kameohawk

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Dec 16, 2017
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Yeah its a poor piece of writing in what is otherwise a pretty good story. It's also sad because Sydney is a more interesting character than either Carol (standard daddy issues) or Naomi (standard crush on BF's dad), neither of those two really have a lot else going on. It also didn't hurt that she's an attractive red-head.
It feels almost like the dev knew they would get Naomi's mom into the story and couldn't be bothered with having so many different character models.
 

Solak

Member
Nov 22, 2017
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New friends is exactly that. She was like part of the family to the MC and Carol. So to choose them over family.... Nope to hell with them family comes first. She knew the MC his wife and then and Carol for years not months. Sorry but that's a step too far for me as family is family and psychotic bitches killing innocent men..... Biggest red flag to leave.
So what, she should just leave those murderous bastards be instead of bringing justice upon them with the help of her friends? That'd also be abandoning every future man coming their way. It's not just friends vs family, there's also duty as well. Allie just lost Carl and remember that Julie lost her own husband not that long ago. And Allie wasn't the only one. She can't not feel empathy.

That place is a powder keg waiting to explode. We'll hear from it again soon. All I hope is that Julie's side wins with Julie and Sydney alive. It'd feel pretty bad to hear of Julie's demise from an escapee Sydney...
 
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SeveredRealms

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This is one thing I can say right off. I have 3 daughters. depending on which one there would be 2 outcomes to the first meeting with that group. My youngest and oldest would have moved behind me and not gone in. Family would stay with family they would have refused to go in if I was not allowed with them. My middle daughter would have been the worse case one. She is the crazy one and if Cassie would have threatened me my middle one would have stood beside me ready to fire. She would not have put up with any threats to me. If it came between a friend and themselves. They would walk away from their supposed friend and gone with me to the hotel. Like me they would have all been watching each other backs after Cassie's threats.
In the case of this game if Carol was anything like my girls she would have waited till Naomi or her mother came to the hotel. As soon as that guy body was found the doors when we where in the room would have been locked and barricaded. So between the threats then finding the body 2 and 2 together anyone visiting would not have left knowing what was going on. Hell I knew it before Cassie even came to the room to try and kill the MC. As I said that last chapter left the story broken and made the MC and the girls look like idiots for falling for the trap.
 

Raziel_8

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Dec 4, 2017
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So what, she should just leave those murderous bastards be instead of bringing justice upon them with the help of her friends? That'd also be abandoning every future man coming their way. It's not just friends vs family, there's also duty as well. Allie just lost Carl and remember that Julie lost her own husband not that long ago. And Allie wasn't the only one. She can't not feel empathy.

That place is a powder keg waiting to explode. We'll hear from it again soon. All I hope is that Julie's side wins with Julie and Sydney alive. It'd feel pretty bad to hear of Julie's demise from an escapee Sydney...
And what ? Starting a bloody coup for justice in there ?
The leadership/core in there is trained military/police, they have a tight rein, they are described as very proficient, they are the ones which keep the whole compound safe and going out killing the infected/bandits etc, i doubt they would just step down.
Julie has friends, but how many of those would actively go against them ? In a case of open conflict Julies side would have horrible loses, even if they would win, which is questionable. Either way, no matter which side would win, the forces which keep the compound safe are dead, which makes the survival of the haven and most it's people unlikely.


And why do u think she feels duty to protect all of them and unknown future male survivers, just because she feels empathy for them ?
Abondon her remaining de facto family (MC/Carol) and likely never see them again, risk the life of her child, or her own life as a sole parent, in a group which hates men. Just to bring justice for a couple of new acquaintances, strangers and unknown future people ? Julie doesn't strike me as someone with a hero complex.

The only reason i see for Julie to stay, would be because it is safer for her baby boy.
But seeing that they even go so far as to kill male family members from people in the compound, trying to kill someone which is basicialy family to her, why would she stay ?
It's hardly safer in there for her baby, as taking the risk and going with the mc.
Admittedly we don't know if all males in the hotel where killed, but Julie says, there should be several others beside the mc, all mysteriously vanished ? Left their familys and lovers behind ? Highly unlikely.
Maybe they don't kill all of them, just escort them somwhere and let them behind to die.

For Sydney i can partly see the reason she stays.
The hope that her family will find her. We are basicialy back at square one with her, unbased hope, while she sits around and waits for a miracle. But this fits her character, even if it is a step back.

The part where i find it hard to believe is, the MC protected her from bandits, risked his life and goes in a burning building to safe her sorry ass, from her monologue we can see she has feelings for him...and then they nearly kill him, likely would have done the same to Naomi, she also knows they killed at least one men (a family member of someone in the compound), the other men, which should be in the hotel are mysteriously absent and she is like 'well yeah, thats kind of shitty'... seriously ??

These group is hardly better than the bandits imo, sure they don't rape, they just seperate family/lovers and kill the men or send/bring them away, all the same, they will hardly survive.
Why would anyone want to stay with them knowing this and it's not like Sydney will look for her family, or the guards will do so and if she has male family members, they would be in a bit of danger if the guards would find them, or her family finding the haven.
 

Solak

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Nov 22, 2017
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Julie is the kind of woman who'd "nag" the MC about adoption. Who'd then take it upon herself to defend Carol (taking some risks doing it too). Who'd then literally take up arms to defend the encampment.

Staying at the checkpoint might not be what you or many others would've done but it's completely in line with her character. Assuming she'd mount a rebellion (we don't know how many of the military/cops are with Merilee) was just me extrapolating, but she does have a sense of responsibility. Her son being still very young helps too.

She can't really be faulted here. There's no "right" course of action in this case. Either she lets MC's group leave without her, or she lets a tyrant rule, killing more people... likely including the women who can't help (there was a short mention of such a screening). Not to mention all the issues her son being so young would bring when constantly on the move towards an uncertain future -- staying is the most sound choice for his sake here.

I can understand not agreeing with her choice, but saying it breaks immersion is just too much. If that's not what you were saying, then you're free to have your values. I myself don't know for certain, too many unknowns on Julie's end.
 
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mordred93

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Jul 21, 2017
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Until you are in an end of the world scenario (like this game), or in the fog of warzone, etc. you have no idea how you will react. People will do the dumbest things to try and get a little bit of normalcy, they will do things against their interest. That is how people like Hitler got into control. Change things a little at a time, to twist the situations to what he wanted, until people hand over their freedoms for what every else you are willing to hand out. I can live with a little bit of less freedom, since I am not a bad person, it doesn't affect me. I can do with a little less of this, I am helping these other people out. Soon enough you are relying on other people for things that at one point you could manage/create/get for yourself. This is not a political rant - this is seen over and over again throughout history.
 

UncleFredo

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Aug 29, 2020
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Until you are in an end of the world scenario (like this game), or in the fog of warzone, etc. you have no idea how you will react. People will do the dumbest things to try and get a little bit of normalcy, they will do things against their interest. That is how people like Hitler got into control. Change things a little at a time, to twist the situations to what he wanted, until people hand over their freedoms for what every else you are willing to hand out. I can live with a little bit of less freedom, since I am not a bad person, it doesn't affect me. I can do with a little less of this, I am helping these other people out. Soon enough you are relying on other people for things that at one point you could manage/create/get for yourself. This is not a political rant - this is seen over and over again throughout history.
Weeks have passed. The women have had time to adapt to their circumstances. The female power structure is executing men simply because they are staying close to their families. Further some of the women rely on their "connections" in the community to avoid getting killed. Hard to defend either Julies or Sydneys decisions to stay under those circumstances.
 

SeveredRealms

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Allies husband was killed in the last few days before the Mc arrived. Carrie came after the Mc on what I assume is the 3rd day. meaning Julie may have known Allie a week at most. Normal terms she would have been a passing acquaintance to Julie at that time and no real friendship yet. Yes she may have made a few over the course of the few months she was there but when someone you have known for many years shows up then is almost murdered by the very people you thought where your friends for the last couple months a normal person in their right mind would realize they can not be trusted and should leave before its too late. Sydney on the other hand To hell with her. You only known her for a couple weeks at most you just risked your own life for her and when she found out someone tried to kill you she turns her back to you so yes i would like to keep her safe but by doing that after risking your own life... she can stay as she has no moral compass or real true feelings for you.
 
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Raziel_8

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Dec 4, 2017
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Until you are in an end of the world scenario (like this game), or in the fog of warzone, etc. you have no idea how you will react. People will do the dumbest things to try and get a little bit of normalcy, they will do things against their interest. That is how people like Hitler got into control. Change things a little at a time, to twist the situations to what he wanted, until people hand over their freedoms for what every else you are willing to hand out. I can live with a little bit of less freedom, since I am not a bad person, it doesn't affect me. I can do with a little less of this, I am helping these other people out. Soon enough you are relying on other people for things that at one point you could manage/create/get for yourself. This is not a political rant - this is seen over and over again throughout history.
You are not wrong and for Sydney i could agree, she barley knows them after all and her main goal is to meet her family.
Thought, it would let me doubt her character more than just a bit, if she is fine staying with a group of feminazis, which just tried to kill 2 friends including the guy, who risked his life to safe hers just the other day.
If i would meet someone with such a personality again, lets say chased by infected or bandits, i wouldn't lift a single finger to help them.

But Julie was describt as someone, which they know vor many years and is considered family, probably the last persons she is really close to, i don't think u just throw away the 'emotional bullshit' in that case.
Even more, she could be a easy target if they find out about the dead Cassie, they killed the man of one of her friends, tried to kill a 'family member' and as u said, she is a mother, just that her child is a boy. She would likely life in constant fear that they would do something to him...so yeah, in her case i don't find the choice to stay a logical one, or even just one, which gives a better chance of survival.
 
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SeveredRealms

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But Julie was describt as someone, which they know vor many years and is considered family, probably the last persons she is really close to, i don't think u just throw away the 'emotional bullshit' in that case.
Even more, she could be a easy target if they find out about the dead Cassie, they killed the man of one of her friends, tried to kill a 'family member' and as u said, she is a mother, just that her child is a boy. She would likely life in constant fear that they would do something to him...so yeah, in her case i don't find the choice to stay a logical one, or even just one, which gives a better chance of survival.
And there is lies the most danger to her. They would not go directly for Julie they would target her son and use him against her. She is a sitting duck inside that place. If she tries to get others to rebel against the ones in power she really doesnt know who she can truly trust after such a short few months. The first thought the others have about Julie and a rebellion and her son is taken and most likely killed or used as bait to kill her.
 
Nov 23, 2020
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This update introduced to some interesting moral compass. I wasn't into Sydney at all since her introduction with the whole red hair big boobs with a butterfly tattoo. Furthermore, she kept distancing herself from the group with just being incognito at the library even though, everyone already knew her especially with carol accepting her into the lover circle. However, its specifically because of this that I don't Sydney for her actions since she had one thing in mind, find her family. Sure, she came close with the MC and the rest, but that one thing is priority if there was a slimmer of hope that her family is alive, she will take it regardless of how close she was with the main cast.

Julie is a whole another scenario where everything she does impacts her son. She can't leave because in a world full of zombies, children reduces the survivability with constant upkeep (This is why im very concerned in how pregnancy is gonna work out) and she can't stay because they will kill her son. She is stuck between a wall and a sharp rock so cant blame her. So for now, she has to stay in haven because in the meantime, her son is safe due to being a child. Finally, addressing the whole but she is family to the main cast, WELL being a mother prioritizes the safety of her child and then all others.
 

Solak

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I knew I was forgetting something. Tony is killed by looters... and not too long after, Julie runs into Merilee. Knowing what she's like, it's highly possibly Julie connected the dots and wants to know the truth. Another reason to add.

As for Sydney, even MC admits he'd have stayed behind if he'd been separated from Carol.
 

Ashley young

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Dec 4, 2017
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She's been written into a corner where her actions are so detached from logic that it kinda breaks her as a character. The writer has decided she's staying where she is and nothing will change that
She IS detached from reality. It has always been clear that Sydney will always prioritize her family. SHe was ready to live alone at the school in hope of reuniting the family. SHe has a far greater chance of meeting her family living with the national guard than with cruising with MC.
Moreover, Sydney was never a primary character. The title screen gets updated with permanent characters. IN the first few updates, it was only MC and Carol, in the next updates, the screen was updated with Naomi, and at the end you see Alice joining the title as well. Sydney was a side character.
 

Real Kreten

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Apr 10, 2020
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The main problem for most of us in interpreting the logic of our two friends that we left behind is to place joint blame of Cassie's acts to the whole group. It's the same as shifting the blame for the rape and murder of bandits to all men.

It is clear from Julie's dialogue that some radical anti-male rhetoric does not resonate with the whole group. The murder of men is carried out in secret, therefore contrary to the morality of the whole women's group. Moreover, if it were more women's agendas, Carl's body would have been removed after crime. So, it's very likely that this was a small group agenda, maybe Cassie only.

Julie knows a lot better than we do how thinks work inside guarded compound. She is therefore able to better judge whether it is more dangerous for her son on the road or inside. Sydney could also look around inside, unlike us. I would therefore not pass judgment on matters of which we know next to nothing.
 

Faceless0ne

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Sep 8, 2018
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I am seriously asking how? Unless you are talking a van, a police cruiser is typically a sedan (like the MC car), with a big engine (like the MC car), and rear wheel drive (like the MC car), that gets crap MPG (like the MC car). About the only thing that it might be better would be that it might be quieter at idle.
- 4 doors instead of 2
- An actual trunk
- Bull catcher ->
- Manual search lights mounted on/near the sideview mirrors (never know when you need them)
- Probably weapons/ammo left in the car, maybe even an AR-15
- Overall newer car e.g. less maintainence than a 45+ years old mucle car
- Long distance two-way radio
- ect. ect. ect.

...don't know 'bout you but even if the car chockes down the same amount of gas as a vintange car, I'll call that an
U P G R A D E
 

kameohawk

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Dec 16, 2017
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- 4 doors instead of 2
- An actual trunk
- Bull catcher ->
- Manual search lights mounted on/near the sideview mirrors (never know when you need them)
- Probably weapons/ammo left in the car, maybe even an AR-15
- Overall newer car e.g. less maintainence than a 45+ years old mucle car
- Long distance two-way radio
- ect. ect. ect.

...don't know 'bout you but even if the car chockes down the same amount of gas as a vintange car, I'll call that an
U P G R A D E
It's becoming more and more apparent the car remains because it feels the developer doesn't want to render a new car heh
 

kameohawk

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Dec 16, 2017
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She IS detached from reality. It has always been clear that Sydney will always prioritize her family. SHe was ready to live alone at the school in hope of reuniting the family. SHe has a far greater chance of meeting her family living with the national guard than with cruising with MC.
Moreover, Sydney was never a primary character. The title screen gets updated with permanent characters. IN the first few updates, it was only MC and Carol, in the next updates, the screen was updated with Naomi, and at the end you see Alice joining the title as well. Sydney was a side character.
The problem is, if you begin to throw in secondary characters for no reason other than to let the MC get his dick wet in a game which is story heavy, you're running the risk that players won't care about them. It happens a lot in other games but the focus on those games are just fucking simulators so it fits. When you're telling a story and you shift the plot onto who is essentially just a random NPC, it's jarring.

Knowing what I do now, if I was to start at the beginning, I'd just skip all the character development with Sydney. Like, why does it matter? Why go to the trouble of getting her cigarettes or trying to 'woo' her (so to speak) knowing there's a hard block coming up where she will leave. I could understand her staying in the commune if things had worked out differently but knowing that doing everything "right" to make her feel accepting in your group still results in her dropping you like a hot tattie, so why even bother?
 

Hellkinglucifer

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Apr 29, 2020
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While sydney wasn't an important part of the story her habit of keeping a distance to the MC and family worked better with the story. Alice i assume will be very annoying given what we know of her she will be like that annoying fly always buzzing around you that you can't kill. Julie would have been a much better choice but the dev knew that so saddled her with a baby which makes her constantly moving around with the group impossible. I really hope they know what they are doing with Alice otherwise people are gonna be annoyed they choose least likeable woman of the 3.

Sydney knowing that the group objective is the marchand house gives us a little hope that julie and sydney could catch up with the group when shit inevitably goes down in that feminazi camp.
 
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