Hmm, so i guess you decided to ignore my questions @HornHeadFan
You did said that you welcome criticism, so i thought we can have decent conversations also about some negative things i found.
But anyway if you bother to read it i will write a bit more of my opinion on the game (that is not entirely Hedonist-based
)
Overall it wasnât a bad game. Defnatelly in the top half of the choice games here.
Writing was good, few to many repetitions, but itâs normal and iâm sure it will improve along the way. There were some satisfying story twists and characters are mostly well portrayed, with lots of casual interactions between them to know them better.
I like it very much where in games there are more casual moments and its not only about going on with the plot. It really makes the experience more relatable.
One of the biggest issues i found (one that is tied also to Hedonist) is the progress of the story in some instances. Usual way i think to push the narrative forward in choice games is to present an event and let playerâs character respond to it. That also includes even if outcome of that event is predetermined regardless of player actions, like always loosing fight with contrarian no matter what, bcause she is just too powerfull for someone without special powers like you, but you have option how you try to oppose her . But in some instances you are also introducing another way to push the narrative, which i think is not a good thing for a choice game. Iâm talking about taking the control of MC away from the player, and make them do something, not giving a possibility of any choice. Like agreeing to go with Origami to the hospital to push the narration of her story so all playthroughs will include getting close to her, or the Hedonist case, when MC is brushing off his sexual harrasment, no matter the playerâs choice or opinion MC doesnt concern themselves with doing anything about it for long time after event, implemented for reasons to me unknown
. Itâs not about lack of player agency in the event that must occur, but about taking away that agency from the player and making them do something influencing the story. In this cases if a player would do the thing the same way, itâs not that bothering, but as soon as playerâs character would behave differently, then it is really breaking immersion and joy from the game. The similar efect on events that must occur in the story could be done without taking playerâs control of their character.
Similar type of pushing the narration forward was used in Silent Gear, and it was brought up by players too. Like MC always falling for a certain character, because it was critical to the plot. That kind of narrative is better suited for novels, not choice games.
Some of the world building choices also so far are a mystery to me, but i think some of them may be explained more in part 2.
Speck certainly is a peculiar school. Most of the teacherâs actions look like to be aimed to make students less prepared to the world or they are pushing their own agenda in the first place.
Nil is just spying for Prestige school and their classes are mainly aimed at getting informations from students for Prestige gain. There are other, more effective, methods to teach someone investigative work, but they chooses the one that will benefit them most, not their students.
Hedonist claim to want Speck to succeed, his actuall defense classes do seem to look rather normal and benefiting for students. But then we have his criminal sexual harassment. For the people who play flirty with him it wont be so notcable, it looks like he is responding to MC advances, but when you play someone not interested, then his true face is showing more. I doubt that telling students they get better grades for giving him sexual pleasure can be counted as any kind of defense teaching. If only he didnât come out to students with that option, it would be different, but just the fact he said it, even with possibility of refusuing him, already is incriminating him. And he looks to be somewhat mentally impaired. He gets iritated when someone doesnt laugh at his joke, like some ten year old. And he claims that his sexual harrasment was to build more intimate bond of mutual respect, which is totally delusional, because if anything, his actuall actions create something absolutely opposite, a sexual dependency and abuse of power.
And Downfall do look to genuinly want to help Speck students, but her lack of any idea what teaching is, is working rather bad for them. She tries with the âtough loveâ approach but she implements it in a way that will not wok and wont really help her students succeed in real world outside of school. Some students seem to be better qualified to teach offensive classes with better benefiting all of them. Culminating of hers misguided desire to make them tougher comes with breaking Tress arm when the exam already ended and everyone is unonscious.
So those are mine interpretations of Speckâs teachers. I admit i donât really understand yet why they are the ones teaching there? Why is it so hard in Speck universe to find heroes that would be willing to pass on their knowledge to help the community (something i think to be very hero-like) or just powered people that would desire to be teachers, because thatâs something the like to do in their life. Does Savior and Prestige really monopolised everyone that could want to be teacher from powered people? Will it be more explained as the story unfold? I wonder who will be the new teachers in next part. Does Prestige step in more involved similar to Saviorâs loaning Hedonist? Or will they find more independent heroes that ae willing to help.
So far we have seen more of Savior and they came out as rather villainous, choosing a sexual criminal to send as teacher (with their âhands onâ approach to their staff i think they would know how heâll behave) and after removing Nil from the picture stealing all the secrets themselves. I think their way is even worse, because they get it no matter you want to share it o not. If you refuse, they just mind-rape you and got your secrets anyway (at least thatâs what is heavily implied, as if you refuse they incapacitate you and later leaving you are in the same shape as if using the memoy extractor. For my MC it wasnât hard to add 2+2 and came with this conclusion, which was the point to decide they are enemies.
Is prestige going to be presented as the âgood guysâ or theyâll be just as unappealing as Savior?
On another note, when i first speak with Crook and he asks me who i think is the most powerfull i donât have an option to pick Stoic, is this a bug?
Anyway, congratulations on realeasing your game. Despite my concerns i think it is a good game and certainly look proffessional for the first release.
Itâs a pity you donât want to disscuss the presentation of sexual harassment in your game, but it doesnât look like i will change your mind about talking about it.
Very sorry for the wall of text 