Gameplay Loop Updates

As you guys know- we've been working hard recently at making the game feel more like... well, a game. The biggest change came recently when we overhauled the gameplay systems to have a drag and drop playing card kind of thing. However- there are still a couple of key points to the gameplay which we feel need to be updated to accommodate this.

Currencies: Originally we had planned for each of the three currencies in the game to be used on different types of cards and effects. However, just having three numbered currencies has resulted in collecting and using them feeling too similar. Even if their uses were different, they were all just numbers and we feel there wasn't much of an impact.

To this end, we're diversifying currencies, turning some of them into progression bars, having others regenerate each turn (think mana), and having others only apply to the meta game. This should help make the results of each card placement feel more clear and rewarding!

Progression: As you guys know, we want progression in the game to be mainly tied to Starlets. Getting to know them better, unlocking more story, that sort of thing. To this end, we want to add a sort of "levelling" system to starlets. You do certain things to have them go up the ranks, from D-list to A or S-list. These level-ups will be persistent through playthroughs and make the actual starlet performances better too. Think of it like a "roguelike" styled experience.

Difficulty: Speaking of roguelike, we want to actually give the players some goals that aren't just starlet related. We want to add some sort of "ticking clock" system which limits your turns until you fill a progression bar with a certain currency. Think of it as an inverted health bar- you have so many turns to fill it, and if you do so, your turns get reset and you have to fill even more. This will serve as a sort of goal for the "main" story. The more you play and level up your starlets, the easier it will be to get to the end! (and maybe romance Claire, your secretary reaper!)

In summary- we're not sure by when all of these features will be added, but we have a lot more clear of an idea on where to go next. On top of these new things, we want to continue to improve what we have as well- make cards feel better to place, make it easier to add/remove cards, add better UI signifiers to show what players can and can't do, that sort of thing. We hope you guys continue following our development as Spooky Starlets continues to grow!