I am really baffled about the current poll, 2/3 of the patreons want to wait. Probably because the devs themselves want to keep the exhibition in one update. I cannot really understand it, from my point of view splitting the update has more advantages than disadvantages. Taking longer as a whole is a weak argument, since we are talking probably about 10 days longer for double proofreading and so one, which is insignificant looking at a development time which will be longer than 400 days. Also I do not believe the update will be finished in 3-4 months. We are looking at a release window in February or March 2026.
In short, give us the update now, everybody who cares about the build-up and cliffhangers, can just skip the update and wait until next year.
It's no surprise some people are willing to wait more for a product if they trust the developers and/or think some of it's quality will be compromised if the deveolopers would choose to split the current update before they had initially planned.
You also need to consider that when you express your point of view (your personal opinion is present on Patreon), many simply follow it unquestioningly. I think your and GIL's opinions should have been held back for a while so that people could make their own decision. But, unfortunately, it's too late.
That kind of mindset seems kind of entitled, IMO.
Yes, people do get influenced easily sometimes but I believe a developer should be able to express wathever they want about their product AND, there's also the fact patreons are responsible adults that should be responsible for their own choices.
Regardless, I believe a developer is completely justified in expressing their opinions on topics such as these, especially if it's something like changing the plans around the relase of an update.
I mean, that's kinda my point, from the perspective of someone who wouldn't want to split OR skip. The burst in conversation is so brief and far between between that someone bowing out of an update cycle may feel like they're missing out. You asked for reasons.
From my perspective, the extra engagement is obviously a good thing. I listed losing relevance as a concern.
Just talking out of my ass here since I'm not knowledgable on the topic but whichever choice you guys end up picking, hopefully you can commit to it and explain your reasons to your supporters either via patreon or discord and may they uderstand it accordingly.
I don't think there's such thing as putting monetary gain over Artistic integrity in the way that i'ts always an "one or the other" kind of thing, but more so like a treshold.
For Example:
(I'm assuming you and GIL already decided on wich scene would be the "cutoff point") If you two think that part is appropiate enough to split the history of this specific update without damaging it's flow or reception to the history you want to told with this update or you think that, at worst, it would only be a blue-balls cliffhanger momement. I
truly believe you guys should go for it and split it. (Even if I am personally against it)
On the other hand, if you guys think that you cannot find any good cuttoff point in this section of the story to properly divide it (which I assume must be hard since it's mostly just the Exhibition night shenanigans) and you TWO specifically can't seem to agree on a cutoffpoint or think the flow of the update would be significantly damaged by whichever cutoff point you could choose in this specific instance. Then and
only then I think you guys should opt for the longer update and not split it.
Ultimately, there's no "Correct" choice here.
Each option has it's own upsides and downsides, as for me as a "
Filthy Ex-Pirate" (I now wait for Public Relases

) and a part of the "Let-them-cook" crowd I will have no problem waiting for the full relase whenever that may be if I have to wait more or spent more time away from the forums I don't particularly care that much ( Oh no, I won't be able to see the N°6699 Post about asking for more Victoria scenes or Incest!

). I'll just wait and see I mostly only lurk here anyways so... *Shrugs