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

[Pr0GamerJohnny]

No worries, in many routes some of these middle states are hard to spot, both when playing and when checking the code. But knowing EK style for years I tend to think she introduces them for something (other times is just sloppy coding that must be fixed later or loose threads that are left hanging forever, lol), if not it would be easier to keep the variable boolean and be done with it. More on that later.


Well, certainly the “full cuck” (ian_cuck = 2) route has been more developed as of now, no disagreement there (btw, when I said “not exactly” I meant it, I don’t think things are exactly as you’re painting them, but that doesn’t mean I think you’re completely wrong about your concerns, they look more than legit to me); but I wouldn’t go as far as saying “ian_cuck = 1” route is basically nothing.

First of all I think it’s too soon to tell, routes just got separated in the middle of last chapter; but nonetheless there are some differences between them already that doesn’t feel inconsequential to me:

First one in that same footjob scene when “full cuck” Ian doesn’t get to fuck Lena but “ian_cuck 1” Ian does. Before that, if ian_cuck 2 is triggered earlier, after the riding face scene ian_cuck 1 can still be proposed the threesome while ian_cuck 2 can’t (line 3465 of 11 prologue). Then in the epilogue where “full cuck” Ian is automatically locked out of full sex after Lena comes back from the club (and if teased with a handjob ian_cuck will reach 3) while ian_cuck 1 even if teased can overcome it and gets to fuck her. And lately in this prologue during Jeremy’s dialogue, where whiny cuck Ian disappears (line 6432) and his reaction will depend on having told Lena about Gillian’s nightmare or opened up to her.


Nothing in the code, right, but obviously the player's choices can, and this could be important because…


That summary of the available choices seems a bit fixated on a Lena that’s already cheating on Ian, but I have to reiterate that this is not a precondition of the route, Lena can be not cheating at all.

So, humor me for a moment and consider this scenario: Lena isn’t cheating at all, Ian is still getting a lot of great sex from her but remembering his experience with Gillian is a little shaken and has began to have some “disturbing” thoughts he has shared with Lena, which in turn enjoys teasing him now and them without a special cruelty or hidden agenda to cover her (in this route) non-existing escapades…

Well, that path is completely doable in the ian_cuck 1 route and one could almost say it looks like a promising starting point for some of the possibilities you mentioned before: the “happy cuck” who enjoys Lena telling him about past or hypothetically future deeds, or even a sharing route (remember the threesome is still on the table) with Ian’s consent.

Will this be developed that way? Who the fuck knows, lol. But I for one am happy with the possibility still being there, because I also think it will be a pity all the route defaults to (only) another Sad Humiliated Eric like in GGGB. We’ll see.

Don't get me wrong, I think I understand where you're coming from and I'm coming from the same place - I would love a path that sees Lena and Ian as truly exclusive and they don't fuck around on each other, while at the same time he enjoys her teasing him with stories/dirty talk about potential hookups.

But this is not now. On the ian_cuck = 1 path, there's little to no talking or teasing, aside from 2-3 lines. While the dev has left the door open for further development of this path in the future, based on evakiss's writing so far this doesn't look likely.

If anything, both the Alison voyeur path and Alison romantic --> Jeremy threesome paths are much closer to this theme in feel and dialogue - and the presence of the $alison_jeremy_3some = 3 and associated dialogue, or stuff like this:

 

[Mravac Kid]

seems chapter 12 is still in need of fixing bugs

Indeed, but it's not even out yet. So far it's only the alpha version of the prologue to the chapter, next comes the beta, then the full prologue, and only then we'll be getting into the chapter proper. It'll be a while.

 

[Firaxius]

Indeed, but it's not even out yet. So far it's only the alpha version of the prologue to the chapter, next comes the beta, then the full prologue, and only then we'll be getting into the chapter proper. It'll be a while.

Thanks for the heads up, up too chap 11 everything was solid following everything you did, but I was taken by surprise in chap 12 that things happened that shouldn't or things didn't happen that should have. Though I must say I found it funny Seymour doesn't do anything against Lena and friends after she still declined him on the dinner, it feels like he took peace with her decision and only mentioned to Ian once to not follow her path.

 

[Slick Bean]

The scope of all entertainment media - games, novels, movie, series - is to surprise you and subvert your expectations.
This means the 12th chapter really made your day and is doing marvelously well in giving you the thrills and giggles.

I was taken by surprise in chap 12 that things happened that shouldn't or things didn't happen that should have. Though I must say I found it funny Seymour doesn't do anything against Lena and friends

Seymour does not have to be a volcano and certainly is not afraid to let his temper boil over inside
before taking steps to make a show outta whatever missconception you have about how the man who owns the town
actually works in terms of his life, his pleasures, the way he goes about managing his shortcummings and relationships.

 

[Mravac Kid]

The scope of all entertainment media - games, novels, movie, series - is to surprise you and subvert your expectations.

I would disagree with that last bit, i.e. in a superhero or action movie you expect the hero to defeat the evildoers, the excitement comes from seeing how it happens, not in seeing it subverted. In a romcom, the expectation is for the would-be lovers to get together in the end, not for the counterpart to prevail over the protagonist and get the girl.

 

[Firaxius]

The scope of all entertainment media - games, novels, movie, series - is to surprise you and subvert your expectations.
This means the 12th chapter really made your day and is doing marvelously well in giving you the thrills and giggles.

Seymour does not have to be a volcano and certainly is not afraid to let his temper boil over inside
before taking steps to make a show outta whatever missconception you have about how the man who owns the town
actually works in terms of his life, his pleasures, the way he goes about managing his shortcummings and relationships.

To be honest I kinda expected he would done more after Lena declined him for a third time, during the dinner with him and her on the vip table, after all he ruined her in every way already and yet she still resist him, but it turned all around and Lena suddenly started back being more succesfull, Cafe works out, she get again a photoshoot, her music becomes working, so yea I'm kinda surprised about that, since most powerful people I know don't take no for an answer and will do anything to make someone live even more miserable if they keep going against them.

 

[Firaxius]

I would disagree with that last bit, i.e. in a superhero or action movie you expect the hero to defeat the evildoers, the excitement comes from seeing how it happens, not in seeing it subverted. In a romcom, the expectation is for the would-be lovers to get together in the end, not for the counterpart to prevail over the protagonist and get the girl.

Well it common in most novels that Hero/Superhero get it tuff during the story but in the end it becomes an happy ending, but that is so cliche as it always like that, so yea it fun to see sometimes a book written that doesn't follow those rules and make a simular story turn out dark and even the ending is somewhat a good ending, there still some losses too. I personaly like a good book to surprise me, not that from the begining already know the outcome gonna be.

 

[Sethmsf]

This VN is very very good, at first I was a bit sceptic about the drawings, but they are very well done, the Story is also very great although I only done one path so far, but on this path something really went wrong, I never had done anything with Cindy as just escort her to Axel and second time I even didn't stay and let her go alone, but suddenly after shopping in chapter 12 Ian goes to her place to have sex, that seems to be very wrong, as Ian has been all the run beside Alison faithfull to Lena and broke up with Alison when things became serious with Lena, how the hell does Ian suddenly fucks Cindy who is actualy dating Axel and still Wade's gf, as seen in the club when Lena was working there. I hope this get fixed and when next chapter out I'm sure going to play again, because I really love those VN and want to check other paths out too.

Edit 1: Seems also at ending, Lena never showed up at going to Perry's Beach House, seems chapter 12 is still in need of fixing bugs, as A Ian broke up with Alison and stayed faithfull to Lena when it gotten serious, but still he has sex with Cindy without having it lead to that, B Lena did BJ Mike and did some naughty stuff with Ivy and Holly, which is a bit cheating, but when Ian talks with Jeremy he tells Ian she has been fucking around with several guys, which she didn't beside the BJ of Mike as well she was going to Perry's beach house but she never appear at the trainstation. That are 3 serious bugs that need some fixing.

Summary: EK fixed many of the bugs a few hours after launching the first Alpha, it seems that the one you are using is the one that does not have them fixed.

Jeremy's phrase is based on some rumors, he only specifies if he, Axel and I don't remember who else is involved, to which he specifies he adds that phrase about various guys. He never names Mike specifically.

Lena does go to the beach house, you exchange texts with her where she tells you that she is on her way to her parents' house and will join the rest on the next day After her mother's colonoscopy. Bug fixed too

The scene with Cindy is also a bug fixed

 

[Firaxius]

Summary: EK fixed many of the bugs a few hours after launching the first Alpha, it seems that the one you are using is the one that does not have them fixed.

Jeremy's phrase is based on some rumors, he only specifies if he, Axel and I don't remember who else is involved, to which he specifies he adds that phrase about various guys. He never names Mike specifically.

Lena does go to the beach house, you exchange texts with her where she tells you that she is on her way to her parents' house and will join the rest on the next day After her mother's colonoscopy. Bug fixed too

The scene with Cindy is also a bug fixed

I downloaded the 12.1 Alpha version from GOFILE option, not sure if there is a better version yet.

Well it still silly to say as Jeremy talks Ian that Lena is rumored to sleep around with several guys, if only she done one bj with Mike.

About Lena I didn't knew that as in this version they alll appeared at the station and the train leaves and game ended for this download.

I read on Patreon they fixed something about Cindy Love path involving not broken up with Alison and Lena, but I was never on Cindy's Love path, I did escort her once to Axel photoshoot and after everything went sour with Cindy and Ian, so I never been much around her and if were she was angry at Ian, yet the scene in chapter 12 happened as if Ian was in love with Cindy.

 

[dengl]

I downloaded the 12.1 Alpha version from GOFILE option, not sure if there is a better version yet.

Well it still silly to say as Jeremy talks Ian that Lena is rumored to sleep around with several guys, if only she done one bj with Mike.

About Lena I didn't knew that as in this version they alll appeared at the station and the train leaves and game ended for this download.

I read on Patreon they fixed something about Cindy Love path involving not broken up with Alison and Lena, but I was never on Cindy's Love path, I did escort her once to Axel photoshoot and after everything went sour with Cindy and Ian, so I never been much around her and if were she was angry at Ian, yet the scene in chapter 12 happened as if Ian was in love with Cindy.

Yea prologue usually just has a tad bit of content before it dives into the real chapter. I supposed Lena arrive the next day or just slightly later than them?
Both Lena and Ian had like thousands of switches and choices to activate their lena_cheating ian_cheating variable, even if Lena stay faithful up to ch11, the Marcel and Jack switch was there in ch11. Jeremy will tell on Ian in this prologue as long as cheating is true, and if ian_cheating is also true there's a monologue about him being paid the same coin . That being said if lena_cheating is false Jeremy will not say anything but congratulates Ian for a good catch or something.

My save with Ian committed to Cindy by picking every ian_cindy_love switches, Ian will automatically forced to break up with Lena and Ali in ch11 if their dating variable is true. But then there's still 1 more ian_cindy_love switch in this ch12 prologue, gotta wait and see if activating the love switch in prologue will leads to cheating on Cindy with others or not.

 

[dengl]

Will this be developed that way? Who the fuck knows, lol. But I for one am happy with the possibility still being there, because I also think it will be a pity all the route defaults to (only) another Sad Humiliated Eric like in GGGB. We’ll see.

I think EK is attempting to reenact the sad Eric from GGGB but does it really works? The number combinations available now are big enough. The obvious cuck Ian fans are running with a slut Lena indeed but just like you said, the current game doesn't force it that way. Lena can be totally faithful to Ian while denying Ian from sex.
In my cuck Ian play through Lena is getting on with Mike,Axel and Jeremy while denying Ian at all times with the cuck variable, but Ian is having his fun times with Emma, Alison, Cindy and Minerva

 

[alexf55699]

I have an inquiry; I didn't really try a full corruption playthrough with both MCs dating each other (not really my cup of tea), but out of curiosity, I tried a path where female MC dated male MC but still cheated with Robert, Mike, and Axel. In different tries.

The thing is, I kind of expected a single path where male MC shows up with some dignity and limits communication with female MC after discovering the cheating, or at least does not remain as (friends) through the remaining chapters.

But no, no matter what the female MC did (if the player chose corruption to the maximum), the male MC still remained friends with her!

I know that's easier for the script and writing of the story to not completely separate the two main characters through the plot, but it would be great to actually have a path where Mc at least doesn't remains on friendly terms with female Mc.

Despite that, the game is truly amazing, and I, as the player, really had (almost) full control of the two main characters development.

 

[dengl]

I have an inquiry; I didn't really try a full corruption playthrough with both MCs dating each other (not really my cup of tea), but out of curiosity, I tried a path where female MC dated male MC but still cheated with Robert, Mike, and Axel. In different tries.

The thing is, I kind of expected a single path where male MC shows up with some dignity and limits communication with female MC after discovering the cheating, or at least does not remain as (friends) through the remaining chapters.

But no, no matter what the female MC did (if the player chose corruption to the maximum), the male MC still remained friends with her!

I know that's easier for the script and writing of the story to not completely separate the two main characters through the plot, but it would be great to actually have a path where Mc at least doesn't remains on friendly terms with female Mc.

Despite that, the game is truly amazing, and I, as the player, really had (almost) full control of the two main characters development.

Because that's yet to be seen? We should have their interaction when the actual ch12 comes, he had just discovered her cheating in this prologue. He doesn't even know about Mike, her history with Robert and Axel and their talk about it was in ch9 if i remember correctly. They weren't serious about relationship at that time, and Ian doesn't know if she really sleeps around. It only really happens in this latest prologue.

 

[Sethmsf]

I downloaded the 12.1 Alpha version from GOFILE option, not sure if there is a better version yet.

Well it still silly to say as Jeremy talks Ian that Lena is rumored to sleep around with several guys, if only she done one bj with Mike.

About Lena I didn't knew that as in this version they alll appeared at the station and the train leaves and game ended for this download.

I read on Patreon they fixed something about Cindy Love path involving not broken up with Alison and Lena, but I was never on Cindy's Love path, I did escort her once to Axel photoshoot and after everything went sour with Cindy and Ian, so I never been much around her and if were she was angry at Ian, yet the scene in chapter 12 happened as if Ian was in love with Cindy.

Before the bug fix, the scene with Cindy would skip even if you were not in her path, not now. Lena's message occurs at Ian's apartment after receiving the one from Bad Jess. Regarding your version, it seems to be the first, I use the official EK version and I don't have those problems. We'll have to wait for the Beta to see what else they give us, because there are also some lines of dialogue that seem a little out of place.

 

[Cabot]

I think EK is attempting to reenact the sad Eric from GGGB but does it really works?

I think it will work just fine for the fans of that, with the endgame being Ian fapping while Axel fucks Lena to oblivion, or something like that, heh.

Personally I don't have a problem with a path like that existing in the game, but just wish there were other scenarios, let's say, less hardcore and more sharing-oriented: without hidden cheating* and where both MCs are honest with each other, and Ian enjoys sharing Lena with other people (and the other way around, but that probably doesn't belong in this route) or just watching her -he clearly has a voyeur fetish in many other paths- but without humiliation and sex denial. You know, things like that.

I don't know if EK will go for it and also have my doubts about her being able to pull it off if she does, her track record regarding sharing isn't (imho) stellar, it's just not her writing forte. Jumping to other routes I suspect that's what's delaying the hyped "Holly Trinity" triangle, for example.

In this case what gives me some hope is precisely the coding: a boolean (true or false) variable has been transformed to something with more granularity (as of now ian_cuck can take values from 0 to 3), why do that if not to differentiate the outcomes? I'm also aware Eva uses to overcomplicate things and overextend herself, so I guess we'll see what happens.

The obvious cuck Ian fans are running with a slut Lena indeed but just like you said, the current game doesn't force it that way. Lena can be totally faithful to Ian while denying Ian from sex.

Or not denying him at all and just teasing, or denying only ocasionally (the stalkfap scene kinda begs for it, lol). And yes, as you pointed out cheating is a double edged sword: even cuck Ian can be doing it too.

*Nothing against cheating in smut games per se, in fact I find many of those scenes (both Ian's and Lena's) quite hot. Just rooting for more variety.

 

[2016er]

So can anybody briefed me in what direction Cindy's storyline is going?

 

[SerHawkes]

So can anybody briefed me in what direction Cindy's storyline is going?

Either Wade-Cindy redemption (who given how much EK caters to cuckheads and fetishists, it's likely not going to happen, no matter our investment to helping them).
Ian-Cinders (Cheating or encouraging a break up.)
Axel-Cinders (Who, if on Ian's path, given EKs bullshit nature, will have Ian get cucked and all sorts of crap.)

Short version of this.

 

[SerHawkes]

I am waiting for Ivy scene. Too bad that one of the best girl in the game doesn't have scene (only lesbian scene, which I have no interest in). (T_T)

Welcome to the fucking Church of the Holy Virgin Ivy.

The pain is real. The fact alone that we are going into Year 4 of developement and we have not even had Ian properly hook up with Ivy is dumbfounding, absurd, reeks of complete and utter bullshit. Then again, EK really loves the fetish money and caters to her fans and their bullshit over characters who actual fucking DESERVE proper screen time with Ian (Talking about Emma too guys, love that thick time gal), not to mention Lena gets to fuck every character, male or female, or will, possibly but Ian? Nah... Can't/Won't have him hook up with Natalie, might have a one time thing with Bad Girl Jess, that hot Shop Clerk? Forget about it. Only Lena gets all the sex while Ian gets the perverbal shaft over and over in proper content.

 

[Slick Bean]

There are two sides of the coin and two different ways to go about subverting expectations:
One way is to do to the vilain what goes on with Seymour: the guy treats Lena as his personal sex doll,
but all dolls have expiration dates on how much you indulge, as someone who can just command Lena or Axel,
yeeah - Axel the Lena cheater and abuser is just a tool for Seymour - to fkk in front of him just like that.
Such a powerful man with this kind of fetish - command the way people deliver his entertainment,
he has way more refined and lavish means of getting high- the rush of adrenaline to his heart,
other than simple sex or some broad performing sexual acts on him the way she knows how,
as opposed to the way he likes to see things get done.

I kinda expected he would done more after Lena declined him for a third time

I'm kinda surprised about that, since most powerful people I know don't take no for an answer and will do anything to make someone live even more miserable if they keep going against them.

This is the way many shows subvert expectations - stop the narrative flow of our minds filling the expectations
with our own opinions of how the story would continue or the plot would build and dissolve tension.
Good shows do not destroy the whole charcater arc of the protagonist or the antagonist, they
simply derail or detour their paths in order to show other novel activities or ideas that animate them,
different than what the audience would expect based on those charcaters track records.

I would disagree with that last bit, i.e. in a superhero or action movie you expect the hero to defeat the evildoers, the excitement comes from seeing how it happens, not in seeing it subverted. In a romcom, the expectation is for the would-be lovers to get together in the end, not for the counterpart to prevail over the protagonist and get the girl.

A super hero could win even if the vilain escapes capture but the activity gets stopped or disrupted or the victims get
saved - the hero is still on top if any of those conditions meet in the end, it does not have to be all of them.

A vilain could finish the story arc quiting in the middle of the deed and be shown either go about starting another
con in a different area, leave it all behind and just get a normal boring job, without the final confrontation being
a defeat or a retribution for the bad deeds.

In this game, Karma could be just as swift as Seymour finding another hobby,
Axxel getting axxed by Seymour as retaliation because he broke Lena and he cannot use her any more,
many things can be the solution dev be finding to steer clear of what we would see ourselves
in the continuation of this game.

 

[Harbringer]

New update out with some bug fixes