VN Ren'Py Our Red String [Ch. 12.3 Alpha] [Eva Kiss]

[Doppelgang]

I guess it depends on how you look at it. Lena is pretty and confident, sure, but she's also just a waitress / amateur model, somewhat aimlessly going with the flow. Ian on the other hand already strives for greatness with his book writing that he takes seriously while being crushed on both by Holly and Alison (and desired by Minerva) at the same time. If Lena is mostly guided by her Charisma and Lust (by default), Ian is proficient in Wits and Money (fewer expenses, support from family). So I'd say they're in the same league thanks to their different strengths that could compliment each other.

I think the "depends on how you look at it" part is true also from the protagonists' point of view. A Lena who only wants to have fun, is at least close to being out of Ian's league in practice. Looks wise she's a level above him, and as a woman she can have anyone she wants to a degree Ian can't. In that scenario Ian seemingly also feels inferior to her, shown in the threat he sees from the übermensch posterboy ex-boyfriend, from Robert, and Jeremy's comments about her as a model and how she's not relationship material.

If Lena is interested in something more with Ian, the dynamics are different. Then Lena seemingly feels inferior—he's a lot closer to following his dreams than Lena, and both Alison, Holly and Cherry act as threats that make her feel more insecure.

In most playthroughs it's probably a mix of those ingredients, and all in all it probably adds up to them being more or less in the same league. But it's definitely more interesting that it varies so much depending on the situation.

 

[AFSRS]

If the new chapter releases in November, I will immediately nut.

Will you compete for the next Fast & Furious?

 

[Samuel Hidayat]

Lena is at least a league above Ian imo (unless he becomes rich with his book). Doesn't mean they can't end up together, there are many cases irl.

Honestly, all of that confidence and sexual experience doesn't matter if you're still a high-tier wagecuck. Ian, while stuck in a boring job and a bitchy boss, at least can get help from his father and improve his office job with the right choice. On the other hand, Lena has to work two unstable part-time jobs, infrequent live drawing sessions, and is hunted by a perverted rich dude. Her parents, to put it bluntly, are deadweights who relies on their financially struggling daughter.

I say Ian is winning in life for now.

 

[dolfe67]

Honestly, all of that confidence and sexual experience doesn't matter if you're still a high-tier wagecuck. Ian, while stuck in a boring job and a bitchy boss, at least can get help from his father and improve his office job with the right choice. On the other hand, Lena has to work two unstable part-time jobs, infrequent live drawing sessions, and is hunted by a perverted rich dude. Her parents, to put it bluntly, are deadweights who relies on their financially struggling daughter.

I say Ian is winning in life for now.

At the start he has a more stable job, that's all. And it's if he follows his boss orders, otherwise he also needs money and can ask his father for some. He might become rich with writing, but Lena might become rich with stalkfap or modelling, or even music.

But when we talk about "league", it's about dating. Familial situation is irrelevant unless your family is rich/famous.

 

[Geralt From Rivia]

By the way, this is a question about Lena's parents. This is a moral dilemma. Do you think such behavior on their part as "milking Lena" is normal and justified? Is Lena's father's illness an excuse?

 

[Samuel Hidayat]

By the way, this is a question about Lena's parents. This is a moral dilemma. Do you think such behavior on their part as "milking Lena" is normal and justified? Is Lena's father's illness an excuse?

Justified.
>Boomers with low education level, so Mom couldn't even get accepted in a half-decent job.
>Tried bakery business or some shit, but it failed.
>Dad is on meds for his illness, so they need to pump out money constantly.

 

[Samuel Hidayat]

but Lena might become rich with stalkfap or modelling, or even music.

All options are useless since Seymour is still alive and wealthy. Except maybe music since the small music store is still running independently.

That's why I'm curious at how Lena and her gang will handle Seymour's blackmail. Let's hope Chapter 10 will deliver.

Familial situation is irrelevant unless your family is rich/famous.

Jordan Peterso-I mean Ian's Dad is implied to be rich, and his Mom isn't far behind. Ian's style and sexual experience are the only things that are "out of league", everything else isn't bad imo.

 

[Geralt From Rivia]

Justified.
>Boomers with low education level, so Mom couldn't even get accepted in a half-decent job.
>Tried bakery business or some shit, but it failed.
>Dad is on meds for his illness, so they need to pump out money constantly.

Yes, maybe from the point of view of Lena, they are her parents and mean a lot to her. But for the player, it means nothing, because we were not introduced to this storyline, we did not go through the script of the first eight episodes with them, so it's quite difficult to arouse the player's empathy. On the contrary, they often only annoyed: then Lena's mother asks her to return to Axel, then they beg for money and the problem of her parents is only revealed in Episode 9, when Ian and Lena discuss this topic in a cafe.
So they look like plot baggage that you want to get rid of.

 

[☆Jonathan Wick♤]

Yes, maybe from the point of view of Lena, they are her parents and mean a lot to her. But for the player, it means nothing, because we were not introduced to this storyline, we did not go through the script of the first eight episodes with them, so it's quite difficult to arouse the player's empathy. On the contrary, they often only annoyed: then Lena's mother asks her to return to Axel, then they beg for money and the problem of her parents is only revealed in Episode 9, when Ian and Lena discuss this topic in a cafe.
So they look like plot baggage that you want to get rid of.

Well, to be honest, a part of me thought that during chapter 9 Seymour was going to use Lena's parents' situation against her in order to force her to comply with their requests.
I mean establishing a kind of agreement with Lena in which he agrees to finance the medications or treatment of her father, as well as all his debts, in exchange for having total control over the contracts or artistic events of which Lena can or may not participate.

 

[Varrilete]

when will be next release?

By mid 2023 or when Powell and the fed start to lower rates...

 

[dontcarewhateverno]

By the way, this is a question about Lena's parents. This is a moral dilemma. Do you think such behavior on their part as "milking Lena" is normal and justified? Is Lena's father's illness an excuse?

Loved one you deeply care for dying without the cash? Yeah. As hard as this is an ask for a 22 year old daughter, that's the sort of thing you do for family or anyone you really love in this situation.

If it gets to the point where they're asking her to blow a goat on her Onlyfans for it, well... that's a good suggestio.. er.. different situation. That's a different situation.

 

[selberdreher]

Is Lena's father's illness an excuse?

Apparently Lenas (step-)dad has cancer and is in remission?
I'd believe it would be hard to fake cancer and the treatments have noticeable side-effects, like e.g. his complete baldness. I am not familiar how much medication and medical care is actually needed while in remission, but compared to an ongoing therapy fighting acute cancer it should be way less.
Lenas dad had to sell his bakery due to his illness and seems to be partially disabled since then. He never recovered his old strength and isn't working full-time or at all. Lenas mom does a subpar job to cover for it and her brother is apparently also useless in that regard.
So it looks to me like her parents problem at the moment is mainly stemming from the income side than the expense side of their household budget.
While it is true, their current predicament is indeed based on his illness, i actually don't feel like there is enough effort from especially her mother and her brother to ease the situation. It's just not fair to rely to that degree on their also struggling daughter, who had to give up her college education already and is now working two jobs as a waitress, while her mother doesn't.

(...) Do you think such behavior on their part as "milking Lena" is normal and justified?

This would depend very much on their cultural background and the country they would live in. In most parts of the world, people have to rely on their families, because they have a non-existent social security system.
I can't recall if it is ever mentioned in which country ORS takes place, but from the mainly white cast with a rather high percentage of characters from other ethnic backgrounds it's imo safe to say it's either western europe, canada or the USA. The dominance of english given names point to either Great Britain (however i would expect at least one south-asian character there), or Canada or the USA.

While in the USA such behaviour may be normal and justified, i'd feel like not so much in the other two countries.

MyLena feels obligated to contribute, but only if her own situation allows spending money on her family. Thus myLena skipped at least one payment, but transferred money on other occasions.

 

[dontcarewhateverno]

If the new chapter releases in November, I will immediately nut.

Good news. It will!!!

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[Geralt From Rivia]

Apparently Lenas (step-)dad has cancer and is in remission?
I'd believe it would be hard to fake cancer and the treatments have noticeable side-effects, like e.g. his complete baldness. I am not familiar how much medication and medical care is actually needed while in remission, but compared to an ongoing therapy fighting acute cancer it should be way less.
Lenas dad had to sell his bakery due to his illness and seems to be partially disabled since then. He never recovered his old strength and isn't working full-time or at all. Lenas mom does a subpar job to cover for it and her brother is apparently also useless in that regard.
So it looks to me like her parents problem at the moment is mainly stemming from the income side than the expense side of their household budget.
While it is true, their current predicament is indeed based on his illness, i actually don't feel like there is enough effort from especially her mother and her brother to ease the situation. It's just not fair to rely to that degree on their also struggling daughter, who had to give up her college education already and is now working two jobs as a waitress, while her mother doesn't.

This would depend very much on their cultural background and the country they would live in. In most parts of the world, people have to rely on their families, because they have a non-existent social security system.
I can't recall if it is ever mentioned in which country ORS takes place, but from the mainly white cast with a rather high percentage of characters from other ethnic backgrounds it's imo safe to say it's either western europe, canada or the USA. The dominance of english given names point to either Great Britain (however i would expect at least one south-asian character there), or Canada or the USA.

While in the USA such behaviour may be normal and justified, i'd feel like not so much in the other two countries.

MyLena feels obligated to contribute, but only if her own situation allows spending money on her family. Thus myLena skipped at least one payment, but transferred money on other occasions.

In my country, it is considered noble to help sick parents, because medicine is quite expensive and the insurance system is underdeveloped. But here in the game it's a completely different matter... Eva couldn't develop my empathy for her father with cancer because the storyline of Lena's parents didn't go up enough. They were always the background until Ep 9, sometimes called in, infiltrating the storyline, but it was weak. Of course, I sent them money, but at the same time I wondered: "Should I do this?" This is the moment that got me thinking.
Cancer is indeed very expensive to treat. I can't imagine how expensive it is if a person does not have health insurance. But I agree that it's bad that they put it on their daughter, who has her own future, dreams and goals. And how persistently they beg for money.
Of course, if Eva had paid more attention to this storyline, for example, adding a dramatic scene of Lena talking heart to heart with her father in a hospital bed or flashbacks from childhood that appeal to touching feelings ... then maybe I would have more empathy for them.

 

[selberdreher]

In my country, it is considered noble to help sick parents, because medicine is quite expensive and the insurance system is underdeveloped. But here in the game it's a completely different matter... Eva couldn't develop my empathy for her father with cancer because the storyline of Lena's parents didn't go up enough. They were always the background until Ep 9, sometimes called in, infiltrating the storyline, but it was weak. Of course, I sent them money, but at the same time I wondered: "Should I do this?" This is the moment that got me thinking.
Cancer is indeed very expensive to treat. I can't imagine how expensive it is if a person does not have health insurance. But I agree that it's bad that they put it on their daughter, who has her own future, dreams and goals. And how persistently they beg for money.
Of course, if Eva had paid more attention to this storyline, for example, adding a dramatic scene of Lena talking heart to heart with her father in a hospital bed or flashbacks from childhood that appeal to touching feelings ... then maybe I would have more empathy for them.

Reached my reaction limit for today, so expect a like from me tomorrow.

I think i get from where you come from (figuratively), if there was such a flashback included in the game it would had definetly a deeper emotional impact, and helping her parents would had become nearly imperative, unless we wanted to play a heartless, 'bad' daughter.
Perhaps it was an accidental slip or Eva thought it may be too intrusive to add such a forceful scene or -as i'd like to believe- it was deliberately left out to enable the player to decide why Lena should help or not and if it is really necessary or not.

Iirc there is a variable which keeps count of the payments, so there may be a repercussion down the line.
As of now i treat it gameplay wise as another money sink, designed to tighten or relax Lenas financial situation.

On that note: has anyone already pushed Lena into debts? If so, has it consequences yet? Like is she forced to accept certain jobs e.g. stalkfap?

 

[Geralt From Rivia]

Reached my reaction limit for today, so expect a like from me tomorrow.

I think i get from where you come from (figuratively), if there was such a flashback included in the game it would had definetly a deeper emotional impact, and helping her parents would had become nearly imperative, unless we wanted to play a heartless, 'bad' daughter.
Perhaps it was an accidental slip or Eva thought it may be too intrusive to add such a forceful scene or -as i'd like to believe- it was deliberately left out to enable the player to decide why Lena should help or not and if it is really necessary or not.

Iirc there is a variable which keeps count of the payments, so there may be a repercussion down the line.
As of now i treat it gameplay wise as another money sink, designed to tighten or relax Lenas financial situation.

On that note: has anyone already pushed Lena into debts? If so, has it consequences yet? Like is she forced to accept certain jobs e.g. stalkfap?

As far as I know, it is impossible to get into debt at the moment, that is, the amount of money cannot fall below 0.
I tried to buy the most expensive tattoo in Ep. 9 but it didn't work because I didn't have enough money (I bought all the sex toys before and spent everything I had ). There is no credit system yet.

 

[Mesmerizet]

The issue with Ian when it comes to "rough sex" is his appearance. Even if he can have it with Lena, like the others have mentioned, he lacks the physique for it. I mentioned few months ago that Ian is designed to be "the most average man alive" to encompass the broadest range of the player base.

He is the average height (5' 8), he is white, 20-something, has brown hair, neither skinny nor fat nor muscular; and while you can play the game to make him a "Chad" he still lacks the appearance that people usually associate with Chads. That's why Axel, Mike and Jeremy are more appropriate since they are either muscular or muscular and tall.

It would be nice if Ian could eventually become more muscular if you make him train enough but that would mean every sex scene he is in would need to be drawn twice (one with regular Ian and one with muscular Ian) and I think we all know that means just more work for the Dev.

Then again, GGGB had Ashley change her appearance a lot throughout the game so I wouldn't count this opportunity out. I would definitely like to see it implemented in the game. Would definitely raise my interest in Ian's scenes by a lot.

Tbh I think Mike is literally just Robert with a few changes. Nothing that interesting about him.
Axel is definitely made to be pinnacle of men in this game, and yes I agree Ian is a bit average. I think there should be a more visual effect on Ian's appearance throughout the game depending on his choices (eg. at the gym). Say, he can turn muscular/shredded or end up being a couch potato like Wade.

 

[Geralt From Rivia]

Tbh I think Mike is literally just Robert with a few changes. Nothing that interesting about him.
Axel is definitely made to be pinnacle of men in this game, and yes I agree Ian is a bit average. I think there should be a more visual effect on Ian's appearance throughout the game depending on his choices (eg. at the gym). Say, he can turn muscular/shredded or end up being a couch potato like Wade.

I see the difference between Mike and Robert. Big difference.
Mike is a self-confident and easy going guy. He looks more physically active and sports.
Robert is a soyjack who playing wannabe Chad, with a shitty personality. He's frustrated every time when things don't go according to his plan. Total drama queen.
Robert is skinny compared to Mike and cannot satisfy Lena well. She has to use various tricks to get to orgasm.

He deserves to be beaten twice but I didn't want to ruin Lena's performance.

 

[JohnnyKiss]

We

I see the difference between Mike and Robert. Big difference.
Mike is a self-confident and easy going guy.
Robert is a soyjack who playing wannabe Chad, with a shitty personality. He's frustrated every time when things don't go according to his plan. Total drama queen.
He deserves to be beaten twice but I didn't want to ruin Lena's performance.

We are talking about physical appearances.

 

[Geralt From Rivia]

We

We are talking about physical appearances.

My bad...it's a tough morning
They also different physically.
Mike is well built athletically, it is clear that he goes in for sports and takes care of himself.
Robert looks like spaghetti.