The Power of Choice - Altered Destiny
Hey everyone,
As I try to wrap up the last scene of the next update over this week, I wanted talk a little about something I never really went over before... the power of choice.
Altered Destiny's biggest mechanic that drives the story is time-travel, and with that can bring the opportunity for different outcomes based on choice. Now, this is a story-focused game, and certain aspects of it have to go a certain way, but that doesn't mean we can't sprinkle a few more options for you with smaller, yet different 'pathways'.
It's often hard to commit to 'choice' options at first glance, because I always to have to take into consideration of how it can affect the story. It is a visual-novel, and the smallest choice can increase workload by a lot. Even the option for color choice of your Brightwind Badge is extra effort, but I try to play around with ways to limit the workload, especially in future scenes.
I must say, there are plenty of spots currently in game that could benefit from 'choice'. Something as simple as to how a 'lewd moment' ends when the MC reaches climax. Maybe, having MC give a selectable opinion on the picture of Julia and Penny at the Park. Where if you choose a specific option, the picture that is in frame changes in the Present. Things like that can give the game a bit more flavor, overall.
It does have its limits, though. Such as giving 'choice' on major moments can be quite risky. One example would be that of the condom with the Olivia sex scene. Give the player the choice to keep it on, or take it off? That obviously would be too huge to change. Though, there is always the option of a 'false choice'. One where you do get to choose, and the scene does play out a little different, but you reach the same conclusion.
As I make content, I often make changes on how the story plays out. I get a clearer picture of what works, and what doesn't work as I progress. That can really slow me down a bit, but the overall product benefits from it. For the most part, new scenes will go a specific route, but different paths can be added in later once things get more clear for me.
I wanted to talk about it, because if the community is interested in it, I would put it on the table as a focus in a future update. It won't be any time soon, as I do want to get most of the main cast their 'big moment' with the MC first, but it'll come eventually.