Justaphase

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well then you haven't played enough AVNs. You think choices here are meaningful? 90% aren't. You can absolutely make an AVN without any point systems. Play The Missing Part, it's in my sig. No points there. Not a kinetic VN either. Play Superhuman. No points there either, and you can be sure the choices have meaning. Points system is just trash and outdated, plain and simple.
I'm also not a fan of the points system in Intertwined. Some girls points requirements for their romantic path are too low, while others are too high IMO. You can stumble on to Layla or Erynn's romantic path quite easily, especially Layla. While Val's requires maximum points at the training camp, which is a little too harsh IMO.
 

GibboBtw

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The great thing with Layla is that she actually makes a pretty great friend too. She will even want to help you out with Valeria, which is a nice touch. Makes the lack of an Elena solo path sting a bit more though because she would have been happy for her best friend, but oh well.
Not necessarily though, especially if she still harbours some feelings for the MC. So helping to pair him with the new girl WOULD be a lot easier for her than trying to help pair him with her best friend. So it makes a little more sense IMO that that path doesn't exist much.
 

Elduriel

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I'm also not a fan of the points system in Intertwined. Some girls points requirements for their romantic path are too low, while others are too high IMO. You can stumble on to Layla or Erynn's romantic path quite easily, especially Layla. While Val's requires maximum points at the training camp, which is a little too harsh IMO.
would be much quicker to replay too without all them look/don't look 2015 style choices :ROFLMAO: Wolfram's script helps though with that
 
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Justaphase

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Not necessarily though, especially if she still harbours some feelings for the MC. So helping to pair him with the new girl WOULD be a lot easier for her than trying to help pair him with her best friend. So it makes a little more sense IMO that that path doesn't exist much.
I'm talking about if Layla only sees you as a friend, which she will if you haven't shown a romantic interest in her. I'm just saying that if you had shown a romantic interest in Elena and not her, she would have been supportive IMO and happy for her best friend.
 
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jadepaladin

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I also don't like it because 90% of choices are meaningless. I don't want a kinetic VN, but the look here and look there shit is so outdated at this point.
1)Look Emily, I grabbed you and tossed you in the pool, can I still get a bike? +2
2)Sorry I looked at your boobs after throwing you in the pool Emily, can I still get a bike? -2
3)Sorry I lied about Zach, Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
4)Sorry I won't invite you to the beach in the future Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
*Around this time is the "look closer" reward for being a good kid, enjoy watching some boobs I guess, 6 points needed which is basically doing everything perfect with her up to this point*
5)Sorry I didn't hug you Emily after our fight, can I still get a bike? 0
6)Sorry I didn't correct you for thinking you are a bad mother Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
7)Sorry I didn't say I love you Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
8)Sorry for not checking up on you after your phone call with Andres, Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
9)Sorry for not picking you up in your own vehicle that you loaned me and instead making you take the bus Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
*Small window where if you botched Erynn and Alexis, it blows up on you and instead of taking responsibility, you can blame Emily, since she sent Erynn up after all, it's -4 if you do*
10) Sorry I didn't tell you the truth about Layla's prank phone call Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
*Bike time=13 points*

Almost every interaction with Emily is worth 2, and you need 13, so you need to do 7 of these. There's around 10 actions, (11 if you count the negative only Alexis/Erynn botch) and you have to do #1 to have a chance to lose points in #2.

All of this could be avoided by just having the bike decision based on how the MC handles her after the Mel/Emily reveal happens and they make up. If he goes in forgiving and respectful, set a flag. If he goes in still ticked off and doesn't do anything but make peace, set it to false.

Whether or not you threw Emily in the pool, talked about inviting her to the beach, stared at her tits when they popped out, etc shouldn't have an impact on her decision to buy you a bike.

TLDR: point systems suck.
 

LSC82

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I'm just surprised that she would have that conversation about Ethan over the phone. If that is indeed what it's about.
Doesn't seem ideal...
She didn't want to reveal it to him the last time around, now she picks up the phone and starts blabbing(if indeed it's about Ethan)?
I would expect the information to come out after some gentle coaxing, not over the phone.
Then again it could just be about Zach...

Maybe Ethan has contacted her again? This could trigger her wanting to cancel the party... and a reveal.

well then you haven't played enough AVNs. You think choices here are meaningful? 90% aren't. You can absolutely make an AVN without any point systems. Play The Missing Part, it's in my sig. No points there. Not a kinetic VN either. Play Superhuman. No points there either, and you can be sure the choices have meaning. Points system is just trash and outdated, plain and simple.
There are better ways to do a point system, Nyx relies too much of small increases over and over and over... and as Justaphase mentioned some characters require that you be pretty flawless in nailing some random inoquous choices, while with others you are allowed plenty of misses... to the point that i can survive doing bad on purpose playthrough:p
Not exactly what i would call balanced :ROFLMAO:

If the game had more 10 to 15 point swings from a choice instead of constant single point bumps it would be better.

Or ditching the points and going just with the flag system, it may need more flags to be added... but hey she's redoing her script anyways.
 

GibboBtw

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I'm talking about if Layla only sees you as a friend, which she will if you haven't shown a romantic interest in her. I'm just saying that if you had shown a romantic interest in Elena and not her, she would have been supportive IMO and happy for her best friend.
I'll just have to take your word for it then. As I can never not, flirt with Layla at least a LITTLE BIT during my games...:LOL:

She's just so perfect. :love:
 

Elduriel

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There are better ways to do a point system, Nyx relies too much of small increases over and over and over... and as Justaphase mentioned some characters require that you be pretty flawless in nailing some random inoquous choices, while with others you are allowed plenty of misses... to the point that i can survive doing bad on purpose playthrough:p

If the game had more 10 to 15 point swings from a choice instead of constant single point bumps it would be better.

Or ditching the points and going just with the flag system, it may need more flags to be added... but hey she's redoing her script anyways.
I agree, it could be better, and she did make tweaks to it over time, but overall I still think it's a bad system. So many choices just for the sake of it, get a point, big whoop. Make them less frequent but more impactful. Then you wouldn't need a fucking mod to know what the hell is going on.
 
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Elduriel

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1)Look Emily, I grabbed you and tossed you in the pool, can I still get a bike? +2
2)Sorry I looked at your boobs after throwing you in the pool Emily, can I still get a bike? -2
3)Sorry I lied about Zach, Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
4)Sorry I won't invite you to the beach in the future Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
*Around this time is the "look closer" reward for being a good kid, enjoy watching some boobs I guess, 6 points needed which is basically doing everything perfect with her up to this point*
5)Sorry I didn't hug you Emily after our fight, can I still get a bike? 0
6)Sorry I didn't correct you for thinking you are a bad mother Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
7)Sorry I didn't say I love you Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
8)Sorry for not checking up on you after your phone call with Andres, Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
9)Sorry for not picking you up in your own vehicle that you loaned me and instead making you take the bus Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
*Small window where if you botched Erynn and Alexis, it blows up on you and instead of taking responsibility, you can blame Emily, since she sent Erynn up after all, it's -4 if you do*
10) Sorry I didn't tell you the truth about Layla's prank phone call Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
*Bike time=13 points*

Almost every interaction with Emily is worth 2, and you need 13, so you need to do 7 of these. There's around 10 actions, (11 if you count the negative only Alexis/Erynn botch) and you have to do #1 to have a chance to lose points in #2.

All of this could be avoided by just having the bike decision based on how the MC handles her after the Mel/Emily reveal happens and they make up. If he goes in forgiving and respectful, set a flag. If he goes in still ticked off and doesn't do anything but make peace, set it to false.

Whether or not you threw Emily in the pool, talked about inviting her to the beach, stared at her tits when they popped out, etc shouldn't have an impact on her decision to buy you a bike.

TLDR: point systems suck.
thankyou.gif
 

LSC82

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1)Look Emily, I grabbed you and tossed you in the pool, can I still get a bike? +2
2)Sorry I looked at your boobs after throwing you in the pool Emily, can I still get a bike? -2
3)Sorry I lied about Zach, Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
4)Sorry I won't invite you to the beach in the future Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
*Around this time is the "look closer" reward for being a good kid, enjoy watching some boobs I guess, 6 points needed which is basically doing everything perfect with her up to this point*
5)Sorry I didn't hug you Emily after our fight, can I still get a bike? 0
6)Sorry I didn't correct you for thinking you are a bad mother Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
7)Sorry I didn't say I love you Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
8)Sorry for not checking up on you after your phone call with Andres, Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
9)Sorry for not picking you up in your own vehicle that you loaned me and instead making you take the bus Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
*Small window where if you botched Erynn and Alexis, it blows up on you and instead of taking responsibility, you can blame Emily, since she sent Erynn up after all, it's -4 if you do*
10) Sorry I didn't tell you the truth about Layla's prank phone call Emily, can I still get a bike? 0
*Bike time=13 points*

Almost every interaction with Emily is worth 2, and you need 13, so you need to do 7 of these. There's around 10 actions, (11 if you count the negative only Alexis/Erynn botch) and you have to do #1 to have a chance to lose points in #2.

All of this could be avoided by just having the bike decision based on how the MC handles her after the Mel/Emily reveal happens and they make up. If he goes in forgiving and respectful, set a flag. If he goes in still ticked off and doesn't do anything but make peace, set it to false.

Whether or not you threw Emily in the pool, talked about inviting her to the beach, stared at her tits when they popped out, etc shouldn't have an impact on her decision to buy you a bike.

TLDR: point systems suck.
That's a great summary and a funny one too :ROFLMAO:
Ready for a points systems are evil presentation :cool:

I agree, it could be better, and she did make tweaks to it over time, but overall I still think it's a bad system. So many choices just for the sake of it, get a point, big whoop. Make them less frequent but more impactful. Then you wouldn't need a fucking mod to know what the hell is going on.
Yeah more focus on big impactful choices instead of 100 correct small choices.
Wether on a pure flag system(the best) or a big point increases for getting those right.

Keep smaller choices only for immediate impact, you say something and she smiles happily, gets mad or sad.
 

3J1E

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It could be at what she's relating to him, or it could at a decision she made...
Such as inviting Zach along to the party.
In one of the recent progress updates Nyx talked about possibly adding an extra scene with a side character where you go to the cinema or something, for players that aren't on Val's route and don't go to the party. Zach was one of the possible characters she mentioned that you maybe meet in the added event along with Darryl and Tori?

Realise that she might not even make the cinema thing, but if Zach is a possible option for that extra event then presumably that means he can't also be going to the party at the same time? Although imagine Val will still have a go at trying to patch up your friendship since she doesn't really know the details and blames herself.
 
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Justaphase

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Although imagine Val will still have a go at trying to patch up your friendship since she doesn't really know the details and blames herself.
She knows the details, we just didn't get to see the MC telling her just the tear running down her cheek. It skipped that part on the phone. However she still partly blames herself for the MC and Zach falling out.
 
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LSC82

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In one of the recent progress updates Nyx talked about possibly adding an extra scene with a side character where you go to the cinema or something, for players that aren't on Val's route and don't go to the party. Zach was one of the possible characters she mentioned that you maybe meet in the added event along with Darryl and Tori?

Realise that she might not even make the cinema thing, but if Zach is a possible option for that extra event then presumably that means he can't also be going to the party at the same time?
2 things... she could be lying about Zach being a possibility on the random scene, i think she knows everyone would reject this option, the possibility of the extra random scene is probably gonna lose just because of the options she mentioned...
Zach, Darryl and Tori(sorry Tori fans).
Had she said extra scene with Brooke or Ximena people would be tittilated by the idea :cool:

Also, there's maybe a butterfly effect involved... To get the random scene you don't have a relationship to Valeria, otherwise you would be going to the party...
You don't go to the party, maybe Valeria herself doesn't go because she doesn't have a date... Zach is suddenly free again.

Or maybe she goes to the party but without Zach... her reason to want him there is an attempt to fix the friendship issues the guys had lately, no signs she would invite him otherwise.
Despite still thinking of him as a friend Valeria has been pretty distant from him lately, he's done plenty to piss her off and earn himself a "timeout"(even before the Ethan and MC stuff).
 
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Johnny Dough

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The great thing with Layla is that she actually makes a pretty great friend too. She will even want to help you out with Valeria, which is a nice touch. Makes the lack of an Elena solo path sting a bit more though because she would have been happy for her best friend, but oh well.
Haha! Friend Layla will make me conflicted too! I think dilemmas in this game are unavoida

well then you haven't played enough AVNs. You think choices here are meaningful? 90% aren't. You can absolutely make an AVN without any point systems. Play The Missing Part, it's in my sig. No points there. Not a kinetic VN either. Play Superhuman. No points there either, and you can be sure the choices have meaning. Points system is just trash and outdated, plain and simple.
Well... Played all the classics and well-rated games here, and the majority rely on scoring variables... Can you do without it and not be kinetic? Well... If you rely on flags, it's also a scoring system, just of a different kind (actually, most games rely on a combination of a scoring system + flags, i.e, True/False). You can also do it without any variables, but they'll be like those "Chose Your Own Adventure" books of yore, and will either be simplistic or, if they get too complex, the dev will get lost in so many branches. Flags and score are there to make the design more intelligent so the dev doesn't have to rely solely on jumping to labels -- because, in the end, it's the same thing, just done in a dumber way...

About the choices, just because the game has a lot of branches you can reach or not based on the choices you make, the choices are meaningful... (Unless, by "meaningful," you mean something different, like, some "existential meaningfulness" or whatever, so explain yourself...)
 

jadepaladin

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Haha! Friend Layla will make me conflicted too! I think dilemmas in this game are unavoida



Well... Played all the classics and well-rated games here, and the majority rely on scoring variables... Can you do without it and not be kinetic? Well... If you rely on flags, it's also a scoring system, just of a different kind (actually, most games rely on a combination of a scoring system + flags, i.e, True/False). You can also do it without any variables, but they'll be like those "Chose Your Own Adventure" books of yore, and will either be simplistic or, if they get too complex, the dev will get lost in so many branches. Flags and score are there to make the design more intelligent so the dev doesn't have to rely solely on jumping to labels -- because, in the end, it's the same thing, just done in a dumber way...

About the choices, just because the game has a lot of branches you can reach or not based on the choices you make, the choices are meaningful... (Unless, by "meaningful," you mean something different, like, some "existential meaningfulness" or whatever, so explain yourself...)
Going by weighted ratings:

Eternum- points don't matter
Pale Carnations- probably the strongest case in this list for a point system actually working.
Hooked- points don't mattter
Desert Stalker- points don't matter
Leap of Faith- points don't matter, who you pick in chapter 4 does
Once in Lifetime- in the spirit of Caribdis, points don't matter
Superhuman- points don't matter, training does
Being a DIK- what points? your personality points matter but LI points haven't been used at all
Ripples- points don't matter

I could keep going but...
 
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3J1E

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She knows the details, we just didn't get to see the MC telling her just the tear running down her cheek. It skipped that part on the phone. However she still partly blames herself for the MC and Zach falling out.
I think she knows that the falling out is about Ethan, but not sure if she knows exactly why MC hates Ethan quite so much. Seem to remember that the MC wanted to keep her out of it and not tell her about the whole blackmail thing? Either way, I guess Val probably hates Ethan anyway after whatever he said to her.

Am interested in whatever Ethan said to Val. It can't be anything too important for the blackmail plot because it only happens on her route. Guessing some kind of threat to make her do something...

2 things... she could be lying about Zach being a possibility on the random scene, i think she knows everyone would reject this option, the possibility of the extra random scene is probably gonna lose just because of the options she mentioned...
Zach, Darryl and Tori(sorry Tori fans).
All true, there's always the possibility that she's just messing with people!

I'd actually quite like for MC to run into Zach, only because he's the one person that might warn MC that Ethan knows who John really is... Zach's too stupid to realise why it matters, but he could mention that Ethan was interested in the guy from the garage and MC could put two and two together.
 

LSC82

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I think she knows that the falling out is about Ethan, but not sure if she knows exactly why MC hates Ethan quite so much. Seem to remember that the MC wanted to keep her out of it and not tell her about the whole blackmail thing? Either way, I guess Val probably hates Ethan anyway after whatever he said to her.

Am interested in whatever Ethan said to Val. It can't be anything too important for the blackmail plot because it only happens on her route. Guessing some kind of threat to make her do something...
She witnessed Ethan assaulting the MC first hand(at least on her path), so she knows he's bad news, even before her latest interaction with him.
And if i remember correctly the MC mentions that his problems with Zach have to do with Ethan in that last phone call.

I'm also very curious on what exactly transpired and what have they said to each other.


All true, there's always the possibility that she's just messing with people!

I'd actually quite like for MC to run into Zach, only because he's the one person that might warn MC that Ethan knows who John really is... Zach's too stupid to realise why it matters, but he could mention that Ethan was interested in the guy from the garage and MC could put two and two together.
I don't want a "just Zach" scene honestly, i don't feel like talking to him and i don't know what they would talk about after their last interaction.
If he gets invited by Val it could be an interesting scene, starting with seeing him reacting to them being together, seeing if he still defends Ethan in front of Valeria...
Zach saying something he's not suppoused to and ruining Ethan's plans is a possibility... he certainly has a history of talking too much and fucking things up.

But these are optional scenes, both the random one and the Valeria party, to be crucial for the blackmail plot he would need to make the same mistake on the Erynn route somehow...
Or someone else will need to tell MC about Ethan targeting John.
 
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Johnny Dough

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Going by weighted ratings:

Eternum- points don't matter
Pale Carnations- probably the strongest case in this list for a point system actually working.
Hooked- points don't mattter
Desert Stalker- points don't matter
Leap of Faith- points don't matter, who you pick in chapter 4 does
Once in Lifetime- in the spirit of Caribdis, points don't matter
Superhuman- points don't matter, training does
Being a DIK- what points? your personality points matter but LI points haven't been used at all
Ripples- points don't matter

I could keep going but...
I didn't inspect all those games, but I bet all those games have flags, and flags are a binary system ranging from 0 to 1... Being a DIK certainly does, and there are situations in which the scoring system (non-binary) really matters. And, if I remember correctly, LoF at least has flags, but I honestly never inspected this one's code. BaDIK needs points to get Maya's scene and also to decide between her and Josy. I'm not saying this is a good implementation -- in fact, I don't think it is... Just saying it has... Anyway... What matters is the game has to be able to: 1) save state; 2) eval from this state if a girl is into you/what she feels about you and show the appropriate scene; thus, it doesn't matter if it has a general scoring system or if the score is scattered into many variables (flags) that, together, create a score (or a combination of both systems).

But I think we're derailing the conversation because I don't even think the scoring system is well-implemented in Intertwined, and now it seems like I'm defending it. In fact, that's something I've been complaining about -- the fact that it makes you do things when you may not be willing to. My point is, it's not the fact that it has a ranking system per se, but how it has been implemented. A game can screw either through a scoring system, or through a flagging system, or through a simple "goto" system that doesn't save state...

My point was just two propositions mabe by Eludriel:
"You can absolutely make an AVN without any point systems." (including flags -- which are points)
"Points system is just trash and outdated, plain and simple."

What matters is what you do with them -- and good things are usually as good as they're rare...
 

3J1E

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And if i remember correctly the MC mentions that his problems with Zach have to do with Ethan in that last phone call.

I'm also very curious on what exactly transpired and what have they said to each other.
Don't think it can directly be involved in the blackmail because of it only happening on her route.

I wonder if Ethan tries to turn Val against MC the same way he did with Zach, maybe trying to make himself out as the good guy. She doesn't know about the blackmail, perhaps Ethan could turn it around and claim that MC is blackmailing someone with a sex tape and that he's trying to stop it. Might plant a little doubt given Val's history with someone she trusted sharing photos of her? Although she couldn't be that convinced if she still invites MC to the party...

I don't want a "just Zach" scene honestly, i don't feel like talking to him and i don't know what they would talk about after their last interaction.
If he gets invited by Val it could be an interesting scene, starting with seeing him reacting to them being together, seeing if he still defends Ethan in front of Valeria...
Zach saying something he's not suppoused to and ruining Ethan's plans is a possibility... he certainly has a history of talking too much and fucking things up.

But these are optional scenes, both the random one and the Valeria party, to be crucial for the blackmail plot he would need to make the same mistake on the Erynn route somehow...
Or someone else will need to tell MC about Ethan targeting John.
Don't get me wrong, I don't want anything to do with Zach, but he's the lesser evil. Don't see any other character that could let MC know that Ethan has identified who John really is.

Not an arranged meeting, but maybe running into him while out, having an argument and him blabbling about John might work? If it helps protect John and take down Ethan then I'd take it! Although you're right, it would have to be present in some way on all routes so probably not at the party. Once the blackmail is done I'd be happy to never see Zach again.
 
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