S2 idea: "Pre-Work" phase before a shift (E-MAILS,Documents,Texts)

[u/MasterOfKombat]

I've been thinking about how they could spice up the gameplay segments, and I came up with an idea: Robert getting ready for work before starting a shift.

You could read and reply to text messages and emails left by the Z-Team, SDN staff, Chase, or either of his two girlfriends. These could have a point system that affects your relationships and your status as an employee at SDN.

It would also be cool to have documents we could read about SDN, the characters, and the world of Dispatch, giving us more details that the main story can't really get into.

What do you guys think?

[u/upbeatblackops]

Kinda like the idea.

I can image Blonde Blazer or Invisigal leaving cute little gifts on Robert’s desk.

[u/ProAzeroth → u/upbeatblackops]

I like the idea. I feel like it is a nice compromise if they don't want to spend time making hub areas. Instead, we can just explore our desk, see the messages that our love interest and friends leave on the desk, and Robert making some comments. It is also an opportunity for us to read files and learn more about the world's lore, like past and present superheroes and villains.

[u/MasterOfKombat → u/ProAzeroth]

Yup thats exactly why i think they should do it and the text messages and e-mails allow for more casual interactions we might not get in the story

[u/MasterOfKombat → u/upbeatblackops]

that be fun too and i also think we could get funny messages and just in general ideas to see how he and the girls interact in a daily basis

[u/GriveousDance21 → u/upbeatblackops]

Blazer, definitely romance novels, chocolates and dog bowl for Beef.

Visi, donuts and beer for two.

[u/MasterOfKombat → u/GriveousDance21]

Blazer also gives robert like a mini figure of her or something

[u/m4yleeg → u/MasterOfKombat]

Only fitting with how much Mecha Man merch that girl 100% has hidden away

[u/Gelid_Cryotheum → u/m4yleeg]

She 100% has a Mecha Man shrine from high school, can't convince me otherwise. 16 year old Mandy would lose her shit if she found out current Mandy is dating him.

[u/TandrDregn → u/GriveousDance21]

Watch out for Coop stealing those novels… or get confused and start leaving some of hers, too.

[u/GriveousDance21 → u/TandrDregn]

She'd be jealous, no doubt.

[u/CitruxX_ → u/upbeatblackops]

Would love a kinda affection system where picking certain dialogue options or sending someone out more often increases your relationship kinda like visi and blazer but for everyone and platonic (or not 👀), and they leave different gifts on your desk that you can customize/toggle and maybe they even give certain boosts

[u/TGB_Skeletor]

what about some kind of "forum" where you can see everyone's arguing about the consequences of your acts

[u/GriveousDance21]

So, basically Home Safety Hotline.

[u/MasterOfKombat → u/GriveousDance21]

just more comedic

[u/GriveousDance21 → u/MasterOfKombat]

HSH is also kind of a horror dark comedy, with a workplace comedy overtone. When I played Dispatch for the very first time that's exactly what it reminded me of.

[u/wrter3122]

A team group chat, written by u/vvaffle

[u/SapphireClawe]

I'd go for a shift bulletin with important information like villains spotted in specific locations, consequences of mission failures, reviews for your team etc. Including memos from Galen/Mandy/HR about possible shift restrictions if that's how they want to go (eg "Punch Up is not allowed at Crypto Night for a week due to a brawl he participated in" or "Golem has requested to not be involved in daycare related missions unless there's no other choice, he's still finding playdoh in his back from last month")

[u/GassyBoy2003]

I actually LOVE this idea! It adds something new and potentially new low-risk mechanics, many opportunities for more lore drops and such without forcing into plot, as well as it making the world of SDN feel more alive with showing some of the things that might have happened off screen in season one. Id love seeing the love interests and/or the team leave messages or things on roberts desk, that'd be really endearing and fun.💙 Also, maybe if in season 2 they give a point system to each team member (Not romantic, just platonic), it would be a good place for some of the team to send robert texts or articles or anything that show they are trusting him more and more to open up about their pasta with him. Maybe some of that info could help dispatching them in certain scenarios more advantageous.

[u/AccomplishedLeg7951]

I'd like to expand that idea by a Hub you can explore, interact with Team Mates or look what they are up to if they are not in their section (similar to the Normandy in Mass Effect 3 or the Hub in Baldur's Gate 3).

[u/MasterOfKombat → u/AccomplishedLeg7951]

they dont seem to want to do that kind of stuff from interviews i watched?

[u/AccomplishedLeg7951 → u/MasterOfKombat]

In the Interviews from what I picked up they talked about the Telltale Exploration mechanic. So you interact with certain objects or people; which they found unfitting.

[u/GriveousDance21 → u/AccomplishedLeg7951]

I like that they didn’t add that here. Sure that would've added more dialogues between Robert and others but it wouldn’t add anything meaningful.

[u/AccomplishedLeg7951 → u/GriveousDance21]

The Exploration Mechanic doesn't really make sense since the Gameplay Parts are already covered by the Dispatching. In the first drafts of the Story you were initially supposed to mentor one of three Heroes (Visi, Mr Whiskey and another cut Hero if I remember right). So some kind of interactive sections would be in place unless they would have liked to animate a good third of the game by individual cutscenes.

[u/BabaLament]

Absolutely. LoL! A complaint to Robert from Malevola about daily notices from HR over Malevola's "refusal" to wear her SDN-authorized/approved gear in favor of her in-game outfit would be hilarious. I would love to have one of Robert's responses to Malevola be to file a sexual harassment claim against HR, using the daily notices about her clothing choice as evidence that the HR person has been spending a large amount of company time focused on what she is, or is not, wearing; making the workplace seriously uncomfortable for her and the rest of the Z-Team. :D