Ren'Py Corrupted Kingdoms [v0.22.2] [ArcGames]

[skyteam]

Well, shit.
How are they planning to distribute the game?

Edit : well, after reading the update, good luck to them, I guess

subscribestar and itch.io for now, and in the future, Steam

 

[Babobaggins]

I'm usually more apathetic toward Patreon coming down on adult game because most of the time it's just like, yeah, I get it. I wish the rules weren't the way they are, but I don't really fault them or anything. But this sucks. The reasoning given (that Alice and the kids exist at all) is just completely absurd and it shows that the people calling the shots lack literally any nuance or cognitive reasoning, and the end result is that yeah, this is probably going to kill the game for a lot of people. It's not Arc's fault (at least as far as we know) but the truth of the matter is that making huge graphical changes and switching platforms and such this far into the game (not to mention all of the delays and time needed to accomplish this) is just going to cause a lot of people to throw their hands up in frustration and never look back. That's a real bummer. I guess I'll keep an ear out for news going forward but it's hard to not feel like this is the end.

 

[skyteam]

I'm usually more apathetic toward Patreon coming down on adult game because most of the time it's just like, yeah, I get it. I wish the rules weren't the way they are, but I don't really fault them or anything. But this sucks. The reasoning given (that Alice and the kids exist at all) is just completely absurd and it shows that the people calling the shots lack literally any nuance or cognitive reasoning, and the end result is that yeah, this is probably going to kill the game for a lot of people. It's not Arc's fault (at least as far as we know) but the truth of the matter is that making huge graphical changes and switching platforms and such this far into the game (not to mention all of the delays and time needed to accomplish this) is just going to cause a lot of people to throw their hands up in frustration and never look back. That's a real bummer. I guess I'll keep an ear out for news going forward but it's hard to not feel like this is the end.

you could join the discord, it's 100% free, and 99% of the times, the updates and news shows up there first

 

[Janus6966]

Umm, you don't have sex with Alice, and I'm pretty sure the dev doesn't have any plans for that. Sometimes there's gonna be kids in these stories. But as long as they're not sexualized, I don't see the problem.

 

[Cokane0]

If you allow pregnancy content then the natural result of pregnancy and its conclusion should be intrinsically expected. Especially in a story based VN medium.

I'm appalled. Sorry Arc.

 

[jahall]

Patreon's new policy could potentially affect an awful lot of game developers. I wouldn't be surprised to see quite a few games disappear from their site.

 

[NVG]

At this point, I question whether or not to place blame on willfully close minded management or the rumor of payment processors twisting screws (again). It's a shame he has to lose income, but he has a Subscribestar. Hopefully he won't have to remake the game if he get support.

 

[jmcronshaw]

PATREON TRIES TO KILL CK!

So, for those of you who didn't know, Patreon has shut down my page and with it 90% of my income.

I'm bringing Corrupted Kingdoms to Steam.

Now, Steam won't allow modded Koikatsu (the engine I'm using for renders) on its storefront, so that means I need to remake all of the graphical assets.

anyone know what he's planning on using to remake the renders?

 

[Draxeid]

For everyone wondering who don't want to read paragraphs of text, if we are able to get enough pledges for the 4k goal on Subscribestar, Arc will not have to move to Steam and thus use a different engine and completely change the art style to what many may potentionally not like.

If you are able to, any amount, please consider pledging to Arc's Subscribestar to keep the vision alive.

 

[hoshimota]

Ok but like, if they're gonna radically remake the game anyways... could they maybe scrap the abomination that is Act III while they're at it, and just progress the story from Act II into a new Act III that doesn't completely change the game?

...Probably not, but we can dream.

 

[Kyonyuu_Lover]

There was kinda of way to go around the no kids, on this game atleast, as soon as they got born artifact shenanigans happen and they turn into youg adults,they could even then join us and help us out. alice and lil roxy would be the troublesome ones, the only way would be to also turn them at least young adults, but that would require not only a shitload of remaking scenes, re-writting story plots, in conclusion it would be a shit show to do all that. having said this, thumbs up for Arc, patreon is the ones being aholes, he did nothing wrong, the game is an adult game, yes, but the kids are only there to serve story purposes nothing more.

 

[Slub]

PATREON TRIES TO KILL CK!

So, for those of you who didn't know, Patreon has shut down my page and with it 90% of my income.

"But why?" I hear you ask, through the microphones I've secretly placed in your home. Is it because I violated the law, or engaged in depraved acts beyond all ethical boundaries? Did I push the limits of human decency too far? What vile and disgusting act could I have possibly committed that justifies having my game and my income destroyed?

I put Alice in the game.

Yes, that's it. Alice exists. Patreon's new policy is, and I quote: "We do not allow the presence of underage characters in Adult/18+ content." Which means no Alice, no Lil' Roxy and those kids of yours? Definitely not. The fact that none of them are sexualised in any way is irrelevant. They exist, therefore the game is no longer allowed on Patreon.

So the page is completely done, finished, gone forever?

Well... I've been told that if I wait two months I can remake the game completely and submit it to the Trust and Safety Team for review and possible acceptance as a brand new page and account. But the kids would have to be gone. Erased from the game and the lore completely. Chloe will no longer have a little sister, Lil' Roxy will be unmade, and all your kids will be erased from history. If I want to get back onto Patreon I have to eviscerate CK.

I won't do that. I refuse.

Patreon will keep drawing new lines, keep shifting the goalposts, keep trying to squeeze adult creators off their site until all that's left is a shiny, sterile, puritanical paradise. They don't want me to be a part of that and, frankly, neither do I.

So what's the solution? A roll of the dice. A gamble.

I'm bringing Corrupted Kingdoms to Steam.

Now, Steam won't allow modded Koikatsu (the engine I'm using for renders) on its storefront, so that means I need to remake all of the graphical assets. This is going to alienate and irritate a lot of people, I know, but I don't see another path here. Without the Patreon income I only have a few months before my resources run out. Some people won't like the new graphical style, some won't ever read this and will think I abandoned the old version for a chance at a bigger profit on Steam, and some people simply don't like Corrupted Kingdoms.

The pitfalls are many. Steam may not allow the game on the store, or it may be review-bombed, or people may simply not buy it, to name just a few.

But I have to do it.

Is it a risk? Absolutely. But it's this or throwing Alice and the kids in the dumpster, and I won't do that. Not for any amount of money. Patreon will never be satisfied. So even if this bankrupts me, I'm finishing this story, and I'm finishing it right.

Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?

Let's do this.

edit: this is the official announcement Arc did on Discord

He has hardly made any progress in the past year but suddenly wants to redo the entire game in a few months? I suppose the days of milking his subscribers are over for the time being.

 

[a1fox3]

Dev will need to make a patch for the kids part and post it here or on LewdPatcher even though its not sexual in content.

 

[Draxeid]

He has hardly made any progress in the past year but suddenly wants to redo the entire game in a few months? I suppose the days of milking his subscribers are over for the time being.

Saying shit like that honestly really pisses me off, mans works his ass off working on the game practically every day, going the extra mile to work on the game, only taking time off every couple of months or when he gets sick, and you got the audacity to say something stupid like that.

 

[Draxeid]

Ok but like, if they're gonna radically remake the game anyways... could they maybe scrap the abomination that is Act III while they're at it, and just progress the story from Act II into a new Act III that doesn't completely change the game?

...Probably not, but we can dream.

Correct me if I am wrong, but every act changes the gameplay in some way

 

[Tyrranus]

I wouldnt mind the shift to daz/blender style looks personally but I feel this is a pretty shit situation for the dev

 

[hoshimota]

Correct me if I am wrong, but every act changes the gameplay in some way

If you are legitimately confused as to why many feel Act III was a radical departure from the theme, storyline, overall look and feel, quality, and arguably even GENRE of the game - feel free to oh I dunno read the last few hundred pages or so of this thread.

 

[JAvatar]

If you are legitimately confused as to why many feel Act III was a radical departure from the theme, storyline, overall look and feel, quality, and arguably even GENRE of the game - feel free to oh I dunno read the last few hundred pages or so of this thread.

I'm just curious where everyone who hates Act 3 SHOULD have gone? Because aside from filling in love cards and hareming, the entire plot revolves around A) The Org trying to murder all the Fey and any sympathizers, B) Morgana trying to eradicate humanity, and C) The Eldritch trying to wipe EVERYONE out. All 3 factions are trying to leash and use MC for their own ends.

What would you expect to happen other than all out war? Especially since we still get to harem it up?

 

[Wlms]

Someone kind enough to share the 0.20.9 from subscribestar? I'd gladly do it, but I'm money tight this month

 

[MadGenuis]

I'm just curious where everyone who hates Act 3 SHOULD have gone? Because aside from filling in love cards and hareming, the entire plot revolves around A) The Org trying to murder all the Fey and any sympathizers, B) Morgana trying to eradicate humanity, and C) The Eldritch trying to wipe EVERYONE out. All 3 factions are trying to leash and use MC for their own ends.

What would you expect to happen other than all out war? Especially since we still get to harem it up?

Now first off, I don't necessarily hate act 3, though that may have something to do with me having never even played it. I played this game exactly once a long while back, back when it did not even have an act 3 and thus I haven't seen it or even the end of act 2, so there may be some manner of vital last-minute context I'm missing. It may indeed be that something happens that precludes any other development except all-out war (though the way it has been described here both mechanically and narratively makes me seriously doubt it)...

But barring that kind of sudden events that railroad the narrative into a single forced outcome (which also apparently forced a switch in mechanics and theme), I find the notion of there being no other feasible development borderline offensive... and even if such an event took place, I would then question the wisdom of including that event just to force what came after. There are always options for a writer. The writer controls every character and every aspect of the world.

Does "all-out war" as a narrative continuation of what we saw in act 1 and 2 make sense? I would say yes, though the way that war has been described to be fought makes a lot less sense both narratively and mechanically. Is it the only thing we could possibly expect as a continuation of what we saw? Absolutely not. I would obviously have to play the game again (I lost my old save, so I'd have to start over from scratch) up to act 3 to evaluate how much it makes sense, if it is the option that would make the most sense, or make qualified suggestions as to what other directions it could have gone (I have ideas, but there might be events in the story I have not seen that preclude those ideas), but I'm confident that I could come up with something, and most likely something that would not break so sharply from the themes and characters from the first two acts.

Who knows, maybe I'll set aside a few weeks eventually to collect story data and try to make an analysis of this story - I certainly enjoyed this story a lot more than I did with the last one I did so for last I played it - but it won't be right now.