#and it sucks cause ofc they did this shit with the supporting cast thats majorly poc

[peachiseas]

I would like to hear about the side character treatment too please... I do remember feeling like there weren't enough reactions on both sides. I think the MC being quiet didn't bother me too much because I usually pick the quiet/shy options, but there were definitely more moments where I wish they could have talked or like... the ice cream moment broken up over suddenly 21 questions while eating ice cream.

Derek's DLC always makes me cry due to the fact that I struggle with his exact issue a lot even now and do not know how to not overwork myself or always put everyone else first so it always ends up hitting a bit too close to home oops

I adore Derek's struggle and like thematics in his DLC, especially in a time where everything is super uncertain and no one I know my age are feeling fulfilled especially with their college experiences. Imo its genuinely just so good and handled so well, and his family + Liz are my favorite batch of side characters just from how developed they are and how much they care for Derek and the MC respectively. (Very long post ahead bout side characters underneath the readmore)

That being said, Baxter's DLC side characters... to put it simply, Miranda and Terry were done extremely dirty in the DLC that was supposed to have them feature as supporting characters. We barely get any noteworthy character development with them beyond the redundant one note "oh they like each other but haven't said anything about it" which was the same plotline before the DLC was even worked on. And then when you think Step 4 we're going to see their motivations outside the basic one note "we like each other" plotline, they get their roles essentially replaced with Jude and Scott who we are supposed to care as much for despite the fact we don't know much of anything about them until step 4 and even then their both still one note. Xavier was there to egg on Baxter and MC scenarios but the whole thing falls flat if your MC isn't on good terms with Baxter, it reads like once again an overstep on boundaries.

With Jorge and Nico, you got to know them but you also saw them grow Outside of the mc and see them develop their own hobbies, fashion sense and different views on the world. Nico can straight up not like the MC but explains his reasoning and put that ill will behind him and it is Believable. Jorge has issues with being the middle child and that feeling of neglect in comparison to his younger brother and that whole fight was just excellent writing because you see so much development and plotlines come to a head that when they make up, it feels Satisfying. I think that became a staple in regards to Our Life characters, you expect the characters to be well written because most of the time they are!

But what do we know about Miranda beyond her basic occupation and one hobby? How does she feel about Jude and Scott arguing? How does she feel about Baxter beyond the mc? Does she disapprove of him now? It is one thing to write characters who are more quiet and reserved but it's another thing to make a bare bones character and equate no character development to being shy. Miranda is a nothing character and it's so weird that her brother gets more personality than she does and he's only in one step.

But Terry is so much worse in comparison, we get Terry accidentally making jokes at the MC's own expense which is such an insane thought to me because he should be far more aware of any potential issues because from what was written in his lackluster parts in step 3, he is hyperaware of societal norms and what should be said and what shouldn't. There is no care for Terry at all and we still know absolutely NOTHING about him beyond the fact he's the friend who has a van, has a girlfriend, is Cove's best friend and is a lifeguard. He has no motives, he doesn't actually have any narrative reason to be in Baxter's DLC beyond the fact that Miranda likes him. You could replace Terry's entire presence in step 3 and 4 with Cove or Derek and nothing would change whatsoever. I think it’s even worse considering he’s the first explicitly trans character in game and the only black trans character in the game. It felt like they didn’t even try.

In fact, that's the main issue with the entire set of supporting cast in this DLC. You could replace them and nothing would change, they are just there to waste play time and prop up Baxter to make him look good but they have no character development or plot development at all! You have Jorge, Nico and hell, even Liz had so much development in Derek's DLC that it felt organic to them! But we see none of this with any of the supporting characters in the cast, especially Miranda and Terry who deserved far more than just a forced plotline about having a trip together just so you can Once again have Baxter come in and be the good guy so the MC can't help but feel like he's becoming a better person! They are just shells of what little characters they already were and it's just so transparent that the devs thought diversity quota first and character development second when writing them that it's so disappointing having it be so full force in this DLC.