VN Ren'Py Abandoned Connected [v0.2.5] [ChainZero]

4.60 star(s) 61 Votes
May 4, 2017
418
526
I really hate to be Mr.Skepticism here but if he were to lose half of his supporters he'd come charging back in with a response. So many devs have done this, they make promise after promise and then they just disappear. It's nice to see that you guys want to support and believe in him but really it only takes 2 minutes to go on patreon and say "hey guys, having some trouble working on it" or something along those lines. If the update doesn't drop this month, I'll never support it even if he starts updating consistently.
 
  • Like
Reactions: matt33g
May 4, 2017
418
526
The game has been in development for a year, and if you have followed it for any amount of time odds are if you havent supported him yet you never would, no matter what will happen.
I only became aware of this after the revamp announcement. Odds are - I decided to wait until the VN started being consistently updated(or as consistent as you can get, as the VN's get bigger the development time gets longer) to start supporting this developer because I really enjoy the VN.

Still your statement does nothing to argue against what I said. It still only takes 2 minutes(or less), to comment and say "..." whatever is going on.
 

Smarmint

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2019
1,252
4,898
The revamp was a mistake.
I completely agree. I hesitated to say anything, since I love this game, but seriously, what was wrong with the original version? It was wonderful. Is there a single fan of Connected that was dissatisfied with the original renders and wanted to see it revamped?

I can see a revamp where the renders are grainy or the characters look terrible for one reason or another, but in this case, the renders were all gorgeous. If the MC height or proportion is the big issue, or you want to tweak the characters appearance a little, just change it for the next version, and keep releasing new content. Most people probably wouldn't notice. If it really bothers the dev, they should just throw in 20 or so old renders in the queue and slowly revamp the old renders while releasing new content at the same time.

I think it must be frustrating as a developer to spend hundreds of hours reworking all the old content without adding anything new. It is not like hundreds of Patrons will suddenly appear if the old renders are slightly more sharp, or the facial structure of some of the characters is slightly more realistic. The continuation of the story and fun of playing new content is what brings in new supporters.
 
May 4, 2020
45
60
I completely agree. I hesitated to say anything, since I love this game, but seriously, what was wrong with the original version? It was wonderful. Is there a single fan of Connected that was dissatisfied with the original renders and wanted to see it revamped?

I can see a revamp where the renders are grainy or the characters look terrible for one reason or another, but in this case, the renders were all gorgeous. If the MC height or proportion is the big issue, or you want to tweak the characters appearance a little, just change it for the next version, and keep releasing new content. Most people probably wouldn't notice. If it really bothers the dev, they should just throw in 20 or so old renders in the queue and slowly revamp the old renders while releasing new content at the same time.

I think it must be frustrating as a developer to spend hundreds of hours reworking all the old content without adding anything new. It is not like hundreds of Patrons will suddenly appear if the old renders are slightly more sharp, or the facial structure of some of the characters is slightly more realistic. The continuation of the story and fun of playing new content is what brings in new supporters.
Tbh i liked the mc's height as it was anyway its a change from the mc being so short like in other games
 

MrFriendly

Officially Dead Inside
Donor
Feb 23, 2020
5,875
14,431
I completely agree. I hesitated to say anything, since I love this game, but seriously, what was wrong with the original version? It was wonderful. Is there a single fan of Connected that was dissatisfied with the original renders and wanted to see it revamped?

I can see a revamp where the renders are grainy or the characters look terrible for one reason or another, but in this case, the renders were all gorgeous. If the MC height or proportion is the big issue, or you want to tweak the characters appearance a little, just change it for the next version, and keep releasing new content. Most people probably wouldn't notice. If it really bothers the dev, they should just throw in 20 or so old renders in the queue and slowly revamp the old renders while releasing new content at the same time.

I think it must be frustrating as a developer to spend hundreds of hours reworking all the old content without adding anything new. It is not like hundreds of Patrons will suddenly appear if the old renders are slightly more sharp, or the facial structure of some of the characters is slightly more realistic. If anything, the game is more likely to lose supporters because fans grow to like the characters they met for the first time, and rarely appreciate changing them. The continuation of the story and fun of playing new content is what brings in new supporters.
I think the issue is more about the story and less about the renders. Sure CZ started out with changing up a few renders, changing their workplace, tweaking the MC's height, and a few items. But when he decided to also alter Ayana's backstory and tweak a bit of the story I think that's when the issues with the game snowballed. He began to doubt himself, second guess his decisions, and that is rarely a good thing.

Add in the IRL shit that he's going through and I am not surprised that it is taking awhile to finish. I am very concerned that we haven't heard from him recently. I don't want to believe that he'd abandon this game (I was so confident in the game that I actually paid for a year of support). Regardless I hope he is safe, healthy, and will surprise us with the revamp soon.

Tbh i liked the mc's height as it was anyway its a change from the mc being so short like in other games
IIRC the problem with the MC's height is that it makes posing the MC and his LI in sexual positions without making it really unnatural or awkward. I agree that the MC's height is refreshing, few games have tall MC's and I feel like CZ was doing it right.
 

xjoe75x

New Member
Jul 2, 2020
13
19
Regarding CZ's latest posts on Patreon, I'm sure he would have posted some kind of information if he had to pause developing the game for a while because of the problems in his personal life he already mentioned. But there is literally nothing since the wallpaper poll and he didn't even post that wallpaper after 4 weeks. I also read in this thread that there's ZERO activity on Discord. Not even a short line like "Sorry, I can't work on the game and keep you updated for a few weeks.". That doesn't even need to contain any details.
I'm not complaining at all (I only just started the game, didn't even meet a second girl yet so I didn't decide about supporting the game yet). I'm getting worried that something really serious is wrong beyond what he already posted a month ago, because not showing any sign of life doesn't seem like him at all.
I just hope everything's alright, even if he's dropping the game for whatever reason. And if this game has a future, I think we're all patiently waiting here. I really liked what I saw so far. I looked into some games and stopped after a few minutes because renders were terrible or characters ugly af, but this looks great and I agree that it didn't need a revamp. Even CZ already admitted that doubling the content in the same time would have been better than wasting so much time to improve the existing renders. It's good to see he's thinking about his decisions and learning from his experiences.
 

Carpe Stultus

Engaged Member
Sep 30, 2018
3,402
8,845
I only became aware of this after the revamp announcement. Odds are - I decided to wait until the VN started being consistently updated(or as consistent as you can get, as the VN's get bigger the development time gets longer) to start supporting this developer because I really enjoy the VN.

Still your statement does nothing to argue against what I said. It still only takes 2 minutes(or less), to comment and say "..." whatever is going on.
If everyone would think like you, most devs wouldn't earn jack shit for all the work they put into their games. Most devs have to treat their games as a hobby, which costs a shit ton of time, until they MAYBE make enough money with it to live off of that.

Thankfully there are enough people who support devs for their work so they can at least afford the higher costs that come with making a game.
 
May 4, 2017
418
526
If everyone would think like you, most devs wouldn't earn jack shit for all the work they put into their games. Most devs have to treat their games as a hobby, which costs a shit ton of time, until they MAYBE make enough money with it to live off of that.

Thankfully there are enough people who support devs for their work so they can at least afford the higher costs that come with making a game.
Again your argument doesn't counter my point. I'm fine with devs treating their game as a hobby until they start earning enough. However promising one thing for months and then disappearing without a word when the time comes to keep the promise, is disrespectful to the people supporting them. Had he said "something happened, this and that, I will be unable to keep my promise" I would've never made the argument.

Supporters are people too and should be treated as such with respect, they don't exist just to be milked for money and get nothing in return.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ZagorTeNay

Abhai

Devoted Member
Sep 12, 2018
8,956
36,975
...The lack of communication has me worried about him....
...However promising one thing for months and then disappearing without a word when the time comes to keep the promise, is disrespectful to the people supporting them...
That should be the point here - a communication break, whatever could happen to him, unless he is dead, this "disconnection" (CONNECTED?), with pledges going on, is a well-known manner of a few best milking schools around.

Im not saying he is a milker, yet it could look like it. And dont say - "wth you are talking about, he earns too little..blah, blah.." - free money is a free money, and free 500$/month isnt that small amount, even in USA.

Yet, the point shouldnt be the money, the point should be professionalism, which includes respect for each and every patron/follower of his....this last month, there is zero of it from his side (chainZERO?)
Even if the worst case scenarios (apart from his being dead, or in coma) - if his mother is seriously ill, if he is in depression....he should say something to those following/paying him. As simple as it could be.
 

Carpe Stultus

Engaged Member
Sep 30, 2018
3,402
8,845
Again your argument doesn't counter my point. I'm fine with devs treating their game as a hobby until they start earning enough. However promising one thing for months and then disappearing without a word when the time comes to keep the promise, is disrespectful to the people supporting them. Had he said "something happened, this and that, I will be unable to keep my promise" I would've never made the argument.

Supporters are people too and should be treated as such with respect, they don't exist just to be milked for money and get nothing in return.
Come on. Milking for 500$, seriously? Thats not even worth the hassle, especially not if you want to continue with the game later on or make a different one.

I'm not saying that a dev should not write a short message on patreon and stop the pledges if something happened and he is not able to continue the game for a while, but i also understand that things in life can happen that let you forget instantly to do so, especially with corona around.

Either way, you can bet that our posts will get deleted soon because they are completly offtopic.
 

Maviarab

Devoted Member
Jul 12, 2020
8,410
18,743
Come on. Milking for 500$, seriously? Thats not even worth the hassle, especially not if you want to continue with the game later on or make a different one.

I'm not saying that a dev should not write a short message on patreon and stop the pledges if something happened and he is not able to continue the game for a while, but i also understand that things in life can happen that let you forget instantly to do so, especially with corona around.

Either way, you can bet that our posts will get deleted soon because they are completly offtopic.
Still 6k a year less fee's.....

More than I get being a carer for my disabled mother. Just think about that.....
 

Abhai

Devoted Member
Sep 12, 2018
8,956
36,975
..and corona has just started to be around this/last month...prior to it there was sunshine,&happiness everywhere..so that "shock" truly can distract one from trivial things such as porn-games/money to mpre important matters such as life/death?
yep, that should be it, the case solved:WeSmart:

the ones work should speak for him, and this dev has started fairly good, yet, something has happened, and this whole project surely is starting to feel like just another neverending failure, for players/fans at least.
it could be related to his "revamp" (was there really a true need for it?), or to his personal things (family health), or to global situation (corona pandemic) and his (inadequate?) response to it, or anything else....we dont know, we cant know it...we only could speculate.
and if this continues his game will be forgotten, nearly, for some time he still will have some support/pledges, those defending, and those attacking him more or less fiercely..thats the way things happen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LSC82

Carpe Stultus

Engaged Member
Sep 30, 2018
3,402
8,845
I wouldnt say discussing dev/developing game process, and interactions with fan-base is off topic, or at least it shouldnt be.
Have you looked into famous games threads such as milky city, badmilkingsagga,...or badik, wvm and such?
There are many similar comments untouched, though the same "discussions" could be repeated more than once.
On the other hand you have some threads, such as CoBD, where on topic posts could be deleted on regular basis.
So i wouldnt say the posts being deleted as ot, or not, has to do mainly with it being truly ot, yet more with threads/bots included within.
In this case we shall see how it goes.
You are feeling strongly for this dev obviously, and you are defending him from "unfounded attacks" (and you even have used the famous argument "common, that just too low monthly pledge for milking"), and thats ok.
Similarly ok should be to express doubts regarding his work, and even more about his recent relation to the game, and his fans.
There is nothing OT there, both ways, imo.
There have enough posts of me been deleted with similar discussions so yeah i believe its offtopic. Everyone is free to disagree with me and shit on devs, i don't give a fuck anymore. lol
 
4.60 star(s) 61 Votes