First of all, I want to apologize for dragging out the announcement for so long; development for the coming content pulled me from finishing the final details. And for the following announcement, the details very much matter to me.
Two months ago, I decided that I want to make a good game. That’s what I’ve been dedicating the totality of my time to since then.
I hired a writer/creative designer (who has been nothing less than phenomenal so far) to work alongside me in building Dual Family from the ground up: environments, dialogue, choices and scenes that actually reflect the characters involving them.
That, and reflect my intention in the story I want to tell. Going through the game with the new hire line by line, scene by scene made me realize this: currently, the story of Dual Family isn’t one I’m very enthusiastic to tell.
What I like about Dual Family
The parts that work, the good are mostly conveyed with visuals. Of the time spent on each chapter’s development cycle, I always invested an exceptional amount in character expressions and body language in general, big and small. I always viewed those things, the eyes, the face, the body to be the most powerful tools to convey emotion that no amount of writing can describe accurately.
However, empathy and expressions alone do not negate the absolute insanity of the characters they’re attached to. Unprecedented drugging, raping and blackmailing involving so many people, not even I as their creator can keep up with them all. Those are just the extreme elements; there’s plenty more that isn’t as offensively bad as it is underdeveloped or nonsensical.
And I think we all understand this: Dual Family has been supported for as long as it has not for the depth of its dialogue, not for the cohesiveness or sensical design of its story, but for its characters. Feelings, care, the ever-burning desire to continue developing your relationship with her.
When I’ve read messages from you guys, specifically what you want in Part X and what you miss, it’s that. Closeness to that person, further understanding their feelings, earning their love and intimacy; that is the fundamental bond with this game.
Even if the emotional thread that’s held everything together to this point has been functional, I can’t help but recognize how inaccurate it is to my intent, how much better it could be. For you, to enjoy a genuinely good story. For me, to create a story worth telling, worth continuing and someday, worth finishing.
The Fate of Part X
The ever-expanding scope and shifting release window of Part X wasn’t any coincidence either. The remaining work to release wasn’t much by October, about another 8 weeks of polish and rendering to go.
To clarify, this was solely my struggle, not resident kitty and animator FatCat17 who has always pulled his weight and delivered during development. Despite the short remaining distance, any further amount of progress became an impossible task. The passion for continuing Dual Family wasn’t there and hasn’t been for a long time, not until very recently.
And the truth is it hasn’t really been my passion at all, even since its inception three years ago. The things I’m passionate about, that I love are music, characters and a good story.
From the beginning, I refused to include my music in the game because I wanted so much of it as a bare minimum. Music was even going to be integrated into gameplay, characters themes and motifs developing alongside the choices and their corresponding emotional responses within the story.
Yet, the development cycle must continue. Release before it’s ready, cut a corner or two. Pull a bedroom, kitchen, entire house off the online store shelf and render because it saves time in the development cycle. Add a nude scene, a titty solely because of it’s compensatory and growth value.
In fact, throw a sex scene together with Karen, the aunt at the beach and also at the apartment, not because there will be an in-depth follow up or interesting repercussions for something like that, but because such content is a checklist item necessary for a successful release. Not a single chapter so far has escaped this.
Those three things I mentioned: music, characters and story. I’ve wanted to foster them for a long time, but didn’t because of the necessary and consuming content I was making, along with my lack of passion for that which I was making. Something deliberate, detailed, meaningful is what I want to make.
So I’m redoing Dual Family. I want to make it a good game, a good story.
Music, animation, characters that come with it. I want everything to be true to my intention, not a rushed homework assignment. Not missing marks over and over again because it’s not the story I want to be telling.
With this, Part X’s fate is sealed. It will be released eventually, but will be the 10th part to a game that’s worth continuing, worth finishing.
The Next Episode
The most important thing is this:
Dual Family will release on its 4 year anniversary, February 18th 2021. The first playable mainline release since 2018.
That’s right; love it or not, Dual Family will continue on this day. Whether you decide to check it out or pass it up for another, the show must go on.
The next three releases have been mapped out in terms of scope and development time. Since October, our new team spent quite some time on a realistic release schedule that doesn’t extend in random or indefinite amounts. We concluded 8-10 weeks is enough time to build a fully-fledged release with all the content we want, while still existing within a reasonably sized time window.
We originally planned to release the prologue on Christmas Day, however this would have significantly shortened the chapter length and exclude content until the extended prologue release.
I want to start us off on the right foot this time, no cutting corners at the start. I’m certain you want to see Dual Family’s beginning in its full and finished glory as much as I do, not half-baked like the tale before it.
Release dates for these are:
FEB 18th, 2021 – PROLOGUE
FEB 26th, 2021 – PART I
APR 30th, 2021 – PART II
JUL 04th, 2021 – PART III
Communication going forward will be changing as well. The current post schedule page is thrown together, however a more detailed one will be out after New Years including major releases, subsidiary content like previews and pinups and any other relevant info about the development. All of these will be accessible to everyone on GumdropGames.net.
It’s quite painful that starting from scratch was the only way for Dual Family to have a chance at continuing, but anything else was a relentless fight against the current. This was the only way to accomplish what we all want: for Dual Family to be a good game, and for it to be completed.
Whether you decide to support or not going forward, all I ask is that you patiently wait for me to create the story I want to make. Not a compromise, not a product, not a rushed preparation. Dual Family will finally be a game I love and hopefully, if you give ‘er a shot, a game you love too.
If you have financially supported the game for three or more months since 2017, you’re eligible for a free subscription for your dedication during development. I’ve given out several year and lifetime length subscriptions to those who sacrificed their time and patience the most; thank you for holding on for so long and believing in me. Submit your request here!
Final thing:
The happiest thought in the world to me is to love and be loved by someone. Dual Family is a story about falling out, then falling in love again. I can’t wait to show you that, very much. :]
P.S. Don’t forget to peek in for Christmas, I’ve got some pinups and much info in store.