VN Ren'Py Karlsson's Gambit [v0.8.1 Part I] [Grym Gudinna Games]

[Mwanted]

Ouch, ok thanks for the answer.

 

[Vlahurg1]

I actually play the domination route. Its just that I change his name to something else at the start so I never heard about Kane the entire game.

I did exactly that the first time I played and it confused the heck out of me when players referred to him.

 

[Vlahurg1]

It's interesting how I don't recall anyone having remarked they were confused as to who "Olivia" is in contrast to "Kane". Could be selective memory.

Might be an interesting question: When you make decisions for Kane, Seth and Olivia, what do you base their choices on? What's your preferred style of play?
I.e. Do you go with the self-insert choices or do you try to choose based on what feels most in-character? Do you include knowledge outside of that of the character? Do you aim for an out-of-character outcome (e.g. choose sub choices since you want to see sub scenes or try to get amass points with a particular character since you hope for a romantic plot), maybe even use the walkthrough outright?

I play Kane sub good leaning on first version playthroughs, mostly to see the Sub scenes first. Seth on the other hand I've consistently tried to play smart. Olivia used to get the Sub good playthroughs first. But after some episode and her dom character making a lot more sense I play her Dom good first. So full on outcome oriented choices all the way for me until I feel confident I've seen most content and a self-insert play follows.

I was confused by references to all the characters we could name after my first playthrough, but I wasn't paying as much attention as I have since and didn't notice they could be given default names. Too much looking at the pictures and not enough reading first time through, but paying attention to both is the best way to get the most out of this game.

I only got here at 0.5, so didn't see the unfolding character arcs in the same you have with each new release. For the Seth, Kane and Olivia, how I play them depends on the outcome I want for a given playthrough. My default is evil dom Olivia and good sub Kane, but I've deliberately played other styles like good dom for both just to see how different they are. While I might have a preference, I've found the other styles I've explored have been fun too. I avoid walkthroughs here as I like to trust my own instincts. Maybe if I feel like being a completist I'll use one although I'm not averse to the odd hint here and there in the meantime.

 

[Vlahurg1]

Just realised the last release is from october 2021 :O
Is it always the case (so many months of development)?

This should be quite a large chapter so will be worth the wait! Tess has kept backers in the loop about the ups and downs of bringing 0.6 to completion and most of that information seems to reach here. Just keep checking back every so often. From what I can see, things look like they're on the home straight.

 

[PGpauljp13]

This should be quite a large chapter so will be worth the wait! Tess has kept backers in the loop about the ups and downs of bringing 0.6 to completion and most of that information seems to reach here. Just keep checking back every so often. From what I can see, things look like they're on the home straight.

So far every chapter has been bigger than the last and with the work that is going into this part!,i think this trend will carry on.

 

[Vlahurg1]

So far every chapter has been bigger than the last and with the work that is going into this part!,i think this trend will carry on.

On one hand that sounds great for fans, but on the other, it's got to be tough for Tess. I sure appreciate the effort that goes into this and I'm sure you and many others do too.

 

[Mwanted]

This should be quite a large chapter so will be worth the wait! Tess has kept backers in the loop about the ups and downs of bringing 0.6 to completion and most of that information seems to reach here. Just keep checking back every so often. From what I can see, things look like they're on the home straight.

Yeah the greedy part of me would like to have more frequent updates of this little gem, but I can understand the need to balance it with everythig else.
Not to mention this isn't one of those plain games, it's pretty intricate and replayable and that's of the main reasons I love it.

 

[Vlahurg1]

Other than olivia, she seems to be the most flexible with her morality.

That and her in that pink dress, but mostly the morality thing

This suddenly reminded me of something I was pondering a while back after one of the ninja conversations. Is redemption possible for any of the characters such as Elena or the Karlsson sisters? The sisters are in many respects the way they are because of their father, but are they all (maybe not Dominique) irretrievably broken? Might a Karlsson Group under strong and moral leadership from Kane and/or Olivia bring some of them into the light? Or would they resist that at all costs?

Much as I hope there's one ending where the gambit ends in spectacular and brutal failure, a redemptive ending can be very powerful too. Not that I know if either is a possible outcome of course, but it's fun to speculate.

 

[Jack'son]

Yes, I often have days/weeks where I can only spend a very limited amount of time on it, so it is what it is...running a very fast growing full time business plus involved in now about eight different business ventures, so time is at an extreme premium for me. My worst time sink that frustrates me is actually my phone (on a bad day I can average hundreds of text messages and between 30-40 calls most of which I have to ignore and get back to later). I enjoy making the game, but that other stuff is what lets me eat/live so always will be the first priority. I'm also still trying to find art help all the time. Blocked off this morning for the game and peacefully reading stuff here and listening to music as I'm loading up some renders...

Read Tim Ferris "The Four Hour Workweek". He outsourced answering his emails. Finally cut it down to answering a few important, unusual ones per day.

 

[Jack'son]

Read Tim Ferris "The Four Hour Workweek". He outsourced answering his emails. Finally cut it down to answering a few important, unusual ones per day.

Sorry for not mentioning it. Great game. Really interesting on many levels.

 

[Kxca]

This suddenly reminded me of something I was pondering a while back after one of the ninja conversations. Is redemption possible for any of the characters such as Elena or the Karlsson sisters? The sisters are in many respects the way they are because of their father, but are they all (maybe not Dominique) irretrievably broken? Might a Karlsson Group under strong and moral leadership from Kane and/or Olivia bring some of them into the light? Or would they resist that at all costs?

Much as I hope there's one ending where the gambit ends in spectacular and brutal failure, a redemptive ending can be very powerful too. Not that I know if either is a possible outcome of course, but it's fun to speculate.

Elena is going to have a redemption arc( if you choose it), that much is clear from the walkthrough. Choosing the good option during the Olivia-Elena meeting on the pier gives this

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As for the sisters, it may be possible for some of them. If you look up the post where Tess lists all the possible LIs for Kane,

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It makes me believe that Juliette cannot be changed but the other three can be, up to varying degrees.

 

[Vlahurg1]

Elena is going to have a redemption arc( if you choose it), that much is clear from the walkthrough. Choosing the good option during the Olivia-Elena meeting on the pier gives this

As for the sisters, it may be possible for some of them. If you look up the post where Tess lists all the possible LIs for Kane, It makes me believe that Juliette cannot be changed but the other three can be, up to varying degrees.

Without a walkthrough (which I mostly avoid), Elena certainly seemed a possibility if Olivia chose the benevolent path in the pier conversation. I think Elena is practically welded to whatever moral stance Olivia takes. As for the sisters, I like to think even Juliette is not beyond change, but I agree it seems less likely. While Juliette changing could be fascinating, her resisting change with every atom of her being could be spectacular!

 

[D9074]

It's interesting how I don't recall anyone having remarked they were confused as to who "Olivia" is in contrast to "Kane". Could be selective memory.

Though if true, food for thought: I wonder why this is (Olivia not getting a unique name). It might be another reflection of how certain people like to self-insert whereas clear third party characters, or those that don't fit with whomever they want to self-insert as, don't get as long of a consideration to name as someone in particular.

Might be an interesting question: When you make decisions for Kane, Seth and Olivia, what do you base their choices on? What's your preferred style of play?
I.e. Do you go with the self-insert choices or do you try to choose based on what feels most in-character? Do you include knowledge outside of that of the character? Do you aim for an out-of-character outcome (e.g. choose sub choices since you want to see sub scenes or try to get amass points with a particular character since you hope for a romantic plot), maybe even use the walkthrough outright?

I play Kane sub good leaning on first version playthroughs, mostly to see the Sub scenes first. Seth on the other hand I've consistently tried to play smart. Olivia used to get the Sub good playthroughs first. But after some episode and her dom character making a lot more sense I play her Dom good first. So full on outcome oriented choices all the way for me until I feel confident I've seen most content and a self-insert play follows.

its because people name their own character. i didnt know who kane was until someone said it before because i always put my own name.

with the kane mc i try to play it how i would personally do it but also i try to make sure he is high rank as possible. I dont want to be a evil person, my goal for him is to be as high up as possible and be dominant but without being a evil person. Thats why i chose dominique, even though my first playthrough ended up with veronica because of certain decisions i made sure to get the dominique one, she has morals, she is not just going to be evil for the sake of it from what i can remember.

even though im going to play him as a good person sometimes you might have to do bad its just about being smart with them choices for me. so my goal is to end up with dominique and have juno too i think thats her name.

with olivia i make her dominant but not too evil, she might do some questionable stuff now and then but i dont want her to be evil.

the other brother im not gonna lie i dont care about lool, not going to have him killed off or anything but im not trying to make him some dominant person who could take over.

 

[Kxca]

It's interesting how I don't recall anyone having remarked they were confused as to who "Olivia" is in contrast to "Kane". Could be selective memory.

Though if true, food for thought: I wonder why this is (Olivia not getting a unique name). It might be another reflection of how certain people like to self-insert whereas clear third party characters, or those that don't fit with whomever they want to self-insert as, don't get as long of a consideration to name as someone in particular.

Might be an interesting question: When you make decisions for Kane, Seth and Olivia, what do you base their choices on? What's your preferred style of play?
I.e. Do you go with the self-insert choices or do you try to choose based on what feels most in-character? Do you include knowledge outside of that of the character? Do you aim for an out-of-character outcome (e.g. choose sub choices since you want to see sub scenes or try to get amass points with a particular character since you hope for a romantic plot), maybe even use the walkthrough outright?

I play Kane sub good leaning on first version playthroughs, mostly to see the Sub scenes first. Seth on the other hand I've consistently tried to play smart. Olivia used to get the Sub good playthroughs first. But after some episode and her dom character making a lot more sense I play her Dom good first. So full on outcome oriented choices all the way for me until I feel confident I've seen most content and a self-insert play follows.

I have around 25 different routes at the end of 0.5, so I can give insight into my playstyle. I used to rename Kane initially but on my later runs, I have gotten used to the name, so now I just stick with the default names.

I have a blind default route that I play first whenever a new update is released. There I started the program as K5 and am currently a K7 with Dominique's sponsor. In that save I try to make choices based on what is the best option in that situation, one choice at a time. Both Kane and Olivia are dominant and mostly neutral, but leaning towards good.

After that, for the rest of my runs, I have an end goal in mind when I start and make choices based on that. For eg. in my latest run, I wanted to end on the sub K5 Viper path with a moderately evil Olivia and good Kane, and I made choices that aligned with this goal.

Most of these paths can be played without the walkthrough, simply by trial and error. The walkthrough helps in finding the more obscure paths that I may have missed. But what I like most about the walkthrough is the little insights that Tess gives for certain choices that have long-term consequences. It helps me make a save there to play the branching paths later, without having to replay from the start.

 

[MilesEdgeworth]

LOL I wound up replaying everything and letting them keep the names tess intended for them. Id imagine that in later chapters, we'll find out the importance of Kane's name so I let him keep it.

This suddenly reminded me of something I was pondering a while back after one of the ninja conversations. Is redemption possible for any of the characters such as Elena or the Karlsson sisters? The sisters are in many respects the way they are because of their father, but are they all (maybe not Dominique) irretrievably broken? Might a Karlsson Group under strong and moral leadership from Kane and/or Olivia bring some of them into the light? Or would they resist that at all costs?

Much as I hope there's one ending where the gambit ends in spectacular and brutal failure, a redemptive ending can be very powerful too. Not that I know if either is a possible outcome of course, but it's fun to speculate.

Elena's attached to Olivia for the rest of the game so her redemption is basically what Olivia wants, Dominique doesnt really need it at the current moment though tess just hinted at dom likely doing something to level 2 kane so we'll see if that changes, Juliette is static and Alessandra is mysterious, she could go either way. Which leaves us with Veronica who is being pushed hardcore for redemption. Out of everyone, she'd be the most likely methinks

 

[Belnick]

last update was so long ago that nopy still existed

 

[Spfjolietjake]

Not trying to kick shame but I hate redemption arcs, glad my choices so far don't lead near a one...

 

[Vlahurg1]

Not trying to kick shame but I hate redemption arcs, glad my choices so far don't lead near a one...

I think in this game redemption is a perfectly fine outcome for some paths, but others, definitely not. I mean if you're playing good Olivia/Kane and take over the company, it's feasible you could bring some other characters with you. But here's the thing - even there do you think that those opposed to the change in management style are going to sit there and take it? Given what some of them are like and what they are capable of, redemption for some may come at a steep cost.

 

[DoverUK25]

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Hi all,
Another update! I am now at 2088 images, and I actually could not manage to take off an extra day off this week, but will be doing it this week instead! (likely Wednesday and half of Thursday) I am getting closer and closer and am now editing dialogue and some renders as I start to play test different paths as other images render at the same time.
0.6 will end up with a few more images than 0.5. I have been making some edits as I go along, and it has made the update slightly bigger.
I have learned a lot about doing 0.6, and will be looking for more help for 0.7 -- more details on that down the road as I finish this update!
I am trying to finish the Test Version this month, and I am quite sure I am going to finish a draft of everything except maybe finalizing music, but I am more worried about testing saves/paths at this point. My loss of help really knocked me back 2-3 weeks, but I am still getting very close!
I have a big scene still left that worries me a little, but otherwise, I feel pretty good about everything!
I've been up all night so forgive the brevity this time -- I am working really hard to try and finish everything. I desperately for 0.7 want more help (this will speed up things too) but I know I need to find stable help versus kind of hit and miss, etc.
As always, if anyone knows anyone that is decent at helping with art...

Pics will be posted in a bit

 

[TessSadist]

Please just post the pics not fully shown if possible. I can't stop it I guess, but just asking. (embedded in post preferred)