Flash Abandoned Teraurge [v2.13] [Meandraco]

[jsmitth529]

No, it's not patrons only. It took me a bit but I found it on a reddit post, so here you go:

You must be registered to see the links

It's also not an official discord, though Meandraco (Dr Duum on the discord) does pop in semi-frequently.

 

[jsmitth529]

It's still in development? Seems weird for a visual novel kinda game to not release updates in 4 years.
Can someone explain the situation?

I wouldn't really call it a visual novel, far from it in fact, but that's besides the point. The situation is that MD isn't a full-time programmer, being primarily an artist, and works on the game as a passion project in their off time. Last update uses flash, which has died, so they had to learn how to use a different engine, then transfer the game to that engine, reworking several systems in the process. It all just took a while to get done in a way that MD liked, especially when it isn't their focus.

 

[Garnser]

I wouldn't really call it a visual novel, far from it in fact, but that's besides the point. The situation is that MD isn't a full-time programmer, being primarily an artist, and works on the game as a passion project in their off time. Last update uses flash, which has died, so they had to learn how to use a different engine, then transfer the game to that engine, reworking several systems in the process. It all just took a while to get done in a way that MD liked, especially when it isn't their focus.

Shortly yes, the game is in a development, with some hiccups we expect an update around Christmas or before next summer.

 

[Big Green]

I wouldn't really call it a visual novel, far from it in fact, but that's besides the point. The situation is that MD isn't a full-time programmer, being primarily an artist, and works on the game as a passion project in their off time. Last update uses flash, which has died, so they had to learn how to use a different engine, then transfer the game to that engine, reworking several systems in the process. It all just took a while to get done in a way that MD liked, especially when it isn't their focus.

I won't call it a passion project, when in reality it's just a hobby. If it was really his passion creating new games, then he would go fulltime. No disrespect to him, but sometimes fans are talking total bs.

 

[MrCrazy123]

Thats not the definition of passion project, but go off.

 

[DuckDafer]

I wouldn't really call it a visual novel, far from it in fact, but that's besides the point. The situation is that MD isn't a full-time programmer, being primarily an artist, and works on the game as a passion project in their off time. Last update uses flash, which has died, so they had to learn how to use a different engine, then transfer the game to that engine, reworking several systems in the process. It all just took a while to get done in a way that MD liked, especially when it isn't their focus.

Calling this a passion project is an insult to indie developers working their asses off in order to make a game.
Terraria is a passion project. Stardew Valley is a passion project. This is not a passion project.

I like this game, don't get wrong, and I have nothing against Meandraco. But come on.

 

[ShoutaTheShota]

Calling this a passion project is an insult to indie developers working their asses off in order to make a game.
Terraria is a passion project. Stardew Valley is a passion project. This is not a passion project.

I like this game, don't get wrong, and I have nothing against Meandraco. But come on.

Damn, put it in that way I totally agree, this project can't be call a passion project if we see other ones. A person doing a passion project would put 110% of effort on said project to see it completed and in its best shape, even if MD is now working a lot to get it ready in few months, in the moment they abandoned the project for so long time shows that was not passionate enough to be called like such.

 

[NajaNaga]

Damn, put it in that way I totally agree, this project can't be call a passion project if we see other ones. A person doing a passion project would put 110% of effort on said project to see it completed and in its best shape, even if MD is now working a lot to get it ready in few months, in the moment they abandoned the project for so long time shows that was not passionate enough to be called like such.

The definition of a passion project has nothing to do with the level of enthusiasm or hours of hard work per day or any other such thing. It means "a piece of work, especially a movie, that someone gets involved in because they love it or feel it is very good and important, not in order to make money."

 

[Kilosan]

What's with the salt? As much as I hate to admit that it has been a long time, it's still a free flash game, I don't think any of us are entitled to demand progress. The Patreon is there for the streams only at this point, which he made clear.

Yeah I'm sad that V3 isn't coming any time soon, but it isn't like we kickstarted it and paid upfront.

 

[Dummy Thicc]

No, it's not patrons only. It took me a bit but I found it on a reddit post, so here you go:

You must be registered to see the links

It's also not an official discord, though Meandraco (Dr Duum on the discord) does pop in semi-frequently.

THANK YOU! you're amazing

 

[Dummy Thicc]

THANK YOU! you're amazing

nvm, it's not valid

 

[jsmitth529]

nvm, it's not valid

Idk what to tell you, I just clicked it now myself and it functioned. The problem seems like it's on your end then.

 

[Dummy Thicc]

Idk what to tell you, I just clicked it now myself and it functioned. The problem seems like it's on your end then.

Got it to work

 

[LeperDrag]

nvm, it's not valid

Uh well the closet thing to an "official" discord would be this:

You must be registered to see the links

Just keep in mind while the dev does frequent it and shares drawings and stuff, it's mainly run by fans. Just so you and others are aware the dev does a ton of drawing streams, like almost daily, but don't expect them to be about the game those streams are like he puts them "stream art requests". Don't confuse it with comissions, I kinda stop following this game a few months back so I can't say what's done exactly but I remember he wanting to make an update by summer of NEXT year.

 

[DegenerateLord]

...Just keep in mind while the dev does frequent it and shares drawings and stuff, it's mainly run by fans. Just so you and others are aware the dev does a ton of drawing streams, like almost daily, but don't expect them to be about the game those streams are like he puts them "stream art requests". Don't confuse it with comissions, I kinda stop following this game a few months back so I can't say what's done exactly but I remember he wanting to make an update by summer of NEXT year.

The streams are not exclusively request streams btw, that's just been the current flavor of the month recently. Before that there was usually voting on a few place in TU and the most voted spot would be touched up on the map and he'd draw the environment there along with some characters/creatures for the place. Been a while since the last time though. Kinda miss it by now, it's neat.
Also it's not always request streams either, it depends on what md's feeling for i guess.

And yeah, md wanted to have the game ready for playtesting/bugfinding/fixing by summer/fall, no idea if that's went through or not yet though.

 

[LeperDrag]

The streams are not exclusively request streams btw, that's just been the current flavor of the month recently. Before that there was usually voting on a few place in TU and the most voted spot would be touched up on the map and he'd draw the environment there along with some characters/creatures for the place. Been a while since the last time though. Kinda miss it by now, it's neat.
Also it's not always request streams either, it depends on what md's feeling for i guess.

And yeah, md wanted to have the game ready for playtesting/bugfinding/fixing by summer/fall, no idea if that's went through or not yet though.

Uh I never said they were exclusively request, just most of it was and apparently still is. The whole "voting" thing was more presented as a request thing, at least that's how it was referred to

 

[NorthStarSteve]

Why do the good games die young?!

 

[crash.7ds]

Because they'd be less valuable to us if they were not so finite. Fragile are the dreams...

 

[Garnser]

Why do the good games die young?!

The 1.0 version has been released on January 29th 2018. And it was in development since 2013. Most games with a porn element die even without hitting their first or second year (I'm talking about western games). I doubt I would have called this game young or digging it's grave yet. But answering your question, the most common reason is that developers are losing their motivation to continue, which is not the case for Meandraco yet.

 

[IvoryOwl]

I think the Abandoned tag is justified. Doesn't matter if the game is free or not, it's been 3 years since the last update.

Honestly, the dev is coasting on people's good will and expecting them to take his word for it when he says he's "working on it". It may be so but without concrete evidence, he could claim to be the prince of Saturn for all we know... IMO pictures alone do not quantify as "evidence", not when it has become a repeated excuse over the years. He's an artist, it's not difficult to make some fancy pictures and call it "progress" just to keep people stringed.

Any other game under the same circumstances and people would roast the dev alive, but since Teraurge is pretty niche and unique, they are willing to tolerate anything just because there's no alternative to look forward to. It has become a bit of a sunk cost fallacy; people been waiting for a long time now, what's another two or four years in the grand scheme of things? Either that or they don't want to admit to themselves the possibility of this being one big waste of time, a lie or a pipe dream.

Is it really so hard to release an update per year, even if incomplete and buggy, just to prove progress is being made? Is it really? I mean, at this point he could just pull the project off the internet and make it private... not that different from the current situation tbh. Bring out the faceplam emojis and call me entitled. I don't care. The game is promising but it's been 3 years, people are well within their right to assume this is dead until proven otherwise.