Important Announcement (and v.0.3.09)
Added 2021-11-22 14:40:14 +0000 UTCHello Everyone,
We have some important developments to share with you, as well as to request your feedback and opinion.
Last week, we were contacted by Patreon staff to inform us that certain scenes in the project were not within Patreon's content policy guidelines. In order to prevent the project from being suspended, we have complied with their request and are releasing a new version which is no longer featuring this content.
We had to shift gears and work under a deadline, which is why the patch is coming out now instead of at the end of the month. The changelog has not been properly updated and we are still working on reworking the UI and pushing out the new story for this patch, which will come later this month.
To keep things short, we would like to summarize a few facts:
-Our main goal has always been and remains still the completion of this project. Presently, we are aiming for Chapter 2 to be completed by January and to have Chapter 3 and the entire story finished by end of 2022.
-We would never be able to afford all the art and assets without your continued support and we continue to rely on it to push the project towards the finish line.
-As long as the project uses Patreon for funding, it will have to comply with content policy.
-To quickly see what was removed, please check the Gallery section in cheats.
In this context, we have taken the first steps short term to avoid suspension, but as you can imagine these changes were rushed and leave gaps in the plot and gameplay. As the dust settles, we are left with several options:
1. To take the loss of content (mostly chapter 1) on the chin and continue pushing forward in order to meet our deadlines for project completion and then decide what to do.
2. To go back and redo the content in a way that complies with content policy but still offers a good experience and is polished. This will extend the timeline for development.
3. To explore other options, such as moving the project to a different funding platform. This may preserve content but will almost certainly reduce funding and therefore our scope and ambitions when it comes to art and overall quality.
At the moment, everything is on the table, including other options that might arise. We would like to ask for your opinion and help us make the best decision by filling out this very short survey:
https://forms.gle/ESGuKm6npbHC4fjd6
To keep everything simple, please leave all of your comments in the survey and not on this post.
Thank you as always, and more than ever, for your continued support.
XFiction team
Comments
Unsubbing because of this. Move to SubscribeStar, at least there you will have artistic freedom and won't have to worry about your game getting suspended or censored.
SirNeverSleep
2022-03-17 17:03:06 +0000 UTCUnfortunately, I suspect that if you move to another platform, then you will encounter similar issues. I believe that the payment processors (e.g. Visa, MC) are forcing the censorship - as they did with Pornhub and OnlyFans. If you accept payments on another platform, this may keep happening.
Brian
2021-11-28 19:12:35 +0000 UTCProbably the werewolf scenes and other stuff they can claim is bestiality.
Samantha Louise
2021-11-27 23:46:36 +0000 UTCI didn't quite manage to figure out what they were objecting too (tried to look in the gallery as you suggested, but couldn't quite figure it out). Overall, I'd say that I have found nothing in your game that struck me as something that was in any way deserving of getting cut. I'd go by what you feel is your vision of the game, your artistic preference. I didn't encounter your game through Patreon itself. I would be happy to support the game elsewhere. And for me, the game's non-generic tone and content is certainly what awed me. So, if that is exactly what Patreon wants you to cut... I'd say... move to another platform.
Rolls1
2021-11-24 20:25:40 +0000 UTCI'm pretty sure that's the wise idea, subscribestar, that is.
Andrew Norris
2021-11-23 15:39:43 +0000 UTCI would switch to subscribestar. I already have for other creators. You could run both subscribestar and patreon offering the choice to your supporters. I know that actually means you give a cut to 2 companies but it is an option
Joel Humphrey
2021-11-23 05:40:35 +0000 UTCI supported several creators that went to subscribestar because of patreons rules, if you became anothe rone i would move to there with you.
Vasadariu
2021-11-23 04:56:15 +0000 UTCUnfortunately I don't think this would comply with Patreon's policies - even if there is a separate release elsewhere, if it's identified as the same project, it still must follow guidelines. That being said, after the game is complete, it's entirely possible to consider moving away from Patreon altogether.
XFiction
2021-11-22 22:24:18 +0000 UTCIt is 100% credit card companies, I also have friends in the adult entertainment industry. We need a big change collectively - unless they start losing money, they won't bulge from their stance.
XFiction
2021-11-22 22:22:10 +0000 UTCThis is a very unfortunate turn of events; the Grotesque was my favorite element of this game so...
Ellie
2021-11-22 22:21:43 +0000 UTCAs much as I hate the changes Patreon is making I do not think it has much to do with them trying to stamp out projects due to puritanism, but are likely trying to protect themselves from possible litigation and payment ramifications. I was listening to an interview with a porn creator who said that they have had to remove content because credit card companies are refusing to process payment if the content doesn't conform to their standards. Not because it was even illegal, but because it didn't conform to their policies.
2021-11-22 21:57:29 +0000 UTCOh, it's only the content most unique to this particular game that they took issue with. thanks papa patreon. have you considered posting an uncensored version elsewhere as, like, a late public release? It would suck for the patreon version to have the least content, but might be better than moving platforms or censoring both past and future content.
Mishaxhi
2021-11-22 16:42:27 +0000 UTCPatreon has been stomping on a lot of great projects lately ):
Daver
2021-11-22 15:14:08 +0000 UTC
