Ren'Py B.E.S.T 2 [Prologue] [Dolyla]

[Moosica]

Thank you for all these explanations, "Dolyla".

 

[m0us3r]

"Already released" is not the same as "main story is completed".

You omitted the important part of the quote: "already released video game".

"Already released video game" is not the same as "already released part of a video game".

To illustrate the difference, imagine
(1) already built house - then people can move in, and
(2) already built part of the house - e.g., there's no roof, but the construction company created some value and can sell it, e.g., to some other developer - though even if it's "released" from that company, it's still not a completed house, and people can't move in.

So "already built" (part of the house) can be partly useful, but is not the same as "already built house".

 

[Jacowboy]

Hi Skylaroo ,

B.E.S.T 1 was at the beginning just a test, a little project that have grown litlle by little.
He have begun from scratch, coding and rendering and the gap between the episode 1 and episode 5 is huge.
We have learned, coded and added many features that works well now.
We have updated renpy and UI to have something more actual and 4K support.

B.E.S.T 2 benefits from all of this to have all the UI done, all the features working and ready to use, just have to continue the story without the learning time. We do not plan to make B.E.S.T 3 after 5 episodes this time. B.E.S.T 2 will be in early access on GoG and... We don't know about Steam yet. But we will finish the "main" ark of the global competition before moving on another project.

For the story of the DLC, Steam ask now the developers to go through DLC cause DLC HAVE TO PASS ADDITIONAL REVIEWS that game updates don"'t. To be sure the game do not add some things that are controversial versus new lines of Visa etc... they have added a new verification check.
Don't know which game Jacowboy was talking about but all MAJOR games are going through new season cause DLC is far from a new game release : Badik , Fresh women .... all in new season release.If you look at recent games that released DLC like Artemis etc... Well they do not have bad numbers but they have done way less than their EA or original release.

That's a fact :
With DLC you don't appear in many places in STeam you would appear with a new release so you won't sell a lotto new players but mostly to your community cause that's the players that have the main game that have the informations.

So yeah, we prefer to release new game, with UI enhanced, with engine updated, and with more visibility cause we're not doing this for fun. That'sthe game who pays the bills at the end of the month. And we do not have 1500 Patreon / SS to support the development every month... We're a little game, with a little community so it's even more important for us to make as much possible on Steamcause if no sales... no game.

Yes, I was talking about BADIK... that one is releasing its seasons as DLC, not separate games.

I'll say this though: while you are correct that DLCs don't usually sell as well as the games themselves, that logic can't be applied to everything as a blanket statement, since there is a difference between releasing, say a DLC skin or a DLC add-on, and releasing the literal continuation or chapter of a story.

Also: Both methods have their pros and cons... sure, splitting it in separate titles will give you more visibility, but it might make a lot of people not buy the sequel anyways because the don't want to clutter their libraries with unnecessary titles... or some people might simply not like the practice of not releasing full games in the name of a few more bucks.

But like I said at first, I don't like this trend of releasing seasons as separate games, but you can do whatever you want. My initial objection was with you saying you couldn't release it as DLC... you could, you just don't want to.

 

[Dolyla]

Don't compare us to Badik or any of those massive games please( as marketing I mean ). We're not in the same level. They have Patreons and enough with this to pay a year of B.E.S.T development in 3 months of Patreon -_-
They have a community already massive that gives them 50 000 wishlists on their DLC. Even if no one "NEW" buy the DLC, they would have a good result with the DLC on Steam ... cause they're already big.

I don't deny they're good that's not the point. It's just that they have funds, they have subscribers to continue, and have massive exposure. Cause it's good games, and they are there from a long time now.

We're in France where costs are completely absurd ( life and company speaking ), we have little community, no exposure or anything on websites cause, of course BEST isn't same quality of those games, but it works enough for us to live with it.

While DLC could works for these games, for us it would means : no exposure on steam, not a lot of new players ( cause I repeat DLC are shown mostly to "already" players of the game and if the global players are massive, algorythm push the game to other new players ). and it's a circle, vicious or vertuous depending on the already installed cimmunity.

Whereas new game, with new engine, updated graphics, and snowball effect from 1 to 2 have massive exposure in discovery queue, upcoming games and popular and new on STeam that DLC wouldn't have. ANd for a little game like us, it make a HUGE difference in term of sales and possibility to continue.

Like I said previously, if no sales, no game.

 

[Dolyla]

some people might simply not like the practice of not releasing full games in the name of a few more bucks.
But like I said at first, I don't like this trend of releasing seasons as separate games, but you can do whatever you want. My initial objection was with you saying you couldn't release it as DLC... you could, you just don't want to.

I think you have a total misconception of our revenues :

(I use here simplified numbers but reality is... worst...)

If we make 10 000$ on one month ( that means more or less 1000 games sold at 10$ ( if not in sales -_-) :
1000 goes to VAT etc... 9000 $ lefts
30 % goes to Steam : 6000$ lefts
change before coming to our account : 12% + fees
5000 €

On this 5000 €, we have to pay charges that are around 40% (total ) in France :
3000 € lefts
On this If I take these 3000 € for me I have taxes that let me 2500 € more or less...

so 2.5€ for each game

And newsflash : we're not doing 10 000 $ every month...

So a few bucks for you means death or life of project for us.
We have to take decisions and this one is one of them... for a few bucks like you said.

P.S : don'tknow what I'm doing there justify myself on decisions that affacts our game, our work and our family to players that do not pay or sub for it -_-. I have been transparent with f95 / steam or every players on Discord. Seems it's easier to not say anything more than take your 4K of the mointh and see you next one... Won't discuss about it more from now. I have a game to make for a few bucks... Dolyla