They weren't ever that fast. *Digs up old notes*
Here are the major releases per Patreon updates:
Version & Release Date
0.1.0 - 2017, May 25th
0.2.0 - 2017, July 27th
0.3.0 - 2017, October 7th
0.4.0 - 2018, January 19th
0.5.0 - 2018, May 23rd
0.6.0 - 2018, September 17th
0.7.0 - 2018, December 31st
0.8.2 - 2019, April 10th
0.9.0 - 2019, September 23rd
0.10 - 2020, March 08
I forget exactly when Sierra left, but it was sometime in 2018 if I recall. Hreinn Games had expanded their duo with Ndsferrari and Monaco Dingo way back in November 2017, before expanding their team once again to its current size in early 2019(?). (Didn't they pick up another scenario writer?) So with the tragedy that Nomo had in April 2020 and the current pandemic, there's an understandable delay, but
not about getting their team up to speed after Sierra's departure that they sometimes use. They were finally starting to get a little better with communication over the summer, but to no one's surprise that didn't last.
I understand that development takes time (such as the writing, coding, and art), but at least the pace was fairly reasonable in the first several updates. Yes, the game gets more complex as it goes on so you might think that development takes longer, but the stuff that gets added are essentially modules or episodes. You can use the end states or variables of those and continue to press forward. Other individuals or teams do a better job at that and produce much more content faster. The same is true on the art front as well. A lot of it are just variations of a few CGs. As you plainly see from the dates above, Hreinn Games have been getting slower. This is fact. And since they don't typically tell people what they're doing (along with subpar updates lately), people will
of course think they might be milking the project. Perhaps they lost their way and don't really know where to go with the direction of the project. (I haven't even touched this game since 2019 just so when I do get back to trying it the updates would feel meaningful again and have some content.)
It's like they have this stigma about them since they don't seem to understand that their
number one problem before anything else is their lack of decent communication about the progress of the project. I bet; I can almost guarantee that if Hreinn Games would just communicate better, and actual progress is being made that they can kick this ill miasma that they have and garner some good faith and hope back from their fans. Yet, they won't. I simply do not understand why they won't in all honestly as it would surely bring in much needed revenue for them by way of new or returning patrons.
As it is, they are still on track with their slower pace (with the understandable delays mentioned earlier) if they drop another major release by the end of the month. If they fail to do so or don't even post an excuse why it didn't happen, then it's another mark against them. Fans would be
rightly justified to think Hreinn Games are indeed milking the patrons with this project. Hopefully that's not the case and something extraordinary will pop up soon.
Eh, sorry about digressing into their communication issues and other stuff. Meant to just talk about the game's release pace. Maybe a gaming god or even one of the team sees this and encourage Hreinn Games to communicate better. I don't know, but here's hoping! I'm going to make some brownies now 'cause now I feel terrible, heh. Stay safe, y'all, and make sure to wear masks! Would hate to find out that we lost one of you guys. Cheers!