10/28/2025 Progress Update: Update in a Few Weeks (Amaty Ramble at the End)
Hello, Meerkats!
The update is at 22k words and will probably be released a few days before I board my flight. Expect it sometime in mid-November. Due to my life being hectic as all hell, progress has been a little slow. I do apologize that there won't be an update this month. I'll do my best to make sure the next one is good!
We also got this CG of the principal and Ethan.
Much love,
Amaty
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Okay, that's all that the professional side of me has to say. Now this is a ramble from me, the actual person who makes this game. This isn't really necessary to read, and it's completely unedited, but it will explain some of my thought process and how the game will be monetized in the future. I'm a bit frustrated, and I wanted to let you guys know how I'm feeling.
I’ve always wanted to keep this games monetization as light as possible. While I obviously do need money to support both myself and this game, I didn’t want to become the type of developer that releases horse armor DLC. This game has touched the lives of many people, and I felt I had a responsibility to keep it as accessible as possible. I know not everyone has the money to support financially, and I felt a game like this is something that many people appreciate and some people need.
I put out a poll a few days ago asking what I should do regarding the budget for A Mirror’s Curse. I’ve been mulling over the options I gave you guys and realized I just can’t implement some of them.
Silver Tier, the lowest to get early access is 10 USD a month. I am fully aware that most other TGTF games price their subscriptions at 5 USD a month. Netflix’s Standard with Ads plan (7.99/mo) actually costs less than Silver Tier, while providing significantly more content. I’m a solo dev, I can’t really keep up with these other subscriptions made by massive companies. 10 bucks a month is also a very significant amount of money! I’ve worked 2 hours of a torturous minimum wage job just to make that amount. I’m fully aware of how difficult it is in this economy right now, and I truly appreciate the support.
So, why are people paying 10 USD a month for A Mirror’s Curse? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m assuming it’s because this game offers something special that you want to support. Right now is not a good time for transgender individuals, and this game explores themes that aren’t common elsewhere. If you’re one of the people who found this game on TGGamesSite, I’m sure you’re fully aware that this game is one of the very few that aren’t just fetish/pure NSFW.
So how can I try and get even more money from my Patrons through DLC when they're already doing so much for me? Simply put, I can’t. I think 10 USD a month is more than enough for all the content A Mirror’s Curse has to offer. The people most likely to buy the DLC are people who already support the game. In good conscience, I don’t think I can ask my Patrons to give me 5 extra dollars for a blahaj keychain or a new Ethan hairstyle.
And then comes my issue with the free players. Look, I’m not a saint. Fitgirl is my best friend and quite a few webrips are sitting on my hard drive. But A Mirror’s Curse is being pirated left and right. I'm not EA with billions of dollars at my disposal, I'm just trying to make something for the community I'm a part of. Due to the increased cost of living I’ll have to deal with when I move, two things will probably happen. One, a lot of artists working on this game will have less work or straight up stop getting work. A number of them have already been “laid off.” Two, I’ll probably be getting a 9-5 once I move. Just to clarify, I have been working full time on this game for the past 6 months.
Some of you may scoff at that. I’m assuming most of you work to make a living, and might think that I’m just complaining. But the thing is, this game takes time too. Trust me, it is not just a little hobby I spend 10 hours a week on. Writing, editing, proofreading, art direction, community management, etc. all takes time and energy. I am incredibly grateful for this job, it’s amazing and I’m so glad to be here. A work from home on your own schedule job that one genuinely enjoys is not easy to find in 2025. But, at the end of the day, it is still a full-time job that I spend at least 40 hours working on every week.
I also get a lot of comments, mostly from non-paying players, complaining about EVERYTHING. Look, I'm not pretending this game is perfect. If anything, I'm one of its harshest critics. I think it has a ton of problems, and I could go on for hours about what I should've done differently. But as a human being, I am getting really tired of the constant complaining about everything. No, I don't have unlimited budget and time. I can't pump out 100k words a week or have a CG every scene. I can't do everything for everyone.
I just don't see the point in continuing to keep the public release only two versions behind with no other differences. Why am I giving my Patrons less perks just for players who don't even appreciate the work I'm doing? Why am I hurting the people who support my art with their hard-earned money to try and please people who only seem to complain?
So, what's going to happen? Basically, I'll be moving the public release to being 4 versions behind instead of 2 versions behind. Some smaller bits of content might also be cut out of the public version, such as additional hair/eye colors. Some outfits, backpack accessories, NSFW scenes, and more may be cut as well. While I won't be cutting any of the story, some small things may get removed.
Thanks for reading. I hope to see you all in a few weeks for 0.31.