Hitchhikers

A hitchhiker choice between Joy and Miranda

> ***"TBA"***
>
>

> *- Explanation for the hitchhiker mechanic*
>
>

**Hitchhikers** are a mechanic in *Monster Roadtrip*.

There are currently 20 hitchhikers total: 12 in the base game (plus Polly Geist and Scott Howl, who are mechanically similar but always present), 4 post-launch update hitchhikers, and 4 paid DLC hitchhikers.

## Obtaining

Hitchhikers can be obtained at the Bus Stop during the Rest Stop section at the end of any week, by any player. By default, the game will offer two random available hitchhikers, but if a player visits the Map Board and chooses to call a specific hitchhiker, said hitchhiker will be guaranteed to appear in the Bus Stop in the following week.

Picking up a new hitchhiker will replace any old one, and they will no longer be active. Any NPC characters with a playable counterpart currently active will be unavailable at the Bus Stop or Map Board, unless the customization option "Self Love" has been enabled. Picking up all hitchhikers across various runs will unlock the "Road Kindness" achievement.

## Mechanics

All hitchhikers have a hitchhiker effect, a unique road event, 4 standard conversations and 1 deep conversation, and 1 date ending. Some are also required to unlock Layers for a destination. Every hitchhiker is mechanically identical with the same features, bar some minor differences for Polly and Scott.

### Hitchhiker Effects

All hitchhikers feature a unique effect (Polly and Scott's are the same). These are triggered when a hitchhiker is picked up, and after each subsequent conversation with them. These can vary greatly in effect, from radically altering gameplay by switching stats by large quantities and affecting future stat changes, or be purely cosmetic.

Milo Belladonna's hitchhiker effect is required for the "Not Today" achievement. Reaching destinations with their "inconvenient" hitchhiker (whose effect results in a loss of the required stat for the destination) is required for the "Against all Odds" and "Come Hell or High Water" achievements. These are as follows:

* Hype/Knifeland - Liam de Lioncourt
* Magic/Dreamed Dominions - Joy Johnson-Johjima
* Mind/Cryptid Prom - Miranda Vanderbilt
* Money/Merkingdom Feast - Aaravi Mishra
* Soul/City of Vice - Vera Oberlin
* Stamina/Veranotone - Damien LaVey

### Road Events

Road events will replace the standard road events that appear during a random turn, once per week. They always feature the hitchhiker NPC, but are otherwise similar to any other event. These will be replaced by plotline events, if one is active. Polly and Scott do not feature these since they are always active.

### Conversations

Each hitchhiker has four standard conversation topics (Polly has eight, Scott has 9). When reusing the Bus Stop during the weekend Rest Stop, the player can choose to talk to the existing hitchhiker, instead of replacing them. (For Polly and Scott, the benches are used instead). Two random topics that have not been seen prior this run will be offered to the player, which they may select freely.

Conversations feature the player character and the hitchhiker talking about the chosen topic, primarily the hitchhiker discussing something about their life. These often reveal lore, usually directly related to the character but often also worldbuilding the Monster Prom universe, and while comedic they are tonally more serious than most events. All player characters have the same dialogue and generic sprites and voice lines, they do not differ in any way beyond appearance.

There is no player initiative or action required during a standard conversation that will affect the gameplay beyond it. After the conversation is completed, the hitchhiker's effect will be activated.

#### Deep Conversations

Each hitchhiker has one deep conversation (Polly and Scott have two). After one (two for Polly and Scott) standard conversation has been finished with a hitchhiker, initiating another conversation will only offer one option, marked with a heart. Unlike standard conversations, partway through, the conversation will be interrupted by a three choice prompt for the player. Rather than choosing based on stats or simple logic, these prompts require the player to pay attention to hints about what the NPC character wants from the player, and pick the answer that fulfills their desire. Some of these attributes are more obvious than others. On Easy, the prompt is impossible to fail since you get two retries if you choose incorrectly, and on Normal you get one retry. On Hard the first try always counts.

If failed, stats are unaffected but the hitchhiker will leave the game for the rest of the run. After successfully completing a deep conversation, the date ending with this hitchhiker is available. Failing deep conversations unlocks the "Bad Date" and "Very Bad Date" achievements.

### Date Endings

After completing a deep conversation, the player will be prompted to answer "*Is [hitchhiker name]... More than a friend?*" Selecting "No" has no further effect, while choosing yes will trigger a date ending. This is locked in for the rest of the run, however, if the hitchhiker is removed from the game or replaced by another, the date will be lost. In addition, if Friend Hugger mode is not selected and the player then meets the conditions for the Loser ending, this will override the date.

The date ending features unique art of both the player and hitchhiker, as well as written dialogue, taking place after the main destination ending and other individual player endings. This is considered unique art in the gallery and a unique Good ending in the statistics.

Only one hitchhiker may be in play at once, however since Polly and Scott are in play at all times, up to three date endings can be achieved (though two must be Polly and Scott every time). Completing date endings unlocks the "Road Fling", "Road Love", and "Road Casanova" achievements.

### Layers

Destinations have two extra "layers" of art, unlocked after completing a number of runs. One layer is unlocked by completing the related plotline, and the other by arriving while traveling with a certain hitchhiker. These are hinted at by the notes below each destination. The date ending is not required to unlock the layer.

* Hype/Knifeland - Damien
* Magic/Dreamed Dominions - Aaravi
* Mind/Cryptid Prom - Moss Mann
* Money/Merkingdom Feast - Miranda
* Soul/City of Vice - Vera
* Stamina/Veranotone - Liam

## Gallery

Monster Roadtrip - All Conversations - May 2023Gameplay recording of all conversationsAn example bus stop interactionAn example conversationAn example deep conversationThe conversation backgroundAn example date endingDate ending background