VN Ren'Py Chronicles of Kartoba [v0.01] [SinisterSlick Games]

[TonyMurray]

I don't usually go for vampire anything, but this was a solid first release. Yeah, it's got a forced sex scene (and a cheating one, no less) and that will always piss some people off, but the rest is interesting. The "Monica (girlfriend) cheating" is a non-event. It's funny how a lot of people are willing to believe the words of a known antagonist on this rather than trying to find out more info, specifically by waiting until you can speak to the girlfriend herself. If what John saw is true, the likelihood has already been suggested: the other guy was a family member (perhaps the grandfather, who, if a vampire, would likely be young and good-looking, because vampires in modern media always are!). Wiping her tears away, kissing her (not specified where, I don't think) and leading her back into her home does not automatically necessitate "to have sex with her" to be added to the end of it... And her not picking up the phone also means nothing in circumstances where she is potentially still in the process of being told off, or maybe she's simply on her way (as Clair said) and left her phone at home.

Oh, and a key part that allowed me to enjoy this, even past my usual dislike of vampire stories: it looks really good. I think every woman I saw in the game is really attractive, I literally can't think of an exception. Usually, there are some who are not to my tastes, and often that might be because they have an overabundance of tattoos. No sure issues found here.

 

[Devka]

Looking forward to the continuation of this. Honestly not sure were people were coming up with the MC's gf being a lesbian dom are coming from tbh. It doesn't make any sense when you remember that this is a vamp game. Nor the main character being cucked considering the context. Your gf is a vamp. Likely a clan princess. She stole the bottle from her grandparents. Dude that John seen with the MC's gf was likely her father or grandfather letting here know that she was busted. Telling her, her punishment and consoling her.

She most likely didn't answer her phone because it was confiscated to prevent her from warning the MC of what was to come. My thinking is that Clair is the gf's grandmother.

I am an avid ntr/swinging hater and never felt the urge to grab my torch and pitchfork at any point.

 

[TonyMurray]

Honestly not sure were people were coming up with the MC's gf being a lesbian dom are coming from tbh. It doesn't make any sense when you remember that this is a vamp game.

I can definitely see where it comes from, initially, as the MC pictures it himself if staying to eavesdrop on Monica's conversation. The girls talk about "what if he hurts" one of them, and they call Monica "Mistress". In the context of the game, I would take all of that to relate to vampires and Monica looking to turn/bring out the powers of MC and potentially one of the friends she is talking to (it's unclear, to me at least, if both of those friends are vampires, although I think one was Alexa, and her family being vampires would explain the amassed riches that enable her to have the massive house). Without knowing all that though, as the MC doesn't know it, it sounds like Monica could be a dominatrix and the two friends are perhaps her playthings, hence the image he conjures up of the girls all in leather or PVC on a bed with him.

 

[AntonioGustavo]

This was an amazing prologue! I was sad when it was over and I am looking forward to the next chapter. Great job, dev!
I have a suspicion about who Clair is, in relation to MC but I will wait to see more before I say anything.
Can't wait to see where this goes next.

 

[shamtiiomi]

Hi everyone.

just wanted to thank you all for all the feedback both critical and positive, it really does help.

I also wanted to take a moment to clear up a few concerns that have come up regarding some of the story elements:

1. The scene with Clair
The forced sex with Clair is a one-time event. It was a necessary moment to establish the early foundations for both the central plotline and a critical subplot that will become much more relevant later on as the story unfolds. It’s not something that will be repeated. future sex scenes will provide a rejection option.

2. Monica and the “cheating”
To be clear: there is no NTR in the traditional sense, meaning none of your love interests are taken from you or choose to betray you for someone else. Any moments that seem like NTR (such as what happens in the initial release) are purely for narrative tension. As the player, you can trust that your LIs remain loyal, (unless otherwise directed by you). It’s the MC who doesn’t have all the facts, and part of the story’s emotional drive for the MC comes from his limited understanding of the situation at the time.

For example, imagine one of your LIs is drunk at a club, and another character tries to make a move on her and she being drunk jokingly flirts back. You, as the player, know she would never actually betray you, but the MC doesn’t have that same certainty. From his perspective, it feels like a genuine threat, and he’s forced to step up, either to defend her or compete for her attention.

Scenarios like this are designed to trigger key moments of emotional tension or rivalry between characters. They're not about betrayal, they will be used to spark conflict and kick off new storylines or expand existing ones.

While this theme won’t play a major role in the overall story, it may pop up occasionally. So in the interest of transparency I think it’s important to give a heads-up to anyone who might be sensitive to that kind of content.

3. What really happened
The full context surrounding Monica, MCs family heritage and the circumstances with Clair will be revealed in the next update. which is scheduled to be completed in the next 3 months.

Hope that clears things up. Looking forward to sharing more soon!

so u think if a li is a little to drunk and a vampire can or will flirt back to someone else and u think this is normal? i dont understand sims no npc no rela ones,if a gf of mine does that she is not longer my gf thats it,i dont remeber being drunk and flirt back or initiated any conversation for flirt ,...and i know alot of that being half drunk half of my younger life,and many of us use the inhibition that come with being drunk or at least half ,,at least plan according to players rejecting monica and claire and all the others bcs this game reeks optional or non optional ntrsih,...bets are on we will break up with monica at the first choice not matter she will tell us ,we dont know the facts but why we should trust her after this? mc sending li's to coorupt and have sex with others? isnt that sharing[netorase] so in its core a non ntr game but at its peripheric yes? dunno man think a cathastrophic disstaer going forward bcs like u say those characters will have a major role so if we reject them can have dire consequences,....vampires are basic instinct creatures[at least in the myth of it] desires ,lust ,rage,etc is more like a normal trait for them so how much of human nture u can let the mc have? or bcs of that basic nature u will use it to do certain disgusted thing for many of us? ....i think all the above players here deserve a more detailed info about what will happend without seeing more spoilers,...even ur answer was limited to certain actions ,will be hard to see the full scope of those choices,....i hope u have many plans to repair some of this choices bcs right now at least for me all those who were complices are doom ,i dont take betrayal kindly so my mc will reject that slutty gf clair and all those who have something to do with the plan.......

 

[srfsmrf_]

Great potential!

@SinisterSlick I noticed some slowdowns & memory spikes due to

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statements being used where they should've been

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statements. You really need to fix this. More details in spoiler:

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And just some suggestion: noticed you're using ambient sfx, I like that. Prolly a good idea to put that on a separate channel (and add the corresponding slider control @ Preferences)? You can keep 'sound' free for (incidental) sfx then (and still have your ambient sfx in the bg).

Upd: worked on another patch. Do realize that sometimes it's also a matter of compromise, as using show can help make smoother transitions w/o the checkered transparent screen problem. So it's not all that b/w. Still it's good to know when it's appropriate to use what and to keep in mind that displayable stacking means bigger strain on performance (which can make the difference between ok & poor on potatos) and try keeping that to a minimum.

 

[elbo911]

[...]i think all the above players here deserve a more detailed info about what will happend without seeing more spoilers[...]

I'm happy with the info that was given, I don't need more, don't speak for me. Also, you want spoilers without being spoiled? You at least seem to acknowledge the fact that storytelling benefits from some kind of suspense and/or mystery. At the same time, you can't seem to handle that suspense.
Dev has given you all the info you should need. If you don't trust in what they said, there's really no reason to ask them for more explanation, you know?

Also, get a proof reader if you're writing essays with that kind of spelling and punctuation.

 

[polar_1321]

Bullshit! You're writing about cheating and using forced sex, but you think it's okay because it will only happen the one time, and oh, it's not really cheating; it just seemed that way because that's what I made it look like, but she won't really cheat..., well, unless you tell her too, etc., etc., bullshit ad nauseam. But MC does cheat! Because you convinced him his girlfriend cheated on him. Well, that's excusable because the reason he's so easy to convince is because he's a weak minded twit. Just put up the tags and be honest. There are people out there who like what you like. I'm not one of them, though. If you had tagged it correctly, I wouldn't have bothered. So, why did you waste my time?

See, what you don't understand about people like me is: "For example, imagine one of your LIs is drunk at a club, and another character tries to make a move on her and she being drunk jokingly flirts back." If this happens she is no longer a LI, because I can never trust that the next time she gets drunk and "jokingly" flirts back, she doesn't also get fucked in the ass!

Don't bother to reply. I made my point. Now, I'm done. I don't appreciate being deceived. I won't be back.

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[elbo911]

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Careful, you might get added to the list!

 

[shamtiiomi]

I'm happy with the info that was given, I don't need more, don't speak for me. Also, you want spoilers without being spoiled? You at least seem to acknowledge the fact that storytelling benefits from some kind of suspense and/or mystery. At the same time, you can't seem to handle that suspense.
Dev has given you all the info you should need. If you don't trust in what they said, there's really no reason to ask them for more explanation, you know?

Also, get a proof reader if you're writing essays with that kind of spelling and punctuation.

i dont care about proof reader i dont need one ,so u can read it or not ur choice,and u dont talk for me either,i dont talk for anyone else but chek first the thread and later respond in fairness, read all the 5 pages and later be constructive about it,...btw uu sound like a jerk ,u can avoid me or block me do not care....

 

[Tyrranus]

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well grandpa *vamire* wouldnt exactly look like an old man now would he? Thats pure theory on my part but given the bottle he had awakened out vampiric nature..... not a stretch as for 'ghosting' the girl we're forced to fuck says she'll be arriving soon with her friends and for turning the phone off? Important shit shes doing to prep for whatever she was planning for the MC with her subbies/friends/acolytes/whatever. Again theory atm but Im guessing some kinda preparation ritual that needs focus

edit:
as far as the GFs whole 'mistress' schtick..... does no one here have any imagination? How about Master/student relationship eh? which for women would be what now!????? Oh yeah Mistress..... beyond that if shes another vampire family they could be thralls/ghouls/etc... This doesnt have to be some BDSM level shit here people(even if I hope she is, and is prepping a little harem for us)

 

[tremere66]

Yes, I agree with you on most points. The developer already explained it above, and I'm inclined to accept it. The girlfriend seems to have somehow figured out (at least I think so) that the MC belongs to the strong bloodline, but knows nothing about it. Instead of trying to talk to her, she prefers to do something behind his back, apparently to deliberately reactivate his inactive vampire genes. Yes, I understand that it has to happen that way story-wise, but that doesn't change the fact that it's tantamount to betrayal. A girlfriend who does something like that can no longer be trusted, no matter what the issue is. And no, I'm not one of those who thought she was having an affair with someone else. But I am one of those who say a forced sex scene isn't sexy, regardless of whether you're playing a male or female MC. Nevertheless, I'm still looking forward to seeing how the story develops. Because the game has potential, in my opinion.

 

[Tyrranus]

yeah I didnt like the forced sex either but....."OH NOES! my girlfriend went behind my back to try to help me! I can never trust her again!" lol what the fuck dude??

 

[OG-Cheese]

So all I got from this so far is mc is a puppet and is basically raped and forced/persuaded to cum inside another vamp by mind control. A forced girlfriend that is also keeping secrets from mc while having a couple of groupies she leads that call her mistress. All I see are red flags and a story that's so far just turn's me against half the cast. Whatever the reasoning, Monica has broken trust by omission (the mistress bs+drink bs) and Claire has raped mc and stolen his seed while probably lying about being on the pill. The relationships you set up are also just broken and/or ignored by dev's script. Also sounds like (dev's words) there will be sharing too come.

Great start.

 

[Raksha17]

Any moments that seem like NTR (such as what happens in the initial release) are purely for narrative tension. As the player, you can trust that your LIs remain loyal, (unless otherwise directed by you).

...

For example, imagine one of your LIs is drunk at a club, and another character tries to make a move on her and she being drunk jokingly flirts back. You, as the player, know she would never actually betray you, but the MC doesn’t have that same certainty. From his perspective, it feels like a genuine threat, and he’s forced to step up, either to defend her or compete for her attention.

Scenarios like this are designed to trigger key moments of emotional tension or rivalry between characters. They're not about betrayal, they will be used to spark conflict and kick off new storylines or expand existing ones.

That sounds like you want jealousy on the MC/Player side... which is usually more a thing with games on the NTR spectrum.

You can achieve a similar result in rivalry between characters without a LI behaving in a way to cause jealousy on the MC/Player side. Have her actually show loyalty to the MC and the other character be angry with the MC for being in his way and the MC angry with the other character for hitting on his LI (and maybe not taking the "no" as an aswer)

 

[SpasmJack]

Will give a spin. It probably replaces plots and murder, with domination and sex in on of my fav fantasy genres. Maybe

 

[Vortex@]

Claire is hot! So we had a sex scene with her. People complaining over having sex with a hot chic Dev already said it was needed for the plot and wouldn't be forced in later chapters

 

[Maviarab]

Claire is hot! So we had a sex scene with her. People complaining over having sex with a hot chic

And so many also lack the ability and intelligence to understand the issue. What she looks like is irelevant:

your choices will shape

Forced sex scenes....

The dev is also being highly disingenious...like many devs who don't wish to commit to something for fear of backlash. As for those whing at the people assuming Monica may be cheating (and to be fair, there IS hard evidence to support this, even from the devs own words), all their other theories are even more outlandish and unsupported....

Typical day on the Zone.

 

[Vortex@]

He already said this scene is needed. Just need to do some searching.

 

[tremere66]

yeah I didnt like the forced sex either but....."OH NOES! my girlfriend went behind my back to try to help me! I can never trust her again!" lol what the fuck dude??

Dude, get off your high horse. Who says the MC needs help? He seemed very balanced and chilled from the start of the game, and in no way in need of help... so yeah, for some self-righteous reason, his girlfriend felt compelled to pull such a stunt behind his back... so isn't that a form of betrayal? That stays in the back of every partner's mind, male or female, and probably will stay there... that's human, and if you can't relate, it just means something like that's never happened to you before^^ ohhh, you lucky thing, or it happened to you and you've just never had enough feelings for someone for it to be important to you^^