Cndyrvr4lf

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That was not my statement but short summary of what Darkmetal said.

Dude, are you on drugs? I guess you haven't seen me arguing, I was just comparing his interpretation with how DPC has introduced those systems. And yes, I wasn't aware that the status cup actually exist as it should be. Also I do like consequences in my games, thank you very much.

Let's drop for a second all that Sage's "fuck buddies" narrative, how M/J are ok with no string attached stuff and even Bella's encouraging MC to continue pursue Jill because "what happened was one-time thing" and turn to meta-side. So far, as you're well aware, two playthroughs are enough to see pretty much all the content (was there any at staying with Derek? not sure about that) and I'm pretty sure that DPC intend to keep it this way as long as possible because it's a decent balance between players who are demanding all at once (there was some ITT even, I remember) and players who are value grounded setting and believable enough approach (I, for one, wish the game has much more branches and restrictions). After reading Q&A from Feb., my guess is that there're will be almost no major restrictions till the end of season 2 at the very least. Hell, even beyond if the pace of storytelling will continue.
The only scene I can think of was with Rose at the Pink Rose.

Edit - I hate when I answer something and then hit enter and the screen refreshes and I'm late to the party
 
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Cndyrvr4lf

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It's not even clear if those LI really are cut off yet. Maya and Josy's dialog certainly leaves open the possibility that either could get together with a "just friends" MC down the line, if their relationship with each other falls apart again. Likewise an MC who refused to become Sage's fuck buddy flat out tells Sage it was her obsession with Chad that got in the way. So I think it's definitely possible we may not have reached the point where we have to choose a girl for good.

On a technically related note, to verify the wording when the MC talks about turning down Sage, I went to a playthrough where Maya and Josy were the only girls the MC had shown any real interest in. Given that, I find the following juxtaposition simultaneously amusing and very slightly depressing.
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It does strike me as a touch pandering to the "got to get them all" crowd that one of the least sexually open LI's is the one going with "no strings".
 
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Im replaying the game and there is no way there is an happy ending.
Jill and Sage are on their last year, Bella has issues that we acentuated and made it worse
Maya-Josy are finding themselves and what they want in life.
 

Holy Bacchus

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It's not even clear if those LI really are cut off yet. Maya and Josy's dialog certainly leaves open the possibility that either could get together with a "just friends" MC down the line, if their relationship with each other falls apart again. Likewise an MC who refused to become Sage's fuck buddy flat out tells Sage it was her obsession with Chad that got in the way. So I think it's definitely possible we may not have reached the point where we have to choose a girl for good.

On a technically related note, to verify the wording when the MC talks about turning down Sage, I went to a playthrough where Maya and Josy were the only girls the MC had shown any real interest in. Given that, I find the following juxtaposition simultaneously amusing and very slightly depressing.
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I know quite a few people think that that Maya picnic scene, with her saying they should all have "no strings attached", goes against her character, but I actually think it's an evolution of her character.

For the first 4 episodes, it's felt as though Maya has really defined herself and her life by her relationship with Josy. She depended on Josy so much for comfort and assurance because, apart from Derek, it seems like she didn't get much support or encouragement from anyone else, not just with their relationship, but in general. She also didn't know how to cope with them being apart and with the possibility that the relationship was going to end, and she also seems to have put a lot of weight into the relationship being her only chance at happiness and about what would happen in the future, as evidenced by M&J's hopeful plans to be together when they got to college that also briefly fell apart.

All of this meant that, when another promising, albeit surprising, relationship opportunity came along, she wasn't open to it, and she regrets not being open to it because of her dependancy on her current relationship and how she let it define her. So when she talks about "no strings attached", I think what she's realised is that she can't let a relationship define who she is and that she needs some time to really get to know herself and what she wants before committing to a relationship again. The same goes for Josy and the MC because they all rushed headlong into things, and they need some time to not only get their minds right, but spend more time with each other to see if this is what they really want.

It's a quick turnaround, sure, but it also feels like a very mature decision from Maya to not attach labels so early on and to just see if the relationship can grow naturally by not having any expectations or strings attached to it.
 
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Cndyrvr4lf

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It's the fact that it happens within 36 hours that makes it seem like it's forced. Brother I've heard of an epiphany before but that's an awfully fast change in mental direction, even you have to admit that? Especially without some serious traumatic situation to prod it.

Edit - Dammit it didn't quote you Holy Bacchus
 
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Templar Knight

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Same I was into Maya / Josy until Ep 4...now i dont want to do anything with them. Sage & Jill are my new waifus now
me too,since ep 1 i kept an eye on sage, when it came to the option of staying at her house and soon finally finalizing the route with her i didn’t think twice, even because Sage is the girl that suits me best.
 

Holy Bacchus

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It's the fact that it happens within 36 hours that makes it seem like it's forced. Brother I've heard of an epiphany before but that's an awfully fast change in mental direction, even you have to admit that? Especially without some serious traumatic situation to prod it.
It's a quick change, yes, and it's definitely done for plot reasons, but that doesn't mean it's not at least a plausible and sound reasoning for her actions.
 

Real Kreten

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My S-tier: 1- Josy, 2- Jill, 3- Jade.

It looks like I'm focused on the initials J, but that's not it. Believe me.
Maya has S-tier potential. But first, MC and Josy have to helpe her get spine again.
 

Kyo7evil

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Apr 20, 2019
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Did anyone had a change of heart about the girls after ep5? i sure have :D
so gentlemen your top 3 please, GO! :cool:

1. Jill
2. Sage
3. Josy (the best sex scene in the game so far, BRAVO!)

Josy stepped up for me in this episode, first with that beautiful emotional moment with her dad, HOT AF sex scene right after and also at hangout with Maya when she was suprised with Maya's stupid words that we should still keep things casual and have sex with other people. We can see that Josy doesn't want that, she wants MC and that's it :giggle:
1) JILL
2) Bella
3) Josy
 

Cndyrvr4lf

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It's a quick change, yes, and it's definitely done for plot reasons, but that doesn't mean it's not at least a plausible and sound reasoning for her actions.
Plausible yes sound reasoning I disagree. Plot reasons most definitely. I just can't agree with sound reasoning. This is a girl that less than a day and change ago told you to basically go fuck yourself if you are on the DIK path. I cant see her rationalizing that even though the night before last she was willing to throw you away now doesn't care if y'all sleep around in order to see what you want in life.
 
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ename144

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I know quite a few people think that that Maya picnic scene, with her saying they should all have "no strings attached", goes against her character, but I actually think it's an evolution of her character.

For the first 4 episodes, it's felt as though Maya has really defined herself and her life by her relationship with Josy. She depended on Josy so much for comfort and assurance because, apart from Derek, it seems like she didn't get much support or encouragement from anyone else, not just with their relationship, but in general. She also didn't know how to cope with them being apart and with the possibility that the relationship was going to end, and she also seems to have put a lot of weight into the relationship being her only chance at happiness and about what would happen in the future, as evidenced by M&J's hopeful plans to be together when they got to college that also briefly fell apart.

All of this meant that, when another promising, albeit surprising, relationship opportunity came along, she wasn't open to it, and she regrets not being open to it because of her dependancy on her current relationship and how she let it define her. So when she talks about "no strings attached", I think what she's realised is that she can't let a relationship define who she is and that she needs some time to really get to know herself and what she wants before committing to a relationship again. The same goes for Josy and the MC because they all rushed headlong into things, and they need some time to not only get their minds right, but spend more time with each other to see if this is what they really want.

It's a quick turnaround, sure, but it also feels like a very mature decision from Maya to not attach labels so early on and to just see if the relationship can grow naturally by not having any expectations or strings attached to it.
I like the idea, I just don't think the game does a good job conveying it. Or more precisely, the game has an inconsistent tone. It shouldn't simultaneously show the three of them talking about how their relationship is strange, complicated and different and in the same breath have Maya ask to treat it as just another one of the MC's many flings - even if the MC hasn't had any flings! It's especially jarring when the friendship path wants to emphasize just how strong Maya or Josy's feelings for the MC are after they rejected him.

It feels like the game is trying to have it both ways: play up how hard it will be to finally get a threeway relationship that goes the distance, but play down the need for commitment that gets in the way of pursuing the other girls (at least one of whom likely has future plot relevant dates in store for us).

That's what I find so funny about the two scenes I showed. Sage talks up how significant it is that the MC turned her down, but the truth is there's no significance behind it. It's not that the MC is saving himself for someone special, because he'll still balk at being tied down. It's not even that busty redheads aren't his type, because the MC says she's pretty and might still end up with her. It's just that I clicked on "No" during the guitar lesson and so the MC didn't make a move on her.

The game does such a good job blending the strings into the narrative that I usually don't notice them. This is one occasion where they're stuck dangling out in the open and it rankles more than it should.
 

chronomate

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Interesting interpretation, man. Affinity - something that reveals only under pressure, thus shows true nature of the main character. However, if we look at list of major dik choices, I'd say it's not the case:
Maybe not "under pressure", but revealing true character? I think it's pretty spot on:

-Beat up Troy/Fight Jocks/Fight Caleb/Hit Tybalt- Is violence an acceptable solution?
-Get the number of Quinn's restaurant/The Pink Rose: Party without limits- Is it okay to trade money for sex/use women as sexual objects?
-Mini-mart : Ignore Steve- Do you care about people in distress, even if it's someone you don't like personally?
-Gender Studies (Jade) : Take it further- Are you willing to cross the line with a teacher? With a married woman?
-Smoke weed- Are you okay with drug use?

While not all "under pressure" scenarios, I do think they are all scenarios that reveal something meaningful about MC's true character, depending on how you play him.

At some point MC will have to choose a single girl, I don't think that even M/J thing will drag through the entire game.
I think there will probably be a proper "threesome" ending with M/J, but it will likely be the trickiest one to get.

I mean that scene heavily implies it's mel
Agreed, I think Mel is Chad's side chick and Sarah knows, and Mel is asking Sarah for reassurance that she'll have her back when it hits the fan.

That said, since I was firmly in the "Chad is gay" camp until that scene, it does have me wondering what role, if any, Troy serves to the story. It seemed like he and Chad were going to be a thing, but now I'm thinking not, so what's Troy's deal? Just a red herring? Surely there's more to it than that...

It does strike me as a touch pandering to the "got to get them all" crowd that one of the least sexually open LI's is the one going with "no strings".
I don't think Maya is the least sexually open (of the main girls, that's probably Jill), I think she's the least sexually open WITH MEN. I also think the "no strings" thing makes sense coming from her, because she's scared she'll end up alone. If she keeps things open, she protects herself from being totally vulnerable, in case one or both of her lovers leaves her. She's also aware that both Josy and MC have been with other people, and if she clamps down they might pull away.
 
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Cndyrvr4lf

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I don't think Maya is the least sexually open (of the main girls, that's probably Jill), I think she's the least sexually open WITH MEN. I also think the "no strings" thing makes sense coming from her, because she's scared she'll end up alone. If she keeps things open, she protects herself from being totally vulnerable, in case one or both of her lovers leaves her. She's also aware that both Josy and MC have been with other people, and if she clamps down they might pull away.
I did say "one of the" not the least sexually open. However, your with men interpretation isn't accurate either. Other than Josy and the MC, Maya has 0% sexual (current) activity. She hasn't flirted with another girl that we see and in fact isn't open toward any other girl either. Case in point, look at when Quinn kisses her, Maya looks totally shocked that it's happening. I don't understand why Maya would want no strings when she isn't or hasn't been looking for alternatives. She knows or suspects that at least the MC has. So far both Maya and Josy have been faithful to the Poly, even before it was a poly, but she knows or suspects that the MC hasn't.
 
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