thanks! to nit-pick some more :P
after Serene fires the MC it is still possible to work at the shop and walking her home.
iirc this event is serevents 5, this could be used to block the activities ("and not serevents == 5")
to end this on a more positive note: I only critisize to make a game I like even better :D
edit: thinking about it a little bit more it is probably serevents 6. and I should work, and not thinking about renpy code ;)
I actually thought long and hard about the whole Serena firing MC and still being able to work thing but decided against disabling it. The main reason is that I had a similar problem with this a long time ago where players were getting soft-locked after I disabled a character from appearing. Maybe it won't be an issue now, but it possibly could arise again in the future and I want to just try and remain consistent for my sanity. I think just leaving it like this is fine for now.
PS: sereevents 8 is what I want, I think.
locking players out of the story is a valid point I completely forgot. it should be safe in this case, though. the event chain cannot be broken, imho, as the next quest step is automagically activated.
MC gets fired:
if (location == "street_01" and sereaff == 14 and sereevents == 5 and timeofday == 0 and serequest == True)
-> serevents is increased to 6, scene plays [also the value of serevents that should disable working and walking home, I think]
the long 3 event chain plays, and serevents increased to 7:
(location == "mcroom" and sereaff == 14 and sereevents == 6 and timeofday == 4 and serequest == True)
-> no need to increase affection, the player simply has to be at the right place and time.
thanks for taking the time to discuss with me!
Have you considered addressing the issue of soft-locking with a "Narrator speaks to player" screen that explains this could cause the softlock, have the narrator specify a recommended course of action, and then have a "disable event" button that can be clicked to back out of triggering the event? You could then allow the player to enter the area without triggering that event after that screen - but the event re-triggers and gives this "back out screen" again each time you enter that area, encouraging the player to prepare for the softlock. Alternately, you could have a "disable event" or "disable progression" toggle in the MC's room or something.
Obviously such a tactic interrupts story flow. But perhaps that cost is worth paying in exchange for not having a game breaking bug or an immersion breaking game mechanic that is supposed to disappear instead not disappear?
Side Note: I know dick-all about Ren'Py code. I don't know what it is capable of successfully programming.
This is an interesting idea but I'm at the point where this is the least of my concern. I'd rather spend my time and energy on producing more content. The soft-locks have been fixed, there are just some story inconsistencies (e.g. Estelle running away but able to still see her in the house the next day) which aren't much of an issue, at least from my POV.
Thank you for the suggestion, regardless.
