Ren'Py Summertime Saga [v21.0.0 wip.5091] [Kompas Productions]

4.00 star(s) 374 Votes
Discussion Reviews (374)
cadwaladr

cadwaladr

Member
Aug 4, 2017
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j4yj4m said:
It's something that happens to many projects which start very small, aren't meant to be something but then become huge and way outlive anything the creator ever imagined. SS wasn't even meant to be a game when it started but just DC's way to teach himself coding. After that they simply continued update by update and only at the start of last year they finally decided to go big. That's why we see the rig system (which will allow the game to stay small and playable on android) and all those heavy recodes now. It's the base that's needed to actually complete the game.
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In which case he should be using some of that money ($50,000 per month) to sort that out. Part of the problem is that he has one person doing the code. A project this size needs at least 2. The other part of the problem is that Ren'Py is not built for this time of game. They are using the wrong engine and, at some point, it will bug out. They should be moving towards a different engine, maybe Unity. The trouble with that is that will cost money. Firstly, DC will have to employ someone to be porting the code (parallel to the Ren'Py release versions) so that there is seamless switch. Secondly, Unity is not necessarily a free engine and Kompass may have to pay for it.

However, soon DC will have to decide. Does he want $50,000 a month and have to invest some of that in Kompass, or does he not.

At the moment he wants his cake and to eat it and that won't last for ever. He also needs to be proactive before discontent results in a bad reputation. I can't help thinking this update might be that turning point. I cancelled my patronage after the lacklustre teacher update and criticised him a lot around then. I walked back a lot of that criticism because the Roxy update was spot on in terms of graphics and writing. The Diane update was meh (really, a fucking barn?) and this update, which remember is just a re-working of previous content, is proving to be a little problematic.

So I will reiterate my main complaint, he needs a project manager. He needs someone to plan the updates so we aren't constantly having updates that are reworking of previous content. Debbie has been reworked (and still needs another rework), Diane has been reworked, Jenny has been reworked. Erik and Mrs Johnson is in need of a rework, Mia is incomplete (Angelica is still WiP). So, basically, since the game began, we have had Roxy and the Teachers that haven't been or announced that they would be re-written. That's unbelievably bad planning, which is why there are accusations of milking.

My challenge to defenders of DC: what part of what I have just said isn't true and isn't worthy of criticism?
 
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Jonboy80

Jonboy80

Active Member
Dec 8, 2017
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Skinnydippy said:
My challenge to defenders of DC: what part of what I have just said isn't true and isn't worthy of criticism?
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None, because you actually have constructive criticism. Most of us defending DC are defending him from the troll-y comments and non-constructive criticism. We've never said it was perfect but we also don't think he's being malicious like a lot of people insinuate. Comments such as, he's holding the update til the first to get his next paycheck, or that they somehow have inside knowledge of his financial status, how much money he actually makes from this, etc..

They didn't do anything constructive and only served to stir the pot. Your sort of criticism, I'm happy to see and it's all valid. SS would probably be better in another engine. From what I understand, DC is currently using a highly modified version of Ren'py. Highly modified can directly translate to highly unstable if the coding isn't spot on, which it isn't. It's one reason I'm not surprised this update is taking so long. He's reworking the base code of a highly modified engine to change the dexterity system, for example.

Whether that's Unity or another engine, I couldn't say. I don't think Unity is very expensive. IIRC, a license isn't required, as long as you're not making more than 100k per year from the game. DC makes 100k every two months, so he'd need a license and that's for each member of the development team. A pro license is 125 USD a month. If he has four others who use the engine, that's 625 USD per month. there's also something called Unity Teams that is cheaper, but I'm not exactly sure how that works.

But, as you said, that will require them to port all that information into a new engine which may or may not be worth it at this point and time.
 
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Jackie123

Jackie123

Well-Known Member
May 2, 2018
1,234
1,194
seven sins said:
So we might get 0.18 tonight boys! DC just told us on stream so no more waiting..:)
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did he really said this or are we missing a context like: we might get it if the coding is done in 20mins an and no bugs are going to show up that they gonna need to fix and jesus comes back to life to shake our hands, than we "might" get it....
 
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Badjourasmix

Badjourasmix

Conversation Conqueror
Sep 22, 2017
7,019
15,778
Jackie123 said:
did he really said this or are we missing a context like: we might get it if the coding is done in 20mins an and no bugs are going to show up that they gonna need to fix and jesus comes back to life to shake our hands, than we "might" get it....
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He said that all the game breaking bugs have been fixed and what is left are minor posing bugs. I wouldn't get my hopes up tho.
 
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jackkane

jackkane

Engaged Member
Sep 4, 2016
2,915
2,372
Jackie123 said:
did he really said this or are we missing a context like: we might get it if the coding is done in 20mins an and no bugs are going to show up that they gonna need to fix and jesus comes back to life to shake our hands, than we "might" get it....
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jesus should just use his God power to give us finished game that won't be out until 20 years from now.(y)
 
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cadwaladr

cadwaladr

Member
Aug 4, 2017
124
381
Jonboy80 said:
None, because you actually have constructive criticism. Most of us defending DC are defending him from the troll-y comments and non-constructive criticism. We've never said it was perfect but we also don't think he's being malicious like a lot of people insinuate. Comments such as, he's holding the update til the first to get his next paycheck, or that they somehow have inside knowledge of his financial status, how much money he actually makes from this, etc..

They didn't do anything constructive and only served to stir the pot. Your sort of criticism, I'm happy to see and it's all valid. SS would probably be better in another engine. From what I understand, DC is currently using a highly modified version of Ren'py. Highly modified can directly translate to highly unstable if the coding isn't spot on, which it isn't. It's one reason I'm not surprised this update is taking so long. He's reworking the base code of a highly modified engine to change the dexterity system, for example.

Whether that's Unity or another engine, I couldn't say. I don't think Unity is very expensive. IIRC, a license isn't required, as long as you're not making more than 100k per year from the game. DC makes 100k every two months, so he'd need a license and that's for each member of the development team. A pro license is 125 USD a month. If he has four others who use the engine, that's 625 USD per month. there's also something called Unity Teams that is cheaper, but I'm not exactly sure how that works.

But, as you said, that will require them to port all that information into a new engine which may or may not be worth it at this point and time.
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I appreciate that. I want this game to be a success. It's why I pledged in the first place but just couldn't justify it. I still can't justify because of, frankly, the amateurish behaviour that has gone on around the planning. If your pledges amount to about $5,000 a month, you can get away with amateurism because, after costs, taxes and rainy day protection, you're basically only pulling in enough for one person. At $50,000 per month, you need to up your game and start to be a bit more professional. "Soon" won't cut it forever.
 
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seven sins

seven sins

Newbie
Dec 25, 2017
79
45
Jackie123 said:
did he really said this or are we missing a context like: we might get it if the coding is done in 20mins an and no bugs are going to show up that they gonna need to fix and jesus comes back to life to shake our hands, than we "might" get it....
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Idk but I'm just hoping cause it's been too long and Jenny is my girl she's my favorite character in the game so
 
ZAAWARUDOO

ZAAWARUDOO

Member
Oct 19, 2017
121
385
I'm lucky in that the only characters I care about are the sister, the cheerleader chick and the nun. As of this incoming update 2/3 of those will be complete. So as soon as this update is out, it may as well be a complete game for me. Great game, just glad it's over for me because the waiting is too long.
 
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jackkane

jackkane

Engaged Member
Sep 4, 2016
2,915
2,372
Riddickk said:
I'm lucky in that the only characters I care about are the sister, the cheerleader chick and the nun. As of this incoming update 2/3 of those will be complete. So as soon as this update is out, it may as well be a complete game for me. Great game, just glad it's over for me because the waiting is too long.
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the nuns getting new content?
 
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4.00 star(s) 374 Votes