VN Ren'Py Completed Acting Lessons [v1.0.2] [DrPinkCake]

[PHANTOM44]

SIXTEEN DAYS....

 

[bigpenniser]

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Then again, I'm not him, and Pink is a very good writer at his best, so if I'm wrong, no one will be happier about it than I am.

Spoiler: SPOILERS

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While I can agree with your argument, at this point I would prefer if something had any consequences. That said, being unable to avoid the fire, it most likely will not, since it would undermine all the previous "Trying the relationship out".

 

[PHANTOM44]

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[Messalina]

I think this is the best adult game I ever played. I enjoyed everything about it. But the end of chapter 6 (the choice) had me breathless.
I loved the characters, I loved the art but most of all I loved the writing. Those were great 5 hours of playing and I'm planning to play it again just to try different choices. Oh man, I loved Liam! He's just perfect and I laughed many times at his jokes. The girls are stunning. I have a soft spot for Rena. Wouldn't be surprised if she ends up as a Suicide Girl LOL. Jokes aside, I enjoyed it very much. Good reading, hot scenes that gave me a wetty, sad and heartbraking scenes. This game is a true gem. I love this kind of games with a great storyline and which are wonderfully written, I don't like those games with stupid short dialogues and easy sex all the way. This one was something else. Thank you DrPink Cake for creating this game.

 

[Walter Victor]

... This isn't Big Brother, for fuck's sake!

Thank FUCKING god!

 

[Walter Victor]

Being burned out and simply not having the interest or motivation to actually follow through on what obviously was being set up for at the beginning are two different states of mind. That's why I called it the "mass effect 3" ending. The talent is there, the energy is there, but the intent to actually follow through isn't or is lost along the way but the effort remains to finish what was started to a limited degree. If the intent had been to have a linear 2 or 3 paths from the start, there was no point in the multiple pathways that were setup. It just basically created nothing but pure confusion and disappointment for alot of people that were interested in the game's story to see what all might come of the different choices along the way. Doesn't matter though now, it'll be one or two more endings that get released in the next 2 updates and all the other possible choices that were teased at which could have led to far more interesting story and character developments weren't just a tease but a taunt. It's why I suspect the next game won't be much different in that regard. Also, please understand I don't hate the game for it or the dev, wonderfully talented as I already mentioned. I just think if there's going to be linear endings, there should be linear paths. If there are broad, non-linear paths then they should lead to broad, non-linear endings.

The developer has claimed that there will be 19 possible endings to this game, and that he will provide a guide for them. Shame on you for not reading all 256 pages of comments on this thread!

 

[dirtyrat]

First of all, in the new game my favorite is Sage. Secondly I am sad that 2(this and Depraved Awakenings) of the best games here will be ending by Christmas.

 

[Haise01]

I get why Pinkcakes did it and it may be hard to take BUT I honestly think it was for the best because <Spoiler Alert> the MC and Megan would move to LA so she could be in the movies and Melissa being the BFF would have to go with them to get away from her Step Father and they all would continue dating each other BUT eventually someone is wanting to get married or get extremely jealous and tensions are going to be hard and then would come the choice again and either choice would leave the other person heartbroken and alone. So the logical choice in the matter was to kill one of them because, in the end, someone was going to be extremely heartbroken.

Nah, it was possible to be with both till the end, but it would be too perfect, even the mc mentions it more than once, I was happy with the way the story was going, I like Melissa but I dont want to hurt Megan, and then the author comes in ''BOOM, pick one''
I think both girls will survive, but they will finally know who the mc loves more.

 

[Haise01]

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thanks DrPinkCake

thank you!!

 

[bluehound36]

The developer has claimed that there will be 19 possible endings to this game, and that he will provide a guide for them. Shame on you for not reading all 256 pages of comments on this thread!

I'll believe that many endings will be included when I actually see them but just the sound of that makes it seem like the dev is blowing smoke up everyone's rear end considering the content of the last update.

 

[Walter Victor]

I'll believe that many endings will be included when I actually see them but just the sound of that makes it seem like the dev is blowing smoke up everyone's rear end considering the content of the last update.

Dr Pink Cake has delivered on every promise he has made thus far. I believe he talked about the number of endings on his Patreon page. He has a new game coming out after this one. If his Patrons think he is blowing smoke, they will soon quit supporting him. It is difficult for a developer to gain trust. It is even more difficult to regain it, once lost.

We will only know if he was leveling with us after this game is completed. At any rate, we only have a couple of months before we will find out.

 

[PHANTOM44]

Acting lessons has Been rated 143 times - the Highest ranked game on the site - next best is 86 ... I believe the evidence overwhelmingly suggests that DrPinkCake knows exactly what he’s doing and he’s very successful at it ...developers like him should be encouraged and supported

 

[bluehound36]

Dr Pink Cake has delivered on every promise he has made thus far. I believe he talked about the number of endings on his Patreon page. He has a new game coming out after this one. If his Patrons think he is blowing smoke, they will soon quit supporting him. It is difficult for a developer to gain trust. It is even more difficult to regain it, once lost.

We will only know if he was leveling with us after this game is completed. At any rate, we only have a couple of months before we will find out.

I wouldn't necessarily go that far in claiming people are going to do something just cause. Look at how many devs ended up abandoning games on patreon that people kept supporting all the way up to said abandonment. Look at how many of them are constantly late on updating their pages and make excuses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 times plus and all straight in a row in some cases. Yet, people still support them. The ones that get away with minor problems as such is because they're clearly talented at the work they're turning out so people are a little more inclined to cut them slack.

 

[soccermum]

To add my opinion to this ( pardon the expression ) stupid ending-debate on Ch. 6, I'd like to say, that first of all the story development the good Dr. chose isn't uncommon in screenplay-writing, so if he did it wrong, a lot of my colleagues ( me included ) would be real bad at their jobs. As I stated before, I restarted the game a couple of weeks ago, because I felt like it was one of the rare pieces of storytelling on this platform really worth following up. So I sat down with a lot of paper and a pen and I drew up a scenario, where all the possible choices and traits happen simultaneously to see, if the overall story progress would still be working out ( for me that's how to tell if it's just your day-to-day fapping multi-decision scenario or a story with real thought behind it ). And what can I say: it works out bloody well!
I'm only through the first three episodes of deep analysing the story so far, but what the good Dr did was nothing more than create your standard love-piece scenario ( actually the first episode and even the second in a lot of ways felt like I was reading some boring Nick Sparks novel ) and then becoming all Shakespearian on the characters. And I love it! Bring in hate, violence, betrayal, sadness... all the emotions people fear. And in the meantime a MC who, despite all his best intends, seems to be uncapable of resolving the situation, hell who's decisions seem to have no impact on the outcome whatsoever, slowly but unalterably moving closer and closer to his doom. That's bloody Hamlet in a nutshell!

So I can understand why some might hate it. How many people do hate their Shakespeare, right? But nevertheless I think, Dr PinkCake did a really fantastic job and although sometimes it was really hard for me to play on ( especially in episode 4 I was like constantly crying over the whole Megan/Melissa-scenario ) I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Oh and about the next game: Maya.. definitely Maya. She's got the perfect natural looks I love in a good gaming character.

 

[fauxplayer]

You do know that some people live the Poly life rather well? It's uncommon but not unheard of. Hell... look into the history of William Marsten.

Whoa... Internet Rabbit Hole alert.

 

[jin54]

Came here for the girls, stayed for Liam.

 

[Burt Reynolds Mustache]

To add my opinion to this ( pardon the expression ) stupid ending-debate on Ch. 6, I'd like to say, that first of all the story development the good Dr. chose isn't uncommon in screenplay-writing, so if he did it wrong, a lot of my colleagues ( me included ) would be real bad at their jobs. As I stated before, I restarted the game a couple of weeks ago, because I felt like it was one of the rare pieces of storytelling on this platform really worth following up. So I sat down with a lot of paper and a pen and I drew up a scenario, where all the possible choices and traits happen simultaneously to see, if the overall story progress would still be working out ( for me that's how to tell if it's just your day-to-day fapping multi-decision scenario or a story with real thought behind it ). And what can I say: it works out bloody well!
I'm only through the first three episodes of deep analysing the story so far, but what the good Dr did was nothing more than create your standard love-piece scenario ( actually the first episode and even the second in a lot of ways felt like I was reading some boring Nick Sparks novel ) and then becoming all Shakespearian on the characters. And I love it! Bring in hate, violence, betrayal, sadness... all the emotions people fear. And in the meantime a MC who, despite all his best intends, seems to be uncapable of resolving the situation, hell who's decisions seem to have no impact on the outcome whatsoever, slowly but unalterably moving closer and closer to his doom. That's bloody Hamlet in a nutshell!

So I can understand why some might hate it. How many people do hate their Shakespeare, right? But nevertheless I think, Dr PinkCake did a really fantastic job and although sometimes it was really hard for me to play on ( especially in episode 4 I was like constantly crying over the whole Megan/Melissa-scenario ) I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Oh and about the next game: Maya.. definitely Maya. She's got the perfect natural looks I love in a good gaming character.

Shakepearean? Seriously? Look I love a lot of this game. A LOT. I think Pink has amazing dialog and character work. He did the natural internal drama incredibly well. His work with the entire Liam plot was also handled perfectly and not only integrated well from the very beginning but helps drive the story after the fact. It's damned fine work.

But to call it Shakespearean is a bit much. The main character isn't a Hamlet, to use your example, because of the fact that his choices are put in the hands of the player. Player agency changes who the character is, but not that much of what happens. Which I do not fault Pink for in the least. In a game with choices as to how the character FEELS and reacts, there is only so much of a character they can actually be.

As for the plot... The plot twists, starting with episodes 5 and 6 especially are tonal whiplash at its worst. The male villains could slot right into every "Lifetime Movie of the Week" ever made. Ana's entire scene in Episode 5 breaks the neck of suspension of disbelief, and that's before we even got to the soap-opera-like cliffhanger. That and the finale to Episode 6 was an exercise in surprise that wasn't earned and suspense that was wasted.

And that's still not to say that this isn't one of the best-written games in the space. It is. It's also why I am so hard on it. Most games with story issues here aren't worth the time or effort to care about one way or the other. Some are interesting in that they are clearly the author just throwing everything and anything out there and having fun with it. Some rise above the rest. And Acting Lessons does that in a lot of ways. But when it falls flat, those failures pull you are of the game and it's far more jarring than it would be otherwise.

But the whole idea that the issues people might have with the storytelling are because "How many people do hate their Shakespeare, right?" is just kind of reductive. There are specific and quantifiable issues with the story in these last couple of episodes (and they didn't START there... but the problems were less jarring in episodes 1-4 and could easily be papered over) and a lot of people see them.

As for the ending being not uncommon... yeah I can agree with you there... but

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If you are going for a Soap Opera style story, then ok, but AL generally kits far above that.

 

[Draakaap23]

So far the only informational thing posted in the last few pages of this thread is the person who goes all CAPS: XX DAYS.
For the rest... some of you are entertaining at least.

 

[PHANTOM44]

To be fair I don’t think soccermum was comparing ‘Acting Lessons’ to the great works by Shakespeare - just that the introduction of hate ,sadness,betrayal and violence to it’s characters isn’t the usual fare to be expected for your average AVN.
The good doctor - doesn’t do this for a living; by all accounts this is a hobby that he does in his spare time.I don’t know that he should be judged by those standards - like comparing an amateur football team to Real Madrid or Manchester United.. I’m certainly not qualified to critique his literary work - there are others on this thread ( those venturing opinions on the subject ) who are far more knowledgeable, but as an ordinary gamer ( admittedly new to this gaming genre ) his storytelling is excellent.
I honestly don’t know if this is his first attempt at developing an AVN or not; but if so then I think maybe we should cut him a little slack with this one - and hope that he learns from his experience.
If he does - then I for one will be looking forward to his forthcoming endeavor.

 

[meanie]

I find this a poor perspective of the game and most likely give a very bad impression to new players...

What is the goal of the player? What is your character striving for throughout? What is the carrot dangling at the end of his journey?

- Megan has a goal. She wants to be an actress.
- Liam has a goal. His bucket list.
- Rena has a goal. To be an actress.
- Angela & Hedwig have a goal. Sex.
- Claire has a goal. Love.
- Ana has a goal. Reconciliation.

Spoiler: Revealing Examples.

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As for leaving a bad impression for potential players, i have nothing but praise for Acting Lessons which was stated in my previously quoted post.