I read your comments and I understand what you are saying. Not everyone will agree with my vision to the series or even to each age, which will change format with every addition.
But here are so points that I'd like to make:
-The first game is more like an introduction to the world. The conflicts, the characters, the lore, the story, etc. It might be a little overwhelming at first. Reminds me of my time when I read the lord of the rings for the first time and I needed some pause here and there to get a hold of all the information.
It was also one of the reasons why I choose to start with the Kastalim Tribes, who are not that developed, because I knew that I'd be throwing a lot of info to the player in this first game.
-You are not the chose one. I saw you comparing SC with MGQ Paradox, and we as developers have different approaches to the story. In paradox, the story develops when you (Luka) are involved. In SC, the world will move on without you. You are not essential, but you are of great help. I prefer the "game of thrones approach" to the story. Having the story of multiple character independently developed, while they will eventually collide.
Take for example what you said here:
"and then zap - the narrative is shifts to another planet, where a bunch of resistance fighters are desperately trying to survive and fight back against the succubi, and the main character has nothing to do with these events at all, and is hardly aware of them."
This part of the story serves to show a few things:
-What happens to a world that has been conquered by the succubi
-The struggle of people who are living in that world
-To develop important succubi, like the three royal succubi generals
-To connect their stories with the main protagonist later on.
To makes things simpler: The world of SC is huge. It has tons of conflicts that will connect with the story but move independent from you. You are not chosen, you are not essential, you are just another person living in that world. For example, I bet you, just like me, don't know every single event happening in our cities, and yet, they happen anyway.
But for SC, they will connect to the main story. They are not random.
-The enemies are necessary. I understand many people having a problem with them, but how else to better represent a demonic invasion of the leaf clan, than having demonic plant demons infesting the world alongside the sexy and deadly succubi?
This is something similar to dragon age origins, where many people hate the deep roads for being infested with darkspawn. And I love it. It felt realistic, the deep roads are their natural habitat and represents it well to be literally infested by them.
And in SC, once you defeat a general, you can claim an area, which they will not return, making your conquest much more rewarding.
And you might say "oh, they are not hot girls", all I can say is that I consider SC an adult game, not just a porn game. I don't develop it with "hentai mentality" where everything must look sexy. The day I do that, I'll move to something else.
I hope this answers most of your questions. Even if you don't like it, at least you will know why I put them there.
Have a great day.
