While I agree the House of INK is very much a porn game trope, I actually think it's been a surprisingly useful addition to the game. As you say, it's the justification for why the MC will be able to put together a team eventually. But more importantly, it gives June an absolutely vital grounding element; without getting to know her sorority sisters personally, it would be much harder to accept her close-yet-rarely-available connection to the MC. It also provides an important connection to Reina that allows her to be both a fellow victim of Cassie and an ally for the MC, all while reinforcing just how methodical Cassie's vendetta is. Without the INK connection, that would be a lot harder to pull off.
I also disagree that the INK girls are automatically at a disadvantage against the the LIs more involved in the MC's life. Kindra has a very extreme personality that can rub people the wrong way. June and Doctor K are more easygoing, but they also have circumstances that will slow down their progress with the MC. So it makes sense to have some other options on hand for people who don't want those complications, and that gives the 'lesser' girls time to forge their own connections with the player. Just because they get less spotlight than the 'main' LIs doesn't mean they can't hold their own.
I do think there might be too many sisters: Zoe feels redundant between Katy and Naomi, and the new inductees are largely cyphers. And the introduction via blowjob contest was extremely heavy-handed, IMHO. But overall I think INK is a net positive for the the game, which is not what I was expecting when I first met them.
At some point the nature of Koko's existence as software is going to have to be addressed. The MC already made a copy of Koko's program to transfer to Artemis for testing, so Koko clearly exists as something separate from her hardware even now. Admittedly, it's possible that might have been effectively a 'new' dog rather than having the specific personality Koko built up over 10 years. But there's nothing in the game that indicates that and none of the characters have even discussed the idea, so at the moment it's just us speculating on ways to fill an apparent plot hole.
It would have been better if the rules had been established before Koko was put in peril, but for the short term we can probably buy in on faith. Eventually, though, we're going to have to confront the problem head on and get some answers. AI is too central to the game's story to dodge the implications of it being a digital lifeform.
As for Kindra, she is in some ways exactly what the MC needed at this point in his life. But to me, she's way too manic for a suitable romance option. I'd much rather keep her as a goofy friend.
Agreed on all points! Especially on seeing Kindra as more of a "goofy friend" (or, as I'd put it, an adorable-yet-frequently-annoying little sister ^^) rather than a romanceable option.
Lemme ask you this, what's your personal LI top 3 here?
Agreed on all points! Especially on seeing Kindra as more of a "goofy friend" (or, as I'd put it, an adorable-yet-frequently-annoying little sister ^^) rather than a romanceable option.
Lemme ask you this, what's your personal LI top 3 here?
Agreed on all points! Especially on seeing Kindra as more of a "goofy friend" (or, as I'd put it, an adorable-yet-frequently-annoying little sister ^^) rather than a romanceable option.
Lemme ask you this, what's your personal LI top 3 here?
Your 2,3,4 is my 1,2,3 exactly.
Zelda is a total cutie but I'm still waiting for a bit more info on her so I can make up my mind one way or the other.
June - I feel like hers and the MC's emotional journeys are truly a thing of beauty and it'd be sort of RIGHT for them to end up together. Also: brainy babe alert!
Reina - YES! Cannot wait to see more of her. There's a vulnerability there underneath all the toughness and I find that super attractive. Really hoping she gets to school Cassandra for what she tried to pull.
And lovely, lovely Paige! We don't know too much about her either but hopefully that changes soonish. ^^
While I agree the House of INK is very much a porn game trope, I actually think it's been a surprisingly useful addition to the game. As you say, it's the justification for why the MC will be able to put together a team eventually. But more importantly, it gives June an absolutely vital grounding element; without getting to know her sorority sisters personally, it would be much harder to accept her close-yet-rarely-available connection to the MC. It also provides an important connection to Reina that allows her to be both a fellow victim of Cassie and an ally for the MC, all while reinforcing just how methodical Cassie's vendetta is. Without the INK connection, that would be a lot harder to pull off.
I also disagree that the INK girls are automatically at a disadvantage against the the LIs more involved in the MC's life. Kindra has a very extreme personality that can rub people the wrong way. June and Doctor K are more easygoing, but they also have circumstances that will slow down their progress with the MC. So it makes sense to have some other options on hand for people who don't want those complications, and that gives the 'lesser' girls time to forge their own connections with the player. Just because they get less spotlight than the 'main' LIs doesn't mean they can't hold their own.
I do think there might be too many sisters: Zoe feels redundant between Katy and Naomi, and the new inductees are largely cyphers. And the introduction via blowjob contest was extremely heavy-handed, IMHO. But overall I think INK is a net positive for the the game, which is not what I was expecting when I first met them.
At some point the nature of Koko's existence as software is going to have to be addressed. The MC already made a copy of Koko's program to transfer to Artemis for testing, so Koko clearly exists as something separate from her hardware even now. Admittedly, it's possible that might have been effectively a 'new' dog rather than having the specific personality Koko built up over 10 years. But there's nothing in the game that indicates that and none of the characters have even discussed the idea, so at the moment it's just us speculating on ways to fill an apparent plot hole.
It would have been better if the rules had been established before Koko was put in peril, but for the short term we can probably buy in on faith. Eventually, though, we're going to have to confront the problem head on and get some answers. AI is too central to the game's story to dodge the implications of it being a digital lifeform.
As for Kindra, she is in some ways exactly what the MC needed at this point in his life. But to me, she's way too manic for a suitable romance option. I'd much rather keep her as a goofy friend.
I agree INK is a porn game trope, and I also agree that it is a useful addition. But I will add that I think it matches MC's psychological situation pretty well. The most recent chapter in particular has made it quite clear that MC is extremely wary of committing to any serious relationship. It's quite reasonable in context to think his response to the trauma is to engage in a lot of casual sex, as a coping mechanism as if to say "serious relationships don't matter, I'm perfectly fine without them!". A sorority of... let's say, less discerning women matches this perfectly. Maybe this could be communicated or presented to the reader better in Chapter 1, where there could have been presented more of a womanizer, which would make his willingness to help with the blowjob competition more understandable in context. MC essentially growing out of this and learning to trust and love against will be a major part of his character arc, I dare say, but I feel like this would necessarily mean rejecting most of the INK girls, or better, they will have to go on a corresponding character arc to MC.
I also agree that Kindra feels a little... off. Manic is very much the right word to describe her. I think part of the problem is she's just too much of everything. She's a billionaire heiress, a genius engineer and coder about to co-create the first ever android, and she's a world famous DJ (similar problem with MC himself to a lesser extent). All Kindra needs is some martial arts lessons and she's basically Bat(wo)man. I think this potentially creates some issues as it becomes really difficult to write problems and conflicts in the story that actually challenge the characters without being completely contrived (see Koko section below).
DJ KinK feels less just like a persona or outlet for Kindra and she just is DJ KinK, all the time. She's also not doing a very good job hiding who she is with that name! We're told that Kindra enjoys the privacy and quietness of her regular life, that deep down she's still that quiet nerdy girl, but really that's not who she seems at all. Instead she's a hyperactive ball of joyous rubber bouncing around the room and would revel in the lifestyle of KinK, and thus her reasons for keeping DJ KinK a secret seem really weak. I think Kindra would be a stronger character (stronger love interest in particular), if Kindra was more reserved, and she's only temporarily manic/elated over meeting her high school - let's face it - unrequited love. In fact, I think that should be a core feature of her character, her unrequited love for MC blossoming into a proper romance. I think this is the intent for Kindra, but I don't think it works because Kindra has basically outgrown MC in every sense, it never really feels like she was (subconciously) waiting for him, physically or romantically, even if the dialogue wants to suggest that might be the case. Kindra feels like she should be the romantic, pining, once-unrequited, almost desperate, lovey-dovey romcom love interest but she's too manic for that. I still love her as a character, but I agree with you she feels off as a love interest.
The issues with Koko does seem like it will be a bit of a contrivance, but we'll have to wait and see what happens in chapter 3. Koko is a robot dog, not a real dog, so I don't see how it's unreasonable to just turn Koko off, put her on standby, transfer her brain to some other system or basically anything else while she is being repaired and more fluid or a new power source is gained. I really hope there's not some copout technobabble about how Koko's unique current consciousness can't be meddled with in anyway, despite Kindra and MC being techno super geniuses and Kindra already have a new prototype brain for Koko anyway. And making a deal with the devil Cassie is the only way to save her.
Speaking of Cassie, she's by all indications, meant to be a major love interest for the MC, and presumably there's going to a massive redemption arc for her but geez, that's going be a Herculean task for digi to redeem her from what's already been written. Everyone despises her to the bone. I'm really interesting in Cassie's character though, because I really want to see this character arc to succeed from a narrative perspective, assuming that's what is going to happen. I just really really hope it's not a copout of "she was being abused, blackmailed and/or controlled by someone" or something similar.
Kindra's manic nature seems to be used as a way to give her a flaw while also showing how she was able to grow without the MC and not be stagnant the last decade. Her manic and impulsive nature thus far as been the primary thing getting her and the MC in potential trouble. Registering the electric car right after the MC's car breaks down helped assist in Cassandra finding Kindra and the MC. Kindra interacting with the bear led to her and the MC almost dying while also wounding Koko badly. Kindra sending the video to the talk show of Koko has had serious implications. I don't doubt Kindra may care about her privacy, but her nature gives her too many blindspots and faults where it probably would be easy to figure out she is DJ KinK for example. DJ KinK is less an alter ego of sorts and moreso a way for her to be herself on a big stage in public without people knowing who she is which will be the opposite once she revives the company. I don't doubt the MC getting the gun from Kindra will lead to even more potential conflict and drama.
It's understandable Kindra wasn't waiting on MC and I think it is good that she isn't written has being entirely reliant on the MC and rather is willing to have him enter her life again even after she has developed over the last decade. For all she knew, she would never be with the MC as the MC and Cassandra were an item since high school and Cassandra was a prime bully towards her. We don't even entirely know if Kindra has fully acknowledged her feelings towards the MC. Just like how the INKs are used to help the MC's development, I think Kindra's manic nature is used in a similar way to balance out with the MC trying to build himself back up while also reconnecting him with someone who knew him well before the Cassandra situation. Kindra to help the MC remember who he is, his passions, his talent and to regain his confidence from the past before being broken by Cassandra. June and Claire who saw the MC at his lowest and have been helping him put the pieces back together. The INKs who only know the MC as he is now to potentially help him become an even better version of the person who he was before Cassandra screwed him over while also helping the INKs grow and mature in their own right including Reina. With Cassandra's redemption to allow the MC to face his fear and to eventually completely overcome this to truly move forward while Cassandra herself becoming a better person to try and right the wrongs of the past in a way. If MC's mom returns I could see her being used to reinforce all of these points. I agree in that the only way Cassandra can be redeemed properly is if it is played straight with no copout.
I agree INK is a porn game trope, and I also agree that it is a useful addition. But I will add that I think it matches MC's psychological situation pretty well. The most recent chapter in particular has made it quite clear that MC is extremely wary of committing to any serious relationship. It's quite reasonable in context to think his response to the trauma is to engage in a lot of casual sex, as a coping mechanism as if to say "serious relationships don't matter, I'm perfectly fine without them!". A sorority of... let's say, less discerning women matches this perfectly. Maybe this could be communicated or presented to the reader better in Chapter 1, where there could have been presented more of a womanizer, which would make his willingness to help with the blowjob competition more understandable in context. MC essentially growing out of this and learning to trust and love against will be a major part of his character arc, I dare say, but I feel like this would necessarily mean rejecting most of the INK girls, or better, they will have to go on a corresponding character arc to MC.
I also agree that Kindra feels a little... off. Manic is very much the right word to describe her. I think part of the problem is she's just too much of everything. She's a billionaire heiress, a genius engineer and coder about to co-create the first ever android, and she's a world famous DJ (similar problem with MC himself to a lesser extent). All Kindra needs is some martial arts lessons and she's basically Bat(wo)man. I think this potentially creates some issues as it becomes really difficult to write problems and conflicts in the story that actually challenge the characters without being completely contrived (see Koko section below).
DJ KinK feels less just like a persona or outlet for Kindra and she just is DJ KinK, all the time. She's also not doing a very good job hiding who she is with that name! We're told that Kindra enjoys the privacy and quietness of her regular life, but really that's not who she seems at all, but she's a hyperactive ball of joyous rubber bouncing around the room would reveal in that kind of thing, and thus her reasons for keeping DJ KinK a secret seem really weak. I think Kindra would be a stronger character (stronger love interest in particular), if Kindra was more reserved, and she's only temporarily manic/elated over meeting her high school, let's face it, unrequited love. In fact, I think that should be a core feature of her character, her unrequited love for MC blossoming into a proper romance. I think this is the intent for Kindra, but I don't think it works because Kindra has basically outgrown MC in every sense, it never really feels like she was waiting for him, physically or romantically, even if the dialogue wants to suggest that might be the case. Kindra feels like she should be the romantic, pining, once-unrequited, almost desperate, lovey-dovey romcom love interest but she's too manic for that. I still love her as a character, but I agree with you she feels off as a love interest.
The issues with Koko does seem like it will be a bit of a contrivance, but we'll have to wait and see what happens in chapter 3. Koko is a robot dog, not a real dog, so I don't see how it's unreasonable to just turn Koko off, put her on standby, transfer her brain to some other system or basically anything else while she is being repaired and more fluid or a new power source is gained. I really hope there's not some copout technobabble about how Koko's unique current consciousness can't be meddled with in anyway, despite Kindra and MC being techno super geniuses and Kindra already have a new prototype brain for Koko anyway. And making a deal with the devil Cassie is the only way to save her.
Speaking of Cassie, she's but all indications, meant to be a major love interest for the MC, and presumably there's going to a massive redemption arc for her but geez, that's going be a Herculean task for digi to redeem her from what's already been write. Everyone despises her to the bone. I'm really interesting in Cassie's character though, because I really want to see this character arc to succeed from a narrative perspective, assuming that's what is going to happen. I just really really hope it's not a copout of "she was being abused, blackmailed and/or controlled by someone" or something similar.
i dont quite get the drama around KoKo, cant you just backup all the data and the code she had, let body "die" and then synthesize formula when KAI stops acting like a little bitch, fix the body and then just load backup in a new body?
It's kinda like that Japanese restaurant where they never empty the "secret sauce" pot. The pot has never been empty in like 80 years. As they use the sauce they just add more proportional ingredients to fill the pot back up for the next day.
People line up for a chance to "possibly taste" the same ingredient (literally) their great-great grandparents may have tasted.
It provides a spiritual connection to the past to some people. If the restaurant dumps the pot out and starts over, a lot of people may not return for just the flavor of the sauce.
If they start over with Koko, it's not Koko it's something else (Kookoo?).
You can dl the PC version, extract the game folder and merge it with the game folder of the Mac version and it will be updated.
To do that right click of the mouse on the icon game and follow the path Show PackageContents/Contents/Resources/Autorun and drag the PC game folder there while holding the alt key, release and click merge where the window appear.
There might be a problem with Koko because the transfer she was undergoing for 3.0 was interrupted to save Kindra. And then in the process Koko got damaged, so a simple "turn it off, turn it back on again later" may not be a possible path without damaging some core component (hardware or software) right now.
I'm having a hard time choosing which one I want to hook up. All of them are so damn beautiful and with different peculiarities.
It's good to have multiple girls because each one has a different personality and beauties that can match yours. Well, It's going to be a lot of work for the dev, of course, but I hope everything goes well and that in the end we can choose who we most identify with.
thank you brother God I'm so stupid I thought by not letting her drink
I was showing her I'm a nice caring guy but it makes more sense now that you explain it
going back to redo it right now
thank you brother God I'm so stupid I thought by not letting her drink
I was showing her I'm a nice caring guy but it makes more sense now that you explain it
going back to redo it right now
Don't worry, brother, I thought the same and just before clicking I thought "hey, she's a big girl in a rough situation, she can handle herself and need to unwind. Let's not spoil her fun"
Don't worry, brother, I thought the same and just before clicking I thought "hey, she's a big girl in a rough situation, she can handle herself and need to unwind. Let's not spoil her fun"
