I mostly agree with you. However, for consistency, I do have to say that I think removing Bennett was a fine alteration to the story. One thing I have blasted this game for is that there are too many stories for L&P to juggle. While it may have been interesting in the planning stages, the limited in-universe time that this game takes place in does not allow for so many stories. Cutting Bennett was one of those things that was the right move, but he should have committed to it more fully.
On the same note, I do appreciate that he cut the coaching story. I think this was strategically wrong, but I get it. At least we aren't opening up another storyline that won't go anywhere.
But to your main point, yes, taking feedback is important for a creator. But if the feedback threw him for such a loop that this update soared to 900+ renders; then he didn't do a good job of planning. If our criticisms required this update to grow by 100% its original size, then there are major structural issues in how he assembles and plans the story and updates. But, even if the feedback impacted nothing about this update, there are still major structural issues.
Basically, I can't help but look at this update and think it's a project management disaster. For all the technical competence he shows, the management of this project is sabotaging all of his hard work. This update is passing the 120 day mark, and will likely push 150 days. People are going to demand that this update deliver significant advances to the story and also provide sexual growth for Sophia. Baby steps are going to be hard to swallow. At 90 days, updates already have some pressure on them, but at 150 days the pressure to deliver is going to be almost impossible to meet. If L&P can't get his organizational shortcomings under control, we will not have another update this year. And if we go an entire calendar year with only a single update this game could become notorious for all the wrong reasons.
I totally agree that for the Bennet storyline, he should have fully either keep him committed to it as he originally intended or remove him completely.
Try to please everyone and you end pleasing nobody (I’m not talking about those who don’t care if he is or isn’t in the game obviously)
For the coaching job. Let’s just say that I’m not a Dylan or Ellie or Sam or Aiden route follower. I’m a Sophia routes follower. I don’t have a specific kink or a specific character trope that I enjoy more than an other (I mean in this game. Despite the fact that I came here for the incest storyline at the beginning, it’s the first time that I don’t enjoy it . But I still follow it to see were it’s going).
So for me the more “kink” or different characters, or situations she found herself in, the better.
But I agree that cutting it short is probably for the best . I mean... what would have been even better would been to not even announce that side-story if you’re not even sure that you’ll do it in the first place. (And could prevent some hopes or wild speculations as to who might involved in the event.)
For the time between updates and the number of events. When I look at the first 2 years of the game (approximately), I don’t remember a single time telling myself :“This event would have been better if we had more render (For what the event was trying to tell). ” Sometimes it was the opposite :“Why is that guitar lesson so long, why is it important that we see Sophia doing a check-up at the dentist... etc”
When I look at the beginning of the game, I see 7 or 8 events per day, I see Dylan, Ellie, Patricia, Sam, Liam and a bunch of side characters each playable day. I see some updates with no more than 500 renders (sometimes for an entire day). I see each playable day taking 2 to 3 months at best to be made.
Today I see that a (supposedly) important character like Sam as not been seen in the game for a year (his last event was in may last year). And with some luck, we may have the last third of this fucking interminable day 12 by the end of this year.(To transition to the next day with 15 or 16 events... youhou...)
So something like a year and a half between his two last event , that are separated by one and a half day in game.
So what we had at the beginning of the game was that maybe one of the characters wouldn’t have an event for a day or two. But it wasn’t that bad because each day wouldn’t take more than 2 to 3 months.
But here we are with 1and half to double the number of events for 3 to 4 times the number of renders.
Does his storytelling has improved that much because the number of renders has grown like that?
I don’t think so (and in certain cases, I think it’s worse with the pacing of certain events.)
