Hey folks!
We wanted to take a quick moment to share an update to Episode 2 that will ship alongside Episode 5's release on the 13th.
We're retroactively changing the Episode 2 trait save to be keyed to Street Smart instead of Keen Eye. This is accompanied by some light rewrites and other changes to that segment which should result in the trait save feeling both more active and flavorful.
Likewise, a future trait save that was previously going to be keyed to Street Smart is now instead keyed to Keen Eye.
FAQ
What happens to my pre-existing Street Smart and/or Keen Eye saves? - They will be completely fine and unbroken! For saves that have already finished chapter two, an upcoming Keen Eye save will instead be checked against Street Smart. Given the generally lighter flavor of Keen Eye as a trait, we don't think this swap will negatively impact the experience of that scenario, and it should still feel natural to a Street Smart player.
If I used Keen Eye as a trait save in Episode 2, does that mean I will get 2 trait saves? - No. You will not be able to use Keen Eye for a second trait save.
If I have Street Smart, and am loading a save from after Episode 2, does that mean I will only get 1 trait save? - No. You will be able to experience an upcoming trait save in one of the last three episodes as Street Smart instead of Keen Eye.
But why? - We've wanted to make this change for years, in part because Street Smart felt more flavorfully accurate to Episode 2's climax than Keen Eye, and in part because the Keen Eye version of it feels very passive, in a way that doesn't make the MC feel strong, or like they did anything. The only reason we didn't do this was because making a significant retroactive balance change like this felt nervewracking.
This change has ben run through our alpha testers, though, and is working entirely as intended!
There's also a balancing motivation behind this decision that we'll cover in a devlog some time after the release of Episode 5. But TL;DR, we have a stronger motivation to do this swap now than we did previously.
Does this retroactively change events for my post-episode 2 save file? - No. You still saved the kids in that scenario, you just won't be able to use Keen Eye for a trait save again on that file. If you have Street Smart on that file, you will still have an opportunity to use it for a trait save in the future.
But what about my old save is it no longer canon? - It is canon to you.
But it no longer reflects the real events that happen in the game. - Don't think about it too hard, it's your special, precious save file, and it is real because it's yours and it will still work as intended.
But shouldn't my noticer notice the teens sneaking away - You were distracted by the loud noises and people arguing. Or I guess, you will be in the future. In the past.
Will you be doing this for other trait saves - No. They're all locked in stone. Again, this is one we've been thinking about for a long time, but that we've lacked the resolve to change until now.
Are the changes good - Testers seemed to think so! Even though the outcomes are the same, the save "feels stronger," which was our intention.
Should I replay from the start when Episode 5 comes out? - That's entirely up to you! Given the length of time between episodes, and the dense mystery of the game, I usually think a replay is helpful, but you should still be able to go right into Episode 5 without any issues!
Thank you! We're almost there, folks ^^
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