Why you didn't buy PSCD?

A VN/CCG hybrid game with all romance combos https://www.winterwolves.com/pscd.htm
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Why you didn't buy PSCD ?

I don't like art style
54
59%
I don't like the card gameplay
12
13%
I don't like the sci-fi setting
6
7%
I don't like the writing
8
9%
other (please specify)
12
13%
 
Total votes: 92

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Callista
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Re: Why you didn't buy PSCD?

Post by Callista »

For what it's worth, I totally go for that idea, having the DLC include the option to switch art styles. And I do agree that it'd be too much to do different art styles for CGs. From what I've been reading, it seems that the majority of people who disliked the art in PSCD had issues with the character sprites. XD

But perhaps you can have a poll asking people about the DLC idea? ^^
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jack1974
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Re: Why you didn't buy PSCD?

Post by jack1974 »

Well it's not like the switch would work only for those who have the DLC - it would work always. But I would take the "occasion" of the DLC release to also announce a new art style available for the game. I need to think about it, since there are two possible outcomes:
1) the risk of wasting even more money on a lost cause :lol:
2) the possibility to change the long-term sales (since the launch now it's already "ruined")

Of course in first case I would smash my balls with a 2handed warhammer, while in the second, I would be pleased :)
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pahldus
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Re: Why you didn't buy PSCD?

Post by pahldus »

Personally, I don't think art change is going to be enough to sway enough people to help you recoup the costs. If you had made the decision beforehand, maybe, but even then, I think this was just a perfect storm of everyone finding one thing they didn't like and deciding not to buy it for that reason.
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jack1974
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Re: Why you didn't buy PSCD?

Post by jack1974 »

Yeah that's true. I think it's safe to say in any case that in future I'll stick to the manga art style. Surely I got a lot of people on Steam that thought Nicole art was shit, all characters identical, bla bla. But what matters to me is if the game sells or not, and Nicole does as expected :) Same for PS1, or any other game with manga art, really.
Exceptions are if somehow I'll manage to get non-manga but universally acclaimed artists like Vinegaria or others.
Dankovsky
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Re: Why you didn't buy PSCD?

Post by Dankovsky »

Hey again, Jack.

Honestly I think it's time to move on from PSCD. Remaking the entire art style will take a lot of time and even more money, at it will not win you nearly enough sales to get your money back.

Now please don't think that the game is failed or ruined. Run some generous steam sales, give out some steam keys to loyal members of your community and ask them to write some reviews. The game currently has just 1 review. When people see there are more good reviews, they will be much more likely to buy it when it pops up on their steam page somewhere.
Also, be aware not many people on steam nowadays buy games on release date for full price, except when they're overhyped in advance (and that's mostly for huge AAA games like Fallout 4). Personally even though I'm not a fan of the writing or the art style I would still gladly buy it to check it out (and because I like card games) when it's discounted at 50-70%.

You have a lot of unreleased projects. Focus on making them great instead.
If you're looking for a game that WILL sell, here is a basic idea:
Make a romantic visual novel in the art style of Always Remember Me (it has the most visually appealing art style among all your games). Drop the heavy grinding/stat raising elements. Focus on writing: making a likeable protagonist, well developed romantic interests, interesting personal plot and romantic subplots (routes). Make 3-4 routes at about 5 hours long each. I believe this won't take too much of your time or money. Hire an independent editor to oversee your writers. Since this is mostly art/writing project, you'll be able to code whatever else you want in the meanwhile.

Once again, best of luck to you.
Danko
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jack1974
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Re: Why you didn't buy PSCD?

Post by jack1974 »

Haha thanks :)
Yes I don't think PSCD is a failure, it just didn't do as I expected. Though to be honest is a relief that is about the art, and not about the card game because I have some more cool ideas to do for Undead Lily (another card game).
I also agree about people rarely buying at full price, and that in combination with just TOO MANY GOOD GAMES out now, is a problem. However, people on Steam are still buying Loren and SOTW fullprice, so there's also a problem of quality :wink:

Regarding your suggestion, I am doing the sequel to Always Remember Me indeed, and there won't be stat grinding (not like previous games anyway, a different idea).
Katicflis
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Re: Why you didn't buy PSCD?

Post by Katicflis »

Loren-artist was your best artist. Her proportions/designs were gorgeous and she used that popular art style. She gave your indie games a look of incredible polish and created art worthy of big-budget RPGs. For reasons I can't recall, you lost her as an artist. You will not sell games as well without her or an equivalent to her skill. At least not the sort of games you're used to making. You're focused on small-scale RPGs and visual novels and the art is probably more important for this genre than any other genre. I saw you say 'well I have to have dependable artsists too!' in another topic. That's fine, but it sounds like you're willing to cut corners with the art but want Loren-level results anyway -- it's not gonna happen.

I say this as a fan of Dennis art and I am a bit irked by all the people saying they 'can't handle PSCD's art' even though I'd honestly place it just beneath Loren. But people love their manga and out of all the artists you hired, Loren-artist was the best at that.
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jack1974
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Re: Why you didn't buy PSCD?

Post by jack1974 »

He got a fulltime job somewhere in Japan (I'm not sure, he didn't seem to want to share details so I respect his privacy).

It's not a problem of cutting corners, it's a problem that an artist like Loren it's EXTREMELY HARD to find (I probably won't find one like that again).
But you're missing a point, ALL my other games are OK. C14 Dating is doing well. Deji is good of course. Nicole and the other games done by that artist? OK. Basically, the ONLY other game that did badly (compared to expectation, time, money spent) was Vera Blanc and Bionic Heart 2 :lol:
Even Roommates with its art style? still a MUCH MUCH better result than PSCD.

So, I think it's simply that realism for my customers (but also, Steam customers!) it's not good. Maybe if they weren't visual novels, but "gameplay based games" would be different.
lanawinst
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Re: Why you didn't buy PSCD?

Post by lanawinst »

I still think that the low sales are due to a convergence of multiple factors. I myself for example very rarely buy game at full price, and usually would rather wait for it to cost from 5 to 15 euros even for big AAA games. First of all, 20 euros is expensive for people who have low-salaries, that's why I don't go to the movies and buy my coffee cheap on 0.30 euros machines. Add that to the fact that I don't like card games, and you got the reason why I didn't buy it in the first place. But now that I have the pleasure of playing the game, I find it very enjoyable, I can't comment on the card gameplay since I'm playing on the VN mode only, but the writer did a great job with it :)

But then, it seems that most people have a problem with the art style, which I find unfortunate, because the artist isn't a bad one, just one that doesn't seem to cater to the tastes of VN lovers. I don't know if you know of Voltage ? They seem to have had the same issue. They branched out with games catered to US audiences, but the art was highly criticized for being ugly, just because it wasn't manga-like. And despite having way, way better stories, and featuring characters who didn't all look the same, sold very poorly, and they eventually discontinued almost all of their US games, and are now trying out for a more manga-like form of art. It's a bit saddening for people like me who don't find manga very appealing but alas, I guess it can't be avoided.
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jack1974
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Re: Why you didn't buy PSCD?

Post by jack1974 »

lanawinst wrote: But now that I have the pleasure of playing the game, I find it very enjoyable, I can't comment on the card gameplay since I'm playing on the VN mode only, but the writer did a great job with it :)
Thanks :) indeed knowing the value of the game, that I was a bit disappointed (I also think the card game is decent).
lanawinst wrote: But then, it seems that most people have a problem with the art style, which I find unfortunate, because the artist isn't a bad one, just one that doesn't seem to cater to the tastes of VN lovers. I don't know if you know of Voltage ? They seem to have had the same issue. They branched out with games catered to US audiences, but the art was highly criticized for being ugly, just because it wasn't manga-like. And despite having way, way better stories, and featuring characters who didn't all look the same, sold very poorly, and they eventually discontinued almost all of their US games, and are now trying out for a more manga-like form of art. It's a bit saddening for people like me who don't find manga very appealing but alas, I guess it can't be avoided.
Ah wow! I know them by name, but didn't know about this story! Well, it just confirms my fears then. If I made a pure RPG (no plot) or some other kind of game, non-manga art wouldn't be a problem. Maybe I can keep Dennis for such future games :) But for VN, it seems really that manga is a "must".
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