Breeding Season: Alpha Version 5.3 [Update 11/3/14]

[FruitSmoothie]

One thing I always see is people defending artists/developers on missing a deadline in these H game forums. What's funny is that the artist/developer made the deadline themselves, so it's like a promise to people. I think people have the right to be a little disappointed if these dates are missed. Saying "They can do whatever they want because nobody is paying them", is a really stupid excuse. If you can't keep your word, just stop making release dates or exaggerate them enough to give yourself breathing room. It's not difficult. Of course people throwing fits and attacking the developer for being late isn't right either.

It doesn't make for a very good client/developer relationship if the developer doesn't keep their word. I'm not talking specifically about Hartista here, I have no idea how often he's on time or misses deadlines, just developers in general.

[Lucky777]

Incontrovertible in principle.

Sometimes unavoidable stuff gets in the way, but giving yourself generous deadlines helps with meeting them, and delivering on promises helps to keep down disappointment.

As to Hartista in particular, he'll probably update peeps when the IRL shit interfering with his schedule has settled down, and then he'll probably hit his NEXT given deadline.

[FruitSmoothie]

Well now it's been quite a while since he's updated anybody on what's going on with the game. That's not good. Being busy is one thing, disappearing altogether is another. You can always find time to access a computer to let people know what's going on. Lack of communication is something that bothers me more than anything with projects like these. It's not hard to just drop in every few days or once a week or something to update people (Especially when you have their money).

[Mechaphantom]

I have to agree having donated close to 100 dollars and having had plans to donate another 150 on robotic/steam punk monsters already in the works I'm feeling very nervous about donating in the future. While I not going to scream I want my money back because two of the 4 things I donated on have been added to the game, I am going to consider this for next time.

I didn't mind waiting, still don't and was a vocal supporter on take your time make it great. But if you miss a dead line by several weeks at least give us some news. If this was the first time this happened no big deal but isn't this like the third time?

I not angry and probably going to keep supporting the artiest and creator but I very disappointed and losing trust. I've commissioned several artist in the past who have up and disappeared with my money and never supplied results. I not accusing him of doing this but all this lack of contact and updates is setting off my spider sense.

[Belzaboo]

I still belive in Hartista.

He's been delivering content for months, and to date he hasn't disappointed us; yes, he missed a deadline, but I'm sure he's doing everything in his hands to work on the game. Sometimes shit happens, and job and family are two things full of it. I just hope he's OK and we can hear something from him very soon.

I'm personally waiting for an update, but we have to remember he has a life outside making a (very promising) porn game.

I would've posted it on the blog, but I don't want my comment lost in a sea of complains. My apologies if I sounded too mucho "white-knighty".

[psyduck]

It doesn't sound white-knighty. He deserves some benefit of the doubt. But even so, he needs to organize himself and not set deadlines he cannot make, and take donations he cannot come through for at the time he says. I know he isn't a dick, and I know this isn't intentional, and I'm certain he will return from the dead with some content, but from a business perspective, he needs to really organize how he does shit like this.

[unnecessaryaccount]

I guess that's why it's called donations. You give your money to somebody expecting nothing in return. Anybody who thinks "donate to get function X in the game" means it will be done 100% is fooling themselves. Unless you got a signed deal, your money is as good as gone, whether he returns or not. (maybe he took the money and ran to mexico to live like a king for $2 a day )

[deathreaper711]

I guess that's why it's called donations. You give your money to somebody expecting nothing in return. Anybody who thinks "donate to get function X in the game" means it will be done 100% is fooling themselves. Unless you got a signed deal, your money is as good as gone, whether he returns or not. (maybe he took the money and ran to mexico to live like a king for $2 a day )

That's the problem mostly. It's a strange and poorly worded way to have and get "donations". Donations are a gift, a gift is to give without compensation. The problem is that his blog has "Donation voting", which is to amass your donations to implement features right? That's compensation for the money given, it's an exchange when it comes to this system, not a gift nor a donation. You can call it a "donation", a "gift", or whatever you want, but by definition it becomes an exchange when it's stated on the blog and elsewhere by hartista that the features which get the highest amount donated, get implemented. Even if these were considered actual "donations" for the sole purpose of giving without compensation, hartista has given his word on multiple occasions regarding the features to be implemented for those who have sent money.

"Now you can support the game while also shaping the direction it moves in by putting your donations behind the features you'd most like to see included. Every month I will take two top rated features and put them in the game. If your feature doesn't win, don't worry: your money will remain backing the feature you picked forever until it gets implemented, and everything I've put up on the donations page is a feature I intend to have in the game eventually (emphasis on the eventually)."

This is hartista's statement about the donation voting when it was first opened on the blog. When you put a donation into something and get compensation or expect it, then it's no longer a donation. In a system that revolves around compensation for donations, it then excludes them from even being proper "donations". I know it's redundant to state it again. But if it's clearly stated that what you donate for in the donation system will be implemented eventually (It wasn't stated "maybe" eventually), it then negates it being a donation, you support the game to get what you want in, the compensation or exchange thus becomes what you donate for and what wins. Even if you completely disregarded multiple statements by Hartista, it wouldn't change anything due to how this system works.

The very nature of the donation voting is to get what you want in, as stated by hartista himself, and using common sense to see the system for what it is. It may function as a similar basis to donations, but it is by definition not a donation system, nor were those donations when people clearly put their money towards those features. If they just donated using the donation button to the right on the blog, then sure. Using this system though that's in place, and especially with how it's currently worded is nowhere near the same as a proper "donation".

tl;dr They really can't be construed as hard cut "donations". Nor does it justify it no matter what you think you can call it, it's still an exchange due to the nature of compensation for gifting. There's also Hartista's own words which validates that donors get something in return on top of this, with no warning or reiteration or clarification regarding on what it can be construed as, which at this point would be redundant because like I said, those aren't donations anyways when it becomes an exchange regardless.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to imply anything here or speak ill of anyone. I'm merely stating they can't logically be counted by definition as a "donation" when you partake in the current or rather past "donation voting" system, and that should never be used as an excuse to take money from supporters and disappear anyways, even if that was the case, which it isn't here. I already know Hartista hasn't done anything of the sort (As I have some faith in the guy), nor am i trying to imply that he did, just that the guy I'm quoting is severely wrong in his view regarding it.

[KingKaor]

Although that "King of Mexico for $2 a day" joke was pretty funny.

[eroticgrapefruit]

I guess that's why it's called donations. You give your money to somebody expecting nothing in return. Anybody who thinks "donate to get function X in the game" means it will be done 100% is fooling themselves. Unless you got a signed deal, your money is as good as gone, whether he returns or not. (maybe he took the money and ran to mexico to live like a king for $2 a day )

Well, if you set up a fraudulent charity, take peoples' money, and don't do what you said you were going to with it, that's actually a felony. Not exactly the same thing, sure, but "donation" doesn't mean "give me your money and maybe I'll do what I said I was going to".

Anyway I don't think the problem here is that he missed a deadline or even flaked out, it's that there's been complete radio silence for quite some time since the deadline was set, and then missed without a word.

[Stazza]

I might be missing something but I don't see why people are upset about Harista missing one deadline, and as for a lack of communication it says on the blog that the next update is due for the 14th of this month.

[Calpico]

I might be missing something but I don't see why people are upset about Harista missing one deadline, and as for a lack of communication it says on the blog that the next update is due for the 14th of this month.

He's missed multiple deadlines, but this is easily the longest he's gone after a deadline without uploading an update. June 23rd was the deadline he missed that people are upset about. This update was planned to bring Male/Male animations. A separate update is planned on July 14th. This update was planned to bring the "Neoteny trait"
The deadline of July 14th doesn't explain his lack of communication.

[FruitSmoothie]

Didn't he say he was going to take down the donation button until he caught up with updates? I still see it functioning fine there on the homepage.

Missing a deadline is one thing, not communicating with people is much worse. There are excuses for not being able to work on a project as much as you want, but not for the lack of communication. When somebody avoids communication, it makes me think that they're ignoring their projects and their fans as opposed to just being busy. Everybody can spare 2 minutes to find a computer to write a message out.

I love this project but Hartista really should have made sure he was capable of updating on time and keeping with his project, before he started this voting feature and promising updates on certain dates. There have been two missed updates (MalexMale still not out, originally for 6/2 then 6/16, then 6/23) that Hartista at least posted a message about, but this latest one still has no explanation for weeks now.

It's pretty disappointing, I hope he gets back on track.

[Mr. Enigma]

For those of you who don't follow the blog Harista is back; and explains why he was gone for so long.

[Justapuppet]

He just put a status update on the blog, finally explaining what's up... emphasis on the "finally."
http://breedingseasongame.blogspot.com/ ... sence.html

Should calm a few nerves.

[James3167]

Damn, that's tough... and we have been giving him hell for the past few weeks, but it is still not an excuse for posting an update especially to the people whom have donated to the game.

[IrrelevantComment]

I donated, and I'm fine with it. If you care more about your porn than about the developer's RL issues, then you need to take a look at your priorities

[deathreaper711]

I donated, and I'm fine with it. If you care more about your porn than about the developer's RL issues, then you need to take a look at your priorities

So? I've donated as well, this does not bring more validity to your claim when it comes down to your subjective preferences. Those who donate using the exchange/donation "voting" system obviously care about what they get, otherwise they would use the actual donation button, rather than the exchange system he had up. Ironically enough, even then it wouldn't change much of the point. Those who want to actually "donate", will do so, those who were promised something through giving money can be understandably upset. Does it justify any of the shit pulled on the blog in the comment section against Hartista? Hell no. It doesn't justify that behavior at all, (That should go without saying) but the lack of communication was the biggest detriment that drove a small issue into larger proportions due to the money given and statements not upheld over multiple occasions. Though again it does not justify treating someone else with ill intent.

May I add that the developer's RL issues are his own to deal with and while it does affect the development process, the best you can really do is try to empathize. A person's real life is much more important to them, than I assume hobbies done in spare time. People need to understand that, but people such as yourself need to understand that when it's an exchange system like he has now, that can't be construed as "donations" (Read my last post), then they have every right to know what's happened to the money they invested in the project and every right to ask about updates promised in regards to their effort and hard earned money given to support the project, even if it's something stating that it's not possible to work on it for a long time. This is still completely valid if they were just donations that were given, but due to the exchanging voting system that was up before, it only solidifies my point. No one here from what i can tell is prioritizing a person over porn, but they do want to know that their money will actually not be disregarded despite promises made, and that is a very real and very understandable notion. When it becomes toxic, rude behavior, then yes, it's not justifiable.

If you somehow view it differently, then good for you. But don't tell other people to take a look at their priorities in regards to something that's not stated here though, especially when people have every right to ask about the updating process when money is involved and promises are made. Your behavior isn't much different than the extremes found on the blog, though instead of passive aggressiveness towards the developer, it's towards other donators concerned about an investment they made and suggesting that there's more communication. If you were somehow referencing behavior on the blog, then you should have stated so, but even in that case those are just ungrateful people trying to insult and spread rumors, nothing you or I say will change that, and not a second thought should be given to those people, there's tons of people like that, and I'm sure Hartista knows that.

[eroticgrapefruit]

Perfectly happy with the status update.

[deathreaper711]

Perfectly happy with the status update.

Same here.