VN Ren'Py Ripples [v0.8.0 Public] [Jestur]

[BartPS]

For those wondering how time works in Ripples, it's more complicated that simply either "fixed" or "variable". The Mystery Man lays out as much as he has worked out just before he returns the MC to 2019. I'll copy most of that below but for the TL;DR version:

• Small things are variable - big things probably not
• When you try to change big events, you often end up causing them - e.g. the MC trying to warn Jenny not to work at the power station.
• The Mystery Man is trying to figure out a way to change big events

Anyway, I'll attach of my save at that point for those interested (it's saved on p. 20 so it shouldn't overwrite anything). Select "Can I save my dad or Jenny" from the menu.

Alternatively, here is most of the text from that monologue:

Time is a funny thing...
It's only in looking back that it's easy to connect the dots. To see exactly why everything needed to happen the way that it did.
But finding these dots and connecting them is a different story... It's a massively complex labyrinth that time has put together for us.
A puzzle we were never meant to solve.
...
One of the reasons I needed you to do the things you did today was so that I could observe from the outside.
Things are still unclear to me. It almost seems like events are fixed in time, but I'm seeing small things that make me question that.
I don't know if the information I received is correct from an observer's standpoint to make that judgement yet.
...
And yes, it seems to be a fixed timeline but [...] I'm seeing tiny deviations that make me question that. Which shouldn't happen in a fixed timeline.
...
Let's say you went back in time to stop a fatal car crash from happening.
You know where the car crash happens, so you put up a construction roadblock sign and cones in the middle of the road to divert the car away from the crash site.
But the driver is traveling too fast and swerves to try to miss the construction roadblock and flies off the road and crashes anyways.
So next time you try to hold up a sign that says "Road Work Ahead" so the driver will slow down before the construction roadblock.
But a powerful gust of wind rips the sign from your hand and it lands on the windshield of the car, causing it to crash again.
You keep trying over and over again, but no matter what you do, the driver always dies.
You might be able to change how it happens, but it happens... Over and over again.

 

[BartPS]

I noticed a slight continuity error. In Ep. 2 the MC still states that he doesn't realize that Seger's is a lingerie store but in Ep. 1 Daphne not only refers to it as "Seger's Lingerie" but mentions that the lingerie Krystal was wearing that night was from there and that she has the same one in blue. Looks like when the scene was rewritten during the Ep. 1 update it was overlooked that it would create a conflict.

Aha! Another "continuity error"! I previously pointed out the change in the relationship between the MC's dad and Tiffany, but I'm really beginning to wonder if these are really clues.

 

[Phase_01]

Aha! Another "continuity error"! I previously pointed out the change in the relationship between the MC's dad and Tiffany, but I'm really beginning to wonder if these are really clues.

What was the relationship change?

With this "continuity error", and that scene before Krystal bathroom scene, where theres a person hiding behind the locker behind the principal (who looked vaguely like the MC's silhouette to me), I'm starting to think the episode 1 remaster is hinting that this is not the first time MC has time travelled, aka not the first loop or whatever way can be understood (like when the masked man made MC go back, he probably caused whatever happened to happen, so it was like the beginning of that timeline, but these hints make it seem like its actually happened before)

Not sure if this makes sense but just a theory

 

[BartPS]

What was the relationship change?

With this "continuity error", and that scene before Krystal bathroom scene, where theres a person hiding behind the locker behind the principal (who looked vaguely like the MC's silhouette to me), I'm starting to think the episode 1 remaster is hinting that this is not the first time MC has time travelled, aka not the first loop or whatever way can be understood (like when the masked man made MC go back, he probably caused whatever happened to happen, so it was like the beginning of that timeline, but these hints make it seem like its actually happened before)

Not sure if this makes sense but just a theory

Interesting - I'll have to take another look at that scene. Yet more grist for my growing obsession with this story.

Anyway, the relationship change is that both the introduction and the MC's thoughts at breakfast in Ch 1 refer to Steven and Tiffany as merely "close friends". However, when in conversation with Riley, she reveals that she "started to fall in love with your father," the MC responds: "But umm... My dad was with Tiffany. Was he cheating on her?" So clearly, a lot more than close friends.

Now that I think about it, that chapters 1-4 were remastered also makes me doubt that any of these "errors" are not deliberate.

 

[Phase_01]

Interesting - I'll have to take another look at that scene. Yet more grist for my growing obsession with this story.

Anyway, the relationship change is that both the introduction and the MC's thoughts at breakfast in Ch 1 refer to Steven and Tiffany as merely "close friends". However, when in conversation with Riley, she reveals that she "started to fall in love with your father," the MC responds: "But umm... My dad was with Tiffany. Was he cheating on her?" So clearly, a lot more than close friends.

Now that I think about it, that chapters 1-4 were remastered also makes me doubt that any of these "errors" are not deliberate.

as far as I know 2-4 werent remastered, but I swear theres some revisions here and there

The story is one of the one's I'm most interested in of the games on this site, I can't wait till we get more into it and all the pieces start coming together

 

[Walter Victor]

For those of you who play the un-patched version of this game, just know that you will have a different impression of how who relates to whom, and who might be the parent of whomever, than those who play the patched version. One player might well not know what another player is talking about, because each has experienced the game differently.

My belief, for what it's worth, is that the incest version is canon. I'm not a subscriber on SubscribeStar, but I am willing to wager the version provided there is solely the incest version, plus incest patches on LewdPatcher are invariably placed there by the developer.

If you play the non-incest version, for whatever reason - it's none of my business, just know that there are going to be differences, and some inconsistencies might occur as the developer tries to keep both versions (ultra-complex in themselves) coherent.

 

[Elhemeer]

What was the relationship change?

With this "continuity error", and that scene before Krystal bathroom scene, where theres a person hiding behind the locker behind the principal (who looked vaguely like the MC's silhouette to me), I'm starting to think the episode 1 remaster is hinting that this is not the first time MC has time travelled, aka not the first loop or whatever way can be understood (like when the masked man made MC go back, he probably caused whatever happened to happen, so it was like the beginning of that timeline, but these hints make it seem like its actually happened before)

Not sure if this makes sense but just a theory

I look at this, and the shit ninja scene, as indications that -- sometime in the future -- the travel destination is going to be the first weeks of school ... I also think Darci is the shit ninja, but that may be too obvious.

 

[Kassandara]

I look at this, and the shit ninja scene, as indications that -- sometime in the future -- the travel destination is going to be the first weeks of school ... I also think Darci is the shit ninja, but that may be too obvious.

Spoiler

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[Kaelen39]

it changed to not working on 32bit this update anyway to get a update that allows? please and ty

 

[PervyParadox]

... I also think Darci is the shit ninja, but that may be too obvious.

Thought the same thing, thought it was Darcie, then that it was too obvious... but then I thought : what if we think the ninja is not Darcie precisely because it's too obvious, then it's probably her, BUT then I thought what if we think it's Darcie because we think it's not Darcie because it's too obvious if it's her, THEN maybe it's not her, but then I thought...
Anyway, it tracks since she knows how to fight, she talks about how cool the ninja was and how she'd want to be one (I think, don't remember the details of that conversation), she hates Shelby, and she's likely to be the only one (or at least the first person) that knows about MC time travels so likely to be the only one/first to time travel with him.

Spoiler

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By watching new episodes of her favorite anime ?
Anyway, could be, there's less proof than the Darcie theory but it would be a big surprise. Also I don't see Alyssa.. make that ninja pose... like ever.
Damn, what a blurry conversation.

 

[Dunner]

Looking at the discussions you peeps have been having I'd like to remind you not to get to lost with the whole time travel aspect since it may not be as convoluted as you make it up to be. Yes we can time travel, we know "The Old Man" is probably able to time travel and I'm pretty certain a powerful party, I'll call "The Company" from now on, is aware (even before the MC perhaps) that the MC is tied to time travel or at least the power plant and the powers it holds.

But I'll show you some of the things you may have missed when speculating since at least the last theory here may be already solved if it isn't the MC. I'm talking about:

Spoiler: Theory 1: THIS GUY

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Spoiler: Theory 2: The Loathsome Dung Ninja

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Spoiler: Theory 3: I am your FATHER

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My words aren't gospel tho so take my finding/theories with a grain of salt. The game is far from over so until we find out the truth these are my 2 cents.

 

[BartPS]

Looking at the discussions you peeps have been having I'd like to remind you not to get to lost with the whole time travel aspect since it may not be as convoluted as you make it up to be. Yes we can time travel, we know "The Old Man" is probably able to time travel and I'm pretty certain a powerful party, I'll call "The Company" from now on, is aware (even before the MC perhaps) that the MC is tied to time travel or at least the power plant and the powers it holds.

But I'll show you some of the things you may have missed when speculating since at least the last theory here may be already solved if it isn't the MC. I'm talking about:

Spoiler: Theory 1: THIS GUY

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Spoiler: Theory 2: The Loathsome Dung Ninja

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Spoiler: Theory 3: I am your FATHER

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My words aren't gospel tho so take my finding/theories with a grain of salt. The game is far from over so until we find out the truth these are my 2 cents.

"... may not be as convoluted as ..."?!?!??? You begin your post with that, then show us 10 more rabbit hole entrances to start exploring . Either:

1. I'm certifiably insane, jumping at shadows that have no meaning; or
2. Jestur is both careless and ridiculously lucky - accidentally creating a bucketful of red herrings, twisting our minds into pretzels (sorry for the mixed metaphor); or
3. This is shaping up to be one of the great time-travel mystery novels.

Obviously I'd put my money ($1 is my betting limit) on #3 but I could be wishful thinking.

 

[KayalDraknys]

Is there a way to fix the LAG from the animated scenes? Story is great, characters are beautiful, but the LAG from those scenes kills so much. Even transitioning chapters, I get so much lag, and I have no idea why.

 

[Phase_01]

I look at this, and the shit ninja scene, as indications that -- sometime in the future -- the travel destination is going to be the first weeks of school ... I also think Darci is the shit ninja, but that may be too obvious.

She has to be, the whole scene with Skylar throwing shit at Stacy while she's talking about Darcy being a ninja was very on the nose

To add to that, her obsession over the shit ninja, which MC fueled by chanting it when she got kicked out of class, might just be a whole time loop of her eventually becoming the shit ninja herself, after being interested in seeing them

 

[Phase_01]

By watching new episodes of her favorite anime ?

She was clearly too busy jilling off to some twincest hentai

 

[Phase_01]

"... may not be as convoluted as ..."?!?!??? You begin your post with that, then show us 10 more rabbit hole entrances to start exploring . Either:

1. I'm certifiably insane, jumping at shadows that have no meaning; or
2. Jestur is both careless and ridiculously lucky - accidentally creating a bucketful of red herrings, twisting our minds into pretzels (sorry for the mixed metaphor); or
3. This is shaping up to be one of the great time-travel mystery novels.

Obviously I'd put my money ($1 is my betting limit) on #3 but I could be wishful thinking.

Considering Jestur being a fan of Stein's Gate (as far as I remember, its been a while), it could be all of the above lol

 

[sageproduct]

I look at this, and the shit ninja scene, as indications that -- sometime in the future -- the travel destination is going to be the first weeks of school ... I also think Darci is the shit ninja, but that may be too obvious.

DUDE that just made me realize...when we're led to the power plant hatch the first time by the sounds of a girl screaming, we will probably have a hand in that in the future. It won't be so much a "Hey yell out for help so we can bait my past self into going into the power plant" but rather some event that genuinely caused whichever girl it was to scream, with us later realizing "Oh wow that was how I was led to the power plant in the first place"

 

[sageproduct]

"... may not be as convoluted as ..."?!?!??? You begin your post with that, then show us 10 more rabbit hole entrances to start exploring . Either:

1. I'm certifiably insane, jumping at shadows that have no meaning; or
2. Jestur is both careless and ridiculously lucky - accidentally creating a bucketful of red herrings, twisting our minds into pretzels (sorry for the mixed metaphor); or
3. This is shaping up to be one of the great time-travel mystery novels.

Obviously I'd put my money ($1 is my betting limit) on #3 but I could be wishful thinking.

Yeah man, that's what I've been saying. Jestur is a FUCKING genius. Like, really. He could definitely be a great mystery/suspense novelist if he wanted to. If Agatha Christie were his teacher, she would be very proud of him for sure.

Ripples's mysteries feel executed so well, which is what made me think of Christie. She put out a lot of novels, which were criticized by some as being formulaic. What does that mean? That her execution was consummate and consistently powerful.

That's how I feel playing Ripples. Jestur LOVES rewarding replays, giving you bits of information early on. And just the right amount of it, given the nature of the medium! There's a web of information, but it's JUST the right amount of uncertainty combined with simplicity, creating a very relatable level of suspense and anticipation.

Also btw if Mystery Man is our Dad Steve than I will cut my dick off. Mystery Man is not him. Nope. Not a chance.

EDIT: Oh shoot Jestur since you're in this forum just in case for some reason you happen to see this I am sorry for any burden my words might feel likethey impose...I know too much praise can be scary and stifling. I will try to tone it down, bc even if (in an impossible timeline) Ripples became horrible I would still love it and think just as highly of you

 

[Elhemeer]

DUDE that just made me realize...when we're led to the power plant hatch the first time by the sounds of a girl screaming, we will probably have a hand in that in the future. It won't be so much a "Hey yell out for help so we can bait my past self into going into the power plant" but rather some event that genuinely caused whichever girl it was to scream, with us later realizing "Oh wow that was how I was led to the power plant in the first place"

... or it was Scarlett's sister Alice, who you know is working for Masked-Guy in both eras.

 

[Jestur]

it changed to not working on 32bit this update anyway to get a update that allows? please and ty

I'm sorry, but the new version of Ren'py has dropped 32bit support.
Repackaging and building in an older version of Ren'py also won't work because I'm using code from the new version of python, which doesn't work on older versions of Ren'py. I'm not sure of a way to play it without rewriting parts of the python code.

Someone else might know a way to play it on 32bit systems, but I'm not sure how.