I definitely want so badly to do what I did with Elven Paladin and release a full and complete final version, I just don't think people will be that patient with me. This demo alone took me about two years, and it's taken me another 5 months just to fix all the bugs everyone found. Estimating time has never been a strength of mine, but I feel like I am very close to completing the engine. Once the engine is complete, it will just come down to writing the story and scripting the events, which is what I really want to do the most. It makes me happy and motivated that people want to see more, but I don't want to just randomly throw out whatever I have in hopes of getting more motivation and praise. I want everyone who gave me the time of day to enjoy a complete, working project. Once the engine is complete, I have been batting around the idea of making a poll or just asking player would they rather wait for the whole game? Or would that want it released in chunks whenever I manage to finish a major update or chapter? My major worry is that this might be the kind of game people would be willing to pick up again after waiting 6 months for an update, or worse, putting hours into the game and I end up changing something that breaks all their saves?
That's probably more information than you asked for but yeah, that's where I'm at right now. I can't make any promises on dates, but I can promise you I am still hacking away, giving it my best shot. As a bit of a note on updates, I have finished adding "Arousal Mode" for the spanking scenes, for those who think a spanking can be a little more than a punishment. The part I am currently ripping my hair out on is the getting the numbers right in the combat system because I am testing the ability to punish opponents if certain conditions are met. Just for some reason, the numbers refuse to add up properly. I hope to have better news the next time I'm here. I should probably do a devlog or something instead of just spamming people in the comment section...
Viewing post in Grand Terra Saga: The Ballad Of Bulwark The Noma comments
My best advice, just work on it when you can and release a completed version, regardless of how long it will take.
Releasing small chunks will result in people spamming about 'when update ready' and being annoying. Also, if you went this route, you could end up burning out and dont want to work on it anymore, leaving people disappointed that the game is incomplete/abandoned.
Releasing a completed, full version like a year from now, everyone will flock to it and play it, trust me. With how little we get new games and/or updates to ongoing ones, yours will receive praise.
If i were you, I would just disappear while you work on it, and randomly drop a completed version out of no where lol. No updates, no ETA, just silence.
Of course, if you want peoples opinions on content in the game, then you couldn't really do that i suppose
I may be jumping the gun trying figure out whether I will do regular updates or a full release this early in the project. I haven't even full introduced a second party member yet. I plan on using that as a measure. Once the party is full I will call that chapter one, then try to have the subsequent chapters match that length and amount of gameplay. How short or long that is will be the best factor to determine how to deliver the game.
My personal preference is to release one who game. Making sure game saves don't break and being able to go back and change things is important, but the major reason is I don't want players to get bored of a dragged out story and delivery.
First things first though. Need to work with what I have. Thanks for your input!