LegnaEgor

Newbie
Oct 13, 2017
48
68
Ok, I think its time to address you and as well as others who hold the same viewpoints as you do.
I've contemplated for some time if I should even respond as there is simply no winning in a discussion with anonymous forum members.

However, I do enjoy coming to f95 (although it has became a real pain and I consciously avoid coming here after starting to develop the game and especially so as the game becomes more popular. I'm starting to understand why devs no longer visit the forum as they grow.) and I do still want to be a part of the community every now and then, albeit at a lesser capacity.

Now that the bulk of the update is out, I do think it's appropriate now to post my version of events and clarify some things for people who are following the game. I'm not interested in having an online argument or back and forth so this will be the last time I respond to issues pertaining to this.


1. Delay when 0.6 update release dates were first announced.

For those who are not following closely, I made announcements prior to this that I will release the update on certain dates, of which they were delayed. Some points regarding this.

- A major component of this update was that I wanted the whole house to be changed. I felt the initial house didn't reflect the game well. Understand that changing the house isn't a simple decision. Every location within the house as well as every scene that involved the previous house has to be remade. This also includes many minor issues like buttons etc which take significant time to make.

- As we near the announced release date, I have come to realize many issues with the repeatables. If you notice, many of the aspects on the game are not so simple. Different stats affects different things and its a very challenging game to make to ensure everything runs as it should. I can continue to list out all the issues here but this post will turn into a 10 page essay and nobody has time to read so I will just leave it at that.

- After realising the huge amount of issues that needed to be fixed with old scenes, things not running right etc etc, we will not be able to make the release dates, which resulted in the delays.

I understand how frustrating it is to have a release date announced and not being able to meet it. I have also apologized and explained multiple times regarding this. However I will make some points about this.

Firstly, every step of the way, I have clarified in multiple posts either on patron or discord. I have also replied to every message sent to me asking for clarifications or regarding the issues faced. I have never ghosted or disappeared not for one day. Many comments regarding the dev dropping the game and disappearing are completely unfounded.

For those who claim to be patrons, each one of you are always free to raise your concerns with me by dming me in the multiple channels we have available. I spend a few hours each day to reply to all messages and have replied to all concernes being raised throughout the update process. I have also been nothing but transparent in my communications on discord or in multiple patron posts.

Next, understand that release dates are put out by me. Many developers will not even list out release dates beforehand in order to avoid issues such as this. You can never predict how even a simple issue can set you back a few weeks of development time.

As such, I will no longer put out any release dates in future. It was a noob mistake and one that every dev I've talked to told me I shouldn't make. If you give people a date to clobber you with, they will. And it will affect their perception regardless of how much work you put in.

At this point, after the first delay, I've already realized people are unhappy. I knew I needed a good update to change peoples perception. Which brings me to the second problem.


2. Releasing satisfying updates.


- Another major component of 0.6 is that I want the house repeatable system to be up and ready. I knew I had to get to that sooner or later. It is a huge problem point for me because when I started developing this game, I always held a view of developing a full game as a whole. I wanted something different to the games I've played and it's a very ambitious game in relation to combining a deep story with multiple paths as well as a variety of mechanics. I also wanted the renders and animations to be on point which takes extra effort and time. However, one thing I did not take into account is the importance of releasing each update in a certain manner. I've come to realise the pressures of creating a game based on updates. There's a reason why games follow a certain formula (Which in my personal opinion end up being cookie cutter and boring). If you noticed, most succesful devs follow the same basic formula every game they make.

I've become very unhappy because Im constantly pressured every update to create content that progress the game somewhat and end in certain cliffhangers or having to produce lewds when I feel its not ready at the point to do so. This is to keep players wanting more and "satisfied" each update and continue growing in patron counts. This means im unable to work on aspects of the game that I care about like mechanics and backend issues. As a result, a lot of the game feels disjointed and in the end, if you look at the game as a whole, it will end up being a very subpar game. How do u balance each update, while still sticking to the vision I have for the game? Do you need to sacrifice financial success to create a game you truly want to make? Thats a balance that is difficult to find.

Another big focus for this update is the Moon quest. However, a big issue is that the entire Moon arc does not result in any lewd scene at all. Moon is a main character and I do not want to lewd her until it is time. She has a big part to play in the overall story and her arc is very important.

How would people react when they find out there are no major lewd scenes in the update, especially after being pissed off about a botched announcement? As we can already see, people are impatient. Every day I receive constant messages every where asking the same question over and over again.

"When update? When update? Is it ready now? How about tomorrow? How about next week? When Update?"
Can you put this lewd scene? Can you put fem dom? Can you do this? can you remove puzzles? Please dont put ntr. Please put NTR! Please can I have a futa lewd scene? PRegnancy? When are we gonna fuck Mia?! Why no mia sex scene?"
Remember, you only see ONE message. For me it is different. I am creating a game that has been downloaded millions of times with thousands of players. I receive A LOT more messages. Take that into account.

As you can see, setting each update up to be satisfying is very difficult for a game like DA. After some discussions with initial players, I delayed the game by a further month to instead include an epic lewd scene and push forward Catherine's arc in order to make a more well rounded update. Catherines scene alone took more than 3 weeks to make at a ridiculous pace. (I mean 15+ hours a day.) In the end, I am very happy with how it turned out.
But I'm also really unhappy that I have to force my hand and release the scene when I don't want it released yet.



It brings me to the last point.
The issues I have faced has been very very frustrating. I am starting to lose a lot of joy and love in making the game. And it will show in the game as well. I have a vision for the game that I want to make. And having to bow to pressures of people in the forum or patreons every update takes a toll. I understand that its part and parcel of making a game with a patreon system. But it doesnt make it any easier.


There are many many more things I want to add, but I've realised the post has become very long. So I will end up with a few main points I want to address with my responses.


1. Update delay.
I do apologise for the previous delays. All the reasons have been outlined multiple times in various posts as well as some in this post. From today onwards, I will no longer release anymore dates and any questions regarding 'when update' will be met with the standard answer "it will be ready when it's ready". Also, every single patron who had pledged for previous months and requested for the update has received it even if they no longer patroned. I've refunded every person who has asked for it.

So for those who say they have been cheated out of an update download, that's not true.


2. Update contents.
I've come to realize that in order to make a game that I want to make, I have to ignore many of the comments being put out.
You can't please everyone. If I do not enjoy making the game, it will show in the content. We have gotten so far with immense success because of the vision I initially had for the game. I will no longer bother about request for lewds or certain scenes and I will design the game at my own pace according to my own vision. And to constantly think about how to satisfy patrons or forum members who dont give two hoots about how the game will turn out simply isnt sustainable. If I want to work on mechanics, I will work on it. If I want a certain update to focus on certain aspects of the game, that's what I will do. If I feel lewds are not ready for a certain update, that's what I will do. I like puzzles. I like game mechanics. I really enjoyed the church quest and little stuffs you do. If you don't like it and just want lewds, well all I can say is play another game. But don't try to put us down or shit on other peoples hard work just because you don't get what you want. I will not change because you leave an angry 1 star review. In fact, it makes me wanna do the opposite.

3. Fleecing patrons.
This one is really funny. Trust me, if I wanted to fleece patrons, I wont do it in this way. I have been approached by many dishonest developers who pump multiple accounts in different ways and i've rejected them. I care deeply for this game, if I didn't we wouldn't have what we have today.

I am very proud of the content we have achieved this past year of developing the game. I do not feel ashamed at all especially when relating to patrons who supported the game since the beginning. We have came a long way and I've put in many hours of hardwork into this baby and we are on track with the most consistent devs around our genre. I am super proud at the amount of content we have put out.

4. Forum members responses.

I understand many of you are very impatient and excited to play the next update. Also, some of you might be angry when the update is announced and you don't get what you want. In some ways, its a good thing. At least people are excited and want the next update to be ready because they cant wait. Thats better than having a game where nobody even cares when you throw out an update.

But I will say this. Think about what you're doing.
Some people are so angry that they leave hate comments and leave a low review on purpose in order to "punish" the dev or discourage other people from supporting the game. This is counter productive.

Developers do read this forum comments, but such negative remarks will do nothing to improve the state of the game or increase frequency of updates. In fact, if not for many patrons who constantly encourage me and have supported the game from the beginning, I would have gave up long ago. The one thing that keeps me going to keep pushing are good comments, not negative ones. Everytime I receive a five star rating, it motivates me to work harder as it makes me happy. Remember, devs are human too. When you are deep in development, and approaching the 10th hour of the day, a simple message of a five star review on the forum is enough to perk your spirits up and keep pushing. Imagine how a dev feels when he sees a hate comment or review pop up? It drains any remaining energy you have to keep pushing. And believe me when I say happy dev = Awesome lewd content. I am lucky because DA is succesful. Low ratings do not affect me that much anymore.

But I am friends with other devs who make "less succesful" games and do you know how sad they feel when they receive one rating on f95, they check it excitedly and it turns out to be a one star? They feel demotivated and upset. If you feel a game is bad and deserve a low rating, sure no problem. But to do it out of vengefulness because you dont get content u want or because you are impatient for the next update? Hmm.. Think about that.

If anything, such vengeful ratings like the one you posted only pisses me off and makes me want to delay the update a further three months or create something completely opposite of what you want. But I wont do that. I have many patrons and good friends who have supported the game since the beginning that I have to answer to. I have promised them I will complete the game to the best of my ability and I will continue to do so.

By the way, your review on f95 does not affect your patron count or how much money you make at all. It is purely ego based.
So for developers who are constantly creating new accounts to downrate a game and kick us out of front page, it really doesnt affect anything at all in the long run. All it does is stroke your ego and motivate you if your game has a high rating. So please dont waste time attacking other devs and focus on creating your game. Success will come in time. Jealousy does nothing for you. I wont even bother to report such ratings to mods anymore. I would rather spend time making the game I love. And for players like yourself who think that "punishing" a developer with low ratings works...well it really doesn't. In fact, it discourages the dev to continue fighting and pushing hard. But do what you want, you can make your own choices. Its a free world.


5. Update 0.6 content.

Do not let the update problems or annoucements affect your perception. A LOT of work is put into the update.
Even discounting the Moon content, what is available currently is massive. There are close to 100 new animations in this update alone. Not to mention countless of others in Moon event and others which I simply am unable to include at this point in time. I have put in a lot of hours into this. To see people hating and continue to slam the update by saying we didnt put in effort into this update is ridiculous and as a matter of fact, very disheartening. Yes, the misannouncement was unfortunate and you are angry. Sure. But dont discredit the work being done.

Again, I apologise for missing the announced dates. BUT REMEMBER, these dates are set by myself. It does not mean work is not in progress.


6. Making fun of patrons.
I would like to address some comments making fun of patrons for paying money to support the game.
I would like to say that your comments are stupid and is akin to slapping yourself in the face.
The reason why we have so many games to play for FREE is because people take money out of their own pockets to support a game when they dont have to. They are heroes carrying the industry.

Is the game worth $50, $20, or even $5 dollars a month? OF COURSE NOT. Even if you pledge a meagre $3 dollars a month , it adds up to hundreds of dollars throughout the lifetime of development. Is a renpy game worth hundreds of dollars? Of course not. Some Triple A games with full marketing and development teams don't charge that much! Much less some lewd game amde by a solo developer!

But remember, when you support a game, you are not paying for 1 game. You are paying for the THOUSANDS of games you play for free on this website. If everybody spends just a few bucks to support their favorite developer, that's how we end up with thousands of free games. Its how the industry sustains itself.

Do you think the games you play make themselves out of thin air? For free like magic?

And I know some of you think "Wow developers make so much money!" They dont deserve it for making some lewd game.

Let me offer you the counter point. We don't get paid enough. I know people will hate for me saying this but it is true and I will say it because it is time someone stood up for the work devs put in.

DA has been downloaded MILLIONS of times over and over again which adds up to countless of hours of entertainment. If people paid just $1 per download, most developers in this forum would be MILLIONAIRES. Are you saying the game you play for free is not worth even $1?

Due to how easily games are pirated, we are actually UNDERPAID for the work and value we provide. And thanks to selfless patrons who throw money out of their own pockets to support a game they could have gotten for free, I am able to work on this game full time. These patrons are the ones you should be thanking, not insulting. "Haha so stupid, paying $30 to beta test a game you can download for free." That's a fucking stupid comment to be honest. Be grateful they are paying so that you dont have to.

Imagine what kind of character you have to be to not only play for free, but also insult and laugh at patrons who are essentially paying for YOUR entertainment. Think about that before you make anonymous comments behind your keyboard.

Free players are part of the package, I have no problems with that. But at least be grateful to all those people who made it possible. Im not asking you to be grateful to me for making a free game. I'm very happy as I make enough money to develop a game full time, which is what I enjoy doing. I am blessed because DA is one of the most successful games that released this past year.

But please don't insult the patrons who decide to support me or any other dev.

7. F95zone
I love this forum. I enjoyed chatting and looking for games here before I started deving. But due to the toxic nature of some forum members, I have chosen to avoid it. But I've realised thats not the way it should be. I enjoy reading comments and interacting with the community, free players or not.

Just some advice on how to deal with devs. If there is a feedback, make sure its constructive. Stop being a hater. A dev is more likely to listen to you if you say "I really enjoyed the lewd scenes and animations, but the puzzles are a little too difficult and the payoff seems too little for the grind. Maybe you can reduce the difficulty of the puzzles and include a longer lewd scene at the end so its more rewarding and players feel more inclined to solve the puzzles."

Compare that too "FUCK this game I CANT SOLVE THE PUZZLE! WHY THE FUCK YOU PUT PUZZLES? I want lewds! Where mia lewd???? Why after 1 year no MIA LEWD?! Fuck this game 1 star! Down rate it! Dont patron it! DEv scammer!"

Do you think the dev will respond positively to such comments?

8. Lastly, future of DA.
I am really passionate about this project. There are so many exciting things in the works and finally after one year, we are getting to the juice of the story I want to tell. So many more things to include. Many issues such as the disjointed feel of the game will resolve itself as we start to see a more well rounded game take shape bit by bit. All I ask is be patient. I am very confident that DA will continue to grow and be a success as new players are enjoying it more and more.

Again, for old fans, I understand how you feel. You feel angry and impatient for more. Maybe some parts of the game didnt turn out as what you expected or maybe you've been waiting for progress on certain characters. All I can say is be patient.

The best way to ensure DA grows to become a beautiful game when its completed is to support it. Venting your anger and trying to downrate the game and being negative is not the way to go.

In the end, most games on this forum are created by one person. It's a community effort. With the help from fans and patrons who put in hours of their own time to bugtest, help out in discord, give ideas, thats what makes such games fun isn't it? Its the reason why people support such games. Because its a game for the community. Dont turn it into a toxic one.

Yes, there are some games where developers intentionally fleece patrons to make money. I know them myself. But DA is not one of them. I care deeply for the game and I want to see the game finish to it's conclusion. Dont try to turn this into an abandoned game. Maybe it wont be as big a success when its completed, or maybe it will end up being one of the most favourite games here. Who knows. But I do want to see the end.

So for all those supporting since the beginning especially those who have been motivating me every day and helping out, I want to thank all you guys. You are my energy! Fuck the haters and we will continue winning.

See ya all!
TL;DR : Fuck you whining cunts, Moolah is killing it.

To Moolah,

You are putting the work in where others are simply not. You have a vision and you are following it, that's badass, and I'm totally for it. I knew the first time I grabbed your game that it was going to go far and above the board, I just wasn't sure how far. The systems you are building are there to keep the player going and give them something to strive for. You are doing an exceptional job. Thank you for the work you are putting in.

Keep doing you, boo. I love what I have so far and I'm excited for what the future holds. <3
 

KillaMonka

Member
Aug 5, 2016
238
1,217
The first part you should pay attention to is the symbols on the wall, then you should try to find each symbol on the paper. When you find the word you're looking for you will try to find what number fits on each letter of the word you found. That's the password for the door

P.s the word you're looking for was mentioned a lot at the beginning of the first part of the case.
 

anavel1750

Newbie
Aug 2, 2017
25
47
I have stuck at Delilah. I have the other 3 nuns blackmailed. I have come at all 4 times, clicked everything, talked to everyone. Spent hours searching the game and forum - anyone help? I have done all the underground stuff as well, this is literally like the last thing keeping me from progressing in the SOL case.

View attachment 1697643
Wait til night and go talk to that guy in the mall.
 

anavel1750

Newbie
Aug 2, 2017
25
47
This game is one of the better ones on this site. It's far from one of those "slow burn" VN and has pretty good pacing.

Updates aren't as fast, but the quality is there to back it up. Let the dev do their thing especially if you haven't put any money into this.
 

RandomGuy99

Well-Known Member
Nov 11, 2018
1,727
2,339
Ok, I think its time to address you and as well as others who hold the same viewpoints as you do.
I've contemplated for some time if I should even respond as there is simply no winning in a discussion with anonymous forum members.

However, I do enjoy coming to f95 (although it has became a real pain and I consciously avoid coming here after starting to develop the game and especially so as the game becomes more popular. I'm starting to understand why devs no longer visit the forum as they grow.) and I do still want to be a part of the community every now and then, albeit at a lesser capacity.

Now that the bulk of the update is out, I do think it's appropriate now to post my version of events and clarify some things for people who are following the game. I'm not interested in having an online argument or back and forth so this will be the last time I respond to issues pertaining to this.


1. Delay when 0.6 update release dates were first announced.

For those who are not following closely, I made announcements prior to this that I will release the update on certain dates, of which they were delayed. Some points regarding this.

- A major component of this update was that I wanted the whole house to be changed. I felt the initial house didn't reflect the game well. Understand that changing the house isn't a simple decision. Every location within the house as well as every scene that involved the previous house has to be remade. This also includes many minor issues like buttons etc which take significant time to make.

- As we near the announced release date, I have come to realize many issues with the repeatables. If you notice, many of the aspects on the game are not so simple. Different stats affects different things and its a very challenging game to make to ensure everything runs as it should. I can continue to list out all the issues here but this post will turn into a 10 page essay and nobody has time to read so I will just leave it at that.

- After realising the huge amount of issues that needed to be fixed with old scenes, things not running right etc etc, we will not be able to make the release dates, which resulted in the delays.

I understand how frustrating it is to have a release date announced and not being able to meet it. I have also apologized and explained multiple times regarding this. However I will make some points about this.

Firstly, every step of the way, I have clarified in multiple posts either on patron or discord. I have also replied to every message sent to me asking for clarifications or regarding the issues faced. I have never ghosted or disappeared not for one day. Many comments regarding the dev dropping the game and disappearing are completely unfounded.

For those who claim to be patrons, each one of you are always free to raise your concerns with me by dming me in the multiple channels we have available. I spend a few hours each day to reply to all messages and have replied to all concernes being raised throughout the update process. I have also been nothing but transparent in my communications on discord or in multiple patron posts.

Next, understand that release dates are put out by me. Many developers will not even list out release dates beforehand in order to avoid issues such as this. You can never predict how even a simple issue can set you back a few weeks of development time.

As such, I will no longer put out any release dates in future. It was a noob mistake and one that every dev I've talked to told me I shouldn't make. If you give people a date to clobber you with, they will. And it will affect their perception regardless of how much work you put in.

At this point, after the first delay, I've already realized people are unhappy. I knew I needed a good update to change peoples perception. Which brings me to the second problem.


2. Releasing satisfying updates.


- Another major component of 0.6 is that I want the house repeatable system to be up and ready. I knew I had to get to that sooner or later. It is a huge problem point for me because when I started developing this game, I always held a view of developing a full game as a whole. I wanted something different to the games I've played and it's a very ambitious game in relation to combining a deep story with multiple paths as well as a variety of mechanics. I also wanted the renders and animations to be on point which takes extra effort and time. However, one thing I did not take into account is the importance of releasing each update in a certain manner. I've come to realise the pressures of creating a game based on updates. There's a reason why games follow a certain formula (Which in my personal opinion end up being cookie cutter and boring). If you noticed, most succesful devs follow the same basic formula every game they make.

I've become very unhappy because Im constantly pressured every update to create content that progress the game somewhat and end in certain cliffhangers or having to produce lewds when I feel its not ready at the point to do so. This is to keep players wanting more and "satisfied" each update and continue growing in patron counts. This means im unable to work on aspects of the game that I care about like mechanics and backend issues. As a result, a lot of the game feels disjointed and in the end, if you look at the game as a whole, it will end up being a very subpar game. How do u balance each update, while still sticking to the vision I have for the game? Do you need to sacrifice financial success to create a game you truly want to make? Thats a balance that is difficult to find.

Another big focus for this update is the Moon quest. However, a big issue is that the entire Moon arc does not result in any lewd scene at all. Moon is a main character and I do not want to lewd her until it is time. She has a big part to play in the overall story and her arc is very important.

How would people react when they find out there are no major lewd scenes in the update, especially after being pissed off about a botched announcement? As we can already see, people are impatient. Every day I receive constant messages every where asking the same question over and over again.

"When update? When update? Is it ready now? How about tomorrow? How about next week? When Update?"
Can you put this lewd scene? Can you put fem dom? Can you do this? can you remove puzzles? Please dont put ntr. Please put NTR! Please can I have a futa lewd scene? PRegnancy? When are we gonna fuck Mia?! Why no mia sex scene?"
Remember, you only see ONE message. For me it is different. I am creating a game that has been downloaded millions of times with thousands of players. I receive A LOT more messages. Take that into account.

As you can see, setting each update up to be satisfying is very difficult for a game like DA. After some discussions with initial players, I delayed the game by a further month to instead include an epic lewd scene and push forward Catherine's arc in order to make a more well rounded update. Catherines scene alone took more than 3 weeks to make at a ridiculous pace. (I mean 15+ hours a day.) In the end, I am very happy with how it turned out.
But I'm also really unhappy that I have to force my hand and release the scene when I don't want it released yet.



It brings me to the last point.
The issues I have faced has been very very frustrating. I am starting to lose a lot of joy and love in making the game. And it will show in the game as well. I have a vision for the game that I want to make. And having to bow to pressures of people in the forum or patreons every update takes a toll. I understand that its part and parcel of making a game with a patreon system. But it doesnt make it any easier.


There are many many more things I want to add, but I've realised the post has become very long. So I will end up with a few main points I want to address with my responses.


1. Update delay.
I do apologise for the previous delays. All the reasons have been outlined multiple times in various posts as well as some in this post. From today onwards, I will no longer release anymore dates and any questions regarding 'when update' will be met with the standard answer "it will be ready when it's ready". Also, every single patron who had pledged for previous months and requested for the update has received it even if they no longer patroned. I've refunded every person who has asked for it.

So for those who say they have been cheated out of an update download, that's not true.


2. Update contents.
I've come to realize that in order to make a game that I want to make, I have to ignore many of the comments being put out.
You can't please everyone. If I do not enjoy making the game, it will show in the content. We have gotten so far with immense success because of the vision I initially had for the game. I will no longer bother about request for lewds or certain scenes and I will design the game at my own pace according to my own vision. And to constantly think about how to satisfy patrons or forum members who dont give two hoots about how the game will turn out simply isnt sustainable. If I want to work on mechanics, I will work on it. If I want a certain update to focus on certain aspects of the game, that's what I will do. If I feel lewds are not ready for a certain update, that's what I will do. I like puzzles. I like game mechanics. I really enjoyed the church quest and little stuffs you do. If you don't like it and just want lewds, well all I can say is play another game. But don't try to put us down or shit on other peoples hard work just because you don't get what you want. I will not change because you leave an angry 1 star review. In fact, it makes me wanna do the opposite.

3. Fleecing patrons.
This one is really funny. Trust me, if I wanted to fleece patrons, I wont do it in this way. I have been approached by many dishonest developers who pump multiple accounts in different ways and i've rejected them. I care deeply for this game, if I didn't we wouldn't have what we have today.

I am very proud of the content we have achieved this past year of developing the game. I do not feel ashamed at all especially when relating to patrons who supported the game since the beginning. We have came a long way and I've put in many hours of hardwork into this baby and we are on track with the most consistent devs around our genre. I am super proud at the amount of content we have put out.

4. Forum members responses.

I understand many of you are very impatient and excited to play the next update. Also, some of you might be angry when the update is announced and you don't get what you want. In some ways, its a good thing. At least people are excited and want the next update to be ready because they cant wait. Thats better than having a game where nobody even cares when you throw out an update.

But I will say this. Think about what you're doing.
Some people are so angry that they leave hate comments and leave a low review on purpose in order to "punish" the dev or discourage other people from supporting the game. This is counter productive.

Developers do read this forum comments, but such negative remarks will do nothing to improve the state of the game or increase frequency of updates. In fact, if not for many patrons who constantly encourage me and have supported the game from the beginning, I would have gave up long ago. The one thing that keeps me going to keep pushing are good comments, not negative ones. Everytime I receive a five star rating, it motivates me to work harder as it makes me happy. Remember, devs are human too. When you are deep in development, and approaching the 10th hour of the day, a simple message of a five star review on the forum is enough to perk your spirits up and keep pushing. Imagine how a dev feels when he sees a hate comment or review pop up? It drains any remaining energy you have to keep pushing. And believe me when I say happy dev = Awesome lewd content. I am lucky because DA is succesful. Low ratings do not affect me that much anymore.

But I am friends with other devs who make "less succesful" games and do you know how sad they feel when they receive one rating on f95, they check it excitedly and it turns out to be a one star? They feel demotivated and upset. If you feel a game is bad and deserve a low rating, sure no problem. But to do it out of vengefulness because you dont get content u want or because you are impatient for the next update? Hmm.. Think about that.

If anything, such vengeful ratings like the one you posted only pisses me off and makes me want to delay the update a further three months or create something completely opposite of what you want. But I wont do that. I have many patrons and good friends who have supported the game since the beginning that I have to answer to. I have promised them I will complete the game to the best of my ability and I will continue to do so.

By the way, your review on f95 does not affect your patron count or how much money you make at all. It is purely ego based.
So for developers who are constantly creating new accounts to downrate a game and kick us out of front page, it really doesnt affect anything at all in the long run. All it does is stroke your ego and motivate you if your game has a high rating. So please dont waste time attacking other devs and focus on creating your game. Success will come in time. Jealousy does nothing for you. I wont even bother to report such ratings to mods anymore. I would rather spend time making the game I love. And for players like yourself who think that "punishing" a developer with low ratings works...well it really doesn't. In fact, it discourages the dev to continue fighting and pushing hard. But do what you want, you can make your own choices. Its a free world.


5. Update 0.6 content.

Do not let the update problems or annoucements affect your perception. A LOT of work is put into the update.
Even discounting the Moon content, what is available currently is massive. There are close to 100 new animations in this update alone. Not to mention countless of others in Moon event and others which I simply am unable to include at this point in time. I have put in a lot of hours into this. To see people hating and continue to slam the update by saying we didnt put in effort into this update is ridiculous and as a matter of fact, very disheartening. Yes, the misannouncement was unfortunate and you are angry. Sure. But dont discredit the work being done.

Again, I apologise for missing the announced dates. BUT REMEMBER, these dates are set by myself. It does not mean work is not in progress.


6. Making fun of patrons.
I would like to address some comments making fun of patrons for paying money to support the game.
I would like to say that your comments are stupid and is akin to slapping yourself in the face.
The reason why we have so many games to play for FREE is because people take money out of their own pockets to support a game when they dont have to. They are heroes carrying the industry.

Is the game worth $50, $20, or even $5 dollars a month? OF COURSE NOT. Even if you pledge a meagre $3 dollars a month , it adds up to hundreds of dollars throughout the lifetime of development. Is a renpy game worth hundreds of dollars? Of course not. Some Triple A games with full marketing and development teams don't charge that much! Much less some lewd game amde by a solo developer!

But remember, when you support a game, you are not paying for 1 game. You are paying for the THOUSANDS of games you play for free on this website. If everybody spends just a few bucks to support their favorite developer, that's how we end up with thousands of free games. Its how the industry sustains itself.

Do you think the games you play make themselves out of thin air? For free like magic?

And I know some of you think "Wow developers make so much money!" They dont deserve it for making some lewd game.

Let me offer you the counter point. We don't get paid enough. I know people will hate for me saying this but it is true and I will say it because it is time someone stood up for the work devs put in.

DA has been downloaded MILLIONS of times over and over again which adds up to countless of hours of entertainment. If people paid just $1 per download, most developers in this forum would be MILLIONAIRES. Are you saying the game you play for free is not worth even $1?

Due to how easily games are pirated, we are actually UNDERPAID for the work and value we provide. And thanks to selfless patrons who throw money out of their own pockets to support a game they could have gotten for free, I am able to work on this game full time. These patrons are the ones you should be thanking, not insulting. "Haha so stupid, paying $30 to beta test a game you can download for free." That's a fucking stupid comment to be honest. Be grateful they are paying so that you dont have to.

Imagine what kind of character you have to be to not only play for free, but also insult and laugh at patrons who are essentially paying for YOUR entertainment. Think about that before you make anonymous comments behind your keyboard.

Free players are part of the package, I have no problems with that. But at least be grateful to all those people who made it possible. Im not asking you to be grateful to me for making a free game. I'm very happy as I make enough money to develop a game full time, which is what I enjoy doing. I am blessed because DA is one of the most successful games that released this past year.

But please don't insult the patrons who decide to support me or any other dev.

7. F95zone
I love this forum. I enjoyed chatting and looking for games here before I started deving. But due to the toxic nature of some forum members, I have chosen to avoid it. But I've realised thats not the way it should be. I enjoy reading comments and interacting with the community, free players or not.

Just some advice on how to deal with devs. If there is a feedback, make sure its constructive. Stop being a hater. A dev is more likely to listen to you if you say "I really enjoyed the lewd scenes and animations, but the puzzles are a little too difficult and the payoff seems too little for the grind. Maybe you can reduce the difficulty of the puzzles and include a longer lewd scene at the end so its more rewarding and players feel more inclined to solve the puzzles."

Compare that too "FUCK this game I CANT SOLVE THE PUZZLE! WHY THE FUCK YOU PUT PUZZLES? I want lewds! Where mia lewd???? Why after 1 year no MIA LEWD?! Fuck this game 1 star! Down rate it! Dont patron it! DEv scammer!"

Do you think the dev will respond positively to such comments?

8. Lastly, future of DA.
I am really passionate about this project. There are so many exciting things in the works and finally after one year, we are getting to the juice of the story I want to tell. So many more things to include. Many issues such as the disjointed feel of the game will resolve itself as we start to see a more well rounded game take shape bit by bit. All I ask is be patient. I am very confident that DA will continue to grow and be a success as new players are enjoying it more and more.

Again, for old fans, I understand how you feel. You feel angry and impatient for more. Maybe some parts of the game didnt turn out as what you expected or maybe you've been waiting for progress on certain characters. All I can say is be patient.

The best way to ensure DA grows to become a beautiful game when its completed is to support it. Venting your anger and trying to downrate the game and being negative is not the way to go.

In the end, most games on this forum are created by one person. It's a community effort. With the help from fans and patrons who put in hours of their own time to bugtest, help out in discord, give ideas, thats what makes such games fun isn't it? Its the reason why people support such games. Because its a game for the community. Dont turn it into a toxic one.

Yes, there are some games where developers intentionally fleece patrons to make money. I know them myself. But DA is not one of them. I care deeply for the game and I want to see the game finish to it's conclusion. Dont try to turn this into an abandoned game. Maybe it wont be as big a success when its completed, or maybe it will end up being one of the most favourite games here. Who knows. But I do want to see the end.

So for all those supporting since the beginning especially those who have been motivating me every day and helping out, I want to thank all you guys. You are my energy! Fuck the haters and we will continue winning.

See ya all!
MoolahMilk - Your game is one of the more unique ones in the industry. Follow your vision to make it. It is really good and there are many small touches and it shows. For normal players, they will not know the amount of work required in the backend to make everything work. So take your time to do it and dont announce a date. Just give an estimate month to be release. Also you have to understand that this is a porn game genre, you will have to include a mandatory lewd scene whenever you release. Hence if you need longer then so be it. It would be much better that way where you can flex your creative muscle and quench the patrons. I would recommend to focus on main story until it is sizeble then give it some side quests and Not include side quest as you go (this makes it feel disjointed). This is quite an ambitious game if you ask me. You might need some help.
KEEP UP THE GOOD JOB and i am sure you be happy when the whole game is complete
 

Alberic

Newbie
Sep 5, 2017
28
45
Regarding the MoolahMilk .. message? Meltdown? I do have to say I understand the haters here. Years ago I considered DA one of the most promising games out there. There was an intriguing plot, decent character models (and I'm not usually picky about this sort of thing, considering the usual quality of stuff here and the price it takes to hire an actual artist) good interactivity, and some actual good writing. I forget when the Longinus investigation started exactly but it was good, we didn't know if our designated culprit at the time was correct and people were into it.

The problem is the progression. Back in 0.1.2 we could go up to the point where Sophia joins the household, finishing our first case. No Moon nor Sage content and no sex. Fast forward 18 months and we have two more important events, the monster attack and now with this update the Catherine visit. Catherine even having her repeating sex scene. We finished the second part of our second case (barely and the casino was skipped) and as for progression, that's about it.

Now, a lot of content was added, Sage had her sidequest put in and a non-repeatable sex scene (or to be exact, two mutually exclusive scenes) Chanel was introduced, Catherine's sister had a long quest implemented, culminating in a non-repeatable sex scene, Beatrice was introduced and finally got the other side of her path, but the juicy parts are non-repeatable. We got the nun scenes, with non-repeatable sex scenes for some, some story events which trigger at key points but never in direct relation with something we the players did or wanted to do. There is a lot of teasing scene-wise and story-wise, but an unfortunate effect of that is that it dissociates players from the advancement of the story, which also means they care less about what happens.

That's new content for sure, but almost no progression. All width, no depth. Which is a shame since the visual quality of the game means a lot of work was put into it. Besides Moon (who gets shit writing for some reason) the writing is consistently good. I also wouldn't stress the lack of repeatable scenes if there was a gallery system.

As things stands, a lot of scenes and plot points get started, but we get consistently blue balled when it's time for the payoff. Following the slow burn is good but between that and the lack of direction (what are our goals and how do we proceed towards them?) the feeling when playing this game turns unpleasant, especially when we need to redo the whole thing almost each time to avoid bugs.

The good writing is still here, but now half the time it feels like a rehash, and whenever I'm hooked and want to go further, the content stops to instead focus on yet another side character I fail to care about.

In the immortal world of Dope, "...some things have to end for the next one to begin"
1. Stop redoing things. Half the shit you replaced was fine, and by the time you're ready to end the project, you won't like your new-ish additions either.
2. Instead of pele-mele updates that inch closer to a resolution without actually getting a payoff for most characters, find some logical break-off points in your writing where you can put repeatable scenes (example: the first Catherine sex scene, it was all we had of Catherine for a while and it was enough) and go from break-off point to break-off point with updates, doing one or two characters by update depending on the necessities of the story, and adding story scenes when you can/must. A bit like going from character arc to character arc. Let a character arc end for the next one to begin. Do not end content on a cliffhanger if there was no payoff beforehand. (The Moon content would be an example of what not to do)
3. Do link story scenes directly with what the MC and the player want to do and are trying to do. (An example of what not to do would be ...Catherine's dad? It was Catherine's, right? Anyway, this guy appearing and foreshadowing further content. It puts Catherine's reaction in context, but it's another story beat progressing without our MC's knowledge or input, there will be time to learn when that character appeared and that it caused Catherine's reaction when the guy becomes relevant to the MC.)
4. Please prioritize the main girls. Mia and Sophia simpery excepted, they're your best, most likeable, and developped characters, they're the ones the players want to interact with. Sage and Maeve also count, maybe Moon if you're stretching it, but Beatrice, Chanel, Catherine's sister and the like shouldn't be the priority for content. The sad thing is, since they have smaller importance, they're the ones getting sex scenes. Worst of both worlds.
5. Don't be afraid to revise your writing when your writing calls for something that would be too difficult/long to implement in game. (Thinking of the casino here)

tl;dr people are chimping out because you've been edging them for 18 months.
 

Darth Vengeant

Well-Known Member
May 6, 2020
1,003
1,195
In regard's to the incest patch and the gallery mod. They both have a file name "patch.rpy"

Here is how to get both installed.

Rename the incest patch.rpy to "family.rpy". It will still work, and work with gallery mod.

You can also open the file in text editor and rename the line $ Mum = "Mum" to $ Mum = "Mom"

I found the term Mum annoying. Hope this helps a few people.
 

MoolahMilk

Member
Game Developer
Oct 25, 2020
462
2,406
TL;DR : Fuck you whining cunts, Moolah is killing it.

To Moolah,

You are putting the work in where others are simply not. You have a vision and you are following it, that's badass, and I'm totally for it. I knew the first time I grabbed your game that it was going to go far and above the board, I just wasn't sure how far. The systems you are building are there to keep the player going and give them something to strive for. You are doing an exceptional job. Thank you for the work you are putting in.

Keep doing you, boo. I love what I have so far and I'm excited for what the future holds. <3
Thx for the support! It means a lot

Wow, I just finished playing the update, it was amazing. This game was created for me, I love nuns, haha. Thanks, thanks!!
This game is one of the better ones on this site. It's far from one of those "slow burn" VN and has pretty good pacing.

Updates aren't as fast, but the quality is there to back it up. Let the dev do their thing especially if you haven't put any money into this.
Thx. Much more to come in future. If you like the stuff thats here currently I think you will enjoy whats to come even more.


MoolahMilk - Your game is one of the more unique ones in the industry. Follow your vision to make it. It is really good and there are many small touches and it shows. For normal players, they will not know the amount of work required in the backend to make everything work. So take your time to do it and dont announce a date. Just give an estimate month to be release. Also you have to understand that this is a porn game genre, you will have to include a mandatory lewd scene whenever you release. Hence if you need longer then so be it. It would be much better that way where you can flex your creative muscle and quench the patrons. I would recommend to focus on main story until it is sizeble then give it some side quests and Not include side quest as you go (this makes it feel disjointed). This is quite an ambitious game if you ask me. You might need some help.
KEEP UP THE GOOD JOB and i am sure you be happy when the whole game is complete
Thanks Randomguy, Yes, I'm very aware of the issues you brought up. With each update, I'm getting more information on how to structure the updates. Once we get the hang of it and find a winning formula, it will be a banger each time we release.

Regarding the MoolahMilk .. message? Meltdown? I do have to say I understand the haters here. Years ago I considered DA one of the most promising games out there. There was an intriguing plot, decent character models (and I'm not usually picky about this sort of thing, considering the usual quality of stuff here and the price it takes to hire an actual artist) good interactivity, and some actual good writing. I forget when the Longinus investigation started exactly but it was good, we didn't know if our designated culprit at the time was correct and people were into it.

The problem is the progression. Back in 0.1.2 we could go up to the point where Sophia joins the household, finishing our first case. No Moon nor Sage content and no sex. Fast forward 18 months and we have two more important events, the monster attack and now with this update the Catherine visit. Catherine even having her repeating sex scene. We finished the second part of our second case (barely and the casino was skipped) and as for progression, that's about it.

Now, a lot of content was added, Sage had her sidequest put in and a non-repeatable sex scene (or to be exact, two mutually exclusive scenes) Chanel was introduced, Catherine's sister had a long quest implemented, culminating in a non-repeatable sex scene, Beatrice was introduced and finally got the other side of her path, but the juicy parts are non-repeatable. We got the nun scenes, with non-repeatable sex scenes for some, some story events which trigger at key points but never in direct relation with something we the players did or wanted to do. There is a lot of teasing scene-wise and story-wise, but an unfortunate effect of that is that it dissociates players from the advancement of the story, which also means they care less about what happens.

That's new content for sure, but almost no progression. All width, no depth. Which is a shame since the visual quality of the game means a lot of work was put into it. Besides Moon (who gets shit writing for some reason) the writing is consistently good. I also wouldn't stress the lack of repeatable scenes if there was a gallery system.

As things stands, a lot of scenes and plot points get started, but we get consistently blue balled when it's time for the payoff. Following the slow burn is good but between that and the lack of direction (what are our goals and how do we proceed towards them?) the feeling when playing this game turns unpleasant, especially when we need to redo the whole thing almost each time to avoid bugs.

The good writing is still here, but now half the time it feels like a rehash, and whenever I'm hooked and want to go further, the content stops to instead focus on yet another side character I fail to care about.

In the immortal world of Dope, "...some things have to end for the next one to begin"
1. Stop redoing things. Half the shit you replaced was fine, and by the time you're ready to end the project, you won't like your new-ish additions either.
2. Instead of pele-mele updates that inch closer to a resolution without actually getting a payoff for most characters, find some logical break-off points in your writing where you can put repeatable scenes (example: the first Catherine sex scene, it was all we had of Catherine for a while and it was enough) and go from break-off point to break-off point with updates, doing one or two characters by update depending on the necessities of the story, and adding story scenes when you can/must. A bit like going from character arc to character arc. Let a character arc end for the next one to begin. Do not end content on a cliffhanger if there was no payoff beforehand. (The Moon content would be an example of what not to do)
3. Do link story scenes directly with what the MC and the player want to do and are trying to do. (An example of what not to do would be ...Catherine's dad? It was Catherine's, right? Anyway, this guy appearing and foreshadowing further content. It puts Catherine's reaction in context, but it's another story beat progressing without our MC's knowledge or input, there will be time to learn when that character appeared and that it caused Catherine's reaction when the guy becomes relevant to the MC.)
4. Please prioritize the main girls. Mia and Sophia simpery excepted, they're your best, most likeable, and developped characters, they're the ones the players want to interact with. Sage and Maeve also count, maybe Moon if you're stretching it, but Beatrice, Chanel, Catherine's sister and the like shouldn't be the priority for content. The sad thing is, since they have smaller importance, they're the ones getting sex scenes. Worst of both worlds.
5. Don't be afraid to revise your writing when your writing calls for something that would be too difficult/long to implement in game. (Thinking of the casino here)

tl;dr people are chimping out because you've been edging them for 18 months.

It's not a meltdown. I just want to write a detailed post for lurkers to understand my perspective of things.
It's important they know what the situation is and they can decide for themselves.


Regarding the points you brought up, thanks for the constructive ideas. I completely understand where you're coming from. If only you could understand what I know. I have the entire story planned out already and there are many things that I want to implement. If it was a straight up VN, it is much easier to plan the story beats and hook. But the nature of the game is a very freeroam sandbox. It would be easier if there wasn't such a major overarching plot point. I wish I know what I know now before starting the game, I would've planned the updates and story points much more efficiently. A big part of it is also I'm constantly playing catch up every update. Again, it may seem like Im adding things to the game, but they are all necessary. There are certain points where I cant introduce yet, Or I might have to add certain scenes to fully encapsulate the vision I have for the game.

Regardless, we are getting there. Very soon, everything that I envisioned will have been introduced in the game with all the mechanics up and running. (opening of most important locations, bar system, pornhut, house system.)

At that point, I could throw in the hook and have the player pursuing a more linear goal. I could also package each story arc more completely. At the moment my hands are tied and I cannot pursue a particular character before certain plot points are hit. The very good news is that we have continued to grow faster and faster despite the disjointed updates. Despite having a higher patron dropout rate (Disappointed with new content, update issues, etc etc), the fresh patrons are filling in at a very high rate as well. This tells me that new players are enjoying it more and more every update. This gives me confidence that once we sort out several niggling issues, we can only move forwards!

If we are to look at it in terms of writing, we are still struggling to get past ACT 1. Once that is done and I can throw in the hook, I think players will be more invested in the MC and pursuing the storyline. At the moment, my job is to continue to keep the interest of players until that point. We have just past a year in development. It's still early. Let's see where we are when the year ends. Remember, most of the more popular sandbox games are already in 3rd, 4th, 5th year in development. And DA has much more complexity than those games. When we get to that point, we can look at whether the game is too "Wide" and unfocused or not and adjust accordingly.

In any case, moving forward, I have a clear idea how to progress now. I have dissected many of the content into their own individual beats so that each update, the player will have a feeling of completion and achieve a certain payoff for each arc. I might also dedicate some updates as housekeeping updates where I work solely on code, mechanics and repeatables. At least players will know what to expect instead of feeling disappointed.


Booya! Speed is my energy.
 
Nov 23, 2018
141
35
Could someone provide me with a complete tutorial to be able to complete the total investigation of the church and to access the new sphia exam event please
 

zerdeca

Member
Jun 15, 2017
312
631
When did we inject Mother Superior with Moe's listening device? The only place I think it could've happened was when she hugged him but that doesn't make any sense since the MC had no reason to think she would be a useful person to listen in on. I originally thought he was just playing dumb and knew who she was the entire time since it was pretty clear she was the one following him from the very beginning but then his own thoughts make it sound like he's just an idiot that wants to fuck her. Did I miss something?

In my opinion, when you make a game where you play as the detective then the player should know everything the detective knows. It takes me out of the game when I know no matter how many clues I collect, I still might miss something because the dev wanted a twist (like "you thought this cute girl that was obviously following you and going to the same church as the murder was just a bimbo but she's actually Mother Superior!" is just annoying)
 
4.10 star(s) 172 Votes