In my
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I discussed the challenge of writing in-between and casual scenes. You mentioned you generally enjoy them, but I'd love to know: what kind of scenes and interactions would you like to see between the group during their vacation? I need some inspiration for ideas, and even if I can't implement them, they might spark some evocative concepts.
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What's your opinion on mini-games, do you think they add to the experience or detract from it? For now, I don't think I'll be adding more, but it would be cool to add the Pictionary one someday...
I've been behind on this update, and skimmed most of the many pages here of comments. Somewhere along the way someone (sorry, I forget who) mentioned that it was frustrating to them that there was a real opportunity in this update to get some enjoyable casual chat between characters at the beach house. Instead all we got was them talking about relationships and it didn't feel, to the person writing the comment, as real as they thought old friends going on vacation would be. I didn't really see anyone respond to that, but Eva brings up the question in her latest update post, and I've been thinking about it too.
I'd both agree and disagree with the previous comment by a forum member. Agree in that old friends at the beach would be a little more loose that what we have, maybe a prank or two (the splashing and throwing mud in the ocean felt legit to me), maybe a deep cut from their shared history in the band they formed, etc. I'm still waiting for some conversation between Ian and Perry about how they both are trying to deal with being a disappointment - perhaps unfairly - to their fathers, and this chapter would have been a good time for that, while staying in Perry's dad's beach house.
That said, I'd disagree that what Eva wrote was inauthentic, or just throwaway chatter. If you're trying to help Perry get with Emma even though he insists on being an ass to her, getting their thoughts on relationships is new and interesting info. And even if you're not trying to get them together, learning about Perry having a fling with a groupie once upon a time is hilarious. And learning that Emma shies away from standard monogamous relationships because she's seen so many fail, including her adopted parents' marriage, is fascinating - especially if your Ian is considering either a casual or committed relationship with her. There's been a bunch of talk here about the variation in Lena's backstory based on player choices, and that's I think a significant development too. Lastly I thought it was brilliant to have Emma bring her weird drug again (very "old friends on vacation" indeed!), and then have Wade's story, of all people, get some progress because of it. And having his attitude towards continuing to try to get back together with Cindy based on Ian's support or not is smart too.
P.S. - Is anyone else just waiting for the dog to steal and bury someone's bikini? Just me?
Eva also asks about minigames, and I'll agree with BlandChili that most of the time it's more of a distraction to have them. In some circumstances they do help with money (the pool game early on) or character affection (the Cards Against Humanity game) etc. but overall I kind of shrug at them. The fake "game crash" during Ian's drug trip was funny, but also annoying. BC says most of us probably pushed through the MMA event because it was there, not because most of us wanted it or enjoyed it, and I'd agree, though I do appreciate the small subset of folks here who got into it, and liked how realistic it was in terms of MMA, or who put together intricate strategies they shared with us for beating it.
Reading Eva's post, I was glad a Pictionary minigame didn't make it into the beach house (though I do think it's also totally a classic "old friends on vacation" thing, so maybe the unknown commenter would have liked it). The pole dancing minigame would have been interesting in certain contexts, like Ivy challenging Lena (or Holly!) to "follow my moves, if you can" or something similar. But let's be honest - the real reason why I'd like it is to get images of any or all of the three of them pole dancing, of course only if you play the minigame well.