I think I found the issue: I raised the price with 99 cents in order to harmonize more with the price level on Steam. This means that you might have to add another 99 cents in order to unlock this content. Sorry for the inconvenience, I wasn't aware of the fact that this would influence people who'd already bought the season.
No, doesn't work. I have restored the original price so you will be able to download the new version. I will have to work out another approach to align the pricing with Steam. Thank you for making me aware of this issue.
I didn't want to comment on the pricing, but I feel like I really have to. I have just finished playing the public version (to get an idea of what I will pay for), and I feel like the amount of content is not worth 12 dollars here on itch. Don't get me wrong, I think that the story itself is interesting enough that I would be willing to pay money for it. However, the amount of content I see, at least in the three episodes in the public version, 12 dollars each season is just way too much. Think about this. AAA games tend to be around 70 dollars. If we assume the price is going to be around 10 dollars each season, then with the 30 episodes you have in mind, or probably 6 seasons, the total cost of the entire game will become 60 dollars. Considering that I finished the first 3 episodes in around an hour at most (I forgot how long), 60 dollars for the entire game is really way too high. Your game is great, and I am not comparing it to those games made by companies to discourage you or anything, I just think that it might be beneficial to bring up some numbers you can compare to when pricing the game. No matter what, I really just have to say that I just cannot justify myself to pay that much for the game, despite that I think it is a great story and has great potential. However, if the price of the game is reconsidered, I would definitely be supporting and buying the game.
Thank you for your honest feedback. I see this comment ever so often - the projection of the full amount for the full 6 seaons. The comparison to AAA games is understandable, at the same time, these developers have tens or maybe even hunderds of millions of dollar budget, where as The Builder is a cottage industry. So you have to look at it in terms of handcrafted goods - with its beauty faults and its personality.
Having said that, I totally agree that with the present amount of content for the two seasons the pricing of the full six will be too high. If you go to Steam, you can buy the two seasons as a bundle - and I agree that when the story is brought to its conclusion, there has to be a price / value adjustment.
This is my first game. I'm learning things I never thought I'd learn when I majored in literature, including tech stuff, pricing mechanics, 3D rendering, automations and customer care. It's extiting but also demanding. For that reason, I am very grateful for your input, and to summarize: Duly noted. The full price of the six seasons needs to be lower than an AAA game by far.
How to get there is a process, and any ideas are most welcome.
I think I found the issue: I raised the price with 99 cents in order to harmonize more with the price level on Steam. This means that you might have to add another 99 cents in order to unlock this content. Sorry for the inconvenience, I wasn't aware of the fact that this would influence people who'd already bought the season.
Thank you for your question. I still haven't worked out how to make this work in an automated way, but I'll post and update as soon as I work out if it's doable.
Really disappointed with the steam launch for this game, I was rooting for it to be good but after going through the first season there's a whole lot of issues that I need to address.
-To charge 7-10 USD for each season is beyond the pale, there is not enough game in there to justify that price. 3-5 USD a season? maybe. This becomes more evident when you realize Season 1 is being advertised with S2 scenes and characters.
-I bought the bundle expecting S1 to include the scene with Synne on bed, as it is included on the store page, or the one when Kikki is holding Charlotte's boobs, this made it look as the first season would have much more content than it really has, but nope, if you have played the free / demo version on itch you have already experienced well over 70% of the first season, and the remaining 30% isn't that well done,
-After each following chapter the black screens and "thoughts" masking the limited amounts of renders become more predominant and it becomes apparent that the focus was put on the first couple of chapters while the following feel thoroughly rushed.
- The achievements also support this idea, there are 8 single achievements on S1 and all of them you "achieve" on the first 20-30 minutes of play.
- Also on that note, the game inflates play time by having you go through both "choices" on a specific fork on the road early on, something I can only justify as the developer needing to set the stage for a future scenario including both characters those "choices" involve being present with the MC, as in making it easier for just rendering a single version of that hypothetical scene. It would've been easier to simply have both scenes happen without having the player choose one over the other, it feels cheap and manipulative.
I just hope this honest feedback brings a bit of perspective to the developer, there is still time to fix the most glaring issues and prevent your audience to reach the same conclusions I have.
Thank you for your input! I will try to adress your comments as good as I can - and I would love your thoughts on this:
Pricing
It's been hard for me to assess the price level on this - but I take with me your input - thank you
Screenshots
It was a long process to get the game approved with several changes of plans, so this needs to be cleaned up. As for the quality of the overall game, that is of course done to the best of my abilities.
The narrator screens
I guess this is a question of taste - Not all images are that fun to create either. But okay, noted.
Achievements
This is work in progress - a lot more is planned on being added - as mentioned in the release notes.
Thanks, that's good to know. I wouldn't dare to suggest what price you should charge for your product, but I can say that there is not enough content in your first season to charge 7-8 USD (don't know if that's the price everywhere, that's how much it shows in my region) I could point at other AVNs priced similary ("Come Home", for instance, wich is free but you can purchase a premium edition for about the same price of TB) and TB doesn't come close to the amount of content those other games provide. You have a nice premise, it's different and interesting, you also have models / Lis that feel a bit more realistic and down to earth, more so than the usual bimbos with impossible hourglass shapes you get in most AVNs, but other than that your game is lacking in other areas, and these other areas (amount of content, animation quality, etc) weigh a ton in people's perception of the game experience and whether the price matches what they've experienced. I hope you can take my feedback to heart and improve your product for future seasons, I wish you well.
Love the game! Keep up the great work. Just FYI, the revisisons to the doll scene are just creepy. I enjoyed the original scene much more and without getting the ick.
Thank you for your support and feedback! I needed to remove the AI images so the game can be AI clean, but I have noted your feedback and will bring that with me in further revisions.
If you can specify what aspect of the new images that creates what creepy feeling, that would be of help.
Looking at the scene now, in relationship to how young Rob looks, the doll looks similar to how I imagine a child might look like in Fjorda. The doll blinks it's eyes (as if it's alive). So when the scene cuts from Rob describing how his dad destroys the doll, to the scene with the broken doll in the trash - it's horrifying because it looks like a mutilated child - who is gasping for breath. Things to consider: 1. Can you make the doll look less realistic and more toy-like? For example, many children's dolls do not have developed breasts. Maybe the skin texture is more porcelain or wood-like (which I think the original was). 2. If the doll's joints were more doll like -(gaps where the shoulders and elbows articulate) you could maybe show the limbs "akimbo" and see the thread/band that connects the elbow or shoulder joint. So the doll parts in the dust bin look less like a mutilated child and more like a broken toy. 3. Some dolls cry. With your current animation, you could change the script from how life like the doll breathed, to how life-like it's eye's blinked and cried. I notice the doll in the story blinking, but not the rise/fall of it's chest. Add tears to the animation, and in the trash can scene replace the gasping face with a tear-stained crying face and it might be just as moving, and less creepy. Hope this feedback helps!!
I will see what I can do. The joints are beyond me, but the breasts and the skin should be within reach somehow. Tears are always a hazzle, but there are assets for them, so it should be possible.
Won't be this month though, as I'm working hard with the Stream release.
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Any updates on a verified fix for the issue with previous purchases no longer allowing access to the content beyond the public demo?
Bumping this. Really cool I can't download the game I paid for.
I think I found the issue: I raised the price with 99 cents in order to harmonize more with the price level on Steam. This means that you might have to add another 99 cents in order to unlock this content. Sorry for the inconvenience, I wasn't aware of the fact that this would influence people who'd already bought the season.
So how do we fix it?
"This means that you might have to add another 99 cents in order to unlock this content." So you haven't verified whether that works or not?
No, doesn't work. I have restored the original price so you will be able to download the new version. I will have to work out another approach to align the pricing with Steam. Thank you for making me aware of this issue.
Thanks for responding and fixing it.
It's hard for me to verify, but let me do a search.
As said: It is now restored to its original level and should be downloadable.
I didn't want to comment on the pricing, but I feel like I really have to. I have just finished playing the public version (to get an idea of what I will pay for), and I feel like the amount of content is not worth 12 dollars here on itch. Don't get me wrong, I think that the story itself is interesting enough that I would be willing to pay money for it. However, the amount of content I see, at least in the three episodes in the public version, 12 dollars each season is just way too much. Think about this. AAA games tend to be around 70 dollars. If we assume the price is going to be around 10 dollars each season, then with the 30 episodes you have in mind, or probably 6 seasons, the total cost of the entire game will become 60 dollars. Considering that I finished the first 3 episodes in around an hour at most (I forgot how long), 60 dollars for the entire game is really way too high. Your game is great, and I am not comparing it to those games made by companies to discourage you or anything, I just think that it might be beneficial to bring up some numbers you can compare to when pricing the game. No matter what, I really just have to say that I just cannot justify myself to pay that much for the game, despite that I think it is a great story and has great potential. However, if the price of the game is reconsidered, I would definitely be supporting and buying the game.
Thank you for your honest feedback. I see this comment ever so often - the projection of the full amount for the full 6 seaons. The comparison to AAA games is understandable, at the same time, these developers have tens or maybe even hunderds of millions of dollar budget, where as The Builder is a cottage industry. So you have to look at it in terms of handcrafted goods - with its beauty faults and its personality.
Having said that, I totally agree that with the present amount of content for the two seasons the pricing of the full six will be too high. If you go to Steam, you can buy the two seasons as a bundle - and I agree that when the story is brought to its conclusion, there has to be a price / value adjustment.
This is my first game. I'm learning things I never thought I'd learn when I majored in literature, including tech stuff, pricing mechanics, 3D rendering, automations and customer care. It's extiting but also demanding. For that reason, I am very grateful for your input, and to summarize: Duly noted. The full price of the six seasons needs to be lower than an AAA game by far.
How to get there is a process, and any ideas are most welcome.
Best,
Chris / Lewd Robotics
Question. Do i need to buy again? It's only saying I have access to the free stuff 1-3 I purchased over a year ago.
Try accessing the game from your library rather than the game's page. Itch is weird like that.
Hi, I'm experiencing the same. Even accessing from my library's Download button, just shows Episodes 1-3. Purchased on 2024-06-01
Nope, even going that way its still 1-3. odd
Same here. I had bought both seasons and both are only the free version now.
I think I found the issue: I raised the price with 99 cents in order to harmonize more with the price level on Steam. This means that you might have to add another 99 cents in order to unlock this content. Sorry for the inconvenience, I wasn't aware of the fact that this would influence people who'd already bought the season.
How would i go about adding the 99cents with out having to flat out do another 11 on top?
That doesn't work on itch. You can not add money. But I have the game Radiant bought with 5$ and now it costs 10$ and I haven't lost it.
Why click download into the jump page there is no response? I can't download it normally.for Android
Try it on Steam?
Is there going to be a key to add the game on Steam?
Thank you for your question. I still haven't worked out how to make this work in an automated way, but I'll post and update as soon as I work out if it's doable.
Really disappointed with the steam launch for this game, I was rooting for it to be good but after going through the first season there's a whole lot of issues that I need to address.
-To charge 7-10 USD for each season is beyond the pale, there is not enough game in there to justify that price. 3-5 USD a season? maybe. This becomes more evident when you realize Season 1 is being advertised with S2 scenes and characters.
-I bought the bundle expecting S1 to include the scene with Synne on bed, as it is included on the store page, or the one when Kikki is holding Charlotte's boobs, this made it look as the first season would have much more content than it really has, but nope, if you have played the free / demo version on itch you have already experienced well over 70% of the first season, and the remaining 30% isn't that well done,
-After each following chapter the black screens and "thoughts" masking the limited amounts of renders become more predominant and it becomes apparent that the focus was put on the first couple of chapters while the following feel thoroughly rushed.
- The achievements also support this idea, there are 8 single achievements on S1 and all of them you "achieve" on the first 20-30 minutes of play.
- Also on that note, the game inflates play time by having you go through both "choices" on a specific fork on the road early on, something I can only justify as the developer needing to set the stage for a future scenario including both characters those "choices" involve being present with the MC, as in making it easier for just rendering a single version of that hypothetical scene. It would've been easier to simply have both scenes happen without having the player choose one over the other, it feels cheap and manipulative.
I just hope this honest feedback brings a bit of perspective to the developer, there is still time to fix the most glaring issues and prevent your audience to reach the same conclusions I have.
Thank you for your input! I will try to adress your comments as good as I can - and I would love your thoughts on this:
Pricing
It's been hard for me to assess the price level on this - but I take with me your input - thank you
Screenshots
It was a long process to get the game approved with several changes of plans, so this needs to be cleaned up. As for the quality of the overall game, that is of course done to the best of my abilities.
The narrator screens
I guess this is a question of taste - Not all images are that fun to create either. But okay, noted.
Achievements
This is work in progress - a lot more is planned on being added - as mentioned in the release notes.
Choices and agency
This is also work in progress
That's about where it stands right now.
I've corrected the mix of screenshots for the two seasons - thanks for letting me know
Thanks, that's good to know. I wouldn't dare to suggest what price you should charge for your product, but I can say that there is not enough content in your first season to charge 7-8 USD (don't know if that's the price everywhere, that's how much it shows in my region) I could point at other AVNs priced similary ("Come Home", for instance, wich is free but you can purchase a premium edition for about the same price of TB) and TB doesn't come close to the amount of content those other games provide. You have a nice premise, it's different and interesting, you also have models / Lis that feel a bit more realistic and down to earth, more so than the usual bimbos with impossible hourglass shapes you get in most AVNs, but other than that your game is lacking in other areas, and these other areas (amount of content, animation quality, etc) weigh a ton in people's perception of the game experience and whether the price matches what they've experienced. I hope you can take my feedback to heart and improve your product for future seasons, I wish you well.
Thank you for taking the time to give input!
¿Español?
Lo investigaré después del lanzamiento en Steam el 3 de marzo.
aguardo noticias jeje
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Love the game! Keep up the great work. Just FYI, the revisisons to the doll scene are just creepy. I enjoyed the original scene much more and without getting the ick.
Thank you for your support and feedback! I needed to remove the AI images so the game can be AI clean, but I have noted your feedback and will bring that with me in further revisions.
If you can specify what aspect of the new images that creates what creepy feeling, that would be of help.
chr
Looking at the scene now, in relationship to how young Rob looks, the doll looks similar to how I imagine a child might look like in Fjorda. The doll blinks it's eyes (as if it's alive). So when the scene cuts from Rob describing how his dad destroys the doll, to the scene with the broken doll in the trash - it's horrifying because it looks like a mutilated child - who is gasping for breath. Things to consider:
1. Can you make the doll look less realistic and more toy-like? For example, many children's dolls do not have developed breasts. Maybe the skin texture is more porcelain or wood-like (which I think the original was).
2. If the doll's joints were more doll like -(gaps where the shoulders and elbows articulate) you could maybe show the limbs "akimbo" and see the thread/band that connects the elbow or shoulder joint. So the doll parts in the dust bin look less like a mutilated child and more like a broken toy.
3. Some dolls cry. With your current animation, you could change the script from how life like the doll breathed, to how life-like it's eye's blinked and cried. I notice the doll in the story blinking, but not the rise/fall of it's chest. Add tears to the animation, and in the trash can scene replace the gasping face with a tear-stained crying face and it might be just as moving, and less creepy.
Hope this feedback helps!!
Thank you for that thorough and inspiring input!
I will see what I can do. The joints are beyond me, but the breasts and the skin should be within reach somehow. Tears are always a hazzle, but there are assets for them, so it should be possible.
Won't be this month though, as I'm working hard with the Stream release.
Thank YOU for your great work! And for asking me for more information. I really love The Builder (especially Synne). Keep up the great work!