Dev Blog #111 – An Open Letter, and Apology

Greetings everyone.

This was bound to happen sooner or later, so let’s just get into it.

Like A Powder Keg

So I’m just going to be frank here.

Those on Discord have noticed a major drop in communication from me, those in the Dev Build tier have noticed an alarming absence of dev builds, and even last week’s devblog was cancelled. The reality is that in writing today’s post, I’ll have written more than I have for The Company over the last three weeks combined, and that fact alone would be enough to make me sick. As it is, there have been a number of detrimental parallel processes running in my life, building up pressure, and finally coming to a head at the start of the month.

Without getting into details, the end result is the loss of friends and lovers that have been in my life for over a decade, further deteriorated family relationships, the crippling of my ability to write or really show interest in most anything, and an introduction to the world of mental health support. I’m still learning how to pronounce most of these medications… My daily routine has effectively been wake up to get the kids to the bus stop, then go back to bed until it’s time to pick them up, choke some food down, feign humanity until bedtime, then repeat.

It’s not great.

Regardless, I’m working through it day by day as I claw my way back to some semblance of a normal working routine. This feels like one of those coalescence of life events that, for me anyway, was bound to happen sooner or later, and just so happens to be happening now. What an absolute clusterfuck of a year…

The Company is not Dead

You’d be forgiven for reading this and assuming that the punchline is that I’m suspending if not outright cancelling development on The Company.

You’d be mistaken.

I’d be lying if I said that the development schedule for The Company hasn’t veered off course and gone straight into a ditch, but every day is an increasingly effective effort to salvage the wreckage. I’ve been working with my auxiliary writer to keep development on Chapter 4 moving, albeit at a greatly reduced rate, so things haven’t stagnated completely. Still, the damage done is real, and while I wish I could provide some kind of timeframe for recovery, the reality is that I just can’t right now. We’re definitely not talking months, here, and Chapter 4 – Part 1 is still coming out this year. Period.

Still, you’re all not here to support the veritable shitshow that is Westane’s personal life, you’re here to support the Human Relations sim that is The Company. I’ve completely failed in delivering in that regard, and I can’t apologize enough, nor would I expect any of my backers to stick around long enough to see the game get back on track. At the very least I would ask you to follow me, keep an eye on development, and come back to support it once you’re happy with how things are moving again.

To all of my backers, I’m incredibly sorry.

In spite of all of this, I want to thank everyone for their continued support, which I hope I can earn back as quickly as possible!

25 Comments on “Dev Blog #111 – An Open Letter, and Apology

  1. Yo buddy. This year has been poop. Playing your game has been a fun escape. You do you man. Get your shit together and take care of business. We will happily play the latest update whenever you release it.

    Hang in there. Tough times will always pass and get better.

    • As much as I want this out, take care of yourself and your kids first.
      That being said, good luck with everything. From all I’ve read so far, whoever writes these posts has some decency.

  2. Sounds like you went through an interpersonal implosion that is, sadly, becoming more and more common (especially in the U.S., even MORE especially in the past, ahem, few weeks). If I’m right on that mark, sorry to hear it dude. It saddens me when people put politics before family (or “family”). If I’m wrong, ignore this last part.

    Get the help you need, and approach whatever comes with the resolve of the stoics.

    And be there for your kids. If it is traumatic for you, it’s gotta be the same for them.

    Best of luck.

  3. There’s nothing to apologize for.

    You have the same right as every other living thing to fight to survive. Put self-care first.

  4. Hey.
    Granted I am not a backer supporting you financially, but I am a player and The Company is, in my opinion, one of the best adult games available (along with Perverted Education and Degrees of Lewdity).
    However, reality comes first, your health, and your family must take priority over writing a game. So don’t fret about taking your time. You won’t write anything if you worry yourself into ill-health or worse.
    So, mourn your losses, relax with your friends and family, HEAL and then write. Okay…
    I am sure we would all rather see your best coming out late rather than your 2nd best but on time.

  5. You’re human before all the rest. All we had to know is that you don’t give up on anything.

    Keep the fight, it is hell of a life… but that is the only one you’ve got.

    All my moral support to you.

  6. Don’t be sorry or apologise to us for your mental health. We can wait, so please don’t rush. I really hope you keep fighting for yourself and family. It will get better I promise you. Love from the UK

  7. Good luck mate. Mental health is a tough battle. We all sincerely support you and focus on you first (whether that is you or you+family).

  8. I love the game, it’s been wonderful fun, but that’s all it is, a game. Your real life issues are more important. I will gladly wait for the next installment, just take care of you

  9. You’re good, man. Get yourself right first, I know I have no problem waiting for you to get in the right headspace for this project

  10. I was curious as to what happened with the dev updates, but not annoyed or anything, and upon reading this I totally get that you have bigger fish to fry.
    I dig the work you’ve been doing, and by all means prioritize the real things in life first, that should go without saying.
    Appreciate your drive to make an update before the years out though and making this post to tell us what’s going on.

    Saddening to read about the state of affairs though…

  11. While this game (which mindblowingly does not cost anything) is pretty fun und all, it should not consume you while other stuff is more important.
    I hope, this really hopeless phase in your life will soon come to an end (a good or at least acceptable one).
    Thank you for all the countless hours of fun you provided up until now. Take time to sort your stuff out, it is super important.
    Wishing you all the best,
    Cain

  12. point of note the game was’nt free if you were a backer, like me, but myself both being severly autistic and mentally ill, i know what its like ta have a realy bad time in real life, and not be able to do anything, but westane says he has a backup writer, and knows all he wishes to do with the next chapter and probbaly the end also as well, and has people who have paid for a product that he should deliver on, and so what i would do is contact that alternative writter tell him whats to be done and get him to finish the product, i mean game of thrones had to do that, and having worked as a DJ, the one thing i can tell you about the public in regards to entertianment is that you must deliver on what you promise, so if i was having a bad night with my autism, or my epilspey from it, or my mental illness, i’d just get my staff to do the night in my absence

    • While I understand your position as some-one providing financial support, in exchange for early access, possibly having some game input and gettlng images etc… Even knowing the intended result, assistants and support staff might not have the same picture in their heads.
      If Whistler’s mother had been finished by an adolescent apprentice it might well have turned out as Whistler’s MILF, sooo not the work of art it actually is…
      And do you know the Disc World books, by Terry Pratchett, he had an assistant because he had Alzheimer’s but he did not stop half way through and let the assistant finish, they wouldn’t have been his then, he took his time and did them his-self, with the assistant tidying up afterwards.
      So, would you really expect the same game if it was suddenly being written by a committee of people rather than the author of record?
      Granted we cannot know how it will continue, or when, but I for one enjoy the game and would like to see the author complete it, not see some hybrid of original and replacement.
      We can see the often poor results of changes in writers in television and films, so I am happy to wait for the game to be continued rather than have a less brilliant game sooner.

      • hi petere i felt your well written comment desreved a reply, and while i agree that yes a alt writter probably will change things from the orginal source, like game of thrones or when chris claremont was to sick to write x men, but some of the alt writters content is already there for example dakota’s human dog path and its pretty good, but also i feel it’s whats needed as for about a year now we’ve gotten updates that are just re hashings of old content with new mechanics and no real new content at all, also as a male orientated women, i wouldnt mind seeing more men on the platter as we have tons of women available but male lovers wise we have 1 highly undevleoped chris relationship, and a nasty closet self hating trans women called john, but else wise we have no male lovers for the characters to enjoy, but yet a platter of female lovers, i also would love ta see tasha done as an actual trans women, rather than a CIS women, especially considering that theres tons of hot trans women out there, either way my point is we backers have been paying money for quite a wee while now for new content, and getting nothing back in return and then we get hit with this announcement, that there wont be able new content will maybe the end of the year, and that was after being promised chapter 4 bye the 27th of october so you have ta see that side also as welll

        • Hello Tara,
          Thank you for your comments.
          I do understand the points you have made however, that said life is what happens when we expect things to follow a plan… and this year things have been complicated for pretty much everyone so allowances should be given.
          On the flip-side though, while being (mostly) hetro, I agree some-what with the issue of gender inequality in the game. More could be done with Chris, or perhaps Craig and the drivers could have interactive roles.
          But, at the end of the day we still need to wait until Westane is feeling upto comtinuing the story and game… and it behoves us to allow him the time.

  13. Hey man, all great artists/ writer’s experience shitty stuff and once they pull through… they’ve made ended up creating a master piece. Your hard work and sacrifices WILL pay off, I and the rest of your supports believe in YOU! Please take care of yourself and your family they are what matter the most.

  14. So if by “the start of this month” you mean they voted for someone you didn’t agree with then they are better off without someone with your toxic mindset in their lives…

    If you cut people out of your life for political differences YOU’RE the shitty one!

      • His description sounds like someone else did that to him, dude. When you are so are so self righteous that you would cut someone you have kids with out of your life for over who they voted for in a general election, you probably aren’t the kind of person to be too broken up about it…

  15. Sir, I do not give a flying fuck if the game gets developed now or later. Being a selfish bastard requires me to kindly request that you at the very least, get better. So that you can continue pushing chapters of this deliciously dark game in the future. Hoping for your speedy recovery. On a different note – I suffered from pretty bad depression and issues this year. Seriously speaking, your health matters more than this game. I believe I speak for most of us here, but you should focus on healing right now. All the best.

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