Hi again everyone!
Take a look at 3D Bridgette, she's gorgeous!
Recently, we worked with a 3D artist who is versed in our kind of content, and I like the results a lot, so much so that I am very seriously considering moving to 3D models for the rest of the game. Below is a list of pros and cons for making this move to 3D as well as what it would mean for the future of the game.
Pros:
Moving away from AI entirely
Character visual consistency
Lighting control to set mood
Potential for player-controlled intimate scenes instead of passive viewing
Potential for animated scenes
Potential for animated conversations and poses
Dynamic camera angles for storytelling and intimate scenes
Cons:
Extended Dev time as each character and scene needs to be revisited
Extended Dev time to create each new scene afterward
Performance costs for running on lower end / mobile hardware (or lower quality but more performant visuals if chosen)
Game Files size increase
There's a lot of strength to the pros, but the impact of the cons is also big enough that I feel many players and community members might not feel it's worth the time and effort, some might not like the visual style either, and it explicitly means fewer updates in the short term in exchange for higher production value long term.
As a result, I'm making this poll. I want your opinion on whether or not to move forward with this. If we do, we would start this process sometime after the next big patch (Nerina and Summer), and we would have a poll for how you guys would prefer the rollout to happen.
I'm really excited to see what you guys think, because I think this has potential to take the game far beyond where it is now. I have prior experience with animating and using 3D models in Unity, I'm just terrible at modeling itself, so it's been a wish rather than a goal, but that wish seems achievable now. Please vote and let us know what you think! (Note: If you choose Something Else, please let me know if your concern is specifically about the wait time, the file size, or if you have a different compromise in mind!)