VN Ren'Py Halfway House [Ep.11 - Bonus 7-8] [Az]

[ThaRealThiccShady]

Ep. 8 is pretty much just to push the story forward, give the player some idea the kind of crap Ash has dealt with in her past. Yes it has no choices and to me, that's fine. It gives the player insight to her life and prepares you for the inevitable shit-show involving the grandfather and Lynn that's bound to happen in the next episodes.

So choices or not, the whole thing made sense to me. The player had 7 episodes to build up relationships/corruption with the girls. Now we get story, the intro to Lynn, who'll be coming around more to the house or Ash's work, and the sticky predicament the MC gets put in, which will I'm sure have some effect on Emily and possibly the MC's relationship with her.

Probably a few "choice episodes" of that, then possibly, to end the game, a "story episode" of Julie, then "choice episodes" on trying to find her, then probably the ending

That's how I see it happening

So, just to be clear, implied grandpa rape-cool with you? Like I said I'd be fine with no choices if I didn't have to watch such a "let-the-girl-whose-supposedly-my-family-get-groped-by-grandpa" centric episode. If this is the tenor if the future updates, being forced to watch the girls get increasingly sexually assaulted, and eventually raped or something, then it's a forever no for me.

 

[ThaRealThiccShady]

Most of the complaints for chapter 8 were the MC being a good little simp cuck, and just doing whatever he is told.

Accurate description. I've seen a lot of devs do this kind of thing with out of nowhere and I just pray this isn't the beginning steps into full NTR/rape of the girls. Because, re: Dennis Reynolds, that's the implication I get

 

[Deleted member 3313072]

So, just to be clear, implied grandpa rape-cool with you? Like I said I'd be fine with no choices if I didn't have to watch such a "let-the-girl-whose-supposedly-my-family-get-groped-by-grandpa" centric episode. If this is the tenor if the future updates, being forced to watch the girls get increasingly sexually assaulted, and eventually raped or something, then it's a forever no for me.

If he's a big a scumbag as I think he is, then yes, he better get what's coming to him, whether that happened or not. He's obviously molesting Madeline too it seems. Another dirty old man using his money to get what he wants.

Don't know how the story is going to go, but if there was a choice, Ash would stay in the house while grandpa goes down in flames.

 

[Havik79]

Accurate description. I've seen a lot of devs do this kind of thing with out of nowhere and I just pray this isn't the beginning steps into full NTR/rape of the girls. Because, re: Dennis Reynolds, that's the implication I get

Well I wouldn't be surprised, Emily is supposed to be the only LI you end up with, so wouldn't be surprised if one of the other girls ends up fucking someone else, Ash is a given, given that she is a literal THOT.

 

[Smarmint]

So the story is great and everything but am I the only one incredibly put-off by the recent chapter/the interactions at the mansion with the grandfather? I mean it's good backstory but you have 0 choices the entire time which is whatever but you also have to watch him pretty much molest Ashley right in front of you(with the implication he used to constantly, right?) and the mc is only like "huh isn't that odd" and doesn't do shit. WTF. Not even going to get angry? Or try to stay in the first place? Or kill that old fuck with a gun you find in the mansion? Just spitballing. I don't know for me it made me so angry I had to shut off my computer for awhile. Am I overreacting here? Or does implied grandpa rape upset other people too?

Hmm. It was heavily implied that the grandpa was a dirty old man, and certainly there is more to his relationship with his nurse than meets the eye, but I don't remember any obvious Ashley molesting scene from the grandfather. It has been a few weeks since I have played it, but nothing sticks in my mind. I certainly don't remember anything that made me upset as you while watching it. What did I miss?

I think this episode was a good way to introduce more depth into Ashley's character and introduce Ashlynn as a future hot character. It sounds like there will be a caring and corrupting path with her also.

I enjoyed it, even though there was only a single choice if I remember right, perhaps 2. It added a lot more depth to the story than a typical update, so while it was a bit of a departure from the time with the other cast, I thought it was a good update.

 

[Deleted member 3313072]

No there was no Ash molesting scene. He was just touchy with her on her arms and whatnot, I wouldn't call that molesting. But some people see it their own way. He certainly is a dirty old man though with how he treats "Miss Maid" Madeline.

Still, I don't like the guy, and naturally the MC is involved trying to choose what's best for Ash. She should choose with the MC's influence. I wouldn't want her to leave the house myself, especially for the relationship she has with Em. It puts the MC in a bind too because he's in the middle, especially with me on Em's love route, I can only imagine the back-firings of that. Em hates not being involved.

And this kind of thing, to her, would make her go nuclear. I sure as hell do not want to see a nuclear Em go off in that house. Yes I know I may overanalyze games like this, but that's what I do. I wrote a fanfic of it, post Ep. 8 and post-game on how I saw this happening. I did have Ash leave, and become very successful, but the MC, Luis and the PO getting Julie back helped with Em's depression over "losing" Ash so nearby.

Anyway I can't wait to see where this game goes I really do love it.

 

[Sevaroq]

No you're not, at all. It's a good story but my biggest gripe, ESPECIALLY with the recent chapter, is that the MC is sooooooo passive, which makes no sense for his character. He supposedly has anger issues, beat a dude nearly to death over a bar brawl, and yet he lets some blue-haired bitch tell him he's some kind of pussy after almost losing his life in the one important/heroic choice he's made in his life? I love ash but I would've fallen from my hospital bed slapping the last words of that sentence from her mouth. Isolated example but he's like that through all 8 chapters. He can kinda be a dick but no actual influence

Fuck man, thanks for confirming I'm not the only one thinking this. I actually stopped short and haven't finished the game yet. But now that you're saying he's this passive and getting pushed around for the rest of the game, it's honestly lame af and I might not finish it. Why even have this background for the MC? Wasted potential for sure. Fuck, it sucks too because as I said, the potential is there. Tired of all these bitch MCs where half their content is voyeurism and/or being teased by others into sexual acts.

 

[duningtwo]

Fuck man, thanks for confirming I'm not the only one thinking this. I actually stopped short and haven't finished the game yet. But now that you're saying he's this passive and getting pushed around for the rest of the game, it's honestly lame af and I might not finish it. Why even have this background for the MC? Wasted potential for sure. Fuck, it sucks too because as I said, the potential is there. Tired of all these bitch MCs where half their content is voyeurism and/or being teased by others into sexual acts.

yeah, mc's the let down of the game. the girls, the guys, the premise and setting, the visuals are all good, but not only is mc the usual fuck-ugly dumbass he's mostly a huge pussy too. this latest update really drives that home, even if he's supposed to be completely out of his element amongst the rich folk. sitting in the passenger seat of the bitchmobile gets old, no player agency and no satisfying excuse for its lacking.

 

[ThaRealThiccShady]

Hmm. It was heavily implied that the grandpa was a dirty old man, and certainly there is more to his relationship with his nurse than meets the eye, but I don't remember any obvious Ashley molesting scene from the grandfather. It has been a few weeks since I have played it, but nothing sticks in my mind. I certainly don't remember anything that made me upset as you while watching it. What did I miss?

I think this episode was a good way to introduce more depth into Ashley's character and introduce Ashlynn as a future hot character. It sounds like there will be a caring and corrupting path with her also.

I enjoyed it, even though there was only a single choice if I remember right, perhaps 2. It added a lot more depth to the story than a typical update, so while it was a bit of a departure from the time with the other cast, I thought it was a good update.

I didn't say there was a scene where he directly rapes her. That'd require there to be sex in this game and the dev isn't going to do that till chapter 15 or something I'm sure and even then I'm sure the MC won't be the first one at bat. No what I said, hence quoting Dennis Reynolds, is that he(Along with Lynn/the situation in general) very heavily implied he'd done it in the past. Not a huge leap to assuming this was how she got into whoring herself out and why Grandpa had his incident and kicked her out when he found out, possessive old incestuous loli raping old fuck pig that he is.

yeah, mc's the let down of the game. the girls, the guys, the premise and setting, the visuals are all good, but not only is mc the usual fuck-ugly dumbass he's mostly a huge pussy too. this latest update really drives that home, even if he's supposed to be completely out of his element amongst the rich folk. sitting in the passenger seat of the bitchmobile gets old, no player agency and no satisfying excuse for its lacking.

Right? Like I was hype initially because MC aside everything about this game was fresh to me. And Ash has an interesting look you don't see often so I was excited to see that develop and even willing to wait for the plot to drag across however many updates as the dev worked himself up to it, or any decent animations. But now I see that it's probably only going to get worse so unless something changes I'm so out

Fuck man, thanks for confirming I'm not the only one thinking this. I actually stopped short and haven't finished the game yet. But now that you're saying he's this passive and getting pushed around for the rest of the game, it's honestly lame af and I might not finish it. Why even have this background for the MC? Wasted potential for sure. Fuck, it sucks too because as I said, the potential is there. Tired of all these bitch MCs where half their content is voyeurism and/or being teased by others into sexual acts.

That'd be the choice to make. I finished it in case there was something worthy of redemption in the 11th hour but nah. Better to skip it. I agree with you so fucking much about the hyper-beta mcs it's like all these devs hate themselves on some level because they're habitually afraid of creating a rewarding/worthwhile mc. Teasing when done right? Hot as hell. Being teased into sex when you're not being humiliated? Also hot as hell. But infinite teasing and seeing girls with other guys is like an inverse boner. It retracts so much it grows one a tail(American Dad anyone?) which while making for an interesting twist on doggystyle in theory in this case I'd rather not have it.

 

[ThaRealThiccShady]

If he's a big a scumbag as I think he is, then yes, he better get what's coming to him, whether that happened or not. He's obviously molesting Madeline too it seems. Another dirty old man using his money to get what he wants.

Don't know how the story is going to go, but if there was a choice, Ash would stay in the house while grandpa goes down in flames.

Gotcha. Sorry to jump down your throat, mate, was unclear on your position based on what you said

Hmm. It was heavily implied that the grandpa was a dirty old man, and certainly there is more to his relationship with his nurse than meets the eye, but I don't remember any obvious Ashley molesting scene from the grandfather. It has been a few weeks since I have played it, but nothing sticks in my mind. I certainly don't remember anything that made me upset as you while watching it. What did I miss?

I think this episode was a good way to introduce more depth into Ashley's character and introduce Ashlynn as a future hot character. It sounds like there will be a caring and corrupting path with her also.

I enjoyed it, even though there was only a single choice if I remember right, perhaps 2. It added a lot more depth to the story than a typical update, so while it was a bit of a departure from the time with the other cast, I thought it was a good update.

The implications that both Lynn and Gpa give make it seem like he did stuff to her that either Lynn didn't know about or was so desensitized to it it's accepted. Since you like reading into things in far too much detail as well indulge me for a moment about the maid stuff. She also presumably knows about the video room. How couldn't she? As I see it there's one of two explanations: She cares about her like she said and knew that something was happening before Ash left home and giving the MC the third degree was, genuinely, her making sure she'd be somewhat protected, and knew/hoped if Gpa got too handsy with Ash instead of her that the MC would step in(jokes on her lol) and/or that they'd at least know what was happening in the future and try to stop it. Or, alternatively and much more darkly, she's helping the old man get Ash and knows he's a beta/wants to cuck him since Lynn is certain they're dating despite what they say. When she whispers to him in the study it's her telling him to go for it and that the mc will leave her alone with him, watch and do nothing from the videoroom, and then they can fuck with him more later. Or she doesn't know about the room and still did the above with the intention of letting the old man have his way. The first explanation is the only one that doesn't make me vomit with rage but even that sucks. In any case I see no way he isn't somehow heavily involved in whatever led her to whoring and the way it's going I can almost definitely say I won't play more.
Glad you can still like it. I really can't. This update was the wake-up call/nail in the coffin for me so I can't agree but all the best for you bruv

 

[Deleted member 3313072]

You must be registered to see the links

I mean, at this point, I wouldn't expect the Ashley/Ashlynn story to work out great. We all know what the dev is trying to do. Personally, I want the story with the Japanese doctor. wink wink, nudge nudge. know what I mean? know what I mean? But yeah, I pretty much am smitten with Emily in a lot of ways. she's a win.

Yeah a Shiho route would be wonderful. That's the only thing that would throw me off of 100% Emily.

 

[ancienregimele]

Real hard men don't need to act tough all the time. Those that do might be feared but they're also in danger of being labelled as psychos, or become the subject of whispered ridicule (behind their backs, of course). Most have nothing to prove & have more personality than just being hard cases. Yes, inspiring fear is a large part of being tough for some people but ideally it's combined with respect. That's where leadership & following come in. Reacting like a scrapyard dog to everything you don't like....is that a good way for the MC? If he'd been that way in clink he might well not have got out.

All this talk of "simp" & "cuck" has grown out of proportion. There are times to intervene & there are times to keep quiet while you take in the big picture.

Now, about that grandad & his "touchy feely" ways. Firstly, I don't find incest a turn-on, despite it being common these days in games/VNs. Having said that, nothing has happened, as yet, to get worked up about. This is in any case just fiction & unlike RL, we have the option of stopping the world & getting off. Let's just step back & await the next chapter.

 

[Deleted member 3313072]

You must be registered to see the links

I mean, at this point, I wouldn't expect the Ashley/Ashlynn story to work out great.

Yeah it's not going to be good by any means. The conflict between the sisters, the grandfather, Lynn and people in the house (ESPECIALLY Em) all of it worries me, even if it a game. Honestly, I'd want to do what's right with Ash, but the selfish part of me wants her in the house, where I *believe* she'd be happiest and she can do what she wants, and if it helps the relationship with the MC and Em stay good, that's a sweetener in the deal.

I guess we'll find out how much shit hits the fan when Ep 9 comes out

 

[Draakaap23]

Forget Ash, I'd like a chance to take her sister down a peg Miss 'high and mighty', is really just insecure, so should be easy

 

[Deleted member 3313072]

Geez I've been playing this game pretty steadily for several weeks now and in my killing time run today I just noticed this giant crack in the wall of the TV room



Needs a little love, plaster, paint, and some sandpapering. I can't believe I never noticed that before.

 

[Smarmint]

Real hard men don't need to act tough all the time. Those that do might be feared but they're also in danger of being labelled as psychos, or become the subject of whispered ridicule (behind their backs, of course). Most have nothing to prove & have more personality than just being hard cases. Yes, inspiring fear is a large part of being tough for some people but ideally it's combined with respect. That's where leadership & following come in. Reacting like a scrapyard dog to everything you don't like....is that a good way for the MC? If he'd been that way in clink he might well not have got out.

Yea, I don't get why a few people are so offended by the MC either. There is nothing wrong with not being an asshole the first time you meet your friend's sister, that you are trying to help. You are not obligated to have a bad attitude just because someone else does. In my reading of Halfway House, the MC shows a lot of maturity. Sure, some guys are on a hair trigger all the time, and on the lookout of anything that "threatens" their "manhood" (Hmm..), but truly decent guys don't have anything to prove, are comfortable in their own skin, and not so worried about what everyone else thinks, so they can just step back and be calm, even when others are acting badly.

 

[AutumnBomb]

oh jeez, this update seems rather... controversial.

 

[Sevaroq]

You guys are talking about being assholes and dicks to oppose our complaints of the MC being a pushed around beta, which is entirely wrong. I'm not asking for the MC to be a dick, or to be lashing out at everyone. But it's a fucking porn fantasy game, I'm not in it to expect such a "big picture" and be so realistic.

I want the MC, given his background, to hold his ground and say what's on his mind. Does that mean he needs to be an asshole or cuss everyone out? Absolutely not. But I don't believe he should be pushed around as this passive dude either. He's been in juve for 4 years, no classes, so what has he been doing during those years? He isn't exactly fit nor smart.

And on the contrary, the MC throughout the game seems like he has been trying to prove himself and seeking validation in some way. He's a pusharound. You know how I know? Because of the inner dialogue the main character has as well. For example, if the characters is being provoked, add some inner dialogue that's something like "Can't lose my anger now, not with ____."

 

[ThaRealThiccShady]

You guys are talking about being assholes and dicks to oppose our complaints of the MC being a pushed around beta, which is entirely wrong. I'm not asking for the MC to be a dick, or to be lashing out at everyone. But it's a fucking porn fantasy game, I'm not in it to expect such a "big picture" and be so realistic.

I want the MC, given his background, to hold his ground and say what's on his mind. Does that mean he needs to be an asshole or cuss everyone out? Absolutely not. But I don't believe he should be pushed around as this passive dude either. He's been in juve for 4 years, no classes, so what has he been doing during those years? He isn't exactly fit nor smart.

And on the contrary, the MC throughout the game seems like he has been trying to prove himself and seeking validation in some way. He's a pusharound. You know how I know? Because of the inner dialogue the main character has as well. For example, if the characters is being provoked, add some inner dialogue that's something like "Can't lose my anger now, not with ____."

Exactly. I don't expect MCs to react in the same way I would because it would 1) I'm a goddamn oddity and I need a break from myself hence playing so many porn games(Similarly to most, in a way, I'd assume). And 2) More importantly it'd make every game boring as hell by repetition. If all our favorite writers thought like us we wouldn't feel the need to read them.

However no one wants to feel so disassociated from the protagonist of a story they actively hate them, and no good writer creates a contrary character with no internal motivation to justify it(Fitzgerald didn't make Gatsby a playboy millionaire just because the character wanted to fuc bitches and throw parties). This dude sucks. You're absolutely right questioning what he did in juvie because literally the day after I got in, even at that age, I'd be wondering how to spend my time productively, and at 15 I was an unrepentant shit. Even if I had to just obsessively work out to the point of masochsim I'd do it to do something. Again don't expect the MC to have done the same but I can't imagine anyone tolerating the stuff he has so far.

Real hard men don't need to act tough all the time. Those that do might be feared but they're also in danger of being labelled as psychos, or become the subject of whispered ridicule (behind their backs, of course). Most have nothing to prove & have more personality than just being hard cases. Yes, inspiring fear is a large part of being tough for some people but ideally it's combined with respect. That's where leadership & following come in. Reacting like a scrapyard dog to everything you don't like....is that a good way for the MC? If he'd been that way in clink he might well not have got out.

All this talk of "simp" & "cuck" has grown out of proportion. There are times to intervene & there are times to keep quiet while you take in the big picture.

Now, about that grandad & his "touchy feely" ways. Firstly, I don't find incest a turn-on, despite it being common these days in games/VNs. Having said that, nothing has happened, as yet, to get worked up about. This is in any case just fiction & unlike RL, we have the option of stopping the world & getting off. Let's just step back & await the next chapter.

Dude I don't know why you're spewing that bs schpeel here but it's clearly more based on you trying to find anything to say instead of actually arguing the point. No one's saying he should be a "junkyard dog" and attack everything but REAL men know that there's a time when they should step in to do something. REAL people in general grasp the concept that action=change and inaction=general misfortune. He's no kind of leader or anything and maybe simp or cuck is a strong descriptor but lemme ask this-can you argue it? Can you actually refute it with evidence and an argument? Or can you just give a generalized, poorly articulated monologue on the benefits of overt pacifism in some misguided attempt to look cool?

Literally read what I wrote. The implication with everything we have almost irrefutably says grandpa did stuff with her in the past.

Yea, I don't get why a few people are so offended by the MC either. There is nothing wrong with not being an asshole the first time you meet your friend's sister, that you are trying to help. You are not obligated to have a bad attitude just because someone else does. In my reading of Halfway House, the MC shows a lot of maturity. Sure, some guys are on a hair trigger all the time, and on the lookout of anything that "threatens" their "manhood" (Hmm..), but truly decent guys don't have anything to prove, are comfortable in their own skin, and not so worried about what everyone else thinks, so they can just step back and be calm, even when others are acting badly.

Maybe because you clearly don't understand the concept of having a sense of agency in your life giving it more joy/importance? I don't know. You, and quite a few others here, seem to equate manhood with disregarding the opinions and actions of everyone around you and ignoring your opinion about them to the point of almost total inaction. Don't know how you got there but all power to you. Truly decent guys actually care about themselves and how they perceive themselves(Hence an ability to be decent). And anyone decent who sees people hurting others around them at least wants to do something and often does. I agree a lot of guys are just overly-aggressive a-holes but saying you're either that or have the wisdom of Aristotle in resolving personal matters is ludicrous to the point of fallacy

 

[ancienregimele]

Dude I don't know why you're spewing that bs schpeel here but it's clearly more based on you trying to find anything to say instead of actually arguing the point. No one's saying he should be a "junkyard dog" and attack everything but REAL men know that there's a time when they should step in to do something. REAL people in general grasp the concept that action=change and inaction=general misfortune. He's no kind of leader or anything and maybe simp or cuck is a strong descriptor but lemme ask this-can you argue it? Can you actually refute it with evidence and an argument? Or can you just give a generalized, poorly articulated monologue on the benefits of overt pacifism in some misguided attempt to look cool?

Literally read what I wrote. The implication with everything we have almost irrefutably says grandpa did stuff with her in the past.

That "bs" being "spewed" by me wasn't based on me "trying to find anything to say" but on REAL hard men I have known. I grew up in a pretty tough REAL place, so I've known a fair number. (I wasn't one of them....not even close...but I'm very familiar with the atmosphere of pending, or potential violence that goes with being a citizen in some places, teenaged or adult). So, you're in a car with a 'wall of muscle' for a driver, ask yourself how much do you think you could get away with? If the car doors are locked, there's no escape if that driver decides to stop, get out & come round to your side with the keys. Being incapacitated at this point wouldn't be much of help but at least you've had your say....& that's important at this juncture? Saying nothing at all would be a better option & it's not like he's running away, especially not in a moving car. If that's being a pacifist, sign me up.

I never said this MC was a leader. That was just a general point. At this stage he's more of an influencer, which doesn't mean he's completely switched on to all eventualities, all the time....who is? How many times do ordinary everyday people think, "I should have said...", when it's already too late, after the event. He, however, doesn't have anything to prove because he's already intervened when it was necessary at the garage & his housemates know this. He doesn't need to argue fruitlessly in order to show what a good friend he can be.

At the mansion the MC is in unfamiliar surroundings & doesn't know all those present. His behaviour doesn't seem to be inadequate to me. He shows maturity in being restrained.

I see that 'literary critic' is part of your portfolio, or perhaps you're an English teacher? If you are, accept my apologies, as I bow to your greater erudition. Next time I really should plan ahead before I contribute to the discussion, rather than spontaneously writing what's on my mind, otherwise I might produce another, "generalized, poorly articulated monologue." I will agree on one aspect of that critique, which is that it was a "monologue." It was written in response to the growing chorus of disapproval of Chapter 8, which, as you might guess, I enjoyed.

As for the granpa 'thing,' check my prevous comments.