I'm for v4 only. As far as i understand, the most work is on coding new engine, so there are no possibility to make some small updates.. Whatever If you want to change the engine, why make something on the old one? It will be just more stuff to port.

But... idk, it would be cool to polish sex-phase, like many mentioned before. Some automatical movements, more hands interaction like grabbing head or boobs. Perhaps it is wiser to add this in v4, but if it is possible to make this small v3-update til end 2015 (like you said, 3 weeks v4, 1 week updating) it would be cool. So, you know, if it worth updating v3 and than port on v4, would be cool. Otherwise focus on v4

Thanks for keeping us up to speed on version 4 etc, I'm for concentrating on ver 4 as character customization sounds better than bring previous characters forward...keep up the good work.
thanks to all involved including modding community ...

I'm sure someone will make versions of the v2 girls with v4's customizer

If there's one feature I'd like to see it's to be able to move the girls into custom positions without them collapsing like jellow. Like being able to grab a hand, move and "pin" it somewhere and do the same with other body parts. I guess this is too much work for v3 but hope to see it in v4.

im also for further v4 development. but the only thing that bothers me is that there will be no new stories for another year.
i like to play stories and hope that eskarn or other good modders make some nice storys.

Will modders still be able to import characters models made externally into version 4?

I believe the skeleton may be the only restriction. Any mesh should do. Thinking back to skyrim everything worked there even if there were added different meshes and more complex skeletons derived from the basis.

From my point of view, i understand that focusing on V4 is the best way to publish it, but as seen with the v3 experience, i recommend you to avoid this way.

Before explaining my though, i feel the need to present a little bit of myseft.
First of all, sorry for my english, i'm not a native speaker (frenchie here ). I'm an informatic engeneer which is currently employed by a firm to develop software in java (programming language). So i understand that focusing on one task only is the best way to achieve it.
From what i felt from the v3 waiting, i'm scraed of two things:
1. the lack of communication. From times to times we got a sneek peak version. that's perfectly fine, but we (the users) got nothing to play with.
2. the very long way to go. As Xpadmin says, there is no planned date yet. I understand that point perfectly as roadmap in development are generally done using almost a random time to implement a task: estimates are not easy to do.

As user (and as developper too) i prefer the way microsoft, google or even some other gaming company (like the one behind ark - survival evolved) works.
You provide an empty shell for user at first. There will be nothing in it, but whatever, you need something to start.
Then when fisrt feature is ready, provide it as soon as possible to early-adopters. they will know that this is still alpha/beta code and might experience crash. If you use a redmine/jira solution to track your issue, let the early adopter creates tickets for you. You will probably found bugs at earlyer stage than when it will be fully publish.
Yes, you will probably have to get one or two people to checks for duplicated issue or just to check if this is not a keyboard/computer issue. but trust me, a bug found earlier is easier to fix.
As microsft did for Windows 8, and 10; as google/mozilla do it for their browser: feature came one by one when they are ready, not a full package without public alpha/beta test.
Using this way, you will proove that your are still doing something for impatient user.

So for me, both of your strategy can be accepted, but none of them will get my vote.
If i was the planning leader, i will ask you to provide the new girl mesh as soon as possible (v4.0), then the new environment (v4.1 for first history from 2.1 scene, then some patch to complete the story step-by-step), then the second story (v4.2)...

I don't want to blame anyone, that's just my two cents about your roadmap.
Sorry in advance if you feel offended by my though.

Considering how long it took for V3 to be released there is absolutely no way that there will be anything released before end of this year.
But I, personally, am OK with that. I'd rather wait while Devs take their sweet time, than having to deal with another Gothic3. It was one hell to play because it was far from finished on release day and full of holes (like, literally).

I have the same feeling as ttant, maybe because i'm french too and a web engineer...

It's easier to make something step by step and release something and add features after each others.
It's like an update, it's really safer and easier to do small update frequently rather than a big one.

I agree with most of us to keep your focus on v4.0. Again, as ttant said, it would be very intersesting and helping us to wait if you'd release something regulary.

even if it's broken or unfinished.

A lot of developers do this (patreon), using demo version or alpha release.
Uservoice could be helpful to track the bugs and give you advices.
https://www.uservoice.com/

V4 features are very intersting and exciting, I'm just afraid of the planning here. If you don't have an estimation of the ETA of this release, what can we expect ?

Finally, I don't think that all the great modders we have here, are going to spend time on v3 especially if nothing of their works will run on v4.0. (like v2 between v3)

@ttant you are absolutely right
However there was a lack of communication before v3 and now after 3.5 things changed a bit. People is not afraid anymore that the staff quit and we do reveive updates. I think that if the staff would offer weekly updates of 3.5 it would be useless as v4 will probably crash all mods and everyones work like it happened with 3.5 vs 3.0.

If they build a new engine then we should wait for it first.