I decided to revisit the game, and I'm extremely happy with the character development, writing and progression. It feels like all my concerns and thoughts in my last post a long while ago have been addressed by the game, and there is some really interesting and engaging depth and undertones to the characterization of the protagonists.
I really enjoy the level of visual and auditory polish present throughout this game, and the fact that it allows you to determine your sexual orientation instead of funneling you into scenes you wouldn't enjoy is greatly appreciated, and something that a lot of games omit. The speed of updates along with the amount of unique renders and art is rather very impressive, especially when minute details and one off gags are given fully rendered images.
I'm not entirely sure whether it is deliberate or not, but I really dislike most of the companions. I mostly like Panki and Lel, and I enjoy Roopah from a fetish perspective (even though I find her treatment abhorrent, but obviously that's being talked about and given character development), I also enjoy the relationship with your neighbour being developed, but the main crew are really hard to enjoy being near.
The completely condescending attitude, sheer incompetence, and the lack of nuance and understanding most of the characters show towards Sparkle is borderline aggravating. The constant insults towards her intelligence and blame directed for things that she has no responsibility or fault in, despite her often having some of the most reasonable and rational points of the entire group, are rather exhausting to read.
I couldn't stand Wejit, obviously this is erotica, but treating it realistically, his sexual harassment made him very hard to appreciate having around, and I personally didn't find him particularly funny. I also find it exceptionally odd how the game tries to guilt Sparkle for leaving Wejit behind, even though the reason given is completely reasonable and rational.
It makes far more sense for him to be a leader, actually helping improve the lives of the people around him, then tag along being a lecherous creep making jokes I don't find amusing. But then everyone else constantly tries to guilt Sparkle for not appreciating the sexually harassing goblin. Acting as if it was a "betrayal" when he willingly left the group.
The revelations about Leigh and his immorality make it hard to imagine keeping him around, so I don't exactly know how that route pans out if you bring him, but it is certainly a strange direction to take the character. Kayden's "justification" for his treatment of Lel is atrocious and intellectually stunted, especially since Panki is so forgiving and compassionate towards her, and the only other people who have a problem with Lel are straight up assholes who don't deserve time of day (and this is coming from someone doing the Roopah romance path). I enjoy Harmony, but I am suspicious now that she is willing to take advantage of Sparkles willpower loss/mind control during the smuggling.
Despite being negative, I rather enjoy this and am interested in seeing how the character development expands overtime, and it's probable that a lot of this is deliberate, even though it feels a little overdone.
I'm unsure why Sparkle stays with this group and takes this sort of treatment, although that makes Panki standing up for her feel a lot more gratifying. That being said, her calling Sparkle a slut (in a denigrating insulting manner, not as a kink or sex positive manner) felt completely unjustified, and made zero sense considering Sparkle was being completely transparent about her relationships, and was openly communicating her boundaries and interests in a mature manner.
Is there a way to start a relationship with Panki whilst taking the Roopah romance route, or is the only way to have a poly/group/open relationship via romancing Panki and having a one night stand with Roopah?
I certainly wouldn't mind a way to become a lady/futa loving "slut", although with the choices thus far being unsolicited magical advances, and orientation indiscriminate and status insulting/degrading looter, I'm going to bide my time (also the fact that the developers choice is final and there shouldn't be any more extra routes, pressure or workload than planned and decided by them).
Ignoring my rant, I really appreciate the amount of work being put into this, I feel it is excellent and has a lot of potential. I wish the developer the absolute best of luck and support.
It is incredibly satisfying to see Sparkle learn how to stand up for herself, to understand the failings of other people, and her own agency.
Even though it's just a sneak preview, the new bimbo transformation, and the impromptu "date" with Roompah are absolutely adorable. I might be misreading it, but I like that Bimbo Sparkle appears to be quite nuanced, and has some intelligent and insightful things to say, and it's more so a sense of unbridled positivity, empathy and trust that leads to her taking peoples turn of phrase literally. I love how her small moments of bubbly inquisitiveness and quick-wittedness confuse the hell out of Roopah.
It makes sense for Kayden and Roopah to be rather abrasive and judgemental, insulting her (at least at first for Roopah), but I feel that Ooyum and Lel would know more than to just treat her as unintelligent at face-value. I would love to see her interactions with the much more fleshed out Twig, and the ever kind Jane.
I figured out that staying the first night with Panki, and then the second with Roopah, lets you do the Panki+Lel+Jane poly, alongside a dedicated relationship with Roopah, and I'm super impressed that it is accounted for and built in so subtly. I'm a bit confused on if its possible to start a relationship with Harmony, Panki expresses her acceptance of it, and tells you to ask Roopah about it, but you never get the option to, the dinner with Roopah doesn't really amount to any meaningful or relevant conversation; and also makes you miss getting Jane into your relationship, so hopefully the discussion comes later (although it's a shame to miss the camp scene with Harmony). It also skips the dance scene with Harmony and doesn't show her in the cabin if you do both the Roopah and Panki+Lel scene.
The walkthrough mentions that it is possible to be with Harmony and Roopah, but it's unclear if it is integrated yet, or if it's possible to also be with Panki (and the girls). I also don't know what " Maybe there's some new route to start getting through to Roopah" is referring to in the change-log.
Basically all of the positives I originally brought up are still going strong, the level of polish, the visuals, audio, choice variation and accountability, it's all fantastic.
Perhaps it's due to the path I'm on, and only doing sapphic/futa content, but I would love to have more erotic scenes, and I feel like Bimbo Sparkle could have a lot of fun and sexy moments. I hope her further content keeps letting her be witty and adorable, instead of emphasizing the lack to autonomy and "inability" to follow conversation the walkthrough mentions. It more so came across to me that she didn't care to acknowledge the argument between Roopah and Kayden, and their insults towards her, due to her empathetic positivity, and her trusting attitude leading to her taking things at face value, rather than not being able to understand what they were saying.
I'm super glad the development is going so well, I hope you continue to find success and that you have a great community. Best of luck!
Edit: Insofar as the conversation on slow transformation, I don't really care for it. I mostly am interested in female protagonists. In games with male transition, I often just skip through in order to get to the "fun part" when they are designed that way. I do however, really enjoy bimbofication, in regards to a woman becoming more sultry, hyper feminine, bubbly, and empathetic, not intelligence loss. It's tricky, because the term is a shorthand for a fictional aesthetic I really like, but it's often associated with themes I strongly dislike, like non-consent and base assumptions on intellect.
So a gradual mental and physical transformation, wearing heels, hyper feminine mannerisms, beautification, body changes, learning dance, new hobbies, all of that is great fun. But it makes sense why it is instantaneous in a game that already has a ridiculous amount of variance and branching paths. Although admittedly I also don't enjoy stories or games that end with the transformation, instead of letting you live and have fun with it, so there is something to be said for that.