Yep, the game's a slow burn by design – it's all about that gradual storytelling, but I'll review it once again for 0.4.0, see if there's obvious room to trim.
If quick-paced is more your thing (and the other poster), this might be a bit of a change-up or maybe just not the right fit. However, the goal is to set up those scenes properly, making them all the more rewarding when they hit.
Yeah it will change the story, at least some of them.
Some choices might be dialogue only but others definitely open/close paths.
Don't wanna spoil too much so I won't answer most of that
I have deprecated NTS/Depravity points, I just couldn't find a way to make it work well for this story, but I want to revisit that concept but perhaps in another story.
Choices matter, ignore points.