VN Ren'Py Our Red String [Ch. 12 Full] [Eva Kiss]

[RC-1138 Boss]

I think Seymour will ask Lena to butter Emma up while he tries to buy the music shop.

That seems the kind of petty thing he would do.
Not going to lie i really do hope that there is a path to fuck Seymour up in a not fun way in the future.

 

[dontcarewhateverno]

in case you meanwhile didn't find it yourself: both mcs can still have sex with other people before that talk and be couple (not fuck-buddies) and experiment together. after you decided on that ian can go and do cindy and lena axel.

Thanks. Yep. Found it. That one's pretty common in playthroughs since many people are having Ian and Lena both sleep with people outside of the pairing and often avoiding Jeremy, who nixes that option. Playthroughs I'm most interested in don't have them both sleeping around with a bunch of people though, except maybe sharing Holly once that inevitable option becomes available.

 

[Lunix00]

Spoiler: About Seymour

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[ename144]

Well said. This is why our ultimate hope is for Holly.

Even that doesn't work for me, since I want to keep Holly with Ian. Lena's portions of the game are horrible in my preferred playthrough, it's a rapid-fire string of obnoxious jerks and miserable events with no reprieve.

So I've mostly stuck with the Ian/Lena path instead, which is nice enough in theory but as BlandChili said it's a bit underwhelming playing both sides of the relationship. And it leaves poor Holly alone. (I realize there's likely to be a threesome path for Ian, Lena and Holly eventually, but so far the game has not sold me on that grouping.)

The real difference that I see in Ian's options is that there is player influence with each girl.
Alison. You can choose the romantic route, sharing with Jeremy or even to be the pure voyeur.
Cherry. You can pursue her yourself or attempt to be the wingman to Perry.
Emma. Same as Cherry + you can share her with Jeremy.
Cindy. You can be Wade's friend and attempt to maintain their relationship, you can ignore her and you can pursue her the last option also seems to be branching off into romance and cheating routes.
Holly. You can romance her, just fuck her or ignore her completely. Each route interacts with Lena's choices regarding her and Ivy.
Minerva. Dunno, don't play her content.

Like with Ash's options in GGGB you can control the different routes in some way. For Lena it is almost always just a choice between fucking it or not. Holly and Louise can be directed in certain directions but some of the options appear to be self-sabotage in regards as them as options for Lena. You can fuck Louise or not or you can keep her with Jeremy to get his content. You can influence Holly but it is unclear how much variety this route will have depending on choosing to encourage her to pole dance.

Very much agreed.

I don't mind him as an antagonist but I would personally have preferred a longer build-up where Lena had to decide to focus on work options with him or other people. Down the line Lena could perhaps become so entangled with him that there'd be more concrete bounds for Seymour's blackmail instead of all the general shit he pulls out his ass.

To be fair, that would make Seymour less of an antagonist since he'd be limited to certain playthroughs. If he keeps pursuing Lena when she stonewalls him we'd eventually have the same problem we have now. (Alternatively, if he's drawn to Lena specifically because she refuses to bend to his will, it undermines why he'd be interested in a Lena who volunteers for his route.)

I guess you could try to have alternative reasons for Seymour to become obsessed with a less corrupt Lena when the time comes (wanting to buy the Van Dyke's cafe, shut down Emma and her activist friends, have a vendetta against Lena's parents, that sort of thing), but I'm skeptical that would make for a very satisfying showdown.

 

[BlandChili]

To be fair, that would make Seymour less of an antagonist since he'd be limited to certain playthroughs. If he keeps pursuing Lena when she stonewalls him we'd eventually have the same problem we have now. (Alternatively, if he's drawn to Lena specifically because she refuses to bend to his will, it undermines why he'd be interested in a Lena who volunteers for his route.)

I guess you could try to have alternative reasons for Seymour to become obsessed with a less corrupt Lena when the time comes (wanting to buy the Van Dyke's cafe, shut down Emma and her activist friends, have a vendetta against Lena's parents, that sort of thing), but I'm skeptical that would make for a very satisfying showdown.

Fair points.

If I were to construct a longer build-up for Seymour's story I would perhaps give each route their own background for Seymour's interest. So as Lena's story progresses in this version I'd present several points where Lena has to choose to accept another appointment with Seymour or another work opportunity (for example live-art event, music event, work with Billy/Danny). Seymour's route would offer more goodies like the necklace for the Lena who accomodates him making it a rewarding, if materialistic, relationship.

So, for the Lena who chooses to keep working with him, in that route it should be obvious that he enjoys working with her, wants a more "intimate" relation (as he might put it) and Lena can't really refuse because she's turned down all the other offers. To refuse would be to put herself back into poverty.
On the opposing route Lena's involvement with the music store, the cafe and Billy/Danny (possibly the Fortress too) she's basically become a pest to him who's been helping local businesses keep going despite his offers to purchase them. In this route he would then present the blackmail version of the contract, Lena is still Lena and an attractive asset even if she's denied him this far.

I actually think something like this is what Eva intended for Seymour but because Lena's only really had the option to work for him a few times, lacking the refusal option seems weird. Add to that, that for all of Lena's story she hasn't really had to choose between Seymour and other work, she could do both. I'd keep the story as it is up to ch. 9 but extend the build-up a couple of chapters more, where I'd begin to include those options to choose between work with Seymour and further opportunities with the local businesses.

 

[BloodyMares]

I think Seymour will ask Lena to butter Emma up while he tries to buy the music shop.

Yes, I've been thinking about this as well. While subduing Lena's will might be a turn-on for him on its own, I don't think he showed all of his cards yet. I very much suspect he intends to use Lena to safeguard his future business deals as well. It was already hinted at when he worked with Agnes and how fast he switched faces from being an attentive authority figure (that a type of Lena was enjoying) to a desperate manipulator who wants to please Agnes and their business arrangement showing no regard for Lena's comfort as his model whatsoever. Perhaps knowing that she works in the cafe he intends to acquire, performs with a pesky activist who tries to undermine his goals and knowing that very few men would resist her charms (thus, the constant theme of their shoots being about her role as a seductress and an object of men's desire) made him realize her potential as his negotiations tactics first and foremost, both for business deals and damage control (get Emma out of the picture). He can't outright tell her that and offer becoming his dark Padawan, otherwise she'll realize all this power that she has and he won't be able to control her. That's why I think he put that clause about proactivity and didn't set any limits to sexual contact in his contract aside from Lena's consent. Doing an underhanded "photo shoot" while his competitors fuck Lena will give him an ultimate edge with so much compromising evidence against them and none of his involvement (Lena wouldn't want to out herself like this and become a complicit in his illegal actions).

P.S. it's entirely my speculation based on the facts presented in this game. If things play out exactly the same way, then it will be pure coincidence and a huge success of my detective work.

 

[dundun]

Yes, I've been thinking about this as well. While subduing Lena's will might be a turn-on for him on its own, I don't think he showed all of his cards yet. I very much suspect he intends to use Lena to safeguard his future business deals as well. It was already hinted at when he worked with Agnes and how fast he switched faces from being an attentive authority figure (that a type of Lena was enjoying) to a desperate manipulator who wants to please Agnes and their business arrangement showing no regard for Lena's comfort as his model whatsoever. Perhaps knowing that she works in the cafe he intends to acquire, performs with a pesky activist who tries to undermine his goals and knowing that very few men would resist her charms (thus, the constant theme of their shoots being about her role as a seductress and an object of men's desire) made him realize her potential as his negotiations tactics first and foremost, both for business deals and damage control (get Emma out of the picture). He can't outright tell her that and offer becoming his dark Padawan, otherwise she'll realize all this power that she has and he won't be able to control her. That's why I think he put that clause about proactivity and didn't set any limits to sexual contact in his contract aside from Lena's consent. Doing an underhanded "photo shoot" while his competitors fuck Lena will give him an ultimate edge with so much compromising evidence against them and none of his involvement (Lena wouldn't want to out herself like this and become a complicit in his illegal actions).

P.S. it's entirely my speculation based on the facts presented in this game. If things play out exactly the same way, then it will be pure coincidence and a huge success of my detective work.

Ok, I really like the idea of Lena becoming Seymour's sexy spy, seducing and then blackmailing business partners and sabotaging businesses to fail so he can buy them.

But, sorry there is always a but, it doesn't really make much sense. For the cafe to fail all Lena has to do is stop helping them. But either they are already failing because Lena didn't help them or Lena really cares about the van Dykes. This is not Star Wars where decent people become youngling murdering psychopaths in a blink of an eye. And to sabotage them she wouldn't have to do some sexy evil stuff, all she had to do is stop helping them. Which is not very exciting.

Spying on Emma would make sense in a way but there is no need for sexy stuff, all Lena would have to do is to pretend to be her friend. Again, not very interesting. Also I don't get the feeling Seymour is that concerned about Emma.

Seymour whoring out Lena to a business partner can easily happen but the problem with that is that you need new characters for that. So this would be more a one off thing, like with Ryan in GGGB.

I also don't get that Seymour is desperate to please Agnes, he seems quite eager himself. And the clause about him not being allowed to touch Lena except she asks for it, well, maybe he just wants to make her beg

So, while I think you are mostly right in that these things will happen, I don't expect it to be that hot and exciting. My theory for Seymour is that he is trying to break in Lena, to make her willingly accept to be his playting/whore/slave. Axel knows (and is likely helping) and that is why he was so calm to Lena after they posed together and why he isn't obsessed with Lena any more.

Talking about detective work, you have any idea when we will find out what is the whole ruckus about Stan?

 

[thedude]

Axel knows (and is likely helping) and that is why he was so calm to Lena after they posed together and why he isn't obsessed with Lena any more.

I agree with everything you said, with the exception of this point.

I don't think Axel knows about Seymour's plan for Lena. I believe Seymour is just using him for his own purposes, without Axel being aware of Seymour's own agenda.

Based on what we've seen from Axel so far, he seems to be the possessive type, imo. If he wasn't obsessed with Lena anymore, I don't think the debacle with Ian would've happened and neither the way he made a move on her on the last chapter.

 

[Rickster82]

Can you ignore Seymour from the start without him blackmailing Lena in Update 0.9?

 

[Macker]

One of the best games I've played in recent years. Kudos.

 

[ekroniuk]

I agree with everything you said, with the exception of this point.

I don't think Axel knows about Seymour's plan for Lena. I believe Seymour is just using him for his own purposes, without Axel being aware of Seymour's own agenda.

Based on what we've seen from Axel so far, he seems to be the possessive type, imo. If he wasn't obsessed with Lena anymore, I don't think the debacle with Ian would've happened and neither the way he made a move on her on the last chapter.

Yes, I think Axel is still obsessed with Lena, he is just playing a long game. He is calm and collected because he knows that it is the best way to bring her back to him again. And his approach is working, because Lena can get a little jealous about Cindy, before she scolds herself in her thoughts

 

[rogokin]

Could anyone help what do I have to do in order to get Ian and Lena to date but agree to have sex with other people?

Thanks

 

[Reaurt]

Could anyone help what do I have to do in order to get Ian and Lena to date but agree to have sex with other people?

Thanks

I'm not 100% sure because I tend to avoid Robert and Mike, but I think Lena and Ian have to have high enough relationship points, and both have slept around a little (Lena with Robert/Mike, Ian with Allison/Cindy/Emma/Cherry), but Lena cannot hook up with Jeremy in Louise's bed.

 

[BlandChili]

Can you ignore Seymour from the start without him blackmailing Lena in Update 0.9?

No Seymour can always ultimatelty blackmail Lena but dialogue changes depending on how involved Lena's gotten with him. If you have a good relationship with him Lena will accept his invitation to the restaurant without the blackmail coming up (although he is still suspicious) and in those cases Lena can agree to his deal without the blackmail coming up, I seem to recall.

Could anyone help what do I have to do in order to get Ian and Lena to date but agree to have sex with other people?

I think I saw someone on here comment that the only requirement is a certain stat total of lust, 5 or 6, something in that ballpark. Mind you I have not played it myself so I am not certain.

 

[dundun]

I agree with everything you said, with the exception of this point.

I don't think Axel knows about Seymour's plan for Lena. I believe Seymour is just using him for his own purposes, without Axel being aware of Seymour's own agenda.

Based on what we've seen from Axel so far, he seems to be the possessive type, imo. If he wasn't obsessed with Lena anymore, I don't think the debacle with Ian would've happened and neither the way he made a move on her on the last chapter.

Axel says after the deed:

    l "But we're done. What we had it's over..."
    x "I know. This doesn't change that fact..."
    x "I guess we never got the chance to properly say goodbye to each other. To share one last moment together."
    l "..."
    "One last moment..."
    x "Don't fret too much over it. I know where we stand, you've made it abundantly clear."
    x "I'm glad we got some proper closure. I know this will help us move on."

Later Lena thinks:

            "And Axel... What was going through his mind?"
            "The way he had acted after we were done... Where was all that emotion and need to hold onto me that he had shown in the past?"
            "Today it seemed like he had really moved on. Like he didn't need me as he used to..."
            "Had he found someone else? Could it be that he and Cindy...?"

Could anyone help what do I have to do in order to get Ian and Lena to date but agree to have sex with other people?

Thanks

The get the relationship:
Ian and Lena must be dating.
Ian can't tell Alison that he 'loves it too' tell Alison he loves her (on the weekend trip)
Ian either must have told Jeremy that he is in love with Lena or have 9+ relationship with her
Lena can't have had sex with Jeremy (in Louise's room)

To get it open:
Lena must be dating Robert or Mike or Louise
Ian must be dating Alison or Cherry or kissed Cindy or had sex with Minerva or Emma or have 6+ lust

 

[AchedCroissant]

No Seymour can always ultimatelty blackmail Lena but dialogue changes depending on how involved Lena's gotten with him. If you have a good relationship with him Lena will accept his invitation to the restaurant without the blackmail coming up (although he is still suspicious) and in those cases Lena can agree to his deal without the blackmail coming up, I seem to recall.

Do not forget that he pays her 10$ monthly I think and according to her it is a lot of money lol

 

[BlandChili]

Do not forget that he pays her 10$ monthly I think and according to her it is a lot of money lol

... I didn't forget, but the amount is irrelevant to answer Rickster's question.

 

[Reasoon]

The get the relationship:
Ian and Lena must be dating.
Ian can't tell Alison he loves her (on the weekend trip)
Ian either must have told Jeremy that he is in love with Lena or have 9+ relationship with her
Lena can't have had sex with Jeremy (in Louise's room)

Ian can tell Alison what? If this was possible I think I would know that and definitely would have this Option in my Playthrough so call me interested and please explain?!

 

[dundun]

Ian can tell Alison what? If this was possible I think I would know that and definitely would have this Option in my Playthrough so call me interested and please explain?!

Ok, he can embrace her, and that sets a variable v9_fireworks = "love". Sorry for the misunderstanding (and any burst pants)

 

[jimul18]

How do I unlock the second to last scene with Cherry? The one before "Ian confesses to Cherry" tried different paths still get nothing, all the other scenes are unlocked.