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Around when should we expect people to read the dev note (full page) at the end of the chapter?
- Thread starter baconsmoke
- Start date
Iirc the author talked about going back to it in summer, there was no indication of sissification elements, you can choose to have a gay experience with one LI.
One of ketamine effects is actually disassociation with enough high dosage, I don't really know how to fully explain the sensation, but your perception of time and what is actually real gets distorted, it could also lead to hallucinations, but in my experience it is more related to light and colour perception.
One of the things the game weirdly never explores are the more common effects of such dosage, such as not being able to speak well or move you body correctly, and on the long term effects on bladder control and kidney damage (and Lacey still drinks a lot).
zelpin990
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helderluizpinguim
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Thank you DEVIANFUN,
What you wrote was really cool to me. I read a little about it and now I'm more at ease, apparently ketamine is my last option and I'll probably treat it, but I confess that I was "shaking at the base" due to the unfortunate coincidence of learning about ketamine through Lacey.
What you wrote was really cool to me. I read a little about it and now I'm more at ease, apparently ketamine is my last option and I'll probably treat it, but I confess that I was "shaking at the base" due to the unfortunate coincidence of learning about ketamine through Lacey.
Nothing specific regarding a timeline, but he did post on Patreon a day or two ago that he had just finished with the next chapter of his other game and was preparing to turn his attention back to this one.
radical686
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I've done some reading on Ketamine too, and I believe the main aspects of the drug the author is going for are the disassociative affects.
Regardless, it is pretty well know that high dosages or abuse of the drug can lead to some of the problems mentioned in this story. Even so, based on your own comments, the cost of the drug is the main thing being handwaved here . . . and come on, porn game.
Well sure, if we take the whole story as porn game then everything can be excused, I previously pointed out how some scenes are fueled purely by porn logic (e.g. movie night, Bella encounter).
But I believe there are porn games and games with porn, and this is the latter considering the strong focus on storytelling and emotions.
Now, how cool it would have been if Lacey had to literally sell herself to fuel her addiction? It would have made a better motivation behind her past choices compared to Mia manipulating her and her own lousy attempt to learn physical contact.
Even if we fully accept Lacey's brain issues as fully true, which I find very hard to, considering that they are very inconsistently written (one of the greatest example is her memory), she wasn't damaged when she met Mia and started her "journey", and yet she had the same low impulse control (this is why I often said that Lacey is simply an addict) and horrible decision making.
Adding a "hard" factor like money to the mix would have made Lacey desperation as the main focus with everything else happening as a side effect.
It would have made Mia character actually acceptable (still don't understand how anyone can look at her in the eyes with feeling the urge to spit in her face) and given Lacey a serious motivation to act like she did, instead of "I wanted to lean how to have sex with you so I made people run trains in my ass" which is pretty weak if you think about it.
So, to condense my point, the cost of the drug is not the only thing being handwaved, Lacey's decisions and behaviour (past and present) are handwaved, the drug damage carefully curated and selected as to drive the narrative, the friendship between Lacey and Mia with Anna is weird, especiallly with Mia, hell, even MC friendship with Mia doesn't make any sort of logical sense.
Anyway, I can't wait to see what is actually cooking in Act 2, hopefully we will see some actual character growth.
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That's good news! It seems the developer is starting to realize that this game has attracted a lot of fans, though they haven't fully grasped the extent of its popularity yet.
JEER0X
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while I find the game interesting...the mc is either the biggest Cuck in history or a Super Simp or an idiot I don't know how he can put up with all this and don't say "LOVE" cause just no lol
after finishing the current release I don't know how this statement is valid
" If you really like NTR and enjoy the MC being humiliated/cucked/whatever then you probably won't have fun with this game. "
Cause there's a ton of it and u cant really fight it even with the "choices" I don't know how this isn't a traditional NTR game it appeared to be to me?
possible spoilers too I blurred it also questions and opinions so read only if u played . Yes I am aware that NTR games don't appear to be for me as I get all the weird and upset feelings even tho its a game but I still try the games and try to analyze them most of the time I just don't understand what the MC is going through or the thought process
I'm trying to understand what the dev is trying to do with this game cause its really a mind fuck at least to me I can't relate to the MC in the slightest and I can't understand how any man could deal or tolerate what I see happening in this story.
I don't understand what lacey is trying to accomplish with the MC at all.
Why does it seem like she's trying to break him like she is?
The Dev is purposefully leaving things vague and i get that for the story ahead but i have way to many questions that need answers. it seems like Mia is possibly a major reason Lacey did all the things she did in college or that's what i got from it but i don't think its stated anywhere i did skip a bit cause honestly i was getting angry at how dumb the MC is in this marriage i don't care how much you love someone i don't see how the MC hasn't had a Psychotic break from all this mental abuse. I tried 2 different "Paths" one is i assume supposed to be a Safe path or love path something like that but still Lacey forces you to do things even though its said you get choices you really don't have much of a choice cause the MC is a pathetic man and can't enforce boundaries.
the 2nd path i played was i guess the cuck path where i let her do things and was aggressive lots more content but still tons of unanswered questions anyways i got tons more to say but its getting long winded and i am fresh from playing so i had a lot on my mind i'll hand it to the Dev this is one hell of a doozy
after finishing the current release I don't know how this statement is valid
" If you really like NTR and enjoy the MC being humiliated/cucked/whatever then you probably won't have fun with this game. "
Cause there's a ton of it and u cant really fight it even with the "choices" I don't know how this isn't a traditional NTR game it appeared to be to me?
possible spoilers too I blurred it also questions and opinions so read only if u played . Yes I am aware that NTR games don't appear to be for me as I get all the weird and upset feelings even tho its a game but I still try the games and try to analyze them most of the time I just don't understand what the MC is going through or the thought process
I'm trying to understand what the dev is trying to do with this game cause its really a mind fuck at least to me I can't relate to the MC in the slightest and I can't understand how any man could deal or tolerate what I see happening in this story.
I don't understand what lacey is trying to accomplish with the MC at all.
Why does it seem like she's trying to break him like she is?
The Dev is purposefully leaving things vague and i get that for the story ahead but i have way to many questions that need answers. it seems like Mia is possibly a major reason Lacey did all the things she did in college or that's what i got from it but i don't think its stated anywhere i did skip a bit cause honestly i was getting angry at how dumb the MC is in this marriage i don't care how much you love someone i don't see how the MC hasn't had a Psychotic break from all this mental abuse. I tried 2 different "Paths" one is i assume supposed to be a Safe path or love path something like that but still Lacey forces you to do things even though its said you get choices you really don't have much of a choice cause the MC is a pathetic man and can't enforce boundaries.
the 2nd path i played was i guess the cuck path where i let her do things and was aggressive lots more content but still tons of unanswered questions anyways i got tons more to say but its getting long winded and i am fresh from playing so i had a lot on my mind i'll hand it to the Dev this is one hell of a doozy
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redoubt27
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Part of the answer is in the first part of your comment...
You need to consider the likely possibility that you do not understand what love, or ntr, really is/means.
If you didn't pick up on what Lacey is trying to do in the story by the end of ACT 1, I don't how much additional explanation can help you understand what Lacy is trying to accomplish with the MC.
But, I will attempt it anyway...
This is very much a cliff notes version...
I could do a scene by scene analysis/explanation but that would be a ridiculously long post...
The MC really loves Lacey, but in the "no greater love" kind of way and not the romantic movie fairy tale bullshit love most people think love is...
And this is the most anti-NTR, NTRish VN I've ever seen...
Lacey is not in danger of being "taken away" from the MC by some other dude...
That's certainly what the MC fears, but he doesn't quite yet understand.
So, what is Lacey trying to accomplish...
She's trying to rebuild everything she had to destroy in order to move beyond "just surviving" her abuse/trauma...
But you have to remember, Lacey isn't "normal", she's still damaged/broken, just in a different way now.
She still doesn't know how to love, or what it really is.
So,
1. She's trying to understand what love is, really means.
2. She's trying to understand how the MC needs to be loved.
3. She's trying to get the MC to understand her, why she did what she did, it was actually for him, so she could love him the way he needed, and so he can move past his hurt and forgive Lacey.
4. She's trying to understand how badly, deeply she's damaged the MC, so she can "fix" it.
5. She's trying to repair the damage she did to the MC, while also trying to "fix" herself.
Toward the end of ACT 1, the "Lacey Rules" conversation seems to be when both Lacey and the MC finally start understanding one another, so they can now move forward, together...
The remora and whale shark metaphor is very fitting.
The one, very big, ultimate thing Lacey is trying to do... is to have a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship with the MC, rather than a toxic, parasitic one, because that's what they had before. But now, Lacey is able, at least trying, to be of some benefit to her "host" rather than slowly killing him so she can survive...
Lacey had a plan, at first. Anna warned her it would fail. It did.
Now, Lacey is trying it Anna's way.
Plant the seeds.
Be patient.
Tend the garden, and let it grow...
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I would also add to this brilliant post that, until, a certain point....it is all, the MC must understand Lacey, where she is coming from, how she thinks. Never once does she ever think this towards the MC (I should understand his thought process, how he thinks, how he feels etc etc). That revelation in her changes a lot. That actually pissed me off a lot (I guess was designed to), selfish, me, me, me, everyone must try and understand Lacey....Part of the answer is in the first part of your comment...
You need to consider the likely possibility that you do not understand what love, or ntr, really is/means.
If you didn't pick up on what Lacey is trying to do in the story by the end of ACT 1, I don't how much additional explanation can help you understand what Lacy is trying to accomplish with the MC.
But, I will attempt it anyway...
This is very much a cliff notes version...
I could do a scene by scene analysis/explanation but that would be a ridiculously long post...
The MC really loves Lacey, but in the "no greater love" kind of way and not the romantic movie fairy tale bullshit love most people think love is...
And this is the most anti-NTR, NTRish VN I've ever seen...
Lacey is not in danger of being "taken away" from the MC by some other dude...
That's certainly what the MC fears, but he doesn't quite yet understand.
So, what is Lacey trying to accomplish...
She's trying to rebuild everything she had to destroy in order to move beyond "just surviving" her abuse/trauma...
But you have to remember, Lacey isn't "normal", she's still damaged/broken, just in a different way now.
She still doesn't know how to love, or what it really is.
So,
1. She's trying to understand what love is, really means.
2. She's trying to understand how the MC needs to be loved.
3. She's trying to get the MC to understand her, why she did what she did, it was actually for him, so she could love him the way he needed, and so he can move past his hurt and forgive Lacey.
4. She's trying to understand how badly, deeply she's damaged the MC, so she can "fix" it.
5. She's trying to repair the damage she did to the MC, while also trying to "fix" herself.
Toward the end of ACT 1, the "Lacey Rules" conversation seems to be when both Lacey and the MC finally start understanding one another, so they can now move forward, together...
The remora and whale shark metaphor is very fitting.
The one, very big, ultimate thing Lacey is trying to do... is to have a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship with the MC, rather than a toxic, parasitic one, because that's what they had before. But now, Lacey is able, at least trying, to be of some benefit to her "host" rather than slowly killing him so she can survive...
Lacey had a plan, at first. Anna warned her it would fail. It did.
Now, Lacey is trying it Anna's way.
Plant the seeds.
Be patient.
Tend the garden, and let it grow...
Well said ... and I think this is exactly why I, personally, had such a visceral reaction to the "rules" conversation. From the nonchalant way MC brought it up, to his explanation/retelling of the rules, to Lacey having (or at least appearing to have) a legitimate "lightbulb" moment, that whole scene hit me really hard emotionally. I mean, as a reader/player, I enjoyed the entire narrative up to that point, but when she steps out of the room to take notes, and she *begins* to understand the gravity of *his* experience, it was the first time I felt ... hopeful? ... for them.
JEER0X
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thanks i was beginning to think i was the only one with questions and wasn't gonna get any answers so thanks for your post and the others following it.Part of the answer is in the first part of your comment...
You need to consider the likely possibility that you do not understand what love, or ntr, really is/means.
If you didn't pick up on what Lacey is trying to do in the story by the end of ACT 1, I don't how much additional explanation can help you understand what Lacy is trying to accomplish with the MC.
But, I will attempt it anyway...
This is very much a cliff notes version...
I could do a scene by scene analysis/explanation but that would be a ridiculously long post...
The MC really loves Lacey, but in the "no greater love" kind of way and not the romantic movie fairy tale bullshit love most people think love is...
And this is the most anti-NTR, NTRish VN I've ever seen...
Lacey is not in danger of being "taken away" from the MC by some other dude...
That's certainly what the MC fears, but he doesn't quite yet understand.
So, what is Lacey trying to accomplish...
She's trying to rebuild everything she had to destroy in order to move beyond "just surviving" her abuse/trauma...
But you have to remember, Lacey isn't "normal", she's still damaged/broken, just in a different way now.
She still doesn't know how to love, or what it really is.
So,
1. She's trying to understand what love is, really means.
2. She's trying to understand how the MC needs to be loved.
3. She's trying to get the MC to understand her, why she did what she did, it was actually for him, so she could love him the way he needed, and so he can move past his hurt and forgive Lacey.
4. She's trying to understand how badly, deeply she's damaged the MC, so she can "fix" it.
5. She's trying to repair the damage she did to the MC, while also trying to "fix" herself.
Toward the end of ACT 1, the "Lacey Rules" conversation seems to be when both Lacey and the MC finally start understanding one another, so they can now move forward, together...
The remora and whale shark metaphor is very fitting.
The one, very big, ultimate thing Lacey is trying to do... is to have a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship with the MC, rather than a toxic, parasitic one, because that's what they had before. But now, Lacey is able, at least trying, to be of some benefit to her "host" rather than slowly killing him so she can survive...
Lacey had a plan, at first. Anna warned her it would fail. It did.
Now, Lacey is trying it Anna's way.
Plant the seeds.
Be patient.
Tend the garden, and let it grow...
I don't understand this one: "3. She's trying to get the MC to understand her, why she did what she did, it was actually for him, so she could love him the way he needed, and so he can move past his hurt and forgive Lacey."
why did she do what she did? how did she come to the conclusion that doing ketamine and sleeping with the entire college would help her with her trauma? how would her whoring around help the MC i don't understand? and why does she think continuing to do it even tho he has directly told her it hurts him, i understand she has some kind of brain issue or so she says from the ketamine so is that the excuse as to why she continues to do these things? is she addicted to sex? and if so why can't she just turn to the mc for relief? and yes i understand its a game about NTR and i may not ever understand the game itself but i would hope everything is made clear before the game finishes
while i read your points on what she's trying to accomplish it really doesn't clear anything up to me?
what is Lacey's end goal? for the MC to accept that she wants to sleep with other people?
But then she says that when he does things of the similar nature it hurts her too?
Then there's the rules they keep talking about and witch she completely disregarded with Damion and she constantly asks the Mc if he kissed so and so cause that would hurt her
then the Mc's jealousy date thing they go along with the plan for the most part till she begins to get to aroused and begins to lose control and u can stop her or continue with it aside from her kissing the guy cause the MC is dumb and doesn't understand that she's trying to get him to stop her so i guess that part seemed like a turning point of sorts as she actually listens for once but it seems to me that she shouldn't be allowed in any kind of setting with the opposite sex cause she can't seem to control herself if she gets to aroused
lets not even get into the blackmail she's using as well "I'll kill myself if i lose you" so if he even tries to escape this hell she's putting him through he would cause her death i kind of hope the dev makes the MC have a psychotic break from this cause i don't see how he hasn't had one yet, i see he is having panic attacks already but there is only so much someone can handle before snapping and either shutting down completely or self harm it kind of has to happen in my opinion or if she can finally see the MC's way and stop hurting him maybe he can recover.
as for this comment "You need to consider the likely possibility that you do not understand what love, or ntr, really is/means." ouch? i know what love is maybe not NTR so much as that's why i am here seeking answers but this is defiantly not love if you see love in this story so far aside from the MC's side of it then maybe you don't understand love or how its supposed to be.
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These two are the same answer and I gave the reason in my last previous post. Lacey sees sex as an act, no love or intimacy required. The MC deeply associates sex with love, care, empethy, feeling, intimacy. The whole (stupidly idiotic) point of 'Damian' was too show the MC that Lacey does not need love associated, that sex is something you can do without it and to show the mc because there is no love involved and/or needed, he does not have to worry about her ever leaving him.
Once again, you must understand me, me, me, me, me, me......and we all know exactly how that played out (for more reasons than one), because Lacey is a fucking moronic bitch who never thinks and when she does, thinks she is always right (for reasons we know).
Well, one would think so right? You are correct in your earlier statement, when Lacey begs 'please', the MC misconstrues this as Lacey wanting more instead of her asking the MC to put a stop to it. However, yes, I very much agree (and I have known IRL couples like this after one has cheated). Does the MC need to start going out with her anytime she is out and not at work? Seeing friends? Night out? Does he need to follow her around constantly, in order to know what, where, when , with who she is with?
Not a good basis for a relationship is it, and in the context of this particular story, one could not blame him for enforcing that....because she cannot be trusted, at all, in any given situation, especially where alcohol may be involved and especially where a predatatory man may be involved.
One of the most hilarious things about it all is that, at one point, Lacey does have some kind of revelation and even tells the MC, everytime I have an idea, I'm going to tell both Anna and Mia (as they balance each other out) to make sure I'm making a good decision. At that point I was like, hallefuckinglujah lol.....then she comes up with the ONS while away (groan)....asks both Anna and Mia who both say....baaaad idea....(at which point, even Mia says go through with it you're on your own, I'm not helping which..wow...still doesn't register with our precious Lace) and she then thinks....what a great idea (rolls eyes)...honestly, it's painful at times, this VN somewhat a kin to a bad trainwreck you just can't turn away from...
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JEER0X
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okay so she wants to continue doing those things?
I knew she said several times love and sex are two different things (typical cheater response btw) but why keep doing them? he doesn't agree with her so why try to make him agree with her? if she would STOP fucking everyone then he wouldn't be worried about her leaving him so it's stupid logic on her part
I guess i just wanna know if she wants him to accept that she will sleep with other people or she's just trying to show him love and sex are seperate?
she's stated several times she doesn't want an open relationship so its so fucking confusing and makes me angry cause her actions contradict what she's saying
on to Mia...what's her deal? did she star this with Lacey? she the one that got her on ketamine and had he fucking the whole college? if so why is she still around? maybe i misunderstood her role in the game?
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No, she doesn't. That was just her bright idea to finally get the MC to 'understand her/how she thinks/how she views sex'....
Also, you may be misunderstanding some of the plot. She isn't 'keeping doing anything'....she hasn't fucked anyone since she got with the MC with the exception of that ONS which the MC was well aware was going to happen (because let's be honest, she pretty much forced him into accepting it).
It is entirely the way she thinks, that she is determined to show the MC that she won't leave him, because love has nothing to do with sex (because her past is an issue now and she never loved any of them and the MC has a hard time wrapping his head around that). Again, the MC has to understand her, her pov, her way of thinking, her way of feeling....never once (until late in the CH) does she ever stop to think, 'you know what, maybe I should try and see things from his perspective'....
Her literal obsession with trying to get the MC to 'get her'....just sends her on a crash course of destrction and destroying both the MC and their marriage (not to mention her utter idiotic naivety and general bad decision making). She has never once cheated though.
As a final thought, I'd actually say, you're confused. We all are. You are not supposed to understand Lacey or her actions....because of the way she is (which I will agree, as the reader, is frustrating as all fucking hell! Any guy in his right mind would have pissed off months ago, but the MC has his own issues and he is a complete idiotic simp.)
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JEER0X
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She did with Damion cause he never agreed to it yes I understand he knew it was coming but still he told her straight up she cheated on him.
While i guess your right about her not doing anything since then or at least nothing that the dev has shown us she can clearly not be trusted and of course my conspiracy theory mind is going 100 miles a second on who is in on what and whos doing what behind the scenes, while i would hope the dev would show what's happening at all times some game don't and you find out later, like when the MC gets drunk and disappears from everyone, when he comes back girl at his office deletes his texts at laceys request, why? what did she do? i think she went on a screw spree cause she was loosing it on that trip cause she couldn't get ahold of him, what was in those text messages?
so what your saying is the whole thing is just her trying to show him love and sex is separate to her and that she won't leave him okay i can see that and i see that she is or was taking a completely wrong way to show him but lets be real it is a NTR game so if she doesn't want to continue sleeping around wouldn't the game kind of end?
okay so what is anna's plan?
and thx for conversing on this btw i and quite enjoying the conversation and am understanding some things even if they still don't add up to me.
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Not at her request at all iirc. She makes that decision so the MC doesn't see/read a thousand messages etc asking where is, how stupid he is, unreliable he is, uncaring, selfish etc etc...make your own mind upo what people would have messaging him with. Lacey was with her boss, during the day.
See the difference ion how people think? You instantly jump to Lacey has done something, with zero proof, evidence or anything else, all the while actually knowing, if you took a breath, she'd be unable to do anything anyway. I see it as his friends protecting him from a load of crap (and probably sprialing messages from Lacey also) that he really does not need to see for his own sanity and mental health.
Anna's plan? Have you ever tried to brute force something? Especially a confrontation/ultimatum? Tell me how that worked out for you? Anna's plan really isn't difficult to comprehend.
I'm hesitant to post/quote this, as I don't think I'll be around much tonight and I don't want to appear as though I'm hitting-and-running here in the event that this sparks some additional discussion, but I didn't want to ignore this either.
I suspect that "...how it's supposed to be" might be the one of the primary sources of disconnect here. Personally, I see a ton of love in this story, and for my money, the way Lacey feels about MC might be one of the purest, most complete depictions of "love" I've ever seen in media, and almost certainly in AVNs. Yes, she has some really brutally awful ways of showing that love, but again, she's broken, and if you can look beneath the surface and *really* try to understand her motivations (as others are doing in this thread), that's what it all points to.
The truth is, when it comes to love, there is no "how it's supposed to be". Society at-large, the media -- be it books, movies, music -- and the environment you grow up in are all built to feed you a narrative about what love is supposed to look like. Media-wise, it's all packaged up nicely with a bow on it in order to make it easy (and enjoyable) to consume. But human beings are insanely complex creatures, and every single one has a different family they grew up with, or different narratives they were exposed to, and every single one of the 8 billion+ people on this planet has a different idea of what love is "supposed to look like".
Sure, there are basic tenets that form common threads around the idea, but if society and media ever tried to pull back the curtain to show what love *really* looks like, often under difficult circumstances, there would be a lot less to consume because more often than not, it's ugly, dirty, and confusing, and let's face it, nobody wants to see that shit when they drop $40 at the movie theater.
And yet, I think that's what Amethyst is trying to do with this game -- show what the concept of "love" looks like when it's "real" (for lack of a better term). This story is about two people who wholeheartedly love each other as much as two people possibly can, but because of their *very* different life experiences to this point, have *very* different concepts of what love is "supposed to be" ... They don't understand each other in the same way you don't understand them -- again, because your experience tells you to look for something specific, and it's not what you see. That doesn't make it "not love".
We're just experiencing their mutual struggle as they try to figure out what love is actually supposed to look like for them.
My $0.02, anyway.
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Wow! So many great posts and points of view being shared, it makes me happy.
The MC is depicted in a bit of weird way, a man that any woman in the game would love immediately but also showing a lot of "repelling" traits.
His flirting is sometimes very creepy, his weak character and continuous self doubt probably would not be attractive to many so to anyone with just a bit of real life experience it would be difficult to reconcile the events.
He is often dehumanized with comments as "male ego", "men are fragile", "white guy" that fits perfectly the warped "american" (sorry US friends I know I am making a very bruad generalization) way of thinking.
MC IS fragile, he HAS a pretty fragile ego and he DOES feel unworthy.
He also seems to be caring, trustworthy, talented in his line of work and extremely likable.
But that is HIM, an individual with these strengths and weaknesses that makes him unique.
I don't know about you, but this really takes away from the writing for me.
I like to judge individuals, not categories.
Sometimes he would hide behind the brain damage and some verbal dribblle from Lacey to avoid explaining the events:
Mia is another story altogether, she is an abuser, she admits it, some characters weakly admit it, but she never faces the music.
It is honestly one of the worst parts of the game, there is no closure and no growth, we go from: "I abused Lacey and hate MC" to "I'm everyone fav latina and me and MC are in love" with a bit of "oh no I am sorry I thought we were play acting" while writing the most foul shit possible to a man fighting to keep his marriage alive (she also states to have emotional intelligence just after this happens).
Anna mentions something in passing, only Christine goes into the topic a bit, MC is over it pretty quickly.
I don't subscribe to the theory that cheating has always to be physical, emotional cheating can be as bad and damaging.
Lacey emotionally cheats on MC in numerous occasions, from Jared to Will to the "work crush" to the random flirting to the dresses.
You always need to take into consideration your partner limits and well being.
"He fills all her holes" because he is simply stretched thin and walking on eggshells with her, caring for her in a sweet but exaggerated way.
She does start to understand how badly she damaged him, in the game we learn that she actually knew how bad it would be, but she lied to herself to make herself feel better about it.
Also remember, Lacey is a VERY VERY VERY unreliable narrator.
But one thing I absolutely disagree with (and the text in the game disagrees with)
Remember Lacey has zero impulse control, she is a full on addict (you can also consider the dubious brain damage which actually could affect impulse control).
She did what she did not for MC but for herself, she is, in the end, very selfish:
Lacey had a lot of plans, they all failed, until we get shoehorned in the last NTR scene where MC supposedly had control (one of the main issues Mc had in his life), which with the right (actually wrong) choices gets removed again.
This is done because Lacey gets a kick out of it, she says so herself, she is elated when MC agrees to go through with it, knowing full well MC enables all her behaviours (she forced him into accepting the Damian deal as well).
I also agree with you on the point that this VN is anti-NTR, Lacey is unable to leave MC, so that will not happen.
The problem is that MC is a full on NTR main character, mostly unable to act and blaming his "immense jealousy" which is...kinda normal most of the time, people are jealous when they are insecure and Lacey never lets MC feel secure.
The only time MC jealousy is actually weird is towards Mia (her wife abuser nonetheless) and Anna.
He fantasizes about being this dangerous guy, which will murder if his wife is touched but he never once acts on it or show his ability to be dangerous, in the end blaming his "jealousy" and caving like the worst bottom tier human.
He is treated like a piss mop for the whole game by everyone except Bradley, unable to react to anything and submitting to everything happening around him.
One exception would be the Jared "fight", which was pretty stupid anyway, and shows that we should be ok with Lacey fucking minors.
It does resonate with me since I am going through something similar, the problem is that I am the Lacey of the situation (I am not THAT bad, don't worry).
But I cannot see it applied to a co dependant relationship such as the one depicted in the game.
Remember Lacey admits she doesn't love MC, she realizes she NEEDS him, which is a very big and stark difference from loving him.
She feels grateful for him and wants to give something back, but on her own terms and never taking into consideration MC actual feelings or at least a warped version of them, which will fit her narrative and help her get the next "fix".
What I also find troubling is how the sex+love connection that MC feels, is protrayed as wrong, same as his jealousy.
He is manipulated and pushed to have sex with other women (tbh he also falls to his carnal desires), to try and make him forget and start feeling numb towards casual sex.
Why? Why aren't his feelings validated? Is there a right way to approach sex? Is wanting to have sex only with the person you love so wrong?
Considering that Lacey actually weaponizes sex with MC and actually covers all his fantasies, I don't see why he has to be "deconstructed".
First of all, you need to accept that this game is really drenched in what I could describe as "american college critical theory", with a high fetishization of trauma and psych issues.
The MC is depicted in a bit of weird way, a man that any woman in the game would love immediately but also showing a lot of "repelling" traits.
His flirting is sometimes very creepy, his weak character and continuous self doubt probably would not be attractive to many so to anyone with just a bit of real life experience it would be difficult to reconcile the events.
He is often dehumanized with comments as "male ego", "men are fragile", "white guy" that fits perfectly the warped "american" (sorry US friends I know I am making a very bruad generalization) way of thinking.
MC IS fragile, he HAS a pretty fragile ego and he DOES feel unworthy.
He also seems to be caring, trustworthy, talented in his line of work and extremely likable.
But that is HIM, an individual with these strengths and weaknesses that makes him unique.
I don't know about you, but this really takes away from the writing for me.
I like to judge individuals, not categories.
Yes, these are some of the main flaws of the storytelling, the author is looking for shock value and fails to unravel some of the main plot points between MC and Lacey.
Sometimes he would hide behind the brain damage and some verbal dribblle from Lacey to avoid explaining the events:
- Why would a formal introduction between MC and Jared would be conducted in the hot tub?
- Why would she obey Jared in wearing the skimpy bikini on a formal introduction, when at the time she knew very well that MC was NOT ok with it?
- Why invite Isaac in the house? (The discussion gets derailed with the very childish remora tale)
- Why does she remember so much about the supposedly "jumbled memory" period of time?
- Why does she state that no one wanted to be her boyfriend at the time when we know at least 3 of her former partners wanted to have a relationship with her?
- And a slew of other points about the Damian part (I outlines some in my previous posts).
Mia is another story altogether, she is an abuser, she admits it, some characters weakly admit it, but she never faces the music.
It is honestly one of the worst parts of the game, there is no closure and no growth, we go from: "I abused Lacey and hate MC" to "I'm everyone fav latina and me and MC are in love" with a bit of "oh no I am sorry I thought we were play acting" while writing the most foul shit possible to a man fighting to keep his marriage alive (she also states to have emotional intelligence just after this happens).
Anna mentions something in passing, only Christine goes into the topic a bit, MC is over it pretty quickly.
She didn't only cheat with Damian.
I don't subscribe to the theory that cheating has always to be physical, emotional cheating can be as bad and damaging.
Lacey emotionally cheats on MC in numerous occasions, from Jared to Will to the "work crush" to the random flirting to the dresses.
You always need to take into consideration your partner limits and well being.
I surely agree with you Lacey doesn't "love" MC she just needs him as a crutch, he is just more convenient and fulfilling than the ketamine and fucking a bunch of folks.
"He fills all her holes" because he is simply stretched thin and walking on eggshells with her, caring for her in a sweet but exaggerated way.
She does start to understand how badly she damaged him, in the game we learn that she actually knew how bad it would be, but she lied to herself to make herself feel better about it.
Also remember, Lacey is a VERY VERY VERY unreliable narrator.
But one thing I absolutely disagree with (and the text in the game disagrees with)
Remember Lacey has zero impulse control, she is a full on addict (you can also consider the dubious brain damage which actually could affect impulse control).
She did what she did not for MC but for herself, she is, in the end, very selfish:
- She lied and left him before college for herself, because she wanted to experience life without him
- She actually forgot about MC when she found another crutch
- She tried to get a job with Jared to feel important and more worthy
- She lies constantly to reach her goals, no matter the cost to MC or her other relationships
- She thinks that seeing her having pleasure would actually please MC
- She knows exactly how MC needs to be loved, she is just unwilling to do it because it would be a long work, no instant gratification
- She knows she cannot fix herself, and it took a long time before going to her medical visits, while relapsing on K
- She states that she would check with MC and friends about her choices, but when she doesn't like the answer she just reverts in what would give her instant gratification, no matter the cost to others
- She cheats on Mc with Damian, the next day she is at a bar flirting, this surely isn't for MC sake
- She is submissive and kind to everyone around her but she is very aggressive and cruel towards MC in mutiple occasions
- She invites Isaac into MC home for her closure, ignoring the fact that MC will suffer for this
Lacey had a lot of plans, they all failed, until we get shoehorned in the last NTR scene where MC supposedly had control (one of the main issues Mc had in his life), which with the right (actually wrong) choices gets removed again.
This is done because Lacey gets a kick out of it, she says so herself, she is elated when MC agrees to go through with it, knowing full well MC enables all her behaviours (she forced him into accepting the Damian deal as well).
I also agree with you on the point that this VN is anti-NTR, Lacey is unable to leave MC, so that will not happen.
The problem is that MC is a full on NTR main character, mostly unable to act and blaming his "immense jealousy" which is...kinda normal most of the time, people are jealous when they are insecure and Lacey never lets MC feel secure.
The only time MC jealousy is actually weird is towards Mia (her wife abuser nonetheless) and Anna.
He fantasizes about being this dangerous guy, which will murder if his wife is touched but he never once acts on it or show his ability to be dangerous, in the end blaming his "jealousy" and caving like the worst bottom tier human.
He is treated like a piss mop for the whole game by everyone except Bradley, unable to react to anything and submitting to everything happening around him.
One exception would be the Jared "fight", which was pretty stupid anyway, and shows that we should be ok with Lacey fucking minors.
This is a very nice point of view, I agree with it wholeheartedly.
It does resonate with me since I am going through something similar, the problem is that I am the Lacey of the situation (I am not THAT bad, don't worry).
But I cannot see it applied to a co dependant relationship such as the one depicted in the game.
Remember Lacey admits she doesn't love MC, she realizes she NEEDS him, which is a very big and stark difference from loving him.
She feels grateful for him and wants to give something back, but on her own terms and never taking into consideration MC actual feelings or at least a warped version of them, which will fit her narrative and help her get the next "fix".
What I also find troubling is how the sex+love connection that MC feels, is protrayed as wrong, same as his jealousy.
He is manipulated and pushed to have sex with other women (tbh he also falls to his carnal desires), to try and make him forget and start feeling numb towards casual sex.
Why? Why aren't his feelings validated? Is there a right way to approach sex? Is wanting to have sex only with the person you love so wrong?
Considering that Lacey actually weaponizes sex with MC and actually covers all his fantasies, I don't see why he has to be "deconstructed".
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