Alright, I'll answer the questions, then go back to the update.
I'll continue to investigate, but it works correctly for me.
Without the mod, the 3 cost 20 favor, will the 4 cost me 27 favor for Ms. Larson, while it should have cost me 6. Therefore, the bugs come directly from the game.
Since the questions regard the fetish of the character, and so are more than just personal, I assume that it's the description of the action that is wrong, more than the computation itself.
Overall I think you're correct, I think this bug may be directly from the game, or some sort of trace left from Radioactive mod removal. (maybe it also edits and store data, outside the game folder)
From my vanilla game folder, I loaded a game, and small favor cost a flat 20 favor. Billy has Social 5 and persuasion 4, therefore it should cost 11 instead.
Well, technically nothing change even without cheating. The polymorphism abilities are used only in combat, to open the interaction as Billy Jane with Nikki, and as condition for some scenes.
Well, I tried to see these transformations in combat, they were locked.
I have choose genital and gender, because both are the only exclusive mandatory skill for scenes unlock, that cannot be acquired elsewhere.
While the stat boost can be acquired by training such stats. With the cap at 10, it becomes redundant/useless late game.
Honestly, I was just wanting to see the combat transformation modes and have it as an option unlocked.
I both agree and disagree. While being fair, it also break the implicit "three injections" rule. If it was seen as possible (in term of universe, not in term of game) to have more than 3 injections, one could do more than "Armor of Terra" injection and would end, soon or later, with such resistance that he would be literally invincible. Therefore, it feel like having more than 3 polymophism injections break the lore.
This said, there's possibly a parade to this. Polymorphism is split in five categories ( gender, cognition, musculature, bone structure, size of Billy's cock), which have two level (regular and advanced). For the size of Billy's cock, the regular level is in fact the well endowed perk, so the monster cock can also be seen as a perk more than as a polymorphism ability. If I add a "advanced polymorphism" serum, it would then fall back on the natural "three injections" rule, while letting only one category left outside ; which could still be get by cheating.
I don't guaranty that it's possible, but I'll look at that for a future change.
Once again I agree, but I'm pretty sure that the Initiative wouldn't let this happen and that they are very worried by the list of injections that Billy already had. Which sent back to the "three injections" rule. If in top of having so many different serums, Billy can have more than three injections, the Initiative would shut him down without hesitation, nor even a parody of judgment. This simply because he would become the number one threat for this world. Even with an angelic alignment, he could rule the world, and no one could have the possibility to say a word, nor to stop him.
That's an interesting point of view.
My interpretation is different however, I see 3 injections in terms of lore perspective what is required to achieve the maximal obtainable power level from each power.
Polymorphy clearly is an exception to this rule. The only plausible explanation could be, that because the genetic code is vast and complex, therefore cannot be molded in a short time frame.
Honestly, I don't think the author gave any thought about any correlation about lore and amount of possible injections as it either being the factor to achieve the maximal power level, or because otherwise going higher would be too dangerous.
I think the author when was planing the game development content, what powers he would choose, how he would introduce and present, I think he just figured out that he needed some tiers. It couldn't be many to avoid overly grinding and also making the lower tiers useless, it also couldn't be too few otherwise it would be too expensive for an initial fee, while also losing the RPG element of progression.
3 was his natural game balance resolution approach for the initial powers. Then he simply copied the same formula for organization and presentation's sake of things. I think for his point of view, keeping it on 3, was just more pleasant than having any different value.
It, however, creates the problem that I have described as, locked content, which arbitrary forces the player to start a new playthrough.
If the stats cap at 10 (which can be acquired without polymorphy), it makes those additional bloodline levels even less important, while gender and genital size cannot be acquired by any other means.
This game is still in Alpha, some things are still overlooked. The starting bonuses suffers from the exactly same issue.
If you think about it, 3 choices cannot be acquired anywhere else and would be a totally game changer (genital size/sister/mom worker), while the other choices worthy exactly 30 exp, which is only a small portion of grinding and nothing else.
So in short as I see it, the author chooses 3 for ultimately for convenience.
I think 3 represents the maximal power level, for example Mind Control 3 is simply as good as it could ever exist. For example one of the 'champions' is locked with a single injection as his total cap, and he cannot advance further than rank 1. He's effectively stuck with brilliance rank 1 forever, it's not because the initiative wouldn't allow him to go to higher, it's simply because his organism is not compatible. Billy is limitless.
If going higher than rank 3 was an option, then I think rank 4+ would be available to purchase with some conditions and mechanics.
For example, getting 4+ would automatically generate suspicion and would be locked until some requisites be met, for example, brainwashing the Globex director to have access to rank 4+, or threating him with death with high fear, dementia and some sort of tormenting aura or bad dream, or by having a very good enlightenment + Smypatetic link, etc.
The consequences of using such powers if fear was the limitation, then ever time a rank 4+ power was used, suspicion would raise.
However we don't have neither any power above 3, nor any indicator it does exist, nor any mechanic for getting them, nor any possible penalty, nor even any hint of fear from the initiative from such godlike tier of powers.
So to sum up, I think rank 3 was chosen for convenience and nothing else, that however, creates the problems I've mentioned.
It's 10 for the stats, and I assume that it will be around 10 for the physical, social and mental attribute. This keep open a possibility of failure for the skill check, and will let a small cost for the actions, which seem fair.
I think 10 is fair, don't need to go higher than that. Unlocking these extra forms could simply be to express that Billy really has this scary limitless potential and can achieve anything.
Balance wise, in Radioactive going from rank 3 to 4 cost 3k and then 750 extra for each additional level, that for +1 of each sub group stat which will be capped at 10.
Just to put in perspective flight/enhanced sense/humanitas (when implemented) cost from rank 1 to 3, 1.500 without discount.
That's half the price, same 1 for each stats, +3 style and with additional bonuses. Flight generates more energy, enhanced senses increase the chance of spotting girls.
