Post by LarkyLabs in Oathbreaker comments

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There is already a downloadable windows exe which doesn't require an active Patreon subscription to play on Patreon. You can simply make a one time donation and download your file along with many other patreon benefits and cancel your subscription the next month if you really want to.

The reason why I don't sell the nsfw version standalone is;

1- Because Patrons actually fund these games. Without my patrons, I wouldn't be able to make them at all, so while I do understand people wanting to buy the nsfw version on somewhere like itch.io, right now it's part of my thanks to people who actually make these games come true. They are also generous enough to let me distribute the full sfw versions of these games for free.

2- The nsfw scenes are barely %5 of the entire game. I don't like the dlc system, and I don't think it's fair to ask money for such a small part of an otherwise completely free game. The reason why they are a patreon benefit is that it comes with many more extra benefits as a pretty big package. Like a basket of gifts instead of one.

3- Even if I wanted to, I could not sell anything on itch.io, because the payment platforms they insist on using are not allowed in countless countries like mine. You can blame itch.io's lack of an international payment system for this. Neither Steam nor Patreon has this problem, so this is something I feel they need to work on.

I hope this helps explain things. 💖 Thank you for playing and also your interest in my game.

Elvira Talgar4 years ago (3 edits)

Ah, ok thanks. So there is a downloadable NSFW version for patrons now? In that case I'll (re)subscribe, at least for a month. ;-) I actually like your work and would happily support you by buying your stuff but I truly hate subscriptions and I also dislike playing things in web-browsers or on remote places. Not only because it is limited but also because they tend to go "poof" over time and I like to "archive" good things.

Update: Done! Thanks a lot for info/help. :-)

LarkyLabs4 years ago

Yes. There is also a downloadable file for the sfw version too. It's on itch.io, just below the description / info. Most benefits you can access on my patreon are downloadable. Maybe the browser version I uploaded confused you?

As I mentioned before, the earnings I receive monthly from Patreon go directly into the production of the games (The artists, musicians etc). Since these are episodic games, a subscription system works very well with this format. I can continue to release new episodes thanks to all the subscriptions, and people can keep playing them. You, of course, are free to not like it personally, but this is what I feel most comfortable doing as a developer who wants to keep making free to play games for everybody to have some sort of access despite their financial situation.🙂

Going "poof" over time is unfortunately a serious problem of today's digital content. Platforms like Steam are included in this digital "renting" system. So, not every downloadable content is archiveable either. This is especially serious in the mobile app industry. Which is exactly why I like Patreon, because it gives developers more power over their own content. How you distribute, how you contact with the people who support you is completely up to you. Feels like I'm advertising Patreon, but as a creator, I'm really really happy with their platform and I think most people misunderstand how it actually works. Basically, the people who can afford it help those who can't access the content that they feel are worth it. ⭐
Feel free to join whenever you like. I do hope you will enjoy it, if you do! 🙂

Elvira Talgar4 years ago

Yes, I did join your patrons again and I downloaded it, thank you. It's not that I cannot subscribe of course I just dislike to do so. And my main concern was that I thought there will be no executable to download just a web-browser version like it was in the past (I was already your patron due to this game for one month about a year ago when I played it. ;-))

LarkyLabs4 years ago

Ah, no wonder you thought they were browser based, then. It's been a while since I converted. Let me know if you have any more questions, and have fun! 🙂

Vechernyaya4 years ago(-9)

So, the NSFW scenes are 5% of the game and you think it's not fair to sell it, but if we want it, we got to go make a donation on Patreon...

Logical.

LarkyLabs4 years ago(+5)

Donations on Patreon give you way more than just %5 of the game, and it helps me fund it. So, yes. Logical. Why so aggressive? It's just a game.

Vechernyaya4 years ago(-11)

There is no agressiveness in my ironic comment.

I'm just interested in your game, but I'll never support censorship, that's why I won't play this free version and that's one of the reasons I won't ever give any money to patreon (the other being that I believe that installements are an encouragement to work slowly, I prefer to give more but in one time, like for early access games)

I'm willing to reward you for your work, but if it's reserved to patreon, there is no problems with me, it's your loss. It is your game, you have the right to distribute it how you want, and I have the right to not like it, that's all.

LarkyLabs4 years ago(+9)

You and I have very different definitions of censorship. This game is not a porn game where I'm censoring what is initially it's purpose. It's a plot heavy story game.
The free version is the full version, and the Patreon version is simply a gift among many other gifts to the people who support this game on a monthly basis, which is what I need to fund a new chapter each month. I work with a large team, and this is all of our main job.

I am not seeking any rewards for my work, as I mentioned before the full version is free. The game is simply being funded by regular support of the people who enjoy the work and want it to continue, and the rewards including the optional nsfw scenes are MY gifts to these people as my thanks.

This is the way I get to release an actual interactive story game for free for the people who are into story games not porn games, and I also get to make my patrons (the people who are actually interested in my games) happy.

What you believe that should and should not happen is irrelevant, as you are clearly not my audience. Your rightous quest for fighting against censorship on an indie game distribution website, against indie game developers who do the very best they can to fund the games on their own in an industry full of cold-hard economic decisions that are both shitty for developers and players alike is funny to me, but go off, I guess.
Again, rating an indie full game with a 0 star because you couldn't get your fix of digital dicks and tits is ridiculous.

You have a right to not like the way I distribute my game in a way that makes MY audience happy, and I have a right to find your pettiness funny.

There are thousands of porn games on this website, good ones too. Please move on. You are not entitled to everything.

Vechernyaya4 years ago(-13)

Sorry to burst your little bubble, but it's not for you to decide if I'm your audience or not, and as a matter of fact, I am.

And you can present it however you want, the existence of a SFW version and a NSFW version make the first one a censored version. This can't be the full version either, that's not the definition of "full", and I won't give a good rating to a censored incomplete product. But I am not the one that put porn scenes in my games and criticize peoples for wanting boobs and dicks. It's a bit hypocritical.

So I'll continue to play erotic games that I find on F95zone, ( those with great stories, interesting characters and intriguing plot, and with erotism ) and reward the authors that I like when I appreciate their work. Except when they do everything they can to deter me from doing so.

Anyway, good continuation, you do great games, and I really appreciate them, even if you seem somewhat on the defensive when we approach the NSFW part of your work. If some day you decide to put the complete uncensored version of your games here, I'll give them good ratings and if you decide to make those full version paying, I'll gladly buy them.

LarkyLabs4 years ago(+5)

This is a ridiculous conversation, and it will keep going in circles.

I'm not defensive at all, I'm just making sure I'm clear about what this game really is. I feel my content will be very boring to a player who is looking porn games. Which is why your definition of "full game" is faulty in this context. This is a story game, and the SFW version gives you exactly that. No different ending, no life or death decisions based on the few extra scenes of the NSFW version.

I'm not asking you for a good rating either, I only said I find it petty and funny. I am also not critizing you for wanting tits and dicks, obviously. I'm just judging you a little bit for demanding them on a game page that clearly doesn't have tits and dicks.

Thanks for your compliment, even if it came with a rating threat. I will do my best to continue.

I don't plan on releasing them on itch.io or steam at the moment, as I do need to fund my games so I can keep making them. Selling them individually just doesn't cover the cost, and I'm grateful to my patrons for making these games possible.

If I do start selling the nsfw versions individually one day, you will be the first to know, so I can finally get my full rating.