Mh, I really fear that you miss the point
Future ? Sequel ? Eternal Summer ?
If you just refer to a possible - not certain and until then unknown - sequel, you will loose interested players & fans. Why should they get an "unfinished game" which got some half-hearted support, if they just get appeased with promisises of an better sequel. It's quite possibe that you don't sell the amount of the first part to call it a "sucess", which would let you develop further (~ a main problem since you allready got the whole story/setting), so you have to do everything to please the customers and enhance the game. I don't like to say it - but currently I get the feeling of beeing a Beta-Tester. There are some major problems, which slows down the motivation playing the game. Beginning with just small mistakes like bugs, over to missing information in the manual/ingame which makes it hard to understand what to do, up to "exhausters" which really slows down the players. These ruin the game and even if I hate to saĆ½ it, currently it won't suprise me if upcoming reviews will continue blaming the game (~ actually I planned to refer the game to some friends, but I know they would callit boring how it is now). Academagia has a really nice approach - so please don't waste it. It won't help you or the game if you start denying the weak-points mentioned above. Just putting more effort in the next 1-2 weeks should be possible for all member of the developer team, so don't let it down with the feeling "Yeah - finally we released it. Let's see how long it takes to get some income.". You should offer a patch it in the next days should, which can't contain more content - since the current content needs a smoother gameplay first. So far the amount of content seems really good - just fix the problems for the players so he can enjoy it
A short summary of the key-hints that need to be concerned and fixed as soon as possible. They all can be "repaired" without too much effort - so please don't continue referring to an upcoming sequel which currently seems unlikely. Moreover think about the targeted people and how they would like to play
: Most urgent Improvements :
~ for Understanding ~
=> Fix the manual. There is no purple but red - for an unlikely option.
=> Mark the next day you like to act ! At the beginning - a new player don't know which day is the first and where he should change his actions (~ normally it could be "Monday").
=> Explain that you "prepare your action" at a location and that this will effect the attributes (bonus/malus) for the options at events. Neither in the manual nor ingame is it currently explained and it's really suprising to write an letter from the "Puzzle Box". Moreover, when you choose an location - an additional window like the one at the "Take action window" is recommended. This could describe the location and show the effect it has on your stats.
=> After you decided what to do - the information window at the right side should show the current state. It should show up which event currently occur and which effect it has. At the end there is allready an overview about it - but during the events you often don't know which of your task will be handled. Is it the adventure ? The study ? The gossiping ? You just get the event text but need some time to find out which action will be handled inthis event. To make it easier - it would help to show the "timeline-of-the-day-events" at the right window. The event you are currently could then be underlined at that time. If you want to make it even better - you could link the compas "thingie" at the right top. Clicking at this, would open the current/next day timeline to see what will be done. Giving directly acess through the link will be easier, since you don't need to use the "previous entry" button.
=> The abilities mentioned at the options should be turned around. I'am really gratefull that you mention them, but it doesn't seems right to read "Navigation. Chase after him and use a shortcut!". Thinking more of a roleplay - a more decent wait is recommended like the choice and then the require attribute. For example putting it in brackets afterwards: "Chase after him and use a shortcut! (Navigation)"
=> Add an option to show the current merit state. The player could click at the crest to see the current points. Currently there seems no other way to get the information - beside the daily results.
=> Add the information about "class skills" in the description of these or at least use a coloured tag for them.
=> More infromation about the Vitality maximum.
=> The "Activity effects" should be included on the "Pick activity for the day" window. Currently they just describe what you do - but don't show the effect, even though there would be enough space for the extra lines.
=> Fixed-stress modifers, just influenced by the location & actions. Even if you will probably say it's better for the players to choose getting a higher stess level and therefore increasing their stats temporarily, it's more confusing ! Cut it out and see how the feedback will be. Make it less complicated and increase the fun.
~ obvisouly Bugs (~ even if you call it feature) ~
=> Lets close the pheme menu if you change your opinion and don't like to cast a spell (~ see here). For any other action you don't need to know hoch much phemes you currently got - since they are just necessary for spells. Therefore the player needs a better view at his options instead.
=> The selecting mouse cursor. I know that it can be changed (~ so no excuses about that) and that there are many mouse cursor styles avaible. Just changed it to a quill or something like that - everything is better than a standard windows arrow. Moreover there is no use in selecting + copy & paste.
~ enhanced Gameplay ~
=> Splitted creation process. You definitly saved some space at the wrong place. Cut them like "Astrology" with the 5 options then continue with Heritage etc. It's really better to have a good overview about some options - than getting confused since you got to much. Moreover you should add the page numbers, so that you get at least some feeling of how many points you can use or have to spare. Don't forget that you can select the allready choosen ones to - for getting information about them.
=> Hitting the "confirming-button" effect. The player really needs some feedback - at least some glowing - if he hit it and wait to continue (~ in the calendar & events).
=> Use the right-click mouse button for getting back or closing a window (~ see action window in the middle, when you are at the calendar, and information window at the right side for the discriptions).
=> If don't like to edit the font size - at least recommend a resolution or let the game start in such. If it's coded for 800x600, then lets run in it instead of having problems reading the words in 1200x800.
=> Information window. You got me wrong ! You should be able to scroll with the mouse-wheel for reading (~ since its much smoother than allways clicking), but it doesn't should scroll down for the next lines but more scroll at the next page. You allreay implented that information-window-system for the attributes and the events (~ at least there you can scroll to read the next page !), why not for every discription at the information window. It's quite annoying not just to scroll up again to see the portrait for a new class-mate, but moreover you loose the overview. If you would use the first page for a potrait, then scroll down which let the window show the next page with a background discription and then scroll down to show the last page with pure facts - it's much easier to read and understand. This would solve the problem of starting the information-window at the top and allows a fluently reading.
=> Show the options just at the end. You got mistaken by some serious points. At first - Academagia is not just a linear-Adventure. So if a player will replay the game - he will probably seek for a challenge and make different choices than before. He won't get a high chance to solve the same adventures in a while and even if he does - he probably forgot what happend in that event exactly. No one who "click-through" a game would spend 25$ to get Academagia - believe me. For the casual gamers who just like to click further, there are many cheaper puzzles game at the market. At second - if you think you customers got such a behavior - you totally missed your audience. Just clicking through ? If they wan't to skip an event - they could still scroll down to the last page and then choose the path. Reveiling the answers right from the beginning isn't just stupid/unreasonable - but furthermore it takes the suspense if you know what could hapen before you read them. I allready linked the idea of Gamebooks and I guess you know such. Your game is somekind of succesor to it, so don't get rid of the good parts.
=> "Enter"-Hotkey to confirm the save-file.
So far I will stop posting suggstions until these got solved. It doesn't make sense to collect more - if the old and necessary ones doesn't get the attention they need. Hopefully you can fix them fast and send the reviewer the patch - so they can see you care about the project & the gamers. Moreover they could edit the reviews and concern the enhancements
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@all: If anyone agree or disagree with me - please don't wait and tell me and Black Chicken Studios here. I guess some devs think thats only my opinion so far and that everyone else like the game how it is now, without any required changes. Let them see how they can improve the game and get a better feedback from the upcoming audience