Let's Talk About K

ugh. I'm not trying to blow up your inbox, i swear, but I hit enter before I was even done with that comment. -.- my bad. Anyway, I just wanted to add that this could just be me being weird. I just wanted to clarify that in no way did I mean K should be abusing his dogs XD And I am so sorry for that implication

Mmm I think I could've been more clear with that. I didn't mean the dogs actually *are* in serious trouble, so much as... to me it felt random? Not in a "I'm distracting myself from going to aeon" way, but in a "Here's some random dogs i've randomly decided are in trouble for no obvious reason" way. But I'm possibly just splitting hairs. I just remember the first time I played through and I had to read the option to go back like three times, the whole time going "... the barking dogs? why would i care about some barking dogs?"

That's what I'm going to do! 😁

Jo O'Connor

The thing is . . . The dogs very much aren't in trouble 😅 If Button doubles back, it's because they're being over vigilant (or deep down don't want to go to Aeon). Of course K, not being a mind reader (heh), just assumes Button is really, really into animal activism. Which K finds hot, so K offers to give Button a ride. I'd be worried about making K seem like an animal abuser if I made Annie and Cass in more severe distress. (Also, I want the other routes to still be valid options! K's route should have, ideally, only a 33% chance of being selected.)

Jo O'Connor

I did mean to add last night: *maaaaybe* you could try to emphasize in Chapter One that the dogs are in "serious trouble" and need help. I know that's why i passed it up until someone told me it's how you actually meet K, and once i was into the situation it became clear why the MC might be that concerned. Until then, though, even with the fact that ive worked in animal rescue my reaction was more "ok... dogs bark at passers by. That's pretty normal. What the big deal?"

I completely agree with you that having that moment be the moment K starts to fall for Button makes the most sense. Im down for locking it as the only other option i could think od (other than just leaving it as an awkward half second love at first sight im ch2) would likely just add to the scope of the project, and that's not helpful. Anyway, thier route being "locked" because of a personality thing is probably the only valid romance gating argument ive ever seen.

Initially, I was leaning toward the dog scene being too early, but after reading your reasoning, I think it makes a lot of sense! I say lock that baby and give me juicy, personalized K time!!! Lol.

Mich

And that’s very fair! At the end of the day it’s your story and you know best where to take it, my suggestion was just for Buttons in general to get to know K in a friendly way. I agree that the romance is so much more juicy if you meet K in the morning. It rings of ‘love at first sight’ but with so many delicious twists and turns! Honestly I just can’t get the mental image of Button convincing K to throw the assignment and Glitch being peeved out of my head. Glitch being like “what the hell was that?!” and K just shrugs like “they said they like dogs” is something that makes me giggle.

doesnt matter pls just give us k ;3;

gem

I wanted the initial scenes to give MB a lot of replayability, not necessarily with plot (which would involve even more branches than there are already) but with how the plot *feels* (which is also different routes and branches, but lets me tell a more plot-heavy story).

Jo O'Connor

Possibly! The main issue, for me, is that the initial misunderstanding about K being a Ment is what forms the basis for their relationship. Without that misunderstanding, the love story between Button and K . . . well, it simply isn't as good.

Jo O'Connor

I'm with you and Alex T. about normally preferring to have as much choice as possible in IF! Which is why K's route wasn't originally intended to be locked. However, MB is definitely more booky than gamey, if that makes sense. And for the romance especially, I don't want it to come across as shallow or like I'm trying to check off a box by providing ROs. Romance can be a BIG part of MB. K's route without the dogs, however, and without the subsequent dramatic trajectory . . . it just doesn't really work. The story, as it were, isn't near as good, and trying to split the focus in their route made the dog route more shallow.

Jo O'Connor

I’m a little conflicted between the two options. On one hand, I’d prefer to be given more freedom when playing IF, and the choice to go back to the dogs is pretty limited to a certain type of personality considering Button is at risk of expelling. But on the other hand, as you said, I cannot really see how Button could romance K when they barely meet. I saw a lot of IF like this, where they just drop a character in the scene and there’s already an option to express a romantic interest. While I can somehow reason that it’s physical attraction could evolve into something more, it’s just personally not very satisfying for me. Not to mention, based on my (limited) understanding of K, it can only evolve into somewhat semi-romantic route where there’s just one-side crush from Button (K may or may not reciprocate at the end of the game, since they can still interact with Button during the undercover mission, but I don’t know what will happen next so I’m not really sure if there’s a possibility 🤔). At first I was reluctant to chose the puppy route since it doesn’t really feel like my Button. But when I finally try it, I understand why people love K so much. I come to love both the romance and even Button themselves (their monologues about a wedding in Bali is just so darn cute! 😆). Now I have a headcanon that makes sense with my Button when she choses the puppy route, so honestly at this point I’m fine with whether locking K romance or not (my Button has high confidence so she still blindly believes she will make it to school somehow😂). If locking K romance means more content for the puppy-route Button, it even sounds like good news for me 😂 (more about Bali wedding, yay!)

Normally I'd prefer making it so that everyone can access K's route, and have the relationship develop over the course of our mission together. But I think you're right-the K route has so much more ~drama~ originally I thought 'well maybe if in Gray's walking route there's an option to mention that you volunteered at the animal shelter bc you didn't like people' but even that feels a little...idk. Flat? So I think K being a secret route is ultimately the right choice.

Alex T.

I usually take the puppy route without crushing on K, but the first time I did I was shocked at how much it affected my emotional reactions to the rest of the story. My poor Button's broken heart coloured everything that followed. There is something very appealing in the idea of them both operating under this painful misunderstanding, Each thinking of the other and trying and trying to puzzle them out - Sigh <3

If you wanted a way for Buttons who didn't go back for the dogs to get to know K, maybe you could convince K to let you win during the first assignment? Maybe Glitch mentions K really likes animals and a Button with high interpersonal skills could convince K they too are a good hearted animal lover, let Sally win please? Obviously that would require a lot of rewriting and recoding and honestly I prefer talking to K in the morning, but it's something to think about.

I agree with everything you just said about K and their route. My very first playthrough I didn't meet K in ch. 1 (which I didn't realize that was an option) and so meeting them in ch 2. wasn't anything special. But when I actually met and interacted with K in ch. 1, every scene with them afterwards hit differently and in a good way.

Shuris

I do think that K's relationship overall will flow better if it's based off of the dogs scene. And I do personally find it fundamental for their relationship to start on this common ground and respect for a fellow animal lover. I do though like to do dogs route in Chapter 1 when going for Glitch romance because I like to have good connection with their best friend. I do like the fact that opting out of dogs choice locks you out of K romance because that encounter has such a big impact on how K and Button view each other. But I would also appreciate it if we could have an option to do dogs route and stay as friends with K. As mentioned I love the idea of being great friends with your partner's bff. It just gives me so many ideas for deeper connection between the two, eyerolls behind Glitch's back, inside jokes, obsessing about cute dog pictures. Of course do what you feel like is in your capacity and don't overwork yourself just because we would like to have an option. Your vision for the game is the most important. That's just my view on this, take it as you will! 💗

Ignits

Honestly your reasons for having it locked have convinced me. Go for it!

FlamingFlyingV

I have done it both ways (because I didn’t know I could meet Kent in ch. 1!) and found it pleasantly surprising and a VERY nice intro to his romance. Multiple playthroughs are a thing that is highly encouraged, so I think it just adds to the uniqueness and fun of exploring new outcomes!

Cas

I genuinely believe it makes the route more romantic and satisfying if it's a locked in route!!!

Ellen Dickens