Some folks have been wondering when certain romance lock-ins are going to happen in Scarlet Hollow, since there are still a couple that haven't had their Big Moment yet, namely Avery and Dr Kelly :] (and Wayne, now that I think about it.)
And I guess we only have one big update left (The Final Chapters) so it's probably obvious that they're going to happen there, but I also wanted to talk about why we time things the way we do, and character "scene distribution" if you will, as a little peek under the hood.
Big post explaining narrative design around our love interests under the cut! No real spoilers for Episode 5 beyond vague structural notes...
Each of our characters is on a personal narrative arc, which the player can opt in and out of. A romance lock usually happens during or around an intense moment of vulnerability, and is planned around a moment when the MC feels closest to a given character, though there is some variation with that.
Stella really likes you from the start, and forms quick, arguably shallow connections, easily broken if you try to assert yourself. That doesn't mean these connections can't be deepened, but that's also why she gets an early lock compared to other characters-- so you have the chance to deepen that bond, teaching her how to form a more solid emotional connection than she has in years.
Kaneeka gets an earlier lock than we would usually do for someone whose story winds up where it does, since you can lock in before the main conflict in Episode 4. But having two versions of a romance lock means you can approach certain events in episode 5 from different directions, leading to interesting roleplaying opportunities and story routes. Her lock-in during Episode 5 is probably my favorite so far :] Tony's, too!
Oscar also gets a relatively early lock, because the shift that happens afterward is the main arc of the relationship. Before the lock, you're drawn together because he's involved in several major turning points that are shaped by your actions, and as he says, that feels like it means something. He is at his most vulnerable here, uncertain of the future, but knowing you helped shape it.
But in the aftermath of the lock-in, he finds a new purpose, where he (often, not always) convinces himself he has to help you, and knows exactly how! And that 'how' seems to be by isolating himself and neglecting anything outside the task he seems to think will be helpful. It is designed to help the player understand the true face of his relationship with his daughter and his struggles with his own identity, something that could only be done once he let you in during that moment of vulnerability.
For Avery, their arc requires them to be a more isolated character in general, to show the outsider nature that connects them most of all with the events of Episode 5 (since each LI gets a big decision keyed to them.) And because they are isolated, they've taken on a pseudo-personality of agreeability. They are already a relatively goes-with-the-flow kind of person, but they've also learned not to share too much of themselves with other people. This includes the player, who has to choose to purposefully include them to see the little snippets of what would eventually blossom into what happens in the middle of 5.
Because they were so closed-off, excited to be included, unflappable, it meant they weren't able to truly be vulnerable until they were involved in something that touched them on a very personal level. I'm a big fan of where Avery is going from here... I have been looking forward to certain scenes in Episode 6 for a looong time.
In slight contrast to Stella, Reese forms quick but very deep bonds. His moment of vulnerability is a big sign with flashing lights, and probably requires the least dissection on my part, considering he seems pretty well-understood and there have been many discussions about that particular moment.
Because he just had his big moment in the previous episode, his appearance in 5 can be a little understated at times, as his arc is in the process of rebuilding itself around his new reality.
Doctor Kelly is currently convinced she is not going to be interested in you. She has never been someone who was into relationships, preferring to stick to her work, so the feelings that may be blooming in her chest when she sees you are being ground into dust as she tries desperately not to think of you in any way but platonically.
Her true moment of vulnerability, then, is still yet to come.
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Scarlet Hollow is a narrative game above all else, and our focus is always making it feel satisfying and giving our characters the space they need to go through the emotional journeys that best suit them.
While also juggling all the other stuff that's happening around town lmao
