VN Ren'Py Halfway House [Ep.11 - Bonus 7-9] [Az]

[hatefuldisplay]

I'm at a loss as to what some folks are looking for on this one. I'm pretty sure the design team had a set plot for the episode. I suppose they could have tossed in several chances for the MC to make snappy comments throughout, but I'm not sure it would have aided the story. It would have just added more button pushes and possibly degraded potential relationships with both sisters and the maid going forward. I don't know that it would have done much for the game as a whole.

At a guess, I would assume the bodyguard is a bit more capable of injuring people than Hollis was. To me, this says the MC was probably smart enough to not push his luck to save his pride. I mean, the MC might have anger management issues but that doesn't mean he has berserker rage or will attack anyone at any time. If that was the case, he probably would have slugged Ashlyn at some point.

Allowing the player to push back against Ashlyn would have removed things from the view of the player that the developers feel they should know. It would have also removed any future possibilities with Ashlyn based on their interaction in the security room.

Even an option for the MC to turn down helping Ashley and staying behind wouldn't really work. It's not like Ashley would have pulled him into Emily's room with her to tell them what happened together after he declined going with her when she was feeling helpless.

I don't know. I just don't see what people would have preferred to see that would have still allowed the plot to progress.

 

[Holy Bacchus]

I'm at a loss as to what some folks are looking for on this one. I'm pretty sure the design team had a set plot for the episode. I suppose they could have tossed in several chances for the MC to make snappy comments throughout, but I'm not sure it would have aided the story. It would have just added more button pushes and possibly degraded potential relationships with both sisters and the maid going forward. I don't know that it would have done much for the game as a whole.

At a guess, I would assume the bodyguard is a bit more capable of injuring people than Hollis was. To me, this says the MC was probably smart enough to not push his luck to save his pride. I mean, the MC might have anger management issues but that doesn't mean he has berserker rage or will attack anyone at any time. If that was the case, he probably would have slugged Ashlyn at some point.

Allowing the player to push back against Ashlyn would have removed things from the view of the player that the developers feel they should know. It would have also removed any future possibilities with Ashlyn based on their interaction in the security room.

Even an option for the MC to turn down helping Ashley and staying behind wouldn't really work. It's not like Ashley would have pulled him into Emily's room with her to tell them what happened together after he declined going with her when she was feeling helpless.

I don't know. I just don't see what people would have preferred to see that would have still allowed the plot to progress.

They seem to want the MC to act like a selfish dickhead because, I guess that's how they would have done it, which really says a lot about them if they think that would have been the best course of action.

 

[KaneB.C.]

Good update, just wish they came sooner.

 

[Osamabeenfappin]

I have never seen so many people simp so hard for such an unlikable character before.

Keep it up Ash fans,I'm not even mad,this is amazing.

 

[TiffanyMonroe]

"bent like a beach chair"

I like this so I'm gonna steal it for personal use.
Also I think I'm starting to understand the logic. Would ya'll still feel it was okay for the mc to be a bitch if it was a guy walking over him? You shouldn't have to take shit from anybody no matter what genitals they have. You can be a man without being a jellyfish(no backbone) or needing to resort to violence.
Maybe I'm just not conditioned by society enough.

 

[HornyyPussy]

I like this so I'm gonna steal it for personal use.
Also I think I'm starting to understand the logic. Would ya'll still feel it was okay for the mc to be a bitch if it was a guy walking over him? You shouldn't have to take shit from anybody no matter what genitals they have. You can be a man without being a jellyfish(no backbone) or needing to resort to violence.
Maybe I'm just not conditioned by society enough.

Since i don't agree that he was "walked all over", yes, no problem if it was a man.

 

[espy85]

The whole diatribe about Ashley starts to be cloying, you don't have to like the girl, but trivializing her to an unpleasant whore means not understanding the character, I wonder if you also read the dialogues or if you just skip between a sex scene and other. Ashley behaves like that because she has lived in shit, her loved ones dearest to her have abandoned her to live on the street. It seems normal to me that she behaves like that to keep people away, because she is afraid of being betrayed again. As mentioned, she can like it or not, each of us has our favorite character, but to paint her as a bitch without motivation means not having understood her story behind the girl and the game.

 

[Ariostebaldo]

excuses, excuses...

 

[Havik79]

Thanks for the laugh dude.

She sold her ass for money, that is the literal definition of a whore.

Jumping from sex scene to sex scene, because yeah your fucking someone every 2 mins, there is what 2 sexual scenes in the game, 3 maybe.

She chose to be a whore, and got disowned, I know in 2021 along with common sense, it too has gone missing, but there is a thing called personal responsibility, she betrayed her families reputation, if she was unhappy could have done a dozen other things, but sure woe is her, poor hard done by rich brat.

 

[balvenie1401]

Time to "unwatch" this shitshow of a thread, enjoy yourselfs

 

[Holy Bacchus]

The whole diatribe about Ashley starts to be cloying, you don't have to like the girl, but trivializing her to an unpleasant whore means not understanding the character, I wonder if you also read the dialogues or if you just skip between a sex scene and other. Ashley behaves like that because she has lived in shit, her loved ones dearest to her have abandoned her to live on the street. It seems normal to me that she behaves like that to keep people away, because she is afraid of being betrayed again. As mentioned, she can like it or not, each of us has our favorite character, but to paint her as a bitch without motivation means not having understood her story behind the girl and the game.

It's even more basic than that, it's people who don't seem to understand what playful banter is. Instead of seeing what she says as her having a bit of cheeky fun with people which is all it really is, they see it as some sort of deeply offensive insults and that she does this because she's a terrible person.

The sensitivity of these people to feel so aggrieved by a character with a lively spirit is just so pathetic.

 

[Kellermann]

Since i don't agree that he was "walked all over", yes, no problem if it was a man.

I don't think MC was necessarily walked all over either, but you have to look at it through his perspective. He was set up from the beginning as someone not being able to control his emotions (that is what got him into kid prison and the halfway house to begin with).

Earlier in the story, he was even on the verge of full rage with just some slight needling from the girls. Now he seems an ocean of calm. If you're going to have someone do a complete 180 on such an established character trait then show me that progression. Don't just have him appear one day as the Mahatma.

I think MC should have at least had an internal conflict (he has them about everything else ). You don't even need to give the player the dialogue choice to verbally snap back, just mention it in MC cloud vision mode. Something like, "wow, this stuck up bitch has an attitude, but I'd better hold my tongue because it is important to Ashley and I agreed to help." Done.

But hey, the game is tagged female domination for reason!

I don't want to sound like I don't enjoy the game because it's actually on my top 10 list right now. MC's demeanor change is just a minor quibble and if our designated LI Emily gets more dedicated time next episode then I'll be quite happy.

 

[Smarmint]

It's very important to remember that Ashely, Emily and the MC are all in a HALFWAY HOUSE. If they had their shit together emotionally and psychologically, they wouldn't have been there in the first place! All three of them are working on their character defects, and all three are fallible (as humans tend to be). The vast majority of the "beta cuck behavior" some people keep having a problem with, is nothing more than the MC having the emotional intelligence to understand what Ashley and Emily are actually trying to communicate with their behavior. Ashley gives you shit because "that's just Ashley", it's how she interacts with those she cares about. She constantly teases Emily as well, but at the end of the day, both of them understand that the other cares for them deeply. Emily can be sensitive but is also fiercely loyal, the only time she really gets angry at either Ashley or the MC is when she feels like she is being left out, or that they are pushing her away.
Etc. Etc.

Fantastic analysis.

It's even more basic than that, it's people who don't seem to understand what playful banter is. Instead of seeing what she says as her having a bit of cheeky fun with people which is all it really is, they see it as some sort of deeply offensive insults and that she does this because she's a terrible person.

The sensitivity of these people to feel so aggrieved by a character with a lively spirit is just so pathetic.

The writing of Halfway House is quite good, among the top VNs here, but it isn't that complicated. I think the motivations of each of the characters are pretty obvious, which is fine. It is a game after all, so the author doesn't have hundreds of pages of text to establish his characters. I honestly don't understand why a character like Ashley is so confusing to a few of you. I guess any strong female character with an attitude and her own opinions is threatening to some people.

Not every character can be totally complient, with thoughts only for the MC at all times. I see this same attitude in threads all around here. Anytime a female character shows a little independence or spunk, all these people show up in the thread and start expressing how they feel emasculated, I guess, by the characters' mere presense in the game. How strange. I really don't get it.

 

[underoath27]

Just played last version and I enjoyed a lot. I like Ash and Em very much. I will play all routes, so I hope Ash has a good ending.

 

[Smarmint]

The other thing about shit-talkers like Ashley is that it's so often done to avoid feeling or dealing with serious issues and is often a sign that someone may be deeply depressed. When someone's constantly trying to make jokes, or make light of every situation, and doesn't seem to take anything too seriously, it can typically be a sign that they're struggling to cope with their own thoughts and feelings and that they'd rather suppress it under this mask of jovial banter in order to try and not feel these crippling emotions.

I hadn't thought of the depression angle, good point. She certainly has her reasons. I saw Ashley's tough-girl persona to be more of a shield to keep most people at arms length, and herself from getting too close to people that might hurt her, which has happened to her a lot. And also, with her friends like Emily and the MC, it is just playful banter, like you said. Like I mentioned earlier, I was a little luke-warm about Ashley at the beginning, but I really enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell this update. It is gratifying to see. I think a little more of that, and Ashlyn thawing out with time, will keep Halfway House interesting for many more updates.

People on here talking g about how an ACTUAL FOR REAL WHORE,is a strong empowered woman.

No? You think that is impossible? Have you ever been dropped on the street with nothing like Ashley? I think figuring out a way to survive and ultimately succeed on your own would make you strong and empowered, if you made it.

I suspect most of us were generally supported by family until we were old enough to get a job and earn a living for ourselves. I know it is just a game, but I don't judge people for what they have to do to survive, especially if it isn't harming anyone else.

 

[Holy Bacchus]

I hadn't thought of the depression angle, good point. She certainly has her reasons. I saw Ashley's tough-girl persona to be more of a shield to keep most people at arms length, and herself from getting too close to people that might hurt her, which has happened to her a lot. And also, with her friends like Emily and the MC, it is just playful banter, like you said. Like I mentioned earlier, I was a little luke-warm about Ashley at the beginning, but I really enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell this update. It is gratifying to see. I think a little more of that, and Ashlyn thawing out with time, will keep Halfway House interesting for many more updates.

It could be both as they aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, but it's plain to see that this is just meant as good-natured, friendly banter, even if it is likely masking some deep emotional issues.

 

[Ragnar]

I hadn't thought of the depression angle, good point. She certainly has her reasons. I saw Ashley's tough-girl persona to be more of a shield to keep most people at arms length, and herself from getting too close to people that might hurt her, which has happened to her a lot. And also, with her friends like Emily and the MC, it is just playful banter, like you said. Like I mentioned earlier, I was a little luke-warm about Ashley at the beginning, but I really enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell this update. It is gratifying to see. I think a little more of that, and Ashlyn thawing out with time, will keep Halfway House interesting for many more updates.




No? You think that is impossible? Have you ever been dropped on the street with nothing like Ashley? I think figuring out a way to survive and ultimately succeed on your own would make you strong and empowered, if you made it.

I suspect most of us were generally supported by family until we were old enough to get a job and earn a living for ourselves. I know it is just a game, but I don't judge people for what they have to do to survive, especially if it isn't harming anyone else.

She was never dropped on the streets with nothing. She was a rich kid turned escort due to the typical rebellious stage. She was living with her parents while doing the whoring.
When the prostitution ring was busted she ended on juvie and the Halfway House. Her grandfather disowned her after the scandal when she was already in the hands of the system and Samantha has been taking care of her until now.

 

[Ariostebaldo]

I know I shouldn't complain about this here but I don't know where to write a complaint.

Holy Bacchus and Smarmit write this comments

Ashley is playful, but to a few sensitive souls that's apparently being a "cunt".



Seems some people don't know the difference.

This, 110%. I look at what Ashley says as nothing more than a bit of playful banter because that's what it is, yet some people look at it as though she's just being "a cunt" and it makes them feel small, which is why they lash out with immature, name-calling epithets.

They seem to want the MC to act like a selfish dickhead because, I guess that's how they would have done it, which really says a lot about them if they think that would have been the best course of action.

It's even more basic than that, it's people who don't seem to understand what playful banter is. Instead of seeing what she says as her having a bit of cheeky fun with people which is all it really is, they see it as some sort of deeply offensive insults and that she does this because she's a terrible person.



The sensitivity of these people to feel so aggrieved by a character with a lively spirit is just so pathetic.

The writing of Halfway House is quite good, among the top VNs here, but it isn't that complicated. I think the motivations of each of the characters are pretty obvious, which is fine. It is a game after all, so the author doesn't have hundreds of pages of text to establish his characters. I honestly don't understand why a character like Ashley is so confusing to a few of you. I guess any strong female character with an attitude and her own opinions is threatening to some people.



Not every character can be totally complient, with thoughts only for the MC at all times. I see this same attitude in threads all around here. Anytime a female character shows a little independence or spunk, all these people show up in the thread and start expressing how they feel emasculated, I guess, by the characters' mere presense in the game. How strange. I really don't get it.

Than I writed this comment

Holy Bacchus and Smarmint

Why can't you both just accept that nobody is forced to like Ashley and some people simply don't like her?

I think my post was reasonable and polite. Why my post were deleted and theirs continue there. Isn't off topic to assume about people the way they are doing?

It's not like I'm upset. I just want to know why is my post off topic, and theirs are not.

 

[Bueno]

I'm not sure I like the direction the game took with the last update.

Part of the appeal with this game was that the premise for the characters was very humble. They're in a halfway house, they're a long way from sci-fi, magic, anime-esque crime families, undercover spies and save-the-world schemes etc etc Which was great! It really set this game apart and meant it could just focus on the characters without the need for some hackneyed Hollywood plot.

....and then episode 8 comes along and all of a sudden it's a Cinderella story.

 

[clamp360]

I'm not sure I like the direction the game took with the last update.

Part of the appeal with this game was that the premise for the characters was very humble. They're in a halfway house, they're a long way from sci-fi, magic, anime-esque crime families, undercover spies and save-the-world schemes etc etc Which was great! It really set this game apart and meant it could just focus on the characters without the need for some hackneyed Hollywood plot.

....and then episode 8 comes along and all of a sudden it's a Cinderella story.

Took the words right out of my mouth. I'm still hopeful since Ashley isn't my main focus, but we'll see.