VN Ren'Py Friends in Need [Ch.1-7 v0.73] [NeonGhosts]

[NebulousShooter]

MC has multiple paths to follow, so if players don't want the "dark" stuff, then they won't choose it. LIs—to a certain extent—only has one path. Nicki will always ghost MC no matter what, Gabbi will get "abused" by her ex no matter what, Britt's relationship with her mom will always be fucked up no matter what, etc.

It's not hard to understand why folks cut MC some slack if you put all above into perspective.

True, but from what I've seen skimming over random pages of discussions, some players claim that even the serial rapist MC has moral superiority over Nicki and she deserves to be abused. Basically any type of transgression against their self insert is a death sentence for a NPC, no matter how innocuous it actually is.

One more thing, the Good boy MC acts like he is entitled to get something from Nicki for his years of being friendzoned and for giving her the money, be it sexual, or romantic, so even the best version of himself has issue. I heard CH1 will get reworked? I don't know if and what changes are planned for that, tough, but as it stands right now major incel vibes at the start of story.

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[Master of Puppets]

One more thing, the Good boy MC acts like he is entitled to get something from Nicki for his years of being friendzoned and for giving her the money, be it sexual, or romantic, so even the best version of himself has issue.

What? You can choose to give her the money no strings attached, then she comes on to him.

 

[Machete]

The dev did a little favourite character poll earlier this month in this very thread and Nicki swept the floor.
It's the classic case of loud minority.

I guess. I really can't see what the problem with Nicky is in the first place.

I mean, not every game is very yellow and black with stars and a full herd of chicks have nothing to do with their lives other than to line up to be banged by MC and looking at him adoringly.

If MC wasn't Nicky's first choice, let's live with that. It doesn't seem to be this hard to swallow.

 

[Nezron]

I guess. I really can't see what the problem with Nicky is in the first place.

I mean, not every game is very yellow and black with stars and a full herd of chicks have nothing to do with their lives other than to line up to be banged by MC and looking at him adoringly.

If MC wasn't Nicky's first choice, let's live with that. It doesn't seem to be this hard to swallow.

GO STARS !!!!

 

[Ulttoanova]

If MC wasn't Nicky's first choice, let's live with that. It doesn't seem to be this hard to swallow.

Speaking as someone who has Nicky as my favorite character in this I totally agree and IMO as long as MC is her final choice and she ends up with him why should it matter.

 

[NeonGhosts]

I'm always tempted to weigh in on these Nicki discussions. But I'm fascinated by how people can have such radically different reads on her, and I don't want to quash that by giving my take.

MC has multiple paths to follow, so if players don't want the "dark" stuff, then they won't choose it. LIs—to a certain extent—only has one path. Nicki will always ghost MC no matter what, Gabbi will get "abused" by her ex no matter what, Britt's relationship with her mom will always be fucked up no matter what, etc.

It's not hard to understand why folks cut MC some slack if you put all above into perspective.

This will begin to change with the next update, in pretty apparent ways. We've mostly seen MC interact with the girls at the beginning of their journeys, but now we're seeing what their lives look like with MC in it.

Off the top of my head: Viola's path will take a dramatic divergence with the next update based on how you treated her, Nicki's position in your life will potentially be in for a big change, and Brittani will have two possible career paths the MC can guide her down. You can also expect Gabby's relationship with Madison to change a lot, based on the MC's actions.

But, I'm still trying to avoid falling into the trap of having the story fork too much, so I'm being kinda ginger with all that for now. Still, my one big regret about Chapter One is that MC aiding Nicki ultimately didn't change much for her, in a material sense. But, I'd like to see what I can do to change that, in the reboot.

In other news, I made some good rendering progress today, so I decided to do a little gabby image with different hairstyle. I think it looks a little punky, while making her read a little more mature.

 

[Defenestrator.for.traitor]

But, I'm still trying to avoid falling into the trap of having the story fork too much, so I'm being kinda ginger with all that for now. Still, my one big regret about Chapter One is that MC aiding Nicki ultimately didn't change much for her, in a material sense. But, I'd like to see what I can do to change that, in the reboot.

I did love to hear that, looks like it will be impactful on general sense of Nicki and game through her.

 

[RC-1138 Boss]

This will begin to change with the next update, in pretty apparent ways. We've mostly seen MC interact with the girls at the beginning of their journeys, but now we're seeing what their lives look like with MC in it.

Off the top of my head: Viola's path will take a dramatic divergence with the next update based on how you treated her, Nicki's position in your life will potentially be in for a big change, and Brittani will have two possible career paths the MC can guide her down. You can also expect Gabby's relationship with Madison to change a lot, based on the MC's actions.

So is this all for the next update or the "road ahead" plans for those four possible love interests?

 

[Raziel_8]

In other news, I made some good rendering progress today, so I decided to do a little gabby image with different hairstyle. I think it looks a little punky, while making her read a little more mature.

Wow, Gabby actually looking good with this hairstyle
Will she actually have that look going forward ?

Now just waiting for Cassie to make her appearance.

 

[Master of Puppets]

But, I'm still trying to avoid falling into the trap of having the story fork too much, so I'm being kinda ginger with all that for now. Still, my one big regret about Chapter One is that MC aiding Nicki ultimately didn't change much for her, in a material sense. But, I'd like to see what I can do to change that, in the reboot.

I'm really hoping in the reboot it will be possible to treat Nicki badly and then regret it afterwards. Like I said before it's mostly possible to do this, but when she shows up in chapter 3 MC will treat her like crap again at first, and after switching to the friends route she forgets that he ever did anything bad to her.

 

[NebulousShooter]

What? You can choose to give her the money no strings attached, then she comes on to him.

You are right, I don't know why I was remembering his inner thoughts to default to that, maybe because I was playing around with URM testing variations of routes and after a while they started blending in my head.
He starts bemoaning the possibility of being eternally friendzoned, but he quickly stops himself and says she was his friend and she was always there for him and he can easily help her.

 

[Machete]

But, I'm still trying to avoid falling into the trap of having the story fork too much,

Wise man. The amount of work would soon be overwelming.

 

[Samuel Hidayat]

Still, my one big regret about Chapter One is that MC aiding Nicki ultimately didn't change much for her, in a material sense. But, I'd like to see what I can do to change that, in the reboot.

Did you imply that Nicki would still ghost MC in the reboot, regardless to how he treat her?

 

[donSilver]

In my humble opinion, I think it all comes down to not wanting to be taken advantage of, and the story with Nicki plays out that way. At least, that's what I felt like when playing the beginning of her storyline, and then I tuned her out.

 

[NebulousShooter]

At this point, all the main girls are present. Ashe's friend is planned to be more of an incidental character, so she won't have a full arc, but more like a few scenes. Unless people just love her (and I love writing her), then I may backtrack a bit and change my mind.

Well, I love her and deep down you know it in your soul you love to write her

 

[goulet1995]

Did you imply that Nicki would still ghost MC in the reboot, regardless to how he treat her?

feel thats a main part of the story i dont see that changing tbh

 

[Joshy92]

I have to say Nicki is my favourite character by far.
Heck I know this will have a harem path and that's probably the devs preferred option but my first playthrough will be exclusively Nicki.
Sorry Neon lol Nicki is just so awesome I don't want anyone else.

 

[Machete]

In my humble opinion, I think it all comes down to not wanting to be taken advantage of, and the story with Nicki plays out that way. At least, that's what I felt like when playing the beginning of her storyline, and then I tuned her out.

And this comes down to my black and yellow and stars games argument. A story is a story because things do happen. If things don't happen, the story is boring as fuck.

It's one of the reasons why in the lates years the majority of Hollywood movies flop. To be politically correct they cast so called minorities, but if anything happens to minority characters in movies, they are *ist and *fobes, so, to play safe, nothing really bad can happen to the MC and the movie is boring as fuck.

So, we get a game where MC got played but a stupid cunt and we get pissed by that? It means it's a good game and we are getting involved.

Otherwise if all the chicks come up, look at MC with puppy eyes and duckfaces, hug him and tell him all the time what a wonderful men he is, we get very yellow and black and stars and the game is boring as fuck.

 

[donSilver]

your reply

I get what you're saying, but you can make a very good story without making the player feel bad. Especially if it's a porn game where da feel-good-s is even more important. For example, I really really don't care for humor in a porn game because those two lanes of emotions are not connected in my mind at all. Same in here. Sure, the character like Nicki is good for storytelling, and would be a nice read for some people, but in a porn game, I don't think it works.

 

[Machete]

I get what you're saying, but you can make a very good story without making the player feel bad. Especially if it's a porn game where da feel-good-s is even more important. For example, I really really don't care for humor in a porn game because those two lanes of emotions are not connected in my mind at all. Same in here. Sure, the character like Nicki is good for storytelling, and would be a nice read for some people, but in a porn game, I don't think it works.

Indeed, i agree. But that doesn't mean that a story is bad for making you feel bad. Sometimes stories are meant to make you feel bad, sometimes to provide perspective, sometimes to give a stronger catharsis. Honestly i find odd and a bit unsettling the approach 'this story has to change because it makes me feel bad'. I mean, everyone has the right not to like or enjoy a story or anything else, but we need to respect the story itself. We can say 'we don't like it, it's a shit story' but wanting to have it changed is kinda weird.