Suggestion: the new "Code" button is a nice QoL improvement, but I think that the screen that is displayed when you finish coding should either default to returning you to your room, or at least have an option to turn off the laptop and return to your room instead of returning you to the laptop navigation screen. That way I can go Room -> Code -> Room instead of Room -> Code -> Laptop -> Room.
I have noticed a general improvement to new dialogue. I particularly like the "Girl Stats" page for some of the newer characters:
Danielle's Stat Page said:
Love : 120% - Danielle is not particularly proud of herself, because she's nobody. She's doesn't really value someone that values her.
This is great! It makes sense, it's cleverly written, and it informs her character.
I also took note of the interactions with Francine. Whatever your process is, it's producing better writing. I've been impressed with the speed of development (this game frequently shows up whenever I filter for "Top rated games updated in the last week") and I think that focusing on new content is definitely the right call.
At some point though, I think another pass updating old scenes and content to the new standard of quality and grammar would greatly benefit the game. My attraction to older characters like Rose/Susan is limited by the simple writing despite them having a lot going for them on paper. Rose is the sex-starved cougar on campus with confusing feelings of maternal concern and sexual desire for a young man. Susan is the nerdy girl with little to no experience who gives herself an entire makeover just to please her (first?) partner. Both archetypes are characterized by desperation and have strong emotional tropes; Susan is a vehicle for "first love" stories and Rose is a similar diving board into "forbidden love" and pseudo-incestuous fantasies. I should be all over these two... but at the end of the day, their actual characters don't quite shine through yet. I tend to think of Rose not as a character but as a stepping board to grind Sex Control. Susan is a landmine that will claim your virginity too early if you're careless. Carol is like Rose, but worse; I can't remember anything about her character and just think of her as a reliable stat-grinder. This is really unfortunate! I think that Just One More Chance is uniquely gameplay focused compared to other Twine harem games and so there is probably less community focus on the girls themselves, but at the end of the day the primary products that will reel people in is memorable women and sexual situations.
Some more character-specific dialogue across the board would help in this regard. I'll point out two characters in particular that I think have obvious places they could be improved: Francine and Carol. Francine is new and I don't think I've exhausted her content yet, and as I mentioned I think that her dialogue is a step up in quality already. However, when you choose the generic "Talk" option, you get this blurb:
Talk to Francine said:
You spend 15 minutes chatting with Francine.
You have to do that with a particuarly low tone of voice, basically whispering.
Which is something she keeps reminding you of.
It was a bit exhausting to talk like that, but in the end she's fun and it was kind of worth it.
A collection of cyclical or random dialogues should replace that last line. Francine's archetype is supposed to be "fun," sure, but I only see glimpses of that in her "Flirt" dialogue chain. Replace that last line with even a brief back-and-forth conversation about the university, about pop culture, about the library, or most importantly, about Francine herself.
Player said:
You don't exactly strike me as the librarian type.
Francine (mocking offense) said:
What's that supposed to mean? I spent many hours in the library when I was at university. I wasn't studying, but...
Player said:
Ha! Do you feel nostalgic when you kick out couples getting frisky?
Francine (scowling) said:
Not now that I'm responsible for keeping things clean.
Short, but it implies backstory to the character that the player can fill in for themselves. Carol also has an obvious place to add such a rotational dialogue system, which is immediately after tutoring her but before picking your compensation.
Of course, these additions don't need to be complicated. There could be a single dialogue with Ms. Bloom that is displayed everytime the player discusses the last lecture with her where her love for her profession shines through, capped off with her glancing at the player character with less-than-academic interest if her attraction is high enough. Anything that can reinforce their personality with a variety of traits to appeal to players will be an upgrade.
Edit: I remembered that I wrote similar critique
in this post back in October.
carsexstart1.mp4 has a cursor in it lol