Just looking at the version numbers of many of the games on here alongside the development start date, and it starts to look like developing and playing many of these games will be an intergenerational project...
How many of the games do you suppose can realistically be finished?
- Thread starter MissingNo20
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- Jan 21, 2022
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Who cares?
Half of all new small businesses fail within the first three years.
The thing is , these games are developed mostly by hobbyists and as side gigs - not small businesses. As such, the games should easily be considered as having an even higher fail rate at completion. Players should not get invested in any game that is in development and should not expect any of the games found on this site to ever be completed. And when a game is "completed," players can then be pleasantly surprised.
The problem is that people who have no clue about game development place over-importance on a game found on here to reach the end of its development cycle. For decades for every game that hit the shelves, there were 2, 3, or more ideas initially developed that were discarded along the way. That's the creative process.
The difference between 10 years ago and today is the playing public on this site now get to see that creative process play out through Patreon platform, as well as sites like F95Zone, but don't take time to think about it or even try to understand how it works.
Finally, they are only games - and there are 16,300 of them found on this site, in various states of development (active, on hold, abandoned, completed). Even if a person played a different game each day... it would take nearly 44 years to play them all. At which time they could start all over again.
Isn't there more to life than wondering/worrying about whatever spank bank game is completed or not?
PS: Of the 16,300 games on this site, 7,600 are marked as completed -- 46%. Even playing each of them at one a day would take more than 20 years.
- Nov 20, 2017
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I disagree with that conclusion. If every game here would be handled as business, I doubt that many would be alive after a year or two. You showed that the numbers of devs, who on Patreon earn equal or more than 100$ is under 50%, so half the games, if this would be their only earning, I assume, should be abadonded, if they were handled as business.
Although some of the completed ones may be rushed or in a bad state, but this is the same for normal games too.
As Count Morado already mentioned, almost all western games here are made by amateurs or hobbyists, so you shouldn't be too concerned about version numbering as they are often quite arbitrary because of that.
Games can skip from v0.16 to the final version or still be in "beta" at v3.56.
However, it is true that many of the games do not (seem to) have a planned ending. And will probably continue to be in production as long as the dev keeps making money or enjoying working on it.
Games can skip from v0.16 to the final version or still be in "beta" at v3.56.
However, it is true that many of the games do not (seem to) have a planned ending. And will probably continue to be in production as long as the dev keeps making money or enjoying working on it.
- Jun 5, 2020
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Everyone else pretty much hit it head on. Most of these games are passion projects, they get content added to them as the dev finds the time and interest to do so. If they do end up pursuing financial gain to make a living off of then yeah, you'll usually get a regimented update cycle, release date promise, etc. but this can actually burn out the dev especially if they're solo and the quality of the content updates might be degraded or altogether abandoned as a result of that burn out.
I've been following a lot of game for years now and a lot of them are still in development all this time later, very few of them have been abandoned and they get fairly regular updates just whenever the devs have time. If you're willing to wait, I tend to think that these devs put out the highest quality work. It's almost sad when they finally finish it years later and move on to another project lol.
I've been following a lot of game for years now and a lot of them are still in development all this time later, very few of them have been abandoned and they get fairly regular updates just whenever the devs have time. If you're willing to wait, I tend to think that these devs put out the highest quality work. It's almost sad when they finally finish it years later and move on to another project lol.
Basicaly, almost everything of these games can be completed. Yes, devs are amateurs or hobbyists, but they don`t make complex projects. No high math or hard writing. So, then something abadoned reworked or delayed it`s only because dev wanted to go this way.
I finished 100% of games I have started 
Now give me your money
in before "yeah but your game's trash"
Now give me your moneyin before "yeah but your game's trash
"you're the best among us Anyx, now get back to work. ( <3 )
you will have a hard time finding a dev on this site that has any professional background, work ethic, capable to prioritize and manage his time, so a lot of projects (as a good as they may be on paper) end up prematurely (for various reasons) BUT a lot more will be rushed out and " " " completed " " ", and it all boil down to what kind of individual is handling the thing. I won't name anyone but some devs have 3 or 4 games cooking with several patreon accounts and they are not to be trusted.
however version number doesn't represent the current progress of development of the product, (mind-blowing I know) and some game are completed after beta 0.13 for example, so I don't think it's important what's it's number is, i prefer dated build but it's just me.
you will have a hard time finding a dev on this site that has any professional background, work ethic, capable to prioritize and manage his time, so a lot of projects (as a good as they may be on paper) end up prematurely (for various reasons) BUT a lot more will be rushed out and " " " completed " " ", and it all boil down to what kind of individual is handling the thing. I won't name anyone but some devs have 3 or 4 games cooking with several patreon accounts and they are not to be trusted.
however version number doesn't represent the current progress of development of the product, (mind-blowing I know) and some game are completed after beta 0.13 for example, so I don't think it's important what's it's number is, i prefer dated build but it's just me.
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I think there are 3 pillars of "finishing the game". Even one is enough:
1. Dev needs to eat, and this is their main source;
2. Dev is passionate about what they're doing;
3. Dev has high discipline and works on their project despite burnouts.
It usually starts with passion (and for some - prospect of money).
Then comes the burnout. The usual: you think about the project all the time, about all the scenarios, but developing them takes a lot more time than thinking; so by the time you get to the previously interesting (to you) parts, you're already mentally done with them many many times over, so actually creating them is tedious and boring work.
Then it depends: if you're already being paid enough for doing 1 update per year - why even try to finish it.
If you're not being paid enough - why even continue.
Unless you have discipline (most of us people don't) - it's game over. I personally don't have much of it, but I was fueled by my hatred towards years of playing unfinished games
1. Dev needs to eat, and this is their main source;
2. Dev is passionate about what they're doing;
3. Dev has high discipline and works on their project despite burnouts.
It usually starts with passion (and for some - prospect of money).
Then comes the burnout. The usual: you think about the project all the time, about all the scenarios, but developing them takes a lot more time than thinking; so by the time you get to the previously interesting (to you) parts, you're already mentally done with them many many times over, so actually creating them is tedious and boring work.
Then it depends: if you're already being paid enough for doing 1 update per year - why even try to finish it.
If you're not being paid enough - why even continue.
Unless you have discipline (most of us people don't) - it's game over. I personally don't have much of it, but I was fueled by my hatred towards years of playing unfinished games
- Jan 2, 2018
- 4,274
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I find it is better (at least for me) to assume all games on the site made by developers here will never be completed for various reasons and just enjoy the game for what it is for however long it captures my attention or is being actively worked on. There isn't really any real loss to a game getting abandoned unless you've decided to invest in the project. In most cases it doesn't matter to me if the game gets finished or not. there will always be something else to play. Just my two cents.
These are some of the games I am following here and I don't think I will live long enough to see them finished
Bioasshard
Wild Life
Future Fragments
Crisis Point Extinction
Project Extermination
Operation Lovecraft
Bioasshard
Wild Life
Future Fragments
Crisis Point Extinction
Project Extermination
Operation Lovecraft
- Dec 30, 2022
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It really depends on how successful the projects are and how long these games are planned to be.
Completed games with lots of gameplay are pretty rare, but they do exist.
There are tons of short games that get completed but most are pretty dull.
You have cash-cows like Being A Dik and Summertime Saga who will probably never be completed and end when the pond is dry.
There have been a shit ton of Devs who released impressive early versions, took the money and ran off.
Most of them happen to get sick or their dog gets sick and won't ever be able to keep working on it.
You also have scammers who never deliver, but the patrons are also at fault for keep throwing money at them.
Completed games with lots of gameplay are pretty rare, but they do exist.
There are tons of short games that get completed but most are pretty dull.
You have cash-cows like Being A Dik and Summertime Saga who will probably never be completed and end when the pond is dry.
There have been a shit ton of Devs who released impressive early versions, took the money and ran off.
Most of them happen to get sick or their dog gets sick and won't ever be able to keep working on it.
You also have scammers who never deliver, but the patrons are also at fault for keep throwing money at them.
Can’t that just as well lead to “milking”? I’m speculating here, but if a dev relies on a single, long-running project as their main source of income, they might be reluctant to finish it.