Quest Helper?

[Tao Dude]

And "M," but we haven't met her in-game yet.

I forgot about 'M': it hadn't fully registered that her romance path was an addition, though, which is probably a good thing, as I 'might' have forgotten and given her full name (which most people probably know anyway).

[infiniteignorance]

Unless I am mistaken there are two, as of yet, unintroduced female characters.

[JFR]

One we have only "heard" on a phone and one completely unmet.

[infiniteignorance]

One we have only "heard" on a phone and one completely unmet.

I defy you to find me a woman who hasn't been heard on a phone.

[Wolfschadowe]

Edited note: Yes...this one is a novel...deal with it.

Keeping everything straight seems more like a web, grown organically, than a decision-tree based game.

This is a good description of the the game. I made a conscious decision not to have a pure decision-tree. It's actually somewhere in the middle between web, and decision tree.

but it seems to me that it's done more like life than like a game

This is my primary driver. I have a lot of ideas that I've scrapped because I couldn't justify them as being in character or feasible. I cheat a little bit by "coming in the middle." When talking about the primary love interests, Brad isn't meeting anyone for the first time yet. He has history with all the love interests. This makes it easier to quickly advance his relationship in a more natural feeling way. More so than "They met at the bar and decided to fuck because....horny author" or whatever reasons.
I've tried to make a game where we can hopefully suspend the disbelief and not be pulled too far out of the story.

As the game days go by, and decisions are made, maybe some plot lines, or entire character lines, go away altogether. By day 3 or 4, maybe the possible love interests are cut in half, and the web narrows even more day by day?

Yep, this is the plan. This happens to some extent early on when choosing between the bar or the Strip Club on day 1. It actually begins happening in the office on Day 1 before going home for the first time, but that's more subtle. Thursday (day 2) is a very "wide" day, when it comes to all the storylines that are available. Friday and Saturday are much narrower. Sunday begins widening again and Monday is another wide day like Thursday. The final day on Tuesday narrows again. There are 90 main storylines in the game. (10 for each love interest, and 10 for Brad.) But By the end of day Thursday, each path will be down to less than 20, with the remaining 70 locked off and not possible. By Saturday, only 2-3 will be possible, etc...

Relationship Description in Spoiler for following discussion

spoiler: show

Relationship is a complicated score, I won't go into how it's calculated here. It is a combination of several things, and your relationship with a woman will determine how she reacts at different points. Higher relationship is not always better, as it can lead to flameout. In other words, a fast one night stand versus a slower, long term relationship. The one night stand may result in a game failure, but trying and failing because relationship is too low could lead to a winning scenario. Failing a check is just as often good as bad in BEW.

At every point of the story, there is a minimum possible relationship. For example, at the beginning, minimum relationship is 0 with everyone.
To pass a check on day 2, Brad may need 40 relationship or higher to pass. If he passes, the minimum possible score on the passing branch is now at 40 relation (otherwise he would have failed, and been on a different path.) Let's say this same check has a possible max relation of 50. Meaning the possible range is 40-50. On standard paths, usually the next check will be around 110% of minimum, or 44 points. this is adjusted for any relationship gains.

For example, Brad may be able to earn from 1-5 points before the next check. So we add 1 to the minimum. 40+1 = 41, and we add 5 to the maximum. 50+5=55. The new range is 41-55. The next check at a decision point where the woman makes a decision, if it required relationship (not all do) then the new threshold will depend on difficulty. Easy paths are calculated from minimum. So the next check might be 110% of minimum, or 44 (rounded down). Standard paths are calculated from Maximum, usually 90% of max, plus a modifier. So from 55 it would be 49 (rounded down) Elite checks are rounded up, and often are Max or Max-1.

The last point here is that the score requirement varies based on path. For example, if Brad chose the Strip Club on Wednesday, Emily has a much lower relationship threshold to go on a date with Brad on Thursday, after work. Additionally, of Brad has been a gentleman to Emily, there is an even lower relationship threshold to land a date with Emily. There are also different relationship thresholds to where Emily will go on a date with Brad, and their own adjustments. For example, if Faith joined in at the Bar, Emily is more likely to go to the Strip club Thursday night, and there is a lower relationship threshold. So..in summary, ignore the relationship score because it will just confuse you, especially if you get denied a date with a higher relationship than the last play through where you earned a date.

Those storylines are separated into the following categories:

• Easy - Many paths to the same result. Failing most higher level paths will eventually "fail down" to an easy path. Still considered a "Win" but may not be satisfying. Usually Minimum Relationship +1
• Single Std / Single Main - "Normal" difficulty. Story is primarily about a single love interest. Generally need to maintain about halfway between min/max relationship. Multiple paths. The "Main" storyline is the "true path" for lack of a better description. A better example is that the "Emily Single Main" path (path 10) is the canon path for the "Shadoweverse" as I've heard it called. In other words, if the publisher ever decides the "time is right" for the series to start releasing, this is the canon for their backstory of the characters that appear in the books. (Brad, Emily, and some others...) The other "main" paths are kind of canon based "what-if" paths. What-if Brad ends up with Faith instead...or Natalie, etc... All other paths are not related to canon.
• Duo Standard - "Normal" difficulty. Story is about two love interests, but doesn't mean a threesome is necessarily involved. Still considered a "win" but may not always work out in a satisfying way. Maintaining 80% of max relationship with both women is generally required.
• Single Elite - "Hard" difficulty. Story is generally sexier and edgier. Generally will fail down to a standard path with mistakes. 90-100% of max
• Duo Elite - "Hard" Difficulty. May include Threesomes and also may result in true Manage-a-trios situations with true three-way relationships. Generally fails to a standard path. 95-100%% of max relationship required along with other factors.
• Corruption - "Hardest" Difficulty. Dive into each woman's secret desires that they themselves may not realize. May or may not be sexually related. Might be kinky/taboo in one or two instances, but not to any extreme. Generally fails to ended relationships and game overs once committed to a path. 100% max relationship absolutely required along with other factors After Thursday Evening (day 2) no mistakes.
• Triple/Quad Elite - Similar to Duo Elites. Usually doesn't mean orgy. Think more along the lines of different girl(s) each night more than all girls one night. Generally doesn't end well for most involved but can come through some with a satisfying win. Generally sensible combos with Brad, like Natalie+Azumi+Faith, or Emily+Faith+Natalie, or potentially one branching from the Faith+Emily scene in the Day 1 Bar, moving on to Faith+Emily+Natalie+Azumi later if Azumi+Natalie is handled in a way compatible with Faith+Emily. Not all combinations with all women are possible, and it is not possible to have every woman in the game on a single play-through. Same as Duo Elite, but more outside factors are required.

but to please the fans, he increased the number of romanceable women from six to eight, and had to then weave extra bits into the story to allow Brads's relationships with Jasmine and Azumi to develop.

...Just to be clear, this is not causing any further delays. The current pace would be the same either way.

Unless I am mistaken there are two, as of yet, unintroduced female characters.

Are they still unannounced generally? Hmmm....

I defy you to find me a woman who hasn't been heard on a phone.

This made me laugh and laugh and laugh. I'm not sure why....and my wife is glaring at me....and that is making me laugh even harder!!!

[dutch]

Wolf, just a suggestion, I myself think it would be great but others might not. What a hoot it would be to give one of the girls multiple personalities. So that at different stages in the game your success with her would require different input depending on what personality you were dealing with. I know it's a bit odd, but what a great twist to have to figure out!

[Wolfschadowe]

What a hoot it would be to give one of the girls multiple personalities. So that at different stages in the game your success with her would require different input depending on what personality you were dealing with.

Umm...No.

Not in this game at least. Fun concept for the next one though.

spoiler: show

On one corruption path, there is a "transformative event" that will require figuring her out all over again. Actually, as I think about it, all the corruption paths have a bit of this as the depths of each woman are plunged (pun absolutely intended.) Speaking psychologically here though. As they come to terms with their "deep dark's" there will be new dimensions of their personality to explore.

[winter]

Wow Wolf!!!! That's quite a web!! Holy Moly!
I feel I should reiterate my suggestion that maybe you consider development depth first (logically, I mean, stay with me ), following a story line, maybe even to it's completion... then go back and explore another line, etc. That MIGHT be more satisfying and compelling to develop, and to play as development is ongoing???? Trying to keep many disparate goals in one's mind is somewhat harder than tracking down a single one... and there's something satisfying in seeing a story through to its fruition.

I remember reading those choose your own adventure books when I was younger. I would read, choose, and continue to the end. Then I'd go back to the beginning and make different decisions to see where that takes me.

That, as opposed to making a choice, and reading to the next choice, but then going back and reading the alternates of the first choice, and to their next choices, then circling back to continue further down one path, then double back to alternate paths, all before seeing any of the paths through to the end. That's kinda what I find myself doing with BEW... and I get a little lost hahaha. I love the game, and the variety in it, it's amazing! I'd also love to see how things work out over the week ahahaha. Difference between hunting and gathering I suppose LOL.

[Wolfschadowe]

I feel I should reiterate my suggestion that maybe you consider development depth first (logically, I mean, stay with me ), following a story line, maybe even to it's completion... then go back and explore another line, etc.

I appreciate the suggestion, and I've thought about doing this, starting with the "canon" storyline. I'm not going to rule it out.

I remember reading those choose your own adventure books when I was younger. I would read, choose, and continue to the end.

I loved those. I had a lot of them and they are actually part of the inspiration for the game.

[JFR]

I feel I should reiterate my suggestion that maybe you consider development depth first (logically, I mean, stay with me ), following a story line, maybe even to it's completion... then go back and explore another line, etc.

I appreciate the suggestion, and I've thought about doing this, starting with the "canon" storyline. I'm not going to rule it out.

I believe this also describes one of the best ways to PLAY the game. Pick a path, follow it to whatever conclusion results. For replays, then try other choices. Trying to find all the potential alternatives while actually playing a run-through is a recipe for frustration.

[infiniteignorance]

This made me laugh and laugh and laugh. I'm not sure why....and my wife is glaring at me....and that is making me laugh even harder!!!

I defy you to find a wife who has not glared at her husband.

[lurking]

Wolf made the choice early in the game to make a number of the female characters romanceable, but to please the fans, he increased the number of romanceable women from six to eight

This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.

[palinathas]

This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.

I'm curious where this assertion comes from. I gathered (from comments on this forum) that a majority of forum-goers were quite in favor of the changes.

[lurking]

The two additions are not really interesting ones because they don’t make a notable difference (from a personality perspective) to other romanceable characters. Also, adding paths for each of them makes the game even more complicated for no actual benefit that exceeds the sexual encounters.

At least according to my own perception.

[palinathas]

Certainly more complex, I agree with that.