3/2 Status Update

The Netoria Tactics: Revolution Gold Steam page was approved yesterday and that meant I could finally release the female Carwyn update. Right down to the wire too, since I'm leaving on a cruise tomorrow. Hard to post stuff online in the middle of the ocean. Since everything finally got through Steam's system, I know can announce when the Steam version is going to come out.

March 15th.

That's the big day. Unless something happens like me being stranded on a deserted island or Steam getting mad at me for some reason, Netoria Tactics: Revolution Gold will be out for purchase. This is kind of turning into a bigger thing than I planned. Initially this was just going to be a kind of tip jar release, but it's turned into something bigger. Well if people are excited for it and excited to support me I don't have a problem with it. So thanks to everyone who's already wishlisted or plans to.

The main thing I wanted to talk about today is At the Mountains of Friendship. The game has been out for about five months and the third content update is almost done. But the community buzz and interaction between AtMoF and Netoria updates is starkly different. I think I have to come to terms with people just not liking AtMoF that much.

Now, if there's AtMoF super fans out there, this is where there would be. But things like forums, my discord, all kind of dead. The F95 Zone thread for the game only had 12 pages and like half of that is people debating if the game is "woke" or not. And the preview build for Sk8ter I posted here doesn't even have a single like. So what does this mean?

The biggest problem is that AtMoF is expensive to make. I did get a good amount of Patreon supporters out of it, but if I'm spending lots of money to keep those supporters around that's not really making me money, just funding the development of the game. If I stopped and those people left I wouldn't actually be worse off, I just wouldn't be making the game anymore. The game also took a LOT of money to produce at all, we're talking like $25,000+ before the first release came out. At this point, I don't know how I make that back because growth in the future doesn't seem all that likely.

So the reason to keep making the game would be I want to keep making it. And yeah, I do. It is getting a little stale though as I'm writing Sk8er, who's now the 14th girl I've made for the game. I think I'll hit a writing wall pretty soon. I've been thinking about my options and my initial plan was to make at least 20 girls. Now I'm feeling more like 15. Get Sk8er done, make the big progression systems update, and call it a wrap. Move the budget over to something else, like Netoria Tactics 2.

It is pretty sad to see all this art and content not really hit with people though. I think the same characters with different packaging and themes could have done well. I made a lot of bold creative choices with the game and most of them just didn't resonate with people. Not nobody though, I know some people really liked what I did and that's great. One good thing about releasing a game with so much content upfront like AtMoF is that if I cut off new updates relatively early, there's still a full game to play and enjoy. It's not like Naked Ambition where people are still waiting for an ending. 

I have a bunch of expensive art and voice acting for Emma, Elizabeth, Maya, and all their pals. So maybe I'll make a new adventure for them in the future so they can really have their day in the sun. Who knows. But for now I'm leaning towards just a few more updates and letting AtMoF rest. If you really do love the game and want to see more characters and support, let me know. I can only hear the voices that speak up.

That's all for this week. No status update next week because I'll be on my cruise. Never been on a cruise before, should be fun. As always, thank you for your continued support.