VN Ren'Py One Day at a Time [Ch. 17c] [Zoey Raven]

[Zoey Raven]

Damn just found another diamond! Thanks dear dev for this work, you have great writing skills and the characters are so so memorable! Since I know the dark side, I feel so pleased by the way you're offering to others this outlook on this shit show life can send you on. It truly is a testament to what VN's purpose can truly achieve if they set their goal above the average smut.

The only thing I would single out as negative is probably the facial expressions a bit limited to my taste... Ah and probably it wouldn't qualify as faping material for the audience on this website, but whatever the experience is great enough for me at least. Oh and also the twisting necks, it sends chills down my spine each time someone is speaking to another sitting next to him. Beware the stiff neck, my fellow digital peers !

Will be supporting you from now on ! can't wait to see if you can keep it up with what it already came to achieve this far ! I trust you !

Wish I could help you out with the necks, but it's kinda hard when you have more than one person in the room to not have them look at each other, and camera angles in POV only go so far. My game has a lot of interaction with the characters so it's a must for them to acknowledge each other. This isn't your one render and let it sit for 30 lines type of game, I also like to use facial expression for certain characters that are unique to them. To each his own on that though.

 

[Yugan]

DAAAAMN, been playing this for a while and who knew behind Barb's shitty attitude was a horndog of note. I love it!!!!

Thanks for this work of art Zoey!!!!

 

[Zoey Raven]

DAAAAMN, been playing this for a while and who knew behind Barb's shitty attitude was a horndog of note. I love it!!!!

Thanks for this work of art Zoey!!!!

I think you'll come to like Barb as more time goes on.

 

[Zoey Raven]

Just wanted to share this with you guys, this pole was public, but I want to show you on here as well!
And, I'm not doing this because of the pole, it just affirmed what I was already feeling and how I wanted to see the game go.
I wrote the bottom bit first when I started to pole.

 

[MattShizzle]

Good. Not a patron but I want to see them get better like a majority of patrons. Not in recover (or a user) but wonder if a decent number of patrons are. Obviously they don't need to say so and anyone saying so for them would be a severe violation of ethics. I saw it where I worked and knew a guy who used (and had severe mental problems - stopped but still wound up long term in state hospital.) I don't want to see anyone go through that life. Were it up to me I'd erase heroin and fentanyl from existence.

 

[UncleFredo]

Zoey, I can't say I'm surprised. You've created a forum to open the struggles of the addicted to regular people. You've created personalities that let us see how people of value desperately try to stay afloat in a world of turbulence when they can't trust themselves let alone others. Anyone with a soul is going to try to save them.

Kind of a testament to your story telling ability. To get so many to identify with your characters and care about them.

Kudos to a job done amazingly well!

 

[Zoey Raven]

Zoey, I can't say I'm surprised. You've created a forum to open the struggles of the addicted to regular people. You've created personalities that let us see how people of value desperately try to stay afloat in a world of turbulence when they can't trust themselves let alone others. Anyone with a soul is going to try to save them.

Kind of a testament to your story telling ability. To get so many to identify with your characters and care about them.

Kudos to a job done amazingly well!

It's what I want too. But it's not going to happen yet, and even once you do get sober, there will still be plenty of bumps in the road. Because, that's just how it works. It's not easy.

 

[APMaster]

Makes sence. Everybody wants a happy ending, and the junkie path couldn't possibly have one.

 

[Zoey Raven]

Makes sence. Everybody wants a happy ending, and the junkie path couldn't possibly have one.

The junkie path couldn't even have relationships, sex or anything to be honest. The more I thought about it it would just be the main character, in terrible situations constantly, and it would not be very interesting. But like I said Even with main character getting sober, I'm still going to be able to show a lot and they'll still be a lot of struggles that happen.

 

[UncleFredo]

It's what I want too. But it's not going to happen yet, and even once you do get sober, there will still be plenty of bumps in the road. Because, that's just how it works. It's not easy.

No truer words have ever been spoken where addiction is concerned.

 

[MattShizzle]

The Junkie path leads to death, prison or both. I can see him bawling over Lydia OD'ing and going to prison because he got it and shared, or vice versa. If I ever did anything that lead to a loved one's death I'd want to take my own life.

 

[Zoey Raven]

The Junkie path leads to death, prison or both. I can see him bawling over Lydia OD'ing and going to prison because he got it and shared, or vice versa. If I ever did anything that lead to a loved one's death I'd want to take my own life.

You are spot on, it's my point exactly about why it's just not a viable option for story telling.

 

[MattShizzle]

TBH that's what the junkie path should lead to. One or both dying to be realistic. Maybe if one did the other would take even more and that's it. The recovery path is where they both get better and end up together happy. Maybe married even with a kid. Junkie path would be the "lose" path of the game.

 

[Zoey Raven]

TBH that's what the junkie path should lead to. One or both dying to be realistic. Maybe if one did the other would take even more and that's it. The recovery path is where they both get better and end up together happy. Maybe married even with a kid. Junkie path would be the "lose" path of the game.

Ah, but there are so many other girls as well. Yes Lydia or Lydia and Mary I would say is the cannon ending, but there will be options for endings each girl, and even some other endings. Don't wanna spoil things too much.

 

[MattShizzle]

OK, but TBH Lydia is by far the hottest.

 

[Walter Victor]

You are spot on, it's my point exactly about why it's just not a viable option for story telling.

If the 'junkie' path is 'not a viable option for story telling', just how are you going to tell that story? It doesn't make sense to abandon those choices. Then you would just have a game where the player is choosing which girl to wind up with, and no suspense over whether the MC and the girls 'get clean' or not.

It appears to me that you may be stuck with writing a path that you don't like. That's not a good way to approach development. Of course, there are those 15% who play that route that might be upset, and those who play both routes, just because they want to get a full experience.

Don't get me wrong. I am playing the 'sober' route exclusively. I'm a sucker for a happy ending.

Of course, I might be reading what you are saying here the wrong way. It wouldn't be the first time I did that.

 

[Zoey Raven]

If the 'junkie' path is 'not a viable option for story telling', just how are you going to tell that story? It doesn't make sense to abandon those choices. Then you would just have a game where the player is choosing which girl to wind up with, and no suspense over whether the MC and the girls 'get clean' or not.

It appears to me that you may be stuck with writing a path that you don't like. That's not a good way to approach development. Of course, there are those 15% who play that route that might be upset, and those who play both routes, just because they want to get a full experience.

Don't get me wrong. I am playing the 'sober' route exclusively. I'm a sucker for a happy ending.

Of course, I might be reading what you are saying here the wrong way. It wouldn't be the first time I did that.

I believe I can show the whole experience with the characters still ultimately getting sober. So far in the game Sober and Junkie points only affect dialogue. These points I have always thought of as good and bad points you might have in another game. As far as mystery, the journey will and has always been the mystery. I can show plenty of the junkie lifestyle without having to make a path that in my mind would be utterly miserable until the bitter end. Also with a full blown junkie path as I stated in the poll, in order to make it realistic you would literally have to have the MC either going to prison, die or end up in a mental institution. None of these are viable paths for character interaction or story telling. To further your point about mystery. Previously if you played the sober path you would get sober, no mystery there. If you played the junkie path you would not and the above mentioned things were the only realistic ways for the MC to meet an end. I have decided as I have written this I want to tell a story of hope, as you can just watch the news and see what happens to junkies that don't get clean which is about 90%. So, the sober and junkie points will still get used, and certain events may or may not occur based on these choices, and who is to say you will not get sober earlier or later in the story. Maybe you have to lose everyone first before this happens, and an intervention must be staged. Possibly only certain H scenes will be available with characters based on if you or they are sober yet or still using. Suffice to say there are many possibilities to be explored. The journey in my game is the most important part of it, and the journey to sobriety is a very tough one. This will not be a linear ride. But I've chosen in the end to tell a story of hope. And, yes, to your point. I don't want to write the full blown junkie path, because it's just not a possibility in a game of this nature, as I would have to bend so many truths to even make it playable. I hope you hang in for the rest of the game. You will come to see it will be (as I hope it has been already) not just picking the girls you want, but a roller coaster ride. Thanks.

P.S. - As a sober individual, it doesn't make me perfect. I still make many junkie decisions in my life, I just don't pick up drugs over them, and try to make them right promptly.

 

[Walter Victor]

I believe I can show the whole experience with the characters still ultimately getting sober. So far in the game Sober and Junkie points only affect dialogue. These points I have always thought of as good and bad points you might have in another game. As far as mystery, the journey will and has always been the mystery. I can show plenty of the junkie lifestyle without having to make a path that in my mind would be utterly miserable until the bitter end. Also with a full blown junkie path as I stated in the poll, in order to make it realistic you would literally have to have the MC either going to prison, die or end up in a mental institution. None of these are viable paths for character interaction or story telling. To further your point about mystery. Previously if you played the sober path you would get sober, no mystery there. If you played the junkie path you would not and the above mentioned things were the only realistic ways for the MC to meet an end. I have decided as I have written this I want to tell a story of hope, as you can just watch the news and see what happens to junkies that don't get clean which is about 90%. So, the sober and junkie points will still get used, and certain events may or may not occur based on these choices, and who is to say you will not get sober earlier or later in the story. Maybe you have to lose everyone first before this happens, and an intervention must be staged. Possibly only certain H scenes will be available with characters based on if you or they are sober yet or still using. Suffice to say there are many possibilities to be explored. The journey in my game is the most important part of it, and the journey to sobriety is a very tough one. This will not be a linear ride. But I've chosen in the end to tell a story of hope. And, yes, to your point. I don't want to write the full blown junkie path, because it's just not a possibility in a game of this nature, as I would have to bend so many truths to even make it playable. I hope you hang in for the rest of the game. You will come to see it will be (as I hope it has been already) not just picking the girls you want, but a roller coaster ride. Thanks.

P.S. - As a sober individual, it doesn't make me perfect. I still make many junkie decisions in my life, I just don't pick up drugs over them, and try to make them right promptly.

I disagree that the only way to end the 'junkie' path is a disastrous end. You could just leave him where he was at the start of the game, only now with a desire to get well. No need to kill anyone.

However, as I tell all those people who try to impose their will on a developer, it's your game, your decisions. So, go with your gut.

As for me hanging in for the rest of this game? Try and stop me!

 

[Zoey Raven]

I disagree that the only way to end the 'junkie' path is a disastrous end. You could just leave him where he was at the start of the game, only now with a desire to get well. No need to kill anyone.

However, as I tell all those people who try to impose their will on a developer, it's your game, your decisions. So, go with your gut.

As for me hanging in for the rest of this game? Try and stop me!

That's not the way addiction works. It says right in the book "over any significant amount of time we get worse never better", and that's been my experience. Be pretty hard for someone to believe two people are romantically in love and care deeply for each other when their arms are covered in abscess. So that would be a virtual impossibly. I'll still have content on the junkie path, it just won't be a deep dive like I had thought originally, cause it's not feasible or believable. You're the only person I've gotten push back from on this, and the last one I thought I would.

 

[MattShizzle]

It would be too depressing too. Especially for anyone in recovery. After a few more years, Lydia wouldn't be pretty anymore. You can read plenty of stories of people falling into homelessness and utter desperation (women and even men selling their bodies for just enough money), going to prison and eventual death in most cases. Heroin is deadly.