First off, Thanks for playing the demo! As far as your save file working for the next update, it should! but i'm changing Emily drastically and adding some additional stuff to the game like 10 new perks as well as restructured dialogue and more CG art for scenes! I definitely recommend trying it out from the beginning once the next update gets released. I've also personalized the UI! Hooray!
*excuse the big image, I'm trying to push down the reply so others won't see spoilers!*
I apologize in advanced for the lengthy reply!
I shall now try to answer all your questions!
*SPOILERS*-----------------------------------
- There's a faint square around Erika's portrait - like a border remaining from the original file or something like that.
Good catch! Thank you for that!
- As usual, a gallery wouldn't be bad either - it's nice to be able to look at the CGs anytime. Maybe even listen to the music.
For the gallery and the music stuff, it shall be implemented by next update! ^_^ thank you for suggesting. I've been meaning on working on that but I've just been too focused on the main plot line.
- The game would benefit from an auto toggle for battles. Also, I'd really add a text log -
I have also tried implementing an Auto Battle system however it really messes with Kuro's reload system hence why I opted not to use it. (He keeps reloading instead of attacking T_T) Thank you for letting me know it's your desire as I believe I should find a work around on this feature instead of dumping it completely. Text log might also be a bit of a work as the game engine functions as individual text boxes but I will see about this feature!
Bath house scene - As a girl, it plays out a little different ^_^ you won't get the male CG art for it but don't worry, plenty of fan service art coming *especially for Killian*
How many acts total will the game have?
There will be 6 acts as well as epilogue that varies differently based on player choices. I want the ending to be like a culmination of all the different choices you have done throughout the game as well as the relationships you've built. Unfortunately, I'm also planning on doing a singular romance option at a certain point so while you may build up romance stuff with everybody simultaneously, I do want a character specific romance ending with variations depending on the choices. *choices and consequence is a big theme in this game and it's making my life as a solo indie dev hell but it's worth it thanks to wholesome feedback from people like you!
- Are the character portraits in the text box original art, or edited RPG Maker assets?
There are some original art I've collected through browsing the internet, Stella's faceset for example is actually the default cover girl of RPGMaker VX Ace! Icarus's Faceset is also the default hero for RPGMaker MV. They're edited but the busts I have are all commissioned work. Once I am finished with the project, I will be contacting all the artists that worked on my game and see if they'd be willing to have other people use the busts in their RPGMaker projects too! Maybe you'll see Kuro's bust in a different game by a different dev one day so keep an eye out!
- Is it possible to get a good ending for the main story of the game but fail the romance I was trying to achieve?
A goal of mine is to create a game where the endings aren't necessarily good ending or bad ending but rather subjective to what the player perceives as good. In other words, a good ending for you might be a terrible ending for someone else! :D hopefully that makes sense x( There will also be a secret ending which is more or less lighthearted.
For the romance stuff, There's multiple ways a romance can go but ultimately, it will always succeed as long as you keep at it. I do have to point out like i previously stated; late in the game, you'll be forced to commit to one partner just for ending reasons. You'd still be able to fully enjoy a big chuck of everyone else's romance paths however.
I've been referring to him as a "he" and well, the game does so too. As far as I'm concerned, he's simply a trans boy, so that's it.
About Tyran, he's actually the character that I enjoy writing the most (Myrana and her over-the-top british accent being second)
As far as him being treated as trans, yes, he is a full FtM but the constraints of the setting prohibit him from actually getting therapy and surgery and stuff. A big chunk of act 3 actually revolves around him so yay! stay tuned!
Some spoiler alerts here but Rebecca (thanks to the knee-to-genitals scene) and someone else in the class know Tyran's secret but choose not to question it. The world of Aenar is pretty progressive! lol
On that note, I do wanna point out that while the game is very LGBT+, i didn't want that to be the game's defining feature. <3
Thank you so much for playing the demo! I'm glad you enjoyed! The demo ends after the 1st romance scenes and you get a glimpse of the beginning of Act 3!