So, let me get this straight, Chapter 3 was a bit late and as a result the devs stated that they would double their efforts to bring out releases quicker on a time-scale of 6-8 months per complete chapter, but the chapters would be REALLY GOOD! Alluding also to the idea that if they received more money, they would be even quicker as they would be able to quit their jobs and even hire other individuals to help with the work. Remember this was also towards the peak when they were getting somewhere in the neighborhood of 7-8k a month in support alone on Patreon.
Then after the fiasco with Chapter 4, and all the "emergencies" occurring with dog walks and vacations with terrible Wi-Fi which pushed the timetable out to 14 months; we were told 6-8 and got 14 instead. Yet, they stated again we will work twice as hard getting future updates out! So, twice as twice as hard? Nahhhhhh, instead you are going to get about half the content, but updates are going to be twice as fast… people… this is the same rate.
So, with Chapter 5 they have moved into the territory of delivering an update every 6-8 months but with less content... but all we got was an Alpha after 6 months, which they stated was approximately 70% of Chapter 5. HOWEVER! It came with the assurance of completing the remaining 30% of the game in the next month. Okay... that's fine, they are still in the territory of delivering an entire update, with a bit less content, in 6-8 months as this would put them in the timeframe of 7 months for a complete chapter... an actual miracle compared to the abysmal timeframe of 14 months fluffed with excuses per the last chapter release.
Are the devs improving this time? Are they actually going to be able to release a complete chapter within the schedule they set? These is the radiant devs after all! They have conquered the hardship of having to walk their dog from time to time, and shit Wi-Fi while they vacation... anything is possible for these guys!
So, here's what we have so far and how this chapter looks. 6 months for the alpha with a beta on its way in a month. It's been 5 months. No updates except every three months or so to keep this from getting labeled as abandoned as the same excuses permeate. They're not milking people; they're running a dairy farm. Now they state 2-3 weeks the Beta for Chapter 5 will be finished... well I'll see it when I see it, we all know that 2-3 weeks means fuck all with them, and that it will be more like 2-3 months now that they've made communication. Hey-oh! That means 14 months for another chapter to be finalized. And remember they just needed to finish 30% of the remaining chapter... less than 1/3rd according to them and it will take them the longest yet.
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You're getting a 1/3rd of an update in the time that they said it would take to complete a whole chapter. So, while they are getting less money each month from declining support. (all fault to them and their shit work ethic) You are paying more for each chapter at this rate. In other words they are making more money for the content that is actually delivered. So, who hurts? Not them. Not their wallet, yours. Some people might stop reading right here and say:
“WhO aRe YoU tO sAy WhAt OtHeRs SpEnD tHeIr MoNeY On?”
I’m not. I’m just warning that as of now, your funding goes to waste if you donate to them when it could be going to devs who actually give a shit. Most people care about their expenses, so unless you have money burning a hole in your pocket, I would recommend, after being a supporter of this game myself, to not support this game. I cannot convince long-term supporters at this point, as I think they are delusional for supporting these guys this long, being gullible to every excuse along the way due to their lapse in judgement, and therefore their opinions are null to me. This statement of support is generally for people just now showing up to this game with 4.5 chapters reading the false promises and thinking this would be worth supporting. “Oh they already have some proof of work, but were in the hospital this past update? Well that’s a once in a lifetime event that surely won’t happen every update…” Fast-forward 8 months from now as they wait on the next 14-month update, and they too will be saying what I’m saying.
If these devs cared, they would keep each other in check as both their reputations are getting tarnished by the actions of possibly one. If they cared, they would stick to their self-declared timeline and put in some effort to not disappoint their supporters. If they cared, they would shut off donations past their deadline as incentive to push out the update on time and not waste their supporters time. Yet these devs think that its okay to accept your money, and say “if you don’t want to donate, then don’t.” Yet again, another push against their responsibility. They want all the benefit, none of the responsibility; and when people keep them in check, they throw excuses instead of providing results.
Here's the fucked thing about this too, if this guy really was sick and, in the hospital, these devs have "cried wolf" too many times before that it’s hard for people to believe them if something real actually comes up. Which is in part their excuse for not providing updates unless absolutely necessary to maintain the status of this game. It just amazes me that they created a good game but have fucked up the development process so badly. It shows that you can be talented at one thing and absolute shit in another.
Questions to the dev: If you only needed a month to push out the remaining 30% of this chapter… and the last month of these previous 5 months have been spent in the hospital, what were you doing for those previous 4 months, considering now you are asking for a month to complete the chapter? Did developing this game possibly get in your way of the 200+ hours of playing video games and arguing with people on twitter over said games?
I just read this back and saw how long this post was lmfao… sorry for the book, I have a double masters in economics and history, so I write a lot for a living.
You also know the drill; I will leave you better today than you were yesterday:
100 push-ups
100 sit-ups
100 body squats
Don’t be like these devs by finding an excuse to put off this assignment. Get to it, it will be over with before you know it, and you will be stronger tomorrow than you were today.