While I like this game a lot and have yet to find a more efficient development team in a porn game (they could definitely beat out some AAA developers) I find myself lacking motivation some times in the game. I think this comes from two things.
When DarkCookie put out this game they made us have a clear objective list yet it's impossible to complete even a single thing even now. The first task you are given is to finish your french homework. Yet even in the latest portion of the game you still can't even get the 3rd book. While I understand that DarkCookie wants to place their attention elsewhere it's still slightly frustrating when you finish the 2nd homework assignment and you are left without an end to one of the easiest things to do in the game. Now I’m not complaining about their lack of work, Far from it. Instead I’m wondering if instead of focusing on finishing the later elements of the game that they could instead focus on progressing some of the initial framework they had in place. I would honestly just be super satisfied if you could finish the stupid french homework and get a short scene with Ms. Bissel. That would be enough for me. I just hate having something stay so close yet so far for so long.
The other problem is the lack of main storyline progress. This is probably because the whole game is supposed to center around the main character trying to find out what happened to his father as well as protect his family from what happened to them. I feel like the lack of pressure on the MC is the reason this game is floundering. If there was this looming problem with the mob that wanted their money and you had to pay them a certain amount every week that would probably solve the motivation problem the player feels.
Now I may just be complaining a lot for a free game but I think that a few minor tweaks to the core gameplay loop of this game would comepletely change the amount of investments players have with the story of this game as a whole.
Let me stress this point one more time. DarkCookie has the best development team on the internet and I cannot wait to see whatever they do in the future.
I see your problems and I have a few of my own, that you didn't mention, such as the game getting bigger in scope with every update and loads of new characters getting introduced with their own personality, storyline, etc. etc.
However, I don't think those will be problems that will kill the game. Having to manage your time, your money and the actual things that you want to do in game will kill the game. It'd be like having to fill a form out, every time you went to a bar for a drink, you'd soon stop going to bars.
Summersaga will be fine, if it just keeps doing it's own thing and doesn't try to add in realism or any game mechanics from a different game.
