Character Romance - Build Update #438

So, we're running a sale on both Sometimes Always Monsters and Always Sometimes Monsters for the next few days. This promotion is part of an effort to help the conclusion of the INDIE MEGABOOTH organization which is shutting down due to the situation surrounding COVID-19.

The folks at the IMB have been incredibly supportive of Vagabond Dog over the years, and helped us get the exposure we did during our first showcase events. We've been grateful to be part of the community ever since, and are hoping that this sale will help ease the transition for the organization as gaming events worldwide cease operation. Check out the massive sale, help one of the pillars of the indie game community, and grab some cool indie games in the process. There's tons of fantastic titles on discount.

As part of the promotion we'll continue doing daily streams for both Always Sometimes Monsters and Sometimes Always Monsters, returning to Steam Broadcast (instead of Twitch) until this weekend. They've been very productive for us, and have resulted in the new content you'll find in this update.

Lastly, we want to thank all of you who've been leaving (or updating) reviews lately. We see the positive reaction to the changes we've been making to the game, and appreciate your response to it. It's really energizing our work, and feels like a confirmation we're continuing in the right direction. Thank you!

New Content

Romantic Dinner Date

While in Gator Bay, players can now go on a romantic dinner date with their spouse to the restaurant known as Pancha's Plancha. While there, they'll be able to have an in-depth conversation about the spouse's career prospects, discuss their plans for after the tour, and engage in a little bit of "public fun" (assuming you don't get caught). The dinner reservation is gained on the morning of the last day in Gator Bay, and can be enjoyed in that evening before you go to the book reading.

Character Mode (WIP)

One of the biggest bits of feedback we've seen repeated in reviews and posts about the game is a desire for the protagonist to speak more, show portrait, and engage with the conversations beyond their choices; as they did in Always Sometimes Monsters. The current design was chosen because of some old feedback we got regarding the excessive exposition and misinterpretation of choice options in ASM. Although we are personally happy with the current dialogue system, we recognize that people have different tastes, and we want folks to have the experience they desire.

Thus, we've implemented a new option in the menu for variance in dialogue modes. Now you can choose between the current (Immersive) mode and a new work-in-progress (Character) mode. This new mode will let players have the more pronounced protagonist they desire, with shown portraits, verbalization of their choices, and some extra reactions/responses in dialogues.

Please be aware that although we are adding this feature to the options now, the content for it will take a very long time to fully develop and implement across the entirety of the game. Currently only a very small number of scenes have this functionality, but we will continue slowly working on revisions to existing content, as well as build new content with the feature in mind. Though, we encourage players to try out the mode with the newest scene (Pancha's Plancha) to get a taste of how it should play.

Here's what else is in the update:

• Improved graphics / seating in the back room of the arcade
  
• Players will have fewer hungry notifications before going to bed
  
• Eating piles of hamburgers with other authors will no longer make you hungry before bed
  
• Wrote a missing blurb for the spouse interacting with Yasi's book posters
  
• Fixed a game freeze during the "Sam Cuts Sam" ending
  
• You can now use the keyboard to name your character during the C&C game
  
• Cleared a sticky portrait after declining to play video games at home once interacting with the TV
  
• Cricket sounds should no longer persist in the house
  
• Reduced the level cap for Sisyphus arcade game, making the achievement 10x easier to get
  
• Collisions during the dance class can no longer freeze the game, if dancers get stuck in corners
  
• Improved accuracy of the reflection's positioning in reloads in The Church of Reflection
  
• Renamed the delete key on some keyboards from "ESC" to "DEL"
  
• Repaired some incorrect triggers surrounding the closure of Hermes is Missing in New Creole
  
• Made Casey have appropriate dialogues when laying on the couch during secondary visits
  
• Theater films now have credits sequences that affect speed of re-watching
  
• Fixed some portrait issues with a homeless guy that Hassan pays off for information
  
• Prevented players from ghosting on to the roof of the Bricklayer Society building
  
• Re-lit a scene that went black after playing C&C with Sheena
  
• Sitting with authors on double-chairs will no longer trigger temp conversations
  
• The librarian now considers Mein Kampf a racist book
  
• Made it more obvious how to conclude interaction with the mirror at The Church of Reflection
  
• Added a controller-friendly quit system to Sisyphus
  
• Added variant hotkey explanations for controller users during SwagFest introduction
  
• Treadmill now has unique comments based on player outfit (or lack thereof)
  
• Added easier exits to the treadmill for controller-players
  
• Players can now throw rotten fruit and spoiled food in the trash, instead of just the compost bin
  
• Fixed a stoplight in Sequoia that was still allowing players to get killed by stationary vehicles
  
• Allowed meatballs to be selected as an extra ingredient in the cooking system
  
• Improved follower move routes during the self-defense class in Sequoia
  
• Limited how many chickadees the hermit will take if you try to give him more than 10 at once
  
• Allowed players to clean their own garbage after eating at Bullet Burger
  
• Authors, spouse, and drivers now comment if player runs into a stationary vehicle or get hit by car
  
• Fixed some issue with the washing machine at home
  
• Added new music to play after you finish watching a movie at the theater
  
• Fixed a variety of musical deadzones where music required manual player control
  
• Improved the tutorial for Fire Escape: Orphan Inferno
  
• Added character selection options to Fire Escape: Orphan Inferno
  
• Forced new music to play once finished with Fire Escape: Orphan Inferno
  
• Fixed shower / cooking end of laundry cycles to complete whole cycles (not just turn it off)
  
• Removed a duplicate line from Sheena's post C&C game conversation
  
• Moved achievement trigger for feeding the mechanic to after you feed him (not during his request)
  
• Added more convenient exits to the gym showers for players using controllers
  
• Fixed an issue where tiny background people could phase through the break room environment
  
• Changed the spelling of rizotto to risotto
  
• Updated the mechanic's list of hunger desires to include a new variety of items in New Creole
  
• Made the mechanic accept the delicious french toast you made him
  
• Alexa / Sheena vignette now has variant dialogue if you have an all-girls author group
  
• Removed invitation for spouse to play "Never Have I Ever" if they aren't on the bus
  
• Added a vending machine in the gym change rooms that sells soap, shampoo, and conditioner
  
• Wrote additional variance lines for the bouncer at 2ELF
  
• Rewrote part of Trisha / Sheena vignette to better dialogue flow and retain character accuracy
  
• Removed duplicate portraits from cultists
  
• Changed the text from "Quick$tarter" to "Beef Heaven" for the Unter option in Sequoia
  
• Improved variance of text for Xander and Ted if player kills Malva during the C&C game
  
• Blocked players from re-accessing the fan's email once they leave Portsmith or finish that event
  
• Removed some duplicate event triggers for DeMarcus at the Gun Range
  
• Stopped phone calls from prison (until new ones are written)
  
• Wrote unique reactions for all authors and spouse when you return from prison
  
• Added a clear notification that you're supposed to call an Unter car to go to Shelly's party
  
• Fixed a couple issues that made it very difficult for Big Deal to buy concert tickets
  
• Edited a bunch of typos, improved a bunch of dialogue
  

We hope you enjoy the new content, fixes, and updates. Don't forget to leave us a review on Steam if you haven't yet, as we monitor the feedback there and it helps us a lot. There's also plenty of room left in our Discord Community if you're looking for a place to talk about the game, ask questions, or just waste time.

Saturday and Sunday at 1PM EST, we'll be returning to Twitch for more Development Streams. Join the chat, talk with The Devs, and influence what gets built in the next update: stream.vagabonddog.com

- VD