As you all know, Just Friends is being developed for quite a while. The game is projected to have seven days, and I strive to write the very best I can, which makes updates to be limited to 8 to 10 route segments every update. Sometimes I add new features, sometimes I create a whole new engine to upgrade the game to a better build of Godot, which takes sometimes. I'm super happy and glad that my current Patrons are so kind to stick with me during these times too. From December to March, I essentially had no actual text update in the game because I was tirelessly working to port the game to Godot 4. Updating Just Friends was not the only reason, but making a system that is modular and can be enhanced with time and adapted for any new projects? That was the goal.

Just Friends is my only job right now, it's being my only job ever since the game passed 200USD monthly. I stopped any other odd-job or humiliating jobs I was having, to focus only on it. And I believe the quality jump in text and builds are visible. But there's only so much that I can do! And I worry sometimes, believe me. 

The lead artist for Just Friends is not being feasible to commission anymore. I only have one more set of commissions from him, after that I'll keep saving money monthly to buy new art but I'll find another artist to proceed with the cutscenes and backgrounds. My patrons already know about this. Truth is, what I make with Just Friends is barely a minimum wage right now, which is actually good, it means I don't need to throw myself at humiliating jobs that take away all of my time and will to live, and I can only focus on Just Friends the entire month! I went from having around 2 thousand words every update to more than six, that because I have more time to re-read what I write, and keep updating it, changing, trimming the fat, adding new information, and so on. I can focus on all aspects besides that. Before I would only have the sundays to work on the game, a regular job just takes almost all of your day here where I live. So I'm thankful that I found so many wonderful people who are supporting me monthly. Here are the people who supported me last month until the release of the current build:

I want to thank my patrons for that. The last month was incredible, and most of you stayed with me on Patreon. 

I Want to thank everyone who follows me here and that, sometimes, every three full moons or so, some of you "buy" a version of the game here. That extra bit of money always help me a lot. 

I really want to make more, to publish more content, to have more and more of what its needed to finish Just Friends with a bang, for that though I need more money. I need money for new art, I need money for music, I need money for hiring someone to read and playtest the game before I release it, to correct the typos and so on. Right now, all of these are impossible. 

For that I am working on a secondary project ever since June from last year. I don't know if it will amount to much, but I am working with another artist, having a whole deal with him, every single bit of money we make with it, half is his. This way, I can ensure a constant flow of art into the new project even if the money we make at the start is not huge. Like it or not, art is expensive, and some people charge more than what I make with Just Friends. So I need to make more money, to buy more art for that. 

Will I have enough time for both projects? Yes. I will just have to work harder, to spend the free time I have on the second project (Which I've been doing for months now, I barely play a game, I barely go out, I just work, but it's honest work. A work I love to do. Which is to code and make features for a game, which is to create stories that will make people feel happiness, sadness, and all other good emotions!), and I will keep on doing that if necessary for as long as possible. 

So, first of all: Thank you all for your support.

Secondly, thank you for the interest you guys show here in the project. 

I do want to ask you all a favor though: If you're reading until now, it means you're probably somewhat interested in what I'm saying, right? so I will assume you also want to see more of Just Friends, right? So please, if possible, consider supporting me on Patreon.

I do lose money at 1USD, but if every single one of the 1.200 people who follow Just Friends here on itch io, supported me on Patreon with 1USD the project would easily achieve 800 bucks or more monthly. That would be more than enough for one or two art piece a month, for me to finally contact a musician to write a song theme for the game and make music for it, to hire someone here to playtest the game and help me work with it, to help me achieve the dream that is to release this game eventually on Steam too! 

I can't force you to support me. Not everyone has the extra money. But with the current times, if Just Friends don't start making more, it will come to a point where I'll have to shelve the project in favor to find a regular job. If that happens, I won't be able to update it monthly anymore. Making games is my dream so I want to avoid doing that. That's why I work every day without stop. Because I want to give you all something incredible. But I need your help. So please, consider supporting Just Friends on Patreon.

Tier 0 Patrons won't get any rewards, for every 1 buck donated there, Patreon gives me about 60 cents. 

• Tier 1 Patrons:  
  • get their name added to the game's credits permanently. 
  • Their name is also etched into the game's title screen as a monthly thanks message, making your support for that build version an eternal reminder that you were there, supporting me.
  • Tier 1 patrons get new public builds versions every six months. While Public builds are updated here freely every December, Tier 1 patrons will get a newer public build to be released here in the future, early. So if you want to access newer builds but don't need the monthly update, those builds are updated every July and January for Tier 1 patrons until they are 10 builds behind the most recent build, when that happens, Tier '1 patrons will receive the updates anually but of a far higher and updated 'Public" build. 
    • These builds for tier 1 patrons will be the same that eventually are uploaded here for the public, meaning they lack some features that only Tier2 Patrons have access.

• Tier 2 Patrons:
  • Gets all previous rewards from Tier 1*
    • With the exception of the early public builds. Those are only for Tier 1 patrons since it would be redundant to give Tier 2 patrons a build that they already had access to before. Public builds are, in a way, a downgrade if compared to Tier 2 builds.
  • Will receive the most recent update of the game every month. 
  • Get access to Sketches from any artwork to be released on the game.
  • Get access to any Finished artwork with a smaller resolution that will be added to the game. 
• Tier 3 Patrons:
  • Get all of the above and:
  • Have access to finished artwork for the game at full resolution (albeit with watermarks for the game on them)
  • Have access to any available timelapse of artwork (if the artist provides that).
  • Are able to vote for features to be added to every single build, this includes:
    • Routes to be added or updated or re-worked.
    • Feature updates such as Notification System or Path Finding.
    • Updates on Engine.
    • Change of art Direction or anything that may drastically change the UI of the game.
• Tier 4 Patrons:
  • Gets all of the above and:
  • Have access to a Telegram Channel (Private, only accessible while you're still a Tier 4 member) that contains all of the Patreon uploaded artwork and content in a neat, organized gallery.
  • Have access to never released artwork into the game.
  • Have access to certain old designs that were scrapped or removed from the game.
  • Have access to full timelapses if available from start to finish.
  • Have access to the game script that is uploaded as an ebook.
    • These ebooks are the original text for the game but slightly adapted for reading without visuals. Sometimes, visual novels already show a lot of expression in the sprites, so a super detailed explanation of the reactions of a character is unnecessary. Every time a new ebook is updated, some new text is added for context. 
      • As a side note: Ebooks with text for the game scripts are only updated when I have extra time, so they take a while to be made. 
• Extra Help:
  • Every single person can donate more than the regular tiers on Patreon, but if you want rewards you need to first choose a tier, then, update the value on it for a price above the tier you're supporting. 

Every single patron from tier 1 onwards gets their names on the title screen monthly as long as they are active patrons! The higher your tier, the bigger your name, of course!  :D

For now, this is it.

Again, thank you all for your time, for your support and for enjoying my game. It means a lot to me.