HL (branch integration) & Kendra: Phase 1 (Patreon)

Still refactoring/cleaning up the old-UI branch. Have some new/updated features to post, but trying to split certain features out of the Twine passage system, to allow exercise & rest anywhere, and basic housing (finally Cindy will be able to move out of her fucking car and get a motel or apartment!)

Also, been working on some ideas for Kendra. I've worked out a bit more of her story/progression past the original level 10 size/shape, and also the core premise for her game. (the one that I put on hold while I started a "simple" project to learn Twine... Anyway, the Phase 1 plan for Kendra is MUCH simpler than the original game concept---  that version will likely be more like the Phase 5 game.)

Anyway, after reaching level 10 and fully unlocking her abilities, Kendra CHOOSES to relive high school while slowly evolving / releasing her power (each year).

I've worked out most of the game mechanics on paper for a simple Phase 1 version that will play less as a Simulation and more as an RPG.

It will use an extremely simplified version of PSL (the same core logic/rule system used for HardLife), that will only track the 3 primary Aspects, instead of Stats and Qi.

The aspects are Physical (Primal), Mental (Astral), and Spiritual (Ethereal). Yes, we are using the PMS acronym here ;p. We aren't going to worry about the Dream/Elemental aspect for this game.

Each year, as her power evolves (on her birthday), she will gain a Core-Level (affects all abilities/aspects). In addition, she will gain (s)experience through her various conquests, and be able to train while doing specific tasks (such as working-out, studying, or flirting).

When she gains enough XP for a level, you'll be able to chose which of the 3 aspects she empowers:

* Physical will increase her height/size (in every way), combat, and athletic abilities.

* Mental will increase her academic performance, as well as her understanding of science and spellcraft, gaining her new skills and tactical options (including learning to control her appearance and stretch time).

* Spiritual will increase her Empathic abilities to sense and shape emotions, especially Lust; better Seduce others; and otherwise enhance her Lust-Powers including her Hyper-Mode.

For those who don't already know, Kendra thought she was born an ordinary, even below-average, XX; whereas she's actually a VZ and it's only her own self-image that makes her form below-average. (this is why in the story, all the running/exercise and carb/calorie watching she did had virtually no effect)

At the start of the game, she has some basic VX abilities, but is mostly locked to her original XX form, except that she can take an XZ form at will/when aroused, with a secondary arousal meter that can take her into a ZZ hyper form (which is a % of her base-size, scaled by core + spiritual levels; whereas base-size is governed by core + physical levels).

While XZ she is still subject to some basic biological constraints, and will need to rest and recover. But when she's in ZZ mode, she can go without stopping, for as long as the stimuli keeps her hyper-meter charged...

Each playthrough the game will assign a randomized course set based on the California curriculum (the game is set in San Jose, after all). I plan to allow some freedom to pick electives, but there will be some limitation each time to the number of courses not already filled, and which periods are available for some courses. (you only need to pick these at the start of each year)

In Phase 1 the courses won't be all that different... the name, a bit of descriptive text, curriculum completion credit, etc. The biggest differences are that certain courses have a smaller class-size, and some courses will be more challenging/rewarding to certain aspects. (AP courses, Athletics, etc.)

I'm planning to work the day into roughly 5 minute chunks (classes are 40 min +5 min between periods). As her Core and Mental levels rise, she may find herself with more freedom, as she'll be able to bend time somewhat to get more done. (possibly taking 10 min of action in 5 min of time by her senior year)

You'll have 7 periods for years 1-3, with 4-7 periods on year 4 (optionally going home at noon, or gaining time for additional extra-curricular activities). The state minimum is 13 specific credits, but the school will randomly require anywhere from 13 to 22 specific credits, out of the 25-28 available course-periods (leaving you anywhere from 3 to 13 electives, plus the 3 optionals for senior year).

I do plan to add a reputation system, which will affect how others react (very similar to the system planned for HardLife, and in particular Sue's school encounters...). Having a bad reputation (especially in bed) will make it much harder to get a date and gain (s)experience points.

The reputation system will be fairly simple, though it does currently have 13 dimensions/factors to it. Each reputational factor will have a calculated/cached value between -1.0 and +1.0; this is calculated as the number of successes minus the number of failures, divided by the number of attempts. A value exceeding (+/-)0.34 will be given a social status-label/tag (such as Weak/Strong). While the number of attempts will always be an integer, and the sum of successes/failures must match that value, it isn't necessary for every result to be 100% either. A difficulty/challenge scaling can be used so that failing something extremely difficult could still be a partial success... not to mention succeeding at a lift with bad-form still counts AS a lift, perhaps somewhere around 65-85% success.

Also, this allows for the fun mechanic of EPIC results, successes or failures, that actually take a point from the other side! An Epic-Fail, for example, would add up to 2.0 failures and take a matching 1.0 success away, leaving the number of attempts still matching/valid. Likewise an Epic-Win could erase one of your past failures.

You'll also have to watch your grades and incidents that might get you expelled. (being the school's star athlete will make the dean more inclined to overlook some indiscretions, but in general, if you're going to break the rules... DON'T GET CAUGHT!)

So, what do you guys think of this concept? Does it sound like a good premise for gameplay? I'm thinking about doing the Phase 1 I described above somewhere between HardLife engine versions 0.3 (which is the new-UI integration) and 0.4 (which is the contest system and nearly all of the core game functionality/mechanics complete).

Questions? Comments? (Death Threats?)