I asked this before on Steam in the discussions before the game got steamrolled (ba dum tch) over there, and forgot all about it. Just crossed my mind again, figured it couldnt hurt to ask it here, since Dev seems cool with questions and ideas.
In the other game, Chastity Catastophy (shameless plug here - go check it out if you read this, players!) we had a few fun elements I could see working here in Gates. I was curious of a few things.
1: I asked about character customization before in the comments, and was thinking about some similarities. The wolf girls from that game ported over (our base femWolf models), but I was curious if we will see a a kobold race option eventually show up? We got dragons and wolves (both from Catastrophy), so I was thinking maaaaybe we'd get a 'bold port-over? I know probably not, but shortstack mini-derg would be fun to have around!
2. That game had a fun mechanic that made the npcs get possessed by their bindings, giving them the purple glowy eyes effect. Was wondering if we might see some mind-controlled NPCs in this sandbox game as a new friend/npc event or type? Saw a question about quest vs sandbox experience in the comments, and I think that the theme of rescue-able corrupted npcs would fit in the context of this world whether or not it stays wholly sandbox or has light story quest elements.
3. Similar vein for enemy types. Not so much possessed enemies (as we would already have possessed npcs we could free...or fight!) but environmental hazards that could impede us/shackle/vulnerability up the player? Being chased by the chastity belt drones and being taken control of as a game over in the other game added the main level of threat. Here, instead of defeating the player, it just makes them vulnerable to attack, or a loss of control (like a stun, freeze, disorient you have to "wiggle" out of, for example?). It wouldnt have to be just chatity belts. Vines, mud, hypnotic plants, toxic gas/spore clouds, suspicious berries/food/drink, enemies casting charm/hypno/sleep/silly or corruption spells, strangely shaped plants with... "convenient uses"; the list goes on! (And maybe mind-control chastity belts again, why not? They were cool!)
This is all just suggestion. I understand development time and resources can be very hard to manage, and even tiny additions can be costly. But as the world expands - to whatever degree it does, such as new environments and regions and climates - I think these could be nice additions, and don't necessarily remove autonomy/consent in any meaningful way (Its been clearly stated several times there is NO defeat sex in this game). The purpose of these suggestions are to add variety, as well as small, kink-colored interactions/poses/scenarios to spice up the world some more. More threats, more word interaction, more danger. And being fully transparent here, Chastity Catastophy really hit an itch with the mind control corrupting the npcs, those glowing purple eyes and personality change were killer! It's been with me ever since, and would love to see more of it here!
Anyway, loving the game so far, keep up the good work!
Oooo, I love your third point. I was also hoping that environmental hazards and traps like the ones you described could be added in the future. Especially plants, bondage/chastity like cursed equipment or aphrodisiacs to name a few things I was thinking about. In a post from a while ago someone also suggested something like ghost hands. Some of these things (such as aphrodisiacs) could also be combined with status effects and finding ways to cure you.
But I think that it's still a while off, if something like that would ever be implemented, and these comments get a bit flooded with suggestions, while I think that Raliv still has a good amount of things they want to implement first.