Following on from my "dead end of the game" post
#11,720, an update and some relief for fellow-sufferers stuck in a game loop ....
Persevering with the Unren route (Shift + o) to access the Console, I found that if you type "help" at the > prompt, you're offered a short range of options.
From that "help" menu, one of the options - I couldn't see a more obviously helpful option - was "resetmayor" (or "resetMayor" - case doesn't seem to matter on the sixth character of that input).
Because the problem of the stuck game appeared to be:
a) not being able to progress either with the corruption of the Mayor's birds (stuck at 40% - 2 stars out of 5, or a total of "75" on the corruption list, where other women in the game were recorded at 100%/5 stars/"200" or more);
b) not being able to make a start on those precious speeches (with support from others) that win the MC public approval, I thought "resetmayor" might enable me to boost the corruption rate of Scarly and Vicky by the cheat route of the Console.
In fact, "reset" meant drop their corruption level to ZERO!
Curse.
But then I thought: "nothing ventured, nothing gained", and set off my MC on a course of re-corrupting S & V (maybe the Mayor's family maid counts too??) all over again. Also, that corruption involves the Mayor's secretary at hsi office, as before. With liberal use of potions, gas vials and magic incense lanterns. (The news reporter also must also be corrupted in stages.)
In fact, it didn't take long at all to re-corrupt everyone connected with the Mayor. So no curse necessary.
And better - and the crucial point of release - BINGO!, this time that corruption process triggered the possibility of holding those public speeches. (If it works for you, you'll see an option come up each time you go to City Hall to "give an election speech". The speeches are always held in front of City Hall. That option had not been offered before, while my MC was on a terminally closed loop - it had been, either "GO TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE" (where you meet the sec again), or "GO OUT".
If you restart the corruption of the Mayor's birds from the start (see above for how), it seems to break that spell, and the speeches can begin.
The speeches - at least so far - are held with the support of four different groups: 1) the Mayor's treacherous wife and daughter (ok, supposedly the Mayor is involved in shady dealings, but probs a stitch-up), 2) the church leaders, 3) the police hierarchy, and 4) the school's teachers. (Note: The hospital management does not seem to be on board yet, neither are other "celebrities" such as the rich uncle, in other words Julia's cuckold (ex?-)husband, or the airline people, or those girl TV rockstars.)
You can choose from the "GIVE A SPEECH" menu which of the four groups to call on for support. Obviously, use all four to boost your MC's public support; also, follow the TV newsroom/home TV route of having a series of biased debates with the Mayor.
You'll find, if you hold those speeches - I think you've also got to check you've maxxed out all options of corrupting every woman in sight across both parts of town, beware: some sex developments across the town have had a further extension since a previous update, when it said "that's all for this version, check for next update" ... then the approval rating of the MC goes up.
An extra point to bear in mind is: KEEP CALLING ON Scarlett O'Whora AND HER DAUGHTER Victorious FOR THOSE SPEECHES! Even though each new speech calling on their support is identical with the first one your MC gives, it adds more "%" each time.
An important note to add is a point made above in this thread: to EXIT CONSOLE after accessing "help" there, DON'T as the text wrongly suggests press "ESC" (another dead end) - simply right-click, ,OR type in "exit" at the > prompt instead.
What restarting the "Mayor family" corruption DOESN'T do (at least for me):
1) it doesn't raise the corruption level of Scarlett or Victoria. Although they flaunt themselves naked. legs wide in public for their new master, they're strangely still stuck at 40% corruption (2 stars/5 - at "75" on the corruption checklist where all others are 200+)
2) the "my club" bar is still a "fatal exception" area. Still "Screen club_bar-member is not known", in Console language. I'm not sure what's wrong there. Weird also that the "Performance" option is still a dead end so far: "no slaves capable of performing", apparently, which is odd, since some of them are experienced naked slave dancers, pole artists, and public whores at this stage.
But hey, it's a wacky game, ingeniously wicked and full fo content, however rickety in places. Shouldn't really complain.
**I hope the above set of notes helps guide some other players out of the jail of endless loops with no speeches, that my MC was trapped in!**