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I have followed the development of Starmaker Story since the 1.0c update, and the 1.7 Update is easily my favorite update that has been released so far. In my opinion, the update focused on all the things I feel make Starmaker Story great. I am mostly writing this review to voice my pleasure about the direction of this new update. I hope future updates feature similar content to this update.

Quality of Life - The 1.7 Update implemented many quality of life features. The faster loading times, Skip Button, and the "Skip to Friday" buttons make exploring Peak City a breeze in comparison to previous updates. Starmaker Story is a very replay-able game, and the skip button helped minimize the amount of time I spent watching scenes I'd previously seen (both in current and previous playthroughs.) Often times a long scene would pop up and I would sigh, knowing I would need to spam through the scene, only to be reminded that I get to painlessly skip the scene instead. The "Skip to Friday" feature is a godsend, basically allowing players to view late-game holiday content for the first time without grinding. I'd love to see the addition of a "Start at a random date" option, which would add replay value without (hopefully) requiring too much devtime. I have seen Anna's birthday countless times, but have yet to see many of the late-game holiday events.

Side Character Content - The 1.7 update brings many new scenes to characters from older updates. Though many characters only gain one or two additional scenes, I am happy dev time seems to be spent fleshing out existing characters rather than introducing many more.

Plainview - While I believe Arvus should slow the introduction of new areas in favor of fleshing out existing areas, I think Plainview is an example of how to do a new area right. The new area introduces three new characters, but only one is fleshed out with many scenes. Instead, the focus of Plainview is mostly on giving existing characters more content with a new kink (Lactation content). If I compare this content with the content from The Badlands, I heavily prefer Plainview due to it's focus on existing characters (You could invite existing characters to ride on the back of your motorcycle, but that is far less content than what is present at Plainview.)

New Tabletop Minigame - Wow. This minigame blew me away. Once a day, the player can be invited to play a game of Dungeon Master with Tasha. The game allows you to invite characters you've befriended in Peak City to become members of your party. All 25+ characters come with their own custom class, with different skills and attacks. You then battle through a series of enemies, using mana, rolling dice, and earning upgrades as you play.

This minigame is absolutely astounding. I had lukewarm reactions to previous minigames (dancing, working out, bike races). The best minigame previously was the Coffee Shop Tower Defense Game, which was fun for a short while, but Dungeon Masters has legitimately compelling gameplay. I found myself theorycrafting new builds and trying to get girls I usually miss in order to earn their classes. When I finally earned all the rewards from playing the minigame... I played a few more rounds, just for fun.

I would play an entire game based around this system, full-stop. I'd pay money to play an entire game based around this system.

Additional Main Character Content - My favorite part of Starmaker Story has always been Anna. I prefer Starmaker Story as a "Trainer Game" with the compelling Subscriber Gameplay loop, rather than the Sandbox City-life Sim gameplay (a la Summertime Saga). This update probably added the most content for Anna from 0-5 hearts since the Weekend Update (another of my favorites). Arvus appears to enjoy adding late game content to Starmaker Story, but the 0-5 heart grind is the part I replay the most and the part I feel Starmaker Story is at it's best. I loved the new randomized Anna scenes and the Outdoor Photography system is probably one of my favorites gameplay rewards in the game, despite appealing to a kink (Exhibitionism) that doesn't interest me. The Adrian and Joseph PCs flesh out their characters and I am very excited for the "Anna's Tablet" feature. The 1.7 Update featured a wealth of 0-5 heart content, and I hope development continues in this direction.

I don't know how the update has been received more broadly, but this has been my favorite Starmaker Update yet. Well done, and more of this, please!

Sorry, Dr.Muramasa! I'm not up to date with RS, so I definitely missed that nuance. I've updated my post to clarify that information.

I sympathize with you, but I think you just found the game at the wrong time for you. NTR isn't for everybody, and even within NTR there are many subgenres which may be mutually exclusive for people.

Starmaker Story would generally be considered "Netori" (where you "steal" another person's partner). However, I choose to think of the story from a more wholesome perspective.

Even before the player and Anna start their Starmaker page, Anna isn't happy. She used to be full of life, living a hedonistic, party-filled lifestyle. Then, when she married Joseph... All of that was gone. While Anna gravitated to some parts of her new life, there was a large part of herself she felt she had lost. The player helps her feel wanted again when Joseph doesn't.

The player, Anna, Joseph, and Adrian are all flawed characters, with their own weaknesses and vices to overcome. You, as the player, can help them overcome those vices, or cause them to lean into those vices. It seems like the choices you made caused those characters to lean into those vices.

I am sorry the game had this effect on you; it has icked me out a few times as well. You asked if this is a common experience with the game and I would guess not. The title of the game is "Starmaker Story" and the inciting incident is you agreeing to help Anna make a Starmaker Page behind Joseph's back. I feel that lays out pretty well what kind of game this is (Netori). Most people who would be affected by Netori would probably stop playing.

I'll admit, Starmaker doesn't always get my flavor of NTR right. I want Anna to be sexually liberated and kinky, but only with me. However, many other people play the game and want to corrupt Anna further, sharing her with many other partners. Trying to appease both kinds of players if a difficult balancing act, and sometimes Starmaker is unable to maintain that balance. Sometimes the labels on choices aren't quite clear enough and you see something you didn't expect. I am able to stomach both flavors, but if you can't, it can be distressing. 

I am getting the feeling that you were fine with some light Netori, but perhaps not as far as the game goes. Perhaps you were fine with corrupting Anna into leaving Joseph, but perhaps were not okay with her constantly badmouthing him and disrespecting him, or having sex with the player while she is still in a committed relationship with Joseph. If that is the case, I'm sorry things went further than you were comfortable with.

That was a lengthy post, so I will try to summarize. TLDR: 1: All the main characters have their flaws and can work towards correcting them based on player choices. 2: You experience is (anecdotally) not that common, but I sympathize. 3: Starmaker isn't perfect and, like all media, you may find something you didn't expect. Starmaker generally does a good job labeling important choices, but mistakes happen and you might see something you didn't want to see.

I hope things get better for you. Maybe you can return to Starmaker at a better time in the future, but it might not be the game for you right now.

Just to keep everyone informed, the Starmaker Story 1.8 Update window has been officially changed to the end of October-November.

While this next part is my own speculation, I would anticipate the Starmaker Story update to be released sometime in November and, honestly, late November. Arvus Games is currently focusing dev time on a different project, RoundScape Adorevia, with a release window for that update being October (For RS fans, it is an Art Update, not a content update).

It'll be a wait until the next update, please adjust your expectations for a release date accordingly.

A small bit of news regarding the 1.7 update for Starmaker Story.

Arvus posted at 5:49 P.M. UTC "good news, update will be out before I go to bed". He then followed up with: "bad news, I just woke up 6 hours ago". Please note that Arvus lives in Europe (I believe in Germany) so the update may not be released at a convenient time.

Assuming this is not a joke, we should be approaching the release of the long-awaited 1.7 update. It does not sound like more delays will be coming. 

Feel free to calculate exactly how long the average human can stay awake, but Arvus could easily just pull an all-nighter so there is no guarantee the update will come out before you go to bed for the night. The news I wanted to share was that it sounds like there will be no further delays.

Hang in there, and please be respectful if you visit the Discord.

I was misremembering something Dr.Muramasa (A mod) posted in February: "[It] has almost always released by [the] end of the week, latest date, Sundays, Mondays or wednesdays." I misremembered the full sentence as "Almost always released at the end of the week, like Sundays." That's on me, I'll remove the sentence about it generally releasing on Sundays. Sorry, thanks for the correction.

There has been no significant news on the 1.7 update in the last three days. If you would like to know the updates from before three days ago, I have made a post outlining them.

Thank you, Dr.Muramasa, that is a CRUCIAL distinction.

Two days remain, with virtually no changes to the voting percentages, despite doubling the number of votes.

Bumping this topic because it has left the front page and there has been an increase in questions about the update. According to the discord, There has been no additional information given about the 1.7 update release window The information in this post is still accurate. The release window for Starmaker Story 1.7 remains "In August".

Now, what I am about to say is purely speculation on my part and should be treated as such. I have no affiliation with Arvus Games: I am merely a lurker in the Discord. I do not believe the update will be release until the very end of the release window. Arvus very much operates in accordance with Parkinson's Law: "Work expands to fill the available time". Arvus has a passion for creating games and, when he has time before the next deadline, often finds additional content he would like to add, scenes he would want to polish, or teasers for next update he would like to plant. This means Arvus generally uploads Starmaker updates at the very end of the release window. I must stress, this is born from a passion for making games, and it looks like the 1.7 update will be a sizable one. Arvus is spending this extra time making the game even bigger and better. But this does mean Starmaker updates are rarely posted early.

Arvus has, to my knowledge, generally releases Starmaker updates on Sundays. If the Starmaker update is not released tomorrow, I expect it to be released on the 30th-31st. I must stress one last time, I have no affiliation with Arvus Games, this is merely my best guess as to when the 1.7 update will drop.

In the meantime, you can always visit mrdeadpool666's post on alternative games to play while waiting for the update.

Arvus has posted a poll on discord asking for NSFW gaming platform preferences. Here is a current transcript of the poll:

Do you play NSFW games on mobile devices?

• Yes, I only play on mobile. (27 votes, 3%)
• I play both desktop and mobile. (285 votes, 32%)
• No, I only play on desktop/notebook. (571 votes, 65%)

Total votes: 833 (Six days remaining)

The purpose of this poll is to gauge interest in a mobile port of Starmaker Story. Please note that if Arvus decides to move forward with a port, he says that he will not be doing it himself, but hiring a third party to develop the port. Arvus has expressed surprise over the amount of people answering "I play both desktop and mobile", stating that he was anticipating the number to be closer to 10% rather than 32%.

The poll can be found on Discord and will be available for another six days. If you have interest in a mobile port of Starmaker Story, I recommend logging on to Discord and voting.

Firstly: If you see someone linking to a new update, do not click the link. It is a virus. The newest update will be posted here on itch for free.

Secondly: I see a lot of people asking about the update. This is understandable, as Arvus has pushed back the deadline a few times recently. Arvus frequently posts updates in the discord, but that information rarely makes it to the itch page (Which is what I seek to remedy here). 

The 1.7 update was originally slated for the end of July, but has been pushed back little by little since then. The current release window for the 1.7 update is "In August". Do not ask Arvus for a more specific date, he will not give one (No, not even 'Will it be tonight?').

The delays can be frustrating, but Arvus has had a very regular update schedule for the last year. Anecdotally, the NSFW Indie Dev scene is plagued with month or even year-long delays with radio silence from the devs--all while those same devs make a significant amount of money from hopeful subscribers. Arvus is an exception to this rule and has handled updates and deadlines historically very well.

The delays started after the recent controversy surrounding itch.io. Uncertainty regarding one's livelihood is certain to tank one's productivity. This, combined with delaying the deadline multiple times has heavily reduced Arvus' productivity (Which he claims is currently at about 30% of his general abilities).

I have full faith that the update will come, though it may take longer than expected. I feel Arvus has easily earned some delays and, honestly, even a break.

Please be patient and consider joining the discord if you would like more frequent updates.

I agree, I would love more content with Anna during the 1-5 hearts. There is a wealth of post 5-heart content, but Starmaker is at it's best for me during that initial grind.

The good news is that Arvus has been implementing more content for the 1-5 grind! He introduced the Yoga events, weekends trips, and holidays, all of which have unique content based on progression and can be experienced relatively early! I am hoping for more content in this vein, rather than new side girls, but I think that is a rarer opinion.

Please note when suggesting new features for the game, there are only four more planned updates and then Arvus plans to develop other games. We should only expect updates 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, and 2.0. Arvus already has the meat of these updates planned in advanced as well, so something like an additional family member is outside the scope of development, but new scenes likely aren't.

I particularly like your idea of Anna trying to take her own photos without you. I think it has a lot of creative potential, with Anna appreciating your photographic talents once she sees how hard it is. I'd love to see it!

Game speed relies heavily on a few different factors.

Almost all early-game progression for Anna is tied to subscriber count. I was testing different gameplay paths and estimated completion times, and I found the skills you take make a GIANT difference. When I focused on the follower skill tree, it took me about three weeks to unlock the studio. When I took the subscriber path, it took me BARELY one week.

The other main factor is side content. Once you get the car keys, the world opens up. Some sidequests do virtually nothing for progressing the story with Anna (Sam's sidequest, game store sidequest), while others rocket you forward (Mario and Sword Training + Gold Katana).

If you want to increase your progression speed, I'd recommend doing Mario's weekly tasks, using that money to buy the Gold Katana, grind the sword minigame, and invest all that money into camera equipment.

I'd say give the game one more hour with that strategy and you can probably progress Anna to max hearts, depending on how far you are already.

Firstly: If you see someone linking to a new update, do not click the link. The newest update will be posted here on itch for free.

Secondly: I see a lot of people asking about the update. This is understandable, as Arvus has pushed back the deadline a few times recently. Arvus frequently posts updates in the discord, but that information rarely makes it to the itch page (Which is what I seek to remedy here). 

The 1.7 update was originally slated for the end of July, but has been pushed back little by little since then. The current release window for the 1.7 update is "In August". Do not ask Arvus for a more specific date, he will not give one (No, not even 'Will it be tonight?').

The delays can be frustrating, but Arvus has had a very regular update schedule for the last year. Anecdotally, the NSFW Indie Dev scene is plagued with month or even year-long delays with radio silence from the devs--all while those same devs make a significant amount of money in the meantime. Arvus is an exception to this rule and has handled updates and deadlines historically very well.

The delays started after the recent controversy surrounding itch.io. Uncertainty regarding one's livelihood is certain to tank one's productivity. This, combined with delaying the deadline multiple times has heavily reduced Arvus' productivity (Which he claims is currently at about 30% of his general abilities).

I have full faith that the update will come, though it may take longer than expected. I feel Arvus has easily earned some delays and, honestly, even a break.

Please be patient and consider joining the discord if you would like more frequent updates.

According to Arvus's "Planned Features and Content" post: "Roundscape Eclipse is our main project, but every month we're not releasing a Roundscape Eclipse Patch, we'll be releasing some Starmaker Story Content in return." I've also heard it said in the forums somewhere that Arvus releases a new game on the last Sunday of the month, which roughly lines up with Arvus's release schedule. That being said, the updates have been slightly later than planned recently (totally understandable, game design is hard and these updates are free).

Arvus last posted an update to Starmaker Story on October 5th (That was the update for September). Then, they updated Roundscape Eclipse on October 28th (The update for October). Now, we are waiting on an update for November. I don't know if an update has been posted elsewhere and I haven't seen it or if Arvus is running behind schedule, but an update should be coming soon unless Arvus says otherwise.