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Course of Temptation Dev Diary #52
🕑 Added 2024-08-23 18:50:34 +0000 UTC
Hello friends! Welcome to... another dev diary!
We are on v0.5.2f, fixing in particular a bug with group scenes that I recently created while trying to fix a different bug with group scenes. It's just like that sometimes. Barring anything particularly severe suddenly rearing its head, that's probably the last bugfix update for the month.
Progress on 0.6, the River Rat expansion
This week was about buckling down and writing a bunch of possible random events for the River Rat server job. I ended up creating a couple new event subsets to serve the job's narrative needs: events that can occur upon clocking in, and events that can occur just after serving a table before you return to the River Rat location passage.
The post-serving subset contains events that aren't about serving any particular table. Currently it mostly contains events relating to whatever the venue's "main feature" upgrade is — so, people watching games, or singing karaoke, or a band getting ready to play, and stuff like that. Each of these has a slightly different small positive effect on the venue, an extra bonus in addition to just shifting the place's demographics.
I also added in several events reacting to the "vibe" of the place. The attitude you take towards customers (for example, being flirty with them) will gradually shift customer expectations. You'll see this reflected in how they react to you as well as how they react to other servers.
The owner will notice this shift too. If the place has gotten a sexy vibe, the owner will lean into it, initially by ordering new uniforms not unlike those used by a certain popular boob-themed restaurant. As the sexiness continues, the uniforms will continue to grow skimpier.
This uses the River Rat upgrade system that I built previously, the same one the player will have influence over once promoted. As you ascend into more of a management role, you'll gain direct input into what the uniform is and will no longer simply be subject to the owner's wishes, as well as being able to upgrade the venue in other ways. But, while you're essentially entry-level, I thought the relative lack of control would be exciting.
You can also choose to act as the consummate professional, and the place's overall atmosphere will reflect that as well, with uniform changes and all.
While one goal of this location is to provide many opportunities for skill increases in Submission and Dominance, the truth is that having to serve people for tips doesn't really put one in the best position to act dominantly! There are some opportunities for this regardless, and I'll keep trying to brainstorm more, but I think it may be something that you can more naturally lean into once in the bartender and then management roles. I may consider adding a path to being hired as a bartender directly for players who really aren't interested in the server role.
Some feedback I get fairly often is that a lot of events are all or nothing — either you agree with what's going on by wholly committing, or nothing really happens. Players want opportunities to be convinced, to be able to get to the sexy times before they're fully uninhibited. That's good feedback, and I agree! Revising some older events with this in mind is definitely on my list.
In the meantime, I'm keeping it in mind as I write these new events. For example, if your only option is to refuse the above, you may get another chance:
The actual skill requirements are subject to change. But the point is that having multiple paths toward at least something happening is definitely a good idea, I think.
Anyway, writing server events will continue to be my project for today after I post this dev diary!
Next week
For next week, though, we find ourselves near the end of the month. Almost time for the next monthly update! There are some good things in here already from contributors, with a new QuickieBurger breakfast menu from Falc and a revision to the save system from majou. There are a bunch of contributed events, clothing, and other items I'll go through and implement too.
I have a bunch of things on my list to add, from the ability to name your pets to an alternate path for accessing the porn shop's gloryholes, and as usual, I'll be trying to check off as many things as I can. I'll probably post a poll in a day or so to help me pick a particular focus area.
Okay, that's all for this week! Given the timing of things this month, early access and a changelog are due next Saturday, so I will probably just incorporate dev diary stuff into that so there's just one post. But until then, thank you as always for your support! I appreciate all that you do!
Comments
ѕℓєєρу кιиg
I hope at some point there will be holiday events, especially during school breaks. Or maybe have time limited events (in terms of in game time) to win extra money, like you can look on the bullentin board and see upcoming college events and school challenges
Barbekyu
Not sure if this is something planned to add, but I've seen this mentioned several times in suggestion: strip poker/blackjack! I think it'd be fun to add a special adult NPC for player to play or "gamble" with at a bar
Emmzzz
Same!
DopeTheJope
I think a water or theme park in the game would be an awesome addition. And I was wondering if there is a way to mod the game for users to write there own additions to it. Not familiar with the language so I'm super curious.
Feyd
Perfect. I can't wait to try it.
Salvelinus
Dunan Rayne, such mechanics already exist in many games and are pushed even further, sometimes even being the core storyline of the game itself. I personally see no interest in creating new ways of being mistreated in CoT, in particular if it triggers a permanent incapacity to make friends and furthermore a major risk of losing friends! Maybe you like it on a deep level, but it is your taste. As far as I'm concerned, I don't support your suggestions.
Nemurusuki
Can't wait! By the way, are contributions open to anyone? How does that work?
Dunan Rayne
One more thing... do you have any plans to add NPCs giving PC's nicknames if she gains a certain reputation? Milk-jugs... if PC had big boobs... Campus bicycle... If PC slept with a very large number of NPCs... Size Queen... If PC only lets men with very large penises fuck her...
Dunan Rayne
Do you have any plans to further expand the reputation system? I still think it would be great if the reputation system for the PC could be deepened. Wouldn't it be interesting if, while the PC is working at the River Rat, NPCs who have heard rumors about her come to visit? I think it would be fun to have scenes where the PC overhears NPCs gossiping about her or where an NPC directly tells her the rumors they've heard. For example, if the PC has a very large breast, there might be a rumor about a busty waitress at the River Rat. It could be amusing if an NPC who heard the rumor suddenly says to the PC, 'Hey, milk Jugs!' Currently, if the PC sex with many NPCs of the opposite sex, she might acquire the 'slut' trait and gain a corresponding reputation, but it doesn't really feel like a rumor(or reputation). So, I think it would be more interesting if, when the PC gains a 'slut' reputation, general NPCs despise or look down on her. Wouldn't it be more engaging if even NPCs she meets for the first time, after hearing the rumors, avoid being in the same space or talking to her? Perhaps they could overreact if they accidentally touch the PC, as if something filthy had touched them. Since they fundamentally look down on her, they would mock anything she says or accomplishes. For example, even if the PC studies hard and gets good grades, they might loudly accuse her, within her hearing, of sleeping with the professor to achieve those grades. And How about having NPCs who are 'friends' with the PC still keep their distance from the PC in front of others? For example, they might ignore the PC’s greetings or make excuses and hurry away when the PC tries to talk to them. On the other hand, how about having highly promiscuous or deviant NPCs(who are aware of rumours about the PC) act very friendly towards the PC(even though they are meeting them for the first time)? Of course, their friendliness would be far from respectful. Those NPCs, for instance, might approach the PC as if they were old friends, making lewd comments or groping her in front of others, as if showing off. They'll only see PC as a favorite fuck-toy, never a romantic partner. What if, once PC acquires a 'slut' reputation, it becomes impossible for her to have a normal romance? Of course, it would be nice if there were at least one angelic NPC out there who would love the PC unconditionally, even if everyone else speaks badly of PC. Lastly, it would be even more interesting if there were options or scenes where the PC becomes aware of her reputation or the rumors about her and reflects on them. Since rumors and reputations are hard to shake once established, it would be great if the PC could react in some way after realizing the negative perception others have of her—whether by becoming sad, fearful, or even pleased.
Reimus
For point 2, it'd be cool if the extra tip as an apology came with a note from the persons friend saying something like, "Sorry for my friend, he got too drunk" or something like that.
Reimus
"having multiple paths toward at least something happening is definitely a good idea" This, definitely this. Hopefully there are some sub options if you become a manager but figuring out what those would be would be hard.
Peevish Giraffe
I don't think rudeness and dominance are the same thing. A dominant person in a customer service environment is the person who can "train" the customers to have the correct expectations and to behave appropriately, not the guy who's offending people.
Anarchothaumaturgist
Definitely gives me some ideas, thanks!
Kuriboh48
I do see how being a manager would help with gaining dominance more, but here's a few ideas I had off the top of my head on how to give dominance gain opportunities without forgoing tips too much while serving: 1. If a table is acting rowdy, you can yell at them to calm them with a threat to kick them out, and whether they stay or leave will depend on their personality/service up to that point or perhaps your charisma. 2. If a customer tries to cop a feel, you can scold them and this could actually cause you to get more out of a tip as an apology from them (perhaps equal to what you'd get for leaning into the flirting). 3. Standing up to rude or overly flirty customers in general, though this will carry a risk of a low tip, perhaps based on charisma and/or dominance level. I don't know if any of that helps give you ideas, but I thought I'd try.
Anarchothaumaturgist
Honestly it's really difficult to say. There is still a bunch more writing to do for servers, then bartending needs a game loop and events as well. There is a lot to do!
Anarchothaumaturgist
Not a bad idea! And yes, muscly guys get attention paid to the biceps, pecs, and abs :)
elmagio
Considering how it's been progressing, what sort of ETA would you say is realistic for the initial release of the river rat upgrade?
Jeffrey C
For the uniform I hope the boob-themed will happy to the male cis PCs as well like accentuating their pecs. For being a dom server maybe you can set up a rude vibe. There is a restaurant that is famous for having rude waiters on purpose that are known to give the customers attitudes. So maybe the vibe is all the waiters are rude and will make snide remarks about their tips leading to some customers who are into being chastised on giving more money paying up more.
Anarchothaumaturgist
Yes, it's just UI changes to the dialog box itself. It also adds the ability to copy the save data to the clipboard.
Kieran Woods
In terms of the revision to the save system, will old saves still be compatible? Because I know some revisions in games make old saves incompatible with the changes to save systems.
