You know I love you PPD. I am thankful for all the good heart you put into things for others. And I admire your competence. As I do of many here. The reason I took a break from updates were not ill-will, that I felt it didn't work out so well for me at the moment is not your fault. Because no matter how skilled and positive you are, you cannot be aware of the very specific circumstances and requirements of this project.
The videos are very nerdcore. first of all they showcase technical accomplishments few can really appreciate. but also, especially the most current was made for you, PPD, because it shows countless little changes, not just the obvious stamping, but really everything from what you got, which I just could hardly all describe fully in words anymore.
Basically, your attitude is pretty much perfect, as far as I'm concerned, a blessing. The over-emphasis of a culture of critique that's otherwise rampant is not always the best work mode. So there needs to be another pillar balancing that out here. There are moments one has to realize that putting a greater measure of trust into someone, and work on a benifit of doubt, to try prove them right, instead of wrong, can be more useful as an alternate mode. I know that at this moment, it is the mindset needed most, and I am convinced that it is deserved.
I have a very good feeling for the truer motivations behind what people say, how that affects their trail of thought and judgement. it is not to hold against them, we're just humans, but since I have such limited resources, I must take care of myself, the care of myself that to everyone else is secondary to their primary motivations, they subconsciously try to coerce me towards, not necessarily for my own best, though not mal-intended either. I have to plan things such, that I know it's for our both best long term, rather than just satisfying short-term.
For example, I knew that the lack of Save would be a problem for you at the time. I warned you, but you assured me otherwise, in honest believe. And I knew that it's not the right moment to spend time doing it just to motivate you delivering art experiments, but agreed to releases under the assumption you would have time and motivation enough anyway; it is nothing I can expect, considering there is no pay in it, it is nothing but generous to have any support at all, and no blame if it doesn't work out; still it affects me, and I have to take precautions to keep development on track as I need. Just as I knew that the intermediate suggestions would probably confuse it, because I know what immediate assumptions the status quo would lead you to. And if there were any benefit in it now, that this is indeed just getting a lot of art done according to the theory laid out here in the assumption it is right for now, and dealing with the tool as is, more than assuming what it should be.
And if that is not done for whatever reason, but argued around it, and what I should do, in the net sum of it I lose time dealing with it more than benefits the project. I have a very strong vision, and I know I'm right. I know that dealing with such a character is frustrating to other people. It must rub everyone the wrong way, especially seeing how much stake you guys naturally claim to your subject. And really, who am I to speak.
I write this not only because of this subject matter specifically, but I believe this different perspective to development is noteworthy for once. I know that for a lot of people a "release early, release often", as well as "critique all, critique hard" and "pile on the feature lists!" attitude is the holy grail, along with glorification of teamwork and crowdsource. And while there is truth to it, this is not always the case in my experience. it depends. there is no golden bullet to development, but contextual judgement of the situation.
However, in the end, even I must admit from your reactions, that it seems not possible to reflect on this more constructively, from what has been shown so far. So as I suspected, it boils down to release and discuss it, or not discuss it. I did hope for a more creative and motivational take on it meanwhile, but it just seems not possible in the reality of what can be expected reasonably.
Part of me thinks it might be the time to make these toyish intermediate releases, if nothing else then just for the sake of trying to inspire some Activity. But I can very much predict every complaint in the current state, instead of concentrating on the art as is, and it's terrible frustrating just to think of it. And maybe even the worst of it, prolly would be spiting me, without any activity, after I would put all that energy into it in good faith, distracting my dream otherwise. Someone does have to take the risks and bite the bullet in the end huh, and it all points towards me. *sigh* decisions, decisions, and not much conviction in it to go by. :-/