So, you are right it was being used that way prior to the tools being implemented and I never said they didn't, but they gave them the tools to make it an actual business model later.
but the true software as a service features weren't fully in place until 2017 when it began implementing membership benefits and the like.
The tools were already there for memberships benefits before June 2017 -
in February of 2017, the membership shit was in full effect:
You must be registered to see the links
What they added in June 2017, were additional tools to enhance that which was already there. So when you say "fully in place" - sure - but that is hedging. The tanstaafl today will not be considered the "fully in place" tanstaafl of tomorrow, because some of you will change, evolve.
As for a decade not being a long time.... to me, it was last Tuesday, as well - I'm about your age - give or take 5 years either way. However, it is nearly the entire lifetime of Patreon. For at least 10 years of the fewer than 12 years of its existence, Patreon has essentially offered the same system - with a few alterations to enhance. And with some changes "of the wallpaper". For 98%+ of all the adult game developers and subscribers it has been this way for the entire time they have experienced it.
The topic of the thread was "Patreon is the worst enemy of all adult game players."
In your own words:
Edit: For clarity, I don't think Patreon is the problem, I think Patreon is exacerbating an issue with games and software as a whole.
I believe Patreon is not exacerbating issues with games and software. I think players and users with their sense of entitlement and their lack of knowledge and experience in software and game creation are the biggest issue. They don't know what is involved. All they know is what they want and that they want it now and they blame developers, in general, and Patreon for them not getting what they want when they want it.
Before the subscription model and early access models - people had to wait however long it took before a game or software would be released. Whenever a publisher decided it was time to pull the trigger. Then would come the DLC, the bugfixes, the weekly health updates, etc. And then after a few years, Software 2.0 with its subsequent DLC, bugfixes, etc.
Now, with the subscription and early access models, people are seeing how the sausage is made. The ups and downs, the dips and twists and turns. The dropping of projects, adding of new projects, the diversions, the loss of development time due to sickness, etc. They are also being exposed to a hundred-fold more games and software than they ever would have - software and games that would never make it to the retail shelves. Software and games made by a person out of the home office - slowly, in their free time, 2 to 20 hours per week - and all the frustration that goes with it.
They are subscribing without thinking with their brains, but only with their dicks. "That art looks hot" SUBSCRIBE "The story has
promise" SUBSCRIBE. Etc. Without thinking about what they are getting into. The average subscription in adult games on Patreon is between $2.30 and $4.50 per person (depending upon the calculation) per month. And for that they think they are buying the software or game. They are not. They are subscribing as members to support the developer in their work in the development of a game.
Some of those games will become finalized. Some will not. Some will always be in development (such as Summertime Saga) - because they don't need a retail version anymore. If they want to revamp the art - they can continue to do so while still in development. If they want to revise the storyline - they can continue to do so while still in development. They don't have to release a retail "final" version to then offer DLC, bugfixes, health updates, and sequels to. They can just keep developing. Add characters? Sure, while still in development. Add genres, remove genres, boom.
If subscribers don't like that - they can stop subscribing and take with them what they got as membership benefits up to that point for their subscription.
I don't think Patreon is exacerbating any problems. I think players not understanding what they are subscribing to or what Patreon and the subscription system is about is the problem.
Subscribing means you like what the creator is doing. Just like when you go to the museum and drop a donation into their well before you leave - you like what their are doing. If you don't like what they are doing... don't drop a dime and head out.
As players on F95 - we have benefitted greatly for Patreon's role in game development. Without Patreon, there wouldn't be as many games with as many options as their are now. Because there wouldn't be as many potential creators who could find the carrot to entice them forward. For some, $100 USD per month may be enough in their community to survive, depending upon their economic status for their country. However, it's the potential of earning $100,000 per year or more, like creators such as Dark Cookie, or even $40,000 per year or more (still, a small percentage of creators) so that they can quit their current jobs - that is one of the draws which pulls in people to create a fair number of the games we find on here.
People who, in reality, would never get a second glance at their resume if they applied at a game studio. Particularly if the person's interest is in adult games. This is their food truck when they can't afford to run a restaurant. This is their "arts and crafts" booth when they would never get a gallery to sell their art. And players - both subscribers and pirates like me - need to remember this.
Patreon is not the problem. Patreon is not the enemy.
Developers are not the problem. Developers are not the enemy.
If you want a platform that I think that is doing it right and actually elevating creators (writers in this case) without exacerbating an already existing issue, look at Royal Road.
I'll take a look at Royal Road. As an instructor of English, anything that advances an author's chance, legitimately, to publish and earn a living is always interesting. I am currently on Substack and work with small publishing houses.