What some devs don't seem to get about free-roam games is that you have to insert activities or other side missions that distract the player from the long and boring task of clicking through corridors. Look at Dr PinkCake's game "BeingADik". Free-roam but it gives you side missions and activities where you can collect items, cash and other things that will help you in the rest of the game. It doesn't feel tedious (except that shuffle puzzle) but rewarding.
Including the gameplay mechanic of free-roam only to have you mindlessly navigate through corridors and rooms just in the hopes of finding someone to talk to is not something anyone should be subjected to and feels like bloating the game by wasting time clicking and navigating as a sad excuse for content/update length. If the plan was to fill those spaces with activities to do at a later date, fine but then at least give yourself time to roll out a proper update that doesn't look like a half-assed attempt to put out something at the end of the month.
Also, listen your fanbase. They're the ones paying you and I strongly doubt that this is what your patreons want to back. F95 is your advertising platform and many people won't be inclined to fund a dev that shoves his fingers in his ears. You had a good start but at this point, you're killing your own game.