VN Ren'Py Chasing Sunsets [v0.9a] [Stone Fox Studios]

[NorWest]

One of the realities of storytelling that different people will have different opinions on what an "ideal" ending will look like. Hopefully, most will feel there was sufficient agency and choice in those paths to lead the player to the ending that most closely aligns with their preferences. That said, with the number of endings planned, it's inevitable that some players will find none of them line up 100% with their personal "perfect ending."

One concept we're implementing are "modfied" endings. This means there are planned main endings that will be slightly different depending on seemingly minor choices made at various points on the game (including the Prologue.) The overall ending is still the same, but some flavor is added to it to reflect seemingly innocuous decisions.

We also personally prefer to avoid writing "game over" endings, especially early in the game. For instance, in reality, Alex could just say "Fuck this, I'm out" and the game would be over. Rather than waste development time on a player who doesn't want to play to begin with, certain assumptions are made.

To some degree, most visual novels create the illusion of choice. That doesn't mean choices can't be meaningful, but ultimately it just flavors how the same story is told, and what the outcome of that story is for the player.

In short, we hate choices where choosing to drink beer over wine in Chapter 1 locks out ending X, but think it's cool if that choice results in your LI bringing you a beer over a glass of wine in that ending.

That said, the story is set. One nice aspect of doing this as a hobby rather than a profession is that we can take feedback onboard without being beholden to it. Rest assured, we have no intention of being careful or throwing overtime Hail Marys to retain patrons or interest. If we fail in the end, we return to our day jobs with some cool experience and some lifelong friendships.

We love doing this. Hopefully that comes through in our craft more and more as we progress.

It surely is your story to tell. We can just, at best, throw some coins at you on Patreon to try to inspire you to keep up the good work, and play - or not play - as we please. I try to trust the developer. Sometimes I am disappointed, but most often not. So I keep playing these games for fun. I can't make them myself and am thankful someone can, and bothers.
And so far I have enjoyed this game and intend to continue playing (and supporting). If I end up not overjoyed by your choices, it may still be interesting to see where it ends.

 

[Gh0st_Harambe]

May I suggest that you use her as much as possible?

 

[Sterkh90]

They can't make tara a LI cause a lot of players will choose her over the main LI at the moment. Add to that the theory that tara was MC first and you get a side LI overshadowing the main LI.

Exactly. It doesn't matter who my MC chooses in the end. In the most intimate moments, he will still think only of her.

 

[I don't know...name??]

Where I can find updates for the game

 

[Cigzag]

Owwww, this one was absolutely painful when it got to the end. Absolutely fantastic VN. Can't wait for more updates, Brilliant brilliant BRILLIANT!

 

[HornyyPussy]

Where I can find updates for the game

In the opening post or at the devs patreon

 

[Shyguy1369]

Ok... obviously the ending of the latest chapter is getting to me more and more. I just had a dream/nightmare about beating the living shit out of Rapey Mcfuckface Christian. I know we have to wait for the next update, but this is going to be weighing on me for some time I am sure.
Guess you know it's a good game when you can barely get it off your mind lol

 

[DA22]

Ok... obviously the ending of the latest chapter is getting to me more and more. I just had a dream/nightmare about beating the living shit out of Rapey Mcfuckface Christian. I know we have to wait for the next update, but this is going to be weighing on me for some time I am sure.
Guess you know it's a good game when you can barely get it off your mind lol

Yeah and the waiting for a few months will make that scene weigh even heavier, that is the disadvantage with negative emotional cliffhangers instead of positive ones if it takes months to resolve them, I just found myself unable to play BARS again after the Julia shooting since just too much time passed between updates. So for me the final negative emotions left with after last update overtook the earlier positive ones I had with the game, making me loath to play it now unfortunately.

Well considering possibly Rapey, I do not want to say too much about it further since I do not know plans of devs with whole game and next episode and also do not want them to change their story and game for me or my purposes..

Just hope devs are aware they have only that episode left for many players to safe Jaye as a possible LI if she brings Rapey and that they might need to throw players a pretty big bone then that was not planned for at least a few more episodes in their plans for the game to turn that relation around. For many Jaye is already very close to an impossible/unhealthy LI for MC (not assigning blame to either Jaye or MC, just looking at what happened) even with feelings MC has for her and she for MC however cute she also is after story until now.

If they push those players over the edge with Rapey and not show directly a big turnaround due to what happens after in Jaye (just a talk will not be enough, it will take a change and realization shown in Jaye she finally starts to understand consequences of her actions on MC), then I suspect many will give up on Jaye and will not be interested/willing to play later parts or save her from Rapey or whatever devs have planned to finally break down those barriers between Mc and Jaye. Break of immersion between themselves and an MC willing to pursue her will just become to great to allow them to go on a Jaye path.

Edit: Now if that is the intentions of devs to make Jaye path unplayable for loads of players even on a friendship path, that would be fair enough, it is their game after all. Just that is not the idea I got.

 

[Demonspike666]

Yeah and the waiting for a few months will make that scene weigh even heavier, that is the disadvantage with negative emotional cliffhangers instead of positive ones if it takes months to resolve them, I just found myself unable to play BARS again after the Julia shooting since just too much time passed between updates, so for me the final negative emotions left with after last update overtook the earlier positive ones I had with the game, making me loath to play it now unfortunately.

Well considering possibly Rapey, I do not want to say too much about it further since I do not know plans of devs with whole game and next episode and also do not want them to change their story and game for me or my purposes..

Just hope devs are aware they have only that episode left for many players to safe Jaye as a possible LI if she brings Rapey and that they might need to throw players a pretty big bone then that was not planned for at least a few more episodes in their plans for the game to turn that relation around. For many Jaye is already very close to an impossible/unhealthy LI for MC (not assigning blame to either Jaye or MC, just looking at what happened) even with feelings MC has for her and she for MC however cute she also is after story until now.

If they push those players over the edge with Rapey and not show directly a big turnaround due to what happens after in Jaye (just a talk will not be enough, it will take a change and realization shown in Jaye she finally starts to understand consequences of her actions on MC), then I suspect many will give up on Jaye and will not be interested/willing to play later parts or save her from Rapey or whatever devs have planned to finally break down those barriers between Mc and Jaye. Break of immersion between themselves and an MC willing to pursue her will just become to great to allow them to go on a Jaye path.

Edit: Now if that is the intentions of devs to make Jaye path unplayable for loads of players even on a friendship path, that would be fair enough, it is their game after all. Just that is not the idea I got.

It feels that way so far although I do accept that we still don't have the full picture about their past yet. If Jaye has brought Christian just to fuck with MC then I don't see how they could turn that around. I can accept a character who is emotionally damaged and takes things too far in anger and jealousy. However bringing the prick who's actions split your family apart would nothing but an act of malice that I couldn't see the MC forgiving her for.

 

[Shyguy1369]

Yeah and the waiting for a few months will make that scene weigh even heavier, that is the disadvantage with negative emotional cliffhangers instead of positive ones if it takes months to resolve them, I just found myself unable to play BARS again after the Julia shooting since just too much time passed between updates. So for me the final negative emotions left with after last update overtook the earlier positive ones I had with the game, making me loath to play it now unfortunately.

Well considering possibly Rapey, I do not want to say too much about it further since I do not know plans of devs with whole game and next episode and also do not want them to change their story and game for me or my purposes..

Just hope devs are aware they have only that episode left for many players to safe Jaye as a possible LI if she brings Rapey and that they might need to throw players a pretty big bone then that was not planned for at least a few more episodes in their plans for the game to turn that relation around. For many Jaye is already very close to an impossible/unhealthy LI for MC (not assigning blame to either Jaye or MC, just looking at what happened) even with feelings MC has for her and she for MC however cute she also is after story until now.

If they push those players over the edge with Rapey and not show directly a big turnaround due to what happens after in Jaye (just a talk will not be enough, it will take a change and realization shown in Jaye she finally starts to understand consequences of her actions on MC), then I suspect many will give up on Jaye and will not be interested/willing to play later parts or save her from Rapey or whatever devs have planned to finally break down those barriers between Mc and Jaye. Break of immersion between themselves and an MC willing to pursue her will just become to great to allow them to go on a Jaye path.

Edit: Now if that is the intentions of devs to make Jaye path unplayable for loads of players even on a friendship path, that would be fair enough, it is their game after all. Just that is not the idea I got.

I am sort of in the same boat. The next update could break it for me. I have seen several others ok with another LI, but for me it's been Jaye all along. So whenever that next update comes, it will determine whether I continue playing or not. Normally I prefer more harem or sharing type games, but when there are games I enjoy that are meant to lead to one LI then if I don't have a way to get the one I like and prefer, I usually stop playing.
I don't know why she brought Rapey McFuckface, but there will hopefully be something redeeming in the next update. I really like the VN, but I also know which LI I like the most.

 

[ugulugulu]

I'm pretty sure we all will be very surprised who's this +1 and why said +1 is even there.

 

[DA22]

It feels that way so far although I do accept that we still don't have the full picture about their past yet. If Jaye has brought Christian just to fuck with MC then I don't see how they could turn that around. I can accept a character who is emotionally damaged and takes things too far in anger and jealousy. However bringing the prick who's actions split your family apart would nothing but an act of malice that I couldn't see the MC forgiving her for.

Yeah bringing Rapey even if he is intended to be the later catalyst that would allow them to come together in their story will have a very negative impact on Jaye and how she is seen for some especially after all that already happened and for those players devs have max that same update to turn that perception enough around for those players they will be able to play later parts of that path likely it that is their plan.

 

[DA22]

I'm pretty sure we all will be very surprised who's this +1 and why said +1 is even there.

I hope so and even more that it will be a positive surprise for most players after all the negative drama till now, but until then some people will be caught in the negative emotional cliffhanger we have now when thinking about the game.

 

[underoath27]

I really hope that +1 isn't Rapey. As some people already talked, bringing him to an important matter like that it is so fucked up. Her dad doesn't like him, and after his dead, she brought him? Well, let's wait and see. I believe I won't turned her down for good but of course that action will have a deep negative influence.

 

[ugulugulu]

Strictly speaking he didn't even rape her, that's just you people trying to make douchebag look even worse than he actually is

 

[DA22]

Strictly speaking he didn't even rape her, that's just you people trying to make douchebag look even worse than he actually is

So you say that while he showed he was not planning to stop, until MC showed he was home and would interfere if he went on, means he would suddenly have become a gentleman? Nah, some things are even to unbelievable for a game. We see him as exactly the douchebag he is/was and his actions proved that and his intentions. He only failed in his intentions due to unknown interference of a third party. Fact he would have done it in the one place she should have had a right to feel always safe, her own bedroom, makes that even worse.

There will be no possible positive explanation for Jaye for bringing Rapey from MC's position, not even if she would have been married to him for three years already despite that attempted rape. That would bring its own problems and negative connotations for Jaye and her character, even if maybe less severe ones as bringing him to hurt/make mc jealous.

 

[ugulugulu]

Just because you don't want there to be a justified reason for "Rapey" presence doesn't mean there doesn't exist one only because you can't imagine it.

 

[Shyguy1369]

All I can speak for is myself.
In my mind, there is NO other person that could be the +1 than Rapey McFuckface. The immediate anger of the MC PLUS the key factor of mentioning his shitty cologne/body spray at the same time to me solidifies the fact of who it is.
Also, in my mind, with him there for whatever reason it is, Jaye and the MC needs SOME form of reconciliation in the next update or I have to bow out of this VN. I'd hate to do that, but without Jaye, there is no point to this for me. And if that happens, I will sadly bid adieu and wish the Devs good luck.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this comment are strictly my own and do not necessarily reflect those affiliated with this thread.

 

[stuffstuffstuff]

Strictly speaking he didn't even rape her, that's just you people trying to make douchebag look even worse than he actually is

Attempted rape is also a crime.

True we don't know exactly what happened, but we do know there was some sort of struggle, in which something was broken and which caused the MC to reveal he was home, and then Christian left immediately, and then she replies to a text to him with

Spoiler: These texts

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It's pretty damning.

EDIT: Furthermore he never even approaches any remorse in their entire text conversation. He tries to wave it off, and then blames her for it. This dude is 100% Grade-A total shitstain.

 

[Shyguy1369]

Attempted rape is also a crime.

True we don't know exactly what happened, but we do know there was some sort of struggle, in which something was broken and , and then she replies to a text to him with

Spoiler: These texts

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It's pretty damning.

Preach!