THE FUTURE OF SNAGGEMON! [UPDATE]


Hello, everyone! Reece here. Long time, no update.

Well, where to start…? Of course, those who've been around long enough will realise that 'SnaggeMon' hasn't seen an update in a long time. And there's a reason for that. When we first began developing 'SnaggeMon', we said that we needed to work hard to earn the time to work on it as a passion project.

And… unfortunately, we never earned enough time. Life, work, studies, all that good stuff… It's all just been getting in the way. We've spent as much time as we can developing ideas and examining possibilities for the future, including migrating engines to resolve bugs with the current content, or moving to a different gameplay format (classic DS-style RPG, anyone?), and we even toyed with starting from the ground up with a new opening chapter. But even if we did any of those things, it still takes time that we just don't have right now, and may not have for a while.

So what else can we do?

Well, I'm glad you asked! It may surprise some of you to know that I consider myself something of a writer! I dabble, work almost full-time for clients, and I've got a degree in Creative Writing. And what's the one thing that I can do any time, any place? Write! I've been writing for 'SnaggeMon' this whole time—at the current stopping point, the content for the 'SnaggeMon' game is three chapters ahead of anything else! I've got ideas, characters, plot twists, spoilers, all of it just cluttering my brain and waiting to get out! And short of pulling a 'Wacky Game Jokez 4 Kidz' (shout-out to the folks that get the reference) and writing a five page tell-all just spoiling everything that would happen in 'SnaggeMon' and giving it up entirely, I have one other option:

Write a singular version of 'SnaggeMon' from beginning to end in prose, light novel style!

And that's what I've decided to do. In my spare time, completely independent of relying on others for art etc. and not spending half the time stressing over my own perfectionism in programming everything myself, I can write out one possible version of the 'SnaggeMon' story to get it all on the page in a way that past players and future first-time readers can enjoy independently of any future game updates!

And that doesn't mean the game is over and done with either! Yes, this is a short-term alternative to completing 'SnaggeMon' as a choice-based, fully-voiced VN or any other kind of game. But like I say, I aim for this to be only one possible version of a story 'SnaggeMon' could look like, a fairly balanced plot that includes all four love interests, a decently satisfying ending, and a resolution that's natural, yet doesn't invalidate any of what a game could contain in dedicated character routes and specific endings. So this prose won't be a replacement for the game, nor will it be the 'canon' version with the 'true' ending; just an alternative, to keep the SnaggeMon fires alive while we're not currently able to stoke them the way we hoped.

If you're a member of the 'SnaggeMon' Discord server, you'll be able to keep up with all the snippets, sneak peeks and micro-updates I post there as I write. Someday, I hope to come back here with news about the prose AND the game. Either way, the SnaggeMon journey does not end here!

Thanks for your patience, Trainers!

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Comments

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(+2)

i miss yall

(+7)

I hope I can rizz up king. I love this game sm can´t wait for the full version!!! Great work really, keep it up. 

(+2)

Great work! Keep it up! Waiting for the next release.

(+11)

Woah! I feel like I'm a little late in the party but I'm so, so glad this project it's still alive! It's been a while since I've played it but I still hold some care and amazement for the project, so I'm glad it won't be just an unfinished thing. Good luck on bringing it all to life! ^^

(+1)

I just stumbled across this and absolutely love it!! I'm excited to see the story continue!

(+11)

I remember being in the discord server when the proposal was first made to make it into a point-and-click game. Plenty of people were like "yeah that sounds cool" but a few people pointed out the amount of work that goes into completely rehauling the system. I was one of those people who encouraged you to think of how mechanics impact narrative and vice versa, and what sort of game you had in your vision versus what would be practical for you to do with the time and resources you have available to you practically.

I, and the others who offered suggestions beyond just nodding along support, was completely ignored, and I was directly pinged by other fans of the community mocking me for wanting you to think pragmatically. It was at that point that I quietly made my peace with the fact that Snaggemon the dating sim was never going to be completed, and left the server.

I still wish you the best in your endeavors, and for that reason I am being completely genuine when I tell you I think a light novel is the best possible decision you can make for the game. If you spend all your time chasing featurecreep, the game will never come out, and I desperately wanted you to realise that before you fell prey to the same thing that kills a TON of gamedevs making their passion project. If the story of Snaggemon is the thing you feel most passionate about, and the gameplay itself can be rehauled and changed constantly, you should switch to a Light Novel format so that you can share the story you've been itching to tell, and hopefully manage to complete it and have the satisfaction of a finished project.

I realize this comment is rather negative, and I'm likely going to be dismissed as a hater instead of a fan who really wanted to see this project succeed, but it didn't feel right that you would never have someone try to offer you another perspective. I repeat again that I wish you the best in your endeavors.

(+1)

This sounds like an amazing idea! Totally understandable to not have the time on your hands to make a full fledged game, but a light novel sounds wonderful to keep the snag fix at bay. Good luck and looking forward to the future! 

(+3)

Omg that seeks like a wonderful idea! Thank you for regaling us with snaggemon 🥺 i really love it, and will wait however long to see any content you release from it! Good luck and we are supporting you!

(+4)

We love you, Reece!

(+4)

take as much time as you want 
we can wait forever

(+3)

I'll wait for an eternity if I have to, I'll wait as long as it takes for you to make this game, I'll even wait until the end of the world. >:)

(+5)

I adore this game soooo much, and I am happy to wait however long you need.  Please take care of yourself. Also, the novel would be amazing to read  and to watch as it comes together will be so much fun to see!

(+3)

I like ⁠snaggemon very much and i⁠s one of the game⁠s i have ⁠so much funny playing!! It⁠s good you find a alternative way to "complete" the game in a form to dont ⁠stre⁠s⁠s you out and keep the player⁠s uptade⁠s about the hi⁠story

(+3)

All this waiting is honestly making me excited to see what you have in store for the future