CheekyGimp

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Game Developer
Mar 8, 2018
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I don't mind when Christmas (and Halloween) actually fit into a story's progression, but when the special is an unrelated story line and practically set a different game universe, it seems like a waste of developer effort. Do the majority of paying supporters actually want these specials or is this just something developers think they want?
Good question. What do others think?
 
Nov 26, 2021
344
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Hey acewinz and cheeky

How many episodes are left would yous say, I'm hoping there's another 20 but I'm also realistic given where the story is at, also are these characters listed main LI or side characters
Lily
Bella
Angel
Debbie

Thanks
 

The D0n

Member
Feb 7, 2020
196
539
I'm with Jack, if it doesn't fit into the natural story I think they are usually a waste (in our game and others).
I think the same. If they can tie it in fair enough but the story and game are what people want. Taking time out of the natural story path would obviously put the main narrative behind making more work for what is usually a single developer who is already time constrained. As a Patreon supporter I would rather them focus on the product and stick to a wallpaper a month type thing and keep on the main development grind.

Just my 2 cents.
 

HSHS1111

Active Member
Feb 8, 2019
888
1,395
I'm with Jack, if it doesn't fit into the natural story I think they are usually a waste (in our game and others).
The problem I see is that to have more than a few renders you need to invest quite a lot of time to do it. And using like 2-3 months for a yearly holiday special feels like too much imho. Unless that is something you do to try out something or to get your head clear by doing something else for a while I don't think you should pursue it. At least not for the sake of having some kind of special. Of course if it's part of the story then that just regular dev time.
 

WhiteyG

Active Member
Sep 30, 2020
625
1,862
Good question. What do others think?
I'm with Jack, if it doesn't fit into the natural story I think they are usually a waste (in our game and others).
Depends on how it's done. If it was just some fuck fest game with no story then a Christmas episode would be cool. Your game revolves more around the story though. So if it meant delaying the story so we could get some non canon Christmas episode I wouldn't want that.

If you guys planned it out and next year had a September release that took us through Halloween and set up a Christmas episode that still followed the story and choices that were made that could be awesome. If it's actually not part of the story though I'm sure most would rather see the game progressing. The only way I'd really want a non canon Christmas episode is if it was put out one December after the game was finished.
 

t3alqdansam

Engaged Member
Jan 30, 2021
2,715
6,568
Good question. What do others think?
I would say specials would only be useful/functional if they were specifically planned and advertised for the audience AND/OR could be rolled into the story line. This could be difficult but, rewarding if successful. The big thing would be the communication with audience on how it would impact the overall story production. IMO
 

hcguy

Member
Aug 29, 2019
296
811
Good question. What do others think?
I can count the number of developers whose Halloween or Christmas content was worth it on one finger (Selebus). It's not a coincidence that the holiday content in Lessons in Love is very much integrated into the ongoing story. In every other game I've played that had it, it ranged from OK to pointless.
 

JackMiejov

Well-Known Member
May 20, 2021
1,214
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I think a problem with integrating it into the story is that developers want to have the release with the Christmas content actually release at Christmas time. I would expect that to be extremely challenging for any game that doesn't already have a very predictable release cadence.
 

voyeurkind

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2018
1,195
1,699
Depends on how it's done. If it was just some fuck fest game with no story then a Christmas episode would be cool. Your game revolves more around the story though. So if it meant delaying the story so we could get some non canon Christmas episode I wouldn't want that.

If you guys planned it out and next year had a September release that took us through Halloween and set up a Christmas episode that still followed the story and choices that were made that could be awesome. If it's actually not part of the story though I'm sure most would rather see the game progressing. The only way I'd really want a non canon Christmas episode is if it was put out one December after the game was finished.
Agreed. If a game were more episodic and didn't have any sort of important central story line, special events would work just fine. However, in a game like this one, special events would only make sense as fanservice for after the main story is concluded.
 
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ename144

Engaged Member
Sep 20, 2018
3,203
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Good question. What do others think?
I'm only barely a paying customer at the moment, but I don't have much interest in 'alternate reality' content. I generally play games for the story and the characters. Obviously content outside normal continuity isn't advancing the story, and in most cases it doesn't do much to flesh out the characters, either.

When it's a case of allocating scarce resources, I'd much rather focus on the main story. If that happens to involve holiday events or themes, that's cool (espeically if you can line it up with the actual holiday). And a few small renders for special occasions can be fun - stuff like a picture of the cast in a snowball fight, or reenacting a scene from Game of Thrones. But an episode-length 'What if' scenario? I can see why people like that sort of thing, but it usually feels like a waste of resources to me.
 

acewinz

Engaged Member
Game Developer
Oct 15, 2018
2,554
7,476
Hey acewinz and cheeky

How many episodes are left would yous say, I'm hoping there's another 20 but I'm also realistic given where the story is at, also are these characters listed main LI or side characters
Lily
Bella
Angel
Debbie

Thanks
Honestly still up in the air. If we keep putting out huge episodes, we could do it in 5-7 maybe? But we are hoping to start producing smaller EPs faster that are maybe half the size? Which would double the episode estimate to 10-14 in that case.
 

felicemastronzo

Devoted Member
May 17, 2020
11,120
21,755
I'm with Jack, if it doesn't fit into the natural story I think they are usually a waste (in our game and others).
absolutely against classic Christmas specials (even if one is all about Lily...).

I would prefer a flashback without sex scenes about MC's or other characters' past (like an unhappy Christmas with Donald, or a happy one with Monica, Katie and Jenna)
 
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Lachesis580

Newbie
Apr 11, 2019
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absolutely against classic Christmas specials (even if one is all about Lily...).

I would prefer a flashback without sex scenes about MC's or other characters' past (like an unhappy Christmas with Donald, or a happy one with Monica, Katie and Jenna)
I'm ok with both
1.) If it's canon and integrated in the Main Game
2.) Like you said would be nice Young & Fun MC,Katie & Jenna moments
 
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DA22

Devoted Member
Jan 10, 2018
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I'm ok with both
1.) If it's canon and integrated in the Main Game
2.) Like you said would be nice Young & Fun MC,Katie & Jenna moments
I am going to be a bit contrary to most people and say, though I am mainly a fan of story related and not really of what if's, that it mostly depends whether the content of the special is great in the end in and of itself. Unfortunately that last is often not the case due to time limitations, limitations devs do not want to do things that are not in main game yet and so on.

Actually going really out of the box for such specials, like going back in time or distant future or have a very different viewpoint highlighting an underused character can be a way to do something you cannot do in main game like for example the dead Mom in the case of this game which could be especially interesting if part of her story does play out in ending of the game itself as well and you can hint at it in the special even if nobody would see that until game endings connecting them also storywise are there, while still staying true to tone of the game, (So not NTR focused in a game that is about romance :p or other way around for example), can make specials work.
 
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Sorrow85

Engaged Member
Feb 17, 2020
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Hi All,

Just wanted to say Happy New Year to everyone. Hope you all have a great 2022!
Progress on Episode 22 continues with an estimated release date at the end of February but I will keep you all updated.

Still planning on seeing the following characters in episode 22:

Katie*, Jenna, Monica, Zarah*, Lily*, Jolina, ????
And would like to squeeze in a couple of other minor appearances just so we don't go too long without seeing some of the girls. The girls with the asterix are the ones we are currently working on major scenes for. With the rest having either a smaller role or if we have time, could end up turning one of these into a major role too.

And as mentioned previously, MC will get to see his own lawyer and make some important decisions.
I'm keeping the update brief but I'm happy to answer all / any questions you might have, so please ask me anything in the comment section or via direct message (if it's not a question you want to post ) and I'll get back to everyone.

I will post a couple of EP22 teasers too....

Thanks,

CG

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