VN Ren'Py Our Red String [Ch.13.3.4] [Eva Kiss]

[camube]

Ian and Alison go way back. They were friends and liked each other in High school already, but were too shy and/or oblivious to ask each other out. Additionally Alison knows how Ian was before the breakup with Gillian (implied to have been really nasty) fucked him up. And she sees the potential in him.

yeah i've seen that exact same stories more than a couple times in real life and the Alisons either grow up or prioritize their own goals over their Ians given their driven personality.

Yes they still harbor deep feelings for their Ians, but not to the extent of this game's Alison for this game's Ian. Given that this game's Ian is a 26 years old intern that wants to pursuit writing a book still, where in contrast, this game's Alison have a 2-3 years deadline to 30 years old to achieve her goals.

This game's Ian doesn't even want to be an employee, he just wants to be an author or die trying.

 

[ffive]

yeah i've seen that exact same stories more than a couple times in real life and the Alisons either grow up or prioritize their own goals over their Ians given their driven personality.

Alison's personality includes "guys being her kryptonite" and she evidently loses her cold, calculating demeanor when it comes to relationships. She isn't a robot.

She's also in pretty bad spot emotionally herself, given her break up with Milo. It's not that surprising she isn't acting all that rationally.

 

[italianstallionxxx]

Fan art.(edit)
Jeremy - Lena -Mike

Who would love to see this threesome ?

nobody

 

[Amor_10]

nobody

I think Mike is much more of an interesting character than Jeremy. If his girlfriend is introduced then it will be clear and fun.

 

[ffive]

I think Mike is much more of an interesting character than Jeremy. If his girlfriend is introduced then it will be clear and fun.

THe whole Mike thing makes very little sense to me given Lena's supposed PTSD about cheating in relationship, but giving zero fucks about pulling the same shit she's vilifying Cherry for.

 

[evakisslover]

This game is so realistic in character development thats feels weird for me that almost every women are fully shaved. Specially Holly, i think it would be much more interesting (and hotter) If she have some bush down there.

 

[chipsiup]

So after taking my time and getting the open relationship "ian_lena_open" variable in Chap 9... I'm very disappointed to see that it doesn't actually DO anything in Chapter 10.

Peeking at the code, it doesn't seem like there's any part of Chapter 10 that looks up that variable at all! The game just basically goes "Yeah Ian and Lena are a couple now." without any nuance for the open part of it.

 

[ffive]

So after taking my time and getting the open relationship "ian_lena_open" variable in Chap 9... I'm very disappointed to see that it doesn't actually DO anything in Chapter 10.

Peeking at the code, it doesn't seem like there's any part of Chapter 10 that looks up that variable at all! The game just basically goes "Yeah Ian and Lena are a couple now." without any nuance for the open part of it.

Lena & Ian have yet to have a talk about what "experimenting" in their relationship is going to exactly entail. Neither is making any presumptions until that's resolved.

 

[_Zebra_]

THe whole Mike thing makes very little sense to me given Lena's supposed PTSD about cheating in relationship, but giving zero fucks about pulling the same shit she's vilifying Cherry for.

I totally agree. Also, after replaying the games a couple of times, I feel like he was introduced a bit too late. By the time you get to chapter 5 Lena is in one of the following situations:

• she is a nun - you ignore Robert and Ian
• she goes out with Robert, but understands that he is not the right person for her.
• she is more serious about Robert
• she goes out with Ian, but takes things slow (no sex)
• she goes out with Ian and sleeps with him

Bullets 2&3 can be combined with 4&5. It's hard to say that Ivy encouraged her to try to have sleep with someone, in order to get over Axel.

Just an idea:

Let pretend that the following variable exists: v4_lena_rebound

In chapter 4, there is a masturbation scene for Lena.

• If she thinks about Jeremy or Louise: v4_lena_rebound += 1
• If she looks at the images hidden by Axel in the notebook: v4_lena_rebound += 2
• If she went out with Robert, but Lena end things because "It was bad" v4_lena_rebound += 1
• Nothing changes otherwise

Later that night, you go to Blazzer to spend some time with Ivy. Again she tells you that you need to get back in the game. It just so happens that you see Ivy's hot coworker for the first time. You drink something (v4_lena_rebound += 1) or not. You talk with him and show some interest (v4_lena_rebound += 1) also you can flirt with him (v4_lena_rebound += 1). Basically this part is a copy paste of what happens now, in chapter 5. Time goes one and you talk again with Ivy; she tells you that Mike has a gf. At this point you can either go home or drink some more (v4_lena_rebound += 1).

If you stayed:

• v4_lena_rebound < 3: you dance with Ivy and leave the place with her.
• v4_lena_rebound > 2 and v4_lena_rebound <5: you dance with a stranger, you go in the club bathroom with him but he gets too pushy. Before things escalate more that this, Mike helps you out. You thank him and leave.
• v4_lena_rebound > 4: same as before, but you decide to give Mike a proper reward (BJ)

Spoiler: Art

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Later in Ch5 you can take things further when Louise. Maybe even add a joke: "You girls really need to drink less".

Why do I think this would be a more interesting scenario? Mike is Lena second best option in the game, right now. By introducing Mike earlier, you bring Ian and Mike in direct competition. Do you go with the good girl option or the bad girl option; or maybe both. You know that is wrong, but you can't deny the attraction that you feel towards Mike. The first action you take with him is less of: "hey, do you want to fuck?". It will be a mix of I want to have fun, I want to forget Axel, alcohol and thank you for helping me out. When you see him for the second time, a week later, maybe you get the vibe that things are not that serious between Mike and his GF. He is not telling you no. Why not take things further?

Even for future events. It's interesting how Lena always goes back to Mike after the smallest things. He fits the role of the rebound guy perfectly. You can even make a song:

If you are solo in the club
And Ivy gives you the drug
Who you gonna call?
Mike Buster

If you see Cherry again
But the night is still young
Who you gonna call?
Mike Buster

If you fight with Ian over Stalkfap
But you don't want to rub one
Who you gonna call?
Mike Buster

 

[Larsencm]

Hi everyone,
I will start with saying that I absolutely love this game. There are a lot of things that Eva did right ro create the game - the story, the dialogs, the stats, the charters, the pictures - pretty much everything. Amd i want to say a big thank you to Eva for such an amazing game. I can't wait to see the next update.
With that said I also don't really understand where Eva drives the story. It's like she described lives of a few mid twenty guys and girls going through their daily lives. How many chapters there will be? 14? 20? It reminds me to some extent The Song of Ice and Fire series where Martin greater such an extended universe that he struggles to being all his stories together and can't write the sixth book for more than a decade.
Now, let me say that the only way ORS would make sense to me if uf Ian and Lena start dating. Let me explain. Supposedly they don't start dating in Chapter 9 and keep going through their lifes not as a couple. Then we have two somewhat independent stories that share the same charaters between them. The story of Lena would turn into GGGB number two. Yes, it's a cool story, game but we already have GGGB and Eva already told it to us.
Then we have a story of Ian. This is new. As far as I understand Ian can date Allison, Holly, Cindu and Chery. If that is the case then wouldn't it be more interesting ro have one of them as a second protagonist than Lena? At least we would be able to experience the couple's dynamics, their ups and downs. For me Cindy and Holly are more interesting than the other two (fir different readons).
Now if we agree that the game makes sense the way it is presentied only if Ian and Lena get together then the blocks that stand on them getting together in Chapter 9 should not be in the game or should be chamgrd - namely Ian and Allison falling in love and Lena fucking Jeremy. Basically, Ian should not get in love with Allison (after all they know each other for a long time, they are friends, a little sex between friends should not be a block for either one dating other people) and Lena fucking Jeremy should not limit her in becoming Ian's girlfriend (after all, she fucked Jeremy before Ian asked her to be his gf).
And in Ch10 the fact that Ian and Lens became a couple should not stop Lena from seeing Mike if Lena and Ian agreed to have an open relationship.
In fact if Ian finds it arousing that other men want Lena ahe can send him a pic of her used pussy after sex with Mike saying something along the lines - "Mike stopped by ).

 

[ffive]

If you see Cherry again
But the night is still young
Who you gonna call?
Mike

This one is probably the dumbest part in the whole Mike setup. It's one thing if Lena is literally turning into Cherry; but it's utterly unbelievable that she completely fails to notice/acknowledge/reflect on this, even in the moment when she's totally butthurt about what Cherry had done because she was just vividly reminded of it.

It's like the writer recognizes they've painted themselves into a corner with this situation, and so they can only keep their eyes shut and pretend there's no walls against their back. Which is just jarring when characters otherwise spend considerable time analyzing their choices and outcomes.

 

[Lemix]

THe whole Mike thing makes very little sense to me given Lena's supposed PTSD about cheating in relationship, but giving zero fucks about pulling the same shit she's vilifying Cherry for.

I think it makes perfect sense, just like Ian fucking Minerva and finding it hot to finally be on another side of cheating, she is alot more attracted to Mike then to Robert, the fact he has a girlfriend and still prefers Lena to her is a turn on for her, majority of his booty calls(unlike Robert ones since he is single) are also gated behind "horny" stat check, remember also that if you have high "horny" stat and you are not using cheat mode some of the dialogues and character personality changes(just like with any other stat). Almost all internal monologue while you fuck with him is fetishizing they're relationship and how good he is in bed in comparsion to Robert for example. Ian fucking his boss has the same dynamic but toned down.

 

[rainnnnnn]

Is there a sex scene with Axel this episode or is there just the flashback?

 

[ffive]

I think it makes perfect sense

I disagree; what does not make sense to me is that at no point Lena recognizes she's putting someone else through the same things she'd gone through and hated. And that she's acting like a person she loathes for the very things she's now doing herself.

It'd be another matter if she acknowledged it but decided she wants it anyway. But she only (and partially) does it if the player makes her break the relationship (early) off. Never otherwise, not while she's doing what she's doing. It's just incredibly obtuse, given how otherwise characters show much more insight.

 

[Lemix]

I disagree; what does not make sense to me is that at no point Lena recognizes she's putting someone else through the same things she's gone through and hated. And that she's acting like a person she loathes.

It'd be another matter if she acknowledged it but decided she wants it anyway. But she only (and partially) does it if the player makes her break the relationship (early) off. Never otherwise, not while she's doing what she's doing. It's just incredibly and sthus unbelievably obtuse.

Isnt that how Eva games always worked?
If you decline doing stalkfap she condemns that way of making money but then backtracks on it since she is talking with Ivy(who gets offended since she does stalkfap).
If you act hostile to Stan, she almost always will refer to him as disgusting creep in dialogues that you dont control.
You decide how her perception of things changes and how she will react.
Ian creeping around with Emily after encouraging Perry "to go for it" or stealing his friend gf(Cindy) and making her a cheater in the proccess.
Its like when we talked about Louise, she is very inconsistent about her after you slept with her, but there is a few dialogues with Ivy where she talks about how "she will do anything i say" and she has that evil face, her personality changes dramatically depending on what decisions you make, if you say that you not attracted to Allison first time it comes up, Ian will be very indiffirent about Jeremy exploits, stuff like that, i think it makes sense.

 

[ffive]

Isnt that how Eva games always worked?

It's not really how even this game works. Both Lena and Ian routinely provide their own opinions on things they do and things which happen to them. They might express doubts or conviction when it comes to their decisions, but they grasp and define these issues in reasonable detail.

But this situation, Lena absolutely glosses over it. And the very reason her behavior stands out is because that's not how the game otherwise works.

(mind you, it'd be way more frustrating if the game had characters consistently gloss over every issue. But even as it is, when it's an exception, this is potentially such large plot arc it's frustrating enough to see it get such treatment)

 

[Lemix]

It's not really how even this game works. Both Lena and Ian routinely provide their own opinions on things they do and things which happen to them. They might express doubts or conviction when it comes to their decisions, but they grasp and define these issues in reasonable detail.

But for this situation, Lena absolutely glosses over it. And the only reason her behavior stands out is because that's not how the game otherwise works.

(mind you, it'd be way more frustrating if the game had characters consistently gloss over every issue. But even as it is, when it's an exception, this is potentially such large plot arc it's frustrating enough to see it get such treatment)

It might just be the case of "abuse victim doing abuse" and lacks self awareness, but i still think its the game thing, "default friendly" Lena would never sleep with him to begin with, so its modified version of her that lacks certain morals and just too horny to care.
Probably would be better if she did some self reflecting, but maybe Eva just didnt think about it that much, her Mike writing is extra horny, maybe she was thinking it would ruin the mood or something and forgot to add it at her "morning after self reflection moment".

 

[Amor_10]

Do

I think it makes perfect sense, just like Ian fucking Minerva and finding it hot to finally be on another side of cheating, she is alot more attracted to Mike then to Robert, the fact he has a girlfriend and still prefers Lena to her is a turn on for her, majority of his booty calls(unlike Robert ones since he is single) are also gated behind "horny" stat check, remember also that if you have high "horny" stat and you are not using cheat mode some of the dialogues and character personality changes(just like with any other stat). Almost all internal monologue while you fuck with him is fetishizing they're relationship and how good he is in bed in comparsion to Robert for example. Ian fucking his boss has the same dynamic but toned down.

Do we have different dialogues for different modes ?.Which one is best

 

[camube]

I disagree; what does not make sense to me is that at no point Lena recognizes she's putting someone else through the same things she'd gone through and hated. And that she's acting like a person she loathes for the very things she's now doing herself.

It'd be another matter if she acknowledged it but decided she wants it anyway. But she only (and partially) does it if the player makes her break the relationship (early) off. Never otherwise, not while she's doing what she's doing. It's just incredibly obtuse, given how otherwise characters show much more insight.

Other characters has set personality but our choices shapes Ian and Lena I think. They don't have a rounded character "traits" because much of it depends on our choices for them. What I'm trying to say is that Lena does reflect on Mike's situation, but she only does so when she didn't go along with Mike.

On his first meeting with Mike, one of the result is Ivy asking her if she's interested in Mike and she said yes but she has a girlfriend so she's not pursuing. But that only happen if Lena doesn't pursuit Mike though (but being polite towards him), so you're right she doesn't reflect if she's being the other woman.

A good example to Ian and Lena personality being shaped by our choices I'd say is the version of Lena that is open to Seymour sounds like a different person from the Lena that is repulsed by Seymour's actions of hindering her to earn money.

 

[ffive]

Probably would be better if she did some self reflecting, but maybe Eva just didnt think about it that much, her Mike writing is extra horny, maybe she was thinking it would ruin the mood or something and forgot to add it at her "morning after self reflection moment".

I don't think it's something you'd just forget to add when it happens consistently through the game. And the irritating part is, it's not even something that'd be hard to address -- you'd just need the same content which is already in the game presented to the player when they're about to make the choice instead of only (optionally) afterwards.

Take for example this whole stupid ch.8 Mike booty call (which the game will force on you if you haven't broken things off at earlier point)

"And suddenly meeting Cherry only made my old wounds feel fresh once again."
(..)
"I picked up my phone, searching for an escape route. I had one at my disposal."

just copy/paste a bit here:

"But I paused. "What I was about to do was wrong. I have to admit that."
"I was cheated on, and I hated it... And now I'm on the other side of the fence. I'm acting just like Cherry. Is this really what I want?"
"It feels nothing like being the victim... But I know too well how that feels. I shouldn't make somebody go through that..."
Contact Mike
Go to sleep

That's all it'd take. A few already existing lines, and a simple choice. Then if the player goes through with it have all the smut and getting off on the cheating you might want. But it's now clear the characters know exactly what they're doing, instead of (at best) the generic cliches "i knew what i was doing was wrong" the scenes offer.