I've been idly thinking about a visual novel project I'd make if
- I could code worth a damn
- I could draw worth a damn
- I had the patience and/or self-confidence to take on a big project like that
It would be like a dating sim, except not really: there would be many important characters who each have a route, but not all of them would end in intimate sexy/romancytimes. The characters would include:
- A huge asshole who's always trying to dominate and be the alpha, you know what I mean. Lashes out at the world because they're physically frail and bitter at having been infantilized and thought of as just weak and cute and innocent all the time.
- Someone with a hero complex who's always going around helping others out of the goodness of their heart, but is oblivious to the fact that a lot of the time, their help isn't even needed or wanted. Has self-worth issues that they smother underneath a facade of "typical anime hero".
- Someone who's descended from a lineage with a really bad reputation, but is still a really nice and gentle person. Actually neurotically and borderline self-destructively nice and gentle precisely because of the hatred their lineage gets, along with their own self-hatred for being part of it.
- The charming flirt who hits on everyone; actually an aromantic asexual who thinks they're broken and overcompensates.
- An air-headed, absent-minded comic relief character who's picked on a lot but doesn't seem to mind. Actually hates being seen as nothing but a joke and craves to connect with someone on a real level (also the airheadedness and absent-mindedness are actual mental issues they're painfully self-aware about)
There would also be magic, and the main character would be an empath. This would be a gameplay mechanic.
Also everyone would be an animal, because SYMBOLISM!!1!