- Thread starter UncleVT
- Start date
- Oct 15, 2018
- 2,588
- 7,607
- Oct 15, 2018
- 2,588
- 7,607
Normally April has this covered, but I'll play messenger this time.
Dev Update
Hi All,
A long overdue update. Firstly: Apologies for being so quiet...I kept putting my update off as I was hoping to share some good news and wait until I had a confirmed release date, but it feels like I'm chasing the horizon at this stage so I just need to get my head out of the sand and start talking to you folks again.
I also had some other (real life) shit going on (which I won't go into) which alternated between good news and then bad news and then back to good news. This did NOT impact the progress of the game, so I'm not blaming the delayed release on any personal sob story. But it did impact my willingness to share more frustration and potentially disappointing news to you good folks (and kept me off other forums). But that's my bad for not manning up and giving you folks regular updates. I'll try to get back on the regular-update horse again and keep you updated more frequently.
Where we should be:
At this stage, we should have released Ep17 a couple of weeks ago and should be well started into Ep18. But as we all know, this is not the case.
Where we are:
Ep17 is still not ready yet. Writing wise - This is definitely going to be our largest episode ever. And we're probably about 90% done with the base script.
Artwork - I won't give full details as I'll only stress myself (and probably all of you) but at the moment our art progress is not where we would like it to be. As you know, we lost our primary artist just before we started Ep17. And then we on-boarded two new artists. And then lost one of them. And then on-boarded another new artist (so currently at 2 again). And in that same space of time we have also had 3 potential animators in the mix plus two other artists that almost joined the team but none of those have worked out as the quality required just wasn't there. And that's in addition to the countless number of auditionees that we went through.
And when our previous artist left, there was no notice or handover period. He just "ghosted" us. Literally not a single word to say he'd left. He was normally pretty quiet anyway (and I know there was some real-life shit happening), so it took me a while to actually realize he wasn't working away in the background. Because he left in this manner (without a trace), we lost access to a lot of assets and also a lot of base art/files from previous episodes that we needed as building blocks for this episode. Where this happened, we had to start from scratch, which was a major pain in the ass. So this episode wasn't just about teaching the WTHI cast a new dance, we had to re-build the whole damn village!
So we have lost a fuck-ton of time/effort in this episode. And frustration levels are extremely high. As I've said before, rest assured that come hell or high water, Patreon or not, deadlines or not, I will finish this game! But if it wasn't for the current team being so focused and co-operative, I would have thrown in the towel, dropped Patreon and just finished the game in my own time.
To be honest, I don't know how Red and Cell have managed to stick around, based on the amount of work and effort they've had to contribute in their debut episode, so hats off to them. And similarly, a massive thanks to Ace for going above and beyond his writing role and helping to tie the whole thing together.
And based on what we have planned for Episode 17, this is going to our largest number of images also (approx 400 planned versus 300 in Episode 16). Another mistake (which is my fault) was not scaling this back much earlier in the process when our artist left the team. But we have written the script based on that amount of art so we are (almost) committed at this stage.
Working efficiently as a combined foursome has proven very difficult as we all figure out how best to work together and share assets, files, ideas and try to merge styles and get something that looks like a single episode, rather than a messed up patchwork from four completely different contributors. There haven't been any arguments or disagreements (no divas allowed on the team), so that's not a problem, it is just extremely difficult to hit the ground running with a brand new art team.
We have finally figured out a system that works for us and a way to get the improved quality we want to introduce while at the same time producing in the required time frame. However, we have only hit this rhythm now and have a lot of catch up to do. We are probably about 70% of where we need to be regarding artwork but we have good plans (and a lot of pre-work complete) to produce a shit-load of art in the next 7-10 days).
So current plan is to try to get something out this month (as close to a complete episode as possible). That's all I can commit to at this stage. I'll keep you updated every few days, so you're not in the dark.
Also, for anybody that drops or reduces their pledge, I want to assure you that you will still get the relevant updates your current tier entitles you to (including Episode 17 release) even after you drop / reduce. To ensure this happens, please send me a DM and I'll ensure I get back to all of you and personally send you any links that you'll miss out on after you drop.
And for anyone who reads this long-winded post and feels the summary is "blah blah...excuse, excuse, blah, blah", I completely understand, so feel free to direct your venting my way in the comments or in DMs and I'll get back to all of you. The only other assurance I can give you is that these delays are not because of a lack of effort from the Dev team.
Thanks,
CG
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Dev Update
Hi All,
A long overdue update. Firstly: Apologies for being so quiet...I kept putting my update off as I was hoping to share some good news and wait until I had a confirmed release date, but it feels like I'm chasing the horizon at this stage so I just need to get my head out of the sand and start talking to you folks again.
I also had some other (real life) shit going on (which I won't go into) which alternated between good news and then bad news and then back to good news. This did NOT impact the progress of the game, so I'm not blaming the delayed release on any personal sob story. But it did impact my willingness to share more frustration and potentially disappointing news to you good folks (and kept me off other forums). But that's my bad for not manning up and giving you folks regular updates. I'll try to get back on the regular-update horse again and keep you updated more frequently.
Where we should be:
At this stage, we should have released Ep17 a couple of weeks ago and should be well started into Ep18. But as we all know, this is not the case.
Where we are:
Ep17 is still not ready yet. Writing wise - This is definitely going to be our largest episode ever. And we're probably about 90% done with the base script.
Artwork - I won't give full details as I'll only stress myself (and probably all of you) but at the moment our art progress is not where we would like it to be. As you know, we lost our primary artist just before we started Ep17. And then we on-boarded two new artists. And then lost one of them. And then on-boarded another new artist (so currently at 2 again). And in that same space of time we have also had 3 potential animators in the mix plus two other artists that almost joined the team but none of those have worked out as the quality required just wasn't there. And that's in addition to the countless number of auditionees that we went through.
And when our previous artist left, there was no notice or handover period. He just "ghosted" us. Literally not a single word to say he'd left. He was normally pretty quiet anyway (and I know there was some real-life shit happening), so it took me a while to actually realize he wasn't working away in the background. Because he left in this manner (without a trace), we lost access to a lot of assets and also a lot of base art/files from previous episodes that we needed as building blocks for this episode. Where this happened, we had to start from scratch, which was a major pain in the ass. So this episode wasn't just about teaching the WTHI cast a new dance, we had to re-build the whole damn village!
So we have lost a fuck-ton of time/effort in this episode. And frustration levels are extremely high. As I've said before, rest assured that come hell or high water, Patreon or not, deadlines or not, I will finish this game! But if it wasn't for the current team being so focused and co-operative, I would have thrown in the towel, dropped Patreon and just finished the game in my own time.
To be honest, I don't know how Red and Cell have managed to stick around, based on the amount of work and effort they've had to contribute in their debut episode, so hats off to them. And similarly, a massive thanks to Ace for going above and beyond his writing role and helping to tie the whole thing together.
And based on what we have planned for Episode 17, this is going to our largest number of images also (approx 400 planned versus 300 in Episode 16). Another mistake (which is my fault) was not scaling this back much earlier in the process when our artist left the team. But we have written the script based on that amount of art so we are (almost) committed at this stage.
Working efficiently as a combined foursome has proven very difficult as we all figure out how best to work together and share assets, files, ideas and try to merge styles and get something that looks like a single episode, rather than a messed up patchwork from four completely different contributors. There haven't been any arguments or disagreements (no divas allowed on the team), so that's not a problem, it is just extremely difficult to hit the ground running with a brand new art team.
We have finally figured out a system that works for us and a way to get the improved quality we want to introduce while at the same time producing in the required time frame. However, we have only hit this rhythm now and have a lot of catch up to do. We are probably about 70% of where we need to be regarding artwork but we have good plans (and a lot of pre-work complete) to produce a shit-load of art in the next 7-10 days).
So current plan is to try to get something out this month (as close to a complete episode as possible). That's all I can commit to at this stage. I'll keep you updated every few days, so you're not in the dark.
Also, for anybody that drops or reduces their pledge, I want to assure you that you will still get the relevant updates your current tier entitles you to (including Episode 17 release) even after you drop / reduce. To ensure this happens, please send me a DM and I'll ensure I get back to all of you and personally send you any links that you'll miss out on after you drop.
And for anyone who reads this long-winded post and feels the summary is "blah blah...excuse, excuse, blah, blah", I completely understand, so feel free to direct your venting my way in the comments or in DMs and I'll get back to all of you. The only other assurance I can give you is that these delays are not because of a lack of effort from the Dev team.
Thanks,
CG
- Oct 23, 2016
- 4,480
- 13,386
I had read that already on patreon and damn that was a gutterpunch.
Not blaming you or Cheeky in any way, but going so long without an WTHI update does something to my brain's pleasure center, I think.
The problems must indeed have been numerous, considering that Cheeky already writes about "to get something out this month," which as mentioned means probably a beta and that with 2 more weeks to go in the month.
It's disheartening, but for you guys working on the game it's probably even worse.
I'm really not blaming Cheeky at all, nor you, what are you supposed to do over people quitting and basically robbing you guys of your assets, instead of handing them over to you or of people accepting commitment and then not delivering for whatever reasons, but damn, what a stroke of bad luck.
Hope the two new artists, you and Cheeky soon find your game and continue to deliver us OUR game as constantly and regularly as we are all used to (which I hope we all know was never an easy feat to begin with, considering how many devs struggle with it and completely fail).
Seems a bit odd to not have any kind of secondary backup/repository for this sort of thing that is updated after each new episode is released.
Otherwise keep up the good work despite the bumps in the road. I continue look forward to the next episode even if it is delayed from its original expected release.
Remember the most important thing is clear and frequent communication. If that is done then the setbacks are minor. As opposed to not hearing anything for a period, having to guess what is going on, then being significantly disappointed when bad news is finally shared.
- Oct 15, 2018
- 2,588
- 7,607
I can shine a bit of light on that though I don't directly handle the art assets. We do maintain a shared drive and Cheeky as the lead has the majority of everything, but working on individual parts as a team things get passed around, updated, etc. Also each member handling art often brings their own assets (clothing, scenes, custom shaders, presets etc) to contribute to the pool. Usually when they get used in the game they will all eventually find their way to Cheeky during finalized updates. But there can and are gaps (though i bet fewer now). Especially when you lose someone at the tail end of an update.
- Apr 30, 2017
- 46
- 16
Jolina told the MC that the woman had "dark hair" and a "mature body, like a MILF". Lily told the MC that both of her parents are Doctors, and we know that his father was being treated. Lily wants to run her own design Company, and would need a sugar daddy. I can't imagine anyone calling her "dizzy". As a friend of Debbie, she can keep an eye on Monica, Katy, and Jenna.
- Oct 23, 2016
- 4,480
- 13,386
Don't you badmouth Lily! She's my angel with the perfect butt!
- Oct 23, 2016
- 4,480
- 13,386
Shit, I'm going to replay ep. 16 one more time (fourth or fifth) to keep me going.
- Jun 11, 2017
- 1,475
- 36,365
*waits patiently for next update* *needs to kill boredom*
Bonus:
Bonus:
Last edited:
- Dec 24, 2018
- 159
- 174
So beta some time at the end of this month and full release early April I'm guessing?
- Jun 3, 2017
- 229
- 468
Well, having irl problems can be actually really serious setback and i admire Cheeky for pushing on despite that. After all we're all humans above else, not machines and can't fully control our emotions. It's also the reason i'm not all that mad with the artist who left them. Yes, it's a mean thing to ghost the team like that, but if his irl problems are really serious i know how demotivating it can be to everything rest in life including life itself, let alone communicating with other people. So yeah guys, i believe everyone in this community with just a lil bit maturity would understand you.
As for the 3rd girl - Jolina is the most likely to be that person. Something about her just reeks. And yeah, it can be intentional to pull the suspicion away from someone else, but at this point she ticks all the boxes. In my mind she wanted to play all independent woman and MC's father bought that place for her business with the promise he'd finance her until the cafe become successful, but now that he's gone, she has to keep everything afloat all on her own. I actually knew a girl who was in the same situation only it wasn't a cafe, but other servicing sector business.
As for the 3rd girl - Jolina is the most likely to be that person. Something about her just reeks. And yeah, it can be intentional to pull the suspicion away from someone else, but at this point she ticks all the boxes. In my mind she wanted to play all independent woman and MC's father bought that place for her business with the promise he'd finance her until the cafe become successful, but now that he's gone, she has to keep everything afloat all on her own. I actually knew a girl who was in the same situation only it wasn't a cafe, but other servicing sector business.
- Jan 26, 2018
- 1,195
- 1,705
There are enough red herrings in this story to start a cannery.
I'l happily give up the money anyway to get Jenna, Katie or Katie/Lilly/Debbie
- Jul 25, 2017
- 620
- 1,182
Don't forget, please, Monica, Elaine and Teresa and also Jolina and Zara.
I believe that if we are all anxiously awaiting chapter 17 of this intriguing story, and discussing for months now, who the third person or dizzy is, it means that the work of Cheeky, ACE and the other members of the team deserves the time we are waiting for.
Many games don't make it to update 6 because they don't have an intriguing and engaging story.
Long life to Where the heart is .
I believe that if we are all anxiously awaiting chapter 17 of this intriguing story, and discussing for months now, who the third person or dizzy is, it means that the work of Cheeky, ACE and the other members of the team deserves the time we are waiting for.
Many games don't make it to update 6 because they don't have an intriguing and engaging story.
Long life to Where the heart is .
- Oct 10, 2019
- 239
- 576
A absolutely reasonable explanation, a scumbag move from the previous artist. And I think everyone much prefer bad news over no news at all, dev's all the sudden going quiet is the absolute worst imo. And I really hope Jolina isn't the third girl, as suggested, she's one of my favorite girls, and that would kinda ruin her.
May be able to get Jolina and the money - if she isn't one of the 3. If that is the case then win win.
Monica/Elaine - not so keen (but have saves of course)
Teresa/Zara - not for me (but have "All" save of course)
- Oct 15, 2017
- 470
- 3,081
