Ren'Py Lessons in Love [v0.53.0] [Selebus]

[Ern The Skáld]

A couple of thoughts on the newest release.

As usual, all is Spoilered for the ease of reading.

Key points for me:

Spoiler: The party

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Spoiler: The Sana situation

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Spoiler: Ayane

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Spoiler: Paper City

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Spoiler: Maya dialogue pre-reset

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Spoiler: Maya.

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Spoiler: Minor points about everything else:

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I'm not making any predictions for what comes next. I just don't want to. I will just disctract myself with work and some Diablo IV until the wait is over. I think I won't even look at the previews as they roll out. That was extremely emotionally taxing, I had to go get a drink like half a scene in and finished a bottle of whiskey by the end of it.

 

[crustlord12]

A couple of thoughts on the newest release.

I think you summed up how I felt better than I could have. I agree with all your takes (though Maya didn't hit me nearly as hard as it seems to have hit everyone else, I'm just really excited to see where this new development takes Akira. Time for some real big character pain and growth.)

 

[barglenarglezous]

I've tried to be cautious, tried not to jump the gun, be patient and wait for further developments but i just can't shake it, i can't see any path away from this one and back to the old one... i am deflated after this last update and i am pretty much convinced this is a repeat of SO fucking things up by changing characters too much to the point where all previous attachments felt hollow.

The big difference for me is that SO did this out of the blue, no foreshadowing, and there was no real purpose behind it, and a lot of plot threads just vanished afterwards.

We had a full chapter and a half of foreshadowing about this happening to Maya. It's pretty clear it's a centerpiece of the plot, it's not something that's happening simply for the sake of having it happen.

 

[fdsasdf_p]

I've definitely been thinking similar about New Maya. She is going to have one hell of a time because:

Spoiler

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This is something I was pondering as well: what does a hard reset look like for someone that's not the protagonist? For Sensei it's understandable, like playing the game with a fresh save where you start with absolutely nothing. But what does it mean if a similar thing has to happen on a non-MC character?

1. Complete wipe in memory like how Sensei started but the rest remains absolutely the same?
- This direction would be strange as the roles of the lost lamb and the beacon reverse, and undoubtfully creating confusion among her friends.

2. Complete wipe in memory and all progresses go back to Ch1 level?
- This is more likely than (1), as this shoves Sensei into the exact same shoes Maya was in for a gazillion years

3. Replace the current Maya with a pre-reset Maya (maybe with a personality close to what we've seen in Baby Finches), and everything else remains absolutely the same?
- This is also likely. I can see this world using its unexplainable, unreasonable, and extremely convenient magic to move Maya into the same pool most love-drunk girls are in, while manipulating everyone else's memory to solve any cognitive conflict on perceiving Maya's original personalities. Basically, Maya will be downgraded so much that she becomes just another potential notch on the belt.
- This is probably the most likely as I AM NOT WILLING TO LOSE ANY OF MY PROGRESS WITH ANYONE FUCK U SELLY!

4. Replace the current Maya with a pre-reset Maya and all progresses go back to Ch1 level?
- This would be very close to "if none of these fuckery happened and Maya just progressed with Sensei normally" (at least from Maya's perspective)

5. A complete deletion of this character? Like how Sensei thought Ayane was gonna be during the 3rd reset.
- Again, FUCK U SELLY if you dare to go this route.

I don't have answers!

 

[k1n5l4y3r]

There is a hint that maybe other girls, not only Maya, who will be partially reset or otherwise lore changed since there will be new designs and even a couple substantial design changes. That may or may not bring changes to the universe, I don't know what kind of changes, but I can speculate a few:
-Noriko and Maya never met.
-Ami, Ayane and Maya are not best friends.
-Maya is one of the maids in the café.
-Maybe something changes in other girls lore.
-Sekai becomes more prominent in Kaori, changing her hair color or eye color.

 

[barglenarglezous]

I don't have answers!

The most likely is that she'll wake up as if its the start of it all, in her Baby Finches personality, with no memory of anything that has tranpsired since the time loop began -- essentially an inverse of how the game started. the rest of the game will be Sensei helping her remember who she is, possibly through several resets, inverting their respective roles form the beginning of the game.

And I suspect the true ending at the end of it all will be this Sensei becoming lost once again, a season or two after Maya finds herself again.

They are, after all, Vega and Altair, ships passing in the night, only allowed to be together for the briefest of intervals before being separated by the sea of stars once again.

 

[barglenarglezous]

There is a hint that maybe other girls, not only Maya, who will be partially reset or otherwise lore changed since there will be new designs and even a couple substantial design changes. That may or may not bring changes to the universe, I don't know what kind of changes, but I can speculate a few:

To be clear -- lots of characters got redesigns going into chapter 3. Rin's was the most dramatic. It wasn't a plot change -- it was siimply "she changed her style."

Teenage girls do that. A lot.

"Substantial design changes" could mean something as simple as "All that time Futaba's spent in the gym has finally paid off and she's now got a slimmer character model" or "Ami finally starts puberty"

 

[AgumenticR]

My personal bet all the way back in the end of Chapter 2 was "Maya vanishes from the world and everyone's memories, but then suddenly a completely normal school girl Maya Makinami transfers into Sensei's class". That would have some interesting consequences to relationships, though.

 

[DeSkel15]

This is something I was pondering as well: what does a hard reset look like for someone that's not the protagonist? For Sensei it's understandable, like playing the game with a fresh save where you start with absolutely nothing. But what does it mean if a similar thing has to happen on a non-MC character?

1. Complete wipe in memory like how Sensei started but the rest remains absolutely the same?
- This direction would be strange as the roles of the lost lamb and the beacon reverse, and undoubtfully creating confusion among her friends.

2. Complete wipe in memory and all progresses go back to Ch1 level?
- This is more likely than (1), as this shoves Sensei into the exact same shoes Maya was in for a gazillion years

3. Replace the current Maya with a pre-reset Maya (maybe with a personality close to what we've seen in Baby Finches), and everything else remains absolutely the same?
- This is also likely. I can see this world using its unexplainable, unreasonable, and extremely convenient magic to move Maya into the same pool most love-drunk girls are in, while manipulating everyone else's memory to solve any cognitive conflict on perceiving Maya's original personalities. Basically, Maya will be downgraded so much that she becomes just another potential notch on the belt.
- This is probably the most likely as I AM NOT WILLING TO LOSE ANY OF MY PROGRESS WITH ANYONE FUCK U SELLY!

4. Replace the current Maya with a pre-reset Maya and all progresses go back to Ch1 level?
- This would be very close to "if none of these fuckery happened and Maya just progressed with Sensei normally" (at least from Maya's perspective)

5. A complete deletion of this character? Like how Sensei thought Ayane was gonna be during the 3rd reset.
- Again, FUCK U SELLY if you dare to go this route.

I don't have answers!

Personally, I'm thinking 3 is the most likely outcome, and the most entertaining.

I think 1 is more Sensei specific. It's likely not really the Resets fault Sensei starts off amnesiac. Based off how everyone that knows him, reacts to him, and the background info we've gotten, Sensei's memories and mind was a mess years before the Resets even happened. Same with the blackouts, hallucinations, and stuff. Ami, Sensei, Sana, Sara, etc, all seemed to have mental issues due to losing loved ones, before the Resets. Most of these girls seemed to have issues long before the Resets. Tsuneyo on the other hand, I'm not so sure.

2, 4, and 5, all seem like it'd be a waste of potential and a good way to make people lose interest, so I'm hoping Sel realizes that.

 

[wamzzz]

I don't think it'll happen because it doesn't quite make sense lore-wise and it would likely wear out its welcome. A very peppy and happy-go-lucky Maya would be either terrifying or hilarious to me. Definitely terrifying for Sensei and Ayane though.

I have a feeling she'll most likely be the Baby Finches Maya with the world doing its standard memory fuckery to make the other girls accept it.

 

[Angra Shadow]

The most likely is that she'll wake up as if its the start of it all, in her Baby Finches personality, with no memory of anything that has tranpsired since the time loop began -- essentially an inverse of how the game started. the rest of the game will be Sensei helping her remember who she is, possibly through several resets, inverting their respective roles form the beginning of the game.

And I suspect the true ending at the end of it all will be this Sensei becoming lost once again, a season or two after Maya finds herself again.

They are, after all, Vega and Altair, ships passing in the night, only allowed to be together for the briefest of intervals before being separated by the sea of stars once again.

One thing I thought of is, maybe through helping her remember everything, Sensei will also remember the true nature of their relationship and that will lead him to suicide the same way it did before the loops started, and that could be how the Dark Route starts.

 

[DeSkel15]

One thing I thought of is, maybe through helping her remember everything, Sensei will also remember the true nature of their relationship and that will lead him to suicide the same way it did before the loops started, and that could be how the Dark Route starts.

Damn, if we haven't entered the Dark Route after this:

Spoiler

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Even I might be a little scared of what's to come. And excited.

Edit: Btw, does anyone know if that thing she's on is a Symbol for something? It seems too peculiar to be random.

 

[DSasha]

Or maybe Sensei is not going to be the protagonist anymore.

 

[DeSkel15]

Or maybe Sensei is not going to be the protagonist anymore.

I've actually wondered the same thing. Not entirely sure how it'd work, but seeing the world through Maya's eyes or something, would be a trip.

 

[arbie8twinducedz]

What might I be missing that Boner on the Bus won't trigger? I've got every event completed other than the new Niki lust one and affection/lust with everyone, but it's not starting the event chain on Saturday.

After some screwin round I found for me it was Io's last event that needed doing to trigger it (which isn't listed as required for it)

 

[Angra Shadow]

Damn, if we haven't entered the Dark Route after this

Spoiler: Sel message

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We probably still have a chapter or two (more likely the latter) till the Dark Route, so yeah, things are only going to get much worse from here on.

 

[AgumenticR]

Spoiler: Sel message

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We probably still have a chapter or two (more likely the latter) till the Dark Route, so yeah, things are only going to get much worse from here on.

A comment two and a half years ago with a double dose of "I don't know for sure, so don't take it for granted" in it is not something I would base any speculation on.

 

[Angra Shadow]

A comment two and a half years ago with a double dose of "I don't know for sure, so don't take it for granted" in it is not something I would base any speculation on.

Eh it still shows that in his mind it's a very long route, even if it's not entirely accurate, he's also stated that every character will be romanceable before the Dark Route, so clearly still a while to go, and since he hasn't announced it yet we can already count Chapter 4 as more of the Harem route.

If anything, I wouldn't be surprised if what Sel meant by it being subject to change is that he might make it longer than that, it really doesn't feel like he's in any rush.

 

[Mori Enjoyer]

My personal bet all the way back in the end of Chapter 2 was "Maya vanishes from the world and everyone's memories, but then suddenly a completely normal school girl Maya Makinami transfers into Sensei's class". That would have some interesting consequences to relationships, though.

i thought similar just that she would transfer into his class "new year, new me" but for chapter 4 stuff; like "Maya's gone ! But new student transfer announced/reveal is just Maya." Like the ending of Monsters Inc. I'm trying not to overthink it though. I'd be more satisfied if she memory wiped into her "Baby Finches" persona, but with everyone retaining their memories. Too ideal sadly as their memories will probably be altered :I

I'm hoping for the path of least resistance, but with a bunch of what-ifs/might/going to happen with her dynamics on the story/characters.. Sel has set it up to where to he can take her approach in a couple directions

This also bothers me that Sel teased this as a possibility for what's to come it won't sit right with me for a while.

Spoiler: .35

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[DeSkel15]

Spoiler: Sel message

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We probably still have a chapter or two (more likely the latter) till the Dark Route, so yeah, things are only going to get much worse from here on.

Considering that was years ago and Sel even claimed it was subject to change at any moment back then, I wouldn't take it too seriously.

Edit: Has he said anything recently about it?