Well said as always. I was going to try to stay out of things tonight but I got a little sleep and feel much better.
A lot of the problem with player/Steph content is the confidence factor. I know the devs are very happy with it and I like the devs, great guys, so I haven't said anything, but part of the whole 'Steph' problem lies there.
So there is a frustrating tussle there between player and dev on what is confidence. There is a big clue in the intro of the game, make Steph happy is the confidence key. There is the disconnect and when MC doesn't stand up for himself and stand his ground to disrespect, that is a lack of confidence in my book, but in the game that is confidence because Steph is happy she hasn't been held to account and that is when she gets most bitchy, when MC tried to show some balls with her.. The paths are in tension and the definitions of low, medium and high confidence conflict with what I think and know confidence is.
Yes revisiting that damn phone call, MC takes a confidence hit to confront Steph, gets a confidence point for avoiding, for me confronting Steph is confidence and avoiding is a lack of confidence and I found it frustrating. If my wife is talking about our private sex life then damn right I'm going to stride in there and say what the fuck because I am confident in my boundaries and who I am and my principles that I can say to my wife that is not acceptable to talk about my private sex life to someone without my permission and hide it from me. Not telling the MC straight away is disrespectful to him and dishonest to their relationship, and her responses in the paths are unacceptable to a man who is confident within himself.
Its a reoccurring problem, MC takes hits or just 'thinks' about things he should probably do instead of showing the confidence to do them. Another example, Steph and Donny are already fucking. MC's options are ones that lack confidence. Yeah he should have intervened but instead he just 'thinks' about it. If you are a confident man you stand your ground and intervene and say to the people in your life, that is not acceptable and you throw Donny out on his ass because he has disrespected you, your wife and your marriage. You hold Steph to account because she has disrespected you and your marriage.
I think where the dev is coming from, it is confidence to be confident in and blindly trust Steph and that your relationship will survive the hits, otherwise it shows a lack of confidence to question that trust in Steph and your relationship. No, blind trust will lead to disaster. People make mistakes. Being confident in your marriage is also being vigilant to protect it and to keep each other on the right path, not to capitulate at every turn to satisfy Steph's unchecked behaviour. Steph says multiple time how she loses control and how it destroys her inside, yet for MC to protect her from herself, is low confidence. No protecting her from herself is confidence. She needs MC to be confident and stand up to her when she is out of control not be a wimp, but the game mechanic works in reverse.
One of the huge strengths of my real wife relationship is how we look out for each other. She depends on me to be watchful when we play and make sure some dick doesn't disrespect her. Like wise, she does the same. God help anyone who disrespects me, want to lose your balls (literally) then try disrespecting me to my wife. We have been through too much shit together. She knows who I am. I know who she is. We completely trust each other and watch out for each other and have the confidence to check each other when we need it. Anyway end of novel, sorry about that.