powd
Hey since you are here, I just wanted to expand a bit on the free roaming aspect that I touched on in my review.
Basically, it boils down to developmental resources and realistic delivery of product in a patreon model. Let's say we got a big team and no deadlines. A truly fleshed out world where you can go anywhere to see new scenes and events every time would be great. A sandbox that gives the player the freedom to interact with people as they see fit, where each interaction in each location tracks all variables, flags, and plot progression and responds accordingly. I'm sure that's what you had in mind originally.
The reality is that resources are finite and it's a monumental task to truly bring the sandbox elements to life in a game like this. When I say a game like this, I mean a story driven narrative which is what I consider this game. I've played some free roamers recently that was set up appropriately to play with free roaming in mind. Unlimited Pleasure is an example. That game doesn't really have a central plot. It's basically "go meet chicks in the town and raise your stats with them and fuck everyone." In this sort of set up, it makes sense to make a sandbox and let the players go explore. Tales of Terrera is super early in development and the world is literally empty with no where to go. But that game is set up as a RPG adventure. Exploration is a core game mechanic and it makes sense to make it a free roamer rather than VN. There is Void's calling which is also a fantasy RPGish set up. If we look at High Rise Climb, it also deals with climbing the corporate ladder, but it is framed as a life sim.
Maybe I am assuming too much about Ambition, but I don't see it as a gotta catchem all. Nor a life sim. Nor a RPG/adventure. It's quite simply a narrative/character driven story with a prominent core plot line. I say we are much better off focusing on the strengths here.
What would be the advantages of switching to VN? By definition, the pacing will improve dramatically. Immersion and cohesion in the story will improve as characters can react appropriately to what's happening in the core plot. But most importantly, the developmental cycle will improve I think. I'm not sure what the plan was, but having a vague goal of eventually padding out all the free roaming is a bit hard to deliver.
A patch note could look like this:
-Continuation of main plot.
-Promotion to head squad member
-Sex scene with Boss's son (jk lol)
-Added new jogging scene with Hailey
The jogging scene still just exists in a bubble in this case. And the interactions with sis is lagging behind the main plot. Are we to believe that she doesn't say anything about what's going on with the family? About MC's haircut. About the mom getting fired. Etc. Then after the jogging, we are back to sis in her room repeating her 2 lines.
In the end, you should ask yourself if you have the time to pad out the map, vastly increasing the event count for each room, getting rid of all the repeating dialogues, and rolling out satisfying updates? If not, I say VN is the way to go.
