As in many good stories, even with a clear main character, it makes sense not to limit the story solely to one perspective. For AWAM, as a story about "A wife and mother", this certainly includes to present the intentions and actions of Sophia's immediate family (Dylan, Ellie and Liam). This gives the story more depth and makes it possible to depict entanglements that Sophia is not yet supposed to know about. In particular, Dylan's perspective is valuable here, as much of what makes up his progress also influences how he relates to Sophia. For example, it is interesting for the player to know that besides Sophia/Sam, also Dylan/Amber have something going on, even if Sophia is not allowed to know about it, because this could allow Dylan to accepting it easier what is going on between Sophia/Sam, if he would find out. What makes little sense in AWAM, in my opinion, are the many side stories of unimportant characters like especially the two additional side jobs, but also the movers, the postman, a spa with so many useless characters, the thugs (with patricia's really weird gun interlude), the fittness guys, or Aiden's task with all his many useless side charakters (even a group of a 2nd class beside sophia actuall class), etc., etc. All these stories wasted AWAM years of development, without really bringing depth to the game. Dylan, Ellia and Liam, on the other hand, are interwoven into the story and should have more attention. What AWAM lacks almost completely, for example, are interactions between Liam and his children. It would be an interesting contrast, if he eventually realizes what is going on between Dylan/Sophia, Ellie/Sophia or Sophia/Sam at some point in the story. Liam is the only actual cuck that could be in the game, btw.
All of this has logic to it. I say this despite the concept having no immediate appeal to myself, although I do think that Liam has become an average oedipal teen porn stereotype & could be utilised in a better way. Who knows, it could even be the case that focussing on the immediate family is the way the Dev plans to take AWAM forward on Steam, or even 'speed up' development.
On the other hand, L&P launched a multi-faceted erotic story containing many plot-lines & sub-plots, with a title that proclaimed only one cast member could be the MC. There seemed to be something for everybody & the wide-ranging series of characters & events neatly pushed back the boundaries of the close family found in other games of this type.
It was when story-lines began to overlap, characters proliferated & kinks became duplicated, (including 3 distinct strands of incest), that AWAM began to sprawl & get out of hand. I've stated my view before that I believe that it was easier to continuously introduce new characters & scenarios, than it was to tell the main stories. None of this need have mattered so much, (if at all), had the pace of development been faster. Indeed, it could even have been used to advantage, if more consequences had ensued from people & plots that in practice ended up as dead ends, with the whole project moving at a snail's pace. I agree that's where much work & time were wasted but I'll maintain this didn't have to be the case.
Once introduced, sundry secondary characters & plots caught the interest of followers, to the extent that calls to officially abandon any of them generate controversy & disappointment. As an example, using only my own POV, I agree with the general superfluousness of much of the cast list & sub-plots you mention but by no means all. We all have our favourites, or in my own case, I did, until AWAM became a story concerned mainly with Sophia's regression to a teenaged mindset & how to progress her incest. Especially problematic IMO, are the side jobs & I also found the gun episode strange. This latter incident, however, has the caveat that the thugs are set to return, (it seems probably in the 2040s?), seeking revenge? Again, it's the Dev's practice of leaving loose ends which may or may not be progressed, decades from now. Questions of whether this is any way to tell a story are always likely to occur, for me anyway.
Many of the secondary characters & sub-plots have effectively been written out IMO. Lack of communication ensures that fans don't really know which ones but in the case of, e.g. Nathalie, not due back until 2035, we can have a good guess & who now remembers Alyssa? I also think that having constructed the Aiden task plot & progressed it smoothly, even including a get-out for fans who didn't like blackmail, (I'd like more of those for other kinks), it has been put on hold for 6 years, (which would be an effective write-out if this were a true soap opera), having suffered from a needless, unrealistic, immersion breaking & disruptive scene at the gang HQ. I wonder if he'll be back.
It used to be the case that criticism of any kind would draw fanboy comments along the lines of, "Stick to your vision Dev," "Ignore the haters," etc. I am no hater. Hate is a powerful emotion not to be wasted on ephemeral average teen porn. There are times though that I do wish the Dev had stuck to his vision....his original one that is.
