Re: Aylia's Story - English H-Game Goodness!
Maybe it's just me, but I've seen a lot less pestering since Yummy brought out the progress chart, which was an excellent move imo. It makes release dates or estimates unnecessary and gives an actual feel for where the project is at.
Anyway, I never really understood why anyone would get so emotionally distraught over online comments to completely abandon a project. I have a feeling there are often more serious underlying factors involved, because otherwise it's ridiculous. I'd rather not follow a developer who is so emotionally unstable that they can't handle something so mundane. Yummy seems to have a thick skin at least.
The comments alone usually is just the final straw.
Those who quit usually have already been under stress/depression from all the other things already (possibly including their own failing to meet their own expectation, whatever comments from actual people around them who might not understand why they're doing this kind of work, the stress of trying to make enough money to put food on the table while also not using up all the time/energy so there's some left to actually work on the game, etc)
While the comments are mundane, the iceberg of stress hidden beneath is definitely far from it.
And really, when the fans, the people who should've been supportive of the game, ALSO talk shit about it, it can really be the tipping point (et tu brutus and such)
BUT, it's not like the dev is not to blame either.
As you've noted, the complaints have really subsided once more information about the game progress is revealed by Yummy.
THIS is the key.
The fans are people too, and being left in the dark also worries them (as much as I'd like to keep high hope for some blogs that's been no update for 3+ months...)
Even if it's an apology for lack of work, at least a proper explanation on 'why' would help. Was it sickness? Just all around laziness/writer block? Super annoying bug that refuses to go away (which might prompt some of the tech savvy fans to help out)? The old PC exploded and lost all the work stored on it (not everyone uses backup for projects)?
Whatever it is, so long as it's explained, people will be less worried (angry at laziness maybe)