To start this off, I will NOT be releasing at midnight. I'll release tomorrow when I'm satisfied with it. I figured I'd address that now because if I don't I'll get a bunch of comments when people at midnight (their time) want to know if it'll be released.
Second: To those of you who just donated recently and haven't gotten a new beta, I'm sorry in advance but I'm going to hold off on sending anymore of the highly buggy Beta 3 out for now. Don't worry though. One donation ever is all it takes to get you into any Beta. So you'll have access from now into perpetuity. Or as long as this game lasts, anyway. So anyone interested in getting into the betas can donate $0.01 and get them until the last version comes out. It probably won't take too long for me to start testing a version 0.5.5 after this one goes out and I can assess what needs reworking or what content can be added. I'm certainly going to release a new version with more Bilbao content soon.
Third: With the above stated I will note that I'm still considering patreon benefits. A lot of people have suggested donator only content. I don't like the idea of locking sections of the game behind a paywall, however. Incentives I'm considering include short cameos in the game (within reason), some special artwork I've made and stories I've written. I'm a writer first and I think the stories might be the best option. They'd focus on the backstories of the heroines and their adventures, or else generalized backstory of the world. While I don't think my art is good enough to go in the game yet it is getting to the point where I wouldn't mind drawing some bonus stuff as Patreon incentives. Sending out a pack with all the currently completed artwork (including unused artwork) is a given.
Of course the biggest incentive is just that the more money I get, the more time I can afford to take off from regular work. As it is the game is prioritized well below my regular moneymaking activities. This is NOT me holding the game hostage and asking for all your monies plz. The game will get done eventually even if I never make another cent from it. I've been working on this long enough that it would be silly to expect me to stop now. It's basic human nature that people tend to spend more time on the things that make them money than the things that don't, though. Since this game started I've worked on it solely out of my free time. I don't have my hopes set to any particular expectation and I'm not making any plans based on wishful thinking so anything I get is a pleasant surprise. If things go particularly well I'll reassess how much time I can afford to put into this.
Put simply I'll offer incentives, but I'm reluctant to offer incentives that are easily navigated by just pirating the game or content I should just keep free in the first place. I'll happily make more stuff for people. I want the stuff I make for Overwhored to be free. The main reason I want -anyone- to donate isn't that they want something, it's that they simply like and want to support the game and my work on it.
If you want something special tell me, and I'll consider it. But I won't treat donations as bribes to get the 'full' game. Cameos, a little extra art, some short stories - that's all good. But I'm not putting up a paywall for parts of the game itself.
In the end I guess it's because this game has been my hobby, and I love it. According to some statistics I've been compiling, the absolute low end number of fans I have is around 40,000. I likely have many more. How many people can say that a hobby they've whittled away at bit by bit at a time over a few years has a fanbase like that? The dedication this fanbase has shown this game is astounding. I am truly honored to be the creator of something loved by so many people.
In my normal life I'm a simple farmer and a few other things besides. Few farmers could say they have a following like that for anything they do. I'm humbled by the love that I've seen here.
I remember when I was still working towards getting full funding for the game. I had the majority of the money I needed but not all. Somewhere around $2000. A friend asked me, "You have all this money, why haven't you taken any for yourself? You've done so much work on it." And it was true - before the game was fully funded, I never took a single cent of money for myself from the donations and I'd already put a few hundred of my money into it. Only now do I accept any, and hilariously I've actually sunk a bunch of the money I could spend on anything and put it back into paying for little things for the game. Hobbies are rarely things you take money out of. They're usually stuff you put money into.
Yeah, if all those 40k people donated a dollar a month I'd be freaking rich and could hire whole teams to make games. I don't expect it and I'm not really pushing for it, though I'll certainly ride that wave if it comes. (That's when I could start looking into making the Steam of Western Adult Games.)
It's my hobby. And in the end I may be the biggest fan of this game of all. That's why I do it. And that's what you really support; one farmer's little hobby.
Thanks for being fans.
#1: The game is released on your schedule, and I don't expect any apologies about it.
ReplyDelete#2: I think there's a way to do a patreon where the money is collected, not every month, but every major update (I swear I saw someone's set up like that). If that helps you feel better about shutting up and taking our monies, go for it.
#3: Thanks
I never knew this game existed until much earlier this year, when I played it that first time I just remember loving it immediately. I plan to even get a prepaid debit card this coming year so I can donate to this game which myself and so many love, assuming you do get Patreon expect me to be a regular donator right from the start.
ReplyDeleteJust so you know Patreon recently changed the rules.
ReplyDeleteNo porn allowed.
Is it? is it really? From what I know, and what I checked just now. I still see them on there. Just none on front page and I can't seem to search them. But if you have link it should be fine. I not familiar with Patreon so I can't say for sure.
DeleteSure thing,
Deletehttp://www.patreon.com/guidelines
under "Nudity and Pornography".
Considering how they treated 8chan I highly doubt they would see Overwhored as art.
I played this game many moons ago. Back when there was like one town, I'd say it was an average game (fights were boring/normal but concept/plot seemed it might be interesting) that kept me busy for about 30 minutes. I actually have not looked back at it until now. I can only wonder how, if, it improved and what is new.
ReplyDeletePatreon is usually good only for projects with somewhat of a fan base. Taking from what you said I think if you resort to Patreon, it would be best to set how much content you will release within a time frame depending on $$$ per month. If you have 40k fan base and each donates 0.10 a month, you can technically work on the game full time. You might get more patreon if you meet or exceed the standard you set for yourself and put out quality work... but poor planning and... you lose current and potential patrons.
e.g.
$1000 -> 1 big content update per month
$3000 -> big content update bi-monthly
$5000+ -> full time! bi monthly + polishing and extra, etc
Overall I say this game WAS average, but I saw some potential for keeping me busy, hopefully, for a few hours.
My likes/dislikes may give you some ideas.
I liked Harem (unfortunately it might be dead)
- game not awfully linear and had choices that affected game. - plot interesting
Despair Labyrinth (probably also dead) had great potential too.
ROBF i played last 3 days... probably spent like 40 hours on it (translated portion) or something... Unique animated combat and interesting story/quests. I played it twice... I rarely play something more than once.
I will try not to compare your game to others, but and interesting plot/gameplay, maybe some game changing player decisions, and replay value will make it interesting. Then again these are my likes, everyone else may find it unfavorable.
Oh! I forgot to point out something.
DeleteI don't like GOR cause I am no loser (pun intended).
e.g. the famous MGQ I, II, & III -> I went through whole game without losing. ( fortunately the content/battles/plot kept me interested enough.)
I like a challenge, so hopefully Overwhored is not so easy that there might as well be a win button.
Again, interesting stuff to keep me interested; plot/combat, something to keep me immersed and interested. If I wanted to mindlessly read through I might as well grab a book, sigh even several visual novels these days has more game play then rpgs... and that's all! Oh! Happy New Years! I be looking forward to game tomorrow/today. Hopefully not released like 11:59 pm tho; it's fine and all but I be bored whole day.
Idea: Have two versions of the game, one for donators and one for everyone else. They'll be exactly the same, except that the donor version would have a chest in the Overmind's throne room that contains a couple three items that would be useful at the start of the game as well as a note-item that does nothing but say Thank You for Donating. That way, you can have a little something extra for donators without denying everyone else portiions of the game, and it wouldn't cause (most) non-donating players to go looking to pirate the game, since it may take some effort and the reward isn't substantial.
ReplyDeleteI for one would love to see a bomb-type damage-all item I can use on those fairy monstergirls in the cathedral. Little bitches can be a pain in the ass.
Whoa! Denying me the couple three items and the note-item for my viewing pleasure! I need to pirate game now! wait, or have someone make a cheat system cause that's what the mentioned items seem to be... Pay2Win or Cheat2Win; decisions decisions.
Delete~Anon
Firstly, its a couple of bonus items, like some healing potions or lust restoratives, not the God Claw. Secondly, the game is in VXAce, which is a pain in the ass to cheat on, and as far as I know, there is no specific cheat system for VXAce. And most cheat programs that I've seen require some knowledge of HEX. And finally, the bomb item I mentioned was a simple even-damage-to-all item, not a nuke to destroy all my enemies.
DeleteBeta access is the single best incentive for donators that I've seen, but you've already stated a dislike for forcing people to subscribe or pay for that. Beyond that, concept art and other behind the scenes stuff, as well as unrelated art/writing from creators tends to be appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest recommendation I might make though is milestone goals, especially those that would help with making the game. IE, letting people know that at a certain donation amount you can upgrade your computer, get a good art tablet, commissioning art/music/whatever for the game ect ect. Fans largely become Patrons to help with development of something they want to experience, and having a clear idea of how they're doing so is a damn good incentive.
^ This I agree.
Delete"upgrade your computer, get a good art tablet" - usually not that great unless your computer is horrible and need one to make working on the game much faster.
"commissioning art/music/whatever" - usually come towards the end.
Overall Patreon is probably best described as a "tipping" system for fan base to show their support for a game because they like it. You in turn may have milestone goals, as mentioned above, that let fans know that you will have putting out more content or etc if you do get some amount of money, etc.
~Anon
I really hope your Patreon works out. You deserve it.
ReplyDeleteI'll certainly be throwing in my bit!
Why not have a draw instead?
ReplyDeleteI'm still working toward releasing a game myself, but I have been thinking of ways to get funding without completely going the freemium or other pay to win models.
One of the idea I brainstormed was voting on the next mini side quest/scenario. So why not make 3 or more mini side quest/scenario with unique artwork. Then have people buy votes (politicians get away with it, so should you!) for the quest/scenario they want released that month out of the available choices.
The ones that fall short can retain their vote count for next months draw.
This way people who pay will have a say in what quest/scenario gets released sooner while maintaining the free aspect of content release. Also since it would just be short side story's, you wouldn't have to interrupt the main game.
Not sure how you would do something like this with Patreon (as I'm unfamiliar with it), but I imagine it could be done in some way.
Oh and have a great new year! (or try to at least)
DeleteLike how some games are pay 2 win, I don't really like the pay for content concept. I believe that if you creativity can come up with these other quest/scenerio, why would you purposefully limit the game by only adding what is paid for?
DeleteIf you feel the need to repay people who payed, just work extra hard on the game and have faster content updates, and maybe even email payers your concept artworks (especially if it's good, people will love to have them).
Patreon is usually people pitch in money and it is pay per month or pay per big update. I personally prefer the month model, though I don't use Patreon. You tell your fans what you guarantee to put out each month depending on how much money you get. Sounds fair and depending on your results, you may get more or less Patreon.
OH! and "thinking of ways to get funding" should come after you have several fans who are interested in the game. And it's also fine to ask for their input before actually setting it up.
~Anon
*face palm*
DeleteDude I was trying to give some constructive input tailored around the constraints he mentioned.....
Obviously the game comes first, then the fans and then the income.
Since learning and developing takes (a lot of!) time, and real life is defiantly not free. It's a good idea to at least think about it, as it will become an issue to take care of later if you plan on going full swing.
Maybe your post wasn't meant to come off as snarky, but it kind of did.
your one of the few developers that i've considered giving money to, problem is that i lost my job a while ago and have just now gotten a new one.
ReplyDelete