I am sure that episode 9 will be the most controversial of all. Before that, the most controversial episodes were 5 and 8, but I think 9 will surpass them all. Why? Just because of the branching. He will just get confused, one branch will contradict another, he will change the characters of the characters for specific purposes. I am looking forward to the new episode, but I am already internally ready to see a large number of inconsistencies and contradictions.
Very wise. Agreed, its always good to expect bad stuff to temper ones expectations and the disappointment wont hurt as bad when the content is much worse or downright awful. If its very good or good content you come away happy
It would be a weird choice, since his main focus besides writing the story itself has been improving the animations and quality of the renders. Most of it would be pointless in a mainstream VN, since you're not expected to get that there except for some special bits.
Meanwhile, he can't do a game that isn't a VN with this quality since he works alone, and it'd be insane amounts of works for a single person.
Plus, if DPC is focusing on maximized earnings, he has two options: found an Indy studio and expand, and then go mainstream, or keep where he is and making tons of money. He found his niche, he earns incredibly well and is still slowly expanding.
Changing genres would be a significant risk, and for what? To write a non porn VN in a bloated and mostly dead market? And not to mention that his style, Realistic 3D isn't what mainstream VNs are, since those are almost always japanese or Japanese inspired, both visually and plot wise.
This isn't the early 2000s where things like Fate Stay exploded and created a mainstream franchise. People have much higher expectations and there's a lot of good to mediocre products there.
This reminds me of 2 stories:
Worm's author, Wildblow. One of the first niche internet authors to get really big from Patreon and his writings. His first story was wildly successful considering the predecessors. After finishing Worm, Wildbow decided to change genres from Superhero to a weird Horror/Fantasyesque story. It tanked and now he's back to writing a Worm sequel.
The entire Nostalgia Critic/That Guy with Glasses attempt at killing off the NC character and creating and directing a more mainstream humor show. It imploded quickly, made him lose a ton of money and he had to go back to critique videos to salvage his paycheck.
So much this. For one thing theres endless amounts of content out there, its easier to drop new stuff and enjoy games/books/movies whatever that you already consumed rather than take a chance at new stuff, especially if it doesn't capture you instantly.
People argue time and time again if its "The Great Creator" or if its "The Great Idea" that matters. This applies to all art but personally I am more familiar with books. On the one side we have people like Stephen King or Danielle Steel, prolific authors of different kinds. Both HUGELY successful. On the other side we have stuff like Romeo and Juliet, it got fucking millions of adaptions, its very much THE Idea. Sherlock Holmes, Alice in Wonderland. Then theres lesser ones like Jurassic Park/Fight Club/Starship Troopers, great ideas while mediocre books and they made awesome movies. In music you have megastars with decades of top tier work and then people that drop one good album and then is never heard about, and the even more telling ones are one hit wonders. You get my meaning.
Personally I believe its three axis and you need all three in some measure. Idea, Creator and Luck(Point in Time/Cultural Relevancy/Niche) with the third one being of both least and most importance but it does create the one and done works. The Idea will always exist and will always work because it acts like a floor, almost any creator can make it work, the Idea (or the Luck too) can boost you once to capture an audience if youre just barely good enough to not shit the bed. Being a Creator is what MAY set you apart though, its your eventual baseline, your basic output is of such a high quality of what youre doing that it shines through and
I'm utterly convinced that being a Great Creator is a combination of decades of painstaking work and natural ability. Imo professionals and amateurs needs all three, at first the idea and luck is your floor and ceiling and it will remain so for a decent amount of time until you as a Creator becomes the floor.
As in your two examples, Im convinced those creators (and all others regardless of their field) grew to think they were better than they actually are once they "made it" and had a following. Thats why they crashed just as so many others have done when they changed. They think they are a far better Creator than they are and that the Idea and Luck are insignificant to their glorious self as Creator.
Imo you need all three, two at the minimum, until your body or work is so big and long that your experience is enough to be Creator mainly. It takes decades of spinning silver and gold to convert your audience and make new fans when you change direction.
DPC to me is like any other new creator enjoying their first big success. The only reason he have a reach and notoriety at all is the superb content (in comparison) with the rest of the field he is competing with at this time. If he can repeat the success he might actually be an emergent Creator and then he could attempt to convert. To prove to his audience and casual fan that there is something there.
Ponder how many of his patrons are fans of BaDik over DPC? I dont think many people like DPC at all, just like how many people dont like the creators and only specific works by them. Imo thats why so many creators fail, they conflict their work with themselves since they think themselves shines through their work.
