Hello everyone!
As I announced in Saturday's devlog, here's a poll to get your opinion on a new release schedule, alternating between Netorase Phone, and other projects.
So, if this passed, you'd get a Netorase Phone update on March 31, then an Iris update 3 weeks later, followed by another Netorase Phone update 3 weeks later. The amount of content you'd get would be the same, but with a bit more variety.
Later, once Iris' story is properly started, you'd get NTS Phone Stories chapters along Iris chapters.
Why?
There are a few reasons for me to think this new schedule would be better:
First, I've been writing Netorase Phone nearly non-stop for 2 years now. And, as much as I love Laura, Ashley and Tara, focusing on a single story for so long is becoming quite repetitive. It's a bit hard to get good inspiration when you're working on one single thing, and it can be a big issue for creative work.
Second, there are stories I'd love to tell, that wouldn't fit in Netorase Phone. Because the game shows character developing, I can't suddenly jump to content that wouldn't make sense yet. The Iris spinoff would allow me to write content focused on a specific tendency, while NTS Phone Stories would simply let me write stand-alone stories, focusing on specific elements that couldn't fit in a longer story. I could have a lot of fun with those, and offer you some nice content you wouldn't get in Netorase Phone.
Third, the current release schedule makes taking feedback into account quite hard. By the time most people have played the game, I've already started working on the next update, and large parts of it are already written. Being able to put the game "on hold" for a bit of time would not only allow me to properly assess feedback, and take it into account, but it would also let me think calmly about what's the best way to proceed next, instead of jumping to the next chapter right away.
Fourth, because these new projects will use the Illustrious model for pictures (which I also used for 365 Days Before Us), making pictures is both easier and faster (Pony, which I use for Netorase Phone, sometimes require me to spend a LOT of time to get a proper picture), which means I can have more pictures, fitting more situations.
Also, look at Iris. She really wants you to get to know her better. Also, she really wants you to watch other men get to know her better... even if she doesn't know it yet.
So, let me know your opinion in the poll, and feel free to ask questions in the comments, so that I can make a proper decision next week.
Until then, see you tomorrow for an educational Showcase!