Proposal ideas for affection stat (poll) (Patreon)

It's time to gather a poll together for everyone! ^^

Let's cut to the chase, in our recent news post #2 for this month. We had a brief mention about possibly changing affection, you know... The stat you build in the game every once in a while for choosing some choices? Yeah those ones!

Before anyone freaks out though, we're trying to consider our options and see what seems fitting. Below is our thoughts on exactly why we are having the thoughts of possibly removing affection as a stat from the game. (key word, possibly aka maybe.)

~Thoughts~

First off, we understand totally that many of you seem to like the building of the stat affection. Which is why this is a careful thing we wish to take some time with and consider some options or see how to move forward with this aspect of the game.

Why are we suggesting the removal of it?

So to help explain, the game makes use of affection currently to unlock some scenes and it does show a visual tracker sense to let players get a rough idea of how things are proceeding forward, if they think they'll be able to unlock a girl or not without guessing if they made a single right choice at a given time in the game or not.

But the issue comes along when routes come into play.

Once routes begin, there really isn't a requirement to keep pushing affection onto the player. You're already locked into the route with one of the girls. Does that mean there won't be any choices in routes?

We'll look at fitting choices for routes if it's a fitting thing that doesn't distract from the personal stories taking place. As the routes do have a bit going on and while it is more linear at the point when routes begin, it means the rest of the game before it is to be seen as more open a bit in choices, how things play out, etc.

So with the idea that once a route begins, affection becomes pointless. Should we simply just hide the diaper icon GUI element once you begin the route? That way it's made clear visually that the affection aspect isn't needed anymore for the remainder of the game?

Or

Should we consider simply removing affection altogether, instead focus on making choices focus more on being interesting and more interactive in the sense, rather than simple "Hey you asked more about me. Here's 1+ affection. Back on topic where were we?"

We could make hidden variables like there is in the game already for really important choices, we don't want to make it super crazy hard... But let's say each girl has at least one set of choices that offer that very special variable that's going to unlock her route later. Would that seem okay?

The main thing we're seeing is that affection while it might be interesting, it's giving the illusion of unlocking things that hidden variables can also do. Of course the visual sight of seeing the stat increase/decrease has it's appeal.

Another suggestion that we could do if we were to remove the stat menu affection stuff for the game and focus on hidden variables, which is something we also do currently anyways for select choices.

We could change the affection stat menu into a diaper usage tracker for the girls instead? It would track how many accidents they've had when around you, either because of normal story events or because of choices that you made. Recall day 1, when Erika and Miki have a tickle fight and you can cause Erika to wet herself? We can have Miki do the same and let it be up to the player, having moments like that through the game.

What would this diaper usage/accident tracker really be used for?

We can have for one, a special ending moment added to the normal ending that makes use of it. The other thing would be fitting moments where if they're diaper accidents has reached above a set amount, it'll reward in some new scenes that play on them having their accidents more often, etc.

Anyways, I'm trying to keep this short. <.< Please do feel free to comment, vote on as many or as little options as possible. We really want to hear and see if this is something we can move away from or if we can alter it a bit or leave it untouched, etc. Let your votes and voices be heard! <3