jamdan

Forum Fanatic
Sep 28, 2018
4,294
23,003
''

We finally have a person who doesn't hold back and leaks the testing build. I have always said that if the testing build is leaked, I'll stop releasing them completely. However, some person registered on Patreon, downloaded the build and deleted his account right afterwards (I didn't even have to ban him). I hope you'll properly thank the hero. Now, what I have to say about all this:

1) Reward for 20$+ tier "Early Access" has been deleted. Me and some of our eldest patrons have been testing the 0.2 update and that's pretty much what we've been doing all week. From now on we'll have to test it for at least 2 weeks.

2) No feedback will be answered/taken anymore, save for the feedback left on our Patreon/Discord. All your wishes, suggestions, bug reports should be left on the official channels.

3) No more public posts on Patreon (only Patreon posts from now on)

4) New events or some other new content for ToML won't be released. I might disappoint somebody now but it's my decision. Yes, it's mostly caused by my disappointment in people and my tiredness. ToML wasn't about money, it was about desire to share my art. I know perfectly well that I might lose some patrons right now and it doesn't matter because the only thing that it will affect is how soon new CoTV update will be released. And only that.

Money were always second for me. I promised to bring you an alternative ending for Alanna, the one you've been asking for, and I fulfilled my promise. I have some other ideas and I might develop them one day but they won't be released publicly for everyone to play. I've always wanted to make ToML as good as possible because it's my game! And if someone wants to lecture me about how to run a business, save your breath. This isn't a business for me.

P.S. It's funny but the 10$+ tier build(which can be called an official release) was to be released today. Had the guy waited a little, none of this would have happened...''

This is from their Patreon page. Stupid leakers...
I understand where dev is coming from, but this is basically punishing the class for the actions of 1 student. A bit of an overreaction IMO.
 

muttdoggy

Dogerator
Staff member
Moderator
Aug 6, 2016
7,793
43,888
novel I heard you say that you are stopping ToML, ending public posts, and restricting patreon access just because a person leaked this build. Ever heard of the phrase "cutting off the nose to spite the face"? It means you're hurting yourself by overreacting. This applies here.
Let me explain. You are keeping Patreon builds behind paywalls is to gain more Patrons and increase income, am I correct? No? The only reason to keep Patreon content behind paywalls is to generate income. If you truly weren't concerned about income, you wouldn't hide your game behind a paywall. It stands to reason that leaks should be of no concern to you unless it was a test build. Keep in mind that as builds are leaked, more people play it and some who get the pirated versions will support you because they are aware they are supporting an artist. That's simple math and and statistics. More players equal more patrons. Restricting access to your game to punish a leaker will cost you income and patrons. People here and on other sites will spread the word of what is said and done by you. Many potential patrons will refuse to support you once they hear of that action.
And listen, I read the post and I know you stated that we are not to tell you what you do. I'm not. I'm simply informing you of the potential negative consequences of your decision. It has a strong potential to be very self-destructive to you and I'm saying that you to need to realize this and accept the loss of Patrons and income.
 

Dependable_223

Engaged Member
Jan 3, 2019
3,043
4,919
Money were always second for me. I promised to bring you an alternative ending for Alanna, the one you've been asking for, and I fulfilled my promise. I have some other ideas and I might develop them one day but they won't be released publicly for everyone to play. I've always wanted to make ToML as good as possible because it's my game! And if someone wants to lecture me about how to run a business, save your breath. This isn't a business for me.
What bothers me is does this mean that: :unsure: even patreons wont get new updates like he promissed ? he says he wont release new updates publicly so i guess that counts for patreons too ? :oops: because he has to release it so it will become public either way right ??;) Because once you release stuff it is already public or else no one could get it.

Maybe it is me but this hole situation makes it very confusing right now.
 

Canto Forte

Post Pro
Jul 10, 2017
21,197
25,987
It is the principle of things ... but when any dev does pols and chooses some pledge worth 50 votes in those pols versus some other bloke's measuring a mere 2-5 votes... that sure pisses people off ... if dev wants to do commissions they can reward top tiers ... provided those top tiers do not spill ... on the other hand, why would you pay extra if you cannot boast about it?

This dev already has loyal long time customers ... that have already played the buggy mess ... once they were done with their fun ... it was time to show up their glory ... Once again, mentality of any customer ... no point in buying / owning something in boisterousness if it is done in secret.

On the other hand, any new supporter would be furious if they hit glitches / snags form their game play and since it has already been established this is the alpha ... that was supposed to have been improved over the course of the past week by the higher tiers ... if and because he released the buggy mess to lower tiers and they hit snags ... totally understandable some inpatient hot head got it, was displeased and leaked ... in dissatisfaction.

On the other hand, people have been proven time and time and again for pledging simply to offer games up on their own sites ... this is how some games end up here anyway.
 
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ThunderRob

Devoted Member
May 10, 2018
9,497
26,520
ThunderRob .. mmmm... i think you hate the Combat .... and RPG mode:unsure: .... u want it simple with dialogue and scenes :sneaky:...right ? :cool:
lol..you tagged me again..stop it..i'm trying to be mature and stay away from threads of games i do not like :p but tag is like honey to this bee and i have to show up..control thy tag yon whippersnapper!!
 

recreation

pure evil!
Respected User
Game Developer
Jun 10, 2018
6,283
22,458
What bothers me is does this mean that: :unsure: even patreons wont get new updates like he promissed ? he says he wont release new updates publicly so i guess that counts for patreons too ? :oops: because he has to release it so it will become public either way right ??;) Because once you release stuff it is already public or else no one could get it.

Maybe it is me but this hole situation makes it very confusing right now.
I can't talk for the dev, I don't know him and I haven't played this game yet. But what I can say is when a dev says he/she won't release it publicly, it usually means he/she will release it anyways. It might be on discord or other websites, just not patreon.
 

pyhimys

Newbie
Jul 31, 2018
29
19
At the moment there's too much focus in grinding coins to avoid game over, rather than focusing on the plot and naked girls. At least that's like it for me. Is there a cheat to get enough money, so I can focus on the actual content?
 

Canto Forte

Post Pro
Jul 10, 2017
21,197
25,987
Usually i never play a game at his first release , because i prefer to play when there are a little bit more contents, choices and story ; in this case i made an exception because i really like a lot TOML and i wanted to try this new work by Novel.
Call of the Void is set in a fantasy , medieval world , where the Mc must answer to the Call of a Void , a mysterious voice that only the Pure One can listen and follow. Like you can understand this game it's complexly different that Toml in every thinks.
this is not a pure Visual novel , but is a Sandbox game with skills to improve and fights to make .
My fist impression was good in the playing ... just small , small problem my money finished just in 1 days , because you know my friends.... there is the bath and the Brothel to visit ...

Jokes aside this game could have full of potential , because there are already full of different scenery to visit , and many other ready for next updates ; really interesting the style of the fighting . Renders are really perfect , girls really beautiful , like was in TOML and also great sex animations ( are two in this first release ) .
So if i must give a vote to this first review , is a 3,5 star ; the first game that can be comperate to Call of the Void is Long Live the Princess that has a ton of contents ... So Novel here have absolutely to make fast e powerful updates to give more contents to this game ; because actually , renders , animations , quantity of different scenes , interesting plot , the gameplay , all these have absolutely a big potential , but without fast updates this game will suffer...
So absolutely first impression positive for the first release , waiting now next updates by Novel , only after we can have a more full judgment about this game
Just remember this try of a medieval setting ... town for gals ... cellars / catacombs for fights:
https://f95zone.to/threads/fall-of-ashenburg-v0-82-alteus.11226/

These 2 devs went total 180 on each other ... Alteus put his dungeon crawler on hold to pursue modern / scy fy settings .... while novel did the exact opposite by abandoning / holding production of his contemporary career crawler office game to pursue ... essentially ... the witcher;)

Play ... compare ... have one really informed opinion and ... game on!
 

Canto Forte

Post Pro
Jul 10, 2017
21,197
25,987
Also ... beginner's lucky run for this game means \/ \/ \/

Collecting items and respect / stories in the tavern is always the way in rpg games like this. You don't need to try high-levels fights in the beginning. Farm items and respect.

Very nice. I liked it and it looks promising. I didn't find any problems, except for the skills (already mentioned above). Could have a variable for the prerequisite to unlock the warrior and the priestess. Because the warrior ask for you to clean Mines and the priestess, Catacombs...But if you spend sometime farming in only one, will unlock both with 60/80 respect.

The game is in Renpy, not Unity.

Some hints for those who are still going to play or are having difficulty fighting:
- Farm is always the way in rpg games like this. You don't need to try high-levels dungeons in the begin. Farm itens and respect.
- The skills (unitl now) only help in situations off-dungeons.
- Weapons that can cause bleeding and equipment that increase resistance against it are good for cleaning the mine.
- Weapons that can cause fire and equipment that increase poison resistance are good for cleaning the catacombs.
- The sex scenes will appear under your nose improvising the skills.

And I think that's all I remember.
this little part cant be said enough in these types of games. 25+ yrs of rpg gaming under my belt. I had a blast with this and cant wait for the update. I really cant add anything that hasnt already been brought up.
 

Canade

Active Member
Sep 26, 2018
903
990
Just remember this try of a medieval setting ... town for gals ... cellars / catacombs for fights:
https://f95zone.to/threads/fall-of-ashenburg-v0-82-alteus.11226/

These 2 devs went total 180 on each other ... Alteus put his dungeon crawler on hold to pursue modern / scy fy settings .... while novel did the exact opposite by abandoning / holding production of his contemporary career crawler office game to pursue ... essentially ... the witcher;)

Play ... compare ... have one really informed opinion and ... game on!
Interesting, but not animated.
 

botc76

The Crawling Chaos, Bringer of Strange Joy
Donor
Oct 23, 2016
4,422
13,216
I think it's pretty clear that Novel means he won't release the extra stuff he has been planning for now.
And if he decides to do so later, he will not make a public version for them, his patreons will of course get them, because otherwise what would be the point in even making them.
TBH, I found all this talk here about him maybe not even publishing it on patreon ridiculous.
He has no other place where he would publish it. He means he doesn't want the public (meaning the non-paying folks) to get it.

I do believe him that it's not primarily about the money, he's not that big an earner anyway and he must know that this step will cost him patrons (and rightly so, tbh) as others have pointed out, he is punishing those patrons that pay him AND himself with a short-sighted angry reaction.
I tried to reason with him on his patreon, but he wrote something about "his truth" and "my truth," which is funny, because truth wasn't the issue at all.

The thing is, like he points out himself, the guy who did leak the test-build wasn't a normal patreon, it was obviously someone who up and joined to get the build, leak it and then ended his patronage, even BEFORE Novel could kick him.
That makes the punishment of the existing patrons even more short-sighted.

I like Novel and his games (Alanna is one of my favourite waifus), I know he is passionate about them, his heart really is in it, but as I've said before and others have, this is a step that will hurt him and those who have been his supporters.
It just makes no sense. Changing payment to upfront might not prevent this, but it would make it less likely that someone would join to leak an early build.
 
3.70 star(s) 35 Votes