Update - Hirai and Nobuko?! (Patreon)

tl;dr - I've been working on the optional Hirai content for a future release, and a lot of it is ready, but not quite ready for the next release.

This week's images

Here I've given you a couple of versions of each image - first the version with the in-game context intact, then a 4K upscaled version of just the image, if you want a clearer view. These will be visible in the game if Shuji decides to let Hirai date Nobuko.

Hirai content is optional

If you're new and not aware of how I do this in game, I'm aware not everyone wants to see this sort of content, so it's something that will only happen if you as a player allow it to (it won't be difficult to know how). That has made including it rather complicated this time, moreso than in PAL, but I've kind of figured it out now. It's a little more limiting this time than the nice, simple scenario in PAL with a merchant trying to make a trade, but I think it at least makes a bit of sense and gives me room to expand the content later.

Hirai phone messages

I eventually, with a little feedback help from Letwri, a patron, figured out that the already-existing phone message system in the game might be the best way to include some Hirai content, since that clears up the "how did Shuji see it" issue. In previous games I had some straightforward ways for the main character to spy on things happening when he wasn't around, but having secret passages or something like that didn't make a lot of sense here. Instead, Hirai can just send messages about whatever they're getting up to, as that's in character anyway, and it'll make it a lot easier to figure out how to create the scope of those scenes - where they begin and end.

I don't think these will be in the next release, because I don't think I'll have it all ready and tested by then, but Hirai will enter the game some time soon. ;)

What do you think of this idea and approach to including the Hirai content? And do you have any problem with me sharing more Hirai content on these posts in the future? Let me know in the comments!