VN Ren'Py Friends in Need [Mini-Sode: Blue Valentine] [NeonGhosts]

[TrixRabbit]

I think Viola is cynical, sort of like Pepper. She doesn't assume the best in people and she doesn't assume there are no ulterior motives. Her and her mom got lured into the country under false pretenses and then basically dumped on the streets, and she hasn't gotten a lot of help or met many nice people since. So, she'll believe him when he actually comes through.

As for MC, he's having fun - as he should. Whichever route you're on, you should enjoy spending your millions of dollars ... IMO. And in real life, yeah I have sexual fantasies, but I'm also nice enough that I have fantasies about having lots of money and just fixing peoples shit for them without being creepy about it. Friends in Need/ Friends Indeed is one of the few titles that plays to that.

 

[Pixillin']

That dialogue followed by a quick cut to the MC just chilling on the hood of his car with his shades on made me laugh out loud. I love romance route cheese lmao. I think lil Viola finds our MC naive, but enduring

I think Viola desperately needs the money but is still trying to figure out what he wants.

 

[Joshy92]

I have plenty of ideas for Viola to make some money.

She could play some of my PlayStation games I don't like to get me some trophies.

 

[Dessolos]

Bro I saw violas bad route scene and I swore I would never go down that path for her, shes just too innocent I cant bring myself to do it. Which speaks volumes of how good of a writer NeonGhosts was for Viola since it evokes such intense feelings from the readers.

I never seen it in full only ctrl skip through it so I only saw a render here and there. Yeah from the view renders I recall it's fucken Brutal and I had a hard time watching the Nicki Dark Scene....

I think Viola desperately needs the money but is still trying to figure out what he wants.

To me I think this only fits if you go with the corruption choices but if you stick to good guy path I think she just wants to repay you for being a nice guy

I have plenty of ideas for Viola to make some money.

She could play some of my PlayStation games I don't like to get me some trophies.

Nah I rather player video games together. But no seriously those few renders of her making a video game joke made her go way up on how much I like her, I think she might now be on the same level as Risa , Ashe and Nicki for me tho those 3 still ahead of her for now.

I actually hope we get a scene where we tell her to take a break from cleaning or whatever and play video games with her. That scene would make my day and be awesome to see.

 

[Pixillin']

To me I think this only fits if you go with the corruption choices but if you stick to good guy path I think she just wants to repay you for being a nice guy

I couldn't be any nicer ... but I still think she's suspicious because people don't do nice things for free - especially expensive nice things - and she wants to pay Guy back, in part I think, because she doesn't want to "owe" him. She'll come around eventually but I think she and Pepper are the most cynical of the group.

 

[Ragnar]

Only one I can even let myself be a little rough with is Ashe and Risa to a small degree but that's because I feel like they like rougher sex. Tho someone like Risa will get 2 saves for me one where im sweet and gentle and one im a little rougher but never Dark Path.

Mason and Gabby are the only 2 I can't see myself being romantically involved with them.

Viola I can never be rough with, I may try at a corruption path save where I get her to do some lewd things like try the swimsuits on or wear naughty clothes when doing the maid job but I will never go beyond that point with her. But like Risa it won't be my main save with her the sweet and gentle one will be.

You can play how you want with every girl but they have personal preferences. Ashe likes bdsm but only when she's being sexual, the rest of the time she wants cuddles and respect. Risa seems to be adventureos but she craves romanticism and care. Viola sex/romance is still in development so I don't know what to expect down the line.

 

[Dessolos]

You can play how you want with every girl but they have personal preferences. Ashe likes bdsm but only when she's being sexual, the rest of the time she wants cuddles and respect. Risa seems to be adventureos but she craves romanticism and care. Viola sex/romance is still in development so I don't know what to expect down the line.

that's why i'm gonna have multiple saves for one path, for characters like Ashe will be gentle as my main path then another to be rougher with her since thats what she likes

 

[Silwith]

All lovey dovey good guy! Well, and some rougher sex maybe, but only with those that seem to like it
But I do like the Gallery mod for looking into the "alternative" realities... some are pretty damn dark tho, yeah... :x xD

 

[Joshy92]

I have to say Neon bro after playing some games lately that don't respect player choices or stuff like that to come back and play this masterpiece that does is refreshing.

The amount of work you put into making sure choices matter and that we get as much branching as we do is one of the reasons I respect you so much as a dev.

I'll be honest everyone I'm growing to actively hate most adult games, but I'll never hate this amazing story.

 

[Maviarab]

I have to say Neon bro after playing some games lately that don't respect player choices or stuff like that to come back and play this masterpiece that does is refreshing.

The amount of work you put into making sure choices matter and that we get as much branching as we do is one of the reasons I respect you so much as a dev.

I'll be honest everyone I'm growing to actively hate most adult games, but I'll never hate this amazing story.

Yup...getting a lot more selective with every VN's update myself...

I tend not to comment here much anymore as I'm X updates behind as a refuse to continue all my saves knowing I've just go to redo them again whenever Neon decides it's time actually rework the first chapter and force us to restart...that is however, also souring my experience with this particular title too.

 

[Joshy92]

Yup...getting a lot more selective with every VN's update myself...

I tend not to comment here much anymore as I'm X updates behind as a refuse to continue all my saves knowing I've just go to redo them again whenever Neon decides it's time actually rework the first chapter and force us to restart...that is however, also souring my experience with this particular title too.

Next update is the redo. I don't know when it's due out though I know Neon is taking a break for December to recharge.

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

I have to say Neon bro after playing some games lately that don't respect player choices or stuff like that to come back and play this masterpiece that does is refreshing.

The amount of work you put into making sure choices matter and that we get as much branching as we do is one of the reasons I respect you so much as a dev.

I'll be honest everyone I'm growing to actively hate most adult games, but I'll never hate this amazing story.

Yeah, it's a privilege. I think I'm picky with VN titles, as even some of the so-called 'classics' on this site that make $100k+ are just mediocre to me, or outright bad.

I guess it makes sense, as I feel the same about movies.. the most popular/successful ones many times I just don't get what people see in it that's so great. Meanwhile, 'crap' like "Men Who Stare At Goats" got terrible ratings, but man I fucking loved that movie So unique and fun. Or the unfortunately endless list of movies that go under the radar, the ones that take their time to set everything up properly and earn their climaxes, and actually have something to say, something for the audience to discover about life or people or something. I feel like this game fits in that category.

The only mediocre games I can stomach are the ones that happen to have one of my kinks that's harder to find, but even then it's hard to really immerse when the writing leaves a lot to be desired. I thankfully found a few great ones, imo anyways, that are in my sig. But there's 1 or 2 that seem to have gone down in writing/scene quality and I don't think they're coming back for me. This is really the only game I'm utterly obsessed with that hasn't been abandoned or dropped off. It's made me more spoiled than I already was haha. How bittersweet

 

[Joshy92]

This is how I imagine a threesome between me, Mason & Nicki going.

 

[cooldevo]

Yeah, it's a privilege. I think I'm picky with VN titles, as even some of the so-called 'classics' on this site that make $100k+ are just mediocre to me, or outright bad.
....

Yeah, this entire post pretty much sums me up. I really, really, get frustrated with VNs that tell me how I (MC) feels or should feel.

Yes even AVNs that advertise storytelling and choices. The writing should make me feel that way, and let me react to it how I want to. If it's a kinetic novel, then sure... but personally I am not a fan of that genre. Whether it's anger, annoyance, love, hate, and/or lust, present the story/scenario to me and let me respond to it the way I react to it. A MC getting angry at something I don't see as upsetting, is what makes me angry.

I find this one gives me the options that a lot of other AVNs don't seem to have in that regard. Do I want to be nice? Mean? In-between? Sure, all good here!

 

[NeonGhosts]

More stuff while I'm on vacation, goofing around with different assets and such.

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

Yeah, this entire post pretty much sums me up. I really, really, get frustrated with VNs that tell me how I (MC) feels or should feel.

Yes even AVNs that advertise storytelling and choices. The writing should make me feel that way, and let me react to it how I want to. If it's a kinetic novel, then sure... but personally I am not a fan of that genre. Whether it's anger, annoyance, love, hate, and/or lust, present the story/scenario to me and let me respond to it the way I react to it. A MC getting angry at something I don't see as upsetting, is what makes me angry.

I find this one gives me the options that a lot of other AVNs don't seem to have in that regard. Do I want to be nice? Mean? In-between? Sure, all good here!

Yeah, there's definitely a lot of forced drama and cliches in VNs usually. I get writing is really, really, really hard. But damn, sometimes it feels like the author isn't even trying. This game spoils its players with choice, but I'm plenty satisfied when they have even a 1/4 of the choices this game has as long as the writing is compelling. But it's usually not Even inconsequential choices can feel nice for the player, they don't have to add an immense workload to the author in order to contribute to the immersion and gameplay imo.

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

View attachment 4319388 View attachment 4319391 View attachment 4319389

More stuff while I'm on vacation, goofing around with different assets and such.

I'd like to rock down her electric avenue

 

[Pixillin']

Yeah, there's definitely a lot of forced drama and cliches in VNs usually. I get writing is really, really, really hard. But damn, sometimes it feels like the author isn't even trying. This game spoils its players with choice, but I'm plenty satisfied when they have even a 1/4 of the choices this game has as long as the writing is compelling. But it's usually not Even inconsequential choices can feel nice for the player, they don't have to add an immense workload to the author in order to contribute to the immersion and gameplay imo.

Some of them don't really seem to have "choice" - they just want the tag / don't want to say kinetic novel. I've played a few were it looks like a meaningful choice, but the game really just ignores the choice you made and proceeds as if you'd made the other one. Or even minor ones where a Li is like ... do you like this dress? And you can say yes or no but if you say no the dialogue goes "Normally I don't like things like that, it looks great on you though." So really the choice was between yes and a less enthusiastic yes. But yeah, the ones that bug me the most are the ones where the writing makes you feel the opposite of the way the story says the MC feels. Where, for example, getting angry isn't an option when the story hasn't given you any reason to feel anything else. But yeah, FiN so far has none of that. There are plenty of real choices, with real consequences. There have been a few times when I wish it could have been slightly different, or wish I'd been able to take things further - Like immediately moving Viola and her mom into a better place (for example) but that's really just nitpicking. FiN is doing it right.

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

Some of them don't really seem to have "choice" - they just want the tag / don't want to say kinetic novel. I've played a few were it looks like a meaningful choice, but the game really just ignores the choice you made and proceeds as if you'd made the other one. Or even minor ones where a Li is like ... do you like this dress? And you can say yes or no but if you say no the dialogue goes "Normally I don't like things like that, it looks great on you though." So really the choice was between yes and a less enthusiastic yes. But yeah, the ones that bug me the most are the ones where the writing makes you feel the opposite of the way the story says the MC feels. Where, for example, getting angry isn't an option when the story hasn't given you any reason to feel anything else. But yeah, FiN so far has none of that. There are plenty of real choices, with real consequences. There have been a few times when I wish it could have been slightly different, or wish I'd been able to take things further - Like immediately moving Viola and her mom into a better place (for example) but that's really just nitpicking. FiN is doing it right.

Yeah, I've seen that too, and it's really dumb and annoying.

It's funny because I've seen people who complain this game doesn't give enough choice, but what they basically want is a life simulator that wouldn't serve the story or the author's sanity for that matter, as if this game isn't already challenging to execute. So, people can go too far in that respect as well.

I think if people try to look at this VN as a developing story that has drama and a vulnerable protagonist that is not necessarily a reflection of the player's thoughts and desires at all times, but his own character, things make more sense. The drug den, for example, is moving the story along and introducing an antagonist that was planned from the start, it's not a middle finger to the player like some interpreted it. The Viola situation, if you look at it from the perspective of "how would x action move her and the MC's story along, and would it be satisfying?" I'm sure we'll see her situation greatly improved eventually, but moving it along instantly, while a nice fantasy, would cancel out a lot of interesting developments (and creepy ones too, for certain other routes..) along that arc.

I think people are just used to typical VNs where the story clearly serves the erotic fantasies, which is why they usually end up clunky, inconsistent, and just not compelling. This game is the opposite of that where the fantasies serve the story and its characters, which is honestly the main reason why the scenes are infinitely more satisfying.

 

[Pixillin']

Yeah, I've seen that too, and it's really dumb and annoying.

It's funny because I've seen people who complain this game doesn't give enough choice, but what they basically want is a life simulator that wouldn't serve the story or the author's sanity for that matter, as if this game isn't already challenging to execute. So, people can go too far in that respect as well.

I think if people try to look at this VN as a developing story that has drama and a vulnerable protagonist that is not necessarily a reflection of the player's thoughts and desires at all times, but his own character, things make more sense. The drug den, for example, is moving the story along and introducing an antagonist that was planned from the start, it's not a middle finger to the player like some interpreted it. The Viola situation, if you look at it from the perspective of "how would x action move her and the MC's story along, and would it be satisfying?" I'm sure we'll see her situation greatly improved eventually, but moving it along instantly, while a nice fantasy, would cancel out a lot of interesting developments (and creepy ones too, for certain other routes..) along that arc.

I think people are just used to typical VNs where the story clearly serves the erotic fantasies, which is why they usually end up clunky, inconsistent, and just not compelling. This game is the opposite of that where the fantasies serve the story and its characters, which is honestly the main reason why the scenes are infinitely more satisfying.

I think it's just a sign of how into the game people are. Everyone has their favorites and things they would like to see but they either don't know, or don't stop to think about how much work goes into every scene. And games that have too much choice or too many paths generally end up abandoned or just in development forever - years and years of updates with no end in sight. Most developers, at least the good ones, want to finish projects so they can move on to the next one - not just keep adding scenes forever. If I had the millions I'd start a studio with a team of artists, professional writers, and coders and crank out 3-4 finished games / year - no updates, just the whole thing released as a finished product. Sadly, unlike our protagonist, I do not have those millions.