Time for an update on whats going on with “the sequel” which still does not have a title yet.  Actually, I have not been working on it much the last month.   I knew this would happen though, because I know how I work.  I start by doing something creative which is rewarding but also a lot of work, and after a while I start to burn out.  So I start playing video games, which is relaxing and fun and easy, but after a while I start to get bored, and feel the need to do something creative.  And, the circle repeats.  This has been my pattern going on 20 years now, probably longer.  I figure this winter I’ll be back into creative mode until spring when I’ll be back into gaming mode.  This is why I gave myself a year to do something I could probably do in 6 months if I pushed myself.  Since I also know I do my best work when I am not pushing myself, its all good.  I just had to get that out.

Anyways, the last time I mentioned what was going on, I introduced a new version of Ariane.  When I did so, I was already done with her part of the story.  So I decided that for my next update I would introduce characters, that I am also already done with.

First up is Rebecca, the aggressive lesbian ex-stripper who works at the lingerie store.  You already know her from the first game of course.  My initial plan for her was to make her a major date character.  You would meet her at a gym in the morning, help her out with a big problem (in the form of a puzzle to solve), and she would reward  you by taking you out to dinner, and if dinner went well, she would take you to the strip club.  This was the original plan.  As usual plans change.

Rebecca suffers from the same ailment as the original Ariane: an old model in a new modeling environment that requires a lot of post work to look good.  Instead of creating a new version like I did with Ariane, I just switched her part with another minor character.  Her role got reduced.  As you can see, she still shows up at the gym.  She also makes an appearance in one of the possible Ariane dates, where an enlightening conversation takes place.  But I gave the “big problem” puzzle to another character, who is also skinny and blonde, but not a lesbian ex-stripper, which means a return trip to the strip club is out.  Luckily I came up with something better than a strip club, but that is a whole other story.

Second is Dave.  He is sort of the best friend/wing man who you may end up hanging out with.  I think of his personality as similar to Barney on How I Met Your Mother : Obsessed with sex, style, and picking up women.  Following him around means bar hopping.  The basic setting of the story is that you are new to town, and other than a date with Ariane, you have not had much of a social life.  Dave is the old friend from your old city who moved here before you did, so he is one of the few in your new town that you know.

Lastly, there is Stacy, aka the owner of the strip club you are no longer visiting with Rebecca.  The change in Rebecca’s story changed Stacy’s story too.  In the Date Simulator, she appears twice.  Once as the hostess of amateur night, and once on the cover of a porn magazine that you may attempt to purchase in the convenience store.  Since Stacy’s role got reduced, I figure it is only fair in the sequel to not only make the porn magazine purchasable, but also readable.  The first two pages of a 9 page spread are shown above.  The last three you have already seen in the first game:

Anyways, I need to get back to playing video games so I can get bored with them and feel motivated to work on the sequel project some more.