If they're just ideas, then what makes them important? Why should I care about these not-actually-people? They're not real people
To a degree, this is something I'm already concerned about/aware of. I'm worried about how to make such a small little blip of a game be engaging, while not overextending myself. There are certain things I want to avoid (backtracking, useless combat), but I also dont want something that just ends up numbing and boring to go through.
The majority of the "people" you encounter are actually going to be some version of a combat encounter. I'm not going to be trying to sell anyone on anything but the titular character, and one not-supporting but also not-quite-an-antagonist character. Everyone else, while I want to show them some love, are also are probably not going to be much further defined than a fear for you, the player character, to witness//to build on the player character as someone for them to resonate with. It's a selfish way to treat them, maybe, to put them there for Hope to reflect back onto herself, but that is the plan at the moment. (If I have time, the encounters are the first and last thing I would devote every minute to to improving, to be honest, to try and give you more time and choices with them, but Hope/Other are the priority.)
Your point is a fantastic one. Hopefully as I go through development, you'll be able to tell me if I'm succeeding in engaging you with Hope, or if you feel disconnected from them.
As an aside from my own attempts - this was actually my only real critique after I played LOZ: A link between worlds. Mechanically, I thought that game was near flawless. Heart-wise, though. ....I was going through hell and back for people I spoke to one to three times, if even that many. I was really disappointed in how little time I was given to care about people who meant the apparent world to me.
I'd hate to end up a victim to my own critique, laughs.