VN Ren'Py Imperial Chronicles [v0.8] [Lazy Monkey]

[STATE_]

i wish the dev put the vampire chick on every path

 

[oceanskie]

Lazy_Monkey [BUG in v0.8 using v0.7 save]

Continuing from a v0.7 Save at the End of Chapter 7 screen: agreeing to Valeria's palace tour stills results the End of Chapter summary stating that the MC had refused the tour. Tested it multiple times by selecting different choices during v0.8 progression.

LOVED the update.

 

[Egris]

Is fucking crazy how hot the mom is bro, holy shit she's the best

 

[Bruce F. Lee]

Finished the update, and some thoughts on it and game in general;

I'm ngl, I like the game. I like it a lot.
But having said that, I do think there are some issues that I can see.
So I'm listing them below.
Now Lazy_Monkey this is not an attack on you in any way, and I'm merely putting these out as constructive criticism which you may use to improve your game going forward;


1) Branching
Now there is no easy solution to this problem. Some devs are just more skilled in this area than others, and I'd say devs like GleenXStudios with his EraStorm Saga games (SandStorm, SnowStorm), or TessSadist with her Karlsson's Gambit game are prime examples of devs who know their stuff with branching and paths.

They're able to provide paths with solid content at least for the main LI paths a player may take or the type of character the MC becomes (for e.g. with Tess's Karlsson's Gambit, player's decisions determine whether the MC gets into the Dom or Sub path).
Each path/route provides a very different yet substantially fulfilling experience.

But with this game, I find that the dev seems to be.....struggling with this.

We had a Major branch set with Cass's coup.
Now, I didn't bother choosing "Kill Cass option" (just couldn't bring myself to do it), so my 2 paths are Green Crown (join Cass), & White Crown (oppose Cass).

Since doing that, I thought these two paths will play out very different.
Alas, that was not the case.
With the update in December (which I somehow missed and didn't play until January lol) the update with the aftermath of Cass's coup, I played through the Green Crown route first.
I took some time reading so that took a bit of time.

However with my White Crown save, I used ctrl fast skip to whizz past all the dialogues and parts I've already seen.
And I was surprised that 97% of the White Crown save's aftermath played out exactly as same as Green Crown save's aftermath.
Other than the 2 or 3 scenes difference (which took like 1 minute or so, even with my slow reading), the entirety of going through the White Crown for v0.7 part 2 update (I think I got the number right, the December update) took literally 5 minutes.

And then v0.8 update came out.

Again, I went through the Green Crown path first.
While the story was good, I found Cass's involvement in the story way less than I was hoping for.
There were tons of Queen Seraphina & Elin, Catalina, Josephine scenes but other than little bit in the beginning (where she wasn't allowed in Lord Argus's meeting) and that trip to Black Pit towards the end, there was very little of Cass.
It was Cass who in the previous update insisted to MC that she be present at his meeting with Lord Argus, so why didn't she meet up with MC right afterwards and ask him what happened? Also, what has she even been doing all that time from when she was refused entry to Argus's military meeting in the opening till meeting MC for go to the Black Pit?
It also made me think that MC had completely forgotten about Cass during that time.

Kinda ironic, given this is Cass Green Crown path, and it feels like she's in it......less compared to other characters.

Now with the White Crown path, I noticed there was literally no new content with that path.
Ctrl fast skip and I was already at end of update screen in 3 minutes since it was basically Green Crown Path minus Cass scenes.
Not to mention significant characters seem to act almost exactly the same with the White Path as they do with Green Path.

In the end, there's no easy solution to this.
One way might be taking a look at games of devs who do good branches and learn, but even that's no guarantee for success cause how each dev constructs story is different.


2) Multiverse
Before we get into this topic, I'm gonna be honest.
I am sick and tired of the multiverse.
The concept has been done to death in modern media lately, with MCU, other movies and different fiction.

So I wasn't a fan when the dev introduced the idea of multiverse with Elin.
And...... I am still not a fan.

I mean, is there even point to having multiverse arc with Elin in the first place?
Cause to me, that just feels like an unnecessary side story which has no influence whatsoever with MC's own story.
Even if that plotline was deleted, game's main storyline would work just fine.

Unless that storyline breaches heavily into the main storyline and actually changes direction of MC's saga of him ruling his Empire, I dunno perhaps I'm in the minority in this, but all of it just feels like is a waste of time and resources which could be better spent elsewhere (like having more path specific content for each route, instead of largely overlapping scenes).



3) Sex scenes
(tbh, this isn't as major as the first 2 issues I listed, but I thought, "Oh well, might as well. lol")
Others have pointed out as well, but I think the sex scenes could use some improvement.

Too many of your scenes you have the MC cumming in the LIs, and the angle of the scene is where it's always seen on the side and not in any direct view, with only cum trickling down the LI's legs seen after the act is done.

I'd say use of good angles is important, such as;

- back
- side
- front
- closeups of sex during and afterwards (of MC's dick and LI's pussy still connected when MC cums as well as when he takes his dick out, cum dripping from LI's pussy). Every single one of these 4 are important, but I'm guessing folks will enjoy this last one most.

Cause so-far, the sex scenes have been just very..... meh for most part (honestly? It feels like too many of the sex scenes use obscured angles and far away wide shots when they should be much closer)
And I have seen enough of how other devs do their games' sex scenes to understand what kind works in getting attention and what doesn't (and I'm guessing that's same for a lot of other player who tried out several AVN games as well).

I too hate the multiverse arc. It breaks up the main story and, so far at least, has provided no payoff. Maybe the multiverse has something to do with mirror?

 

[Bruce F. Lee]

Red = loyal to your father
green = side with cass
White = let cass execute order 66 and then stop the coup

i think you can choose any bride for each route
i have done red, green, and white coronation
i haven't tried green-to-red tho

Is it verified that you can choose any bride for each route. In my admittedly limited play throughs, I assumed the significance of the colors related to the MC‘s initial power base.

Red = power in the south
Green = power base in the west
White = power base in the north

in my case, I got the red route only when I married Isis and the white route only when I married Aurora.

 

[Sayajin2205]

You can get white Route with Isis too I got it as well,you just don't take Isis offer to kill Cass and simply win against Case via the help of your vassals and you get the white route.

 

[Bruce F. Lee]

You can get white Route with Isis too I got it as well,you just don't take Isis offer to kill Cass and simply win against Case via the help of your vassals and you get the white route.

Ok, thanks. It appears my power base notion isn’t correct.

 

[mistermwa]

I'm hoping this is only a visual bug? I noticed it too.

i made a snapshot with urm before the choice, and there is no change after that choice, so i think there's no variable attached to it

 

[Morgana Le Fay]

I'm just waiting for the day when my MC wakes up just as Isis is plunging a knife in to his throat...she's got those stabby eyes..and then the vision where he saw her as a medusa about to bite him...ooh boy, can I has a divorce?

 

[zaqrwe]

Btw is there route in which you can put Cass in the cell (I mean she survives but is not in power) while also not having my boy Asher dying?

 

[Zakharova]

i made a snapshot with urm before the choice, and there is no change after that choice, so i think there's no variable attached to it

In fact, a user here fixed the bug in his gameplay, I think by changing the variable code.

This causes me some concern, because Valeria's model is really interesting (I have a slight obsession with extremely pale women with freckles; it's quite magical to be able to distinguish the translucent veins on natural breasts).

In short, I don't want to miss any scene with her

 

[Filipis]

In fact, a user here fixed the bug in his gameplay, I think by changing the variable code.

This causes me some concern, because Valeria's model is really interesting (I have a slight obsession with extremely pale women with freckles; it's quite magical to be able to distinguish the translucent veins on natural breasts).

In short, I don't want to miss any scene with her

Nah, URM tells us there is no consequence to taking the "tour" with Valeria, so have at it.

 

[minatodr1]

I was sad that the previous game (Monkey Business) ended, and I was delaying playing this game because fantasy stories don’t really interest me. Due to a lack of games, I started playing this one and regretted not playing it earlier. Even someone like me, who doesn’t like fantasy stories, was captivated and entertained by it. It maintains the quality and legacy of the previous game. The developer isn’t surprising us again by making the most beautiful and attractive woman in the game our mother lool. I liked the game, and I definitely recommend you play it.

 

[sp4ckj4rr0w_420]

i wish the dev put the vampire chick on every path

I wish the mc could understand elvish while being on the magic weaver path. I mean, how hard can it be to learn 1 language? The mc doesn't have to be a hyperpolyglot* like on the scholar path but it seems weird to me that an (half)elf that has been raised by an elf, doesn't know his native tongue.

Best branching path is having Isis as a bride and letting her poison cass you become the red emperor

Red Emperor = Isis bride and Cass dead
Green Emperor (stooge to cass and her family) = Side with Cass
White Emperor = Aurora bride and imprison cass.

My "main path" is magic weaver, have a "close relationship" with Ellin while being married to Aurora and I executed Cass. So I guess I'm a "pink" (red+white) emperor lmao xD

Anyways; If you had a choice of which side to support in the western civil war. Which side would you pick and why?

My preference goes to being a (neutral-ish) third party;
- pressuring both sides into submission
- make reforms that the republicans want (the emancipation of women and elves, more rights and privileges for common folk and ex-noble's etc.)
- keeping the west as a monarchy (or maybe reform it into an elective monarchy)

With this;
- the lords of the west are more inclined to join the empire
- you keep the lords of your own domain happy
- you keep the republicans somewhat happy
- you have a chance to emancipate the elves

And I think it will be the least bloody path. Maybe killing Henry off because that guy is shady as fuck and will prolly never play along.

In theory, the republic sounds like a good idea and utopia for everyone involved... Just how to get there without a bloody civil war? Impossible in my opinion. Also it's one thing to make reforms in a monarchy and another is to revolutionize and make a vassal out of a republic. On paper it could work but I don't think it would work out. It would raise envy among the commoners in the feudalistic part of the empire and will only lead to uprisings. Maybe that's what the elves are after. (or at least the aunt of the MC, since she's the "radical" reflection of the mc's mother)

To fight against the republicans would tear the west apart and honestly, it's too bloody for my taste. Same goes for the republicans. To achieve a republic, they have to overthrow all the nobles in the region to create a republic. Not only will the streets turn into rivers of blood but also the lords of your own domain will not be happy and can rise up in result.

Too much change in a short time will only lead to chaos while too little change will achieve nothing and stays stagnant.

----
* Hyperpolyglot; someone who can speak 11+ languages with fluency
Polyglot; someone who can speak 4+ languages with fluency

 

[Walter Victor]

I wish the mc could understand elvish while being on the magic weaver path. I mean, how hard can it be to learn 1 language? The mc doesn't have to be a hyperpolyglot* like on the scholar path but it seems weird to me that an (half)elf that has been raised by an elf, doesn't know his native tongue.

The problem was that through most of his formative years the MC was away from most elves and was mostly focused on drinking. If he had been allowed to stay at the castle, he might easily have learned elvish from his mother and sister. But he hasn't been back long enough to pick up a new language, which would also be more difficult at his age, and he is too busy now with palace intrigue.

 

[Vortex@]

variables are borked again, in this update even if you chose to agree to the palace tour, at the end the resume say you refused the tour. It's a mess in the variables since the beginning of the game

This fixes it. Once you choose to do the tour it sets the variable to 1. But in the end he has it looking for 0, that's why it says we didn't do the tour. This is his file fixed & tells it to look for 1 as it should. It goes into the game/a8 folder

 

[sp4ckj4rr0w_420]

The problem was that through most of his formative years the MC was away from most elves and was mostly focused on drinking. If he had been allowed to stay at the castle, he might easily have learned elvish from his mother and sister. But he hasn't been back long enough to pick up a new language, which would also be more difficult at his age, and he is too busy now with palace intrigue.

What about the elven teacher that was with him in exile hmm? =P

 

[Triple OG]

i wish the dev put the vampire chick on every path

Facts! I think she is mainly on the bookworm path because he has no other ways to protect himself other than his smarts. She is essentially his thicc lovable bodyguard.

I was saying how those on the Green Crown path (Loyal to Cass) get "shafted" with 0.8, where Cass is irrelevant for 80% of the update. She appears at the start, then fucks off who-knows-where until the epilogue. Her presence literally has no bearing on how everything else goes down

Hold on I feel like I'm Cass's number one fan. I wouldn't say we got shafted this update more of she wasn't really needed for this current plot. If anything she gives us another option on how to deal with the situation.