take some time off of work to focus on something I'm passionate about without much financial worry.
I can't say for sure how long this will last for, but for now I am full time working on Not Going Back. What will this mean for productivity? I'm not sure yet. But I'll be damned if it takes me another whole year to put out an update.
From a financial perspective, there is a possibility for me to be able to commit to full time work on the game long term (beyond this current gap in employment). There is an amount of (paid) Patreon members/earnings from Patreon that'd be enough for me to consider this a viable full time endeavor for the indefinite/foreseeable future. That amount is 300 members, at any paid tier. I don't know when, if ever, I'll reach that point. I'd hope to some day, after a few more good releases, but we will see. But as things stand right now that is an amount where I would be comfortable not needing a full time job, and would rather spend my time working on something I actually care about doing.
Do not feel pressured to support, though! Please only do so if a) you're in a position to and b) you think what I'm making has value. I'm fortunate enough to be able to say that I'm going to be working full time on the game for at least the next month, more likely until the end of this year, regardless of earnings. I'm just putting this out there for the sake of transparency and honesty; that I'm currently full time working on the game, and there is a point in the future where I'd be able to do so indefinitely.
I'll just close saying now more than ever I'm incredibly grateful to those of you supporting. And not just financially, but those who have had positive things to say. I really have never been more passionate about something, had more belief in something, than I do in this project. So it's very gratifying to see people enjoy what I'm doing. It means the world to me, and I'm determined to do everything in my power to justify your support.
Thanks!
