Got no problem with the mini games. I do feel they could be connected to the main story. Make the player advance in the game/corrupt the the characters. They have no real purpose in the game, no reward like raising stats nor money. Can't even level the corruption stat since there's none.
For example: Luna game could be connect to the tutoring and then the bedroom. In order to unluck this the player would have to finish the mini game first;
Same with Susan. Amelia would give you the info about Helena, after finishing it
Hermione could be connected to the tutoring part where she would learn to loose it a bit...
Anyway just a suggestion
So the problem with the minigames was we wanted to make them optional, we had agreed to make it so they don't affect progress.
However, that being said, it becomes more apparent that as someone succeeds in them, it would be logical they affect the relationship etc... So yeah, we will revisit that definitely. I agree, with your thoughts on it.
I think people have pointed out ambitions exceeding ability, with regards to game play before, this is one of those scenarios. Where really, it's just hard to cram everything into a one month release window at the level of ambition we have.
We will revisit a lot of this after the next main scene, the release after should just be a polish and connection release focusing more on these elements. Originally, I thought another location, but our artist also thinks we could add more interactions using our idols (the larger images of the girls with the blurred backgrounds). So we will probably do that.
Hopefully, with more time, things will get better. At the same time, I have to try to make a mad dash to the finish, so we have the entire concept and game in a place where fixing all the things is easier to do, because we know where the game ends and how etc. Without all the in place, it's harder to make such choices without possibly double doing the work.