HTML A Mirror's Curse [v0.30] [amaty]

[GokutheG]

This reads similar to some of the issues I talked about here; how a number of the premises and systems feel clunky in how they're implemented, especially in regards to whether or not it wants to explicitly be a transgender game, where that's unambiguously the major theme and the way you're intended to play it, or a game where that's one possible way to engage with it - and how to give the player room to engage on their own without being drug along a set path while also dragging them along because it's using the story structure of a forced situation with a particular destination.

As that user pointed out, that major turning point ends up being one where the game is awkwardly and visibly rounding up all the possible ways that you could have been playing it and narrowing things down to a quick and messy 100%/0% situation that relies on a single rogue variable. Not only does it not reflect how a player on an 'odd path' might feel about the situation, it can hit funny for those on one of the major paths as well. That's the game struggling under the way it's structured, both plot-wise and systems-wise.

Since most of these issues stem from how the game is currently trying to bend things like its forced plot structure to work with an emphasis on player control or allowing the variables run wild so that they need to be chased rather than corralling them and having them work together as they should, isolating and solving these disagreements will iron out these tears in the fabric of the story. It would call for rewrites, but I still believe it's more of an issue of structure (meaning it'd be more about presenting what's there in a different way, one that organizes the story in a plot structure that allows it to achieve its aims more efficiently rather than having to throw out a large number of scenes or write a bunch of new variants for them) than content.

Honestly the game should be completely about the mc's realization that she's trans. The story branches could be in how enthusiastic she is in that discovery. Some variation could be on where she falls on the masc/fem scale and if she's lesbian, bi or straight. Like if she's more masc then she could have doubts if she's really trans or something like that for a bit of drama.

I think it's better to do this now while the game is still early instead of trying to juggle two completely opposing themes that will cause even bigger story issues before it's too late.

 

[Kyrii]

Is there really no consequence for choosing the non-transformation options? kinda lame

 

[ffive]

Is there really no consequence for choosing the non-transformation options? kinda lame

Depends on what you mean by no consequence? If MC avoids transformations, there's a possibility of game reaching an early end, with epilogue depending on their transgender attitude.

 

[Kyrii]

Depends on what you mean by no consequence? If MC avoids transformations, there's a possibility of game reaching an early end, with epilogue depending on their transgender attitude.

I mean, I prefer having a reason not to take the easy route

 

[GokutheG]

I mean, I prefer having a reason not to take the easy route

Not going for the transformations/trans route seems to be just not what this game is really about.

 

[ffive]

Yay, update~

For lazy people, here's relevant excerpt from the change log:

0.23 - 4/30/2025 (Current Public Release)

31.3k words of content added, 384.5k words of content in total.
Day 17 is now fully available.
The third day of spirit week is Jersey Day.
Attend your second club meeting.
Learn about the Regional Academic Invitational and play Dungeons & Dragons in the Academic Club.
Go on an expedition to fix a rift in the Occult Club.
Try on an exclusive blue dress and possibly flirt with Jessica in the Fashion Club.
Learn what theme won the theme vote and go around snapping photos in the Yearbook Club.
Attend another cheer practice and spend time with Ashley, Mia, and Tori, who now have distinct personalities!
Get a job at the Mall to make some money!
Added cheerleading victory CG.
Added Aurora Forest CG.
More hidden assets for 0.24! School hoodie, pink shorts, black goth dress, fishnets, four bras, and four panties.
Fixed some bugs and typos as always!

edit: amaty there's a small bug in the current public version:

<<set $auroraForestCG to true>>\
<<set _cgMap = new Map([ ["id", "cg-gallery-aurora-forest"] ])>>\
<<set _cgSources = [
    { "sourceUrl": "img/CGs/auroraForest/auroraForestbase.png" },
]>>\

The CG for meeting Aurora in the forest is set up here, but then the game doesn't actually display it. If i get it right, it's missing one extra line:
<<image _cgMap _cgSources>>\

edit2: on more minor bug:

        Jessica tilts her head. @@.jessica;"Well, you've go the right shape for the cut, the shoulders for the sleeves, and the height to pull off the silhouette. We wouldn't ask if we didn't mean it."@

This line is missing one closing @ at the end, which causes the line to be missing and remaining bit of the scene to get a little messed up, looks-wise.

On a separate note, this scene limits player's options based on their current transgender score, but it'd be probably better to use it as opportunity to adjust that variable:. E.g. the option Protest, but secretly want to try it on seems like it would be just the kind of stuff that might increase the transgender variable. For this matter, the exact same option is available during the truth or dare with cheerleaders, and it could have similar effect there. Just a thought.

edit3: also, a bit of inaccuracy in the walkthrough:

If you’re in the Fashion Club, you will need a romance stat of at least 10 for Jessica to flirt with you.

It should probably note that the flirting will only happen if MC's transgender stat is 15+ as well, because some people are gonna be left wondering why it didn't happen in their game.

(and then they'll also have to backtrack their game at least few days to get those missing transgender points. What? Nope, that's totally not me, it's entirely theoretical)

edit4: also, not a bug per se but a bit of potential continuity glitch: during lunch, if MC has joined the cheerleaders, he automatically lies about the text from Jessica being about "a group project", even though Samantha and Luke may actually know about the cheerleading thing (if the player picked to talk with them after the game and then revealed himself, few days back) The lie in this case just seems unnecessary.

 

[SomeIndolence]

Honestly the game should be completely about the mc's realization that she's trans.

Pls no, god no, pls.

 

[Kalambeln]

Are there sex scenes in this porn game yet?

I've learnt not to start an early access feminization game without asking first, because apparently it's rare that they get that far

 

[Dracostoc]

Are there sex scenes in this porn game yet?

I've learnt not to start an early access feminization game without asking first, because apparently it's rare that they get that far

This isn't a quick sex game. I think if direct sexual content gets added it'll be quite a while yet.

I'd hesitant to even call it a porn game. Saying that as a big fan of the project.

 

[Kalambeln]

This isn't a quick sex game. I think if direct sexual content gets added it'll be quite a while yet.

I'd hesitant to even call it a porn game. Saying that as a big fan of the project.

My question wasn't whether you'd get there fast, I just want to know whether there's a payoff

I've started a lot of similar games where all the content ended up being fifteen masturbation gifs and a femdom scene after five hours of playing

 

[gregers]

My question wasn't whether you'd get there fast, I just want to know whether there's a payoff

I've started a lot of similar games where all the content ended up being fifteen masturbation gifs and a femdom scene after five hours of playing

Here's the dev a few months back, see the

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for what's been going on since then.

Hi! sorry for not responding much, I haven't been on this site much lately. I don't think there has been a single nsfw scene in 200k words, and what people are usually looking for on this site is very different from the game.

(If anyone's looking at this and wondering, sex scene cgs are in progress. Jessica's NSFW CGs are almost done, jordan is next.)

 

[GokutheG]

Pls no, god no, pls.

It really feels like the non trans route is not the focus of this game like at all. I really don't see the appeal of that route and seems to just cause writing issues.

 

[Lysara]

Many people on this site just seem determined to play a game and then ask for options that completely reject the core concept of the game. They will play a game called "Green Triangle Simulator" and ask "Can we get an option to play a Red Square instead?" without any irony.

 

[link18]

Many people on this site just seem determined to play a game and then ask for options that completely reject the core concept of the game. They will play a game called "Green Triangle Simulator" and ask "Can we get an option to play a Red Square instead?" without any irony.

Not all of them its appreciated in early access games to know what are you getting in to nobody wants to waste his/her time its not like someone going to Otome site and asking there are no male MCs Its porn games piracy forum after all

i give dev credits for letting people before hand, For people who didn't bother to check dev notes

This game, while featuring pornographic content, is probably not what most people think of when they think of a porn game. Sexual content can be hard to come by and is fully absent for the first few hours of the game. If you're looking for a game to play with one hand, this game might be disappointing

I like Gender bender games but usually have crappy writing and too much porn logic but that does not mean i will enjoy a teen drama because unlike non adults i see sex as normal part of our daily life

 

[Axismundi]

It really feels like the non trans route is not the focus of this game like at all. I really don't see the appeal of that route and seems to just cause writing issues.

I myself like the non trans route and I feel like the "being transformed into a gender you don't identify with because your intrest dont match gender stereotypes" still fits nicely into the theam of the game.

 

[LowLevelLesser]

Whelp, the Neutral Ending #1 was okay I suppose.

Spoiler

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OTHERWISE, the ending is solid enough and makes sense thematically.

 

[LowLevelLesser]

It's definitely time for me to move on from this game as it remains upsetting to me in a way. The genuine hate I feel for characters like Serena and Aurora makes it clear this game is unhealthy for me. I think it's because I've known people in real life from my distant past who were very much "I know you better than you know yourself" types (I cut them all from my life obviously). I certainly have stories of people who tried pushing things on me because they were convinced that they knew me best.

Don't get me wrong though, I think this is a good game overall. It's just not for me as it hits a sore spot and I just can't seem to get past it.

 

[gregers]

Whelp, the Neutral Ending #1 was okay I suppose.

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OTHERWISE, the ending is solid enough and makes sense thematically.

It's definitely time for me to move on from this game as it remains upsetting to me in a way. The genuine hate I feel for characters like Serena and Aurora makes it clear this game is unhealthy for me. I think it's because I've known people in real life from my distant past who were very much "I know you better than you know yourself" types (I cut them all from my life obviously). I certainly have stories of people who tried pushing things on me because they were convinced that they knew me best.

Don't get me wrong though, I think this is a good game overall. It's just not for me as it hits a sore spot and I just can't seem to get past it.

Yeah, tying off the resistant path with that early ending was understandable from a dev perspective, but means a lot of story lines are left unresolved and the MC's abusers (and on that particular path what they're doing is clearly gaslighting and abusive) get to walk away clean.

But if you're getting genuinely emotionally involved to the extent you describe, stepping away from the screen for a while is probably a healthy idea. If you've had bad experiences in the past it's sometimes the smallest things that'll trigger the memory, and maybe some story types just aren't a good fit for you.

 

[DuckTheMuck]

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version 0.25.1

 

[ffive]

I'm gonna be weird, given it's pirate site and all, but admit am a little sad to see this one leaked -- between the author doing free releases and how much work she puts into it in general, i think it deserves patron support.