It's hard to make this kind of thing feel like it has consequences for that exact reason- the goal for expansion includes sound effect feedback and better visual feedback to make it feel like an equivalent value to ordinary score. I suppose I should think of things to spend both values on, but my brain is instantly resistant to the ordinary upgrade formula that it might just become cosmetics. Eventually there would be Real Girl Levels with clear conditions and shit that tie into the story, etc etc etc.
Speaking of the story, the tone is supposed to be pretty lighthearted, but it's very hard to strike that balance in This Day And Age. I think I just have to embrace the Not For Everyoneness and go all in. Rest assured, though, no great plagues getting started here.
also yeah art in gamemaker is hard to get the size right, especially when you're like me and a) don't know how the hell window resizing is even POSSIBLE and b) start on a tiny scale and don't realize you need to go bigger before it's too late T_T the first step is gonna be a test to see if building it bigger and camerascaling it to the sameish size will be effective at all lmao