Well, as I understand it, the lead developer is a woman, and in general I have my doubts that there are so many men among the developers (I wouldn't be surprised if there aren't any at all), so it's no surprise that there's a friend zone in the game, rofl.
In all seriousness, can you give me the exact phrase with which an NPC refuses a relationship? I want to look it up in the game file.
The NPC did not refuse a relationship, they refuse a date.
For example: 1st day of the game i speak to a hallmate - chat, compliment and flirt and asks if they want a date.
This is my standard operating procedure whenever i meet a new NPC and make a note if they will date.
I never date on first meeting, usually i will chat and flirt awhile first raising relationship. Dating at higher friendship has a higher chance for the NPC to reveal their orientation and this is the info i wanted.
However, i found that some NPC that would date in the past, now wouldnt.
At first i thought i made an error recording their willingness to date and made a mistake about their attraction to me.
In my 1st game an NPC with chaste trait says: "I don't think so... You sleep around too much for my liking,"
This NPC i cannot remember if willing to date in the begining though.
For my current 2nd play, i found 2 NPC that would date when i am first introduced to them, and later wouldnt accept the date after I raise their friendship, there could be more but I didnt notice that until now. This is just a normal refuse to a first date, no relationship involve.
Now my strategy would be to date first and make friends later...
The NPC that would date immediately are usually admirers (accept romance), the casual sex NPC or the booty call NPC (no romance).
The reason i think is because of the friend status.
Once i date an NPC acquaintance. Normally after date they goes from acquaintance tab to admirer tab and the game says they have a crush on you.
But this particular NPC disappeared from acquaintance tab but did not appear in the admirer's tab. Using favorite tab to track him down, i found that he remains an acquaintance. When i speak to him he, the game prompted if i want to upgrade him to a friend status...