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The Future of Beetlebomb
🕑 Added 2023-10-07 15:00:05 +0000 UTCHey, everyone!
Where do I even begin? I hope you don't mind if I ramble a bit. I've been meaning to get a lot off my chest for quite some time. I'll leave a TL;DR for those that just want the news at the bottom of this post.
Panel 14 of "A Bittersweet Blessing" - Chapter 1
Where It All Began
I started this amazing creative journey back in October of 2020, amidst the peak of the COVID pandemic. Back then, it was just a small hobby. Something fun and different to take up the extra hours I had, thanks to my transition to working remotely. This mysterious artistic venture was a stark departure from my tech-intensive role as a software engineer. Suddenly, I was thrown into a realm of artwork and self-expression, the likes of which I had never experienced before. It was scary, invigorating, and so very exciting! Finally, I was able to show the world what I envisioned breast expansion and giantess stories could be like-- and not just through text! My passion and drive was felt by so many of you out there and, before I knew it, I was able to quit my day job in May of 2021 to continue down this wonderful path, and bring you along into so many fantastical worlds and universes.
I have so many people to thank along the way. Countless to even name. You know who you all are and I love you all! :)
It wasn't always sunshine and roses, however. I've had my fair share of dark days. Extremely dark days. A corrupted save here... a lost character file there. Even a dead external hard drive that threatened to dig an early grave to much of the stories I've helped bring to life! When all hope seemed lost-- as if the hand of God himself reached down upon me and told me to throw my hands up and quit... I persevered. Why? Because tall girls with big growing boobies are amazing! No, seriously. I'm just that horny. Joking aside-- it IS my passion. Being able to wake up each day and bring you these stories is a dream come true!
Panel 35 of "Gabby's Towering Solutions"
Navigating Our Creative Journey: Choices and Changes
Speaking of passion, this brings me to the main reason of this post. Now, bear with me as this takes a moment to explain. I have to remember that, at the end of the day, this is still a job for me. I need to keep the right tools in my shed that will allow me to keep the lights on in my house, and hopefully, still have fun while doing it! The initial success of my business started with 3D artwork and storytelling. It then briefly leaned into animations(Mercy's "Become A Better Healer" project, the WIP Lara Croft project, and more!), which quickly became the most successful content I've ever made. When I realized that I wasn't able to work on my 3D stories AND make full-blown animations at the same time, I had to make the tough decision to temporarily put down animations until I finished my active 3D stories. Though I've always fully intended to return to animations, it was a nod--a sense of conviction within myself to not leave these stories open-ended. No one likes an incomplete story. I wasn't going to choose the path of animations until I could rightfully close out "Haley's Secret" and "Jacob and the Raven's Kiss." The problem was, I have this terrible habit of making extremely long stories! Call it a blessing or curse--I'm getting better at it now. It didn't help that, somewhere along the way, I made the ambitious decision to include AI artwork into the mix, as if my plate wasn't full enough already! AI art was growing in popularity around September of 2022, and I always wanted to be able to express myself in the 2D traditionalist sense-- so I was all in! But, fast-forward to now, the AI artwork scene is extremely saturated with incredibly talented people all clawing at the bits for their moment to shine in the spotlight... and here I am being spread even more thin on all the story projects under my belt. Strictly speaking, from a purely business perspective, I haven't seen a healthy uptick in subscriptions due to my efforts with AI stories/images. Because of this, I've made the difficult decision to stop all future AI artwork projects, starting from the month of November 2023 and onward.
AI Artwork: A Cherished Hobby
Even with this shift in direction, my love for AI artwork hasn't diminished in the slightest. While it may no longer be a primary focus for my Patreon, that doesn't mean it's leaving my life entirely. Think of it as repositioning it from the main stage to a cozy corner spot. I still find immense joy in dabbling with AI and letting my creative juices flow in the 2D realm. As such, patrons can occasionally anticipate some delightful AI artwork surprises as bonus content on here. After all, every artist has a side hobby they adore, and AI art is that treasured pastime for me. I hope you continue to enjoy these little artistic treats when they pop up!
Panel 211 of "Haley's Secret"
October's Grand Finale: A Special Send-off for AI Rewards
So what does this all mean? For this month, October 2023, will be the last month with AI related rewards. In regards to AI rewards now, you can still expect to receive the ending of "The Ugly Side of Beauty" coming over the next week, and, as one big final hurrah, ALL of our "Uncut Gems" rewards have been significantly improved! ALL patrons can expect to get an additional AI BE/growth sequence around the corner, Gold supporters are receiving 50 images instead of 25, and Platinum supporters are receiving more than 200 images instead of 50 to wrap up the entirety of their "Uncut Gems" complete collection.
The Road Ahead Is Bright and Clear
AI Time Is Now 3D Time
I plan to redirect the time saved from AI towards wrapping up "Haley's Secret," "Libidine," and "Jacob and the Raven's Kiss." With HS nearing its finale and JRK close behind, you can expect a surge in story panels monthly!
"The Holiday Spirit (4K)" - Christmas 2021 special. Rendered using Blender. Featured on the front page of Slushe.
Evolving Tools for an Enhanced Experience
I have another significant update to share in this already jam-packed post! While Daz Studio has served as my go-to for posing, lighting, and rendering, I've come to realize its limitations, especially when compared to Blender. Much like our girls in many of our stories, we've outgrown our old home. It's time to move on and transition to bigger and better things! That's why, as one story concludes, the others will get more focus to finish them faster. This streamlined approach will pave the way for a complete transition to Blender. This shift promises not only enhanced story quality but also the potential for cinematic-grade animations. Imagine experiencing "Haley's Secret" with interspersed animations for an even more immersive journey. The possibilities are endless!
How will rewards work once a story concludes?
While I don't anticipate any stories wrapping up this month, November could see changes. For October, our reward system stays as is. However, starting November, you'll notice a more robust back-and-forth cycle of HS, JRK, and Libidine content. As stories conclude, they won't leave a void. Instead, I'll be introducing an array of content-- from previews, animations, and growth sequences to special features, festive mini-tales, and bonus content, all tailored to your tier.
Panel 264 of "Jacob and the Raven's Kiss" - Chapter 2
Passion, Promise, and the Path Ahead
I can't help but feel the same fervor and enthusiasm now as I did on day one. The drive to create, to share, and to contribute to this fantastic community remains as robust as ever. It's a journey we've embarked on together, and I cherish every moment of it. There's a future bursting with promise and filled with even more captivating content than we've experienced thus far!
Thank you to everyone who journeyed with me so far and for bearing with this lengthy post. I hope it's given you a glimpse into my world and the passion that drives me. Rest assured, I remain dedicated to delivering the pinnacle of breast expansion and giantess storytelling.
TL;DR: As our journey has evolved, there have been shifts in focus and priorities. While AI artwork brought a unique dimension to our content since Late 2022, the saturated market and broader business perspectives necessitate a pause in AI projects, starting from November 2023. However, AI art isn't disappearing completely-- expect sporadic bonus AI artwork pieces as extras. For October, we're celebrating the culmination of AI rewards with special enhancements for "Uncut Gems" and an AI BE/growth sequence. The energies previously channeled into AI will now further enrich the progression of "Haley's Secret," "Libidine," and "Jacob and the Raven's Kiss." In terms of technology, there's an exciting transition underway from Daz Studio to Blender, promising superior quality and cinematic animations. As stories wrap up, diverse content offerings ranging from animations to festive tales are on the horizon, each tailored for each patron tier.
Thank you, as always, for your amazing support! I love you all!
Panel 198 of "Jacob and the Raven's Kiss" - Chapter 1
Comments
Beetlebomb
I'm glad my message got through to you, Phantom. I definitely opened my heart out here and-- I just wanted my patrons to be aware of the person behind the creations a bit better :)
Beetlebomb
I use Zbrush for sculpting and absolutely love it. I haven't found any good tutorials or resources on learning how to model through it, however. I have looked at UE5 and it's incredible impressive. Definitely something I will look into more(nanite is INSANE!) Thank you for your wonderful comment, 9NT6 :)
9NT6
Daz is a bit outdated yes. I'd suggest Zbrush for modeling and Blender for physics/animations My fav tool for renders though is UE5 simply because of it's post-process options and ray tracing, but you could render in blender too. I initially subscribed to your Patreon for the 3D content and the WIP animations, I'll be sad to see the AI posts go but at the same time I'm happy you'll be focusing more on 3D again.
Phantom Reaver 225
This was a great read. Learned a lot about you regarding your journey from when you first started to where you are now. I completely and fully understand your decision to focus and invest more into 3D and put AI artwork to a halt in terms of a business perspective and marketing standpoint which makes sense and you are completely right regarding the fact that the AI art scene in the market has become overly saturated. I fully support your endeavors in moving forward toward doing exclusively 3D since I personally enjoy doing 3D rendering in Daz more than generating AI art myself so I am actually excited to see what you have in store for the future regarding your transition to Blender! :D
