I was thinking, for time skipping you could use bars and food stands for a more immersive time skip, and to possibly add some extra NPC interactions.
So basically, you can sit at a bar/booth/food stand, select the amount of time you want to skip.
Skipping would probably cost money if you're in a bar/food stand (maybe not if you're a regular at that place.) otherwise they toss your ass out after about an hour.
Can also have an option to require eating and or "unwinding" in the game options. You get a debuff if you don't.
You'd be able to pick how much money you want to spend and this might affect buffs you get, ie blowing a lot of money drinking top shelf would give a higher mood buff that lasts a few in-game days. I know it does for me IRL, or did when I was younger anyway.
Food stands would give a more short term health buff, but higher end meals would give a longer term small mood and larger health buff.
There could also be events that trigger off these that can give street cred. Possibly with interactions.
Eating/partying at certain establishments give more street cred too. Ie. Being seen at an exclusive place.
This might be a way to make contacts too. Ie, with a certain amount of cool/street cred you can maybe walk up to one of those booths in Lizzies with a group and get to know them which might lead to romance/casual romance/job/quest options.
If you're planning on expanding the reputation system: then establishment type would matter. Ie high end exclusive places might give you cred with corps/celebrities etc, lower end exclusive give you cred with gangs etc.
As for the implementation, I'm thinking use the time skip montage thing you already have, and yes you can sometimes send us off the rails like getting kicked out of the club you started with and ending up at another or back at your apartment with a bunch of texts detailing what you did (probably overexagerated depending on the texter.)
Ie. Having a fight break out then waking up in your bed with a text message from a friend about dragging your ass back to your apartment or in the back alley if you weren't with a friend.
Note, your rep with a club or it's employees might affect this. Ie. if you're friends with Claire she's not likely to leave you passed out behind Afterlife, but in a new bar, who knows, or maybe you were sober enough to tell the bouncer to call Delamain or a fixer and they sent a car for you if they like you enough.
Note you should probably have a slider during the skip that goes from "safe" to "let's get f***ed up" but you could also use past player interactions to affect this. Ie players that pick impulsive options a lot might not have a truly safe option.
Inviting friends along should be available too obviously.
Some of the more advanced options here would require more storyboarding and VA studio work so I'd be ok with this being a paid DLC as long as the VA work and dialog is solid.
So basically, you can sit at a bar/booth/food stand, select the amount of time you want to skip.
Skipping would probably cost money if you're in a bar/food stand (maybe not if you're a regular at that place.) otherwise they toss your ass out after about an hour.
Can also have an option to require eating and or "unwinding" in the game options. You get a debuff if you don't.
You'd be able to pick how much money you want to spend and this might affect buffs you get, ie blowing a lot of money drinking top shelf would give a higher mood buff that lasts a few in-game days. I know it does for me IRL, or did when I was younger anyway.
Food stands would give a more short term health buff, but higher end meals would give a longer term small mood and larger health buff.
There could also be events that trigger off these that can give street cred. Possibly with interactions.
Eating/partying at certain establishments give more street cred too. Ie. Being seen at an exclusive place.
This might be a way to make contacts too. Ie, with a certain amount of cool/street cred you can maybe walk up to one of those booths in Lizzies with a group and get to know them which might lead to romance/casual romance/job/quest options.
If you're planning on expanding the reputation system: then establishment type would matter. Ie high end exclusive places might give you cred with corps/celebrities etc, lower end exclusive give you cred with gangs etc.
As for the implementation, I'm thinking use the time skip montage thing you already have, and yes you can sometimes send us off the rails like getting kicked out of the club you started with and ending up at another or back at your apartment with a bunch of texts detailing what you did (probably overexagerated depending on the texter.)
Ie. Having a fight break out then waking up in your bed with a text message from a friend about dragging your ass back to your apartment or in the back alley if you weren't with a friend.
Note, your rep with a club or it's employees might affect this. Ie. if you're friends with Claire she's not likely to leave you passed out behind Afterlife, but in a new bar, who knows, or maybe you were sober enough to tell the bouncer to call Delamain or a fixer and they sent a car for you if they like you enough.
Note you should probably have a slider during the skip that goes from "safe" to "let's get f***ed up" but you could also use past player interactions to affect this. Ie players that pick impulsive options a lot might not have a truly safe option.
Inviting friends along should be available too obviously.
Some of the more advanced options here would require more storyboarding and VA studio work so I'd be ok with this being a paid DLC as long as the VA work and dialog is solid.