Public dev-log #13 (Patreon)

Another Monday brings about another dev-log!

Saturday saw the Fan release for Chapter 5 (NTS/NTRS), so now all tiers with game access can play the game, woohoo! I really hope you enjoy it!

But with this release out of the way, I would like to address something that had quite a negative impact on Chapter 5's release.

Leaks are unfortunately part of the ecosystem for games like ours, and I always assumed it would happen sooner or later. What I didn't really account for was how much it could disrupt our growth.

I've been pretty open about the fact that Crème and I would love to eventually make a career out of Creamy Games. We're still growing, which I'm incredibly grateful for, but the leak noticeably knocked the wind out of that momentum.

So first of all, thank you to everyone who has continued to support us despite the leaked build being available elsewhere. It genuinely means a lot to both of us.

I spent quite a lot of time stressing over what I could do to prevent future leaks, but most of the solutions I could think of felt like they were more punishing towards our supporters.

And that doesn't sit right with me.

No one should have to lose out because of the actions of one individual.

So rather than adding DRM, locking things down or making access more restrictive, I've decided to shorten the release window instead.

Starting with the next release on September 5th, the schedule will be:

Super Fan — September 5thLoyal Fan — September 7thCore Fan — September 9thFan — September 12th

The public build will then release one week after the Fan release.

That means every tier with game access will now receive the new build within one week of launch. I can't guarantee this will stop future leaks. Realistically, I don't think anything can. What it does mean is that if another leak happens, supporters on the lower tiers won't be left waiting weeks for their legitimate release while a leaked copy is already circulating.

I also want to say something directly to anyone who might consider leaking the game in future, including the person who leaked this build.

If you're a fan of HIMS and want to see the game continue growing, leaking it genuinely hurts the project.

The staggered release system has been a big part of how we've grown. Each tier release creates another wave of activity around the game, gives people something to talk about and helps keep momentum going across the month.

When a build leaks midway through that process, a lot of that disappears at once. The different release waves collapse together and I lose a lot of control over how the launch plays out.

I'm not interested in getting into an endless fight with piracy, and I don't want to punish the people who are actually supporting us in an attempt to stop it. I'd rather adjust the system and make sure legitimate supporters are getting the game sooner.

Hopefully this strikes a better balance going forward.

As I get used to the new release cadence, it should hopefully open up some more time for me to work on other things, which means I could look at adding some tier-exclusive perks to go along with your memberships. If there's a perk you would really like, I'm happy to hear suggestions in the comments.

Thanks for hearing me out! Here's some Airi as a thank you!

I don't want this whole post to be doom and gloom. I was a little bummed out about what happened, but it's also a sign of the game's popularity. Knowing people are enjoying my work is really motivating, and I've been having a blast working on the NTR and Cheating routes for Chapter 5.

Today I officially started the Cheating route, and I really love what I've written for this one. I don't want to overhype it too much... but if you're a fan of this route... oh buddy... I think you're going to love what's coming!

If you thought the NTS/NTRS was a little too heavy on the sex and light on the story, then these two routes have you covered. There's a lot happening and things are heating up.

Supporters, keep an eye out on Patreon throughout the week. I will be putting out a new poll and hopefully should have some goodies to share with you!

Next Monday will be the Supporter dev-log, so you can expect some previews of the Cheating route.

I've said it before and I will never stop saying it. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported Crème and me. You guys mean the world to us, and it inspires me to give it my all! HIMS is in a great place, and that is all thanks to you!

See you in the next one.

Much love.

~Creamy