*is. very*
I think, as much as it shocks me to say this, Huitieme is right. Or as least as right in that I agree with him (which I confess shocks me even more....)
Y'see the thing I can't quite get my head around is why H5 isn't played. And comparatively it isn't. There's a rather nasty little game that came out a couple of months ago with twice the reviews and three times the likes so make of that what you will. But tastes aside, it doesn't seem to matter how good the writing is. Oh, it's a factor for sure, but when you consider BP alone has smarter content than most releases it's obviously not an important factor to many.
Sex and pictures on the other hand are important.
Now I'm a writer first and foremost and nothing is going to change either the story or indeed the way I tell it. Nothing will change the content either. But given that the adult content is going to explode shortly there is a very real risk that the earlier graphics and the UI, to an extent, will put people off despite that- and H5 is a game to be played.
Y'see it doesn't matter that I have to spend say four times as much time to make a piccy as a super rigged dev. That's not a factor in peoples consideration. No one goes "well considering she's got an etch-a-sketch and a packet of crayons that's not bad" (well except you lot!). No, they look at other game's graphics and go "That's poo...".
So yep, once the tags are updated with all the new content - interest may well be regenerated in the game - until they open it...and it's not much use saying "yes but in Chapter Four it looks great!" because that won't I suspect cut it. People don't have patience.
I think I have to do the remaster before Four is released. Now I realise this will go down as well as Marcus offering you vitamin tablets but I feel it has to be done. You've all seen what the game could look like. Indeed should like. Imagine what you'd feel about the game if it had the graphics it could/should/can have instead of the ones it did.
I know this is will be an unpopular call. I know that. I know also it will cost me patronage and cash. I know that too. But the longer I leave the remaster not only will it take more and more time to do later down the line (and thus delay the next game - plus bore me to tears as I redo absolutely hundreds of images for an audience that's already played the game), but it also doesn't change the fundamental structural image problems we have at the start of the game. Structural problems that prevent people playing it.
So how long will it take?
I've a weeks rendering to finish off Four and I want to do that first. If only so I can get it out to playtesters. The remaster should only take two to three weeks I think as I don't have to do everything. There is a lot in One, Two and Three that are quite passable. It's mainly some of the internal Vanguard shots, the hallways, the plant room and the MC's room that are the main problems I think. The changing the menu option to that which I showed earlier won't take that long to be honest as it's just dropping a screen in and adding the correct button images.
So the end of the month looks viable. If it gets close to overrunning then I'd just pause the patron page so no one got an October charge as it would be unfair to charge people for rework I think.
*stands back and awaits thoughts....*
