- Sep 21, 2018
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To say Atelier Sakura is irrelevant to NTR game discussion is... well it's wrong. Every game is compared to it's like. Their games have any bad relationship, or bad idea to do in a relationship, you can think of, down to just plain MC is in a relationship with a slut. So I'm talking about the NTR genre as a whole, at least when referring to Atelier Sakura games. I get it wrong too, so it's no worries and I find myself wrong more than I like. If you like this genre you should play some of their games. Most are not translated, but you can easily get around that with Sugoi Translator Toolkit, don't need to be connected to the internet, everything you need is there. I'm using Sugoi-Translator-Toolkit-V5.0-Public specifically. The translator works on most VNs (haven't found one that doesn't).They are known for their netorase games... that better?
Let me correct myself here too ...
Are you talking about netorase or netorare games? Because I've not played any Atelier Sakura netorare game let alone one with multiple good endings.
Some people just ignore the point and focus on some inconsistency irrelevant for the discussion View attachment 2720520
I don't agree with a vanilla scene taking away from the core experience of this genre, without them it is junk. Read any number of 25 pages or less h-manga, with ntr themes, for an example of what I mean. The story build up is a must, without it there is nothing, no story, no drama, just porn. Think about if we where only told about Harry and Laura's relationship, with no vanilla scenes. We would have nothing to compare to how Luca and Laura have rough sex, no idea how Harry loved Laura, but that didn't happen. We see how reserved she is with Harry, how sweet she is with him, she is able to get off with him with some effort. Then we see how that all falls away, as the blackmail game goes on. That's key to of these stories, it has very little to do with wanting a vanilla scene, or hating some particular route.
To add one or more 'good' endings lets the player have agency. It is the 'real' story, not really. It's a short route normally, like I posted before. It can have a scene, but it doesn't 'need' it, but it's better with one. It gives the player an idea of what the MC can lose, will lose. Thus the impact is greater. Good narrative impact is good writing. Atelier Sakura normally adds a 'good' ending for that reason. They have agency to a small degree. So yes the genre has agency, VNs generally have agency. You said they didn't so I pointed to Atelier Sakura.
The issue about agency in APBLU is in part due to the game not being finished, the games scope, and Harry's writing. He can be soo dumb and the worst(best) times. I think it's fair for the player to get frustrated with Harry if he can't see what they clearly can, that frustration is part of the genre. The picture with the gold chain comes to mind, no way Harry didn't notice that was Laura.
I'm sure Scars of Summer was purpose built from choice of engine to the last line on dialog on the last route. That doesn't mean the lack of a the MC being able to advance his relationship with MH was a good decision. One could argue that some, or all of, the routes are vanilla. Is it a good game? For sure. Lovely artwork, great story within each route, at least the ones I played. My point was that MC not being able to have the MH at all, in any way, dampens the greater story overall and lessens the players agency. Also lessens the MC's agency as well, even if he just there to drive the narrative, didn't he like the girl? Character agency is another matter.
I hope I covered all the questions and points you wanted talked about. It's so late. I hope this helps and I hope you will get that translator, it's free last I saw. It's so easy and it opens so many VNs to you. In case there was any fraction of a doubt I do like APBLU and am enjoying this route.