Allowed and expected content on Patreon

NoseBleeds

Newbie
Apr 22, 2022
32
40
I've been working on a game for quite a while now and it's nearing its first release. Because of this, I've been looking at what other devs have been offering on their Patreon so that I can properly set up my own page. I've noticed that many offer monthly wallpapers/renders/images. I would like to offer these as well, but I lack the funding to purchase the tiers needed to view these images. So, I would like to know from those who are subscribed to other devs what they expect from these kinds of images as well as what is allowed on the platform.

Patreon's community guidelines state that they don't allow "pornographic material or sexual services". They define this as "real people engaging in sexual acts such as masturbation or sexual intercourse on camera". Seeing as I will be using 3D characters, I don't think I should be worrying about this, but nevertheless, I think it's best to be safe and ask.

What kind of images do you usually see developers post on their Patreon rewards? Nudes, lewds, penetration, intercourse, fellatio, group sex, etc. Which ones of these are allowed on the platform, expected by patrons and/or preferred by donators?

I would also like to know how many of these images are usually offered every month, as well as how many images are expected to be delivered to patrons. Since I can't purchase the tiers, it only appears as a single image for me.

Thank you in advance for any information!
 

GingerSweetGirl

Engaged Member
Aug 23, 2020
2,530
12,155
To be honest, I don't expect a great deal. I support devs because I like them and their work. The perks they offer are nice, but they aren't necessary. I've supported devs at the max level and never opened a month's extra content.

I think there's an inherent fallacy in the Patreon model. Typically the game is available at a low tier, and then the higher tiers get additional material. But this additional material usually feels like stuff that should be free promotional material such as wallpapers and bonus images. If you're a new dev, I would think you'd want to get those extra images out to the broadest audience possible in order to promote your game.

The absolute best reward I've seen was the option to write/suggest your own bonus scene to the dev. The dev would then create the scene and release it for mid and high-end tiers (only the highest tier could write/suggest a scene). But that's a very time intensive perk, and it can be complicated to produce.

A simple option is to release polls for higher tiers. These polls can influence the game in some way, typically by giving patrons a say in outfits for the characters in upcoming releases. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of this. I think it's a bad way to give people influence over your game in exchange for money. I think it incentives a certain subset of patrons with very sophomoric opinions to flood your game with the clothing of their choice.

My feeling is that a new dev is best served by having a single tier (maybe two tiers). This would allow you to focus all of your attention on the content you want to create, without the worry of deadlines and pressure to create. If you have a single tier for $10, then any extra wallpapers and images you create are icing on the cake. If you don't make a wallpaper that month, no big deal because no one is paying extra for it.

In the beginning, I would keep things simple until you have a better handle on your capacity and how much work you can handle.
 
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Meaning Less

Engaged Member
Sep 13, 2016
3,539
7,178
Don't waste time creating extra rewards for patreons... Focus on your game and just give early access and previews of what you already created instead.

I'm sure no patreon would be happy to know the game is being delayed because the dev is creating silly bonuses that most patreons ignore.
 
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Feb 16, 2022
55
32
If you value artistic integrity you should use a alternative to Patreon such as Subscribe Star. Patreon is infamous for forcing devs to censor their games. In other words fuck those woke ass POS's
 
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OldMoonSong

Member
Jun 2, 2018
199
1,262
If you value artistic integrity you should use a alternative to Patreon such as Subscribe Star. Patreon is infamous for forcing devs to censor their games. In other words fuck those woke ass POS's
I have nothing to add but my support for this sentiment.

Fuck Patreon.
 

Icarus Media

F95 Comedian
Donor
Game Developer
Jun 19, 2019
8,454
32,202
Yep fuck Pat Reon. I don't know who he is but he doesn't seem too popular.
 

Rafster

Bear chaser
Game Developer
Mar 23, 2019
2,099
4,087
I really want to get into subscribestar... but the thing that stops me is how I would get paid. Patreon have the paypal/payoneer options, which I have available. But for SS I don't have a fucking clue, and I've read their FAQ thousands of times. Living on a third world country like mine (Venezuela) I don't know if they have a payment option for me (I could apply to other payment processors like Skrill, but that doesn't seem an option)

I emailed their support team, I hope they have an answer or option. I really would like to join Subscribestar, but as it is it seems really difficult for me.
 

Joshua Tree

Conversation Conqueror
Jul 10, 2017
6,158
6,567
If you value artistic integrity you should use a alternative to Patreon such as Subscribe Star. Patreon is infamous for forcing devs to censor their games. In other words fuck those woke ass POS's
Yeah all those creators on Patreon should just move to Subscribe Star with their artistic integrity. How do you think their income would end up if they do? Patreon offers something to the user that Subscribe Star doesn't... higher security. Patreon isn't forcing anyone anything. Their hands is just as tied as the creators due to payment processors. That could end up happen to Subscribe Star too if some public scandal hit it due to content on the platform.

Many games have lwed/content patches outside of Patreon. That too come down to what the creators are willing to do.
 

Joshua Tree

Conversation Conqueror
Jul 10, 2017
6,158
6,567
I really want to get into subscribestar... but the thing that stops me is how I would get paid. Patreon have the paypal/payoneer options, which I have available. But for SS I don't have a fucking clue, and I've read their FAQ thousands of times. Living on a third world country like mine (Venezuela) I don't know if they have a payment option for me (I could apply to other payment processors like Skrill, but that doesn't seem an option)

I emailed their support team, I hope they have an answer or option. I really would like to join Subscribestar, but as it is it seems really difficult for me.
The thing that stop me from support a creator on Subscribe star is I don't feel safe about the payment options available to me to support the creator.
 

NoseBleeds

Newbie
Apr 22, 2022
32
40
Thank you for all the replies so far! I'm glad to hear that a few of you don't expect much from Patreon content. However, what my limited research has shown me is that pages with fewer rewards tend to perform poorly compared to others. I could be very wrong about this, as I haven't taken into account the frequency of updates, so I think it's best to keep searching and asking for your opinions on the matter.

My current plan is to offer no more than 4 tiers with increasing amounts of early access for each tier. I don't feel this is enough to justify higher tiers, so when I saw many offer bonus monthly images, I thought that would be something I could offer as well. It doesn't take me all that much time to make them and I think it would be quite fun to do as I could get creative with them. It would be a nice change of pace from the regular work.

As for the Patreon vs Subscribestar debate, I find each of them has its upsides and downsides. Subscribestar has more creative freedom, but creators tend to thrive less on that platform and its refusal to use Paypal (in order to keep that creative freedom) drives away potential donators. Patreon on the other hand is a much more popular, profitable and trusted platform, but its use of Paypal causes much censorship.

That is why I think it's best to use both platforms. If something were to go wrong with one of them, I will still have the other as a backup. Because I will be using both platforms, I will have to abide by the limitations Patreon has set. So if any of you have any more information about what is and isn't allowed to be posted as 3D images on an adult Patreon page, that would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all again!
 
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foiphoto

New Member
May 19, 2024
3
1
Hi there,

Congrats on nearing the first release of your game! It’s great to hear you’re planning to set up a Patreon page. Offering exclusive content like monthly wallpapers, renders, and images is a fantastic way to engage with your supporters. Here’s some information based on what I’ve seen from other game developers on Patreon:

Content Expectations and Guidelines
  1. Type of Images:
    • Wallpapers/Renders/Images: Many game developers offer high-quality renders or wallpapers featuring characters, scenes, or in-game art. These are usually well-received by patrons.
    • Nudes and Lewds: While some developers do offer nude or lewd images, it’s important to adhere to Patreon’s community guidelines. As you mentioned, Patreon does not allow pornographic material involving real people, but the rules for 3D characters can be a bit more flexible. However, explicit content like penetration, intercourse, or group sex might still be restricted. Generally, artistic nudes or suggestive poses (often referred to as "lewd") are more commonly offered and accepted.
  2. Allowed Content:
    • According to Patreon’s guidelines, avoid explicit sexual acts like penetration or intercourse. Suggestive and sensual imagery is typically safer.
    • You can always reach out to Patreon’s support for clarification to ensure your content complies with their guidelines.
Quantity and Frequency
  1. Monthly Offerings:
    • Most developers offer a set of images per month, which can range from 3 to 10 images depending on the tier.
    • High-value tiers might get more exclusive content or higher resolution images.
  2. Types of Rewards:
    • Exclusive Renders/Wallpapers: High-quality images featuring new or favorite characters.
    • Behind-the-Scenes: Development screenshots, concept art, or previews of upcoming features.
    • Progress Updates: Regular updates about the game’s development progress.
Community Engagement
  1. Polls and Feedback: Engage your patrons by asking for their input on what kind of content they’d like to see. This can help ensure you’re meeting their expectations.
  2. Exclusive Content: Consider offering content that is unique to Patreon, making patrons feel they are getting something special for their support.
Sample Tier Structure
  • $1 - $5 Tier: Monthly wallpapers or a single high-quality image.
  • $10 Tier: Multiple wallpapers/renders, access to development updates, and voting power in content polls.
  • $20+ Tier: All of the above plus behind-the-scenes content, exclusive high-resolution images, and early access to game builds.