Complete game or Route by Route?
Added 2018-04-24 17:30:59 +0000 UTCHow do you prefer your games released? Do you prefer having a complete game that is released all at once or a game that comes out faster but is released route by route?
Many times during the course of development, we considered the value of releasing Changeling with some routes complete and adding the others via game updates.
But for other games that have taken this approach, it feels like there is somewhat of a mixed reaction.
The value of releasing a common route + each individual route separately is that as a consumer you can pay only for the characters you're actually interested in and avoid the ones you don't care for.
The drawback is having to wait for characters you like to be released - especially if they are last in line. Another drawback is that sometimes breaking the routes up means that you ultimately pay more to get the entire game.
Let us know your thoughts!
Comments
To be fair, I just pulled the number 10 out of thin air. xD But the project I've mentioned to you, Endgame? Off the top of my head, I can count potentially 9 love interests. And that's without thinking *too* hard about it. OwO It's easy to pare a list down and keep certain characters to "side character" status but if it turned out we DID feel all 9 had stories worth pursuing, it's good to have options regarding how and when to release so many love interests!
Steamberry Studio
2018-04-25 19:07:31 +0000 UTC10 love interests? Seriously? o.o Yes, I think it's a good idea to start with 2-3 and then the remaining ones being added.
Kattie
2018-04-25 18:59:06 +0000 UTCI also think it makes more sense if that's been the plan all along. Though we've had some suggestions of releasing Changeling route by route, it wasn't really set up that way. It doesn't make sense to have the current route selection set up if you get to that scene and some routes aren't even available. But for future games, it's good to know where people stand. Because with some our potential projects, there are a lot of opportunities for love interests but writing a game with 10 love interests is a monumental task. So it's worth it to know if people would be okay with maybe 3 to start with, and then others being added in later on.
Steamberry Studio
2018-04-25 18:45:48 +0000 UTCThat is also a very good point - and I hadn't considered the value of spreading out the playing. I know that it can be hard to get through a game all at once - especially a long one. So having the routes spread out could be helpful for that, for sure. Interesting perspective! Thanks for sharing it. OwO
Steamberry Studio
2018-04-25 02:04:07 +0000 UTCIt depends on how the game is set up, although I tend to actually like route by rout a bit more because it spreads out playing and if there's an issue with one particular route, it won't necessarily hold up release of the entire game.
Katherine Malloy
2018-04-24 23:03:32 +0000 UTCIt largely depends on the narrative, though. For some games, like Hakuoki, Dandelion or Hatoful Boyfriend, doing route by route just wouldn't work. For Changeling it might if not for the fact that you have to choose between William and Marc. But it still makes more sense to release it whole. I feel it's the most fitting to do route by route releases if the routes are clearly separate stories that don't have a lot to do with each other.
Kattie
2018-04-24 20:24:51 +0000 UTCBoth very good points OwO
Steamberry Studio
2018-04-24 20:05:53 +0000 UTCIf a game is released route by route then yes, it might end up being more expensive once you add up the prices of all routes, but having to pay a few bucks once a month or two is easier to swallow. Also, it helps generate at least some of the budget needed for development.
Kattie
2018-04-24 19:45:31 +0000 UTC
