Affection gets an upgrade (kind of).

I have this dreadful personal flaw where I tend to operate under the assumption that other people know the things I know. I don't mean to be rude or confusing or annoying. I just spend so much time rummaging around in my own neurotic head that I forget other people's heads might work differently.

So when I'm writing dialogue for seven skaters, I know the differences between them. But a cast of seven Affection-garnering NPCs is kind of a lot for a 4-hour game, especially when those NPCs are always gathered in the same physical location, all more feminine-leaning in gender, and all wearing uniforms. Maybe this is why no one's made a game like this. It's a fool's errand!

All that to say: I'm adding a diary in Kady's apartment where you can look up your teammates' names, portraits, Affection level, what gifts they like, and what's happened on your dates (if any). You're welcome, player.

 

I remember playing video games in the '90s, like Myst, where you would keep a pad of paper and a pencil nearby to write down clues. Or a dungeon crawler like Eye of the Beholder (one of the many AD&D titles) where you'd ask your mom if she had any graph paper lying around; those spider caves ain't gonna map themselves. But we're not living in that era anymore. People expect games to be intuitive and not withhold information for the sake of it.

Which reminds me. Maybe this is an old video to some people, but I enjoyed "What Games Are Like For Someone Who Doesn't Play Games" by Razbuten on YouTube. I am definitely the gamer in a few familial circles, and there are certain things I take for granted in the "language" of games. Definitely give this video a watch if you want to sort of refresh your perspective. It's something I need to be reminded of, as I want this game to be played by gamers and roller derby skaters alike - circles that do not always overlap.