Flirting (0.5)

Today I want to talk about flirting mechanic we're planning for 0.5. For now it will only be available in college, but eventually it will work in other locations and situations.

So, flirting. Eventually Kate won't know how to do it and you'll need to unlock it by learning the skill from one of the characters. I want to avoid spoilers, so I'll only tell you it's going to be related to the main storyline. More specifically, investigating what is really going on in college.

Flirt is a skill you'll improve as you use it. Leveling it up in 0.5 will be quick and easy, so it won't be grindy. We'll work on balancing the progression in the future. Once you reach a certain point, you'll be able to learn another trick, which will make flirting more effective. Then you'll learn another trick from a third character, and so for. Eventually Kate will have an arsenal of trick available for flirting.

One of the characters will tell Kate she can unbutton top of her shirt a bit, it will increase flirting leveling speed. Another will say Kate can "accidentally" fall into some guy's hands. It might be more risky than you think, thought :)

The game will also have a communication skill. I'll tell you more about it in the future, but it will synergize with flirting nicely. Whenever Kate starts flirting, players will see text showing how NPC reacts on it. If communication skill is low, then the information will be unreliable. For example, if an NPC is not in the mood (we'll add mood parameter with communication skill) you should leave them alone or they might have negative reaction to your actions. But if Kate's communication skill is low, she won't know that until it's too late. Also, communication skill will show NPC's reactions on particular skill tricks. Take goodbye hugs, for example. Some characters won't like invasion of their private space and some will be happy with opportunity to touch as much of Kate's body as they can. We probably won't be able to implement communication skill in 0.5, but we'll definitely add it into the game at some point and it will be useful in many other situations, like persuasion.

Originally you won't be able to flirt with straight girls. All guys will be heterosexual, so you'll always be able to flirt with them (with some cooldown, of course). In the future we'll add an option to make straight girls more adventurous and open to experimentation, but even now there are a couple of girls who are already open to flirting.

We're also aiming to implement main parameters you see on the screen all the time: hunger, energy, arousal. Last one will also be responsible for having flirting available.