VN Ren'Py Completed Leap of Faith [Ch. 8 v1.0.3] [DriftyGames]

[ninetofive]

I would respectfully disagree, only because I see the pinky trick as a school ground prank you did on your friends or your friends did on you. So I saw that as Cece just playfully getting some revenge on the MC. I didn't see it as anything malicious. I also don't believe she has multiple personality. I believe she just suffers from depression. As someone with depression which depending on how severe it is can drastically change your mood out of nowhere. Maybe she even has bi-polar depression. But I honestly didn't see anything that would be evidence of her having split/multiple personalities. Unless I completely missed something, which is possible.

It was 100% malicious. Maybe only for a brief moment. But MC explicitly asked her please do not do this to me I know how much it hurts and then she did it anyway, after having it done to her and experiencing the pain herself.

Of course it doesn't have to be SPD/MPD it could be a multitude of issues, I'm not claiming to be an expert in mental health by any means, but there were a couple of hints dropped. Most notable when MC is at hospital with her and realizes that "she seems like a completely different person".

i would never have figured that one out without the walkthrough, i saw no previous hint that streaming music was a thing you could do

For sure a few of the phone events like responding to Lexi on Nuke and this party on the plane really could do with some kind of in-game notification to give you at least a clue that there is something more you could be doing at this moment. Since the game is not split into free-roam/story like for example BaDIK, these events are quite hidden. But perhaps they are intended to be.

 

[Glooskabe]

i would never have figured that one out without the walkthrough, i saw no previous hint that streaming music was a thing you could do

I stumbled onto the connecting to speakers part of it and went looking for how to get the music.

 

[DriftyGames]

I wrote this on my Patreon, as the Stephanie discussion seems to be going everywhere, and it has been for roughly 4 months now. I thought I'd share it here.

---

I think I'll expand a bit on the Stephanie situation.

She's ment to be a refreshing alternative to the same old, same old "the ex" in many VNs, where the writer introduces a 'flashback bad girlfriend' and has to write a new ending because 4 people really liked the look of the ex.

As a reader, it's completely up to you if want to include her in the story or not. I'm not picking sides or forcing you to do anything. I respect the opinions of both sides - and I suspect that most have their own opinion based on real life experience. But I want those who choose to end up with her to have an equally powerful emotional moment as those who ea. picked Cece from the start and eventually ends up with her - when they do. Or on the alternative side, you can reject her completely and she's gone from the story - except for a small moment very late in it.

The discussions about her being a manipulative bitch, that she somehow fooled him from the start, fucked 43 different men while being in a relationship with the mc, and probably killed cute squirrels on the way to school every day as a side hobby is all on me. I gave you the worst first impression of her that I possibly could have. If I didn't convince you that they had a good time together in ch3, then I never will.

She's a big part of the story - if you let her. But the game is yours to play as you like it. It wouldn't be a real choice based game if you didnt.

 

[ShadowThrone]

The discussions about her being a manipulative bitch, that she somehow fooled him from the start, fucked 43 different men while being in a relationship with the mc, and probably killed cute squirrels on the way to school every day as a side hobby is all on me. I gave you the worst first impression of her that I possibly could have. If I didn't convince you that they had a good time together in ch3, then I never will.

I don't care how good I time that we had, how can you expect me to forgive someone that kills cute squirrels?

 

[Grohal]

...

I think I'll expand a bit on the Stephanie situation.

She's ment to be a refreshing alternative to the same old, same old "the ex" in many VNs, where the writer introduces a 'flashback bad girlfriend' and has to write a new ending because 4 people really liked the look of the ex.

As a reader, it's completely up to you if want to include her in the story or not. I'm not picking sides or forcing you to do anything. I respect the opinions of both sides - and I suspect that most have their own opinion based on real life experience. But I want those who choose to end up with her to have an equally powerful emotional moment as those who ea. picked Cece from the start and eventually ends up with her - when they do. ...

Even as I am one of the Stephanie-rejectors - this is why you are awesome.

 

[SpikeZg]

after playing ch3 i'm mostly interested in Steph's story

 

[Ceesko]

I wrote this on my Patreon, as the Stephanie discussion seems to be going everywhere, and it has been for roughly 4 months now. I thought I'd share it here.

---

I think I'll expand a bit on the Stephanie situation.

She's ment to be a refreshing alternative to the same old, same old "the ex" in many VNs, where the writer introduces a 'flashback bad girlfriend' and has to write a new ending because 4 people really liked the look of the ex.

As a reader, it's completely up to you if want to include her in the story or not. I'm not picking sides or forcing you to do anything. I respect the opinions of both sides - and I suspect that most have their own opinion based on real life experience. But I want those who choose to end up with her to have an equally powerful emotional moment as those who ea. picked Cece from the start and eventually ends up with her - when they do. Or on the alternative side, you can reject her completely and she's gone from the story - except for a small moment very late in it.

The discussions about her being a manipulative bitch, that she somehow fooled him from the start, fucked 43 different men while being in a relationship with the mc, and probably killed cute squirrels on the way to school every day as a side hobby is all on me. I gave you the worst first impression of her that I possibly could have. If I didn't convince you that they had a good time together in ch3, then I never will.

She's a big part of the story - if you let her. But the game is yours to play as you like it. It wouldn't be a real choice based game if you didnt.

Good. I am glad you can reject the gold digging cheatful wife from the story.

 

[Qmil679]

Maybe Steph's story is interesting, but how can I trust her after what she did to us?
She has a husband, she must have known him before us. She got married when she ran away. Much to mention here.. I am waiting for her explanations but I feel that it will be hard to forgive her anyway.
So far my favorite women are Lexi and Cece.
Lexi is great, but.. well we don't know her very well, something feels that between MC and her will not be well all the time like now and at which point Lexi will show that she also has problems or something.
I doubt she would be perfect throughout the game and without any flaws or baggage. Or maybe I'm wrong, who knows.

 

[ShadowThrone]

Maybe Steph's story is interesting, but how can I trust her after what she did to us?

That's the problem, trust is had to regain once lost.
It's not just what she did two years ago, it'd the way she has behaved since being back.
Maybe I will pretend that we need to take things slow and let her be friends with benefits before I chose one of the others instead of her.

 

[Qmil679]

That's the problem, trust is had to regain once lost.
It's not just what she did two years ago, it'd the way she has behaved since being back.
Maybe I will pretend that we need to take things slow and let her be friends with benefits before I chose one of the others instead of her.

I chose closure with her, I didn't want to have sex with her, she ran away from us, she came back, a chance meeting and she thrown herself at us as if nothing had ever happened, as if everything was fine. Where are the explanations? There aren't any. Besides, she has a husband, and during these two years she had him in bed. (I saw a sex scene with her out of curiosity and after the sex scene interrupted by her husband, she already wants to have sex with him..)
I don't know, I am waiting for the next update and its explanations and then I will think whether I will forgive her or not.

 

[Clndrs]

yay, another game that's not all about fucking and with actual story

 

[DA22]

I wrote this on my Patreon, as the Stephanie discussion seems to be going everywhere, and it has been for roughly 4 months now. I thought I'd share it here.

---

I think I'll expand a bit on the Stephanie situation.

She's ment to be a refreshing alternative to the same old, same old "the ex" in many VNs, where the writer introduces a 'flashback bad girlfriend' and has to write a new ending because 4 people really liked the look of the ex.

As a reader, it's completely up to you if want to include her in the story or not. I'm not picking sides or forcing you to do anything. I respect the opinions of both sides - and I suspect that most have their own opinion based on real life experience. But I want those who choose to end up with her to have an equally powerful emotional moment as those who ea. picked Cece from the start and eventually ends up with her - when they do. Or on the alternative side, you can reject her completely and she's gone from the story - except for a small moment very late in it.

The discussions about her being a manipulative bitch, that she somehow fooled him from the start, fucked 43 different men while being in a relationship with the mc, and probably killed cute squirrels on the way to school every day as a side hobby is all on me. I gave you the worst first impression of her that I possibly could have. If I didn't convince you that they had a good time together in ch3, then I never will.

She's a big part of the story - if you let her. But the game is yours to play as you like it. It wouldn't be a real choice based game if you didnt.

There lies the problem you gave the worst first impression of her that you could and then also saddled her up with the baggage of an husband and if you chose to have sex with her let her invite hubby to have sex with him while MC was just below the window, possibly that was to protect MC so hubby would be distracted. Still for players that feels very wrong. You overdid that bad impression by quite a bit and were way to successful. Especially the husband makes basically all her words that she wanted to come back to MC and did all for him into a lie, unless the marriage was forced. Which was not the impression we got in chapter one. You really might want to revisit chapter 1 and tone it down a little.

Thing is first impressions count for a lot, also in real life. Same with hiring people, they are often hired or dismisses already within first minute. Later information just does not have the same impact. So we get from both Chris and Linda, who were great friends with her and MC when that relation was going the information she is a great person. This clashes though with our information and opinion we already formed and as such has way less impact.

Also even in the letter she still is making all the choices and decisions for them in line with the impression she gave of as an egotistical bitch when we as players first met her, instead of showing trust in and care for MC. Well at least in the Nuke message she might show regret and having grown up a bit, but the impression she made is pretty bad for us as players overall especially since we did not live those two years where she was wonderful. Thing is that letter might make us believe she had feelings for MC, but it does not take away the impression of a manipulative, lieing egocentric bitch as well.

To redeem Steph though if possible, both her secret will have to be really serious and both for players and MC feel reasonable that she could not tell and the marriage situation needs an explanation , why she felt it was ok to get married and not a just I fell in love after 3 months away. Well the secret will actually have to be something as serious as being his halfsister that wanted to meet her brother and fell for him or worse and the danger to both her and MC must have been real. Not just an arranged marriage or something like that, she thought could give serious problems to try to duck from. Though not nice, that could and should have been discussed with MC 2 years earlier, even if she thought MC might have made the wrong choice and put them both in danger.

 

[CrazyRabbit]

What a great update ! Always a blast to play this game, well written and good production value. As usual, can't wait for chapter 4.

I don't know if the facts that I rejected the threesome with Kira and Robin just stopped any chances I had with any of them ; but it doesnt' seem so. So in a way, it's better than Josy and Maya

So Stephanie might not be the heartless bitch we thought...

I might be willing to hear her out, at least for closure. But as for the love between her and MC, the Cece wreckingball appeared and now we will have lots of emotionnaly awkward and best face-making babies together.

 

[AL.d]

I wrote this on my Patreon, as the Stephanie discussion seems to be going everywhere, and it has been for roughly 4 months now. I thought I'd share it here.

---

I think I'll expand a bit on the Stephanie situation.

She's ment to be a refreshing alternative to the same old, same old "the ex" in many VNs, where the writer introduces a 'flashback bad girlfriend' and has to write a new ending because 4 people really liked the look of the ex.

As a reader, it's completely up to you if want to include her in the story or not. I'm not picking sides or forcing you to do anything. I respect the opinions of both sides - and I suspect that most have their own opinion based on real life experience. But I want those who choose to end up with her to have an equally powerful emotional moment as those who ea. picked Cece from the start and eventually ends up with her - when they do. Or on the alternative side, you can reject her completely and she's gone from the story - except for a small moment very late in it.

The discussions about her being a manipulative bitch, that she somehow fooled him from the start, fucked 43 different men while being in a relationship with the mc, and probably killed cute squirrels on the way to school every day as a side hobby is all on me. I gave you the worst first impression of her that I possibly could have. If I didn't convince you that they had a good time together in ch3, then I never will.

She's a big part of the story - if you let her. But the game is yours to play as you like it. It wouldn't be a real choice based game if you didnt.

Thing is I didn't get that extremely wrong first impression you are describing and it's probably why I'm not getting all the hate. Yes, we are told by the game that they used to have a strong relationship and then she left him. But we don't get to actually see that in the first chapter. So, without having seen the extent of that relationship and their interactions, I couldn't relate with that "betrayal" so many are talking about. To me she was just a character we just met and had a quick ex bootycall with a flavor of netori in the end. We are only now starting to get glimpses of their relationship and it's just that. Glimpses.

I won't pretend I know how everyone is thinking and I've seen some users articulate well why they don't like the character. But I'm willing to bet that some portion of the hate has nothing to do with the plot. There are some players who get an aneurysm whenever they see a character who's not yet another faceless, available hole to be added in a harem. So, just the fact that she is currently married to a male (gasp) who's not the MC (double gasp) makes the character unwanted. To a lesser extent you can see the same reaction towards the bi couple.

Just make the game you want to make, you seem to have a good grasp of how you want your story to unfold. Many devs end up making it up as they go, so easily influenced by loud reactions that the story ends up a jumbled mess.

 

[DA22]

Thing is I didn't get that extremely wrong first impression you are describing and it's probably why I'm not getting all the hate. Yes, we are told by the game that they used to have a strong relationship and then she left him. But we don't get to actually see that in the first chapter. So, without having seen the extent of that relationship and their interactions, I couldn't relate with that "betrayal" so many are talking about. To me she was just a character we just met and had a quick ex bootycall with a flavor of netori in the end. We are only now starting to get glimpses of their relationship and it's just that. Glimpses.

I won't pretend I know how everyone is thinking and I've seen some users articulate well why they don't like the character. But I'm willing to bet that some portion of the hate has nothing to do with the plot. There are some players who get an aneurysm whenever they see a character who's not yet another faceless, available hole to be added in a harem. So, just the fact that she is currently married to a male (gasp) who's not the MC (double gasp) makes the character unwanted. To a lesser extent you can see the same reaction towards the bi couple.

Just make the game you want to make, you seem to have a good grasp of how you want your story to unfold. Many devs end up making it up as they go, so easily influenced by loud reactions that the story ends up a jumbled mess.

While I agree with you that the marriage situation is for many a turn off in itself, it is way more than that in this story. You have a GFfor years that suddenly disappears, seemingly was madly in love with you and left to protect you and wanted to come back as soon as possible and then seems to be happily married quite soon after she left while she left MC in a hell of depression and she did happily quite well for herself. Well that does impact those earlier claims. I agree though it is the devs game and he overall did a great job, so up to him to make Steph attractive again after what he did to her in chapter 1. Will not be easy.

 

[Raziel_8]

It was 100% malicious. Maybe only for a brief moment. But MC explicitly asked her please do not do this to me I know how much it hurts and then she did it anyway, after having it done to her and experiencing the pain herself.

That's a bit over the top, Mc ruined a nice/romantic moment so she did it. I would rather say thats a playfull punishment than a malicious personality streak and he is a man for god's sake he isn't made out of sugar, most of us do more shit to each other just for fun or to see who can endure more.

Of course it doesn't have to be SPD/MPD it could be a multitude of issues, I'm not claiming to be an expert in mental health by any means, but there were a couple of hints dropped. Most notable when MC is at hospital with her and realizes that "she seems like a completely different person".

Thats rather unlikely, bipolar disorder maybe but i doubt it.
But 'normal' depressions too, if u have a down it is like that evening she jumped if ur better like in the hospital, that being said the mod normaly don't chance this fast.

But the most likely explanation here, at least in my opinion, is much more easy to explain from what we know:

1. she has a major depression
2. she will most likely have to take one or several antidepressants (if she takes them regular we don't know, but pretty sure she has the meds)
3. her mother told her not to drink alcohol
4. she said she took something besides the alcohol and in the hospital they said no drugs where found in the tests.

Antidepressants react very sensible and often unpredictable even with rather small amounts of alcohol, that can be a feeling of euphoria, worsening of the mod or giving energy and drive to a potential suicidal person, as u can imagine the results are often rather harsh.
It's a bit like playing russian roulette u can get lucky a few times and then u bite the bullet.

 

[AL.d]

So, in the end, as far as I understand, the choice will have to be between: mentally unstable slut number one - most likely she was dumped by her Ex who got her pregnant, although she is not sure that he is the father, but he told her to have an abortion and now she is sterile. Party-loving slut number two - a typical whore, you can find someone like her in any nightclub, buy her a drink and she will be your princess. Another typical slut number three - some old friend, no doubt, that she is a whore. Ex-girlfriend, slut number four - just a degenerate female being - dumped the MC, because she was told to - a typical <40 IQ female creature. Two lesbian sluts number five - just another WHORES.

Total: the MC is trying to roleplay a dung fly that thinks which pile of shit is better to land on.

Too bad. Well good luck on your righteous quest of finding pure virginal maidens in your porn fiction. You 'll need it.

Or can just hop back in your time machine and return to the puritan 1600s, might make that quest a bit easier. Plenty of stuff to do with fire and stakes too.

 

[DA22]

Too bad. Well good luck on your righteous quest of finding pure virginal maidens in your porn fiction. You 'll need it.

Or can just hop back in your time machine and return to the puritan 1600s, might make that quest a bit easier. Plenty of stuff to do with fire and stakes too.

Well that is also under the presumption that rich and powerful people that due to the economics of that time had almost life and death power over servants and employees did not abuse that fact in those days. Poor was really poor and dangerous to your life in those days if had no job.

 

[Spawn420]

that letter at the end... we finally scratching at the truth behind why Stef left.. and the whole update is just WOW!!!
its good that MC is single and can enjoy his harem of hot and willing women

 

[ninetofive]

That's a bit over the top, Mc ruined a nice/romantic moment so she did it. I would rather say thats a playfull punishment than a malicious personality streak and he is a man for god's sake he isn't made out of sugar, most of us do more shit to each other just for fun or to see who can endure more.



Thats rather unlikely, bipolar disorder maybe but i doubt it.
But 'normal' depressions too, if u have a down it is like that evening she jumped if ur better like in the hospital, that being said the mod normaly don't chance this fast.

But the most likely explanation here, at least in my opinion, is much more easy to explain from what we know:

1. she has a major depression
2. she will most likely have to take one or several antidepressants (if she takes them regular we don't know, but pretty sure she has the meds)
3. her mother told her not to drink alcohol
4. she said she took something besides the alcohol and in the hospital they said no drugs where found in the tests.

Antidepressants react very sensible and often unpredictable even with rather small amounts of alcohol, that can be a feeling of euphoria, worsening of the mod or giving energy and drive to a potential suicidal person, as u can imagine the results are often rather harsh.
It's a bit like playing russian roulette u can get lucky a few times and then u bite the bullet.

I don't think it's over the top at all bro. You ask someone not to do something that's gonna cause you a lot of pain, seriously, not playing games or fooling around, and repeatedly. Then they still go ahead and do it. That ain't normal behaviour and borders on a breach of trust.

I expected this type of reaction since like I said before, Cece is represented in a specific way to make the player want to rescue her and so most people will have those feelings for the character. I'm just sayin' these red flags are mounting up and the MC has only known her for like four days.