#game features

[steamberrystudio]

I really LOVE the arts of the characters with their lil headphones and earphones looking so peaceful when you go to the music menu in WSC, I was poking around listening to the sound tracks when I noticed it and it was the cutest addition I've ever seen in a visual novel game! 💗

I'm glad you like that! I never got around to putting a notification in the game when music room art unlocks so a surprising amount of people do not know there is a small gallery of artwork in there.

But I like the headphone ones where they're just vibing to tunes with you!

[valy-gc]

How would MC develop their romantic interest?

For example the choices and things they could say or do in different situations, that would rather be rejected. (Or highly approved).

I'm def curious about Porcus, Rune, Roselin and Solon

Well it depend on each character.

For the novel version, there will not be romance, since MC is the reader, I can't choose for them.

It's originally a dating sim idea, and in my idea there is a bunch of interactions and gifts, also a "touch" like in Obey me. Plus it would be possible to choose to develop romance or friendship but if it fail it can lead to rivalry. There is also the MC house customisation where some furniture and decorations could raise or not the intimacy points

Also I though of a way to put two characters together, basically making the player's ship real

Here are some of the things I wrote from the start, under the cut:

MC’s House Customization

Core Features

Complete House Customization:

Players can customize each room in their house with furniture, decor, and themes.

Rooms have functional and aesthetic elements, allowing for interactive decorations that characters can engage with.

Room Flexibility:

Players choose what type of room each space becomes (e.g., turning a room into a bedroom, study, kitchen, or anything else).

Default options include a Living Room, Bedroom, Bathroom, Kitchen, and Garden, that are obligatory but can be placed wherever the player want (exept the garden). but also two or three more rooms they will decide of the purpose, including the tower.

Room Types

1. Living Room

Purpose: Social hub for hosting guests.

Decor Ideas: Sofas, rugs, coffee tables, bookshelves, paintings, curtains, and lighting.

Interactions:

Characters can sit on furniture, admire decor, or interact with specific items (e.g., read a book from a shelf).

Special furniture might trigger mini-scenes (e.g., a couch that activates a group conversation).

Raise the friendship or romance faster

2. Bedroom

Purpose: MC’s personal retreat.

Decor Ideas: Beds, nightstands, wardrobes, plushies, tapestries, or magical lamps.

Interactions:

Characters can comment on the room's decor.

Some special items (like plushies or music boxes) might trigger dialogue or special effects when used which raise friendship or romance.

3. Kitchen

Purpose: Cooking and food preparation.

Decor Ideas: Cabinets, dining tables, appliances (modern or fantasy-themed), cooking tools.

Interactions:

Characters can join the MC for cooking mini-games.

Items like magical stoves or enchanted teapots could trigger fun animations or dialogue.

4. Bathroom

Purpose: Relaxation and self-care.

Decor Ideas: Bathtubs, sinks, mirrors, towels, magical fountains, spa decor.

Interactions:

Magical bath items could grant temporary buffs (e.g., mood boosts, XP bonuses). The buffs affect the character currently invited in the room for anything he’s used for somewhere else in the game (e.g., player invited Imran – school uniform card- in the house and placed him in the bathroom. While Imran is here, player go participate in some fights using the same card, or send him in class, the card will be affected by the buff)

Characters might comment on the atmosphere or "borrow" the space humorously.

5. Study/Library (arrangement idea)

Purpose: A scholarly area for reading or learning.

Decor Ideas: Desks, chairs, bookshelves, magical globes, scrolls.

Interactions:

Special furniture might trigger mini-games (like solving a riddle or puzzle).

Characters could "study" here, gaining minor XP bonuses or engaging in lore-based discussions.

6. Garden

Purpose: Outdoor area for relaxation or gardening.

Decor Ideas: Plants, fountains, benches, fairy lights, animal statues.

Interactions:

Characters could comment on flowers or play with magical creatures.

Gardening mini-games could yield decorative plants or items for the house.

Player can grow ingredients for the cooking or potion minigames

Customization Options

Themes

Players can decorate their house based on themes that reflect the aesthetic of different realms:

Austreim: Rustic wood furniture, chandeliers, and fairytale elegance.

Beasthaven: Nature-inspired decor with earthy tones, animal motifs, and cozy vibes.

Seafoam Dominion: Oceanic hues, coral accents, and shimmering fabrics.

Ebony Sands: Golden accents, desert tones, and intricate patterns.

Celestial Plains: Bamboo furniture, paper lanterns, and serene landscapes.

Myrcadawn: Mystical and eclectic with glowing runes and enchanted objects.

Etherealis Isle: Shelves, books, statue of an ancient scholar and anything related to wisdom

Furniture Types

Functional Furniture: Items characters can interact with (e.g., beds for resting, chairs for sitting).

Decorative Items: Purely aesthetic, but characters might comment on them.

Special Items: Trigger mini-scenes, mini-games, buffs, or special effects.

Unlocking Furniture

Purchase with in-game currency like Scriptos or special items from events.

Earn through quests or achievements.

Some rare furniture might require crafting using resources from different realms.

House Management

Room Assignment

Players can designate each room’s purpose, swapping layouts freely:

Example: Turn a bedroom into a study or vice versa with minimal effort.

Rooms can be redecorated as will as the player progresses in the game.

Some room will be only accessible after some time.

Interactive Characters

Players can invite characters to their house for special events or dialogues.

Some characters might prefer certain rooms (e.g., a bookish character love the study).

The more a character visit, the stronger his bond with the MC becomes.

The player choose in what room placing the guests. Up to two characters per room.

Characters sharing the same room can interact and raise or lower their friendship or romance

Gameplay Integration

Daily Bonuses:

Characters who visit the house could leave gifts or boost the MC's resources. (e.g., Helping the cultures in the garden growing faster)

Certain decor might grant bonuses, like faster class completion or bonus XP for specific quests.

Events:

Seasonal or special events would include limited-time decor or room themes.

Some events might unlock unique interactions tied to specific furniture.

Customization Challenges:

Players could compete or share designs with friends, earning rewards for creative layouts.

Customization Flexibility

To keep it accessible and fun:

Offer a wide variety of decor, from simple basics to elaborate themes.

Include preview modes to see how decor fits before purchasing.

------------------------

PETTING SYSTEM: Touch & Affection Mechanics

Each character reacts differently to how and where they are touched. Reactions change based on relationship level (friendship/romance).

1. Head / Hair (Gentle Caress or Pat)

Most characters like this! Raises friendship/romance.

Some will smile, laugh, or close their eyes in enjoyment.

Examples:

Rune: His tail sways happily; he leans into it.

Archer: Annoyed, frowns, romance decreases ("I'm not a dog.")

Liora: Laughs softly, enjoys it but makes a playful remark.

Khamari: Smacks your hand away immediately.

2. Face / Forehead (Tap or Flick)

Most will be annoyed, confused, or surprised.

Examples:

Rune: Pouts, rubs his forehead, tail flicks in protest.

Minwoo: Looks hurt and asks why you’re being mean.

Lupin: Playfully bites the air in front of you ("Oh, you wanna fight?")

Chester: Laughs, disappears, and reappears ("Cheeky.")

3. Torso / Chest (Caress or Tap)

Reactions vary! Some will act ticklish, others will push you away.

Lower romance/friendship if done too much or too early.

Examples:

Ren: Blushes HARD and backs away ("D-Don't do that!")

Porcus: Laughs, finds it ticklish ("Haha, cut it out!")

Caspian: Pushes « your hand » away and glares ("Do you mind?!")

Khamari: Smirks arrogantly ("Getting bold, are we?")

4. Hands (Tap or Hold)

Some characters like when you hold their hand, but only at higher friendship/romance levels.

Examples:

Éponine: Smiles but looks away, unsure how to react.

Faylen: Casually chuckle. ("Are we holding hands now? Cute!")

Hatterick: Wiggles his fingers dramatically ("Magical handshake!")

Khamari: Yanks his hand away ("What do you think you're doing?")

5. Tail (For Characters Who Have One)

Goblins & Beastmen have sensitive tails! Touching it randomly might get you in trouble.

Examples:

Rune: His tail hisses at you in warning.

Kadar: Huff and look away.

Lazlo: Purrs softly if he trusts you.

Imran: Swishes it aggressively, warning you not to do that again.

6. Lower Body / "Flirty" Touch (Danger Zone)

Locked unless at MAX Romance/Friendship Level!

If touched too early, SEVERE friendship/romance decrease.

Examples:

Rune: His tail BITES YOU IMMEDIATELY.

Jin: Face turns red; he glares hard ("You have a death wish?")

Khamari: Raises an eyebrow, clearly amused ("Tsk, tsk, desperate now?")

Minwoo: PANICS. Absolute 0. Relationship points lost immediately.

EXTRA FEATURES:

Idle Reactions:

If left alone, characters may react on their own.

Example: Rune’s tail might try to poke the screen to get attention.

Voice & Sound Effects:

Each reaction triggers different voice lines.

Example: A "Nervous Chuckle" when touching the chest, or a "Startled Yelp" when flicking the forehead.

Progressive Unlocks:

More reactions appear as friendship/romance grows.

Example: A shy character might flinch early on but allow a hug later.

-------------------------

Choosing a Date – Player Control & Restrictions

The player can pair two characters and send them on a date to develop romantic relationships.

✅ Valid Pairings:

Student x Student

Teacher x Teacher

❌ Forbidden Pairings:

Student x Teacher (For ethical reasons)

✅ Already Established Couples:

Solon x Liora

Beaumont x Lino x Swan

Malvin x Merrick

Halienah x Semyon

If the player tries to pair them with someone new, the relationship will expand into a polyamorous dynamic rather than breaking the existing couple.

2. Date Locations – Different Settings Affect Success

Each date happens in a specific location the player choose, which affects how much the characters enjoy it.

Example Date Locations:

🏰 Inside the Academy:

🌳 Courtyard Walk – A simple, casual date.

📚 Study Date in the Library – Intellectuals love it, others might find it boring.

🐎 Petting Session at the School Farm/Stables – Great for animal lovers!

🍽️ Romantic Dinner at the School Restaurant – Fancy setting, but some characters might feel awkward.

🏞️ Lake Sunbathing & Swimming – Athletic characters or water-lovers will enjoy it.

🏙️ Closest Town:

🛍️ Shopping Spree – Perfect for those who love luxury. Others might hate it.

🍵 Tea House Visit – Ideal for relaxed, refined characters.

How Locations Affect the Date:

Some characters love certain locations (gaining bonus love points).

Others hate them (losing love points).

Example:

Elric Briarthorne (who loves luxury) would gain love points from a shopping spree, but lose love points from a farm date.

Khamari (who dislikes non-humans) would have a harder time warming up to fae, beastfolk, or merfolk, making the relationship more challenging.

3. Date Setup – Who Invited Who?

Before starting the date, the player chooses:

Who invited who? (This affects how dominant or passive the characters act.)

Did the inviter bring a gift? (Only if the player has an item in their inventory.)

💝 Bringing the right gift increases love points!

Jewelry & Perfume – Loved by elegant characters like Elric.

Weapons or Training Gear – Great for warriors like Lupin.

Books or Scrolls – Scholars like Minwoo will appreciate them.

Sweets or Treats – Always a safe bet for those with a sweet tooth.

If the wrong gift is given, the date could start off badly! 😬

4. Playing the Date – Interactive vs. Rabbit Hole

The player can:

Let the date play out automatically (rabbit-hole style).

Actively control the date and choose dialogue/actions.

During an interactive date, the player helps the inviter by choosing:

Topics to talk about.

Actions to perform (holding hands, attempting a kiss, etc.).

When to escalate the romance.

🔥 Risk vs. Reward:

Asking the right questions reveals character backstory & lore.

Some questions or actions too early can ruin the date.

Physical gestures (like kissing) too soon may cause love point losses.

Example:

Safe Question: "What’s your favorite food?" (+ Love Points)

Risky Question (Too Soon): "How does your race reproduce?" (- Love Points)

5. Love Points System – Relationship Growth & Benefits

Characters gain or lose love points based on the success of their dates.

Positive Relationships (Romantic Bonus Effects)

❤️ When two characters become a couple, they:

Gain stat bonuses when fighting or exploring together.

Unlock special duet attacks (e.g., a couple fighting side by side performs a combo move).

Their love points can no longer decrease once maxed out.

💡 Harems & Polyamory Mechanics:

If a character already in a relationship is paired with someone new, they will invite the new person into the existing romance.

6. Negative Relationships (Rivals & Enemies System)

💔 If dates go disastrously, love points decrease.

If love points reach a negative threshold, the characters become enemies.

Enemies will:

Sabotage each other in battle or exploration.

Gain malus effects (lowered performance, clumsy interactions).

Or gain rivalry bonuses (higher damage when fighting near each other out of spite).

Example:

A sensitive character (Minwoo) may get depressed and weaker if fighting next to a rival.

A competitive character (Lupin) may fight harder to prove themselves against a rival.

This forces the player to think strategically about whether to push certain relationships toward love or rivalry.

7. Long-Term Romance & Relationship Lock-In

💍 Once love points reach the maximum, the couple is officially together.

They cannot break up anymore.

Their stats and synergy are permanently boosted when together.

Continue dating after maxing love points is useless.

Summary

✔ Strategic Relationship-Building: Some characters are easy to match, others require effort. ✔ Lore & Character Development: Dates reveal personal stories & racial lore. ✔ Combat & Gameplay Integration: Romantic & rival relationships affect battles & exploration. ✔ Player Choice Matters: The player controls who dates who, how it plays out, and if they succeed or fail. They make their ship official.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

🎁 Gift List (with some character reactions)

Single Rose A simple token of affection, elegant and light. Loved by: Safe choice, loved by all, but give just one point Hated by: /

Luxurious Perfume A sophisticated scent made from moon-bloom and star petals. Loved by: Elric, Imperius, Khamari, Mikhail, Minwoo, Caspar, Liora, Porcus Hated by: Garrick, Hans, Lupin, Archer, Caspian

Chocolate Selection Box A mix of sweet and bitter artisanal chocolates. Loved by: Mordain, Eamon, Merrick, Neige, Noel, Éponine, Porcus, Liora, Rhelane, Roselin Hated by: Malvyn, Zephyr, Lupin

Rare Book of Riddles An ancient tome filled with logic puzzles and wordplay. Loved by: Ozwell, Anton, Lucan, Hatterick, Chester, Archer Hated by: Lupin, Garrick, Hans, Khamari

Combat Gloves (Training Gear) Sturdy gloves reinforced for sparring and magic duels. Loved by: Lupin, Edwin, Beaumont, Merrick, Archer, Thorne, Caspian, Khamari, Bellarox Hated by: Minwoo, Swan, Caspar, Lino

Feather Quill Pen Elegant, with a silver tip and flowing design. Loved by: Dorian, Neige, Minwoo, Lucan, Mordain, Solon Hated by: Garrick, Khamari

Miniature Musical Box Plays soft lullabies with magical notes. Loved by: Lino, Eamon, Swan, Archer, Rune, Gael Hated by: Lupin, Malvyn, Khamari

Rare Insect in Glass Case A beautifully pinned exotic beetle. Loved by: Merrick, Hatterick, Zephyr, Rune Hated by: Neige, Liora, Imperius, Elric, Khamari, Ambrosine

Antique Ring (Dangerous on first date) A precious relic with a faint magical aura. Highly symbolic. Loved by: Lucan, Neige, Mordain, Caspar… most humans actually (only if relationship is deep) Hated by: Anyone if given too early

Fuzzy Handmade Sweater Colorful and a bit embarrassing, radiates cozy energy. Loved by: Neige, Hatterick, Hans, Caspar, Rune, Ambrosine, Porcus Hated by: Elric, Malvyn, Dorian, Khamari

Jar of Spicy Preserved Peppers Burns the soul. Tastes amazing. Loved by: Garrick, Goldor, Anton, Khamari, Madhi, Percival, Rhelane, Grogar Hated by: Minwoo, Eamon, Lino, Tressari

Enchanted Puzzle Cube A shifting mechanical riddle box. Loved by: Ozwell, Hatterick, Anton, Lucan, Chester Hated by: Thorne, Swan, Lupin, Garrick, Khamari

Knitted Charm Bracelet A collection of tiny stitched icons representing shared memories. Loved by: Anton, Lino, Eamon, Neige, Porcus, Ambrosine, Rune, Gael Hated by: Lupin, Garrick, Elric, Khamari

Sketchbook with Magical Paper Captures emotional aura with each drawing. Loved by: Caspar, Liora, Merrick, Tressari, Rustan, Semyon Hated by: Garrick, Hans, Malvyn, Rolan

Crystal Snowglobe (Frozen Rose Scene) Glows when touched by someone in love. Loved by: Beaumont, Neige, Minwoo, Malvyn, Gael Hated by: Garrick, Hans

Training Dummy (Portable Version) Punchable. Screams when hit. Fun. Loved by: Lupin, Garrick, Archer, Caspian, Thorne Hated by: Dorian, Lino, Minwoo

Golden Quill of Truth Reveals a character’s hidden desire when held. Loved by: Dorian, Lucan, Mordain, Solon, Gael (but risky) Hated by: Anton, Thorne, Caspar

Mystery Potion Set Three potions—unknown effects unless tested together. Loved by: Hans, Neige, Hatterick, Merrick, Roselin Hated by: Thorne, Garrick

Tiny Bonsai Tree in a Crystal Pot Maintains harmony in chaotic spaces. Loved by: Swan, Zephyr, Eamon, Anton, Gorr Hated by: Garrick, Malvyn, Khamari

Shoes (Tailored and Magical) Custom-fit boots designed by Aldric Fenwick. Offers speed boost. Loved by: Aldric, Caspar, Liora, Garrick, Caspian Hated by: Khamari

Box of Pastries Filled with local tarts and cream puffs. Loved by: Neige, Merrick, Goldor, Hans, Rhelane, Porcus, Liora, Roselin Hated by: Malvyn, Elric

Exotic Candy Jar Sour, fizzy, spicy—full of surprises! Loved by: Ozwell, Anton, Caspar, Rhelane, Porcus, Neige, Rune, Gael, Roselin Hated by: Swan, Dorian (how dare you)

Strawberry Cake Slice Carefully boxed and sweet-smelling. Loved by: Beaumont, Neige, Eamon, Rhelane, Porcus, Roselin Hated by: Garrick (prefers spicy), Aldric (too sugary)

Jeweled Hairpin Elegant and ornate, often used in formal hairstyles. Loved by: Liora, Imperius, Elric, Khamari, Tsuki Hated by: Garrick, Lupin, Archer

Embroidered Cloak Luxurious outerwear with fine thread patterns. Loved by: Dorian, Malvyn, Anton, Imperius, Rune Hated by: Caspar, Rustan

Miniature Golden Swan Statue A rare collectible often used for home decor. Loved by: Swan, Lino, Solon, Beaumont, Cygnus Hated by: Ozwell, Garrick, Lupin, Caspian, Archer

Sporty Ensemble Comfy and practical, for exercise or casual wear. Loved by: Garrick, Lupin, Merrick, Rustan, Archer, Caspian Hated by: Elric, Neige, Imperius, Khamari

Elegant Dress Fitted with satin and lace—meant for beauty or flair. Loved by: Lino, Caspar, Neige, Rune, Gael, Imperius, Tressari, Noel, Éponine, Marinus Hated by: Caspian, Garrick, Lupin, Archer, Dorian, Khamari

Ridiculous Hat A comically oversized top hat with googly eyes. Loved by: Ozwell, Anton, Hatterick, Chester Hated by: Elric, Thorne, Khamari

Whoopee Cushion Classic prank material. Loved by: Anton, Hans, Ozwell, Rune, Ren Hated by: Elric, Imperius, Khamari

Fake Mustache Set Slapstick facial accessories for comedic flair. Loved by: Caspar, Hatterick, Anton, Chester, Rune Hated by: Swan, Ambrosine, Khamari, Semyon

Twerking Cactus Plushie It wiggles. It sings. It is... chaos. Loved by: Ozwell, Anton, Hans, Zephyr, Hatterick, Chester, Rune, Neige Hated by: Dorian, Rhelane, Khamari

Rotten Apple Spoiled, mushy, and stinks. Loved by: No one Hated by: Everyone

Soggy Sock Found it on the floor. Gross. Loved by: No one Hated by: Literally everyone

Used Chewing Gum in a Jar Why would you... why? Loved by: Caspar (might use it in art???) Hated by: Everyone else. Including the game devs.

A rock You just found it on the way Loved by: Gael and Roselin but only if given after a long moment. Hatterick find it amusing and give it a name. Hated by: Everyone else.

Velvet Sin's latest book (xxx book) Aren't you ashamed?? Loved by: Neige, Roselin, Neryssa, Rune, Hatterick, Chester Hated by: Onno, Mordain, Porcus, Dorian

[fogaminghub]

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💅🔥 Emily in Until Dawn—love her or hate her, you can’t deny she’s one of the toughest in the game! 😱 Her quick thinking and fierce attitude kept things intense the whole way through. 💥 Who else had a rollercoaster of emotions with her? 👀💀

Drop a 💅 if you were rooting for Emily (or not!) and let’s hear your thoughts on her survival in the comments! 👇👇

[route-to-eutopia-if]

Can you clarify how does 'picking the chosen one' work? and do we have to pick one at all?

Choosing to go down a certain path with specific character as a center of the story will dramatically change a lot of prospects of your storyline. It is good to note that this doesn't necessarily mean you need to be in a relationship with your Chosen one, but at least you will need to build a certain amount of trust, or simply say, relationship stats with them. To pass the stat-check and agree to affiliate with their side.

How does it work?

Once there begins a 'branching' chapter, there will be options for you to choose to side with certain characters (or none at all, if you wish to do so.) Major events will be occurred according to what will happen regardless of your pick, and there will be incidents that will/will not happen depending on your pick of Chosen one. Hence, the focus of the events or the core narrative of your storyline including minor details such as the actions of several characters weaving their fates around you will change due to your choices (whether or not you directly interact with them). And there will be some key factors that will be permanently affected lest you think your action will not have consequence, so choose wisely after being given the choices. (I will make it clear enough don't worry.)

It is what I will focus on and will try to see if things could work out the way I pictured it (mostly coding-wise). After I go past Chapter three, it will be my main priority to make sure branching paths are all functionable.

[jumpstartfactoftheday]

The majority of JumpStart games feature a toolbar of some kind. The very first game to use one was JumpStart Toddlers (1996), which has a row of buttons that each lead to a different minigame (top). Most later games would instead use toolbars to provide shortcuts for basic functions, such as accessing hints, quitting a game, and displaying a score/counter. Many toolbars also had highly unique appearances that reflected the themes of their respective games, as seen in the compilation image (bottom).

[casualgay-mer]

Original SCK unique feature

Ok so there I start my reviews! I will be posting these short paragraphs and then will compile them into something more of volume and comprehension.

So I have been playing the ORIGINAL SCK (OSCK??) - God bless the progressive piracy - and I have noticed something.

In original SCK there is a kind of unique feature of "introductory dialogues". When you meet one of the suspects for the first time you may talk to them about different topics and you will get different answers and different kinds of information.

F.e. with Hal you may talk about Jack, about his career and the way he lives in US and you may take dialogues to different places. Same can be seen in Stay Tuned For Danger, but not as prominent.

Later in games you get the same kind of answers and the same dialogues whatever you say. You just check the phrases off the list, choosing them not really carefully, because you don't care.

In first two games you kinda should!

That just makes the original SCK a little bit more special.

[if-confessions]

Confession as both an IF author and an avid IF reader. I am sorry but I can't enjoy stories where there is a wrong or right path if they do not have a save system in place.

In general, I do not enjoy when a RO can be romanced only if you agree with their world view and/or make certain specific choices that aren't however easily recognisable (ex: maybe you are too forward or not bold enough and you'll lose your chance). People can disagree even in a relationship, it's ok not to think the same way. It just really bothers me how romance routes are treated in some IFs (and unfortunately I have seen that this is the case for many COG games).

And those choices, as well as choices which don't allow the player to roleplay but are just a wild guess of what will be the right one amongst all, put so much anxiety in me as a reader that in the end I will just drop the game. I'm sorry to say this but the fact that most COG and HG published games don't have a save system is an incredibly huge turn off. No wonder authors are turning to Twine...

What do you personally think about this type of structured choices in IFs? I know it's something pretty subjective.

Yeah... all this is super subjective...

There are stories for everyone out there, as there are mechanics that will work for some people but not others. It's true for any other games, not just IF. Knowing what you (don't) like helps you steer towards content more fitting to your enjoyment. It's fine not liking stuff :P (Seriously, I really want to play Mass Effect because the story is dope, but because I hate shooters, I'm contenting myself on watching other people play it...)

As someone with choice anxiety, I too need save points to feel better about my choices. Not just in IF, with every video games, even RPGs. I will seriously go back and undo hours of play and load an old savefile if it meant a bad consequence (hello Disco Elysium...). You will never see me play a game with instant death. Still, I'll try not to savescum too much, and try to enjoy the story as it is.

But honestly, whether a game has save slots/vague choices doesn't phase me too much if the story is neat and I am enjoying myself. And I rarely play romance-focused game (or follow a romance path) when I do play IF... So *shrug* about ROs... I have known people behaving like the RO you are describing though... some people just knew what they wanted from the get go and didn't want to make an effort if the other person didn't fit those standards. So it's not too far-fetched... But I have to say there are questionable depictions of ROs/Romance out there.

Thank you for confessing Anon!