Options
At the beginning of the game, the character was at his/her own captain's quarter and facing many choices involving the morning routine. In the closet, the player can choose to portray the character in a variety of styles. It can be as simple and basic as a black sleeveless shirt and a pair of dark jeans. Yet, it can also be as crazy and creative as a hot pink Gaming's Feminist Illuminati t-shirt, galaxy leggings, a pair of aquarium platform shoes, and a paisley-print bowtie. Another hidden option was to walk straight out of the quarter without cleaning up or dressing up. Facing the reminder of the game, the player could choose to ignore it or go back and make some changes. The different combinations of outfit reflected the attitude the player holds as a person when he/her present as a person in the society. Beyond styles, it revealed more of one's personality while associating with others: would you like to present yourself to fit in the social norm? Would you like to be the rebel who goes all the way opposite? Or, are you even bothered to finish the essential steps?
Another occasion where the player needs to make a decision is when the friend is introduced in the game. While knowing he/she is a "friend and trusted advisor," the player can choose to treat this individual romanticly, greeting as a professional relation, or recalling old memories together like old friends. Meanwhile, this choice relates the question about whether a person is willing to have a non-commital intimate interaction and whether one is nostalgia or not. This option reflected the player's world view and judgment, which would affect what actions to take to treat each other.
Towards the end of the game, when the character realizes the fact that Frankie is no longer on his/her side, the choice would determine how much information the player would be able to obtain. This decision serves as a reflection of how well can the player deal with an unexpected situation/emergency. If the player can keep calm, then more facts will be revealed; if the player smashes the phone and refuse to have more conversations with Frankie, than a massive chunk of information will be left out.
Most of these options would not change the ending at all; yet they are still significant in the story telling, for the different choices can change the personalities and characters of the protagonist, which makes his/her adventure more interesting to the player. As my collegue, Venice Villescas, rightly stated in her analysis on game "Facade," the ability to make choices in games allow players to experience different scenarios that wouldn't exist in real life.