VN Ren'Py Friends in Need [Ch. 9 v0.60c] [NeonGhosts]

[HiP1]

maybe you are right but idk the way she hugged and thanked the MC after saying you didn't want to take advantage makes me think otherwise since she doesn't do that unless you turn her down , it's hard to say. It could also be because his choices in the drug den , trying to help Cherry , or just taking care of her while she was high but personally im still going with she didn't want to.

she is still under the influence of the drugs. her hug and thanks could be overly friendly and warm because of the drugs.
she is not really in a conscious state when MC makes the choice to help Cherry or not, so i don't think it affects what she thinks of him.
i think she does want to have sex. she can differentiate sex and love, i'm pretty sure she even separates them forcefully. for her, sex is just a very fun time.
she is very flirty, she finds MC attractive enough, and he is a good guy (first by the rumours and his charity, then confirmed when he decides to help her even after the stunt she pulls), and she asks for it when she is sober.
in the hotel, she is numb from the drugs, so she would not enjoy it as much, it's also seen as payment further decreasing the enjoyment of it. but she does want it.
if she didn't see MC with Ashe on their date, she probably would have fucked MC when he came to visit her that night.
it's not a big deal to her. you probably put too much thoughts into it "it's just sex, daddy"

I'll take a look! That Ashe update about killed me, so my brain was leaking out of my ear by the end.. :'D Plus, I honestly need to/plan to go through and unify a lot of the various variables, so everything is simplified/streamlined.

in Ashe's date, the sheer number of possibilities, branches, and bridges on all the branches, is absolutely staggering for a single event. even more so knowing you are alone working on it. you schooled most AVN devs with that single update

I feel like one weird thing with the update is if you turn her down in the motel because you don't want to take advantage of her, she offers sex again later just becaus, unless I missed it which I might of. I feel like there should be maybe a couple lines of dialogue if you don't take advantage in the motel that lead to the sex, because if you turn her down in the motel, why would she offer again like 20 mimutes later, I just think a little dialouge would help the transition to that, because it feels like just do you wanna have sex yes or no. So unless I missed it I think a little extra dialogue can help it feel more and not just do you wanna have sex, even though you turned me down in the motel 20 minutes ago.

she sobered up at that point. she remembers you turned her down, but things have changed.
and sex is not a big deal to her. you could think of it like "hey let's play some cards" in the hotel, then "hey, you're cool! let's play some mario kart" in her room. in the hotel, she offers it more for MC, and in her room she offers it for herself too after getting 15 more minutes to enjoy his company.

If I recall correctly she made some deal or something to fuck the MC. So how I saw it taking her to the motel meant for her to go through with the deal. But if you decline and don't take advantage at least to me felt like she didn't want to have sex then and there and she thanked it for not making her have sex as she didn't want to do it yet. Which in turn made Risa trust the MC a bit more. Then when you are able to have sex with her later it's because how much she trust the MC and he agrees to help her despite all her baggage and issues after her full confession and what she did to the MC to try and get his help. So I think by agreeing she trust him completely and is grateful for everything as she knows the way she went about getting help was wrong and dangerous.

I do agree more dialogue would of been nice but I don't quite think more dialogue was needed either I never felt like sex at her home was just because but sex at the model was just because. If you look at every little thing the MC has done to gain her trust it feels like there is a reason behind it. To me it feels like to have sex in her home is because she trust the MC completely and wants to not because of some deal. That and im pretty sure Risa doesn't care about the consequences for doing so as lets be real with a controlling father and bodyguard having sex in her home isn't ideal. So because she wants to do it in her home where she could face some consequence's to me shows and symbolizes not only trust but a genuine like for the MC not some casual FWB or one night stand type of deal. Tho maybe my interpretation is reading to much into things , but that is how I see it.

it was not a real deal, i think. at least, MC doesn't really take it seriously if he is a good guy. when he doesn't want to go in the drug den with her, she says she will fuck him if he comes, but he immediately sees it as something said out of desperation because of drug withdrawal.
that's also why I think she does want to have sex in the hotel too. she knows it was not a serious promise, but it can be ambiguous. but it's taking advantage of guys' usual horniness. while the offer in her room is more about rewarding a good guy, even if she really wants to do it anyway.

doing it in her room and not holding back her voice was weird though. because she told MC to keep his voice down or Owen would come thinking MC is assaulting her...

TBH, the hotel option to me felt more like the horny/darker~ choice. You miss out on some sweet characterization and interesting plotting from the lawful waffle route. And you can still fuck her at her place, so it's not like you miss much. I guess you might get more Risa points? I haven't looked at the code much there.

yeah you get more relationship points for Risa if you "perfectly" fuck her in the hotel. even more than being a good guy and turning her down. I asked Neon about it and he said he will change the points there as he agreed it didn't make sense.

Yeh, but it's quite the jerk option, he's not happy in female shoes, so, whoever he wants to be it's cool. Unless we go on sheer insanity like those that in gender studies say that biological men can get pregnant despite there wasn't a fucking single case in all human history or that cutting off your dick you magically become a biological woman.

With all respect for life choices reality doesn't give a fuck of feelings. Then if someone want to have certain surgeries be my guest by all mean.

I once had the luck to have fun with this young biological woman who had shifting identity and sometimes she wanted to be a guy. Fine to me until there is an actual vagina between the thighs and nothings goes up my arse and when she/he wanted to be a guy i treated her/him like a guy. No biggie. Everyone was happy.

I think Mason just takes it as a pet name or roleplay in the bedroom if you accept to keep his gender identity outside.

A good example if Gabby or Ashe's first scene, where the player is required to take the initiative by kissing Gabby, or stopping Ashe from leaving. I tried to make it pretty obvious that they're both into you, and you just have to initiate, buuuuut some people didn't see it that way.

it was very obvious. but we live in an era of overly explicit consent. some girls are complaining about it because it does kill the mood for them too.

I will correct one thing. We weren't fucking we were making love. And that's what I would tell her dad if he asked what we were up to.

you don't need to tell him. Risa didn't hold back at all, she screamed your name. everybody in the house knows.

Thank you for that in-depth opinion. Once finished, I felt I might have done it wrong somewhere with my approach to not take advantage of someone in need right off the bat. Like not even a tiny bit of indulgence, and thus me coming out empty handed was either just the game telling me that I missed out or simply that I've locked myself in for the long haul with the reward reaping happening far down the road when the perspective LIs aren't at the mercy of my goodwill and we have a more positive and well balanced relationship.

MC will never have a balanced relationship, even if the girls have their lives back on track: he is a multimillionaire with tons of influence.
only Brittani could reach or exceed MC's power if her career explodes.
Risa has to inherit her family's money. Viola and Gabby could have some money if they embrace their art and MC push for them.
but when their life is back on track, they will still be indebted to him anyway.

you can argue that Nicki has the most balanced relationship with MC. she was there and supported him when he had nothing. that's invaluable. literally priceless. and that's why she has a big headstart on the LI race

the MC has the opportunity to refer to him as a "her".

you can choose to limit that to the bedroom and switch back to him outside of bed.

I'm curious is Mason disappointed if I kick the hobo and get his bag back?
Or does he like that I stood up for him?

you don't get the bag back either way. Mason hates violence, so he is upset at first. MC tells him that he has to stand up to bullies because they will never stop bullying.
so he could be disappointed but still appreciate your help and why you did it.

 

[Dessolos]

she is still under the influence of the drugs. her hug and thanks could be overly friendly and warm because of the drugs.
she is not really in a conscious state when MC makes the choice to help Cherry or not, so i don't think it affects what she thinks of him.
i think she does want to have sex. she can differentiate sex and love, i'm pretty sure she even separates them forcefully. for her, sex is just a very fun time.
she is very flirty, she finds MC attractive enough, and he is a good guy (first by the rumours and his charity, then confirmed when he decides to help her even after the stunt she pulls), and she asks for it when she is sober.
in the hotel, she is numb from the drugs, so she would not enjoy it as much, it's also seen as payment further decreasing the enjoyment of it. but she does want it.
if she didn't see MC with Ashe on their date, she probably would have fucked MC when he came to visit her that night.
it's not a big deal to her. you probably put too much thoughts into it "it's just sex, daddy"

While I agree with some of this not all of it but hey we just have different interpretations. It's still unclear to me if she was still high during the hug. I'm still gonna assume she was sober cause I recall the MC waited / let her sleep it off but that's due to my inexperience with drugs. As I don't know if you still feel the effects a little bit after you come down from being high.

 

[HiP1]

While I agree with some of this not all of it but hey we just have different interpretations. It's still unclear to me if she was still high during the hug. I'm still gonna assume she was sober cause I recall the MC waited / let her sleep it off but that's due to my inexperience with drugs. As I don't know if you still feel the effects a little bit after you come down from being high.

from what I recall, Risa mentions she was still numb from the drugs if you have sex in the hotel. i forgot if it was during sex or if it was after when she offers it again.
but i don't doubt her appreciation of MC turning her down for not wanting to take advantage is deeply genuine.

 

[ename144]

Yeahhh, this was kind of my thought process. It's a pretty standard, "Fuck off and leave my daughter alone," speech, tailored to Guy's specific circumstances. One person in the playtesting phase of Chapter 9 said that they felt like that scene flowed weird. A couple more said the same thing post-release. I don't entirely see it, but it's been brought up by a few people, so I'm willing to believe there's something there. Or rather, something missing.

The supporter who critiqued the scene basically said some things that others here have said -- why didn't Guy push back? He could point out all he's done for the community. He could try to explain to Carl that he has Risa's best interests at heart. He could criticize Carl's 'self-made man' image.

Originally, there was actually a bit where Guy could point out that Carl's real estate empire benefited from an entirely different market, that he grew up in a time when wages were more commensurate to productivity, and so on. But, it just felt off. Like Guy's response was a little too, "Haha, suck it boomer!" So, I ultimately decided that what made the most sense was for Carl to sit there and recite a little treatise, and for Guy to endure it until he finally either tried to smooth things over, or respond aggressively.

Ultimately, their first meeting was a little bit of table-setting: "Back off, or I'll make life uncomfortable for you." So, that hopefully sets up a more interesting second meeting.

I think the issue is that the scene works if taken as you intended, but it doesn't really explain WHY the scene winds up happening that way. For example, if Mr. Rhodenbarr has such a dim opinion of the MC and wants to keep Risa on a tight leash, why does Owen let the MC into the house at all? Why doesn't Owen lead the MC aside as Risa is shown to her room, only for Carl to berate the MC and then kick him out? You can't just handwave it by saying the MC's arrival caught them by surprise when Carl himself makes such a big deal about intimately they've studied the MC, nor can you say Carl was playing it cool to observe the MC's response when he comes on so strong with his "fuck off and leave my daughter alone" speech right out of the gate.

Basically, I think the interaction should have been much shorter to emphasize Mr. Rhodenbarr's stubborn disdain for the MC and/or Risa, or started out more amicably only to have Carl drop the hammer at the end (either automatically as a rhetorical flourish if he wanted to leave an impression on the MC, or as a response to some of the MC's dialog if you want to make it branching). That would still have established the character dynamics you were aiming for without making Carl's speech feel quite as... staged, maybe? You'd have to tweak Risa's path a bit to make sure we get the interactions we need with her before the MC takes her home, but I don't think would have been too hard.

 

[HiP1]

I think the issue is that the scene works if taken as you intended, but it doesn't really explain WHY the scene winds up happening that way. For example, if Mr. Rhodenbarr has such a dim opinion of the MC and wants to keep Risa on a tight leash, why does Owen let the MC into the house at all? Why doesn't Owen lead the MC aside as Risa is shown to her room, only for Carl to berate the MC and then kick him out? You can't just handwave it by saying the MC's arrival caught them by surprise when Carl himself makes such a big deal about intimately they've studied the MC, nor can you say Carl was playing it cool to observe the MC's response when he comes on so strong with his "fuck off and leave my daughter alone" speech right out of the gate.

Basically, I think the interaction should have been much shorter to emphasize Mr. Rhodenbarr's stubborn disdain for the MC and/or Risa, or started out more amicably only to have Carl drop the hammer at the end (either automatically as a rhetorical flourish if he wanted to leave an impression on the MC, or as a response to some of the MC's dialog if you want to make it branching). That would still have established the character dynamics you were aiming for without making Carl's speech feel quite as... staged, maybe? You'd have to tweak Risa's path a bit to make sure we get the interactions we need with her before the MC takes her home, but I don't think would have been too hard.

the night before, Risa already tells MC that he is known in the old money circles and they all have a low opinion of him, even with the charity he does, because he is new money and got his wealth through pure luck.
it is also easy to guess that her father allows her the bare minimum of freedom at least. inviting friends home is allowed, as long as the rules are respected (no drugs, limited time inside alone and such), she is still his daughter, and not a prisoner, at least in his mind. (she is still a caged bird for sure). also, it is expected minimum hospitality for his kind of people.
but then "having a talk" with the visitors when they exit is his way of preventing further visits from unwanted guests. he wants to choose her friends. and with Risa's history, it's clearly a routine by now.

I didn't have an issue of how the scene came to be, rather in the flow of the conversation. Sure, Carl is more powerful and is the owner of MC's home, but there is no reason for MC to take it as a pushover. even the "confrontational" choice is very tame. contrasting Carl's claims that he care about her to what he is actually doing to her, and how he actually is to blame for some her flaws and missteps, and mostly that he doesn't know his daughter at all beyond what he expects her to be and how he wants to mold her. linking the fact that he is barely a father to her with how he thinks he is special... closer to a low character man than he thinks he is

 

[Joshy92]

I think if Risa's dad knew me a bit better, he wouldn't mind that I want to date his daughter.

 

[LonerPrime]

As for ultimate plans: that's a big question. :'D Mason really has three basic routes lined out.

• Love/Corruption - you're nice to Mason, have sex with him, and refer to him by the masculine pronouns he prefers, but you can still refer to him as a girl during sex.
• Friends - you're nice to Mason, and have no sexual interest in him.
• Dark/Corruption - you refer to Mason by feminine pronouns both during and outside of sex. You can be nice, or kind of a dick.

Thank you for that detailed explanation. For now, I'll stick with the Friends route as I really need a good dude friend to counter the heavy feminine energy my MC is surrounded in. Maybe later on I'll explore his other routes for the story as I am still curious how he will develop in a situation where he isn't being exploited on the streets on a daily basis.

MC will never have a balanced relationship, even if the girls have their lives back on track: he is a multimillionaire with tons of influence.
only Brittani could reach or exceed MC's power if her career explodes.
Risa has to inherit her family's money. Viola and Gabby could have some money if they embrace their art and MC push for them.
but when their life is back on track, they will still be indebted to him anyway.

you can argue that Nicki has the most balanced relationship with MC. she was there and supported him when he had nothing. that's invaluable. literally priceless. and that's why she has a big headstart on the LI race

Foremost, thank you for your weighted opinion. Regrettably however, it seems you might have taken my preference for a "balanced relationship", too literally. While I agree with your assessment that MC will almost always have an edge thanks to his extreme financial prowess and doubly so if you support LIs positively, making them heavily indebted to his goodwill but, there is still a valid emotional argument to be made here.

Let's say if someone is in dire need of your aid and offers you sex in that moment, would you interpret the motivation behind it as genuine love? Or simply a desperate attempt to sweeten the deal so they can secure what they need from you? Of-course it could be the former, but in that moment, the situation isn't exactly easy to analyze.

Now the same thing happens, but this time no favors are in the air. Personally, I'd struggle less with this one as the only thing weighing more on my mind would be, "Do I even like this person?" "Will this work out?" and all that exciting pizzaz, instead of dissecting and doubting their thought process.

Of-course, I understand that not all LIs did this here so I'm not doing a mass projection. But the idea is somewhat universal. Every LI here is vulnerable and the game has them leaning on you for aid, one time or the other. But, honestly, whatever is offered, taking advantage of someone right off the bat, just doesn't sit right with me- even if they were the ones who offered it. Because I feel that if I take up on their offer in their weakened emotional state, I'd be reducing them to some sort of a prostitute. And you don't exactly treat real friends like that. At least not if you are playing a Lawful Good role. Either you help them in their need, or you do not. And I'd rather help them now without strings attached, and later once they are on their feet and emotionally stable, we could explore a more romantic angle.

Of-course that is just my POV. I do not mean to dis anyone on their choices and styles of dealing with the LIs, nor lecture the dev to change anything. In-fact, I'm here for the ride and the story as it's envisioned to be.

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

Thank you for that detailed explanation. For now, I'll stick with the Friends route as I really need a good dude friend to counter the heavy feminine energy my MC is surrounded in. Maybe later on I'll explore his other routes for the story as I am still curious how he will develop in a situation where he isn't being exploited on the streets on a daily basis.



Foremost, thank you for your weighted opinion. Regrettably however, it seems you might have taken my preference for a "balanced relationship", too literally. While I agree with your assessment that MC will almost always have an edge thanks to his extreme financial prowess and doubly so if you support LIs positively, making them heavily indebted to his goodwill but, there is still a valid emotional argument to be made here.

Let's say if someone is in dire need of your aid and offers you sex in that moment, would you interpret the motivation behind it as genuine love? Or simply a desperate attempt to sweeten the deal so they can secure what they need from you? Of-course it could be the former, but in that moment, the situation isn't exactly easy to analyze.

Now the same thing happens, but this time no favors are in the air. Personally, I'd struggle less with this one as the only thing weighing more on my mind would be, "Do I even like this person?" "Will this work out?" and all that exciting pizzaz, instead of dissecting and doubting their thought process.

Of-course, I understand that not all LIs did this here so I'm not doing a mass projection. But the idea is somewhat universal. Ever LI here is vulnerable and the game has them leaning on you for aid, one time or the other. But, honestly, whatever is offered, taking advantage of someone right off the bat, just doesn't sit right with me- even if they were the ones who offered it. Because I feel that if I take up on their offer in their weakened emotional state, I'd be reducing them to some sort of a prostitute. And you don't exactly treat real friends like that. At least not if you are playing a Lawful Good role. Either you help them in their need, or you do not. And I'd rather help them now without strings attached, and later once they are on their feet and emotionally stable, we could explore a more romantic angle.

Of-course that is just my POV. I do not mean to dis anyone on their choices and styles of dealing with the LIs, nor lecture the dev to change anything. In-fact, I'm here for the ride and the story as it's envisioned to be.

Makes me wonder now exactly how late we will be able to move from friend route to romance route, and will it be obvious when the option permanently cuts off?

I get where you're coming from, but ofc, it all depends on how Neon sees it and what he intends and so forth. You've already said your views, so I'm not trying to push against it or anything, but the way I see it when I'm playing is that it's possible to have power over someone and still be in a healthy, happy relationship with them. In fact, I'd say there's many, many women out there who like it that way; their fantasies are full of it: rich, successful guy to sweep them off their feet; or a fuckin' old ancient vampire that could snap them in half like a twig all while sparkling in the sunlight That kind of stuff. I know we hear from lots of feminists that they don't want a man to rescue them, and good for them! But there's always been a significant number of women who want exactly that, for Prince Charming to stride in and save them from their sucky situations. I personally think that's where our LIs are right now, in one form or another.

And I think one of, if not the main thrust(s) of the story is that the LIs are only in peril from you if you want them to be. So you can sweep them off their feet and not abuse the power dynamic; give in to your bloodlust and treat them as objects of desire; or somewhere in between.

Again, not trying to push against your already established stance on this, but if you haven't tried romancing any of them yet, you could maybe give it a shot and see how it feels to you? You might discover some of your concerns quelled. I found all the interactions to be very sweet and don't recall any signs of toxicity or creepiness or anything that weren't given as a choice. You might too? Just something to consider.

Also, given the nature of porn VNs, especially when it comes to making money from them, things kinda necessarily have to be sped up as compared to RL. Otherwise, we're blueballing with every girl for like... at least 3 updates.. which there's definitely an audience for that sort of thing, but I guess that's not what this game wants to do. I don't recall if this was one of your issues, but that might also explain why it can sometimes not quite feel right in the moment, because it goes so fast.

 

[Dessolos]

And I think one of, if not the main thrust(s) of the story is that the LIs are only in peril from you if you want them to be. So you can sweep them off their feet and not abuse the power dynamic; give in to your bloodlust and treat them as objects of desire; or somewhere in between.

You know your post made me realize the way I play guy I actually never saw him as having a power dynamic over most of the other LI even tho he clearly does. Because of the way I play him my first thought it to treat all the LI (except Isabella) with kindness , help them out treat them like they are my equal. Which is why I hated having to have sex with Nicki in chapter 1 and cant wait for the rework.

How I see things with each LI is as follows for my way of playing guy.

Nicki - I don't see a need to help her but will when asked but rather treat her as a friend first, then a girlfriend second since I think their friendship lasting is more important than a romantic relationship. Because of that I don't try to make my guy act like he is the boss when possible but we are equals.

Ashe - Same as Nicki but girlfriend first since she is clearly into Guy. However the difference here for me is to treat each other like we are equals in a romantic relationship and don't solve any issues with money but like a normal couple that are equal.

Risa - Help her out whenever possible while showing her a good time and treating her as I would any other girl or LI no matter her problems. Her turning to guy for help because he has money to help , doesn't matter I dont want any favors instead I want to show her a good time and romance her and start a romantic relationship with her despite her issues she is worth it.

Brittani - Only time I see my version of guy having a power dynamic over her is when she is working for us. While we are mainly doing the photoshoot stuff to help her out it's the only time id let my guy given the choice to show he is the boss. Otherwise id treat her as a equal and friend that is going through some hard times. Don't really see her as a romantic partner but a FWB relationship on her terms.

Pepper - While we are her boss technically I see her being the bossy one and having the power dynamic over Guy with how I will play him. I think her romance could be a fun one if she is the one bossing Guy around on the romantic path not in a femdom type of way but more in a guy is pussy whipped kind of way and will do whatever the women says to get some.

Gabby & Mason - These are 2 LI i probably do seeing having a power dynamic over. Gabby acts like a bratty kid to me while i'd have guy help her I do see guy knowing what's best for her because of the way she acts. With Mason kind of the same as to me he comes across as someone that needs help and can't really survive on his own without being taken advantage of, so I see my version of guy showing him how to get by on his own while helping him with whatever.

Viola , and the rest - I honestly not sure yet need to see more content with them.

 

[estrada777]

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[Eezergoode]

NeonGhosts

Bravo on this one, I have to say this is the first time a LONG while I've caught myself self-inserting in an AVN.... I am finding myself playing the way I would react IRL to these situations, instead of just picking the choices that I think will get me the most lewd content. Very well-written so far, I'm getting very invested in all of the characters. I usually like one or two, but so far I've liked all of them, each for a different reason. I'm loving that each character has depth and a well thought out backstory, at least it seems that way. They just felt... real, I guess. I think I'll be heading over to SubscribeStar this payday, you deserve every penny we can throw your way.... Keep up the excellent work!

 

[Joshy92]

What if at the end of the game we have to choose between all our money or the love of one of these awesome babes?
For Mason I would throw every dollar I own in a blender.

 

[Alberic]

Lots of good conversation in this thread since I last checked. I'll need to re-play and reread the entire thing before I give any further opinion on the story. There is something there, some guys in this thread are tugging at an actual problem, but I'm not sure where the crux of the entire thing is. At the point I'm at it feels like Lucien's a mistake and putting Brent as the main antagonist would make more sense, but it's just a gut feeling for now after not having played the game for a while.

I did want to comment on two things. First, "chapter 8 9 10 were originally chapter 8, I vastly underestimated the work that goes into the game." Careful, that's a telltale sign of bloat and scope creep. And especially in this format, it may unbalance the whole thing and unfucking things is a bitch once they're "published".

The second thing is about the haters. First of all, yes, it is unfair. You (NeonGhost) are putting yourself out, actually putting in the work and creating something, only to have random bumblefucks who didn't do shit, nor put in any effort, come and rain on your parade. The thing is, as far as I can see it, for projects like this everything is peachy and great until suddenly it isn't and everything comes crashing down. And the shift is usually dramatic.

When looking back at such projects, the eventual last straw would usually have been pretty difficult to predict (besides the classic "First, I need to rebuild the game" or "I'll redo a few scenes...") but oftentimes the problems that accumulated up to that point were somewhat signaled before reaching the breaking point.

We tend to be lenient with the things that we love, glossing over problems because frankly they don't take away from our enjoyment. We give the game/movie/novel a pass, as it were. But it doesn't mean the problems are not here. Some haters are just shitters, but plenty are canaries in the coal mine, the first hint that something's gone wrong. And usually it's the only warning that arrives in time to correct course. That doesn't mean the haters are right, mind you. They usually mis-identify problems, get something right for the wrong reasons, plain misunderstand some things and we mostly only find nuggets of insight in their comments with the benefit on hindsight. But unless they're completely gone in the head, when they try to explain what they disliked, they are drawing things from your writing to build their logic, they're (mis)identifying an actual problem, something gone wrong, even if it's not technically the thing they're saying that is the root of the issue. But there is definitely something there. Most haters that can rationalize the problem they see in your work used to be fans (and I'd argue that the guys writing long-ass posts in this thread definitely still are) until something happened they reached a breaking point faster than anyone else, don't write their concerns off because they can't verbalize them well.

And even the random shitters have their uses, don't overly obsess over them, but if you're noticing an increase in haters, then it's an indicator in and of itself (for porn games, usually it's a sign you've been edging your community far too much).

A last piece of advice that's counter intuitive is that if you feel the need to write something, express something, create something, even if it's just a story of a dude fucking girls, you need to haul ass. Yeah we love stories of authors who matured a single story throughout their whole lives, but these dudes are the exception to the rule. Each day you stray further from the dude who started this story, in a sad way each day you stray further from the thing you wanted to express. 12-14 chapters and a season 2 sound great (not to me, it fills me with dread) but if a story's got you by the balls you need to put it to paper now. Yesterday, even. It's a trite, but life comes at you fast and there are plenty of news that would put a writing project on the backburner, or dissociate you from the story you started to tell.

And now as I write this I wonder if it's not what some people sensed. Last time I mentioned the protagonist being dissociated from its own story, but it may be that you, the author, are trying to fit in the story you want to tell now into the story you started telling, and it's causing rifts.

I'm just spitballing here, until I take the time to re-play everything.

 

[Axelfire]

ok so a bit of a question, but will we see any actual bimbofication like we saw in the minisode,or will that remain the exclusive preview of dream sequences and the like?

 

[NeonGhosts]

ok so a bit of a question, but will we see any actual bimbofication like we saw in the minisode,or will that remain the exclusive preview of dream sequences and the like?

I have a route planned for Brittani that will kind of lean into this.

 

[Echoesinthedarkness]

I have a route planned for Brittani that will kind of lean into this.

what about inevitable branching, or it will be late game choice?

 

[Dessolos]

I have a route planned for Brittani that will kind of lean into this.

I assume it will be optional / on a corruption or dark path right? Cant see myself wanting to romance her other than for the sake of seeing all the content if it isn't. While nothing against bimbofication in general I like how she isn't like her mother and well to be blunt don't think id enjoy it on a romance path. But hey that's just me im sure many would enjoy it if it isn't optional im just curious is all. Tho knowing your game I assume it will be an optional branch since you like to give us alot of choices

 

[The Anti]

Yeah, I want to turn Britt into a little porn slut to humiliate her and ruin her like a bit but bimbofication also not my thing.

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

You know your post made me realize the way I play guy I actually never saw him as having a power dynamic over most of the other LI even tho he clearly does. Because of the way I play him my first thought it to treat all the LI (except Isabella) with kindness , help them out treat them like they are my equal. Which is why I hated having to have sex with Nicki in chapter 1 and cant wait for the rework.

How I see things with each LI is as follows for my way of playing guy.

Nicki - I don't see a need to help her but will when asked but rather treat her as a friend first, then a girlfriend second since I think their friendship lasting is more important than a romantic relationship. Because of that I don't try to make my guy act like he is the boss when possible but we are equals.

Ashe - Same as Nicki but girlfriend first since she is clearly into Guy. However the difference here for me is to treat each other like we are equals in a romantic relationship and don't solve any issues with money but like a normal couple that are equal.

Risa - Help her out whenever possible while showing her a good time and treating her as I would any other girl or LI no matter her problems. Her turning to guy for help because he has money to help , doesn't matter I dont want any favors instead I want to show her a good time and romance her and start a romantic relationship with her despite her issues she is worth it.

Brittani - Only time I see my version of guy having a power dynamic over her is when she is working for us. While we are mainly doing the photoshoot stuff to help her out it's the only time id let my guy given the choice to show he is the boss. Otherwise id treat her as a equal and friend that is going through some hard times. Don't really see her as a romantic partner but a FWB relationship on her terms.

Pepper - While we are her boss technically I see her being the bossy one and having the power dynamic over Guy with how I will play him. I think her romance could be a fun one if she is the one bossing Guy around on the romantic path not in a femdom type of way but more in a guy is pussy whipped kind of way and will do whatever the women says to get some.

Gabby & Mason - These are 2 LI i probably do seeing having a power dynamic over. Gabby acts like a bratty kid to me while i'd have guy help her I do see guy knowing what's best for her because of the way she acts. With Mason kind of the same as to me he comes across as someone that needs help and can't really survive on his own without being taken advantage of, so I see my version of guy showing him how to get by on his own while helping him with whatever.

Viola , and the rest - I honestly not sure yet need to see more content with them.

Yeah, I'm not into femdom, but I do like a strong-minded stubborn woman for w/e reason that has clear boundaries and knows what she wants. I think Pepper is that

Oh, btw, not replying to you specifically Desso, but now that I've seen Isabella, I'm not sure what you guys see in her that's redeemable personally lol. She absolutely seems like the cold, selfish user type. Her little story or w/e where she was a stripper looking at Brit's photo as a young girl, I am now fully convinced she was not looking at her in a "oh, I'd do anything for my little angel", but more "I fucking hate this fucking job, I hate these losers I have to dance naked for, and I hate that I'm forced to do it for this little shit I've been stuck with by some guy that knocked me up". She's the kind of mother that had no business becoming a mother, like some of the ones I occasionally see at the store who smack their kids over.. acting like kids. I wouldn't be surprised I guess if Neon gives her a little more to work with, but I see her as a monster, albeit a sexy one that I will have fun with on corruption/dark routes.

Lots of good conversation in this thread since I last checked. I'll need to re-play and reread the entire thing before I give any further opinion on the story. There is something there, some guys in this thread are tugging at an actual problem, but I'm not sure where the crux of the entire thing is. At the point I'm at it feels like Lucien's a mistake and putting Brent as the main antagonist would make more sense, but it's just a gut feeling for now after not having played the game for a while.

I did want to comment on two things. First, "chapter 8 9 10 were originally chapter 8, I vastly underestimated the work that goes into the game." Careful, that's a telltale sign of bloat and scope creep. And especially in this format, it may unbalance the whole thing and unfucking things is a bitch once they're "published".

The second thing is about the haters. First of all, yes, it is unfair. You (NeonGhost) are putting yourself out, actually putting in the work and creating something, only to have random bumblefucks who didn't do shit, nor put in any effort, come and rain on your parade. The thing is, as far as I can see it, for projects like this everything is peachy and great until suddenly it isn't and everything comes crashing down. And the shift is usually dramatic.

When looking back at such projects, the eventual last straw would usually have been pretty difficult to predict (besides the classic "First, I need to rebuild the game" or "I'll redo a few scenes...") but oftentimes the problems that accumulated up to that point were somewhat signaled before reaching the breaking point.

We tend to be lenient with the things that we love, glossing over problems because frankly they don't take away from our enjoyment. We give the game/movie/novel a pass, as it were. But it doesn't mean the problems are not here. Some haters are just shitters, but plenty are canaries in the coal mine, the first hint that something's gone wrong. And usually it's the only warning that arrives in time to correct course. That doesn't mean the haters are right, mind you. They usually mis-identify problems, get something right for the wrong reasons, plain misunderstand some things and we mostly only find nuggets of insight in their comments with the benefit on hindsight. But unless they're completely gone in the head, when they try to explain what they disliked, they are drawing things from your writing to build their logic, they're (mis)identifying an actual problem, something gone wrong, even if it's not technically the thing they're saying that is the root of the issue. But there is definitely something there. Most haters that can rationalize the problem they see in your work used to be fans (and I'd argue that the guys writing long-ass posts in this thread definitely still are) until something happened they reached a breaking point faster than anyone else, don't write their concerns off because they can't verbalize them well.

And even the random shitters have their uses, don't overly obsess over them, but if you're noticing an increase in haters, then it's an indicator in and of itself (for porn games, usually it's a sign you've been edging your community far too much).

A last piece of advice that's counter intuitive is that if you feel the need to write something, express something, create something, even if it's just a story of a dude fucking girls, you need to haul ass. Yeah we love stories of authors who matured a single story throughout their whole lives, but these dudes are the exception to the rule. Each day you stray further from the dude who started this story, in a sad way each day you stray further from the thing you wanted to express. 12-14 chapters and a season 2 sound great (not to me, it fills me with dread) but if a story's got you by the balls you need to put it to paper now. Yesterday, even. It's a trite, but life comes at you fast and there are plenty of news that would put a writing project on the backburner, or dissociate you from the story you started to tell.

And now as I write this I wonder if it's not what some people sensed. Last time I mentioned the protagonist being dissociated from its own story, but it may be that you, the author, are trying to fit in the story you want to tell now into the story you started telling, and it's causing rifts.

I'm just spitballing here, until I take the time to re-play everything.

Well, I don't really agree with much here tbh, but on Lucien & Brent etc., I'm pretty sure Neon as stated multiple times this has been his plan all along. And speaking of them, this is just my personal opinion, ofc I'm not Neon so I don't know, but I have a hunch that Neon might try to give Brent the chance to grow & redeem himself a little bit. Maybe even Gabby's bf. They've been the kinds of antagonists we've seen up to this point, and we've despised them; but as soon as Lucien enters the picture, no one else really matters. It's a major shift in the story where the situation is fundamentally different in every single way and our perspective is changed going forward. Guy is going to need a LOT of help in taking down this motherfucker, and I think he may even need to turn to former enemies. If this is his plan, I'm all for it, but I'm really, really not looking forward to hearing the whiners poopooing on it.

From an author's perspective, I think they love to experiment and play with redemption stuff. I know everyone keeps bringing up GRRM as examples, but he's such a good one to reference; Jaime Lannister was a horrible, horrible person that the audience hates... but then GRRM redeems him in his later pov chapters and suddenly you just have this whole different perspective on him and almost feel sorry for him... and feel a connection to him and his struggles, even root for him. I think authors see it as a fun challenge for both themselves and the audience, and I'm right there alongside them tbh. Makes a story feel alive and complex.

I have a route planned for Brittani that will kind of lean into this.

Nice! I wasn't expecting you to say her actually, but that sounds like fun. Nicki really did look good as a blonde, though Amazing how something as simple as a hair color change can bring something totally different.

Ashe seemed like the obvious choice for a bimbo route to me, did you ever consider her at some point? Because while replaying her date this last update, I noticed you have a choice hidden behind an impossible amount of dark points where you call her a dumb bimbo and send her into the bathroom crying. Very well written dialogue btw, felt real. Did you change your mind on including that because you felt it didn't fit her character? Or because it felt too cliche or something? Or was it just time-related? Kinda fun finding little hidden outtakes like that in the code

 

[abgazil]

ok so a bit of a question, but will we see any actual bimbofication like we saw in the minisode,or will that remain the exclusive preview of dream sequences and the like?

Do you mind sharing what minisode you're referring to? I'm assuming it's not the one with Brett?