Log inMAJOR Announcement - Moving Forward
Hey guys,
I've got news about the project and I want to talk about it candidly with you guys, and where things will go moving forward.
The game has had a long development path so far, and although we have made quite a lot of progress over its time, there have been many challenges / issues that have impacted the project's consistency as well as the timelines I had in mind. While it would be easy to blame others, I have to take full responsibility. I am effectively the project manager, and as part of that duty I had to realise when something wasn't working and should have changed things accordingly.
After a lot of thought, I've decided to bring on a new artist for the project. Witchking00 has done a great job bringing the characters to life and delivering some fantastic work, and I wish him the best for the future. However in order to ensure the project moves forward more consistently, both in terms of delivery and quality, I think this change is necessary.
What this means going forward:
- A new artist will be taking over for the remaining content
- We will be seeking to deliver more frequent (and meaningful) updates once the new artist is in place
- Updates will combine converting existing content into the new style along with adding new content
A new artist will of course mean there will be a different style, for no one can perfectly replicate Witchking's unique style (especially in a price range that is appropriate for this project). I think we have an opportunity here to fix the inconsistency issues that has plagued the project and bring it all to one style with the new artist. But I want to stress, this is not a restart of development. We have a way we can structure our release schedule to ensure that progress gets made while older work gets redone and everything gets brought in to line.
The start of this plan will be to go through each character and redo their main progression art and finish off their progression as one build release. Once the six major characters (plus Shuma) have been done, after that will be the side NPCs, updating their and finishing off their stories as well. Then finally to finish off the game we focus on the Main Story, and completing the game. While I know that this will be a lengthy process, ultimately I think if we are achieving a stable regular release, we can make sure we maintain the health of the project through this difficult time period.
To give some indication of what this will look like:
2026:
June = Kittenna + Catsuki Threesome + Joira additional scenes (Last batch of WitchKing work)
Sept = Kittenna Rework + Final Progression
Dec = Lillith Rework + Final Progression
2027:
Mar = Malaena Rework + Final Progression
June = Catherine Rework + Final Progression
Sept = Shelly Rework + Final Progression
Dec = Mia Rework + Final Progression
This is just an example, the actual order will be decided by subscribers of course. I want to make it clear that this not a complete restart of development. It is a way we can structurally manage this shift in art while still providing new and enjoyable content to you all. This isn't an ideal situation, but it's the best course of action given circumstances.
I want to make it crystal clear, I am committed to seeing this project to the end. It has suffered a lot over the years from different issues and problems, but I still believe in it. Keep in mind, I take 0 profit from this project, all the support we get goes straight to the artist. This truly is a passion project for me. In the end, I will still be working my ass off trying make The Solarion Project the game I always knew it could be. And I hope you'll continue to join me on this journey.
There will be some more news / posts regarding the new artist coming soon, if you are a follower (free tier) please make sure you voice your opinion! I want to hear what as many people think as possible. Once the artist is selected I will be able to deliver a clearer idea of when new builds can occur, as well as the final release.
To those who have backed the project, whether financially or otherwise, I really appreciate your patience and support. It means so much to me that people enjoy the project as much as they have and have stuck with it, even through all the hardships.
I look forward to bringing you more news soon
- Charon
While it is going to suck losing Witchking00, i'll still be on board. It is nice to hear we are going to get a more stable schedule from now on. I do hope the new artist style will be hot and doesn't change the characters designs too much
1. Damn, really liked WitchKing's style but got the impression this may be the announcement as it seems they perhaps struggled to get Solarion done amongst their other work.
2. Is it the end of the world, no, I hope an artist is selected that's not 1,000,000 miles away from K's style but you've always given the impression you take care so I'm sure we'll get something great.
3. Kittena/Catsuki threesome?! Yes oh god yes!
Thank you for the update, and you have my support as always!
I really hope this project turns out awesome after all the hard work you have invested into it
I'm conflicted because the biggest reason why I like this game is because of Witchking's style and while I do respect your decision(it is your project do with it as you see fit)I'm just not sure how I feel about this change. I welcome the new artist nonetheless and I hope to see great things from them and you.
I completely understand, it's a not a decision I have taken lightly and have put a lot of thought into this. But this is ultimately what I believe to be the best path to take.
I was wondering why the artstyle changed. Now I know