We’ve been gone long enough not to know what went down to cause this post or the previous ( though we can guess from context clues ) we admittedly dropped off due to den space limits and not wanting to fight them; at that time we were hoping for a fix / overhaul to that sooner rather than later - we have always been patient on any sorts of features / breeds / genes if we have our breeding project to experiment around with to pass the time/ stay engaged with the community|game; but! If the passion isn’t there then that’s that - trying to force it will only cause the avoidance cycle to happen faster - wishing y’all the best, we’ve enjoyed our time on this site a lot

When we’ve lead community engagement or advised various indie projects one of the first things we advocate for is a public roadmap - one that’s realistic and accounts for breaks and setbacks - and to have that roadmap not be discarded or changed at a directors whim. The theory is that it’s your lighthouse and something solid for both dev and fan base to meet in the middle with.

if you want help organizing a roadmap our dms are open

Big support for the roadmap idea!

This is also why I posted on previous news posts about the big chapter 2 update, that it would be a lot better for everyone involved to focus on smaller, more regular updates than one massive update. The long stretches of silence are incredibly discouraging, the lack of new content is boring and it overall leads to frustration in the userbase. Not even mentioning that releasing smaller updates makes it easier for the devs as they can focus on a single thing, make sure it works well and get it out there, rather than working on everything, everywhere, all at once. That's not to say that big updates are no fun; they sure are. But barricading everything behind a single big 'chapter two' update is only going to backfire..

This is also why I posted on previous news posts about the big chapter 2 update, that it would be a lot better for everyone involved to focus on smaller, more regular updates than one massive update. The long stretches of silence are incredibly discouraging, the lack of new content is boring and it overall leads to frustration in the userbase. Not even mentioning that releasing smaller updates makes it easier for the devs as they can focus on a single thing, make sure it works well and get it out there, rather than working on everything, everywhere, all at once. That's not to say that big updates are no fun; they sure are. But barricading everything behind a single big 'chapter two' update is only going to backfire..

Exactly! I'd much rather have frequent smaller updates than one big update that takes months to complete!

All we ask for is communication. It’s a small price to pay to keep the game alive.
It'll go a long way.

If it makes you feel any better, I quit Santae because there were too many updates. I'm content with a slow pace, I can hop back in any time to cook or explore without feeling pressured.

I understand how hard it can be to take criticism sometimes but you have to admit that hyping up the game and giving frequent updates but then suddenly going MIA isn't a great look for a game developer. If you want it to be successful and continue to thrive, then unfortunately you have to face the criticism and find a way to manage your own anxieties around it or hand it off to someone else who can handle it. Most of us came over here from FR and had huge hopes for the site, cheering ya'll on even when there wasn't much to do.

As a beta player who was over the moon to be here, I am wildly disappointed in the doubling down and decision to no longer communicate with us besides a paragraph about how we're the problem.

I'm glad I stopped my subscription months ago.

Thanks for the update! I’m very excited for chapter 2, but I completely understand if you need to take your time <3

I have the type of personality where verbal attacks and harsh criticism make me withdraw, so I get it. Some of the things I've seen said were extremely harsh and probably spoken to force you to engage with the community. Unfortunately it backfired and made you not want to engage at all. I know there were missteps on both sides, but people tend to feel entitled when things are offered for free and don't understand how much time it takes to develop and make assets. I had considered starting a pet game myself, but after seeing how this community became so aggressive, I have shied away from it because I don't think I could handle that kind of negativity and criticism for something I'd be developing at a great investment of time and money and offer for free along with perks to help pay for server costs which are quite high. People think of shared hosting prices when they think of online games and websites, but you can't do that with a game like this, and the server resources you need are probably quite expensive. I do agree with the community that communication, even a simple "Hi, I'm still here and things are progressing, here's a preview", like you did here, does go a long way in helping to build trust and goodwill. I hope things heal over time so you can continue to make the game that you love and we can continue to enjoy it.