I very much agree—but I’m not entirely sure it would stop the countless bad reviews of “game is bugged/weird/bad” 
And so while it might be on the reader at that point—it will still realistically affect the writer negatively.
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I remember Asteroid Run’s Oscar. Adorable design, tropes that just tug at the heartstrings.
You know he always confesses first. And not that far on in the story either. Makes it difficult to pick another RO since he already has so much going, AND because surprise confessions when I’ve my sights elsewhere make me cringe hard as a player. POOR RO. How ARE they gonna just casually going back to interacting for +5 chapters after your MC dumps them? And how long can you draw out the post-dumping awkwardness before realism gets tedious IG? But also don’t just go back to them being all sadsmiley and understanding and totally warm just like before - hammers home that this confession thingie is just part of a trope, not meant to have a too-lasting effect on the plot…but also taking a big chunk from the character’s own complexity, since the reader gets no flavor text for them being turned down, which can be a pretty big thing with plenty of potential for fun (for the observer) variations in interacting.
The visual novel The Arcana has a similar “problem” for me. Asra’s design is wonderful, and his backstory is just tailored to fit players who want their MC to really be the sun for another person’s skies. Later on we find out he literally sold his soul to the devil just to bring YOU, the MC, back to life and he and the MC hard-coded to have been lovers before even if you wanted to RP, say, a lesbian MC IIRC. It is VERY hard (at least for me) to pick any other route without lingering guiltily over Asra’s having learned that. And it’s not as if Asra didn’t get a compelling backstory, or was going against his character for the sake of instigating or staying away.
I will always root for good backstory and character actions consistent with it, but the flushed cringing part of me can’t help wishing “childhood friends” and their variations wouldn’t be so overt with their pining and right from the get-go. It’s been a while since I’ve played New Witch In Town (save for the too-casual, ‘hey here’s the main plot let’s be totally not-awkward friends again for it’ bit after the MC gets rejected by one of the ROs), but I think the old friend character there was a good spin on the archetype. Give me something that ISN’T dripping sweetness and caring every scene (lovely as they may be) before introducing the inevitable crush. AND PLEASE DON’T CONFESS FIRST, even if you’re on a Big Space Mission and every mission may potentially be the last one you take alive
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I feel like there are ways to balance this? (if wanting to avoid awk is a want—I imagine sometimes it is not).
- Either having it locked behind (many) romance points
- some requirement
- shutting it down before it ever really begins
I know that some players like ROs confessing to MCs. Some like MCs to confess to ROs. Making this an option doesn’t seem bad to me—though I know it does add extra writing and coding, especially to do it well.
I also remember reading somewhere about a player that disliked how ROs confessing to MCs often means it happens at a much later part of the game, and you miss out on “couple” content. Which I thought was interesting. I don’t know if that is a common problem, though.
What ways to find the balance between these two things would work for you?
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Unless you’re doing something like ITFO wherein a particularly persistent RO is a plot point, I’d have the instigating ROs initiate asking PC to go on a date/be in a relationship one time in the story (no declarations of love unless MC/RO are in a relationship, or it’s a matter of life and death similar to a certain achievement in the Fernweh Saga), maybe depending on relationship levels at the time of this event. If MC accepts their proposition, MC/RO are in a relationship. If MC rejects them, they either shrug it off immediately or take a minute to recover (depending on what’s fitting for the RO’s personality and how late/early in the story this is) without losing relationship values. Similar to how Keeper of the Sun and Moon handled Astrid, Leon, Kol, and Thalia.
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While this isn’t a direct answer, I’ve always felt that would be less limiting to have choices, not necessarily influencing routes, where the MC can note on any awkwardness on the part of the not-yet confessed RO, wondering if they could maybe possibly actually have feelings for them? And be able to feek awkward about it and whatever oncoming confession that’s in the cards or not. It doesn’t really make sense if, for example, their platonic relationship and crush from the RO was going on for YEARS and the MC failed to notice something just wasn’t platonic up until the reader starts controlling their choices. It may not be a heading off at the pass, but it feels more real and gives readers more given to shudder at secondhand embarrassment some tools to prep their canon runs with. Honestly I’d be glad to see awkward, guessing choices be made a part of the game - and just enough awkwardness after a rejection to ensure the ROs have a role and life and personality outside the MC’s bed and progressing the plot.
I don’t really have a say over whether a longtime crush RO SHOULD pop into chapter 1 with a bucketload of hints about their feelings, and I get that it wouldn’t really make sense to have it be locked a lot, depending on their personality. So I guess adding in realistically conflicted reactions to the torch they hold would be one satisfying answer. And the ability to pick up on them consistently and react with showing rather than telling in the first place, if there’s going to be a delay between their introduction and the confession scene.
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