Sooo... it's been a HOT minute since the last update. Life happens, completely understandable. I wouldn't expect the devs to prioritize this game over their mental/physical health. What I'm saying isn't new here, but I really wish that at the very least, they would be more transparent about such issues. A simple "hey guys, really sorry about the lack of updates, but life stuff is going on and we are taking an indefinite hiatus" would suffice, especially when they have been financially backed thousands of dollars. I joined the Discord and the most recent update I saw was in October of this year, in which the dev basically said what I put in quotes above. While saying it on Discord is better than not at all, I think that they should definitely be saying that where backers and the general public who have been waiting for this for a long time to see. Not everyone has Discord or even knows there's a server for the game.
I take no issue with the game's development taking longer than expected. Hell, Omori took SIX YEARS, and it turned out absolutely brilliant. I do take issue with the devs not communicating this, which ironically enough, the creator of Omori was guilty of as well. Alongside that is the fact that Omori was Omocat's first game, and First Degree is also Parival's first game. Perhaps I'm being too optimistic here, but maybe it's a similar situation going on in which the development process for First Degree is going to take a very long time, but the final result is amazing. I left an extremely positive review of the demo 9 months ago, so I definitely have faith in Parival to keep that quality up for the rest of the game.
I wish them luck and success in their future endeavors and progress on this game, but do wish they would be more upfront about the whole process.
Edit: After rereading some comments, I noticed that some were angry about a side game being finished when the main isn't. I could be wrong, but I don't think that the devs made a side game just for the lulz. It could have been to bring some more money in because the main game was costing more than expected. Again, this is their FIRST GAME. They may have underestimated the time, effort, and money it takes to do something like this.
Hi! They posted another update just today, actually: “An associate of mine is working on the production at the moment and will make an update later this year.”
Incredibly vague and frustrating. Given the devs’ past history of promising a specific timeframe and then not delivering, I wouldn’t trust this statement. But we’ll see.
ah thanks for the info! but yeah i agree, it's just such a pity, bc this game had so much potential and quality and i feel like with the game they could have established themselves as a game dev team on itch.io like lunaris or wanderlust etc. but now so many ppl just lost their trust (for very understandable reasons). i haven't invested any money so for me it's more like just disappointment but i can understand how and why others who even backed them up, are angry and frustrated. I too think even if they didn't have the time or nerve or something like that, to write an update here, the very least they could have done is to just update this site and just write: Indefinite Hiatus. Because then we know and people who find the game right now will also know to not play the demo or at least to not get their hopes up.
I refuse to support these developers anymore, and glad I didnt support this. I hate to say it but devs are gonna have a harder and harder time getting their games backed if they have no history of successful releases because so many projects take money and dont deliver. Between this, AMAP, and a few others, these guys just refuse to even give updates and its absolute garbage. If you took money from people, you owe them an explanation, plain and simple. I see a LOT of devs blame physical and mental health, which is fine if you are transparent and honest with your backers, but too many of these guys cut and run and then fall back on "poor me" excuses. We all would be understanding, but not after HALF A YEAR of no response.
Joined the discord server to see wtf was happening with development and the dev has just been on hiatus for half of this year with absolutely no updates on itchio and then answered questions about when the game was coming out or storyline arcs with extremely vague answers. Was super excited for this to come out this year after waiting 4+ years now am extremely disappointed. I wish the people like me who spent money to see this game actually get developed get their money's worth eventually
I've had this game saved for a while and i'm seeing some negative comments I hope aren't true as I had high hopes for this game and would/will definitely buy it when it done
i'm not sure if it's any consolation to anyone who paid for the game, but i actually spoke to paradise, the person in charge of parival. they told me, "We are currently just coming out of hiatus. I didn't want to make any updates because of the lack of progress. I had to... finish school... had to switch writers again. So, we've had a lot of unfortunate circumstances within the last year. We are still trying to get the game finished. I am going to make an update when we have a lot more progress, though it does not seem like it will be for a while."
again, not sure if anyone really cares or is interested, but i'm personally glad to know they're still working on the game.
So, this sounds like "we have another business to do, besides OUR game". If they are sincere, why couldn't they just post the same words here? You know, like any normal dev would do, to stop spreading rumors. They don't even try to fix side story, what could I say else. Gamedev is a very hard thing, and not everyone is meant for it. I couldn't finish my game, so I don't try to post it or sell it.
I am very happy I didn't buy it last year, when I was wanting and hoping.
maybe i'm simply being too soft, but it is their first game. maybe it's a similar story to a game like omori? first time devs may not have a lot of experience, and may not know exactly what to do, but their final product could still be alright. look, i'm not gonna lie and say i'm unbiased here, i've been really excited for first degree pretty much since it was announced, and i have a lot of sympathy for first time devs. game dev is hard, for sure, and i've supported projects that never came to fruition in the past, but i'm still trying to hold out hope for this one. i'm not sure why the devs didn't say anything here, lack of transparency definitely doesn't bode well. the reasons they gave were having to finish school as well as switch writers, both of which are not easy to deal with. school keeps one busy, and hiring new writers that actually do a decent job is tough. i'd like to keep believing in parival, and especially first degree. again, though, maybe i'm going too soft on them?
It could be their first game. They could be unexperienced, they could be sick, or tired, or busy. BUT! - Is this really so hard - to come here and tell everyone "everything is okay, we are working and game will be done soon" or "we are tired from gamedev and we are not planning to finish"??? This is normal practice and such doing separates thoughtful people from indifferent ones. Because of this I don't want to wait their game or buy existing side story. For me, will be better to spent money on something not abandoned.
i,,, suppose it would be easier just to come on and inform everyone themselves, yes. i'm not sure why that hasn't happened. i understand fully how this could turn someone off from a project. perhaps i'm too optimistic, but i'd like to keep believing in them.
I wouldn't try to persuade you or anyone else, this is only my decision. It was the game I liked, the game I wanted very much, and now I am disappointed. So, it is only my feeling)
I feel like the game should be free to download when it's officially finished due that so many people donating and how long it took the game to finally finish not being finished so I feel like the game to be free and for all donators get something in return.
I will be blunt, you are probably some of the worst queer indie game developers out there(despite your game being amazing). It has been almost a FULL year since you last released an official update, people payed around 8200$ to support your game and this is how you treat them. If unfortunately real life probelms are overwhelming you(I really hope not) jusy say that the project is cancelled and try refunding your supporters
I checked all contacts and some of them is gone, some - forgotten. Should say, I am glad I had doubts early and didn't buy this game, because it looks like dev decided not to finish the main game))) It is sad, the game is promising((((
The issue isn't the game being pushed back, it's the complete lack of communication. If someone has given you money for a product you have promised them, then the appropriate thing to do when faced with a setback is to let your customer know of said setback. It doesn't have to be an extensive, detailed thing. Even just a "Hey guys, due to COVID we are facing medical/personal/unforeseen issues, so the project is on hiatus until further notice." That's it, just a sentence. Maybe a follow-up when you have a more concrete idea of your timeline.
Just basic, simple communication. It is perfectly reasonable for someone who has paid money to be annoyed or upset when they get NO communication about the thing they paid for.
I understand that they've been having difficulties, and I would by no means expect them to prioritize a game of all things, but if you're going to take on the responsibility of accepting peoples' money, you need to also take the responsibility of communicating with them.
I mean, no, they haven't communicated anything to their Kickstarter backers, either, and the few people who have been able to catch them on Discord have received vague responses or silence. The fact that they were on Discord means they are able to release a short update, but are actively choosing not to and "avoiding the issue," which is not how you deal with difficult things.
It's one thing to be positive and forgiving, but you need to hold people accountable sometimes as well, especially if they've been given $8,000 and can't even be bothered to announce a hiatus.
I played the demo and was immediately hooked. Not only is the premise very interesting, but the art style is wonderful, and I am impressed that there is voice acting included. I also like the stress of having to decide what to do in order to not be suspected; it's unique and so is the phone feature. Overall, it seems to be a high quality game, based off what little we have been given. I just had to buy the side game after finishing the demo, and was a little disappointed there was no voice acting in that one (there were moans, though!). I guess the demo just got my standards up too high LOL. I liked it nonetheless, and the twins are definitely my favorite.
A few of these comments are pretty negative, and I think they are underestimating how much effort and time it takes to create a game like this. I'd rather have a perfected game that takes a while than a rushed one full of errors. However, I will say that it is a little rude to not have an update and be radio silent for months at a time. As far I can see, the last time people got an update was last year in August. I think people would take to the waiting game more kindly if you gave updates more frequently.
Of course, life happens, and we are in a pandemic. But I hope that we get news of what's going on with the game soon. I am very much looking forward to it and will anxiously await a full version, no matter how long it takes!
Dear, dear.. Many people have been waiting during this time, I hope this is not going to be pushed back another year. Without any updates, people who have invested in funding are losing hope in this game. the potential idea of this game is so wonderful and we all hope that the full release will see the light sooner or later. perfecting the game will take a long time its understandable, but its better to release then continue updating the imperfections that come to your attention. something is is better then nothing right? As someone who had bought the side game, I really want to best for your team and hope that this game can be released so it can strive .
The idea behind this is interesting, but I find how... manipulable the MC is really, really irritating. There are also some kind of cringe-y moments from a consent perspective, which might be a weird thing to have qualms with when the MC is a serial killer.... but still.
Don't wanna ruin everyone's expectations, but the main game will likely never be released. The devs for this game are known to be extremely lazy, and the fact that they put more time and effort in side game rather than the main story says a lot. Devs wanted to make quick money without much efforts. (not saying the side game is bad, but it's definitely low effort for its price)
Having to pay 10$ for a 50k words long visual novel is ridiculous, especially when there are very, very good and wayyy longer visual novels out there you can get for free or like, 5$.
Seriously. I know i sound b*tchy but it has to be said.
So yeah, don't get your hopes up, pretty sure this is never going to be a finished product, and it was planned to be this way from the very beginning.
I bought the side game.It looks awesome. I would recommend making the text larger for the full game. It is a bit too small and the reading doesn't flow fully. I would not say that if I didn't think it looked awesome.
![1st Degree: Murder-Mystery BL/Yaoi VN [UPDATED DEMO]](https://img.itch.zone/aW1nLzE2MTE1ODAucG5n/original/A4Og8I.png)
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Sooo... it's been a HOT minute since the last update. Life happens, completely understandable. I wouldn't expect the devs to prioritize this game over their mental/physical health. What I'm saying isn't new here, but I really wish that at the very least, they would be more transparent about such issues. A simple "hey guys, really sorry about the lack of updates, but life stuff is going on and we are taking an indefinite hiatus" would suffice, especially when they have been financially backed thousands of dollars. I joined the Discord and the most recent update I saw was in October of this year, in which the dev basically said what I put in quotes above. While saying it on Discord is better than not at all, I think that they should definitely be saying that where backers and the general public who have been waiting for this for a long time to see. Not everyone has Discord or even knows there's a server for the game.
I take no issue with the game's development taking longer than expected. Hell, Omori took SIX YEARS, and it turned out absolutely brilliant. I do take issue with the devs not communicating this, which ironically enough, the creator of Omori was guilty of as well. Alongside that is the fact that Omori was Omocat's first game, and First Degree is also Parival's first game. Perhaps I'm being too optimistic here, but maybe it's a similar situation going on in which the development process for First Degree is going to take a very long time, but the final result is amazing. I left an extremely positive review of the demo 9 months ago, so I definitely have faith in Parival to keep that quality up for the rest of the game.
I wish them luck and success in their future endeavors and progress on this game, but do wish they would be more upfront about the whole process.
Edit: After rereading some comments, I noticed that some were angry about a side game being finished when the main isn't. I could be wrong, but I don't think that the devs made a side game just for the lulz. It could have been to bring some more money in because the main game was costing more than expected. Again, this is their FIRST GAME. They may have underestimated the time, effort, and money it takes to do something like this.
Hey :), do you know whether they have been updating something on discord the last 6 months?
Hi! They posted another update just today, actually: “An associate of mine is working on the production at the moment and will make an update later this year.”
Incredibly vague and frustrating. Given the devs’ past history of promising a specific timeframe and then not delivering, I wouldn’t trust this statement. But we’ll see.
ah thanks for the info! but yeah i agree, it's just such a pity, bc this game had so much potential and quality and i feel like with the game they could have established themselves as a game dev team on itch.io like lunaris or wanderlust etc. but now so many ppl just lost their trust (for very understandable reasons). i haven't invested any money so for me it's more like just disappointment but i can understand how and why others who even backed them up, are angry and frustrated. I too think even if they didn't have the time or nerve or something like that, to write an update here, the very least they could have done is to just update this site and just write: Indefinite Hiatus. Because then we know and people who find the game right now will also know to not play the demo or at least to not get their hopes up.
I refuse to support these developers anymore, and glad I didnt support this. I hate to say it but devs are gonna have a harder and harder time getting their games backed if they have no history of successful releases because so many projects take money and dont deliver. Between this, AMAP, and a few others, these guys just refuse to even give updates and its absolute garbage. If you took money from people, you owe them an explanation, plain and simple. I see a LOT of devs blame physical and mental health, which is fine if you are transparent and honest with your backers, but too many of these guys cut and run and then fall back on "poor me" excuses. We all would be understanding, but not after HALF A YEAR of no response.
Joined the discord server to see wtf was happening with development and the dev has just been on hiatus for half of this year with absolutely no updates on itchio and then answered questions about when the game was coming out or storyline arcs with extremely vague answers. Was super excited for this to come out this year after waiting 4+ years now am extremely disappointed. I wish the people like me who spent money to see this game actually get developed get their money's worth eventually
yikes.
Well, I think we can safely assume that the game was abandoned(ONE year without news). I hope you will refund your backers
I feel like the game should be for androids and iOS players
Android plsss
I really wish y'all'd give an update, even if it's just "hey, so, shit's gone kind of sideways, we need to take a hiatus, we'll be back in X time."
I've had this game saved for a while and i'm seeing some negative comments I hope aren't true as I had high hopes for this game and would/will definitely buy it when it done
i'm not sure if it's any consolation to anyone who paid for the game, but i actually spoke to paradise, the person in charge of parival. they told me, "We are currently just coming out of hiatus. I didn't want to make any updates because of the lack of progress. I had to... finish school... had to switch writers again. So, we've had a lot of unfortunate circumstances within the last year. We are still trying to get the game finished. I am going to make an update when we have a lot more progress, though it does not seem like it will be for a while."
again, not sure if anyone really cares or is interested, but i'm personally glad to know they're still working on the game.
So, this sounds like "we have another business to do, besides OUR game". If they are sincere, why couldn't they just post the same words here? You know, like any normal dev would do, to stop spreading rumors. They don't even try to fix side story, what could I say else. Gamedev is a very hard thing, and not everyone is meant for it. I couldn't finish my game, so I don't try to post it or sell it.
I am very happy I didn't buy it last year, when I was wanting and hoping.
maybe i'm simply being too soft, but it is their first game. maybe it's a similar story to a game like omori? first time devs may not have a lot of experience, and may not know exactly what to do, but their final product could still be alright. look, i'm not gonna lie and say i'm unbiased here, i've been really excited for first degree pretty much since it was announced, and i have a lot of sympathy for first time devs. game dev is hard, for sure, and i've supported projects that never came to fruition in the past, but i'm still trying to hold out hope for this one. i'm not sure why the devs didn't say anything here, lack of transparency definitely doesn't bode well. the reasons they gave were having to finish school as well as switch writers, both of which are not easy to deal with. school keeps one busy, and hiring new writers that actually do a decent job is tough. i'd like to keep believing in parival, and especially first degree. again, though, maybe i'm going too soft on them?
It could be their first game. They could be unexperienced, they could be sick, or tired, or busy. BUT! - Is this really so hard - to come here and tell everyone "everything is okay, we are working and game will be done soon" or "we are tired from gamedev and we are not planning to finish"??? This is normal practice and such doing separates thoughtful people from indifferent ones. Because of this I don't want to wait their game or buy existing side story. For me, will be better to spent money on something not abandoned.
i,,, suppose it would be easier just to come on and inform everyone themselves, yes. i'm not sure why that hasn't happened. i understand fully how this could turn someone off from a project. perhaps i'm too optimistic, but i'd like to keep believing in them.
I wouldn't try to persuade you or anyone else, this is only my decision. It was the game I liked, the game I wanted very much, and now I am disappointed. So, it is only my feeling)
I feel like the game should be free to download when it's officially finished due that so many people donating and how long it took the game to finally finish not being finished so I feel like the game to be free and for all donators get something in return.
I will be blunt, you are probably some of the worst queer indie game developers out there(despite your game being amazing). It has been almost a FULL year since you last released an official update, people payed around 8200$ to support your game and this is how you treat them. If unfortunately real life probelms are overwhelming you(I really hope not) jusy say that the project is cancelled and try refunding your supporters
I checked all contacts and some of them is gone, some - forgotten. Should say, I am glad I had doubts early and didn't buy this game, because it looks like dev decided not to finish the main game))) It is sad, the game is promising((((
Is it to late to pledge to the game cuz im interested in the game
many characters & mysteries (nice visual novel)
The demo looks so great!! Art, characters, everything is amazing. Can't wait for the full game!
I loooooveee itt! I can't wait for the whole game to be out :)) <3
The issue isn't the game being pushed back, it's the complete lack of communication. If someone has given you money for a product you have promised them, then the appropriate thing to do when faced with a setback is to let your customer know of said setback.
It doesn't have to be an extensive, detailed thing. Even just a "Hey guys, due to COVID we are facing medical/personal/unforeseen issues, so the project is on hiatus until further notice." That's it, just a sentence. Maybe a follow-up when you have a more concrete idea of your timeline.
Just basic, simple communication. It is perfectly reasonable for someone who has paid money to be annoyed or upset when they get NO communication about the thing they paid for.
I understand that they've been having difficulties, and I would by no means expect them to prioritize a game of all things, but if you're going to take on the responsibility of accepting peoples' money, you need to also take the responsibility of communicating with them.
I mean, no, they haven't communicated anything to their Kickstarter backers, either, and the few people who have been able to catch them on Discord have received vague responses or silence. The fact that they were on Discord means they are able to release a short update, but are actively choosing not to and "avoiding the issue," which is not how you deal with difficult things.
It's one thing to be positive and forgiving, but you need to hold people accountable sometimes as well, especially if they've been given $8,000 and can't even be bothered to announce a hiatus.
A lot of people have invested their money in the game, and you will not even deign to do updates?Shitty game.
I played the demo and was immediately hooked. Not only is the premise very interesting, but the art style is wonderful, and I am impressed that there is voice acting included. I also like the stress of having to decide what to do in order to not be suspected; it's unique and so is the phone feature. Overall, it seems to be a high quality game, based off what little we have been given. I just had to buy the side game after finishing the demo, and was a little disappointed there was no voice acting in that one (there were moans, though!). I guess the demo just got my standards up too high LOL. I liked it nonetheless, and the twins are definitely my favorite.
A few of these comments are pretty negative, and I think they are underestimating how much effort and time it takes to create a game like this. I'd rather have a perfected game that takes a while than a rushed one full of errors. However, I will say that it is a little rude to not have an update and be radio silent for months at a time. As far I can see, the last time people got an update was last year in August. I think people would take to the waiting game more kindly if you gave updates more frequently.
Of course, life happens, and we are in a pandemic. But I hope that we get news of what's going on with the game soon. I am very much looking forward to it and will anxiously await a full version, no matter how long it takes!
Dear, dear.. Many people have been waiting during this time, I hope this is not going to be pushed back another year. Without any updates, people who have invested in funding are losing hope in this game. the potential idea of this game is so wonderful and we all hope that the full release will see the light sooner or later. perfecting the game will take a long time its understandable, but its better to release then continue updating the imperfections that come to your attention. something is is better then nothing right? As someone who had bought the side game, I really want to best for your team and hope that this game can be released so it can strive .
The idea behind this is interesting, but I find how... manipulable the MC is really, really irritating. There are also some kind of cringe-y moments from a consent perspective, which might be a weird thing to have qualms with when the MC is a serial killer.... but still.
Will it be available in Steam?
Don't wanna ruin everyone's expectations, but the main game will likely never be released. The devs for this game are known to be extremely lazy, and the fact that they put more time and effort in side game rather than the main story says a lot. Devs wanted to make quick money without much efforts. (not saying the side game is bad, but it's definitely low effort for its price)
Having to pay 10$ for a 50k words long visual novel is ridiculous, especially when there are very, very good and wayyy longer visual novels out there you can get for free or like, 5$.
Seriously. I know i sound b*tchy but it has to be said.
So yeah, don't get your hopes up, pretty sure this is never going to be a finished product, and it was planned to be this way from the very beginning.
Can back this up from having known the lead dev lol
wow, what awful people. Ugh
Haven't seen any updates since August even on Kickstarter... I hope you guys are doing okay. I know it's been a rough time. :(
You release a side-game before the full game, what a great idea :/
When exactly do you think the full game will be out?
Its now 2021! and I'm excited for the release of this game!! Gonna keep posted for the release date!
Is this still in development?
Hello! Is game still in development? I afraid because didn't see any information or updates(((
So I know that it is coming out in 2021 but do you know when exactly in 2021 it will becoming out?
Wait so you play as a copycat killer hunting for a serial killer? or did i read that synopsis completely wrong.
As someone who played the demo: yeah. Rei is hunting the serial killer by trying to figure out how he does his murders by copycat killing.
......um.....I'm guessing he has a personal reason for wanted to catch this murderer, cuz that just seems counter-intuitive 😅
I bought the side game.It looks awesome. I would recommend making the text larger for the full game. It is a bit too small and the reading doesn't flow fully. I would not say that if I didn't think it looked awesome.
Thank you for the feedback! We'll keep it in mind for the main game.
Show post...
this. this right here is why i love yoai.
played the demo, loved it! about to buy the side game omg
I'm so excited to play this game. I just bought the side game and I'm about to play it now. Please keep working hard! We appreciate the effort!
Darn it, I just found out about this game. I was so looking forward to buying the beta.
Hello! I was just wondering how to purchase the side game? I can't seem to find a link for where to buy it directly?
The side game went up earlier today! Here is the link if you still need it: https://parival.itch.io/1st-degree-what-a-lovely-summer
waiting patiently for the full version! very well written visual novel, the artwork is beautiful and the voice actors make it so much lively!