Circus Rambles - the last love song Post-Mortem

Game number three, and I still don't feel like I've hit the magic well of knowledge or anything, but I like to think I'm getting better.

At time of writing, the last love song has 77 views and 2 downloads since its release date close to midnight Sunday. That's probably very very small. But I personally think every little bit counts.

It was a hard game to write, really. There were long pauses during development because I had trouble bringing myself to write about a relationship crashing and burning. I don't normally get so...in the shoes of my protagonist, so to speak. Perhaps that made the game a bit better.

I noticed that the exact same person has rated my last two games 1 star without leaving a review. Bad ratings on their own don't really help me because I don't know what your problem was. I don't think I'm writing perfectly by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't think I've written anything unreadable, either. Honestly, though, I'm not torn up or anything like I thought I might be. Have I grown a thicker skin from working in customer service? Possibly.

My first two games were linear, and this one was all about the choices. I admit to getting some flak for writing linear games, and I didn't realize at the game, but my impression is that linear IF games are kind of looked down on by some people. I personally equate them to kinetic novels: visual novels without choices. Just the story. I don't see anything wrong with that. I can see why people wouldn't necessarily be into them, but I don't think they're any less of a form of game. No, I didn't write a game with choices just to satisfy people who disliked the linear games; this was just the next idea that slapped me in the face with inspiration.

Someone told me that people who'd been in long-term relationships would find the game easier. Maybe? I am in a long-term relationship myself, so I don't really have an unbiased answer to that comment.

I think that's it for thoughts.

Thanks for playing, everyone who has. It means a lot to me.

the last love song is released.

Well, I got pissed off tonight. So I released the game half an hour early. Yay for you!

http://somestrangecircus.itch.io/the-last-love-song

Thanks for your support, guys. It really does mean a lot.

I hope you enjoy the game.

Officially announcing "the last love song"

I tend to hold off on announcing projects until I have enough writing done that I know it's not just a one-off idea I had, and I can finish the project and not abandon it. Tonight I think I reached that point with the game I've been working on recently.

It will be called "the last love song" (yes I love my lack of capital letters, it's a habit). It's a tricky one to write because it's all about relationship difficulties and it's a bit of a personal subject. However, I hope to have it finished up in early December.

If you pledge any amount to me on Patreon, you can view a few preview images of the game in the posts section.

Also, the new artist for Yumi-chan should have some sprite sketches for me this week, so that's something to look forward to as well. Yay!