Ren'Py Summertime Saga [v21.0.0 wip.5605] [Kompas Productions]

[MisterMeh]

Not directly but at the stated schedule of 2 (ish) months per update (figuring the amount that's re-introduced each up date), it's going to take years to get back to the same point.

The content is still there, just not reintegrated back into the game and this is a HUGE issue that makes this game look like they've almost gone back to the start.

The main story that involves Tony and Maria is on the newer artwork and rig, and that's ready to be put back in. The entire story with Eve, Grace and Odette is ready to be put back in. The vast majority of Roxxy's story with Missy, Becca and Tina is ready to be put back in. Once Debbie is completed, the interactions with the Russian mob in that section of the story is ready to be readded. Little bits and pieces of story integration are holding up entire sections of the game, while another coder is needed to readd the stuff that's ready to go, but isn't being done because Strayerror is working on finishing Debbie.

 

[dplace305]

The content is still there, just not reintegrated back into the game and this is a HUGE issue that makes this game look like they've almost gone back to the start.

The main story that involves Tony and Maria is on the newer artwork and rig, and that's ready to be put back in. The entire story with Eve, Grace and Odette is ready to be put back in. The vast majority of Roxxy's story with Missy, Becca and Tina is ready to be put back in. Once Debbie is completed, the interactions with the Russian mob in that section of the story is ready to be readded. Little bits and pieces of story integration are holding up entire sections of the game, while another coder is needed to readd the stuff that's ready to go, but isn't being done because Strayerror is working on finishing Debbie.

Do you think the delay is because the devs are trying to milk patreon money, or is legitimate progress being made in spite of what seems like an issue that shouldn't be a problem?

I don't know much about coding, but i know enough to know that some things that may seem like an insignificant bug that should be easily fixed can be a lot more complex that what it looks like on the surface.

Also, there is no indication that Strayerror won't mass add all the stuff that's ready to roll once the Debbie story is finished, to be fair there is no indication that it will be mass added. Plus, to my understanding, the Debbie story is the most popular/wanted story line. I know that I really want to see the end of Debbie and play through all her content.

 

[PayneToTheMax]

Patreons deserve refunds, this V21 is not really the same game anymore. A completed V20.x with all "wip´s" completed is what I was referring to. Retroactive changes that break saves is almost always the first step to a failed/dying game.

So take it up with Patreon's customer support?

 

[MisterMeh]

Do you think the delay is because the devs are trying to milk patreon money, or is legitimate progress being made in spite of what seems like an issue that shouldn't be a problem?

I don't know much about coding, but i know enough to know that some things that may seem like an insignificant bug that should be easily fixed can be a lot more complex that what it looks like on the surface.

Also, there is no indication that Strayerror won't mass add all the stuff that's ready to roll once the Debbie story is finished, to be fair there is no indication that it will be mass added. Plus, to my understanding, the Debbie story is the most popular/wanted story line. I know that I really want to see the end of Debbie and play through all her content.

There's progress being made but there's not a single person here that'll disagree that the project was mismanaged, because Dark Cookie is figuring it all out as he's going along. Whenever DC "finishes" something, either he, Captain Sploosh or Stray error get a new idea, and they go back and implement them into the story. When they started doing that, they realized that Dogeeks coding was a mess. An example of that was something along the lines of Dogeek naming files "Booger Aids" that gave no indication of what it was.

So now you have them adding and expanding onto the original story with new animations and cutscenes, while reworking the entire code to not only straighten everything out, but to make sure that the new stuff they're adding and updating, works with older content, but still looks comparable art wise. It's a mess to be sure, but this is what happens when you don't have a solid plan, or change said plan from the start. Another example is the aspect ratio that required every single background to be reworked and every single character had to be repositioned on the screen. Some of the characters like Jenny have files in the thousand plus range, with the main character dwarfing that.

It's also important to remember that this was never intended to be an actual game, and that DC was just playing around to see if he could make anything worthwhile, while learning RenPy on his own.

It genuinely sucks that the game is in the state it's in, but there's nothing anyone can do about it.

 

[dplace305]

There's progress being made but there's not a single person here that'll disagree that the project was mismanaged, because Dark Cookie is figuring it all out as he's going along. Whenever DC "finishes" something, either he, Captain Sploosh or Stray error get a new idea, and they go back and implement them into the story. When they started doing that, they realized that Dogeeks coding was a mess. An example of that was something along the lines of Dogeek naming files "Booger Aids" that gave no indication of what it was.

So now you have them adding and expanding onto the original story with new animations and cutscenes, while reworking the entire code to not only straighten everything out, but to make sure that the new stuff they're adding and updating, works with older content, but still looks comparable art wise. It's a mess to be sure, but this is what happens when you don't have a solid plan, or change said plan from the start. Another example is the aspect ratio that required every single background to be reworked and every single character had to be repositioned on the screen. Some of the characters like Jenny have files in the thousand plus range, with the main character dwarfing that.

It's also important to remember that this was never intended to be an actual game, and that DC was just playing around to see if he could make anything worthwhile, while learning RenPy on his own.

It genuinely sucks that the game is in the state it's in, but there's nothing anyone can do about it.

i had no idea about the history behind the development of the game as i just recently started playing it and paying attention. so thanks for essentially bringing me up to date lol.

Is Dogeeks still working on the game as a coder or has he moved onto a different project or been fired from the development of Summertime Saga? Because going by what you've said about his coding habits, it makes me wonder if perhaps making the code an incomprehensible clusterfuck was his way of trying to "enhance job security". So that it was such a pain for anyone else to work on his code that people were forced to keep him on, or else deal with the mess of code he left behind

 

[sucklepuck]

I can’t believe Anon fucking dies in the next update. They even got Debbie and Jenny out here dragging his body into the backyard. R.I.P. Anon.

 

[txe320]

I can’t believe Anon fucking dies in the next update. They even got Debbie and Jenny out here dragging his body into the backyard. R.I.P. Anon.

View attachment 4571600

MC got an erection for 24h, not enough blood for the rest of his body.

R.I.P. MC, you will be missed by all women in town.

 

[Balddog]

I can’t believe Anon fucking dies in the next update. They even got Debbie and Jenny out here dragging his body into the backyard. R.I.P. Anon.

View attachment 4571600

Damn. Now there's no point in wasting money on this project. Hope people can get their refund back.

 

[MisterMeh]

i had no idea about the history behind the development of the game as i just recently started playing it and paying attention. so thanks for essentially bringing me up to date lol.

Is Dogeeks still working on the game as a coder or has he moved onto a different project or been fired from the development of Summertime Saga? Because going by what you've said about his coding habits, it makes me wonder if perhaps making the code an incomprehensible clusterfuck was his way of trying to "enhance job security". So that it was such a pain for anyone else to work on his code that people were forced to keep him on, or else deal with the mess of code he left behind

Dogeek was let go by DarkCookie and has been off the dev team for a little while now, and I don't honestly believe he was doing things out of any malice or intentional disregard. The way DarkCookie described it, he was just a little too lax about how things should've been done, and that bit DC in the butt.

From what I recall, Strayerror is the third coder to have worked on this game.

 

[Lordofhirunds2]

To who dead???? Alive and well as ever

 

[woshigebendan1]

Do you think the delay is because the devs are trying to milk patreon money, or is legitimate progress being made in spite of what seems like an issue that shouldn't be a problem?

I don't know much about coding, but i know enough to know that some things that may seem like an insignificant bug that should be easily fixed can be a lot more complex that what it looks like on the surface.

Also, there is no indication that Strayerror won't mass add all the stuff that's ready to roll once the Debbie story is finished, to be fair there is no indication that it will be mass added. Plus, to my understanding, the Debbie story is the most popular/wanted story line. I know that I really want to see the end of Debbie and play through all her content.

I remember such a thing, once there was also a game development team, only take sponsorship and do not release game updates, and then a hacker in the group of players decided to crack the game code and make their own, and when the game production team found out about it immediately, they immediately released an official small update, and the hacker saw that the game was restored and updated and chose to support the official. The result is that the game production team finds that there is no threat, continues to eat money without work, and then the game is completely no one cares, neither the production team nor the players.

 

[Xupuzulla]

I can’t believe Anon fucking dies in the next update. They even got Debbie and Jenny out here dragging his body into the backyard. R.I.P. Anon.

View attachment 4571600

Bro i cant believe hes still working on content of these two

 

[scyllunacy]

This game was great a couple of years ago when I last played. Was the technical aspect really bad enough to warrant the tech update? I don't remember experiencing anything that hindered gameplay. Personally, I would have finished the game as it was and just carried my newfound technical experience in to my next project. Unless there were big enough walls later in development that I never experienced?

Other than getting paid massive amounts of money (which would surely not go away with the start of a new game), what is the justification of taking the remake route over just starting a new project?

 

[PayneToTheMax]

I can’t believe Anon fucking dies in the next update. They even got Debbie and Jenny out here dragging his body into the backyard. R.I.P. Anon.

View attachment 4571600

I guess that vodka mafioso knocks him out now instead of just giving him a bloody nose.

 

[dplace305]

This game was great a couple of years ago when I last played. Was the technical aspect really bad enough to warrant the tech update? I don't remember experiencing anything that hindered gameplay. Personally, I would have finished the game as it was and just carried my newfound technical experience in to my next project. Unless there were big enough walls later in development that I never experienced?

Other than getting paid massive amounts of money (which would surely not go away with the start of a new game), what is the justification of taking the remake route over just starting a new project?

From what MisterMeh has told me in a couple of replies regarding the history of the development, it does seem like there may have been cause for the tech update. It seems like their first coder made an absolute mess of the code that really screwed them over later in the development process that led them to the decision of redoing the game and the subsequent tech update.

I've only been following the game for 2 months now so I don't really have much skin in the game, but I can see why long standing fans like yourself would be upset by the setbacks and delays.