It turns out to be an interesting recursion of game development for this game. I became curious to learn more about the ETO mod and the differences between the game versions.
At the moment, I’ve explored a large part of the content in the village where my grandparents live. I’ve gone through the summer vacation in Pavlovsk and September’s school routine. I’m feeling nostalgic for those times of the 2000s (2000-2012) while playing this game. Even though some elements in the game may seem absurd, these sexual scenes indeed reflect situations that took place back then, especially when it comes to alcohol and vodka.
Regarding Niko, although you mentioned that his character was created by a German developer, people like Niko really did exist back then. However, I would classify him more as a popular schoolboy rather than a “gopnik.”
In general, during those times, “gopniks” and popular kids often had a lot in common.
I’d like to ask again about Niko and Fedor, as you haven’t answered my question. After changing the properties in the save file, Niko now simply fears talking to me. Did I miss any interesting scene between my defender Fedor and Niko, or is it a normal reaction that Niko just starts fearing me after I informed Fedor that Niko was bullying me?
As for gopniks and popular kids etc, the Russian devs of the ETO mod is the ones that made the original Pav content and Pav school. The original games was about the adult man Micheal who got turned into a teenage girl and lived in the city. So the early city stuff is all the original game and all the old Pav stuff is the ETO mod. But they was the ones that made the different social groups. Cool kids, jocks, nerds, gopniks, and outcasts. We have since kept it the same as that, though we have kinda made gopniks be more than the traditional meaning and more of a general rebel/hoodlum meaning and the traditional gopniks are a subset of that group. Vitek, Dan, Vasily, Paulina are the more traditional ones and the rest are based on western versions of those kinds of people.
Which is why I am sure Niko feels real, because every culture has people like that and they are often similar enough to fit in. As for him being popular etc, we tried to muddy the waters on purpose with the groups. Like several of the jocks and cool kids have a lot of overlap for example.
As for your question yes you missed the scene where Fedor shows up to rescue you while Niko is trying to bully you. It is a one off scene so it is not a major lose but you did miss seeing and playing it out. In addition to Fedor you could have gotten Ivan, Vitek, Albina, or Anushka/Alyona to help you and make him leave you alone. Each with their own special event where they make him leave you alone.
For fearing you, I don't recall exactly how the Fedor scene goes off the top of my head but it is more he is afraid of Fedor and Fedor made it clear you are under his protection, so it is more he is afraid you will run to Fedor and get Fedor to come after him again.
Just a bit more history for you, here is a list of some changes.
Pav school went from 2 classes a day to what we have. We changed it to a more western/US class system where you went to different classes with different students. This was done so we could have more NPC's for you to interact with, at the cost of some Russian flavor. We did a poll years ago which was basically how important is keeping the Russian flavor and the winner by a wide margin was keep the Russian flavor as much as possible but what would be more fun is when we should break away from it. Which is why the school was changed.
Here is a list of Pav school NPC's and where they came from.