I'm a bit confused by how the game "had potential" but also literally the first chapter turned you off.
I have to say, a lot of people have this opinion, that they shouldn't be forced into into being romantic with Nicki. But, I see it as a flashpoint in the MC's life, for good or ill. I don't think the MC forms his charity or becomes the guy in the second chapter, without being with Nicki. As we see in the prologue, he basically sits around in his expensive condo buying toys and watching anime, until she shows back up in his life.
Also, hopefully you understand why I can't implement unlimited choices accounting for everyone's sensibilities. I try to provide as many options as I can, being a one-man artist, coder, and promoter. I didn't have experience doing any of these things six months ago.
Honestly, I feel it's worse when games try to gloss over horrible things, or treat it with such an elevated sense of drama that it becomes silly. The evil MC in FiN isn't a scheming mastermind, and the girl's never going to suddenly decide she likes it halfway through, or some nonsense like that. You nailed it - it's a scumbag route. He's an everyday sort of evil, who can wield money and influence to feed his own ego. But, we'll see how long he can keep this up for.
I don't really think her bad route is "ultra evil." MC was pretty fair-handed with her, compared to how he may have treated Ashe and Nicki. My plan is to have her bad route diverge in the near future - the fact that the MC paid her off for a handy is a clue as to how he might control her. After all, she's a young woman from a family that doesn't have much money. She lives in an attic with a window that faces another building's brick wall. Her interests are ignored by her parents. A rich, older guy who can give her a life of luxury, in exchange for favors, could be attractive to a young woman like that.
Thanks so much! Nicki does have some tats in the banner, but she's turned in such a way they're not entirely visible. They'll be permanent. I think they make her look spunky.
And yeah, Ashe was a surprise to me. Originally she was just going to be in a single scene as an unnamed bimbo the MC is sleeping with, to show he's become a bit of a playboy. But once I started writing for her, she kind of came alive. The reluctant path where she drops all the "um's" and "like's" from her speech crystallized her in my mind. She's a character that fits every ditzy blonde cliche, but it's 90% because she's nervous and unsure of herself. As soon as she realizes what the MC wants, the anxiety is gone. She's been objectified by men her entire life, and he's just one more that wants to fuck her, and if that's what it takes to keep her job? Fine, whatever. Made me both very sad for her, and very happy to write that good morning scene for her with the MC.
Gabby's still my fave, though.
Thank you! I wanted to consciously steer away from the usual tropes you get with younger women in these games. Just because she's young, that doesn't mean she's stupid, naive, or saccharine sweet. She's allowed to lash out and get frustrated in a moment of grief.
I hope that players will only grow more invested in these characters as their stories unfurl.
I'll address both of these - I love women, romance, and cuddly warm fuzzies. The disclaimer at the top of the game about separating fantasy from reality, and the importance of consent and boundaries, isn't just some boilerplate bullshit I put there so I could dust my hands off and absolve myself of anyone taking the game the wrong way. I mean that stuff, and I want everyone to know I mean it.
I disagree about what the game fundamentally is, I suppose. I'm reminded of this anecdote about infamous porn star/producer, Rocco Siffredi. Now, he's famous for rough porn, degradation, etc. Supposedly he had a shoot scheduled with a bunch of Russian girls and Russian guys. So, he calls action on a scene, and these guys just start laying into these girls. Punching them in the stomach, shoving their fingers in their throats, the whole nine. Just heinous, violent shit.
Rocco calls cut and asks what the fuck they're doing, and the guys are like, "This is what you do! This is what's in your movies." And from this, Rocco understands he's failed. He explains to the guys that his movies are not about violence, they're about a push and pull, a give and take. Bringing someone low, and then nurturing them back up again. That's how I see my game. The sour can't exist without the sweet.
But uh, all that said, I think Rocco is kind of a scumbag who preys on poor women from poor countries, whose bet chance of making money is to let a leathery old guy sodomize them for an hour. This is also why I enjoy VNs and illustrated porn. It's the possibility of guilt-free extreme content, because at the end of the day, nobody is actually going home feeling used and beaten down. Nobody's blowing Harvey Weinstein in a hotel room for a job. It's all pixels and make-believe.
I'll be honest, even on the good route, I don't think the MC is a saint. He's kind of a grumpy curmudgeon, who's terminally horny. And he's still not above slapping a girl in bed (after asking or being asked to) and he can be a bit rude about pushing boundaries.
The growing choices will naturally take more time as they grow more complex, but so far I'm happy with how I'm handling it. I'd previously written a scene that I had to toss out, involving Gabby interacting with Cassie, and it wasn't too onerous to code. Hopefully I can continue to defy expectations.