s_anima
patreon
The Future of Moontouched
🕑 Added 2024-08-17 23:44:42 +0000 UTCAwooo! Hey there wolfpack,
The past few days have been pretty wild, Moontouched has been getting such a warm reception. I'm humbled by the amount of support that has been gained here on Patreon, welcome to all the new folks! Now that the demo is out in the wild I want to take this opportunity to check in with everyone here and be as transparent as I can about the state of Moontouched and what will be in store for it as a project in development.
Funding for the project
Over the past eight months or so I’ve been working full time on the project. It’s been a bit of a gamble, but so far the support here has kept the project (and myself) afloat, and for that I’m so grateful! I’ve been earning roughly 1k USD here on Patreon a month and that is just enough to cover my rent and the things I need to buy. Truthfully I could (in theory) make it work to continue like this if need be, however, I wouldn’t be able to push Moontouched as far as I want it to go. Nor would I be able to be earning (and setting aside) much for my life and health situation.
Working on this demo has been a great experience for coming to understand the vast amount of work that goes into a project like this. I’ve also quickly learned that I suck at music and that coding unique features in Renpy REALLY pisses me off haha. Since the release of the public build, my earnings have increased to almost 1.3k per month (if that figure holds). This extra bit of padding is a huge boon for these challenges. With this extra bit of income, I plan on seeking out and hiring a musician or two to work with, a coder that can help me with some of the more ambitious features of the game, and a co-writer and editor to help streamline the actual writing of the novel. Now, it’s no surprise that an extra 300$ a month won’t cover all of that, but it’s a start and it helps tremendously.
I’ve taken some time to really think about how to best fundraise for this project and I’ve landed on two options.
1.) The funding takes place here on Patreon. There are many many examples of Visual Novels getting the support they need through this platform and it’s proven to be a great way to incentivize support through early access builds and sneak peaks. If this were the case, I would rework the Patreon tiers to offer access to the builds at a lower price point and reserve special privileges to the Pack Leaders such as private art streams as I work on the CGs or early access sprite reveals and such.
The benefit of this approach would be that it’s a much more intimate way of working on a project like this, patrons could help choose which character’s day to develop first and maybe even have some patron wolves/humans make guest appearances in the story itself. I would also be uploading the story in chunks when each chapter is completed.
My concern with this approach is that, naturally, the income stream swells and shrinks as the months go on. That is totally understandable and to be expected. These projects take a long time to develop and I would never ask for uninterrupted support, life happens and things change. So if we do end up going this route, please feel free to come and go as you’re able. My health situation is volatile and there are periods of time where I have to rest and recover. Any periodic chapter releases wouldn’t be on a set schedule for this reason. I want to make these builds the best they can be, which could mean extended support may be needed.
2.) Crowd funding through Kickstarter or some other platform. I’ve seen a good number of successful Visual Novels and games meet their goals and get their projects fully funded through platforms like these.
The benefit of this approach would be that I would do some calculations after finding my team and settle on the final figure that would account for the total development of the entire project and set the goal for that. Should that goal be met, the project could enter into development in earnest without needing to adapt to a fluctuating income stream. This would also be the cheaper of the two options for individuals I feel. A one time investment to the project that would grant you access to the game.
The cons of this approach would be that it naturally runs the risk of not meeting its goal. Crowd funding through these platforms can be a huge time sink and I’m fully aware that smutty, gay, werewolf romance novels target a very niche audience. Secondly, I don’t know if releasing the game in segments would be something I would be able to do with this kind of structure. While that’s not a terrible thing per say, it would mean that I would have to put my head down and take a few years to fully complete the project before releasing it. That would make me a little sad, I’ve LOVED hearing people’s theories and engagement with the demo so far, so not having that between builds feels like a huge loss. It is possible that episodic releases are something I could figure out through Kickstarter, I just haven’t found examples of it yet.
In conclusion:
I don’t want to make this decision alone. So many of you have been supporting myself and the project for MONTHS now. You’re responsible for making this project happen and as such your opinion on the future trajectory is just as valuable as mine. If you have the time, I would be very grateful to hear your thoughts on what feels good to you as someone who is investing in this endeavor. I want to make sure it feels fair to all of us.
Thank you all for the support you’ve given and for the overwhelmingly positive reception you’ve given Moontouched. It’s so inspiring to me to see people excited about the project and the characters. I have so much in store that I’m eager to share with you. While it’s a loose goal, I aim to have Chapter One out in its entirety before the year ends. The picture of a late fall/ early winter night reading Moontouched makes me really happy so that’s the mark!
Comments
Cyberheart
Patreon is an easy way for the subscriptions to be processed, but doesn't this site take a significant chunk from its creators? I'm not a creator so I don't know the financial aspect of earnings on this platform. Would a PayPal link be a valid idea for additional payments? If people just wanted to send some extra funds your way, PayPal would be good way to do that. Of course, once the money was sent, you'd have to give a guarantee or whatever that the funds would be used to support the Moontouched project. But I digress. I'm just thinking outside the box.
Xae
I am hesitant to share my thoughts on this, as naturally I have no experience with funding in any way shape or form, regardless however; if what you have currently is working out for you. Then making changes to the established structure only poses risk. As such, I would recommend to continue funding on Patreon.
Mu Gamma
Also: I think it's challenging to discuss funding models for stuff like this without engaging with how to price cash streams, and that most funders don't think very hard about it. That is, pledging $230 to a Kickstarter is worth about the same as backing at the $10/month tier for two years. (Simple multiplication would make it $240, but I'm assuming you're getting 4% interest, these days.) But I think you will get way more people backing at the $10/month tier than pledging $230 to a Kickstarter, mostly because $10 feels like a smaller number than $230. Also, even if they're good at the math, many buyers have a limited amount of slack, so they might not be able to give you $230 now by borrowing $10/month from themselves. So I think you'll likely get more money for the project from Patreon than Kickstarter, and also when Moontouched hits the release version, some people will look back at how much they spent on it and go "wait, what?". But hopefully they get not just the game but also having been part of the community for the development process, and that part feels worth it. You also brought up that Patreons show up and disappear, which I don't have as good a model of. Is someone who shows up, pays $10 for three months, and then disappears the sort of person who would have pledged more or less than $30 to a Kickstarter? I definitely have pledged for a bunch of Kickstarters that I later became less excited about and would have stopped backing on Patreon, but I'm not sure where the balance is.
Mu Gamma
I liked the demo and will support more :3 I think the main argument for a Kickstarter is that it lets you _not_ do the project if you don't get enough backing. This can also apply to subprojects: not hiring a musician / programmer / editor unless the funders jointly decide to pay for it. Kickstarter works better when you know the production function for something (i.e. how much work it'll take and how much that work costs). I read you as having a somewhat different orientation to it: you're planning on having the music, the code, the writing, and the question is just who does it and how long it takes. I think Patreon is a bit better of a fit for that; as the pack grows, you have more money to spend on the project, and you have flexibility on what to spend it on, rather than having to committed to any particular features. Also I think if you're going to have big ticket items, like cameos for major supporters, those are relatively easy to arrange in a way that doesn't give a cut to Patreon or Kickstarter or whoever. Like, just run an auction in your Discord or on your Twitter or whatever. [The main value Patreon provides is handling payment / member management for an arbitrary number of mostly anonymous people, but that's not the situation for the highest tiers.]
ArcboundWolf
As others have said, I think the most important thing is for you to prioritize your own well-being! VNs with hot gay werewolves are great and all, but no amount of progress is worth sacrificing yourself on the altar of burnout. In the end, whichever option lets you feel like you're making steady progress while staying motivated, engaged, and healthy is the right one. (Personally, I think a Patreon tier rework sounds great and I'll be here cheering you on regardless ❤️🐾)
ClockworkWerewolf
I'm personally good with either method as far as investing/donating/etc is concerned. Without assuming too much; Patreon does seem like the slightly more flexible (if also more volatile) option, so it might be a little easier to navigate if unforeseen things come up. Beyond that I'd maybe just echo what some of the others have mentioned about feedback and burnout: if one of the things that helps inspire and push you forward is seeing people enjoying your work then it might be wise to consider the/a platform that allows you to do that in a way you're comfortable with as a creator. 🐺
yourtastywafflez
I would back a kickstarter if you made one. But if you do please include a voice acting goal. Not sure if that's possible but I would love it.
Lux
I think for the time being Patreon would be the best way to go. Right now you're getting by and that's a great sign, and future content will definitely draw more people to Moontouched. See how things go: once there's a bit more steam funding might not be an issue anymore, or it could be a decent springboard for a kickstarter. As for what to do with the current funding... You've got a really good artstyle and some fantastic CGs, a storyline that's intriguing even before it's really begun to unfold and just two of the five main characters present. It's a solid foundation and I think it really shows with how many people have been drawn to your Patreon since the demo became public. Prioritize yourself and your health first of all. But past that, if you're going to bring other people on board, I think a writer or editor would be a good choice. I like the quiet ambience so far, it gives me a bit of a Skyrim vibe that I like with the cold, rainy environments. The writing's good, but it does need a little bit of polish in places and an editor could help quite a bit with that. Don't be afraid to tweak your plans for where the plot is going to go or how characters will develop. Really glad to help fund this game, it's really good so far.
Omrot
I know basically nothing when it comes to projects like these and funding, and so I cannot give particular advice on which route would be the most optimal, however all I can do is give assurence that I'll gladly support the project in either way. Whether it be Patreon or Kickstarter or similar, I'll be glad to help this project in any way possible, monetary and all.
SRN
Hmm, this is a huge decision! Patreon is pretty volatile and inflexible in it's nature and would front load a lot of expectation that you'll have to sit with through the development of Moontouched. If you are okay with being saddled with that, it may prove a good option, but I've seen more than my fair share of Kickstarters lead to burnout and inflated expectations. Maybe restructuring the Patreon so higher tiers are available for the high rollers to access Q&As and dev livestreams might be helpful? I'm stretched a bit thin myself but I hope that the more flush among us can reap some of these additional perks while making development smoother for you. Wishing you the best with your health, whatever you choose.
MistaZelf
This is a very big decision! I've only recently became a patron after Moontouched dropped, as many others probably have, and I think many are used to the format of once in a while content drops that you get early builds for on Patreon. People will come and go but I think there will always be a positive stretch when new builds are released, new content gets more people talking, and in turn brings more attention to the VN. You seem to be *comfortably* getting by with the current and incoming support and seem very excited to share your story for Moontouched and I think that works for a once in a while content release format. On the other hand you mention crowdfunding while it may be a good choice, doesn't seem with what your heart is set on. Having a set amount of money to split up into all resources building the game is nice but as you said, will probably have to lay low for a while until the game is completed. It's nice to have a clear roadmap and a solid goal at the end of the road in the sense that everything can be very planned out with a team working for a few years instead of patch to patch. Not to mention this is even *if* the project hits its goal. There's pro's and con's to both. Honestly a mysterious 3rd option could be going with patreon and doing some sort of donation event if need or want be. From the good will of their heart or something similar I saw someone on twitter a while ago do like character sketches in their underwear for like $30 per piece lol In the end what matters most is that you keep in mind how you'd happily be able to develop a project you have a strong passion for. If you like the motivation of people's thoughts and opinions on the builds to keep your fire ignited then Patreon once in a while patches might be the way to go! If you're willing to spend some time in the shadows making a masterpiece for all to enjoy in its entirety in one go then maybe attempting a crowdfund is in your favor!
Phuine
I feel like do both is a good option too, have patron as a base funding for the vn, and support you and in the future out people working on the project Then have a crowdfunding/Kickstarter as toper, to get a bit extra cash to help the development, and set up reward for people how help but also big community goals to celebrate a milston.
Vigil
I'm a new sub to you but I am absolutely enamored with Moon Touched, I would value your other subs opinions here too before giving you advice. It's just been so inspiring since I first glanced that beautiful title screen a couple of days ago, I wouldn't change a thing if that is a result of what you work like being content and happy on a monthly model. <3
Alazcat
I wish I could offer some better advice or suggestions on which route to take, but so long as you remember to take care of yourself first and foremost, I think you’ll be good no matter what ya do. Also, the music and audio design are incredible! Don’t sell yourself too short there. Spent over an hour just listening to the main menu music and ambiance lol
