Major Update on Dating and Dungeons + Questions + BTS peaks

Hey guys! I have a long awaited update for you all regarding Dating and Dungeons.

I want to start off by saying thank you all for your support for these last three years, even though you haven't been able to access more than the current demo. I started this project off in my summer before college, and as I'm sure you can guess- my life when haywire once college began. I had several life events, new jobs, different majors, and even the passing of one of my parents to deal with during this time. All this lead to DAD getting pushed down my priority list further, and further, and further... until I didn't see it at all anymore.

In the beginning, I had decided to do all the coding, script writing, and planning, while my friend Purely Anonymous did all the art work. This idea worked for a few months before we both began getting buried under our own stresses and burn out. I overhaled the game over and over, added characters, removed characters, and wrote and cut chunks of storyline over and over. Purely drew sprites and backgrounds, then redrew them because her style had improved, then again and again in loops. Finally, we both simply lost the will to work.

That is, until recently.

I spoke with Purely and we decided that though she'll still make some sprites, we should wait until the game itself is done for me to commission her properly to do the final work (hopefully at that point I will have made at least some money and had enough to actually pay her for the work she's done). Until then, I'll likely have some of Purely's sprites (and CGs), and some of those that I or other friends have drawn to be placeholders. I've also had some changes in my personal life that have let me spend more time working on this than completely pouring it into other projects.

I do have other ideas for games, some based in RenPy and some based in unity using my new 3d skills. I still want to work on this project, though. I think you all probably want that as well. Which is why I want your inputs. I'm considering making a Patreon, or at least a discord. If I made the Patreon I would have the monthly amount very small (like, 1 or 2 bucks) for at least the first 50 people (if not more). This would give you access to the discord. I am also considering making a beta program available for DAD for feedback and bug catching if anyone is interested in that. This might be through the Patreon, but also maybe not. 

I want yall's opinion on this, so I've made a little survey for you all to fill out to tell me what you think:

https://forms.gle/HvCLbPUPbhuV33P98

Before I go, I want to show you a little behind the scenes from how chapter 2 is currently going (not final):

Some of the upcoming features include new sprites, new people, new paths, new datables, new hand-drawn backgrounds, a new internal love counting system, new CG, new drama and much more. (tired of me saying 'new' yet?)

If you have any questions or opinions, please comment them! I'd love to hear them.

P.S.! You should check out @wrenorsmthn here and beyond. He's my boyfriend and an amazing coder that I've been working in 3d with for the past few months. He's just released an infinitely generating library project if that sort of thing interests you, but you'll likely see my name in his credits pretty soon.