VN Ren'Py Friends in Need [Ch.10 v0.70A] [NeonGhosts]

[botc76]

That doesn't work. The variable still says undefined.

What worked for me was going to line 34103 in the script and changing bri_fear to brifear.

Changed it back in case I feel like replaying on a different route later.

Did you maybe forget to hit enter afterwards? Can't think of any other reason for that not to work, because I checked in-game how it was spelled and just now I tried it again and it worked.
But yeah, what you did works as well, because you changed the script to ask for the parameter that IS actually defined.
Though, tbh I find it easier to just replace the misspelled value with a corrected version, instead of tempering with the script.

That's just me, though, of course.

 

[katzenstreu]

I have no option to assault pepper just "release her" is this a bug for me? if not what variable do I need to change?

i took a look into the pdf walkthrough.
seems like you didnt install the taboo patch.

 

[NeonGhosts]

REGARDING THE BRI_FEAR/BRIFEAR BUG:

Alright, here's what happened, to the best of my memory. I had the original variable labeled as 'bri_fear' at the start of Chapter Four: Part One, but then it was 'brifear' when actually applied to a path in the script. This meant that some people could have 'brifear = True' but there was no 'brifear = False' control variable for people who never did anything to frighten Brittani. Which meant that, when it came up later for the babysitter convo, it resulted in errors either way.

And unfortunately I didn't catch it until someone pointed it out with the newest update in the Beta. So, for the next release I changed them all to 'brifear' so at least someone starting a new game wouldn't get the same error. It should resolve if you load a save from the end of Chapter Three, just prior to the scene where we see Alex installing MC's hot tub while he's gaming with Nicki. As that's the first place the new variable is located. If not, you can start a new game -- but it's not really necessary.

As people who follow the thread know, once the next installment comes out I intend to redo Chapter One entirely, clean up any cascade effects, revamp all the variables, and release it. All the babysitter stuff won't matter until Chapter Five, which will come after the Chapter One reboot that forces everyone to start a new game anyways. So -- don't sweat it, it's not a big deal.

Thanks to everyone that's played, supported, or said a kind word! I love release days.

Alright, quick lightning round because I have a cold and I'm not feeling terribly well:

If that's the case, then I'll just keep an eye out for the more obvious mistakes. So far that's a really clunky line of dialogue that has an unnecessary word in it ('Your investment was now worth virtually worthless.'). And a line of dialogue spoken by Nicki during the first condo reunion that I'm 99% sure was misattributed and should have been spoken by the MC instead ('Oh sure! One sec.. Wine okay?').

Oh thanks, I went ahead and fixed those!

(Hey. I just want to say I appreciate your game, you're doing good work, and I'm grateful that I'm able to play it here. I feel like it's important for creators to hear that from time to time, so I'm just saying it now. Good work. I really like what you're making here for us.)

Thank you! Simple words of encouragement and support genuinely mean a lot.

I played through the latest update; it was pretty quick given my decisions thus far. Overall I thought it was a lot of fun. There were good interactions with the various characters and some nice setups for future action. It's a shame it ended before resolving things with Ashe, but I get why it was released this way and the problem will eventually go away when the finale is released.

I did notice one obvious continuity issue right off the bat, though. Several of the pictures the MC edits from Brittani's photo shoot are topless ones, even though I didn't ask her to take topless photos in the cheerleader costume and let her delete the ones in her goth costume. It's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things and I get why you wouldn't want to avoid the problem by showing only SFW photos, but it does break the illusion to ignore a choice so soon after making it. Unless it's a real hassle to add the branches, I think it would be worth making the topless photos contingent on taking/keeping those photos (unless this is just a strange bug in my save, of course).

As for the rest of the update, I'll put it in spoilers since it's brand new.

Spoiler: Chapter 4 Part 2 (From a Very Vanila Run)

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tl;dr Good update with some fun wholesome moments, and lots of other content I didn't see.

Thanks so much for the comprehensive review!

To speak to the continuity errors, you're right, that topless cheerleader photo does need to change. I'll add that to my big whiteboard full of little things to fix. On the goth photo though, Brittani does actually allow you to keep one of those, because she thinks it makes her look 'tough.' Still, I'll look at cleaning that scene-to-scene transition up a bit.

So Gabby’s path is on "hold"? pretty sad scene...
Oh and voyeurism tag in missing (optional phone scene...)

I wouldn't say that.. This update was originally going to end with MC taking Gabby and Madison to get Ryan out of jail. Gabby lovers will likely get a bit of catharsis when that finally happens.

x2

Always a chance.. Bonnie's not a main love interest or anything, but I have a one-off scene in mind for her if you're on one of Ashe's paths.

After multiple playthroughs, here's my takeaway:
Being a "nice guy" gets you little to no pussy and more often than not, you'll ended up being used while being a "bad guy" gets you all of the bitches.
Just like in real life. 10/10 for realism and would definitely recommend

Sometimes being a good guy means being a little patient. Next update shows there might be some unexpected consequences to always being an asshole.

Oh man those Mason choices really throw you through a philosophical conundrum.
I want to get people's thoughts on this situation and see how each person views this.

I'll spoiler this all so only read this if you've completed the Mason scene:

So the encounter with Mason ends one of 3 ways:
You reject the bj and just help Mason, no strings just to be a good dude to Mason.
You accept the bj and gender Mason how they prefer, as a Him. You get to cuddle and Mason falls asleep on you.
You accept the bj and gender Mason biologically, as a Her. You cuddle Mason and leave, leaving Mason possibly upset (I would assume?).

So, if you accept the bj, and gender Mason how they want (to be a good dude) would you consider the MC BI?
IF you accept the BJ, and gender Mason as a girl (because you only prefer women or are just an asshole) does it make it a hetro act even if Mason identifies otherwise? (or are you just an asshole.)

Spoiler: You are probably just an asshole for misgendering someone. xD

Although it does bring up a good question for the Dev:
NeonGhosts I know characters will change based on how you treat them. Does misgendering Mason lead to a bad end for Mason (telling you to fuck off or possibly darker end aka suicide) or can you get them to reconsider their gender choice (and are you going to hell if you do that? xD)

Interesting conundrum, isn't it? Personally, I follow a few folks on OnlyFans that use male pronouns, look kind of boyish, but were born girls and still have all their anatomy intact, and I don't think it makes me gay or bi. But hey, it's all a spectrum, and I just like what I like. No need to put a label on it!

I generally hope to avoid bad ends for any of the love interests, even on their bad paths. No spoilers or anything, but I'd rather see their stories end with them having survived MC and grown from it, rather than crumble. As for Mason's gender in particular.. I'm still figuring that out, honestly! Mason's based on a combination of two people I know in real life, but I also took some inspiration from a few trans dudes I know (or know of) online. One in particular went from using fem pronouns, to non-binary, to masculine, and back to non-binary.

The update was freaking amazing, and to think the chapter still isn't over and we still have the date and the "after party" to look forward to.

The Mason scene was just a masterpiece, the Nicki stuff was so damn wholesome (on romance path at least), it actually made me tear up a little. Then there was the Gabby stuff which was a rollercoaster and dramatic. The Ashe house scene were great, the parents were great and the bedroom scene was so damn good, and humorous as well.

I'm also interested to see where things with Pepper will go in the future, and also the Carolina future date with (in my case) Brittani as a baby sitter for Maya... hope that goes well. All in all, just an amazing update and has me excited for the future of the game.

Thanks so much! That's very kind.

Mason stole the show. Super adorable even after such a shitty life.

I have to admit that while Lina was going to be my main LI, Nikki has crept on in without me even noticing.

I didn't realise she was growing on me until the coffee shop with the romance choice. Her reaction plus how she acts with the mini person is sweet and she is deff waifu material.

Only thing holding it back is she still hasn't dealt with her ex and i'm wanting rid of him. I'm worried that the longer she takes to deal with him i'll start getting turned off her again.

I'm glad people have generally had such positive responses to Mason. Warms my heart!

And yeah, Nicki just keeps being more and more fun to write and render. And Maya + anyone just seems to bring out a fun dimension to their character.

Fantastic update once again!
Mason stuff is well done that I'm glad we can help him/her with no strings attach. plus that small scene where she/he flinches when you reject the bj is just so sad yet so good storytelling.

But im still surprise why MC still has no bodyguard or something. i dont know how rich philanthropist minds works but shouldnt he have a bodyguard or atleast a driver for safety. specially with his near miss with the bum that stole mason's bag and with the threat of Nikki's ex looming .

I actually had a plan for one love interest to act as MC's bodyguard (and it wasn't Alex, she of the many muscles), and later scrapped it. Like MC tells Nicki, he's not famous, he's more like a 'regional figure of interest.' But, that could change after he goes on the news to talk about the charity.. >_>

How long before our character gets to meet his sister Cassie? I played an old version of the game before and you could check out Cassie's socmed page with her wearing a bikini. It's missing in the Android port of the game I downloaded somewhere. Did the dev removed it?

I haven't made any changes to the script, so it's possible whoever packaged it for Android messed something up? As for Cassie's introduction, stay tuned. I know I've been saying that for a hot minute, but..

Irrelevant question, but out of curiosity. Where is Carolina from?
It surprised me that she says "El Cucuy" since, in most Spanish-speaking countries, it's "El Coco" (the original name of the legend) or "El Cuco". I have only heard "El Cucuy" in movies or series in the USA, but I suppose that in some Spanish-speaking place it should be said that way.

I imagine her as being a second-generation Mexican-American, likely from California or Texas. To be honest, I stole the "cucuy" thing from a Spanish-speaking girl I knew years ago who'd always say it. I checked the internet to verify it was a thing, but did t really research further.

El Cucuy is used quite a lot, it was also Tony Fergusons nickname in UFC.

Ayyyyy, another UFC fan! That's also why MC's photographer buddy's last name is Nogueira.

NeonGhosts
Great update.
Jerked me around emotionally in all the right directions.
You are really good, tugging at my heart-strings like that all the time, I honestly can't play the bad guy here, when all the girls are so sweet and so many have these tragic backstories, like how am I supposed to force Pepper into doing anything sexually, when I am sure she is innocent AND she has such a hard life?
Then we go see Gabby, and I'm crushed, is there no way for this not to happen when on the nice guy route? Like, seriously, I need to know if there is a way around this. Or at least tell me she's not out for good, that there is a way to get back to what was before? (I'm trying to avoid serious spoilers, hence I'm staying so vague)

Mason really took the cake this update, though, first the MC trying to be badass was hilarious, sees a butter knife and his life is flashing before his eyes and tells Mason to run.
But then it was really sweet and sad. It's like his story is even sadder and worse than I thought. I just thought he had a stutter.
Also in regard to gender, I totally expected it to be the other way around.
I won't lie, this way it's kind of difficult for me, to do anything sexually with the character. It's not what he would want, but I also don't want to give him what I want. This might actually be a case, where the story will lead me on a non-romantic route, as one option is completely uninteresting for me sexually and the other would feel really cruel.
It's like this is all stuff that happens in RL, and in RL I would never do anything that shitty, so I kind of don't want to do anything this shitty to the characters here as well.
It's like with Radiant, I tried to have a playthrough being the bad daddy, to the girls, but it wasn't like kinky BDSM stuff, it was just plain cruel, it wasn't sexy violence, it was evil and mean, just seriously cruel and that's not something I find sexy, when I like the characters.
Give me a few really arrogant and vapid bitches, and I am fine with that, in a game, but otherwise I like some kinky BDSM stuff, but not the "I am a real sadist and want to hurt people stuff."

That's the position you've put me in here as well, you evil genius!!!

Anyways, Nicki made some ground this time around, it was sweet to hear the reasons why she is so reluctant, and I like how she is around Carolina's daughter.
BTW; I read that stuff about the Nicki patch, a real shame. This is your game, you shouldn't feel the need to do this. I won't lie and say I had zero problems with Nicki, but to demand a patch in this way, that is just incredibly entitled and dickish, sorry, but that is how I see it. Those people have no right, absolutely no right to act this way, even if they are all patrons.

But back to the game.
Ashe was sweet and funny as well, and her parents were hilarious.
Carolina continued to be charming and heart-warming, and she gets bonus points, for being a great mom. Risa.... well, let's say I have found the first character I find really annoying. I kind of hope, there's a deeper layer to her, but if not it ain't a problem, she'd just be not interesting for me, but there are more than enough characters in here that not pursuing a few of them is completely fine.
There was nothing I did not like about this update, even the MC's memories of how he took care of his sister, and it made it even more intriguing, that he would totally disconnect with his family, when he so clearly loves her.
Well, I did not LIKE what happened with Gabby, but from a storytelling POV, I like that she reacts like this. It makes fucking sense, of course she would want that. I just wish there was something the MC could do. At least he could ask her out for a real date. Madison doesn't need to know that. That would have been a small chance for a better ending in my book at least, but hey, it's your game.

Thanks so much for the thorough, thoughtful review! I will say.. There are some mean girls incoming. So, stay tuned and maybe even good MC will have the option for a little Chaotic Good retribution.

 

[EvolutionKills]

This game is basically a 'what if' writing prompt built around the quote...

"The true measure of a man's character is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good."

You can be a celibate monk, wielding your wealth only for altruism. You can be an absolute monster, using that same wealth to enable your darkest desires and shield you from consequences. Or you can be something in-between, someone who tries to help but isn't immune to temptation when it's placed before him.

 

[natsu36]

anyone have the taboo patch it says its black listed

 

[Doctor Shark]

how many distinctive routes are there ?

You can scroll to the bottom of the walkthrough linked the main post for a better idea but generally all the main girls have four paths that are (not official names): Love, Friends, Corruption, and Domination. Nicki has a fifth path, Friends with Benefits.

As of this release, none of the paths affect any of the others (so you can be love with one girl, corruption with another, just friends with two, etc.) EXCEPT that you get hidden "darkness" points from domination and you need to have six of them (not that many, basically just means you need to have dominated one or two other girls) to see Pepper's domination scene. Don't do that, though. Be nice to Pepper, she's a cutie.

Also you can move between paths (for example, raping a girl on your first encounter but apologizing for it on the second will shift you from domination to corruption). The dev has said that eventually you'll have to make some choices if you're on a nice (love/friends) route in order to keep it semi-believable (no marrying girl and her mom and seven other girls all at the same time) but everything's still pretty early so it's silly to speculate on what may or may not show up a year or two from now.

 

[StingerWolf]

Is there any new Brittani content in this update?

 

[Avaron1974]

Ayyyyy, another UFC fan! That's also why MC's photographer buddy's last name is Nogueira.

Just brought back a memory.

Did you see that interview Chael Sonnen did when he talked about the Nogueira brothers feeding carrots to a bus?

 

[dietmountaindew]

No option to have Pepper spit in our coffee? One star! JK, loved the update. And, fine. I admit it. Ashe is officially best girl, okay?

 

[Defenestrator.for.traitor]

What do people think and choose for Mason? I couldn't bring myself to say yes to BJ offer. I am okay if he is bisexual, I really don't care of MC's sexuality since I make the choices, but he talks like he only likes women and do that kind of stuff out of necessity. If so, I wouldn't like to take advantage of him, in his vulnurable situation. So any thoughts?

 

[Coaxmetal]

And, fine. I admit it. Ashe is officially best girl, okay?

She was just amazing. To be fair though, I think that about all the girls when it’s their scene time it’s hard being a slut, ok?!

 

[Omni752]

are the scenes animated??

 

[kevcolqaz]

this game needs the gallery mode or walkthrough mode, I played both routes and gets me confused.

 

[Defenestrator.for.traitor]

I generally don't fuck homeless bums (they tend to be disease bags) so didn't take the BJ either. That and she's just not that attractive (other than having a hairy pussy if you choose the BJ option, but how the fuck was the sides trimmed if she can't even afford razors or a shower?), even compared to Nikki after she got turned into a biker chick.

I really love these kind of stuff. We look at the same thing but see completely different images. You refuse BJ because you see her as an unattractive homeless bum filled diseases but I saw him as a fragile soul who lost their way and need gentle push towards to good life. I only refuse BJ because he could, probably will, feel bad about it. It really is interesting.

 

[Mesmerizet]

What do people think and choose for Mason? I couldn't bring myself to say yes to BJ offer. I am okay if he is bisexual, I really don't care of MC's sexuality since I make the choices, but he talks like he only likes women and do that kind of stuff out of necessity. If so, I wouldn't like to take advantage of him, in his vulnurable situation. So any thoughts?

Personally considering his situation I just let him be and helped him as much as I could.
Although for posterity's sake I went ahead to preview the scene "she" does look kinda hot with a wig.
But that isn't the playthrough I'm ideally aiming at.
Ideally wish there was a gallery so you don't have to have multiple playthroughs just to see all the scenes.

 

[KoGa3]

Here's a quick Android port from me. The patch is integrated + added some more game settings (textsize, outlines, named saves, toggle side image etc)
New since v0.55: option to toggle the side image and turn on/off the dark path variable (should be set at the game start!)


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Nov. 20, 2024
Updated my Mod and Android port for the new game version v0.70a
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Download Mod v0.70 (~1MB)

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Android port from the game compressed v0.70a
with integrated Mod (~1.3GB)

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Spoiler: Android port - more infos...

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[THE KILLER 13]

what kind of unofficial incest (with the possibility of a patch) is in this game?

 

[Defenestrator.for.traitor]

Personally considering his situation I just let him be and helped him as much as I could.
Although for posterity's sake I went ahead to preview the scene "she" does look kinda hot with a wig.
But that isn't the playthrough I'm ideally aiming at.
Ideally wish there was a gallery so you don't have to have multiple playthroughs just to see all the scenes.

I usually like to play each path when I like a game and I do that for this game too but I simply couldn't choose that for Mason. Dev made him too real to go evil on him. He is such a sweetheart and I got too sad when he talked about his father.

 

[StingerWolf]

nope. Generally there's not 2 consecutive updates with the same girls and she was in the previous one with the tit fuck scene.

Meh. She is like one of the best if not best one. Others are rather meh, maybe Viola is good too. Everyone else so far is rather uninteresting.

 

[EvolutionKills]

What do people think and choose for Mason? I couldn't bring myself to say yes to BJ offer. I am okay if he is bisexual, I really don't care of MC's sexuality since I make the choices, but he talks like he only likes women and do that kind of stuff out of necessity. If so, I wouldn't like to take advantage of him, in his vulnurable situation. So any thoughts?

I politely declined his offer and just helped him, because I could and it was the right thing to do.

I'm a boring CIS-hetero white dude, and I'm attracted to ladies who identify as ladies. I've never liked gender-bender content in anime, as I can't reconcile my attraction to someone who isn't a 'matched set'. Don't get me wrong, THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE! I like to think of myself as an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, so I don't expect or demand that people conform their gender identities to my own personal myopic preferences. Because they're just that, my preferences. I don't need to be personally attracted to someone to treat them like another human being, worthy of love and respect.