Each of us has a choice and it's wonderful. Of course, anyone can comment and has the right to criticize. You can talk about milking because you provided him with financial support.
But when only those who have never paid talk about milking, I personally think it is wrong.
This tends to be a bit of a lightning rod type issue.
Anyone on F95 can offer their opinion and I am inclined to at least consider it if they share their reasons behind their opinion.
I may still disagree, but at least we have a healthy discourse.
My occasional frustration comes from those who offer an opinion but refuse to address the reasons why others have a different opinion, or choose to ignore the opinions of others when the reason(s) for their opinion are well-stated.
With AWAM, and supporting with $, I see 3 groups: current supporters who are fine with what they are getting for their $; current supporters who are not fine with the current state of the development of AWAM but they hold out hope for a change; former supporters who have decided that AWAM is no longer worth supporting with their $ - for any number of reasons. I made the journey from the first group, through the second group and I am now in the third group, and I think L&P is milking his supporters.
** IF L&P actually finds a way to increase speed of development in a meaningful way (AWAM is, for example completed by 2030 - which means that would still take L&P more than 13 years to create AWAM and take it to completion - with the same or better quality renders/in game sound effects, animations/story), then I consider becoming a supporter again, but it is no longer automatic.
There might be 2 or 3 other creators who would win back/keep my support for an AVN creation cycle lasting more than a decade and there was a time when I would have included L&P in this company, but no more.
The reality of today:
I will not support a creator who I do not believe or believe in, and L&P has lost my trust with broken commitments - like the commitment to build a real team when he reaches a certain level of resourcing. The evidence of the growing effectiveness of this team would be in ** above.
For those who still believe in the promises of L&P, or you still hold out hope for change - I wish you luck.
I no longer see the promise of L&P/AWAM the way you do but you have every right to your choices/hopes.
Bane71, my personal litmus test is much like yours - I don't accuse of milking if I never had any skin in the game.
I focus less and less about whether or not someone else has/had skin in the game these days, but I respect your position.
My default, simply put - is their criticism well-founded and are their reasons stated so those interested can consider/discuss them?
I realize that there is the barest equivalent of "Robert's Rules of Orders' for a forum on F95, but this is my preference.
I would much rather discuss what I like/hope for on the Sophia hetero or lesbian paths and how Devon the Douche ruined a great opportunity for Sophia to move further along her lesbian exploration journey, courtesy of time with Claire.