Throwback Thursday: Erika Wilkins (Patreon)

Our 6th week of Throwback Thursday! In case you missed one of the previous ones, you can always take a look at them with the links below! Have a look and enjoy learning a little extra about your favorite character's growth during development! ^^

[Miki]
https://www.patreon.com/posts/throwback-miki-57980399

[Nova]
https://www.patreon.com/posts/throwback-nova-58304733

[Rachel]
https://www.patreon.com/posts/throwback-rachel-58563348

[Juliet]
https://www.patreon.com/posts/throwback-juliet-58841266

[Heather]
https://www.patreon.com/posts/throwback-59122755

When the project first started, it began with placeholder 3d assets. Something that we of course see in the image above and it goes without saying there's a bit of difference between the first time Erika was seen vs the current. :P

Fun fact #1: Did you know? Originally Erika's personality was going to be different? Originally she was going to act a lot more colder towards her brother, a bit more cold calculated in a sense about how she goes about things. To put it in a way, she would've felt like Heather in a sense where you're trying very hard to reach a point where little by little you're becoming closer after being away from each other for a while, but I felt like this concept would've been really polarizing for her and the protag's relationship.

Taking a look at the 2nd image, we can see exactly the process of how Erika went from early stages of 2d to the current. From left to right: The first 2d early sketch preview, followed by polished lines version, along with the near finished look seen in the 3rd spot, with the last one being what she looks like in game now.

Of course based on her 3d model we can see her eye color changed from a green color to what was actually going to be brown eyes, but later we decided to go with purple eyes instead for her design. :P Along with her hairstyle changing a bit in the bangs area to look more natural, better fitting.

Fun fact #2:  Did you know? Erika almost wasn't a route option? Early before work began on the visual novel. I fought with myself if I wanted to really go down the route of having a route for Erika, but rather she would still show up in the game. Just that she'd be seen as a supporting role character with no route. Luckily I went against that, as there's something special about Erika's route that offers a nice difference in the cast.

[Design concept]

The concept for Erika, of course taking some info from above. Erika didn't really change too much during concepts a whole lot in visuals. Personality wise a bit, but I knew it'd be a balancing mix of stuff to tackle with Erika. On one hand I knew she's the protag's sister and so there was going to be elements of how she acts that'll give off the sibling vibe about her and how she interacts with the protag. On the other hand, she's meant to come across as being a bit of a bookworm, smartypants type of character that may or may not be her acting or from her changing in the years you've been apart from her, etc.

Knowing this, I had to look a bit into her background and imagine how Erika and Brandon's sibling history would've been like. Seeing how I was shooting for a good mix of clearly the sibling that you get along with and really care for, but also they know how to annoy you. It was something I had to think of many random scenarios and even look at how my real relationship was like with my own brother to help me out for what little things these two siblings did growing up to get on each others nerves. While also still clearly giving off those moments where they really care about each other and what not.

Much of Erika's notes to help build up her character was simply thinking of some moments that came from their past to be discovered through the game naturally between conversation that'd help paint who Erika was as a sibling before they were split up to help fill the gaps for how she acts currently in the story, etc. Some examples of this being things like when they were younger, Erika found it funny to annoy and get on Brandon's nerves at the worse of times. (More so when friends were around) Anything to embarrass him, but sometimes she'd find little crushes on a friend back then and somehow find herself being the one embarrassing herself instead.

Not to spoil much about Erika or her story, but I knew early on that I wanted to have this focus on learning about her past as a sibling being brought up little by little to get a real picture of who Erika really is or so we think? As she continues to pretend? Or has changed quite a bit from how she used to act when younger, towards who she is currently and how she managed to shift that differently in the past 5 years, etc. Pretty much little by little as the game processes, between having Miki help bring some light out of Erika at times or help the stick in the mud, so to speak. :P We'll really figure out what's going on about Brandon and Erika's sibling past and ...future? Perhaps?

One little aspect about Erika's school life at the academy that I knew I'd like to expand on as things progressed and help really give her bookworm qualities a chance to shine would be the literature club. It'll be fun to see some of these moments through her route, as it'll give a chance to see how she's changed in the past 5 years and figure out Erika a bit more and still hopefully feel like she's not purely the token "sibling only" archetype character, but rather she still has interests and hobbies she's picked up in the missing time between Brandon and Erika being around each other.

Speaking of which! We can already pretty much guess based on what we've seen so far that Erika has some sort of interest in reading books, along with generally keeping up with studying, etc. But there is some little interests and hobbies we've yet to learn about for her that'll pop in during her route, maybe we'll manage to loosen her up when we're one on one around her and pull that stick out of the mud enough to see some more playful fun from her. :P

One final mention that seems interesting. Originally there was plans in development not only for Erika, but for Nova, Rachel and Lola too. Where it'd be up to the player based around their choices for who they date later on, but the idea was that Joey and Nathan would join you in your journey of dating a girl at the academy as it is their goal too. So naturally for example, if you didn't date Erika. Joey would've been seen later at times around her as her boyfriend instead and for example, if you did choose Erika. Joey instead would've found himself dating Lola.

Nathan would date Nova or Rachel based on your choices too and if you didn't choose any of those four girls. Then the game would naturally decide randomly which girls they'd be setup with.

Of course, once again this was planned in development but as we went along during build releases. We found ourselves fighting comments and thoughts that by adding these to the game, it'd feel or in some eyes was full on NTR content. While there was plans for some lite content of NTR for only two girls early on, we fully decided to pick to remove anything NTR related as it was too polarizing for fans of the game. (Was easier to go with removing said little content vs trying to figure out how to add more to the game, etc.)

Anyways, that isn't the point with these notes. Just know that we've fully decided long ago that no NTR content would be in MA, so no worries if it comes to mind.

That just about wraps up this throwback! I'm really excited to see Erika's story unfold in her route! It'll be really fun at times, we can expect some pov moments from Erika's eyes too of course! ^^