Update 9/12/21

Hey there! I've been a bit busy, so just a small update this time. As mentioned in my last post, I acquired a plugin that allows me to track/map specific faces to actors via indexing as opposed to manually having to create conditionals for each given face size.  While this is an extremely useful tool, that, and some changes into how I trigger a given character's sprite-changing events, means that my previous methods of tracking how your party members exist as npcs in the overworld were both redundant at best, and incorrect, at worst. Previously, I had these events as separate common events, with checks activated by switches in the preceding event, but that would mean around 9,10 different events per character, which is presently looking to be around 14 when all is said and done.  That's 140ish common events just devoted to changing sizes, and while that's not terrible--rpgmaker natively allows for a 1000 of the things, it is rather messy.  It would also mean 140 or so switches, which is less ideal. My new design, with a 'size' variable check that, if true, then checks for level, is a bit more clean... and needs less switches.

But so, to that end, I've been going through the party-chats and making them MoreEscapeCode compliant, which is essentially simple to do but VERY tedious as well. And, well, I like designing, so... while doing that, I've brainstormed up a new feature.

Now, feature-creep is usually the death of any project, so I'm very wary about that, but I think what I've come up with is manageable.

In the current game, which, granted, is unfinished, you can recruit party members. You can, upon attaining certain currencies, remove said party members by eating them, or having other members eat them, or other methods... But, you are essentially always in control. To add a spice of drama, I've planned out a vague 'loyalty' system, wherein if you've neglected certain characters, they'll just leave you upon plot progression... but that's not the feature here.

Rather, I'll be adding in an optional difficulty I'm calling "Lioness-Taming"!

With LT on, the player character, Kui, receives less exp than usual, like 25% less. Her teammates, on the other hand, will receive more; 50-100% more, in fact. (Or not. These values are subject to change, but the intent is there).  However... If a given party member gets too many levels above the player, then said member will eat Kui, initiating a Game Over. Complicating matters is that, additionally, if any character other than Kui (or Jeff, if you have him) has a fullness value (what increases when they eat anything) of less than 30% (again, subject to change), that character will demand to be fed. And if you don't feed them past the threshold, well... RIP Kui, I guess.

Facilitating this mode will be general additions to the game, such as digestion-inducing items that work on single actors (rather than the existing digestion locations, like the player's bed, which apply for the whole party), food that benefits the whole party (shareables like pizza or a six-pack of beer), and a passive anti-fullness state wherein fullness decreases by 1% every few steps. Oh, and 'plot' progression will now be triggered by the average party level, rather than just Kui's.

Now, whether or not this mode ends up being any fun is currently unknown. But I've already implemented a test version of it successfully, and with the face-tracking plugin, all I really need to do as far as future-proofing it is to make sure it works with every  character. So... there's that, I guess.

I've also toyed with making an inverse mode--not with respect to size, but with respect to focus; e.g., if the player, Kui, is too many levels past a given character, she automatically eats them. It's currently in limbo; not from difficulty of implementation, but rather, a need for it. "Lioness Taming" evens the odds, and makes your party just as dangerous (if not more) than the player. Given that the player can choose to eliminate their team at their discretion, does there really need to be an automated version?

I'll still probably end up making it, but it's not a priority for now, haha.

...

I'd still call this a small update, even though it feels like I've written an essay. That's all for now!