Good luck with that:)
Alright, I figured it out. So the game has 3 major variables: Purity, Evander's heart, and Soren's heart. But mainly just Purity.
Both Evander's and Soren's heart variable are determined by who you call when you see the figure outside the window.
Now as for Purity, you start with a score of 5.
Being lewd, rude, violent or such will decrease points, while being hesitant, polite, "kind" and such increases it. E.g. complimenting Jon's outfit will increase it, while complimenting John's outfit will decrease it. I can write more precise decisions later in the evening.
Now, as for endings, here's what i found for the variables:
Ending 1: Purity over 10 TRUE END
Ending 2: Purity under 10, evanderheart true BITTERSWEET END
Ending 3: Purity under 5, choose gallery GUTLESS END
Ending 4: Purity over 10, sorensheart true BEAUTIFUL END
Ending 5: Evanderheart false or purity under 10 STARFACE END
Ending 6: Purity under 5, choose bedroom VIOLENT END
Ending 7: Purity under 10 and evanderheart false RETIRED END
Ending 8: E.g. Pick wrong killer DEAD END
I havent tested these out through the game yet, but ending 7 seems tricky, because you have to survive starhead but also Not meet the requirements to survive him later on, but Before the "facetime".. The idea being that you run away after the facetime..
Will keep combing through the code later but am in a hurry right now :D
This makes SO much sense. I now get why it seems like choices stopped mattering. Because I kept staying under 5 purity. lol
Also, I bet the talk with Soren while getting dressed is the signal of where your purity is. Only time I've gotten beautiful ending, that scene was different. (edit: I think I just proved this in my game)
And Thanks!
Here is every single choice in the game that affects the outcome. The rest dont do "anything" on the bigger scale as far as i noticed. Also note that i wrote the lunch dates separately, as they were in a different file. Seems Soren aint the central character to woo afterall, since he barely affects purity.
Purity system:
Workdays:
On the phone: “I’m a friend of Rivers” +1 purity // “I’m Skyye Manning’s brother” -1 purity
To Ted: “Everyone matters” +1 purity
To Ted: “Play along” -1 purity // “Refuse” +1 purity
To Ted (only after previous “Play along”): “Play along” -1 purity
Meeting John and Jon, preferring: “John” -1 purity
To Hunter: “I can look past it. Job’s a job.” +1 purity
On the phone, favorite person: “Tad” -1 purity // “Timmy” +1 purity
In the clinic: “River’s results, actually” +1 purity
Hunter and Timmy, about being friends: “We’re not.” -1 purity // “We’re getting there slowly” +1 purity
To Evander: “Ask for his number” +1 purity // “Rush out” -1 purity
Soren and Abzi lunch: “Lie” -1 purity
Soren and Abzi gossip: “Partake in gossip” -3 purity
Soren outside smoking: “Check” +1 purity
Fluffing Chuck: “Maybe it wont be that bad” -1 purity
Figure outside*: “Call Evander” +1 purity (also determines the variable “Evander’s heart and Soren’s heart depending on who you call, check other post)
Police: “I hate the police” -1 purity
A co-worker was: “Murdered” +1 purity
Pornscene: “Give them a show” -1 purity
Inviting Evander (only with Evander’s heart): “Invite Evander” +1 purity // “Don’t invite Evander” -1 purity
Liking a party outfit: “Abzi” -1 purity // “John” -1 purity // “Jon” +1 purity
Soren’s decorations: “It’s certainly innovative” +1 purity
Jon’s breakdown: “No, I don’t.” +1 purity
The “facetime” part is weird.. If your purity is 10 or above, you get the cliff facetime. If its under 10, and you have Evander’s heart (called him), you get the Bittersweet End.
“Else”, you get the Retired end #7.
But this is weird, because you need to be either at or over 10 purity or have Evander’s heart to survive Starface, yet this part comes very shortly after him, so theres no time to affect the variables anymore..
Lunch scenes:
“What do you think of Abzi, Adam?” Lunch with Soren and John
“He’s hot” -1 purity
“He’s a gracious host” +1 purity
“Don’t like him” nothing
“I find the idea...” (of holding a gun) Lunch with Evander
“Comforting” nothing
“Exciting” -1 purity
“Scary” +1 purity
“Nothing Timmy did came from strength or professionalism.” Lunch with Hunter
“Agree” nothing
“Disagree” -1 purity
Hunter congratulating about Adam’s first scene (Soren and Hunter lunch)
“It’s a reason to celebrate” -1 purity
“Dont know yet” nothing
“It’s not” +1 purity
Yeah. I've tried everything, down to exactly 10 purity. I can't get anything other than Dead End. BTW Do you have the 10th and or 12th gallery item? If so, do you remember how. I'm assuming one is ending 7 (you'll never be truly happy) and I thought 12 (blood is thicker than water) was True End, but I didn't get anything for it.
I was checking the gallery stuff right now. 10th one "Youll never be happy" refers to the Bittersweet End, and the 12th being "Blood is thicker than water" (referring to your mystery "friend") of the True End. Theyre supposed to be unlocked by getting these two endings, according to the code... But for some reason, its not doing that, and thats unfortunate because the pics in question are nice.
I'm quite confident that these are bugged. I also dont for example see the necklace and brochure in Abzi's date's item search. (I think the code doesnt call for the correct image/line)
Should we try to just cheat to get it and see what happens?
Which I did. You get to the point when the call is made, he threatens you without kidnapping Evander, you run out of town. Evander, Soren and Chuck try to contact you but you ignore them and resign to Tad via email. No unlocks
You are right of course that it definitely looks bugged. There are no purity decisions between Starface meeting and after party meeting so you can move your Purity below 10 and enable Retired without cheating.