Hello! Sorry for the inconvenience. It seems like you are experiencing a known issue. Save files from Build 0.1 that weren't late enough into the game have that issue. Below is a way to fix it -- go back to Build 0.1, make sure your save file is just before the teaser for Build 0.2, save, then start Build 0.2.

Again, sorry for the inconvenience.

If the bug persists you can restart the game -- use the Skip button, it should get you through the game in less than a minute. Again, sorry for the inconvenience. We are look into ways this issue won't happen again in the future.

Hello! Responding first to one of your first points ("i'm not sure how far this criticism will go"), we always try to keep an open mind when we receive feedback. We want to make the best game we can.

Now, before I write an answer to your post per se, would it be ok if I posted a screencap of what you said on Twitter? I would like to have other people see it to give their own perspectives -- see how many share the same point you expressed. If you are ok with that, after we get more input I will explain a bit of how we are writing Luke and what role the backgrounds play in the game.

I don't necessarily dislike Luke that much, I'm just really uninterested in American Patriotism as a quirk/character trait. Especially in the current political climate, I just feel exhausted seeing patriots portrayed in media. I know we've only seen a short bit of both Luke and Kota, and his character has more depth already than just patriot horny bird, but it's hard to remember that with his clothes and how the UI changes for his text. At the moment I don't really have any ideas or suggestions for what to change about him, I hope other people who reply can give better feedback than I can. Great work so far though, and I can't wait to play the future builds!

I found Luke to be a fun and memorable character right off the bat with his hyper-sexuality and Texas/American patriotism. It was interesting to watch how he pushed the boundaries of Asterion's ideal hotel decorum, and how these ideas made all the guests around him uncomfortable. Luke is just so forward, so easy to read, such a fun stereotype, and I think this is a good thing especially if you are planning to introduce more characters and more cultures in the future.

I was one of the people who first picked Luke for the lounge, then stopped and reloaded a save to switch because I disliked his changes to the place so much - I was willing to power through my initial impression of him until he turned the lounge into a stripclub, which was just too much for me: the first chosen reshaping of the hotel beyond restoring it (because the MC hasn't chosen, like, a theme or anything for it, unlike the Anon Quest from the pastebin where the thread picked a fancy Dubai island megastructure before guests started arriving) was something I as a person (since MC has little personality right now) would never pick or want for my main lounge of this fancy 20's era hotel for healing lost souls. It didn't feel like Luke was thinking "Hey people need a place they can cut loose to escape/get a buffer from what made you lost" but just "oh lol let's have a sexy stripclub so I can be a thirsty boi" and I as the player (and Asterion's reaction of horror suggests he thinks the same) had to suck it up and have a stripclub for our lounge now all the sudden. 

Alright, I'll admit this last bit may be a bit petty and me giving into the "protect precious minoboy" instinct too much, but also, Luke's first meeting with Asterion is also just spiteful and mean - I know he tries to laugh it off as a joke "Just messing with ya buddy", but it went past rude and crude into mean. While I actually enjoy some of his attitude and how he's a chatterbox that doesn't mind being called out for putting his foot in his mouth (because he clearly lives in the mindset of "live fast to outrun the past and feelings", which is well done and interesting), it's just a really bad first impression for the guy I already decided I was giving the lounge to, before even meeting.

So in short, I felt like I didn't have agency. All I know is that I'm picking 'Someone Fun' or 'Someone Classy', and suddenly that choice is guaranteed to be who reshapes the lounge: Both the first real redesign in the hotel is taken by a guest, and then Luke's vision is a very divisive one that he sticks you with without trying to sell it to you. Even Kota does this, but his changes are... well, both more in line with what I would want, and much more normal and tame. 

Personally, I think I'd like the ability for MC to have a little input as the lounge is being redesigned - it doesn't have to change the background image or even be brought up again, but being able to temper (or encourage, for those inclined) some of Luke's wilder choices in the moment would feel much better, and likewise for Kota's changes, even if they're more normal. 

Sorry in advance if this comes a bit incoherent and overstretched, I tried to structure and edit it as best as I could.

I'm one of "I originally picked Luke, but I went back and chose Kota" people myself. According to survey, about 18% of respondents have done the same. The reason I think, is that choice and it's consequences are very vague. It worded "Whom do you want to bring to the Hotel? Some athletic and fun or someone thick and classy?". On this wording alone I probably expected someone more like hip gym teacher cracking dad jokes. And yeah, Luke is not everyone's idea of "fun", so I personally felt, that he's a bit mislabeled (more like sad, considering his introductory episode). But that is totally okay and don't really need a change, the real issue here is that, when you pick whether to bring to the Hotel either Luke, or Kote, the characters themselves are not yet introduced and the game doesn't really telegraph well, that this choice will affect who is in charge of lounge. So the players pick blindly and there is no real way to alter this choice other than reload. As I see, it can be fixed in two ways. First, easier one, as it brings minimal change to the script: both Luke and Kota could be introduced before MC makes the choice of whom they want to bring into the Hotel. Problem here is that will create a narrative blob, because both of character introductory episodes will be played one after another. I don't mind, but it will make plot a bit disconnected and it may fatigue players, especially those, who don't really care for guests. The second option: leave choice of bringing first guest as it is, but when the guest request to work at lounge add an additional choice on whether hire them on the spot, or refuse them saying something like "I' need some time to think about it", which prompts another choice when the second guest arrives, whether give lounge to Luke of Kota. The problem here is that this will require writing of additional scenes and four game states instead of two (two when second guest arrives and lounge is furnished, and two more when second guest arrives and lounge is unfurnished). But i think it is the better option, because players wouldn't feel as if they lack control over situation and the Hotel renovation.

Now, about Luke himself. I don't hate him... but not really a fan of him either. He is coming on very strong, which is absolutely not a bad thing, but it is bound to create more polarized opinions on him, especially in comparison and in contrast to mild-mannered Kota.  It doesn't really help, as RockJock posted above (and I mostly agree with everything in their comment), that when Luke first arrives in the Hotel, well... basically bullies Asterion (I know it's a cheap pun), which makes mother-bird instincts kick-in, at least for me and many other players, I imagine. I don't mind his whole USA quirk, but this Texas-loving truck-driving gun-blazing aesthetic leans heavily into image of conservatives and right (even far-right) wing, which are historically extremely anti-lgbt+. Though it can be really fun, enjoyable, and ironic then such stereotypes are played into gay-furry VN, I can see why some people might find it off-putting (especially considering global fatigue of right politicians, especially USA ones). That being said, I don't think you need to change Luke, at least not yet. You, as writers and developers have a hindsight - you know how his character will develop and the person he someday will become. We, as player, so far been only introduces to him and glimpsed barely one facet of his personality, so our perception of Luke naturally differs. It takes time to get accustomed with a character, at least couple more updates before he can truly be judged. You say you have interesting plans for Luke and I believe you. There are a lot examples of characters, who were initially ill received, but in process grew to be adored. Who knows, maybe Luke will be one of them. But there still bound to be people, who dislike him and it's okay. Yes, it is easier to make alterations early in development, but my word of advice - for now proceed with him as you planned without any changes. Monitor player's feedback, but first let them see more sides of Luke personalty, and if their opinion is still the not the one you hope for, only than make revisions.

Best wishes for you and inspiration.

I'm liking the game so far, but there are a few things that I personally found off-putting... First one being Luke's Extreme patriotism (not a fan of patriotism, much less when it evolves into fanatism, which it's what feels like with Luke) as the climate is with today's politics, politicians and how people are fed-up with the right and far-right I feel like the whole package of Texan, ultra-patriotic, and extremely promiscuous is an unfortunate and quite frankly a very cringe-inducing choice, that feels shallow and empty. 

Doesn't help how he harasses Asterion or the MC for that matter, or how incredibly rude and cruel he is with Asterion , doesn't help that the choice over who gets to run the lounge comes out of the blue without any information about who we'd end-up choosing... 

Another thing I'd like to point out is that it'd be good if the text boxes background for the dialog could be slowed down to a reasonable speed it'd be better (I find that speed very distracting, causes me to lose some dialog sometimes, especially with Luke's and Asterion's) 

Other than those issues I mentioned I'm loving this VN, and can't wait for the next update! Kudos to the Dev team! :) 

Well... I don't want to give too many spoilers, but... yes. Mino Hotel started as an interactive story on 4chan. Luke was one of our earlier characters and, suffice it to say, he does go through quite a few changes in attitude as the story goes on. As others raised points here I chose not to mention this fact because, well, the story has to stand up for itself without me explaining it.

But yes, thank you for the support, and you can relax knowing that it is constructive.

About Tech... Right now Luke doesn't interact differently based on the player's background, for the most part. There's only one or two lines where that happens in his segments so far. But that's not to say it will remain this way. We will see! :)