EoloStudios
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Tier Adjustment and MTWY's Future
🕑 Added 2023-05-27 10:15:36 +0000 UTCThere's no easy way to say this, so here's Hikari with the puppy dog's sad eyes.
I've been sitting on this post for several hours now, and I still don't know how to deliver it, but I believe this is something we have to do.
As some of you may have read on Discord, I've been planning on adjusting the release of the latest update for the bronze tier to be 14–15 days behind the higher tiers. I've had a few founders and silvers voice their opinion in the channel or in DMs since then, but I also want to hear from the bronze tiers since it mainly affects them. Implementation of this new release format doesn't take effect until Chapter 22 is out exclusively, so we'll have time to discuss this further and brainstorm to see if there's another way.
With the way, the development has been going, with bigger chapters and better quality in almost everything. I believe I should value my work more, especially with the amount of time and effort spent on it increasing significantly as we move further along.
I love making this game; I couldn't separate from developing it, even for a day, but I also feel like the effort-to-reward ratio is staggeringly low and the lack of resources is bleeding over the other responsibilities that I have with the more time I put on MTWY, and I can't help it, I was hoping at this point that MTWY would at least be able to cover those, but I understand that we needed time to prove ourselves. However, I think right now, with all the recent updates and significant pushes we've made, we've already got something to show for it.
Honestly speaking, this issue is also affecting the game; there are a few scenes from back then that I wanted to address further but couldn't. I had to make do and push it over to the next chapter's development schedule or put it on the back burner.
As to why we're only changing it now, I was clueless about how much the platform fees were per tier, and after the fees are deducted, we don't actually get much from the bronze tier—an oversight on our part anyway. We understand that the platform needs to operate.
Also, if you look at the silver tier, it includes the monthly MTWY artwork and polls both here and in our Discord server, and most of them are great.
I know this is a tough pill to swallow, and if it blows up in our faces instead of doing what we intended for it to do, then so be it. *crosses fingers* I hope it doesn't. Anyway, if you think right now that our game is amazing, even with our limited time and resources, then I ask, "What do you think we could do if we had more?"
Anyhow, we're doing a big push on the promotion today, here's the trailer video that we made for it, on Youtube, and here are 4k MTWY Public Wallpapers and GIFS made downloadable if you fancy them.
Comments
ActuallyArma
A little late to the discussion but, as a Bronze Patron for a little over a year (Wow, already?), I'm kinda surprised this didn't happen sooner especially when the release dates were shifted. I think that's what the main selling point for Bronze and that just made it an even better deal, even more so if you're impatient for the game you like with a regular release schedule. I think that when this change happens it'll suck but it is what it is. If it didn't happen now it'd just happen later and while it's no longer as good as it was it's understandable given the post and comment you've made, so much so that I can't really add more *without* repeating or paraphrasing something you guys have already mentioned in either of those!
Eolo Studios
To be honest, we're the only game that I've seen who doesn't update weekly that has the latest update on the lowest tier. Also, our past updates starting from Chapter 15 alone are at least 40-60 mins each. I don't see any game that matches us in terms of Content/Dev Time. What we get is $1.44 after platform fees on the bronze tier and try as I might to sustain our current system, we can't keep going like this. I'm not delaying the release of bronze tier just so people would pay more, I'm doing it so I can keep working on MTWY in the pace that I am at or even more than that. Also made sure that there's as much perk as I can put on the silver tier. Still quite some time til ch22 with all the crap I had to sort out recently, we've still got time to work on this.
Felix
In that case yeah, I'd be fine with raising the price. Personally I could justify 3$, 4 would be iffy, and if I could afford 5 I'd already be silver tier, hence wouldn't care about the change in the first place.
m4p2
I have seen more than once how different developers changed the price of the tier. OK. Let me clarify, would you mind if access to the new update (for everyone and without delays) started at $5? The devs are open for suggestions.
Felix
Maybe I phrased that poorly... I have no issue with early access that only distinguishes between paying and non-paying players, but with 4 different release dates depending on how much one pays. As for 2 bucks/month for the lowest tier being a steal: I agree, but to my knowledge you can't change the price of a tier so it's a moot point.
m4p2
The vast majority of developers use the release delay system. Only they call it "early access before public release" Also, the base price of access to their new updates is $5 and no less.
Felix
I generally avoid joining the patreon of games that have staggered releases even within the tier structure, because I believe the game should be considered the basic product. I don't mind higher tiers getting whatever extra content developers can think of, but delaying the release of the base game because the customer "doesn't pay more" just rubs me the wrong way for some reason.
Necro926
I get everything you're saying, and I don't want to come across as rude or anything, but right now if this tier change were to happen, I would cancel. I can't afford a higher tier atm, and paying is worth a month, it isn't worth a couple weeks to me.i could absolutely see maybe a week behind higher tiers, but if I'm waiting an extra 2 it's easy enough to forget for 4 and just get the public. Just my input, and where I personally am at rn, not a dig at you guys. This is an incredible game and I wish I could support you guys more, but you know, America, 2023.
