I am so happy and really rather proud of myself, I’ve just finished implementing a new optional interaction system in City of Sin – The Nocturne Files, and I wanted to briefly explain what it does and why it matters going forward.
This new functionality that will be introduced in the next update provides players with out of story interactions that exist alongside the main narrative rather than inside it.
What does that mean?
Certain encounters are now:
Optional
Player initiated
Persistent
And aware of past choices
Rather than being forced story beats, these moments arrive naturally via Kate’s phone and the player decides if, when, and how to engage with them.
You can:
Respond immediately
Put it off
Decline entirely
Or return later with the game remembering what you did the last time
No timers. No punishment. No “wrong” choice.
🔁 Repeat Visits, Escalation & Memory
If you choose to return to an encounter more than once, the game remembers:
Who Kate previously chose
How many times she’s gone back
Whether she hesitated or committed
And adjusts future interactions accordingly
Repeat visits don’t simply “loop” content, they escalate, both in tone and intensity and this lays the groundwork for:
Returning encounters that deepen over time
Familiarity changing power dynamics
Tension building naturally rather than instantly
🌆 Why This Matters
City of Sin is about choice, consequence, and control, not just in investigations, but in Kate’s personal life.
This system allows players to:
Shape Kate’s routine
Decide how she seeks comfort, distraction, or risk
Interpret her choices in their own way
Engage with the city beyond the critical path
It also gives me a flexible framework to expand content without breaking pacing or story flow.
👀 What’s Next?
This same system will be used for:
Additional repeatable characters
Escalating side encounters
Optional tension-driven interactions
And future opportunities introduced earlier in the story
(Some of you will already have an idea of who and what that might involve.)
🖤 Final Note
Nothing in this system is mandatory.
Nothing is rushed.
And nothing exists purely for shock.
It’s about letting you decide how Kate navigates her life between the bigger moments and letting those decisions quietly shape what comes next.
As always, thank you for playing, testing, and pushing this game forward with your feedback.
— DoAdventures