So did they ever tell us why Agung isn't romanceable?

[simple hamlet]

obligatory I know it was an assumption and the devs never directly confirmed he would be blah blah, but considering the backlash and the general sentiment I assumed we'd get some kind of statement on why by now.
At this point I don't really care, I was an alpha backer but I lost all interest in the game after the controversy and seeing the state the game released in, but i genuinely hope its in a better state cause the premise and setting is really cool.
I am still curious though, what was the reason? Did they ever give any clue?

[shell shoal]

In game dialogue Agung states no interest in romance (Aro/Ace rep )

[simple hamlet]

Id much rather an actula explicit confirmation of it, but if thats true, why didn;t the devs just say that from the start or at least when the controversy was going down 😭 Id be disappointed sure, but Id rather they just outright with it.

[sturdy glade]

Did they need to? They didn't have to explicitly say anything about Raj or Dippa. Why all the double standards for Agung?

[shell shoal]

The devs have always let the game speak for itself … 😅
The game is very intentionally created & curates representation (flag on community centre, sustainability focuses game wide, non binary NPC & romance able, queer couples, disabled NPC, etc etc etc)

[simple hamlet]

Is raj no longer a dateable npc?

[sturdy glade]

No, they are, but the devs never had to explain to anyone that they are NB. it's something you find out by playing the game

[simple hamlet]

Look, I really would rather not get into, it but replacing Agung with Semeru is.. hm
but whatever, its fine, Its established Agung is not dateable. My question was whether the Devs ever put an official word on it after the whole debacle. They didnt, its already been answered.

[sturdy glade]

But you keep bringing it up.
It's been a year and a half, it's very much time to let it go

[simple hamlet]

Oh, I found that out via the male vs female romance ratio, but thats on me

[simple hamlet]

I brought it up because I was genuinely curious whether they put a word out after it all.
and yeah, cause I waited 3 years for a game and not only lost the only character I liked and was there when it all went down so it left a sour taste on the whole thing and game. ur right that im definitely bitter about it tho lol I did genuinely come to ask, but I get annoyed when ppl cant acknowledge that the devs could have handled it better. it admittedly riles me up.

[shell shoal]

(semeru didn’t “replace” Agung - you can’t replace something that didn’t exist ..)
I’ve played all since initial EA & there were multiple times I saw CMs chat in discord that while Denali & Agung are/were the only Merfolk NPC we’ve seen at that time, that did NOT mean they were the dating ones

[simple hamlet]

Idk why ppl coddle them over when its such a lukewarm take to say professionals could have maybe handled it better, thats the one point ill argue on. I wish Agung was dateable. he's not, and thats final.

[simple hamlet]

they were the merfolk used on the KS when they announced merfolk dateability. Im aware they never explicitly said Agung would be, but when the other character he was shown with in promo is announced to be romanceable, its not a leap to assume the hot other merfolk would ne next, instead of an entirely new character.

I dont get why ppl find it so strange of an assumption just because it wasn't explicitly confirmed. I dont think the devs were trying to deceive or wanted to deceive. I think it was just bad/awkward marketing

and my feelings wouldnt be so sour if the devs could just kind of acknowledge that. Idk, i guess its my morals, I think admitting shortcomings are important and dont make u a bad person or make it as if u did something bad intentionally. Idk, maybe its just my own hangups about ppl that cant try to see the other persons side.

[shell shoal]

Yeah it’s def a to each their own situation
Bc imo devs def don’t need to outright apologize for people misreading or misinterpreting, bc imo it was never misleading by devs 🤷‍♀️

(& as someone who has seen it all go down, there was very poor behavior from enraged players & it was out of line)

[simple hamlet]

I don't think they need to apologise, just acknowledge some poor choice in marketing. It was a wide prevailing assumption, the backlash was proof enough, and an assumption that big by so many ppl doesn't come from nowhere. I don't need them to bow and beg for forgiveness, I just would have liked them to clarified sooner or at least acknowledged the confusion.

I saw some comments that were definitely out of line, but the good majority 95% of the ppl unhappy were just expressing confusion and disappointment.
I saw a lot of ppl piling onto both ppl that were out of line (and rightly so), but also onto ppl just expressing disappointment.

I remember expressing sadness and being bummed out and got at least 2-3 ppl mock me for it. Literally just for having the audacity to be disappointed.

It's why I struggle to have sympathy for the devs. I don't think they deceived or did it maliciously, they just could have handled it better. I just don't think that's a harsh or unwarranted criticism.

[sturdy glade]

it wasn't poor marketing though. It was people misreading or seeing what they wanted to. The devs owe nothing for that.

there was nothing they needed to 'handle' better

[simple hamlet]

If a good large portion of fanbase has a misassumption, your marketing has been misinterpreted.

Yes, they could have. Announced Agung was ace without waiting 3* years

[sturdy glade]

it wasn't a large portion though. It was like 10 people being very loud. I've seen just as many people disappointed over Jim, Derek, Axel, even Kira and Wateru. But no one behaves the way the Agung people do

[marble drum]

I'm looking at the ks right now (because I read it before backing) because it's never explicitly says he is gonna be dateable.. if you take his picture and assume he's gonna be a dateable.. thats not the devs fault? That's on the readers for not understanding what concept and concept art is

[simple hamlet]

No iit wasn't lmao

[shell shoal]

Additionally, as I said above #1314095836464025670 message

I’ve played all since initial EA & there were multiple times I saw CMs chat in discord that while Denali & Agung are/were the only Merfolk NPC we’ve seen at that time, that did NOT mean they were the dating ones

[simple hamlet]

Ten ppl???? I was there

That's just factually incorrect. Seriously. Ten people. It was loads of different ppl for over a WEEK. I was there in the literal trenches man.

I'm not arguing that they were trying to deceive anyone, im saying that if that many ppl made a misassumption, then clearly, even if unintended and not even explicitly confirming it, the marketing made ppl think Agung was going to be dateable.

We can yell and scream that some ppl assumed and others didn't, it varied from person. But a large amount of ppl did, and that says something.

[crisp ivy]

as an Ace myself i shouldnt HAVE to say "no im Ace". If i say "romance isnt my thing" then people should respect that

[simple hamlet]

This is so dumb. I don't want an apology from the devs, I get that he is not romanceable.

[simple hamlet]

OK

?????

I just didn't want them to think I was saying they were dumb?

OK sorry for clarifying ???

[patent pasture]

I think this conversation is going in circles. You asked a question, was provided with a reasonable answer and now still not happy with it and continue playing the blame game.
To everyone else, I don't see any point in having further discussion. Let's just move on.

[simple hamlet]

Yes, can this be locked

[shell shoal]

Iirc as OP there’s usually an option to ‘Close Thread’
(Only moderators or above can Lock Threads)