Darling Duality
30 Days Wild Fundraising Again (wallpaper + more as thanks :3)
Okay, so I should probably start out by apologising for the fact that this isn't an update about the game itself >.< Depending on how closely you follow my posts and/or other projects, you may or may not be aware of the fact that I've been out of action quite a lot recently due to a few unfortunate circumstances (bad seasonal lurgy at the end of last year + broken arm at the beginning of this one, haha.) But I won't ramble on about that cos you can go read the posts about my arm incident over on Bitter/Sweet's game page if you want to.
The point is that development of pretty much all of my projects has been on hold for quite a while. Frustratingly, I haven't really been able to work on DD much at all since I released the demo update late last year! I just about managed to take part in Yandere Jam back in February this year, and then my arm got broken, which took a couple of months to heal, and I've just been playing catch up on stuff that I've missed ever since >.< The good news is that I've been able to commission the amazing LazyPolarBear, who is now working on some gorgeous CGs for DD :3
And now it's somehow June again already o.O which means that 30 Days Wild is starting again!
As much as I want to get right back to working on my project stuff again now that my arm is usable, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I didn't at least try to raise a bit of money for my local Wildlife Trusts again this year while taking part in the 30 Days Wild challenge.
Last year, I created the fundraiser through JustGiving, which you can find here if you want to read any of the old posts and stuff. But when I tried to create a page this time around, it was throwing up all sorts of errors, so I'm gonna give up on that and just run it through my Ko-Fi page instead!
My aim is to raise a total of £150 (to split evenly between the 3 wildlife-related charities that I support BBOWT, Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust, and the RSPB.)
The total goal will be trackable on Ko-Fi, but if you want to send any donations there that you specifically want to go towards my game projects rather than the fundraiser, just let me know in a comment or dm on there so that I can keep track of what's going where :3 Same goes for if you'd prefer to choose a different nature-related charity for me to send the money to. The main thing is just to try and raise something to help these amazing charities protect and restore nature ^-^
At the end of the fundraiser (which runs 1st June 2023 - 30th June 2023), whether the goal is met or not, I'll still split whatever is raised as equally as I can, and make sure to post screenshots of the money being passed on to the above charities.
Aaaaand, anyone who donates towards the fundraiser (with any amount) will get the gorgeous Darling Duality x 30 Days Wild wallpaper that LazyPolarBear created last year specifically for this event :3 (small sample version below - full downloadable version is 5760x3240 without the watermark) 
On top of that, this year, I'm going to attempt to create a few original music tracks which you will be able to download and listen to or use royalty-free in your own game or video projects (full terms of use will come later with the release, but it will probably just be something like crediting the tracks to me and maybe linking to my itch page or something!)
Both the wallpaper and the music tracks will remain exclusive to the 30 Days Wild challenge.
To claim the wallpaper and soundtrack when available (wallpaper immediately - soundtrack sometime in July/August with any luck), just donate any amount to the fundraiser via Ko-Fi :3 I will create a key-locked page here on itch where you'll be able to access the items for download once I send you a key for the page. I can send the key via DMs on Ko-Fi, or if you'd prefer me to email the key or Downloads instead, please just let me know where is the best place to send it to.
Anyone who knows me will know that I have always struggled with my mental health. While I doubt my depression will ever be fully cured, sometimes all it takes to lift my mood a little is to get outside and be surrounded by nature.
Nature has helped me through some of the toughest times in my life, but the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. Charities like the Wildlife Trusts are working to protect and restore nature across the UK, but they need our help to keep on doing the incredible work that they do.
I may not be able to volunteer due to my anxiety and lack of access to transport, but I'm taking part in 30 Days Wild again this year in order to at least try and raise a little money for them :3
Our wildlife is so, so, precious, and I don't want to live in a world where we lose what little we have left. If we want to ensure that everyone has equal access to nature and spaces where wildlife can thrive, then charities like this are in desperate need of our help.
I've already experienced first-hand how devastating it can be to lose wild spaces nearby, as the route for the government's HS2 scheme has resulted in the destruction of much-loved greenspace near where I live, obliterating a patch of woodland that I used to regularly walk through.
Thanks for your support of my projects in general + for helping me protect the nature that I love so much <3
Have a joyous June ^-^
Comments
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Donated! Thanks for caring about our beautiful world. Nature is so incredible and precious, your post made me so happy to see. Hope you continue to heal well! Hugs!
I know I already said thanks over on Ko-Fi, but I can never say it too many times! x3 So thank YOU again for also caring enough to help me out with the fundraiser ^-^ I often feel frustrated with myself that I can't do more to help cos of my anxiety, but I guess at least trying to do something is still better than doing nothing at all x3 I couldn't do it without people like you though :3
I used to volunteer at an animal sanctuary years ago, and the only reason I left was cos some vet students were there as part of a course and they started bullying me >.< I worked in a part of the place by myself just looking after the sick and injured hedgehogs, and if I'd just had 1 person with me to help me, or was a less anxious person and able to speak up and tell someone in charge, I'd probably still be there now. But instead, I did the only thing I knew how at the time and just left >.< My stupid anxiety has only ever gotten worse over time, so now I don't feel like I'd be able to go back without someone there I trust to accompany me.
Thank you some more and hugs back <3
Physical Therapy can help a great deal for getting back into the swing of things, but providers vary greatly in their (in)ability to help their patients. Check reviews and see if you can get a free session or two (or if insurance covers it).
I did a shout to your page here so that others are aware of your fundraising and may offer to help out with both fundraising and showing some love for your other projects.
Do your best to get yourself some assistance with getting a website up. Keeping track of stuff via your scattered posts (or email, lol) is kinda taxing for the younger crowd, ya know :)
Yeah, I can imagine it varies x3 I don't have any insurance cos that's generally only something you have if you're well-to-do here, which I'm definitely not, haha, or as a bonus if you're working for a posh company, so I have to make do with whatever free NHS appointments I'm given >.< not that I'm complaining because it's a great thing to have if you can't afford anything else! It's just very slow with how overwhelmed the service is.
Oh, thank you for that! That's super sweet of you ^-^
I did try Wix briefly, but what I made looked pretty awful xD so I didn't publish it and just intended to go back and try again once my arm was free! I haven't had a chance to yet though cos I'm still playing catchup on my inbox and it's a losing battle, haha. I've spent almost all of May on replies to messages, and I'm still not anywhere near done x3 I can't lie, I'm pretty overwhelmed at this point and not sure what to do about that cos I don't want to ignore anyone, but at the same time, I'm not able to catch up or keep up with what's there anymore, so it means I'm making 0 progress on projects >.<
I did see your ping about SpaghettiLord and webdev, and I actually thought, hmm, if I ever catch up on my messages, I'll try to get in touch about that and ask what an acceptable price is for help. But I figured I probably wouldn't be able to afford to give a reasonable amount. And then I was just heading out of the door today to take my lil brother to one of his appointments when I saw Spaghetti messaging me! I was so confused x3 and then I panicked cos I thought, this looks amazing, but I probably can't afford the help, and I don't wanna waste anyone's time, so then I was just absolutely mindblown when Spaghetti said it's already a done deal!
My brain can't comprehend why anybody would be so kind as to do something like that for me x3 I don't feel like I deserve it! Especially when I'm epically failing at keeping on top of everything atm and not really managing to get anywhere with my projects despite desperately trying my best to get on top of my inbox >.<
Anyways, since this mystery gift comes anonymously, all I can do is raise my eyebrows at you over the internet and cast my suspicions in your direction xD And if it is you, then I want to thank you at least! x3 If it isn't, I really hope my thanks get passed on to whoever they should be going to, haha. But I still send many thanks your way anyways for all the advice you've given over time!
I should probably shut up anyhow cos I only just got home and I need to wrap my brother's birthday present before I start cooking dinner cos it's his birthday tomorrow x3 If you don't mind though, I'm gonna drop you a dm on Discord sometime when I get a chance cos I just wanted to ask your advice on how to cope with juggling so many things, but I probably shouldn't ramble on about it here since it's fairly off-topic.
I hope your week is going well so far anyhow!! :3
Melanie, if I may call you that, feel free to always enjoy and appreciate the ones who throw you some kindness. You deserve it with all the fantastic talent you possess, especially in the creation of wonderful music and visual novels :)
The webdev work is a gift, it has been already covered so 'but thou must' and no excuses! :)
I wish I was as popular as you are getting as many messages and having trouble keeping up. I run a Discord server but it isn't exactly poppin off as often as I'd like even after 5+ years of being online.
I suppose my only advice I can offer is to let people know that you cannot keep up with every message or respond to every person. Perhaps you could do a 'Q&A' response post for those who support you via itch.io donations or ko-fi or otherwise. One of the things about being a celebrity (even on the internet) is that you do what you can within a reasonable timeframe. Burnout can happen and often has happened to content creators on YT and other parts of the net.
I remember back when JaidenAnimations (yes, the real one) on YT was just starting out and barely getting 5k views on a video (closer to 500) and I'm like 'this girl is GOOD and she's gonna be amazing I hope someday' and not only was I right but she's getting 20+ million views a video plus several million subs plus merchandise plus events plus all the other stuff. She connected with other creators (per my suggestion so long ago that 'networking is important') and from there she really took off doing collabs and other bits (again, stuff I suggested as part of networking with others). She used to be super duper shy but I'm really happy for her. Many celebrities end up becoming hostile/arrogant or think they are better than others but Jaiden is one of the few I can point to and go 'yeah she's legit' and be happy for her success. I sadly don't have the emails we used to exchange that long ago; wish I'd kept them but I ditched an old gmail account because reasons. Use other email that's far more secure :)
What I do personally is keep several emails. I have my Google email only for Google Play stuff on my phone and nothing else. I have two Protonmail accounts, one for strictly IRL and one for strictly online-only accounts that don't have any of my payment or other IRL info. I use virtual credit cards linked to my bank account with most online storefronts to maintain both some level of privacy and a bit of pseudo-anonymity. The email service 'Tutanoga' is also a great alternative, but I like Protonmail since they also do ProtonVPN and ProtonDrive and other stuff all in the same account, effectively an open-source secure alternative to the Google ecosystem.
So uh TLDR I suppose: read as many messages as you can, respond to those who financially support you and your work (within reason, maybe limit to first 100 people by date/time when message is sent), maybe ask Spaghetti to set up a contact form on your upcoming website so you can receive emails easier. I know you aren't much of a fan of Discord and instant-messaging, but doing a once-monthly Q&A live voice thing with special Discord roles on your server with your supporters would be a nice gesture. Let them ask you questions and you answer to the best of your ability, etc.
So it is up to you but I feel you already far exceed me in both talent and capability. If there's anything else you may need, please don't hesitate to poke me. I am not always 'online' on Discord because reasons, so just leave me a message as if you were writing an email :)More than happy with Melanie cos it's a million times nicer than my real name, haha. But man, I still really wanna shake my head in denial at all the kind things you've said because I still haven't learned how to fully disable my compliment deflector x3 I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I just can't comprehend that I could possibly be worthy of such praise and kindness >.< but I'm trying to get better at accepting it at least, and no matter how much the evil part of my brain wants to deny it, I always appreciate kind words and sweet gestures. It means the world to me that you or anyone else would even consider supporting me ^-^
And thank you so much again for such a generous gift :3 Not gonna lie, I almost cried when Spaghetti explained that it was a gift and everything was covered cos my brain just went into complete shock xD Even if excuses aren't allowed, I still have to thank both of you somehow!!
I don't know if you could really count me as particularly popular though because the biggest part of the problem with me keeping on top of messages and such is my own inability to condense what I type xD + the fact that my everyday responsibilities have increased, so I have less time each day to spend at my PC in general.
It's not so much that I'm completely buried by a vast number of messages as that I've ended up with quite a few contacts who have become friends over time, whether that be through working with them on projects or people who have gotten in touch just to say a few words about a project.
You know what I'm like with my rambling x3 So trying to make sure I don't lose contact with anyone that I'm exchanging essays with at the same time as attempting not to neglect new messages has become difficult. I recently read something that said you should be careful to ensure that responding to messages doesn't interrupt or reduce your workflow >.< and it's gotten to the point where my workflow has completely stopped, haha. So when I can't even keep up with messages despite stopping working on stuff, I end up feeling like I'm kinda failing at everything.
I know it's my own fault for ultimately wanting to be friends with everyone while not having the social battery or time to handle it >.<
I mean, I don't have that many followers by typical social media standards. And I will never understand how I have as many as I do, but I really appreciate every single one :3 When I was making my first game, I just kinda figured maybe like 10 people would play it or something, if anyone at all xD
Anyways, the Q&A thing is a really good idea! I'll have to try and sort something like that out. I suppose I should probably stop and drop you a message on Discord cos I wanna respond to the rest of what you've said here :3 + I believe I still owe you a reply there anyway! With any luck, me posting this segment here will reduce the amount of spam I end up sending you on Discord, haha. I always feel so bad that my rambles wind up as like 10+ Discord dms because I feel like it must be quite irritating for people >.<
Thank you again for everything <3
PS. There is no way on earth that I exceed you x3 To me, you are someone I aspire to be like who seems like they really have their shit together, unlike me kinda just stumbling all over the place banging my limbs on everything and wondering where I'm gonna end up xD You've got so much knowledge and the generosity to share it :3 You are like a super guru and just all-around amazing!!
I read your 'essay' here and on Discord; you're amazing with how much you can type out in such a short time. Please be sure to make time for yourself to avoid the burnout ;)
Please don't ever feel the need to immediately respond to myself or anyone else. Priority should be IRL over everything else and focus on family first. After that, anything else can come as it does. I've sent you some additional info via Discord and I feel I'll just join your email mailing list (so to speak) with email contact from now on since you said that's easier for ya. Whatever works :)
I hope the website stuff works out well for you once it is finished. Spaghetti will help ya with any feedback/concerns as you like so feel free to poke em with updates :)
As for making games, do what you can in the time you have, leave the rest for another time. Focus on yourself first because I feel I can safely say neither anyone here nor any of your fans on Discord/elsewhere want to see you burned out because you're working too hard and balancing IRL. Please please feel free to take care of yourself. Healthy body leads to a healthy mind and being more productive overall :)
You've done many amazing games so people can enjoy them (and replay them) while we eagerly await the next release. There aren't that many demanding standards for non-paid and freeware games in general, so take your time.
WELCOME BACK!!! i'm so happy you can use your arm again
i'll make sure to donate what i can, best of luck with the fundraiser!
Thanks x3 so am I, haha. My biggest complaint is that I can't open those little yogurt drink pots, but then I did struggle with that even before the break xD Just don't have the grip and twist power required >.< so I have to keep resorting to trying to break all the little seals with a knife, which is sometimes disastrous with how clumsy I am! Stabbed myself a couple of times, haha.
Thank you, thank you ^-^ I woke up this morning to discover that some extremely generous angel of a person has smashed the goal solo!! Could hardly believe my eyes :3 I had to go eat some breakfast and get some chores done, so by the time I got on my PC, I was wondering if maybe I dreamt it and it wasn't actually real, so then I was blown away all over again when I fired up my PC, checked, and saw that it actually did happen, haha.
I hope you're doing well and that you get to have a super duper June! Part of me wants to hide from the sun now it's getting so much hotter here, but then I will miss out on all the awesome nature-related daily challenges for 30 Days Wild, and I can't have that happen x3 But I did buy a hat so that I hopefully won't get as many headaches when I'm outdoors this year, or a burnt scalp!