VN Ren'Py Race of Life [Act 1 v1.04.5] [Underground Studio]

[Maviarab]

In my playthrough, Veronica is in Canada where she belongs.

When you think about it, Veronica is the only character in RoL that has precisely zero impact on the story. So I think letting her fuck off to Canada is the canon route

Which story exactly...do any of them really?

Ahhh, ok. The Yoga scene with her was a lot of fun. Can crank it to max and leave her quivering on the mat.

If that's your belief, it's your belief. The background lore in the game, and early in, she had a very important role on the project. The MC even recounts/acknowledges it, so yeah that's not entirely accurate. If I recall correctly (it's been a while), MC even says it wouldn't be where it is without her help. You just don't see a lot of it on screen. There's one text where she sends some paperwork, and talks to you about the funding/paperwork she's working on. So it is there.

This^

So which story/plot are we actually defining is relevant here? Daughter? Battery? Racing? Is there even actually a main plot?

Maggie...which story is she relevant too? Alison only relevant to the daughter storyline. Jas is only really relevant to the racing story. V is actually more relevant to the battery plot than any of them. Alexis? pfff...Nat? Battery again....

 

[cooldevo]

Which story exactly...do any of them really?


This^

So which story/plot are we actually defining is relevant here? Daughter? Battery? Racing? Is there even actually a main plot?

Maggie...which story is she relevant too? Alison only relevant to the daughter storyline. Jas is only really relevant to the racing story. V is actually more relevant to the battery plot than any of them. Alexis? pfff...Nat? Battery again....

Almost like a Venn diagram of stories: the battery project, Maggie's mother, daughter's coma, car upgrades/racing, and Allie's problems with Wyatt. And the MC is where they all meet.

 

[Just Jericho]

Ahhh, ok. The Yoga scene with her was a lot of fun. Can crank it to max and leave her quivering on the mat.

If that's your belief, it's your belief. The background lore in the game, and early in, she had a very important role on the project. The MC even recounts/acknowledges it, so yeah that's not entirely accurate. If I recall correctly (it's been a while), MC even says it wouldn't be where it is without her help. You just don't see a lot of it on screen. There's one text where she sends some paperwork, and talks to you about the funding/paperwork she's working on. So it is there.

Are you sure she was working on the project? If we're thinking of the same scene, it was when she was texts to MC of paperwork but trying to distract him with her tits. I thought she was just grading papers or something.

I don't think she has any involvement with anything unless you chose to stay on her path. Which is why I consider her an optional character. All of the other characters are linked to the main story arc in some way whether you're on their path or not.

Which story exactly...do any of them really?


This^

So which story/plot are we actually defining is relevant here? Daughter? Battery? Racing? Is there even actuallt a main plot?

Maggie...which story is she relevant too? Alison only relevant to the daughter storyline. Jas is only really relevant to the racing story. V is actually more relevant to the battery plot than any of them. Alexis? pfff...Nat? Battery again....

The situation with lily, the racing, the battery project are all tied together. All of those characters you mentioned, apart from Maggie, are related to the main story arc in some essential way. And I suspect Maggie is more involved than we think because of the situation with her mother. It's just a theory, but I think that situation is connected in some way to the underground crime business too. Either way, Maggie's arc is established whether you're on her path or not and it's still unresolved.

But Veronica? She's completely modular. All other characters have significant story relevance whether you're on their paths or not. Like I'm not on Maggie or Allies paths, yet they are both still involved. Veronica leaves for Canada and nobody loses a step. If she arguably had any relevance at all, it was barely consequential. If Veronica comes back from Canada and has a greater impact on the story and other characters, then I'd change my mind about her character.

 

[The unseen]

The pool scene with Veronica as GF and Jasmine as nobody ends weirdly with Veronica being ashamed and covering herself up(momentarily), even tho she asked MC to get a table with a "poolside view".

She's dumb mate, that simple.

 

[cooldevo]

Are you sure she was working on the project? If we're thinking of the same scene, it was when she was texts to MC of paperwork but trying to distract him with her tits. I thought she was just grading papers or something.

I don't think she has any involvement with anything unless you chose to stay on her path. Which is why I consider her an optional character. All of the other characters are linked to the main story arc in some way whether you're on their path or not.

You may want to go back and review the first few scenes of the game then. It's where they set up her backstory professionally and romantically.

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She's very intricate to the battery project. This is just the first few screens after leaving the classroom.

 

[cooldevo]

So which story/plot are we actually defining is relevant here? Daughter? Battery? Racing? Is there even actually a main plot?

Maggie...which story is she relevant too? Alison only relevant to the daughter storyline. Jas is only really relevant to the racing story. V is actually more relevant to the battery plot than any of them. Alexis? pfff...Nat? Battery again....

I'm beginning to think there'll be a lot of overlap coming.

• Battery Project: The heart of the initial story for MC's professional path.
• Daughter: Becomes the big issue in the story (suspect link to Wyatt's doing), and MC needs the battery and racing to succeed to pay for treatment.
• Racing: To raise money for daughter's treatment initially, but has also morphed into the battery project as well (WRL at the conference).
• Maggie: Asks MC to see if her mom is at the investor party. Turns out the mom's husband is one of the investors interested in the battery project. Maggie has her thoughts on the husband/investor and they aren't flattering.
• Wyatt: Established backstory with MC and Allie, which is why he was in jail. He is now directly tied into the Maggie story, as he was at the house when MC and Maggie went to see if her Mom was there. He then again shows up at the one race, inserting himself there. On Allie's story, he's already suspected for the hit and run, and will likely be more involved in the coming updates.

Right now, they are very different stories, but they are starting to pull together with some common themes/names showing up. I'll be curious to see if more threads start to pull together.

 

[Just Jericho]

You may want to go back and review the first few scenes of the game then. It's where they set up her backstory professionally and romantically.

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She's very intricate to the battery project. This is just the first few screens after leaving the classroom.

I'm not sure I'd call that very substantial involvement. That's a little something though.

Here's another way to look at it though.. What is Veronica's arc? What is it that make's her matter in the grand scheme of things? There are many inter-related subplots in the story that we mentioned earlier (Lily, Maggie, The Racing, The Battery Project).

Here's where the main girls stand assuming you're not on anyone's path:

Natalya = Directly involved with the Battery Project. May or may not be a corporate spy
Jasmine = Directly involved with the Battery project as MC's assistant, and also involved in the Racing scene.
Allie = Ex Wife. Directly involved with LIly's treatment.
Maggie = The developing situation with her mother and stepfather. Now with Wyatt, there's a link between Maggie's arc and Allison/Lily. Also has a link to the battery project through douchebag stepfather.

Then Veronica: Fuck Buddy. She helped MC with funding the battery project prior to the story, and has been MC's FWB for about 6 months. She's out of the picture entirely by chapter 2 if you don't take her path.

See what I mean? Independent of romance branches, all of the other main girls are directly involved with developing aspects of the main story except for Veronica. Her "story arc" thus far is almost exclusively the "FWB/girlfriend character". Any subsequent involvement with the main story is predicated by whether MC makes the relationship with her official. Even then, she simply gets plugged into events that would have otherwise happened without her.

Fuck, even several side girls have more significance than Veronica.

 

[cooldevo]

I'm not sure I'd call that very substantial involvement. That's a little something though.

Here's another way to look at it though.. What is Veronica's arc? What is it that make's her matter in the grand scheme of things? There are many inter-related subplots in the story that we mentioned earlier (Lily, Maggie, The Racing, The Battery Project).

Here's where the main girls stand assuming you're not on anyone's path:

Natalya = Directly involved with the Battery Project. May or may not be a corporate spy
Jasmine = Directly involved with the Battery project as MC's assistant, and also involved in the Racing scene.
Allie = Ex Wife. Directly involved with LIly's treatment.
Maggie = The developing situation with her mother and stepfather. Now with Wyatt, there's a link between Maggie's arc and Allison/Lily. Also has a link to the battery project through douchebag stepfather.

Then Veronica: Fuck Buddy. She helped MC with funding the battery project prior to the story, and has been MC's FWB for about 6 months. She's out of the picture entirely by chapter 2 if you don't take her path.

See what I mean? Independent of romance branches, all of the other main girls are directly involved with developing aspects of the main story except for Veronica. Her "story arc" thus far is almost exclusively the "FWB/girlfriend character". Any subsequent involvement with the main story is predicated by whether MC makes the relationship with her official. Even then, she simply gets plugged into events that would have otherwise happened without her.

Fuck, even several side girls have more significance than Veronica.

That's just the first few slides post-first classroom. I didn't go further in, but there is a lot more.

I don't think you have done an arc with her in it. Keep her around, then tell me the same thing. She's often in scenes at the office doing paperwork, working on the laptop, 'helping' the MC write presentations/proposals. Exactly what an English professor would excel at. She can also attend the investor party, as well as the Conference where she does a very good job according to the story.

 

[jadepaladin]

That's just the first few slides post-first classroom. I didn't go further in, but there is a lot more.

I don't think you have done an arc with her in it. Keep her around, then tell me the same thing. She's often in scenes at the office doing paperwork, working on the laptop, 'helping' the MC write presentations/proposals. Exactly what an English professor would excel at. She can also attend the investor party, as well as the Conference where she does a very good job according to the story.

I really want to agree with this. V is obviously part of the reason the MC gets that initial big grant. She does help with the battery project more if you're on her route and it's in a support role. I don't think the conference should count as a victory for her because it's also a victory for anyone you bring. I was actually hoping that one choice would be better than the other when it came to the conference but it wasn't meant to be. He could have brought Cooper and gotten similar results. The journey is dialogue different depending on LI choice but the results are the same.

 

[Just Jericho]

That's just the first few slides post-first classroom. I didn't go further in, but there is a lot more.

I don't think you have done an arc with her in it. Keep her around, then tell me the same thing. She's often in scenes at the office doing paperwork, working on the laptop, 'helping' the MC write presentations/proposals. Exactly what an English professor would excel at. She can also attend the investor party, as well as the Conference where she does a very good job according to the story.

This proves my point.

 

[cooldevo]

I really want to agree with this. V is obviously part of the reason the MC gets that initial big grant. She does help with the battery project more if you're on her route and it's in a support role. I don't think the conference should count as a victory for her because it's also a victory for anyone you bring. I was actually hoping that one choice would be better than the other when it came to the conference but it wasn't meant to be. He could have brought Cooper and gotten similar results. The journey is dialogue different depending on LI choice but the results are the same.

Oh you are right. Just showing how the 'story' shows it as a success if she goes. But it really seems to be meaningless.

It's the same at the investor party. Allie, it says, would be fantastic at navigating the people there as it's right up her alley. But other than the conversation changes, does the investment interest actually change if you take Allie, V, or any of the others? I think it just gets you relationship points with whomever you take.

 

[jadepaladin]

Oh you are right. Just showing how the 'story' shows it as a success if she goes. But it really seems to be meaningless.

It's the same at the investor party. Allie, it says, would be fantastic at navigating the people there as it's right up her alley. But other than the conversation changes, does the investment interest actually change if you take Allie, V, or any of the others? I think it just gets you relationship points with whomever you take.

Yep it's just points (and that Veronica cheating flag if on her route). Another minor disappointment for me. Was hoping Allie would get to flex and have a better outcome. Jasmine feels like objectively the worst choice to bring to the ball but she also does well so it's all moot. Not even gonna talk about Nat.

 

[cooldevo]

This proves my point.

That she is actively involved in the battery project? Absolute it proves that she's a core component. Without the grant and thesis, you think the project would exist? MC doesn't like the paperwork and doesn't do well at it, and even tells V that at the beginning.

It's no different if you reject any of the 'optional' battery project LIs. If you shoot down Natalya, she becomes meaningless to the battery project as she won't be around and may not go to the conference. So that puts her at the same level as V then. Maggie even less so, as she's not involved at all in the project. Best she's done is take care of the dog and a massage.

 

[Just Jericho]

That she is actively involved in the battery project? Absolute it proves that she's a core component. Without the grant and thesis, you think the project would exist? MC doesn't like the paperwork and doesn't do well at it, and even tells V that at the beginning.

It's no different if you reject any of the 'optional' battery project LIs. If you shoot down Natalya, she becomes meaningless to the battery project as she won't be around and may not go to the conference. So that puts her at the same level as V then. Maggie even less so, as she's not involved at all in the project. Best she's done is take care of the dog and a massage.

Sorry buddy, but no. This isn't accurate. Seriously, try playing a virgin playthrough. Reject all of the sexual advances from all of the girls and try to play neutral and you'll see what I mean. You'll find that all of the girls still have developing unique story independent of their romantic paths and stay involved in the story except for Veronica.

It's true that some of the other four main LIs have less involvement than others at this stage in the story but it's more likely that they will become more significant in later chapters. For example, even if you initially refuse to help Maggie with her mom, MC still helps her anyway which leads to the confrontation with Wyatt. Natalya is still - for reasons yet unknown - trying to stay close to MC for some reason despite her very forward advances getting rejected. This implies that both characters are integral to the story in some way later on that doesn't involve their romantic paths. And Allison and Jasmine are undeniably the two most involved LIs in the story thus far.

Veronica is the only one out of the five who is out of the picture entirely unless you're romancing her. That may change at some point in the future IF she comes back from Canada and has some kind of impact the broader story apart from being the "ex-fling". But for now she has no bearing on the story outside of her romance path except for being a co-worker FWB and for helping with that grant (which happened prior to the story even starting).

 

[Krepax]

Veronica's redeeming moment comes in the "jealous fuck" route, where she admits she may be OK with the MC flirting with the other girls (and more than just flirting...) because when he comes back to her, she feels somehow "better" than the rest of them.

In other words, she's desperate for attention... I agree that V has become a secondary character in the current story arc, one that the MC can bring along for the occasional hot scene in between his new conquests.

 

[Steuan]

Jas is only really relevant to the racing story. V is actually more relevant to the battery plot than any of them.

It's not true, mister. I think you should play the game again.

The game has one main plot and two subplots connected to main plot:

• The Daughter (Main plot)

1. The Battery (Subplot)
2. The Racing (Subplot)

All main girls except Maggie are relevant to the main plot and the subplots.

However, just one of them is relevant to all these subplots: Jasmine

I'll explain it further.


Jasmine

The Battery
On her path? YES
Not on her path? YES

The Racing
On her path? YES
Not on her path? YES


Veronica

The Battery
On her path? YES
Not on her path? NO

The Racing
On her path? NO
Not on her path? NO


Allison

The Battery
On her path? YES
Not on her path? NO

The Racing
On her path? NO
Not on her path? NO


Natalya

The Battery
On her path? YES
Not on her path? YES

The Racing
On her path? NO
Not on her path? NO


Maggie

The Battery
On her path? NO
Not on her path? NO

The Racing
On her path? NO
Not on her path? NO


As you can see, V is as useless as the other main girls except Jasmine when it comes to the main plot a.k.a. the daughter plot. Perhaps, the things will change in Act II but I... really don't think so.

 

[multihacker]

great game. but I'm in the middle of 3rd episode and I need to ask: Is Nataliya a Russian spy?

 

[Maccabbee]

... I think you should play the game again.

...

A lot of good stuff in there, but you had me at that line. I agree. I should play the game again!

 

[Maccabbee]

great game. but I'm in the middle of 3rd episode and I need to ask: Is Nataliya a Russian spy?

I don't know for sure Russian, as she's also German, but my thought was definitely similar to yours. Could also be corporate espionage. There's a reason why she can't be a main girl, right? Otherwise, to me she's perfect; smart, sexy, educated, and willing for funtime.

 

[MiltonPowers]

It's not true, mister. I think you should play the game again.

The game has one main plot and two subplots connected to main plot:

• The Daughter (Main plot)

1. The Battery (Subplot)
2. The Racing (Subplot)

All main girls except Maggie are relevant to the main plot and the subplots.

However, just one of them is relevant to all these subplots: Jasmine

I'll explain it further.


Jasmine

The Battery
On her path? YES
Not on her path? YES

The Racing
On her path? YES
Not on her path? YES


Veronica

The Battery
On her path? YES
Not on her path? NO

The Racing
On her path? NO
Not on her path? NO


Allison

The Battery
On her path? YES
Not on her path? NO

The Racing
On her path? NO
Not on her path? NO


Natalya

The Battery
On her path? YES
Not on her path? YES

The Racing
On her path? NO
Not on her path? NO


Maggie

The Battery
On her path? NO
Not on her path? NO

The Racing
On her path? NO
Not on her path? NO


As you can see, V is as useless as the other main girls except Jasmine when it comes to the main plot a.k.a. the daughter plot. Perhaps, the things will change in Act II but I... really don't think so.

Oh what a surprise. The redhead involved in everything and constantly around. That's so unusual.