I totally feel you in terms of keeping things simple. How about this: MC and the kid don’t parent in a vacuum so the kid does encounter other families that would be considered nuclear (best friend has two parents mentioned during one of the parties.) So it would feel unnatural that the child doesn’t point out this discrepancy.
A few lines in the beginning about how other parent may have died or left during infancy and then maybe a mention of it as they are growing up would probably add to the realism. Not to mention give a reason why the story is the way it is.
Also, kudos on the sister scenario. I would like to encounter them again.
Actually, that is more or less what will happen, though you would not have known that since it hasn’t been brought up for at least the last hundred posts or so. A lot of people wanted closure on your singleness, so around year 12 you get a scene where you discuss what happened with the child (and you get to choose whether the other person died or just ditched out) and around year 15 or 16, if desired, you can visit them if they are alive, or visit their grave if they are not (for dramatic purposes, we’ll assume your significant other was buried in another state, presumably where their family was from). I may also make an option to say the child was adopted, and then have the birth mother as the person you potentially reconnect with, but I would have to look back and see if I had a bunch of references to the child being your biological offspring. If so, that might just be too complicated.
Those seem like good changes regardless. Given that, adoption seems a good third choice for that scenario. With the fourth being to skip it altogether for those who just want to focus on raising the kid and not the origin story.
“Don’t worry, kiddo. We’re getting the glasses, but you only have to wear them when it’s important. Not all the time.”
I think this option should take away less than a $100 because the child buys cheap glasses.
“Guess what? I’ll also get you some cool prescription goggles so you can still enjoy your sports.”
This is really good, I was wondering if after a certain point the child would become better at a sport or studying if you continue to nudge them towards it. Also I was wondering if you are going to add competitions that they can enter if you put them in a sport?
Basically, for the activity stuff the section in year 10 will be a fairly brief sojourn that lets those on who did not join in 4, either due to preference or not getting it if they play random. It also starts branching out for those going hardcore into it or not. Then it will pop up again in early teenage years for team tryouts or some other sort of competitive situation depending on the activity. The games club, FYI, will change into something else. Or rather, a choice between two somethings. But that’s a reveal for another day.
Finally got a spot of time to play through the game and I think it’s shaping out to be pretty good! I like the way the events are randomised, which makes the game play varied and more replayable, but I think it’ll be good to keep in mind the transitions between the scenes!
Also, definitely nitpicking but the inverted commas are not consistent across the options as shown here:
I also really liked the variety of events, and how there’s quite a big deal of important choice making to be had - and how it impacts the future events! Love the humour - if dad jokes were what you’re going for, I would say you’re definitely spot on hahahahaha, couldn’t help cracking up a couple times.
Excited for this next project of yours, keep up the good work!!!
I was writing a bit last night and considering that. I think not though; I am going pretty splintered just doing eleven unique activities, each of which require at least some unique text. If I allow for combos I’ll be wholly dependent on variables, as the number of combinations will be approximately 39,000,000.
This was sweet, yet still had me cringing at some decisions, which told me I was pretty invested. The only thing that felt wrong was that I picked both reading options prior to school starting (at Eric’s birthday and on the free day), yet he struggled in reading.
All in all, though, this was a good experience. I’ll likely try again with all the options later.
