🔧Devlog 30: The Dedication System – Hobbies & Backgrounds Revamped (Patreon)

The old hobbies and past systems are now unified into a single mechanic: Dedications. These represent the passions and experiences Ren has dedicated himself to throughout his life. They act as unique skills and backgrounds that grant you access to exclusive in-game interactions and dialogues.

Right from your arrival at the club, you'll be able to choose 1 from 5 initial Dedications:

1) Criminal Past Dedication:

Previously, you could only pick this at the end of Chapter 1 (before the stadium). Now, this background kicks in much earlier. It opens up new conversation paths and gives you immediate insight into the underworld—feeding you crucial information about gangs, symbols, poisons, and the criminal lifestyle right from the start.

2) Underground Fighting Past Dedication:

Just like the Criminal Past, this dedication now impacts your game before you even reach the stadium. It grants you a fighter's experience (more stats in combat), providing practical knowledge on sports medicine and injury recovery, as well as insights into the combat styles of other characters you may find.

3) Fashion Dedication (new):

This is for those who love fashion, clothes, and secretly judg—... ahem, analyzing other people's outfits! Whether you imagine Ren as a former model, a photographer or just a massive fashion enthusiast, this dedication is for you. It allows you to read into what characters are wearing, what their clothes communicate, and how expensive their outfits are, unlocking exclusive fashion-related dialogues.

4) Medical Dedication(new):

Whether you roleplay as a former doctor, nurse, or health assistant, this dedication gives you extensive medical knowledge. It also grants you sweet discounts on medical supplies (yes, Lucas, this way you won't be so expensive!).

5) The Wildcard Dedication

I’m open to letting you choose a major Dedication to add to the game. I’ve narrowed it down to two options for you to vote on:

A) Technology Dedication.

This grants you a deep understanding of technology, from the complex systems used by the TrueClash Committee to everyday devices. It allows you not only to comprehend tech but also to bypass it.

Example: Imagine you need to talk to Matt, but a security guard is blocking the way. With this skill, you could hack the system, figure out which fighter’s identity you can spoof, and slip into the room. It’s a high-risk, high-reward path; if you get caught, things could get ugly.

B) Party Animal

This is the classic persona already featured in the game. Essentially, you are the soul of the party and know exactly how to have a good time. While it overlaps slightly with the 'Crime' path, it offers unique perks.

Example: Imagine you are on a beerpong tournament. This is your turft, there is no way you are losing that. So maybe even if your partner doesn't know how to play, you are good enough to come up on top.

If you are a Patron, head over to the poll post right now and cast your vote here: 🔗 https://www.patreon.com/posts/technology-vs-154062474

Q&A: Everything You Need to Know About Dedication

Q: How many Dedications are there? A: So far, there are 22 Dedications. I would love to add more, but at this point, I would have to rely on someone else to brainstorm and write all the specific situations and dialogues for them!

Q: Can we unlock them all in one go? A: Nope! You can only have a maximum of 3 Dedications per run (you can't do it all!). These choices will unlock unique insights, new conversations, and even make certain challenges easier. The ultimate goal is to make you truly feel like the specific version of Ren you chose to be.

Q: Which ones should I choose? Which are the most essential? A: Honestly? None of them are strictly "essential." However, the 5 initial Dedications you get to choose from at the start of chapter 1 are considered the Major Dedications . They bring the most content to the game and they are the ones I’ll be focusing on the most. To ensure you have variety in your gameplay, you can only pick 1 of these Major Dedications per run (leaving your other 2 slots open for minor Dedications you find later).

Q: I want to romance/recruit X or Y character... Do I have to select a specific Dedication to get them? A: No, you don't. Dedications are a way to make certain parts of the game easier, but primarily, they exist to make you feel immersed in the world. They give you your own unique strengths outside of being an awesome trainer! They are absolutely not mandatory to get close to any specific character.

Q: Is the system balanced? Are some Dedications better than others? A: Yes and no. Like I said above, the initial ones are the Major Dedications, so they naturally have more screen time and content. However, the other 17 minor dedications are still important. Some will give you a edge right at the beginning of the game, while others will only truly shine when Season 2 starts. Just choose what fits your roleplay style or the story you want to tell for that specific run!