Quite the good update, I have to say. There's definitely a lot more content than the one of the previous version and the very wide variety of dialogues shows you've put quite the efforts on this project. Good Job!
It's nice to see how differently you're using the character of Erecant's game. But I also think it's now time for you to let us meet some new characters. Not that I don't like them, mind, but since this is a different game it would be nice to see some new fac-
ahem bellies
Thank you.
I hadn't really been considering new characters. A major aspect of A High Stakes Game's setting is that the player repeatedly interacts with predators that want to eat him. That kind of social closeness is a huge part of the tone for the game to me. What A Witch's Game is attempting to do is to pluck Alex from that story and put him somewhere quite different where he's not a man trying to stand as an equal among predators but a prey trying to live among predators. Then from that altered perspective you can see an imagined side of the characters from A High Stakes Game that Alex wouldn't otherwise have seen, and a side of Alex not shown either (or as accurately as I can portray them given they're not mine).
Adding a new predator doesn't satisfy either of those interests. I'm open to the idea of adding new predators but they'd have to add a new and significant social dynamic to Alex's life that I couldn't satisfy better with one of the existing characters. The general plan for the characters in the long term is...
-Gwen: Creating a home for Alex inadvertently over time. This has only just been started but it's a long term goal with the future scene outcomes.
-Eva: Social and emotional connection. This is coming in the future and will be a key role of Eva's involvement with Alex.
-Zoey: Sexual relations.
So I'd only be interested in a new character where that character would have an impact on Alex's life that couldn't be reasonably implemented through an existing character. HAAA! But just now as I type this out you've made me realize that Alex should have a partner and in this timeline that shouldn't be any of the existing characters! Thanks for putting the idea in my mind. I stand by the statement that I'd prefer to fulfill new interactions with existing characters but I'll likely add exactly one new character.
And as last, a couple of questions:
- Sometimes I've seen a massage giving +0 in both maneuver bonus and satisfaction (with quite the disappointment). Is this supposed to have chances to happen or it's a bug?
- Is it possible to beat Zoey currently? I keep trying but I don't manage to..
Massages sometimes give +0 satisfaction. This is so that you can't ever guarantee a +1 from massage. If you want a guaranteed +1 you need to do a maneuver and that's probably already quite expensive. So will you pay the cost or take a risk?
It is possible to escape Zoey's belly. There's a trick to it which I'll reveal below but if you're the kind that thinks people that can't figure out how to survive on their own shouldn't you won't reveal the spoiler. I think surviving on your own merits is the best way to enjoy the game but I begrudgingly concede that some people are more interested to see the whole game.
Confidence gives a huge boost to Zoey's belly scene. If you can get one point or maybe two before encountering Zoey it's big benefit and in future having all 5 points will make the scene very manageable.
Zoey's satisfaction is added to both Alex's maneuvers and Zoey's acid damage chance so you have a window between 30-50 satisfaction where maneuver successes are very likely. You're also in the danger zone since 50+ satisfaction will take off some HP and every turn ended in this range will likely do the same. Make sure you've got 8+ SP at ~25 satisfaction and then go your hardest on maneuvers. If possible don't meet the satisfaction mark in this range and her satisfaction will dissipate a bit but if you're going to exceed the mark anyway then go your hardest, just worry about SP that round.