Is there a "right way" to cancel an unsuccessful project?

[Fervid]

The Cancelled Games Hall Of Respect
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Hugo Games cancelled Bimbo Life Coach; paused payments; released project files
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Ptolemy Games scaled back Dreaming of Dana until it was something they could ship

Do what these guys did, and you, too, could fail gracefully.

(I'm deliberately asking this in Programming, Development & Art , rather than Dev Help, because I actually want to hear from the peanut gallery, the players and donors, in addition to the seasoned developers. )

Frequently, I see scorn heaped on devs for abandoning (or sometimes lowkey not working on) a game. Usually niche games or titles that have succumbed to major feature creep. Some devs even have a reputation as serial offenders. My question is, is there any socially acceptable way to lay a project to rest once it's obvious to the dev that they won't be able to deliver everything they wanted to?

(Note that I don't have any projects of my own. I might one day consider starting one. But, more importantly, if there's a right way to do it, I think it would help the current situation out a lot if there was a thread we could point devs towards when it looks like they're at risk of falling into one of these traps. )

Let's consider some different ways devs can fail:
1: Dev bit off more than they can chew - The dev literally doesn't and likely never will have the technical skills, free time, funds, or other resources they needed to finish what they started
2: Niche/Kink/Genre is too obscure for fanbase to reach critical mass - Whatever it costs to make a game, there just aren't enough fans to fund it. This hurts the most because the really underserved fans tend to be the most passionate
3: Feature Creep - They had a reasonable project planned, but then they kept adding cool shit, and now their process/pipeline/workflow has so many extra steps, it's taking them longer and longer to add what everyone wanted in the first place: more content!
4: Artistic bankruptcy - Dev just plain ran out of creativity or passion for the project. The fans want more, but the dev's just done. Maybe they've said everything they wanted to say. Maybe it's burnout.

How does a dev avoid getting into these situations in the first place? How do they notice when they are in one? How do they correct the problem? If they can't fix it, how should they break it to their fans?

And on the players' side, what are the warning signs and red flags fans should look out for when choosing which projects to support?

 

[I'm Not Thea Lundgren!]

Be open and honest. That's the best way to do it.

How does a dev avoid getting into these situations in the first place? How do they notice when they are in one? How do they correct the problem? If they can't fix it, how should they break it to their fans?

Planning is the best way to prevent failure in the first place, a ton of planning before you even announce a game. The more planning you do, the less chance of failure.

And on the players' side, what are the warning signs and red flags fans should look out for when choosing which projects to support?

Lack of experience shows on a lot of v0.1 games, some look really good.

 

[8InchesAndCounting]

Don't lie to people, release all available resources and source codes, don't pass blame. Shit happens, people will be shitty to the developer regardless, and I'd rather get a "fuck you that's why" than silence.

 

[lemonfreak]

As a player, I look for devs who've been consistent with updates for at least a few months. It especially helps if they've completed a project in the past.

From a dev the only thing I really want is openness and honesty. Don't disappear for months at a time while struggling with an update, be upfront about it and trust that your supporters will understand. Better yet, set up a per-update Patreon so you're not milking your supporters for months on end or, at the very least, pause payments when you're going to miss an update.

 

[Fervid]

Good stuff. Are there any positive examples we can point to where a struggling or even failing dev pulled the plug with class?

 

[baneini]

The devs might intentionally get into a situation because they simply do not care. They don't have an attitude of a professional and believe they're anonymous enough that even if shit hits the fan they can escape any sort of negative repercussions.

If they do care and are professional about it chances are they communicate, plan ahead responsibly, etc. leading to a long career where they maintain their image.

 

[lemonfreak]

Perfect way to do it

https://f95zone.to/threads/bimbo-life-coach-v0-5-hugo-games.31473/

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I'm sorry to make this announcement, but I'm going to be stopping development of BLC. I've suspended the March payments, so no one needs to worry about that, and I'll be leaving the page up for a few weeks so that people can see this post.
Basically I just don't really have either the drive or the time for it anymore. Before I had to move back home I was doing an easy job that left me a lot of time, but now I'm back home I am (surprisingly) getting a lot of interesting work. This went from being something that I was excited by to something that I felt guilty about. I really enjoyed making this game, and I'm sorry that it's ending where it is, but guilt isn't a good place to be making good content.
I really appreciate the support I've received from all my patrons, as that really did allow me to spend a lot more time developing the game up until this year.
I wish you all the best.
- Hugo

 

[Fervid]

The devs might intentionally get into a situation because they simply do not care. They don't have an attitude of a professional and believe they're anonymous enough that even if shit hits the fan they can escape any sort of negative repercussions.

While I'm sure that could happen, I'm assuming good intentions on the part of devs, if only because it's the only productive way to get good suggestions on what to do.

If they do care and are professional about it chances are they communicate, plan ahead responsibly, etc. leading to a long career where they maintain their image.

So I'm hearing communication and responsible planning. Good stuff.

 

[Fervid]

Perfect way to do it
https://f95zone.to/threads/bimbo-life-coach-v0-5-hugo-games.31473/

Wonderful! More like that! I'm starting a list of good examples in the OP!

 

[Winterfire]

Before getting to that point, learn to write a Game Design Document, that gives you an overview of the entire project... I can count 3-4 games I never attempted to do because I have realized just how big scale they were after writing one.

Also, do not be afraid to say "No" or even better "I do not know, I will think about it" at most questions, only say a sure yes when it is an easy and doable feature.

However, if you get to a point where you screwed up too much and you can't continue the project,you can still put 1-2 months to end it.
I usually start each project with a beginning and an ending; The whole game is then a journey in-between those two and it can last as long as you wish/needs.

If you did not plan an ending, plan one but avoid just a few sudden lines just for the sake of saying "The end", I believe this is worse than just abandoning the project.

 

[Kinderalpha]

The earlier you ask for money, the harder it is to drop the project. As the project becomes harder to drop, you're pressured into "making it work" which is not good. You can't prototype if your prototype is generating you revenue.

Dropping a project, especially early on, isn't hard at all if you don't ask for money. The right thing to do is ask for money when you're certain the game will continue development and you want to put more time into it. Maybe after you've established a playtest, audience, and positive response. Not in the first week because you feel you should be paid for your work.

However that's usually not the case. Patreons are built before the first line of code is written. As a result, developers are forced into obligations they weren't aware of, and it burns them out. Don't get stuck working on something you don't like; create now, patreon later.

 

[Cndyrvr4lf]

From a dev the only thing I really want is openness and honesty. Don't disappear for months at a time while struggling with an update, be upfront about it and trust that your supporters will understand. Better yet, set up a per-update Patreon so you're not milking your supporters for months on end or, at the very least, pause payments when you're going to miss an update.

This right here is the biggest bullet point of this topic. To many Dev's take money every month even if they don't release anything. I get the whole "supporting the artist not paying for content" bit but it gets old quick when I give them money every month and don't see something worth the investment. Posting a new render and telling me how much they have worked on/completed doesn't really tell me anything.

 

[recreation]

The biggest problem is that many dev's expectations are waaay to high, and when they realize how much work it actually is to develope a game, and how much (better) "competition" there is, they just give up instead of trying to make it better.

Milking Devs:
For me someone who doesn't really pay attention to his render (Daz/Blender, etc), or screenshots (HS/Koikatsu, etc), which is visible by clipping, empty scenes, bad lighting, etc. which mostly comes combined with a generic/lackluster story, is most likely a milker.
Especially when a HS dev takes months for an update with only a few scenes, it's quite obvious that he's milking (assuming that he's only working on one game).

The "right" way to cancel a game?
Don't cancel a game! Just realize what you're doing before you start doing it, and don't be unrealistic in your expectations.
And if you really have to cancel a game for whatever reason, don't just run away without a word to your fans.

 

[anne O'nymous]

Especially when a HS dev takes months for an update with only a few scenes, it's quite obvious that he's milking (assuming that he's only working on one game).

Just to weight this a little. When it's a game like Corruption, the lack of scenes in the update can be acceptable because some of them features a dozen of characters. But yes, generally there two characters max in the scene, and it shouldn't need more time to make them than doing it with Daz.

The "right" way to cancel a game?
Don't cancel a game! Just realize what you're doing before you start doing it, and don't be unrealistic in your expectations.

Or lower your expectation mid project. Many devs have done it, finally ending with a kinetic novel. And it's alright, they are learning, and at least they finished their game.

And if you really have to cancel a game for whatever reason, don't just run away without a word to your fans.

Especially when it's to come back few months later with another project, and sometimes even another identity. Few did it, but well, it's still few too many.

 

[Fervid]

Or lower your expectation mid project. Many devs have done it, finally ending with a kinetic novel. And it's alright, they are learning, and at least they finished their game.

That sounds like a pretty good outcome. Can you tell me any titles?

 

[anne O'nymous]

That sounds like a pretty good outcome. Can you tell me any titles?

Well, the only one that cross my mind right now is Dreaming of Dana. It's probably less visible now that the game is finished, but the fact that there were less and less grind and choice gave to the player felt obvious at the time.
But, I don't say this in a bad way. Ptolemy handled it well, and it felt more natural than anything else. It wasn't the game that once hooked us, but it was now a very interesting and as hooking story.

 

[HandofVecna]

Great Thread. DMD had a big convoluted point system that midway through I believe they altered and chucked most of it and went a bit more VN. I think it got to big and unwieldy for them. No one cared.