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

[ArDZer]

I think it's very funny that, when it was released, I got some bad reactions like, "GOD, the whole fucking story just stops for this stupid Halloween update?!"

Now, nobody even notices. :'D



We definitely haven't seen the last of Cherry. >_>



Any examples? In the last two updates we've seen (depending on your choices..): Nicki, Ashe, Viola, Alex, Brittani, Carolina, Risa, Mason, Gabby, Pepper, Madison, and Cassie. Granted, the Ashe content was minuscule, but Chapter 11 will have a decent amount of content dedicated to her. Don't get me wrong, I totally get wanting to see more of every character. But, I try to change up the A plot/B plot, and keep all the girls in circulation.

Chapter 11 will have an early focus on Cassie, before shifting focus to Gabby and Ashe, as they've been gone a bit. Ashe's content will also serve to set up Brittani's audition update. We'll also get a little montage to advance some developments with Viola, Alex, Mason, the bookstore, etc.



View attachment 4441218

;D

It'd be interesting to see what kind of backstory Alexandra Winterman aka Alex Maxima has got, since what's known atm about her is that she tore a ligament in her arm thus ruining her chances to become pro (and her women only gym took a bad hit after the Corona pandemic). Since she's going to train the protagonist in self-defence, there's a probability her story will be connected to a degree with Risa. I think the protagonist mentions a hypothetical big opponent to Alex in terms of size back at her gym, so that'll help him to hold his ground against Lucien (and find a way to overcome that big goon, since she showed a taser and told him to use any advantage possible in a fight). At the same time, Nicki had only one encounter with her and she doesn't like her much, so if Alex interacts further with the protagonist in the story, there might be another passive-aggressive encounter (or several) like what happened after the jacuzzi was installed. It'd be also cool to see Alex with her original blonde hair colour as well in a future update (since Gabby changed hers when she met the protagonist before they went with Madison at the police station to bail out Ryan). And I believe she's got a friend named Erika whom she mentions in a short video while she's eating fast food, so who knows if Alex's friend might appear in the story (and that Alex also abhors the game version of TikTok, it was a pity that the sign outside the building that said "Absolutely no filming your goddamn brikbloks!" didn't appear later on).

 

[ffive]

before shifting focus to Gabby and Ashe

A random question a propos of Gabby -- currently the only way to get on a romantic route with her seems to be getting pushy with her pretty much as soon as you spend a tiny bit of time with her in private. Is that how it's going to be, with no other opportunities to establish some sort of relationship other than friendly once her and MC actually get to know each other more?

Asking because the option really didn't sit well with me (the MC is effectively abusing both the power dynamic there *and* taking advantage of the girl's mental vulnerability from her fresh breakup) so i just picked to kiss her on the way out, which the game seemed to hint shifted her perception of MC somewhat, but as far as i can tell it didn't have any actual impact in the game, and what you get is basic "platonic friends" route.

 

[Dessolos]

I checked most of them out with URM, some are pretty bad like the Ashe one.

I actually played the dark path but ctrl skipped the lewd scenes

 

[NebulousShooter]

A random question a propos of Gabby -- currently the only way to get on a romantic route with her seems to be getting pushy with her pretty much as soon as you spend a tiny bit of time with her in private. Is that how it's going to be, with no other opportunities to establish some sort of relationship other than friendly once her and MC actually get to know each other more?

Asking because the option really didn't sit well with me (the MC is effectively abusing both the power dynamic there *and* taking advantage of the girl's mental vulnerability from her fresh breakup) so i just picked to kiss her on the way out, which the game seemed to hint shifted her perception of MC somewhat, but as far as i can tell it didn't have any actual impact in the game, and what you get is basic "platonic friends" route.

Her and mason I don't eve have saves for. Their relationship and how you get them are creepy no matter how I try to spin it and justify it. I even pass on my bae, Brittani's 1st and only scene for the same reason...
I am afraid of future Viola as well, I can't really see how that doesn't feel like I'm taking advantage, probably just a friend in all my saves.

Waiting for alternatives that don't come in the worst time/place possible, feel predatory, or exploitative and diminish how I view the entire romance.

 

[Pixillin']

Her and mason I don't eve have saves for. Their relationship and how you get them are creepy no matter how I try to spin it and justify it. I even pass on my bae, Brittani's 1st and only scene for the same reason...
I am afraid of future Viola as well, I can't really see how that doesn't feel like I'm taking advantage, probably just a friend in all my saves.

Waiting for alternatives that don't come in the worst time/place possible, feel predatory, or exploitative and diminish how I view the entire romance.

I'm not sure exactly how old Guy is supposed to be, but I don't see how any of these relationships can not feel somewhat predatory. Most of these girls are poor and some of them are roughly half MC's age (guessing mid-thirties somewhere?). That's part of the reason I stick with Nicki - she's at least a little older than people like Gabbi and Brittani and the prior relationship makes it feel a bit less predatory. At the very least Nicky isn't afraid to tell you if she feel uncomfortable about something.

 

[armond]

Her and mason I don't eve have saves for. Their relationship and how you get them are creepy no matter how I try to spin it and justify it. I even pass on my bae, Brittani's 1st and only scene for the same reason...
I am afraid of future Viola as well, I can't really see how that doesn't feel like I'm taking advantage, probably just a friend in all my saves.

Waiting for alternatives that don't come in the worst time/place possible, feel predatory, or exploitative and diminish how I view the entire romance.

 

[MilesEdgeworth]

yea, I can't go full dark on, it makes me feel like shit, but I will go the corruption route cuz giving Viola a naked hug while she's all wtf amuses me.

As of this writing, I can go full dark on only three and a half people: first-half Nikki, the waitress, the book shop owner, and Gabi. Going dark on Gabi makes me feel a little racist since she's the only black li, but at the moment, I still do it. :s

 

[armond]

yea, I can't go full dark on, it makes me feel like shit, but I will go the corruption route cuz giving Viola a naked hug while she's all wtf amuses me.

As of this writing, I can go full dark on only three and a half people: first-half Nikki, the waitress, the book shop owner, and Gabi. Going dark on Gabi makes me feel a little racist since she's the only black li, but at the moment, I still do it. :s

I don't really see color so I can be as dark as I like

 

[NeonGhosts]

And I believe she's got a friend named Erika whom she mentions in a short video while she's eating fast food, so who knows if Alex's friend might appear in the story (and that Alex also abhors the game version of TikTok, it was a pity that the sign outside the building that said "Absolutely no filming your goddamn brikbloks!" didn't appear later on).

Erika's actually appeared in the Alex-centric mini-sode,

You must be registered to see the links

.

And yeah, I was sad to cut that sign gag. I think it was just a matter of not wanting to have Guy lingering outside the door for too long. It just felt like it interrupted the flow of the scene.

A random question a propos of Gabby -- currently the only way to get on a romantic route with her seems to be getting pushy with her pretty much as soon as you spend a tiny bit of time with her in private. Is that how it's going to be, with no other opportunities to establish some sort of relationship other than friendly once her and MC actually get to know each other more?

Asking because the option really didn't sit well with me (the MC is effectively abusing both the power dynamic there *and* taking advantage of the girl's mental vulnerability from her fresh breakup) so i just picked to kiss her on the way out, which the game seemed to hint shifted her perception of MC somewhat, but as far as i can tell it didn't have any actual impact in the game, and what you get is basic "platonic friends" route.

Short answer: Yes.

Longer answer: My plan is to eventually redo Gabby's intro a bit. I laid out my plans on Discord, but basically: I'd like to add in a little time gap of a month or so, between taking Ashe home (or not) and visiting Gabby and Madison at home. The plan is to change that sequence up so that, instead of immediately deciding to buy in, Guy tells Madison that he wants to spend a month watching the business operate, and going over the books (literally and figuratively). During that time he'll note Ryan's continued absence, as well as Jamie and Gabby's contentious relationship. Then, when Gabby's blow-up occurs, it's not directed at a complete stranger, but someone she's actually grown (begrudgingly) friendly with. I think that'll then help the whole interaction at the Barron house feel more natural, since they have some familiarity with each other.

But, I do still plan to have the option for Gabby and Guy to hook up, if you never did anything with her previously. If you're on her friend route, she makes a very overt pass at Guy in Chapter 10, saying something to imply she needs someone more mature than Jamie in her life, and casting Guy some obvious fuck-me eyes.



Now, when will all this happen? It'll be a bit. My plan is to finish up Season 1, and then address some of these things where I can built the routes out, without dramatically changing too much.

 

[ffive]

Then, Ga

OK, i get the appeal of leaving things on a cliffhanger, but that's just mean

(i kid, i kid. thank you for taking the time to answer)

 

[Lightaces]

View attachment 4441218

;D

No redeeming backstory....YET.

I know your kind.

You're going to let us all lock her in the sex dungeon under the Lawful Waffle, where we force her to carry 3 baby's in 30 months, with no assistance for her labor; only to reveal she's actually our long lost cousin whose father sold her into slavery at 6, only to be forced to work in a cotton factory tending to the spinning machines, until at 13 she escaped only to be captured by a sadist who, while he didn't have sex with her because she was under age, he did lock her in a cage between whippings 5 times a week over the course of 3 years!!!

I know your kind.....

 

[Lightaces]

Now I think I need to play this dark path with Viola you guys talked about. I'm quite curious.

Oh, I don't know dude - that one may break your tender heart. Next thing you know, you'll be in here claiming romance is dead, and kissing a girl is gay, or whatever that nonsense Andy Taint has been spouting from inside his very large walk in closet.

 

[NeonGhosts]

No redeeming backstory....YET.

I know your kind.

You're going to let us all lock her in the sex dungeon under the Lawful Waffle, where we force her to carry 3 baby's in 30 months, with no assistance for her labor; only to reveal she's actually our long lost cousin whose father sold her into slavery at 6, only to be forced to work in a cotton factory tending to the spinning machines, until at 13 she escaped only to be captured by a sadist who, while he didn't have sex with her because she was under age, he did lock her in a cage between whippings 5 times a week over the course of 3 years!!!

I know your kind.....

 

[Flojerazul20]

I'm just waiting for more Ashe content, and also the MC's sister, maybe some Viola too

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

But, speaking in general, I feel Nicki by being the pseudo main girl is almost guaranteed to be in most combinations, but personally I am only interested if you can have a scene with her and her pink haired arch nemesis

Interesting, cause I feel like Nicki is pretty territorial over Guy. Risa feels like the only one that deep down wouldn't mind sharing, but by that same token, she also seems the least likely to get attached. The rest of them feel, to me, like they're on a slider of "will selflessly tolerate", "can be payed/manipulated into it", or "I said no Guy, now drop it". But then again, Risa also respects Guy's boundaries when he says he's in a relationship, so Neon is doing a pretty good job honestly of playing with stereotypes and expectations before adding little twists and complexities to throw us off a little. It is a sex game at the end of the day, and the author has final say on what his characters want, so who knows.

I have too, still doesn't sit well with me to do that to such a nice girl

They're all nice girls, though

I honestly am kinda surprised how many players are uniquely abhorred by Viola's dark scene, which of course was horrible, but don't feel the others are as worth mentioning. If I were the type of player who couldn't handle that content, Nicki's would've been the straw 'cause she was the first one and they're all fucked up, pretty equally to me. I mean, Ashe even had a similar moment to Viola where she breaks from reality and just stares up at the night sky.

I'm not sure exactly how old Guy is supposed to be, but I don't see how any of these relationships can not feel somewhat predatory. Most of these girls are poor and some of them are roughly half MC's age (guessing mid-thirties somewhere?). That's part of the reason I stick with Nicki - she's at least a little older than people like Gabbi and Brittani and the prior relationship makes it feel a bit less predatory. At the very least Nicky isn't afraid to tell you if she feel uncomfortable about something.

Yeah, I feel like the other LIs play pretty well into a man who used to manage a convenience store suddenly getting wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. Out of no where, he now has access to a ton of attractive (and younger..) women he never would've thought of approaching, or being approached by, before. I think part of the point of the game, or at least what I get from it, is throwing the player into that situation and letting them judge for themselves what's ok and what isn't, within reason. Neon's been very generous with how we can interact with all the characters.

Also, I think we should be careful about being too unfair to Guy and ignoring what's probably going through the LI's heads. Yes, they're much poorer; yes, they're struggling; yes, they're younger; but Guy is wealthy, competent, attractive, and depending on how you play him, very generous and kind. He has a lot to offer them. I'm not a woman.. but there's no way anyone's convincing me that Guy isn't sweeping lots of women off their feet. Is that true love? Are these 100% ethical relationships? Maybe, maybe not.. I guess that's up to interpretation.. but the love can easily develop later, and the ethics are honestly in all probability not entering any of the character's minds, they're just following their feelings in the moment. At least that's my 2c.

 

[Pixillin']

Yeah, I feel like the other LIs play pretty well into a man who used to manage a convenience store suddenly getting wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. Out of no where, he now has access to a ton of attractive (and younger..) women he never would've thought of approaching, or being approached by, before. I think part of the point of the game, or at least what I get from it, is throwing the player into that situation and letting them judge for themselves what's ok and what isn't, within reason. Neon's been very generous with how we can interact with all the characters.

Also, I think we should be careful about being too unfair to Guy and ignoring what's probably going through the LI's heads. Yes, they're much poorer; yes, they're struggling; yes, they're younger; but Guy is wealthy, competent, attractive, and depending on how you play him, very generous and kind. He has a lot to offer them. I'm not a woman.. but there's no way anyone's convincing me that Guy isn't sweeping lots of women off their feet. Is that true love? Are these 100% ethical relationships? Maybe, maybe not.. I guess that's up to interpretation.. but the love can easily develop later, and the ethics are honestly in all probability not entering any of the character's minds, they're just following their feelings in the moment. At least that's my 2c.

I don't think I'm being unfair to guy. I'm just trying to imagine myself in that situation. I mean that's kind of the point. You can play purely for porn value - and it's not really you and the girls aren't real and there are zero consequences. That's fine. But the games I really get into are the ones where I can play "what would I do ..." and in this case the answer is I'd be really careful. I like all of the girls, I definitely want to help them all but I'd be super cautious - for everyone's sake - about who I had relationships with.

I mean, if it was just about sex - there's a game called Polyturnon where you accidentally stumble into wealth at an early age and fill an island with beautiful young women - that's really the whole story and it happens in the first two minutes. Then you run around the island having sex with 60 or 70 different Lis over and over again.

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

I don't think I'm being unfair to guy. I'm just trying to imagine myself in that situation. I mean that's kind of the point. You can play purely for porn value - and it's not really you and the girls aren't real and there are zero consequences. That's fine. But the games I really get into are the ones where I can play "what would I do ..." and in this case the answer is I'd be really careful. I like all of the girls, I definitely want to help them all but I'd be super cautious - for everyone's sake - about who I had relationships with.

I mean, if it was just about sex - there's a game called Polyturnon where you accidentally stumble into wealth at an early age and fill an island with beautiful young women - that's really the whole story and it happens in the first two minutes. Then you run around the island having sex with 60 or 70 different Lis over and over again.

Oh yeah, I guess I'm not really trying to disagree with you mostly. I just meant that, from Guy's perspective and even many of the LI's perspectives (not all, necessarily), it doesn't really have to be predatory.

I do agree, though, that if I played in the mindset of "what would I actually do" (which sounds fun, as I mostly play for the fantasy aspect), most of these chicks would be off my list lol All the barely legals or even slightly above, would just give me too many doubts and make me feel creepy, even though I know exactly what my dick wants and I know it could maybe turn out just fine, great even, for everyone involved. But personally, I just couldn't.

Also, I guess now I'm veering off a little, but to me, that doesn't sound like much of a sex game. I'd describe FiN as more of a sex game than that exactly because of how strong the writing is, and how believable and engrossing the scenarios are. I think that's a key component of a sex game, even if it's just about sex, which might seem counter-intuitive. It's unfortunate it's so rare.

 

[Joshy92]

Hey guys I can't remember Kelsey which chapter was she in before the latest? This is her for anyone who doesn't know her.

Spoiler: Kelsey

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[ffive]

Oh yeah, I guess I'm not really trying to disagree with you mostly. I just meant that, from Guy's perspective and even many of the LI's perspectives (not all, necessarily), it doesn't really have to be predatory.

Well, the thing is, this is a very much inherent issue -- if you have this much of power imbalance in a relationship then there doesn't need to be any malicious intent per se; this imbalance is always going to cast a shade on the nature of the relationship and how it was formed, and how it develops going forward.

"But he's got so much going for him other than wealth advantage, and age advantage, and experience advantage! He is kind!" I mean, sure, he is, but Guy was the same kind person when he wasn't rich and influential and couldn't just casually turn people's lives around indebting them to him. And that kind personality of his alone evidently counted for squat when he was working bottom tier job at convenience store, and attracted him whole zero of girls. Even Nicki, bless her socks, didn't think it was valuable enough trait in a boyfriend to drop the dumb asshole she was with, for him.

At the end of the day you kinda have to acknowledge that there isn't a single woman in the game who could be potential partner in a relationship, that would be Guy's equal in terms of wielded power, influence, experience and also age. Heck, there isn't even any relationship that doesn't start with girls who aren't already familiar with how rich and influential Guy is, and/or him rendering them favors and effectively putting them in his debt. Other than, to some extent, Nicki, which is perhaps why the relationship with her feels most "fair", even if it also suffers plenty from this power imbalance.

And then there's this whole other aspect that's typical to porn games (ones without NTR at least) that Guy enjoys additional advantage that's not having a single other guy who would be a fair alternative as far as relationships go -- it's nothing but abusers and assholes and other dregs, that make even "he is nice" which should be most basic thing in the world, some kind of great achievement on Guy's part. If you choose to play him nice, at least.

 

[NeonGhosts]

Hey guys I can't remember Kelsey which chapter was she in before the latest? This is her for anyone who doesn't know her.

Spoiler: Kelsey

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You didn’t miss anything; that was her first appearance. The fact that she (and Mitchell) were introduced by name was just me playing with the format of the game a bit. Up until now I’ve been pretty consistent with keeping the narrative tied to Guy’s POV, as the main character. We stay with him all the time, and we don’t know things he doesn’t know. The exception is when we switch to Brent’s POV, or Alex’s, to see events in their mini-sodes.

So, this cold open with Kelsey was kind of positing a world where she’s the main character, and the events of FiN are just a distraction from her story. That’s why our usual cast of characters are introduced as “Unknown” and identified with new headshots. That’s also why I break my rule of staying with Guy’s POV at the very end, as we return to her story.

This is kind of my approach to every character I write: They all have stories happening outside our purview. Any of them could potentially be the main character, in another game. Keeping this in mind while I write them, helps me to avoid making any of them too one-dimensional.