Thoughts on future releases

I think you might end up wanting to release a new public demo every three or four months. This seems to be a popular method of doing it. Even having the releases drop a month later for non-backers can drive potential patrons crazy cause they can see the new features being added on a game that's already fleshing out. All that being said, I really should play this game. I haven't in months, I just believe in the vision. ;)

Dinker

It's a good idea.

Redknight as a good point here. Maybe witholding the public release for several months seems to be really the best short term solution.

AbyssalEros

I added now my suggestions within the community for Patreons Only to see.

AbyssalEros

How much for the same level of audio for the scenes that you had for the first scene...

DVK

Personally, I don't think that removal of public versions is a good idea. Because new mechanics and options will be added with new updates, prologue as demo will not be fully representative of the game's capabilities. Public versions of current state of the game can be helpful for getting more patrons interested in new stuff. However, current window between patron and public release is just way too low. With just two weeks to wait the only reason for you to back is basically a desire to support the game. Anyone can wait two weeks. I think rising it at least to month or maybe couple of months is at least a good idea to experiment on.

All the main adult game forums (ULMF, Fen's, LoK, Hyp Collective, TFGamessite, Hongfire, etc.), the game's own site, hentaifoundry, tumblr, and every release is covered by Lewdgamer. Not really much more I can do on the promotion front.

Lord Arioch

A nice compromise would be to eventually make everything public, but have a long lag (~6 months?) between the patron-only and the public version. You could also have a few sexy-but-not-plot-critical scenes locked without a patron code. There will be leaks and such, but you'll also get a lot of people saying "hey, this is great, I want to see what happens next so I'm kicking in a few bucks". This has the advantage of you not having people go nearly as crazy about "pirated versions" and might still incentivize people. I think this approach works best with small jumps in reward cost. Something like "$10 gets you beta, $5 gets you current, $3 gets you current - 1 month, $2 gets you current -2 months, $1 gets you current - 3 months, free gets you current - 6 months". The logic is the same as the small differences between small/medium/large cokes; it is so cheap to upgrade people are more likely to do it. Patreon is a number of backers game for sure. Also, when advertising to people outside of the game, you might want to emphasize the more vanilla sexual content. I am not in any way saying you should change the actual game, just saying take care you don't get pigeon-holed as a fetish game. I first heard about the game on Discord, and the discussion amounted to "Man, it's all dick fetishes. Doesn't sound like a good straight-male game." Upon actually playing it, it seems to me that you've done a good job of balancing the fetish stuff and there is plenty to appeal to the hordes of "common case" players who basically prefer hetero sex (maybe with a dash of lesbians and bdsm. )

Dubsington

Sounds good to me, though the $15 then full access for even non backers may defeat the point of trying to gain consistent backers. I personally think that they should still have to give at least some amount in order to keep getting releases, even if it's only one dollar it still helps. Also, I've been wondering how you promote the game?

Kobold Lad

go with TRY AND ERROR. Can't see any loss for you. Patreons will stay anyway. I'm rly into the style (gameplay, art, characters, etc) of seeds of chaos. As far as i know it will be one of the first real complex erotic-RPGs. Right now i'm in with 5$. Raising the minimum amount to 5 bucks worked well for dark silver's Big Brother unbelievable 18,625 per month right now. Even though the cracked Version came out instantly. But it's an explicit wankin-game and will probably be finished much quicker. If you are rly nerveous about losing the Patreons you already have and the way of bringing DRM into this- make a voting ;) Anyway - PLEASE finish this game as you imagine it. I will stay as long as you do.

This approach sounds good to me. This is a terrific game and making the updates just for patrons should work well.

VC

if it was just a 15 dollar one time then yes. but most of us that are following this game are not just going to give 15 dollars one time. I know I am not.

srusnak102

I love how this game is developing. It makes perfect sense to have a demo and the rest to be patron-only. As Artem said the free threshold should be higher as this is top class art in the game and it is worth more than 15$, at least double that. I will be raising my pledge for next month as I want to see how the story unfolds and want to have fun in the castle... Don't stress so much and keep doing what you are doing, rest will come :)

Nick A.

I am with Artem here. Your game is way to good for giving it away for $15. Get rid of that idea. And to give the game away for free may be the wrong way too. Okay you have to change the Overview but one of my other suggestions was to ask you if Kimochi.co would be a way for you to gather funds for art.

AbyssalEros

Good ideas! But: "Once a backer passed a certain total amount (I’m thinking $15), they would get access to all future releases even if they stop backing the game" - I wouldn't do it. Or at least raise it to 40-50 threshold. I'm pretty sure that most of your patrons already pledged >15 bucks each, so with such message to them you can achieve an opposite result. And "The game would still be released for free, but only when it is complete. " - I don't get why? You already invested so much time, work and money in it, why would you release it for free?

Artem

Seems very fair to me, I'd not worry so much about it. The game will be free, if people want to play earlier and contribute to development, they donate to the pattern. Keep the demo to just an introduction to entice people. You're making quality content and deserve to be compensated.

Zakalwe

I think if you can't make money off the game, there won't be any game. Anyone expecting you to work for years for free is selfish, IMO. I haven't been a backer very long, but I do back a few other similar games and you've been the best with consistent updates so far. Even if the game wasn't one of the best erotic games I've played, that alone deserves some monetary reward. Do whatever you need to to make money and keep your stress levels down.

Cy

Do not feel sorry, I can understand you perfectly well and I guess a lot of the rest too. I am working at the moment at suggestions and comments to Seeds of Chaos and one of my suggestions was exactly that. I personally have raised my pledge to $10 this month which is only my second months because before I have leeached myself the public releases and found it rather unkind from me to have so much fun and not paying for it while a lot of the games I bought over at MG, JAST and so on where not half as good. So I guess I erase my suggestion and give you a like here instead.

AbyssalEros

Well, good demo will always encourage people to become patrons, so any form of actual bonus game-content to patrons will be good (as access to current game version). Quality of your current game version easy encouraged me to pledge, so I personally think that you should just "doll-up" current game version (such as replace placeholders with at least some form of text) and concentrate on updating game with content for patrons.

As I said on Discord, you'll get my 5$ regardless of what you do. I've been paying for 4-6months now, so I have the 15$ barrier done anyways. The game needs more money and you need to be more relaxed. Both for yourself and the quality of the game.

Makara