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September 14
First off, I want to extend my apologies for not being very active recently. I got hit with two different infections one after the other and was out of commission for roughly three weeks. Thankfully, I'm feeling better now. On top of everything else, there's a dengue epidemic going on here in Mexico, so let's hope I don't catch that too. Le's start, as some shits has happend.
Big News About Unity's Payment Model
Unity has decided to alter its payment model. They're introducing a new fee system that targets games with more than 200k installs and over $200k in annual revenue. Once you hit those marks, Unity will charge a fee of $0.20 per install. Importantly, this fee isn't tied to your game's revenue but rather to the number of installs. So, how does this affect BLC?
Well, as it stands, the impact is zero. However, BLC has already surpassed the 200k installs milestone. By my estimates, we're floating around 500k to 600k installs. On the annual revenue front, we're still safe; we haven't hit the $200k mark yet. But, hypothetically, if BLC becomes more popular and we do reach that financial milestone, the fees could become unsustainable. Just to give you some perspective: if the fees applied today, I'd be $90,000 in debt.
It's worth noting that because I'm based in Mexico, it seems like the fee might be reduced to $0.02, but that's not confirmed. Additionally, there's some ambiguity around whether donations from Patreon count towards the game's revenue. Given these uncertainties, I've decided to pause development on the Unity version for the time being.
So, What's the Next Step for BLC?
Before Unity even dropped this bombshell about the new payment model, I had already been toying with various alternatives for BLC's future. I wanted to weigh all my options carefully, especially considering the current situation. So let's dive into each option in detail:
- Continue with the Unity Version: This first option is what most people might think is the most straightforward path: just continue developing the game in Unity. However, it's not as simple as it sounds. The issue is time, both development time and learning time. I'm not a professional programmer; I've had to learn a lot of things from scratch. So, while this option may seem straightforward, it comes with a considerable time investment. Also, there is the expectation of regular updates from the community. To meet this, I'd have to release what I personally feel would be meaningless updates, which is not satisfying for either you or me.
- Revert to the Old Smile Game Builder Engine: The original engine where it all began. While it did a pretty good job, it's no secret that it had its share of issues. One significant drawback is the engine's limitation on image file formats; it only accepts 16-bit PNGs. Sounds technical, but in simple terms, it's a file type that takes up a lot of space. Another downside is the absence of video capabilities, ruling out any new animated content.
- Switch to RPG Baking: Option three involves using the RPG Baking engine, which is the same one SC is built on. Now, if you've played SC, you're already aware that this engine has its pros and cons. On the upside, it's a more advanced engine than SGB. On the downside, it's still under development, so it's missing some crucial features. Compatibility is another issue; it only runs on Windows 10 and 11. Plus, a substantial number of players have reported experiencing a black screen bug, which isn't something I can fix—it's an engine issue. Additionally, when I tried to prototype BLC on this engine, the frame rate was abysmal due to the complex character models.
- Develop a Compact Version on Renpy: This is the last option, and honestly, it might be the most promising one. Renpy offers reliability and compatibility across multiple devices, including smart TVs. Also, the development time could be quicker because I already have some experience with Renpy coding and wouldn't need to mess around with 3D in-game models. This would allow for more complex interaction systems and all sorts of fancy features that couldn't be implemented in the other engines.
I've even whipped up a Renpy demo to give you a feel for how the game would function in this new engine. I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback.
Sept. 2023 - Ren'py DEMO:
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