VN Ren'Py Our Red String [Ch.14.1.4 Beta] [Eva Kiss]

[CloudSand]

What is the password for the .rar file ?

 

[SearingFive]

I admit I had completely forgotten the path where Wade breaks up with Cindy himself. Probably because I don't pay much attention to this plot in the game as I don't find it interesting, so when I replay the game, at times I get Wade breaking up with Cindy, and others Cindy hooking up with Axel, and I have absolutely no idea on the choices I have made which lead to one outcome or the other (tbh...I don't really care).

However, I really have a hard time identifying the "interesting elements" making her "engaging":

- She's hot ok, that's why I mentioned her as a potential FMF candidate with my loyal Ian/Lena.
- Ok I get the "forbidden fruit" aspect, it is interesting....for exactly one second and a half.
Then what ?
Let's look at her from the start of the game:
- She's a rich girl working for her papa
- She's the kind of people who grabs stuff for free from her poorer friends, but rarely offers anything to them (beer etc.)
- She's not a good sport, super competitive even on the most silly games, and a VERY bad loser
- She does not know anything - and is no that interested - in arts, culture, politics, in anything
- She admires the bimbo influencers on instagram and tik tok pretty candidly
- She cheats on her boyfriend in almost any instance
- Before that, she is stupid enough to publish her naked pics before even having told her boyfriend about the shooting
- She doesn't cheat on her new boyfriend only if he has discplined her and put her on a leash

=> frankly, to me Cindy is just a blonde Kim Kardashian wannabe.

If you think Cindy's a blonde KimK wannabe, then EK has nailed the writing for you to believe that on a superficial level. It's funny that you haven't paid attention to the plot, and yet you have so many nitpicks. I'd suggest you play her current updated romantic path, and most of your queries will be answered by Cindy herself.

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[BlandChili]

I admit I had completely forgotten the path where Wade breaks up with Cindy himself. Probably because I don't pay much attention to this plot in the game as I don't find it interesting, so when I replay the game, at times I get Wade breaking up with Cindy, and others Cindy hooking up with Axel, and I have absolutely no idea on the choices I have made which lead to one outcome or the other (tbh...I don't really care).

However, I really have a hard time identifying the "interesting elements" making her "engaging":

- She's hot ok, that's why I mentioned her as a potential FMF candidate with my loyal Ian/Lena.
- Ok I get the "forbidden fruit" aspect, it is interesting....for exactly one second and a half.
Then what ?
Let's look at her from the start of the game:
- She's a rich girl working for her papa
- She's the kind of people who grabs stuff for free from her poorer friends, but rarely offers anything to them (beer etc.)
- She's not a good sport, super competitive even on the most silly games, and a VERY bad loser
- She does not know anything - and is no that interested - in arts, culture, politics, in anything
- She admires the bimbo influencers on instagram and tik tok pretty candidly
- She cheats on her boyfriend in almost any instance
- Before that, she is stupid enough to publish her naked pics before even having told her boyfriend about the shooting
- She doesn't cheat on her new boyfriend only if he has discplined her and put her on a leash

=> frankly, to me Cindy is just a blonde Kim Kardashian wannabe.

Well, many of the points you list as negative traits are some of the details that make her interesting. I don't think a character has to be wholly pleasant to be a fun love interest for your main characters.

So we can address some of the things seperately.
First her background, a daddy's girl who never really challenged herself until she got stuck in life. We see how she shows curiosity towards having a life beyond the day-to-day, reminiscing about the band-past of her friend group, how she falls into modelling at becomes defensive about it, wanting to make it her own thing, etc. The reason why I think this part of her is interesting is because she's at least semi-aware that she's lacking something in life. She falls into the modelling thing with very little grace when it comes to her boyfriend of course, but I think that's pretty reaslistic for a person who's never challenged the boundaries before. I like her and Ian's interactions because Ian actually has some experience and knowledge to share and even though Cindy ends up somewhat bratty if you chide her for some of her behaviour, I think they genuinely have some chemistry where Ian can show her how life can still be enticing. Cindy thinks she's stuck in her lane and Axel offers an option to get unstuck. But like you mention, Cindy's appreciation for modelling and that path in life is superficial, especially when compared to Lena who is almost pretentious about her body-positive look of the field.
As for your final point, like I already said Cindy doesn't need to be on the boundary path not to cheat. Still, for Cindy not to cheat you have to make certain choices, but as with your own professed experience this path can happen entirely dynamically too, Cindy cheating is not a given but a place she ends up if life doesn't pan out the right way. That's not to defend cheating of course, but I think this split with her is interesting just for the sake of branching storytelling. If you happen to only play Ian as a really good friend to Wade, you will only ever see Cindy and him break up normally, without her cheating. That way of playing isn't less legitimate than others.

I get that many of these details are ones that you think makes her unattractive, but to me it just makes her interesting to make choices in regards. I never end up with Axel/Cindy but that's because I always either play the Ian romance or Ian as Wade's true friend.
You regard Cindy as a character where cheating is inevitable, but it's more complicated than so and I think the frustrations she has with life and her relationship are very human, easy to understand. I don't agree with the cheating, but I think anyone can be driven to make stupid mistakes of other kinds when they are met with too much opposing force.

 

[dontcarewhateverno]

Besides Ian being unable to purchase props to unlock scenes, I’ve also noticed that his Athletics stat hardly demonstrates any impact on stamina-related performance during sex scenes. I hope the devs can make Ian’s Athletics stat play a role in showcasing his endurance in future updates—for example, in scenarios like multiple consecutive rounds of intercourse or sexual endurance competitions.

Ian goes to Japan to compete in the World's Longest Whack championship.

 

[Saerwen]

Ian goes to Japan to compete in the World's Longest Whack championship.

Or he could film porn. You always need someone with good stamina. Japan is in a dire need for male actors so it's perfect hobby for him.

 

[DaLuke2]

Well, many of the points you list as negative traits are some of the details that make her interesting. I don't think a character has to be wholly pleasant to be a fun love interest for your main characters.

So we can address some of the things seperately.
First her background, a daddy's girl who never really challenged herself until she got stuck in life. We see how she shows curiosity towards having a life beyond the day-to-day, reminiscing about the band-past of her friend group, how she falls into modelling at becomes defensive about it, wanting to make it her own thing, etc. The reason why I think this part of her is interesting is because she's at least semi-aware that she's lacking something in life. She falls into the modelling thing with very little grace when it comes to her boyfriend of course, but I think that's pretty reaslistic for a person who's never challenged the boundaries before. I like her and Ian's interactions because Ian actually has some experience and knowledge to share and even though Cindy ends up somewhat bratty if you chide her for some of her behaviour, I think they genuinely have some chemistry where Ian can show her how life can still be enticing. Cindy thinks she's stuck in her lane and Axel offers an option to get unstuck. But like you mention, Cindy's appreciation for modelling and that path in life is superficial, especially when compared to Lena who is almost pretentious about her body-positive look of the field.
As for your final point, like I already said Cindy doesn't need to be on the boundary path not to cheat. Still, for Cindy not to cheat you have to make certain choices, but as with your own professed experience this path can happen entirely dynamically too, Cindy cheating is not a given but a place she ends up if life doesn't pan out the right way. That's not to defend cheating of course, but I think this split with her is interesting just for the sake of branching storytelling. If you happen to only play Ian as a really good friend to Wade, you will only ever see Cindy and him break up normally, without her cheating. That way of playing isn't less legitimate than others.

I get that many of these details are ones that you think makes her unattractive, but to me it just makes her interesting to make choices in regards. I never end up with Axel/Cindy but that's because I always either play the Ian romance or Ian as Wade's true friend.
You regard Cindy as a character where cheating is inevitable, but it's more complicated than so and I think the frustrations she has with life and her relationship are very human, easy to understand. I don't agree with the cheating, but I think anyone can be driven to make stupid mistakes of other kinds when they are met with too much opposing force.

Thank you for taking the time. You make valid points. However:

- I do get you can make VERY interesting characters thanks to negative attributes, I certainly do not deny that. Villains are always more interesting than heroes. I just don't believe it is the case in this instance. Cindy is not even a villain.
- Her early curiosity about getting out of her shell could have been interesting, I agree. I just feel it was not developed with enough quality to be of interest.
- Do you really find the Cindy/Ian dialogues that interesting ? The first night at the club doesn't go further than a prep talk, then at the museum Ian talks about being creative, Cindy replies she dreams of leading the bimbo lifestyle on Instagram, then fishes for compliments on her looks compared to Lena. The talks in bed are not precisely Shakespeare either, and on the love path the last romance talk on the Cindy update was embarrassingly corny. I think especially about the part where Ian explains (demonstrates, at her request) to her why he thinks she is a wonderful person, I thought his lines must have been picked from one of the cheesy vampire romance books he had to review.
- The cheating per se is not unattractive to me, if it is well led. In that case, I already thought the street corner scene was off. The bed scenes are beautiful, aesthetically probably the best ones of the game. But they bore me. Then comes the Axel photoshoot. I am sure that EK thought she was a smartass introducing us to cheating with Axel via peoplegram, then polaroids. I sneered one second, and forgot about it.

I am sorry to repeat myself: I do take and respect your points and I think they are valid. My take on this is that it is not interesting to the point of delaying developing Ian/Lena as it has been the case right from the start, to deliver....just that.

 

[Gicoo]

Or he could film porn.

He is unironically too good looking.
Japanese porn (JAV) has purposely ugly models so that the audience doesn't feel inferior and can relate.
Western porn offers chads who either humiliate the average dude or inspire them to improve.

 

[SearingFive]

He is unironically too good looking.
Japanese porn (JAV) has purposely ugly models so that the audience doesn't feel inferior and can relate.
Western porn offers chads who either humiliate the average dude or inspire them to improve.

Yeah, pretty much nailed it lol

Jav knows their audience is 99% dudes who wanna pretend it’s them banging the idol, so they hire some balding 50yo salaryman with a gut. zero competition, pure coping fantasy.

Western porn just goes “here’s 6’4” jacked Chad with a third leg, enjoy feeling inadequate king” and half the viewers either jerk off to the humiliation or open Gymshark in another tab.

Both are 100% deliberate. One protects your ego, the other sells creatine and cuck porn. wild how different the vibes are.

 

[BlandChili]

- I do get you can make VERY interesting characters thanks to negative attributes, I certainly do not deny that. Villains are always more interesting than heroes. I just don't believe it is the case in this instance. Cindy is not even a villain.

Well, I don't know that I agree with the general statement either. Consider ORS alone, Seymour isn't a compelling villain either.

- Her early curiosity about getting out of her shell could have been interesting, I agree. I just feel it was not developed with enough quality to be of interest.

Fair enough, Cindy does end up rushing into the modelling thing. If all NPC's had variable routes similar to Holly maybe some alternative outlet could have been explored.

- Do you really find the Cindy/Ian dialogues that interesting ? The first night at the club doesn't go further than a prep talk, then at the museum Ian talks about being creative, Cindy replies she dreams of leading the bimbo lifestyle on Instagram, then fishes for compliments on her looks compared to Lena. The talks in bed are not precisely Shakespeare either, and on the love path the last romance talk on the Cindy update was embarrassingly corny. I think especially about the part where Ian explains (demonstrates, at her request) to her why he thinks she is a wonderful person, I thought his lines must have been picked from one of the cheesy vampire romance books he had to review.

I mean, it's not like I'd claim Eva is a master of script writing, but for what it is, yes I generally think Ian and Cindy have fun interactions. Ian can be charming or more overt or even put off by Cindy's traits. When they do get together I think their sexual dynamic is fun because Ian can stumble here and there if he pushes things, but playing his cards right he can get Cindy to lower her barriers to do new things.

- The cheating per se is not unattractive to me, if it is well led. In that case, I already thought the street corner scene was off. The bed scenes are beautiful, aesthetically probably the best ones of the game. But they bore me. Then comes the Axel photoshoot. I am sure that EK thought she was a smartass introducing us to cheating with Axel via peoplegram, then polaroids. I sneered one second, and forgot about it.

And I will freely admit that I am perhaps a bit too into Cindy. I don't really find your view disagreeable, I can see how Cindy's scenes wouldn't work for everyone.

I am sorry to repeat myself: I do take and respect your points and I think they are valid. My take on this is that it is not interesting to the point of delaying developing Ian/Lena as it has been the case right from the start, to deliver....just that.

At the end of the day all the characters and pairings are subject to individual preference. I don't enjoy Ian/Lena so I wouldn't mind whatsoever if Eva neglected that route wholly in favour of spending dev time on the routes I enjoy or the potential routes I would wish to start.

 

[ffive]

- I do get you can make VERY interesting characters thanks to negative attributes, I certainly do not deny that. Villains are always more interesting than heroes. I just don't believe it is the case in this instance. Cindy is not even a villain.

Villains are very often characters with negative traits exaggerated to cartoon levels. This is something i personally don't find interesting at all, and my appreciation for Cindy's character comes very much from how her character is grounded and realistic in this regard -- she has flaws, but they're the sort of flaws you'll find in a normal human being and this is actually quite rare in fiction.

 

[Radnos Salazar]

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I missed last week’s status report, but I’m back with this week’s.

I’ve been focused on pushing things forward on several fronts, mainly the script and the art. I’ve already written the events leading up to the party, and I’m finally working on the final part of this arc. It’s been a complicated process, since I keep weighing and discarding ideas as I go , figuring out which ones are worth implementing and which ones I should drop, how to develop the dialogues and scenes, how to order and connect them, how to shape the pacing, what art to use to support the narrative properly, and so on.

The previous chapter was easier because the scenes were clearer, simpler, and not as tightly interconnected as everything happening in this big event. Still, I’m making progress; always slower than I’d like, but steady enough. I’m really looking forward to publishing the next update and bringing this story arc to a close.

We’re also getting ready for the Steam release of Our Red String, something that’s been postponed for a long time but finally seems to be becoming a reality. Right now we’re putting on the final touches and going through the bureaucratic steps, but for now we’re estimating a possible release in February or March 2026.

Apparently it’s important to build up a good number of wishlists before launch so the game gets more visibility and impact, so I’ll be spamming you over the next few months to make sure you add it to yours! If you want to support the project on Steam, you can Wishlist it through

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.

And by the way, I’m looking for collaborators to help me put together the game’s Achievement list: picking key events, giving them a fitting or funny name, and adding a short description. So if that’s something you’re into, message me on Discord and we’ll set something up!

 

[Stilbruch]

"And by the way, I’m looking for collaborators to help me put together the game’s Achievement list: picking key events, giving them a fitting or funny name, and adding a short description. So if that’s something you’re into, message me on Discord and we’ll set something up!"

Now this is something we could have some fun with.

 

[dantder]

If Mike is Gillian's boyfriend it would be nice to have a scene where he and Ian talk at the party, it should be the final closure if Ian has stopped simping for her.
If he hasn't ... it would be an entertaining trainwreck to watch too.

 

[BlandChili]

If Mike is Gillian's boyfriend it would be nice to have a scene where he and Ian talk at the party, it should be the final closure if Ian has stopped simping for her.
If he hasn't ... it would be an entertaining trainwreck to watch too.

Given that the party is Lena POV I don't imagine we'd get a scene with Ian and Mike talking alone without her being present too, assuming Ian shows up at all.

 

[dantder]

Given that the party is Lena POV I don't imagine we'd get a scene with Ian and Mike talking alone without her being present too.

Oh, I didn't know that, thought we were going to get a sort of "debriefing" of the getaway shenanigans for Ian's perspective.
There's enough route variations that her being there could be warranted, specially considering her potential involvement with either of them. Would be the moment for the cuckold route "threesome" now that I think about it.

But yeah, probably won't happen then.

 

[ffive]

Given that the party is Lena POV I don't imagine we'd get a scene with Ian and Mike talking alone without her being present too, assuming Ian shows up at all.

Would make it quite a bit more interesting too, between the possibility of Lena having fucked Mike, and her potentially learning that Ian still has feelings for his ex. I imagine the player would get some input on how to react to such news.

 

[BlandChili]

I imagine the player would get some input on how to react to such news.

Lena jumps down from the balcony she was spying on them from
"Foursome time!" she shouts.

 

[dantder]

Would make it quite a bit more interesting too, between the possibility of Lena having fucked Mike, and her potentially learning that Ian still has feelings for his ex. I imagine the player would get some input on how to react to such news.

For sure. But I also feel Chapter 12 was such a defining moment in the relationship between the two leads that having a shake-up so soon would undermine the work done there.

 

[dantder]

Lena jumps down from the balcony she was spying on them from
"Foursome time!" she shouts.

Lena's being so proactive in setting up threesomes and whatnot, lmao. It's about time that Ian starts putting some food on the table too!

 

[varpep]

Lena jumps down from the balcony she was spying on them from
"Foursome time!" she shouts.

How about threesome where Lena has sex with Gillian while Ian cries and masturbates