Im always pretty positive about this game, but ive no idea why leocid keeps trying to add in punishing (read the room!) 'gameplay' elements. If im not passing out from hunger wandering about the school trying to figure out who i have to click on with the new menu (thank god ive been playing this game since way back when... a new player is going to be absolutely bewildered by this - try 'highlighting using mouse cursor'). Im getting burned by MUST PLAY events that dont load in. Apparently i need to (day 1) go to the kitchen (though given i passed out while wandering, it might be day 2 and ive bugged it out). Ive clicked everything in the kitchen, so I can only assume something didn't load in.
Hey Leocid. I love this game. I always try and look out for it. NO ONE has background fan-service attention to detail like you do. In my dream game, i could click on all of them for a tiny cut scene. Im endlessly disappointed i cant. But endlessly interested that the possibility MIGHT exist. You're the world building king. Plus, your story (broken as it was in the first version) was pure entertainment.
But some basic gamer advice: The first hour has to train the player. It also has to reward the player. Instead of a quest text saying speak to everyone at school', give the players some names ('speak to npc1, npc2, and npc3', instead of 'speak to all the people in the school'). Early game, it needs to be sign-posted. Also give the doors and interactive characters some highlights like you did way back when you didnt have the quick travel options. Also, lower the punishments (maybe give them a warning at 50 health, they need to go to the cafe)... or give them a few slides at the start of the game REALLY POINTING OUT the importance of looking at the chicken leg. Sure, they'll suddenly figure it out on the first sleep. Then again, they might just think 'fuck this game!, im just trying to wank'.
Make that first hour a bit more... new player friendly. Weirdly (pre chicken leg decline and quick travel system) i had a tonne of fun playing the reboot. Now?.... id have dropped this game immediately and went somewhere else if i didnt already know how amazing it is and will be.
Round 2: "I'd better explore all the elements of the school"
Ive literally been everywhere! Wait, i cant have been everywhere! Do i have to explore EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE OPTION even though theres nothing there...? This is a game killer, dude. Let me try round 3.
Holy shit, it was the PE shower rooms (all of them) that screwed me up. You really have to visit EVERY SINGLE possible space. Even with a meal (and scrolling back when i revisited somewhere) at the restaurant, i finished with 17 energy (chicken leg counter). That means ZERO room for error. Thats not how you create a game outside of darksouls. And again, this isnt a darksouls/pathfinder:kingmaker hardcore gameplay site.
Given that i've already bugged the game out by failing to complete the day 1 event without a fail, you might want to either a) fix this bug (given its game breaking), or b) scale down the diminishing health per interaction so people can screw up and still make it through... BONUS c) give them 6 quests: Visit the cafe; visit school wing 1; visit school wing 2; visit the park; visit the cafe; visit the sports arena. And cross this out as they complete it. But thats complicated, so just give them 3 people to visit to open up the principal: Visit the librarian; visit the PE teacher; visit the restaurant. Once complete, the principal office should open up. This gives players the CHANCE to explore, but doesnt require it.
ETA4: i guess i dont need to visit the kitchen, i need to visit sophie's room... yeah... as someone invested from previous games, im going to find this... as someone trying the game for the first time this is going to be stupidly frustrating. (also and to be clear: I couldnt visit sophie the first time (above), i clicked every room).
ETA5 (i think?): Over the day 1 hump. Im kind of happy with the world now. I genuinely like the sophie fame quest. I know youve always wanted this final fantasy gameplay experience. And im honestly enjoying the 'collect 5 spider kills to continue' quest. Especially since your RNG is a jerk and wont let me kill 2 without a third popping up on almost zero health. I'm save-scumming my way through this. Which is as high a compliment i can pay you. My bits are back in my pants and im playing a half decent resource management game.
...That being said... you need to sort out that introduction for new players. Its too much and too punishing. You also need some signposts in the early game to let players know that they need to keep up their health (chicken leg) and car battery. I know where to go because ive been following the game for about a year and a half. But new players might not. Just have sophie pop up in that first school cutscene explaining it - and send the player on a quest to visit the gas station and speak to the clerk there.