Oh is it finally the city upda-
FUCK.
Another update, just 100000000000000000000 more to go for city content.
As I've noted before, Threshold's priorities aren't really on the city itself currently. Or, I should say, it's on city-adjacent content, which will likely(?) transition into city-focused content. I empathize with the perspective that it feels like the main progression content is being put on the back-burner for side stuff. I also can't argue that if the main progression stuff relies so heavily on side stuff, that focus should be shifted from that.
I've already made a point to Threshold that in terms of characters like Venefica or Trisha whose content has yet to have main progression relevance, putting so much emphasis on them now feels a wasteful. Ultimately, it's up to supporters and others if that answer satisfies. To quote a wise prophet, "vote with your wallet."
I miss the days when the devs were actually pumping out content every week. Now it's just the generic dev cycle where every three months we get two new scenes plus CG. I guess all games eventually enter the Patreon milking phase.
I've got on Threshold's back about his turn-out, and he's explained that it was a constant cycle of going ham on content, burning out, taking a break, repeat. Honestly, as someone who has issues pacing himself on a job, I empathize with the mentality of not wanting to do that constantly. I wouldn't say this is an issue of milking supporters so much as it is about a) finding a comfortable work/life balance, and b) finding a safe equilibrium between main progression and character/side content.
Personally, none of the character content has had any impact on my experience. Threshold also isn't putting out Destiny 2 expansions where each side quest has larger main story implications and it's all building to something. Or, I should say,
nothing in what Threshold has put to paper has presented any indication that Venefica or Perpetua are going to be there during the final boss fight. I'm probably beating the deadest horse at this point, but Monster Girl Quest
hinted at significant story developments that eventually paid off. Here, we get a ton of character content and side quests, but nothing has been implied beyond "oh, this person is maybe important."
It's a tight-rope not to lay into Threshold for lack of main progression content updates because at least he's putting out content and focusing on a single project rather than having 500 different things in the pipeline and barely putting out anything. At the same time, it's the most frustrating thing to tolerate the insistence that despite the writing and current content speaking to the contrary, the current focus on side stuff is important and has significance later on. There isn't a roadmap or spreadsheet to explain how all the dots connect. And yes, I do find it difficult to take that at face value, but at least Threshold is being communicative and is pretty willing to receive everyone's frustrations in text.