I don't mean to be harsh - I really the idea & setting and I really hate the gameplay loop.
Why are there no shortcuts (Cockpit > Officer Quarters, Cargo Bay (when unloading) > Living Quarters, etc)?
Why doesn't the "next" button switch to the "finish" button when the event is over?
Why do I have to reroll the character until I find a setting I want to play? Either don't let me change settings at all or let me change all the settings individually.
In a more general sense:
What is the use of the multiple ways to relieve stress in the evening if there are no events for any of them?
Why don't the missions have any gameplay elements at all (customs, pirates, smuggling, stowaways, damaged goods due to bad stacking, etc etc)?
Why is there no character development at all?
Thanks, those are all great questions. They do a good job of getting to the heart of what I'm trying to make.
Why are there no shortcuts?
I want the experience to be a bit tedious. I want the player to feel the tedium that the main character is going through.
Why doesn't the "next" button switch to the "finish" button?
If the player mashes the "next" button, they won't accidentally close out of the scene. It's like a safety catch.
Why do I have to reroll the character until I find a setting I want to play?
I like getting a random bag of maybe something I like and then something I don't care too much about.
What is the use of the multiple ways to relieve stress in the evening if there are no events for any of them?
When you use one of the activities, that activity will not heal you as much in the next few days. This could lead to situations where the station you go to next might not have great healing options.
Why don't the missions have any gameplay elements at all?
I initially thought about mission mechanics, not relationship mechanics. But at some point in the design phase, I decided the relationship mechanics were more interesting, and the mission mechanics were too complicated. Therefore, I threw the mission mechanics out. This might be because my previous game, Darkmorrow Arena, was a lot more focused on combat mechanics. I guess I wanted to try something else out.
Why is there no character development at all?
I'm not a writer, and character development or a deep story don't really interest me. I'm more interested in tracking the frequency of the different events that occur.
I hope that helps clarify what I'm trying to make! Cheers!
