First of all, a genuine thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts!
Now, onto the rest:
Funnily enough, I had a very similar thought process regarding the sprite. Especially since the first version does leans much more into a cutesy style compared to the newer one, which made it feel a bit... uncanny?
That said, it does align with the direction I want the narrative to take. A narrative that is not yet shared, which I know makes it difficult to fully grasp right now.
I am still deciding whether this is truly the right match, so it is very much subject to change. Since he is the core of the game, I do not mind going through multiple revisions to find the right style.
At this early stage of development, things are still quite flexible.
For now, the first version, which I will creatively call 0.1, will use the new sprites mainly for testing. If they fit well, great. If not, I will change them asap.
You are spot on with the memorization aspect.
The example you mentioned is exactly the kind of thing I want to implement and refine. Choices should matter, even if they seem small.
As you said, they add a lot to the overall experience.
On top of that, I want to create something that feels tailored to the player. This is just a rough example, but if the player mentions dislikes, likes, or opinions on different topics, Myrddin should adapt accordingly.
For instance, if the player says they dislike question marks, a strange example I know, Myrddin would try to use fewer of them, or none at all. It might be something the player consciously notices or not, but it still shapes the playthrough.
First and foremost, this is a narrative driven game. There is a main story and achievable endings, including multiple ones, but there is a central goal tied to Myrddin. The story and interactions are built around reaching that goal.
Because of this, I do not expect much hesitation when it comes to cutting content that does not serve the narrative.
The idea of having interactive reactions when clicking on Myrddin is fantastic!
I honestly cannot believe I did not think of that myself, especially since I did something similar in another project before. Thank you for that suggestion!
At its core, the game is meant to provide a companion who sweetens your day (and admittedly crushes it at some point, but hey).
A close friend.
Because of that, it is not intended to be a dating sim by default. Romance is something I have in mind, specifically as a route that could lead to an ending, but I cannot really say much about it since it ties directly into the main twist of the story.
That said, everything is still very much subject to change, so please take this more as a snapshot of the current state rather than anything final. It is far from that, actually.
Attempt to literally "break the fourth wall" Hmm...
I totally see your argument about giving Myrddin a voice, and I agree with it.
I think this idea comes more from the developer side of me being curious rather than from a true player focused perspective. That said, my intention was always to include an option to disable it entirely for those who might find it unfitting.
However, as mentioned, this is quite unlikely to happen in the end, largely for the reasons you pointed out. If anything, I would test the concept carefully and share small glimpses beforehand before committing to it fully.
As for animations, your concerns are completely valid. I will keep the possibility in mind, but I do not plan to animate everything. If animations happen at all, they would be reserved for very important scenes, and even then, this would be something to consider much later in development.
Human perspective is vast and fascinating, and as a single person, I would never be able to fully achieve what I want with this project on my own.
I genuinely value all feedback and take it into serious consideration.
And this was incredibly valuable! Thank you once again, and please never hesitate to share criticism.
This is a project I want to build together with others, not just inside my own head.
I am planning to release a short playable demo to help set direction and test ideas, essentially a 0.1 version, sometime in January.
Thank you, truly.
Warm regards.