Great game....but I am missing intimacy.

[Mordred of Fairy]

it is a pity that sexuality(not feelings, attraction, etc. - those are fine) seems to be very taboo in the game, where it would be a interesting part of such a coming of age-story.

Mind you, I am not talking about CG's, or even remotely explicit texts. But e.g. when you have been a Couple for years, confessed your love and planned your future and put on that anklet he so loves while sneaking over to cuddle in his bed, it seems weird theres no option of "Should we take it a step further? Should we do...it?" - "I am ready"/"I am ready(lie)"/"I need more time"/"I don't think I am comfortable with that"/Remain silent or something similar, with a fade to black and an acknowledgement next morning that it took place and a dialogue on how you feel about that - Happy? Regretful? Sad? Madly in love?

Or even some self-exploration in Step 2, where the MC could learn to be comfortable with their body, with how they are, or learn that they actually feel they should be different, coming to terms with the fact they are not in the body they should have(and taking steps to resolve that - or not). Again, not seeing it as something explicit, just as a normal aspect of coming of age. It would allow the MC to actually "play out" going for a transition, rather than have it happen off-screen.
(Again, in a very remote way, but more just a series of options while looking at a mirror)

I do understand it is not 'that' kind of game - and I wouldn't want those aspect to be a focus or takes the spotlight - but while a lot of thing felt very organic, very normal, the fact that this aspect of life was so completely excluded was slightly immersion-breaking.
This game is art in a way, and it should not be so restrained - I think there would be plenty of opportunities to include such topics in a completely neutral and PG-safe way.

EDIT: Maybe an Option for a future DLC?

[★ Star]

I get the impression, especially from the scene where you visit Cove's mom in step 3, that Cove has hangups about sexuality. He doesn't find out he's demi until he's 18, and he's made deeply uncomfortable the first time you try to sleep together after becoming a couple. In one variation of the scene at the end of summer in step 3 you're able to get right up to doing the deed, but since everyone's waiting for you back at the restaurant he turns you down.

As for being in a future DLC, there *will* be an 18+ DLC of sorts released some time next year, but it will only be available through the dev's patreon.

[Mordred of Fairy]

Hm, yeah, but Cove being uncomfortable about it seems like following the decision. I did see the scenes you referenced in my playthrough, and it's where I felt that player agency was...diminished.

I did read about the 18+ DLC in another thread. That is good, I guess, but I wanted to express that it would have been great to have something "in between" - like PG13. I do enjoy that things are not excplicit (I also do play those games, but I feel it's not even needed here) - so maybe 2 variants of that DLC could be great...for those just looking to include some of it without actually being proper '18+'.

[GB Patch]

I'm sorry you felt that was lacking. Cove is definitely very skittish when it comes to moving forward in a relationship, physically and emotionally. However, at that age he is at a point where he can build up to doing that. But the small, heartfelt indie situation the game was made in means that you can get a sense of the people who made it. I'm the creative director for the game and I'm not a fan of fade to black sex scenes, aha. It's purely a preference, but they bother me. Unless it's there to skip an actual scene that really exists and the player simply doesn't wanna see it, I just don't do fade to black style scenes for intimate content. In such a tiny team, what I happen to do and what I happen to not do does end up making a difference on the project.

OL does (and will in future updates) have implications and some suggestive stuff, especially in Step 4 you can easily imagine they're sexually active, but the game won't have straightforward "we've specifically decided to have sex right now but we're gonna cut away before it happens" moments.

As Senpai Supreme mentioned, we're going to do 18+ content as a Patreon bonus and in that you'll be able to control how explicit it gets and skip things you're not interested in seeing. I hope that makes sense. Thank you for playing!

[Jen]

I just wanted to add, as a personal take, it not being mentioned in any way was actually a large part of why this was the first "Coming of age" anything I could actually relate to. I get where you're coming from (and at the least there will be that 18+ DLC for you and others who are interested in it), but it was such a breath of fresh air to not see it come up in some way because, at least for me, it's definitely not something I ever thought about.

I do suppose it could've come up based off what you picked for your preferences though with certain things just causing it to not be brought up at all (that said, the options varied so much I felt kind of overwhelmed ^^; I think I picked the right ones though).

That said, I do think I may have played a bit differently than most people-- I saw a lot of people asking about how to get Cove to confess on Tumblr and I actually had that happen on my initial playthrough.

[Mordred of Fairy]

Thank you for your answer - developer not being a fan of fade to black scenes makes sense.
I figured it may be 'easier' to both keep things tame enough to not have it rated as an adult game, and to not have to work in details about the character.
I'll look forward to the 18+ patch, then. As said, I am not opposed to that(to the contrary) - I just meant to make perfectly clear that the game is great by itself and does not need that to be a satisfying experience.

Your answer makes lot of sense - and I am looking forward to the future updates with more implications. It just irked me that despite Cove stating he has sexual thoughts about the MC, and MC being pretty straightforward and in love, they seem to have settled for waiting until marriage or something. (And after there was the slider on Step 3 on how forward he is welcome to be) -

as said, I am well aware this is a minor complaint, and as said, congratulations on the game otherwise. As said, I'll look forward to future updates, and will check back to pick up a DLC bundle once they are all out. I can do that much to support you.
(A monthly contribution for the Patreon-Only 18+ one is not an option for me, money is tight enough without additional repeating expenses - so I do hope you'll eventually find a different option there.)

[Akim]

Personally I did not need "steamy scenes", not that I am prude, but it would have felt odd? Though I would not object, if it was there either.

For me it was more a fear, that maybe Cove needed help to overcomes some unncesseary anxieties for physical "stuff". Like maybe he had a complex with his body or so. I did not entirely get what age they were supposed to be in the 3rd phase, since I am not from the US and don't know at what age people there go to a College, and from what I hear the morality is stricter in US when it comes to such things than here in Europe. So I assumed it was a cultural thing.

Due to what I know most European parents are more ok with earlier going physical than in the US, but that may be a wrong impression. I respect whatever the creators decide. The game was about love and emotions.

I mean, in a RL situation if someone would not wish to get physical with me despite being in a relationship I would fear something would be wrong. But not knowing how old they are, I respected it as it was. If you add a 4th chapter, which I hope, it would be nice to know Cove is alright with an "adult" relationship and overcomes his uncomfyness. :)

Ahh, Cove is such a sweety-pie. I would cuddle him all day. :3

[Akim]

Originally posted by GB Patch:

I'm sorry you felt that was lacking. Cove is definitely very skittish when it comes to moving forward in a relationship, physically and emotionally. However, at that age he is at a point where he can build up to doing that. But the small, heartfelt indie situation the game was made in means that you can get a sense of the people who made it. I'm the creative director for the game and I'm not a fan of fade to black sex scenes, aha. It's purely a preference, but they bother me. Unless it's there to skip an actual scene that really exists and the player simply doesn't wanna see it, I just don't do fade to black style scenes for intimate content. In such a tiny team, what I happen to do and what I happen to not do does end up making a difference on the project.

OL does (and will in future updates) have implications and some suggestive stuff, especially in Step 4 you can easily imagine they're sexually active, but the game won't have straightforward "we've specifically decided to have sex right now but we're gonna cut away before it happens" moments.

As Senpai Supreme mentioned, we're going to do 18+ content as a Patreon bonus and in that you'll be able to control how explicit it gets and skip things you're not interested in seeing. I hope that makes sense. Thank you for playing!

Oh. Hm. Is it possible to later buy the 18+ content for extra payment? I would pay, of course, but I do not like Patreon.


PS: I was just thinking, that despite the face doll of yourself, you yourself are never visible. Hm. I wonder how any scene would then be made? Heh.

[Verlys Gaming LIfe]

I just wanted to say. I've been a pateron of GB patch for 2 years. the 18+ patreon thing is a patreon thing because we are paying for it. I don't want to offend *anyone* but sometimes there is a reason for decisions. It was a tier goal after GBPatch reached a number of new members to the Pateron about 5 or 6 months ago. It was officially announced on Twitter and everything.

from what GBpatch has said when the dlc is released you'd only have to join for just that month download it and then end your pledge.

[Mordred of Fairy]

Not offended at all. I do understand patreon-only content.
I also understand the decision to not include it in the shop here, as that would likely impact other stuff(like listing it as adult-game).
What I am hoping is that e.g. a year or two after it was made available on Patreon, it may be released freely. Just 'popping in' for a month to grab stuff, then ending the pledge would feel 'wrong' to me. Personal feeling, but awesome of them to handle it in such a nice way.

Also thanks to you for being a loyal supporter for these guys.
Either way, my question was effectively answered, I'll check back after some more updates are released, the conclusion in Step 4, then probably grab some DLC in a sale and enjoy the game once more. I'll see about the 18+ patch then, I suppose.

Thank you to everybody who chimed in.

[Esoteric]

Will it be possible to have the 18+ content patch as DLC that we can purchase here on Steam? I would gladly pay anywhere from 10-15$ for that here. I want to support the devs after an amazing game. Just never been crazy about Patreon.

[Lari]

I'd also love to have it as DLC to buy in Steam. Love the game but dont really own a credit card or smth of that sort and I dont really like Patreon much either.

[MagicianMana]

@Mordred of Fairy: I may have found some of the intimacy you were missing and I was quite surprised about it. :)
There actually is a beautiful little make-out session in step 3.

[Ghoulish]

I would love to buy it as a DLC option, more content would be great

[Verlys Gaming LIfe]

I don't know about the rest of the patrons, but I'm not sure I'd be ok with GBpatch making a profit off of something I am in part funding. That is what is going on with the 18+ moment. it was also always said to be an exclusive because we are funding it with our monthly donations.

[Wolfox]

I finished the game and I tend to agree with the topicstarter, it's not the lack of 18+ content that bugs me (plenty of this on the internet), it's the lack of intimacy as a... uh, thing? Between two hormone-filled teenagers (both of legal age \age of consent, dating for quite a long time, being clearly in love with other, etc etc). Like, I wouldn't mind cutting to black or something. But Cole trying to avoid all sexual stuff with his gf\bf at all costs by step 3? Honestly, it's weird. And he's not asexual either, so...