Ren'Py Stranded in Space [Days 1-19 Elysium] [WildMan Games]

[Wildman Dev]

If anyone wants to list a few (no total number required) of their top likely culprit candidates, I'm also compiling a list on my Discord (which is in my sig).

On my end, everything is locked in, so no answers or guesses can sway me, I'm just curious to see everyone's guesses in non-paragraph form.

 

[Paerun Cru'Av]

See, I don't think our points conflict. The culprit I propose would likely wake Skyler up first on purpose, because for whatever the greater plan is (probably something about upgrading or field testing PAIGE) having a crew of healthy beautiful woman awake for the MC to pursue makes sense. Not that there's any proof against your theory, just I don't think that particular evidence negates any other.

The idea about field testing PAIGE actually makes perfect sense, since her very existence was based on seducing and corrupting women. I think that's also one of the reasons why the MC got her inside his head, because that's how he was getting the job done before his amnesia.

 

[Hungover00]

Have you followed that choice through to current content and you still feel the same? I don't actually think choosing Nemy turns out to be "evil". You could argue that the initial choice might be more "evil", but given what she reveals later, she might actually be better off for it.

I also am unconvinced that choosing Ariel would corrupt her any more than otherwise; she just might get corrupted faster. Given that Haley is her sister and she's surrounded by several other lustful women, I feel like any corruption would happen regardless TBH.

Personally, I never got the impression there was ever really a canon direction. I could obviously be wrong, but it never felt that way to me. The overall plot doesn't change, and even the relationships are fairly consistent either way (except ofc for whether it's Nemy or Daphne who's awake). It seems to me it's just what flavor of things you want or don't in the path to the end of the story. There are definite differences, of course, but I never got the impression one specific option was canon while the other was just something else offered.

I have not followed the Nemy choice to the end, but I'm not sure how the Nemy choice, with the information the MC and player had at the time, could be considered anything but the more immoral choice.

I agree though that from first glance most of the choices seem to be about pacing, and all paths are leading to the same ending (except who you wake up, unless eventually the other wakes up too). But that's only after one playthrough (it's a big game).

And what is or is not canon is likely more my bias rather than the dev's intent. More an intuitive claim than a fact based one.

 

[Hungover00]

The idea about field testing PAIGE actually makes perfect sense, since her very existence was based on seducing and corrupting women. I think that's also one of the reasons why the MC got her inside his head, because that's how he was getting the job done before his amnesia.

If by why the MC got her inside his head you mean that he was 'the only one' that could run the project because he already had a magic dick and was a social chameleon, I agree. Which is part of my initial theory of Big Bad Company kidnapping, mindwiping, and inserting both PAIGE and MC onto the Endurance. All those proper nouns being consistently redacted is too suspicious. Plus, there's the DRONE that Ariel pointed out! The one we see in the Egypt flashback.

 

[Paerun Cru'Av]

If by why the MC got her inside his head you mean that he was 'the only one' that could run the project because he already had a magic dick and was a social chameleon, I agree. Which is part of my initial theory of Big Bad Company kidnapping, mindwiping, and inserting both PAIGE and MC onto the Endurance. All those proper nouns being consistently redacted is too suspicious. Plus, there's the DRONE that Ariel pointed out! The one we see in the Egypt flashback.

Thanks for reminding me about that drone. I keep forgetting about it. And yeah, that's a vital clue. Pretty much says how long the mastermind was preparing the entire operation. Even before the MC was put in charge of his project. It's clearly a large scale operation, and it seems like the entire Elysium will be influenced by the outcome of that operation.

 

[Hungover00]

If anyone wants to list a few (no total number required) of their top likely culprit candidates, I'm also compiling a list on my Discord (which is in my sig).

1. Hidden company agent in locked off parts of the Endurance. (This seems like the smartest play by the BBEC [Big Bad Evil Corp] with the most control, though I'd also have set up some redundancies, which could include woman on the Endurance, as well as manipulating MC and PAIGE as much as possible within the parameters)

2. Marissa. Lone wolf, alternate morals, first to fuck MC. Could easily be a sleeper agent for hire after changing careers.

3. Any of the older women (+ Camilla). More chances to have reasons/blackmail buttons to take such extreme action, as well as more advanced skillset. Even Alina. I add Camilla in there because of military background (qualified agent skillset, ex-mil often go into corporate security after discharge, etc.) and antagonistic relationship with MC could be used to be an additional variable to the theoretical experiment of Stranded in Space TM. Ishani, Skyler, etc. are already high on the suspect lists for the power and influence they wield.

4. Tiffany? The whole 'Rival' business could be a great smokescreen to surveil and mess with the MC and ladies of the Endurance.

5. MC. I still think he was shanghai'd, but there is the chance he was lured back to the dark side and went willingly, and most of the mind-wiping/amnesia is being used as a deep-cover alibi. This probably does require 1 to also be true in some fashion or other.

5 6. Everyone else. Anyone could be bribed or blackmailed with reasons unknown (the ticket price to Elysium is an obvious one).

*edit: added MC as 5.

 

[Wildman Dev]

Have you followed that choice through to current content and you still feel the same? I don't actually think choosing Nemy turns out to be "evil". You could argue that the initial choice might be more "evil", but given what she reveals later, she might actually be better off for it.

I also am unconvinced that choosing Ariel would corrupt her any more than otherwise; she just might get corrupted faster. Given that Haley is her sister and she's surrounded by several other lustful women, I feel like any corruption would happen regardless TBH.

Personally, I never got the impression there was ever really a canon direction. I could obviously be wrong, but it never felt that way to me. The overall plot doesn't change, and even the relationships are fairly consistent either way (except ofc for whether it's Nemy or Daphne who's awake). It seems to me it's just what flavor of things you want or don't in the path to the end of the story. There are definite differences, of course, but I never got the impression one specific option was canon while the other was just something else offered.

I'm just catching up on everyone's thoughts.

There's definitely not a canon route with who you choose you wake up. With any Major Decision, there isn't a canon route.

Most people tend to pick Daphne, but there are equal scenes for both her and Nemy.

Also, and I think I've said this before (in the past few f95 pages), but the Nemy content is really picking up. Day 18's scene is... interesting, to say the least.

 

[Paerun Cru'Av]

Also, and I think I've said this before (in the past few f95 pages), but the Nemy content is really picking up. Day 18's scene is... interesting, to say the least.

One of my "most waited for" developments.

 

[Hungover00]

I'm just catching up on everyone's thoughts.

There's definitely not a canon route with who you choose you wake up. With any Major Decision, there isn't a canon route.

Most people tend to pick Daphne, but there are equal scenes for both her and Nemy.

Also, and I think I've said this before (in the past few f95 pages), but the Nemy content is really picking up. Day 18's scene is... interesting, to say the least.

I have not played the Nemy route yet (beyond waking her up), as the only internal reason for it I could find for the MC was a desire to seduce a married woman / cuck some random husband, and I hadn't seen evidence of that in the playthrough so far. Waking up Daphne seemed the obvious utilitarian choice, and most likely for MC to get more sex. Same with picking Ariel over Hayley, it didn't make sense to me in the story unless there was another motivation (ie. Corrupt Ariel) from how I was RPing the MC. I went Lira the first time, though having started the Camilla path, I see the reasoning and it felt very solid. Same goes for awakening Elsie's bisexuality, treating Zara's addiction with expanded experience, and impregnating Reagan (why would you not knock up a billionaire in this situation?). The only major choice that didn't make me feel like there was a more moral choice (ie. pre-20 year old MC) was Egypt or Japan. I went with Egypt to try and see the genesis or early days of the MC. Not really sure why that is a choice, other than pacing, because PAIGE and MC could have just spent another night looking at the other memories. (Bold is the choice I made)

Obviously not saying you're wrong. Just pointing out my impressions on a first playthrough while trying to make decisions I think the MC would have (got Skylar on my quiz with the same philosophy). I do get picking Nemy for aesthetic reasons, just not in-world moral ones.

 

[Hungover00]

I would be curious as to the reasons folk who picked to wake Nemy up on their first playthrough did so.

 

[Wildman Dev]

I have not played the Nemy route yet (beyond waking her up), as the only internal reason for it I could find for the MC was a desire to seduce a married woman / cuck some random husband, and I hadn't seen evidence of that in the playthrough so far. Waking up Daphne seemed the obvious utilitarian choice, and most likely for MC to get more sex. Same with picking Ariel over Hayley, it didn't make sense to me in the story unless there was another motivation (ie. Corrupt Ariel) from how I was RPing the MC. I went Lira the first time, though having started the Camilla path, I see the reasoning and it felt very solid. Same goes for awakening Elsie's bisexuality, treating Zara's addiction with expanded experience, and impregnating Reagan (why would you not knock up a billionaire in this situation?). The only major choice that didn't make me feel like there was a more moral choice (ie. pre-20 year old MC) was Egypt or Japan. I went with Egypt to try and see the genesis or early days of the MC. Not really sure why that is a choice, other than pacing, because PAIGE and MC could have just spent another night looking at the other memories. (Bold is the choice I made)

Obviously not saying you're wrong. Just pointing out my impressions on a first playthrough while trying to make decisions I think the MC would have (got Skylar on my quiz with the same philosophy). I do get picking Nemy for aesthetic reasons, just not in-world moral ones.

It can definitely be viewed in the ways you're saying.

Similar to the MC's evolving relationship with Tiffany, or most of his amnesia memories, there have been moments that lack 'morality'.

Some people might want to seduce and corrupt a married woman.

 

[Paerun Cru'Av]

I would be curious as to the reasons folk who picked to wake Nemy up on their first playthrough did so.

I'm going with two separate playthroughs, simply to cover all choices. But I admit, with Nemy, I'm just curious how far can she fall into depravity, being the only married woman on the ship. Her internal conflict will definitely be interesting to see.

 

[gotmy223]

If anyone wants to list a few (no total number required) of their top likely culprit candidates, I'm also compiling a list on my Discord (which is in my sig).

On my end, everything is locked in, so no answers or guesses can sway me, I'm just curious to see everyone's guesses in non-paragraph form.

I actually did this during the part when PAIGE asked the MC to list his 5 likely culprits (I can't remember which day that was). I ranked every girl at that point in the story (pre-Kasumi). I've since adjusted the list based on more story unfolding.

1. Skylar
2. Ishani
3. Sasha
4. Gigi
5. Marissa
6. Alina
7. Raegan
8. Elsie
9. Zara
10. Camila
11. Umiko
12. Kasumi
13. Daphne
14. Tiffany
15. Haylee
16. Lira
17. Ariel

 

[Hungover00]

It can definitely be viewed in the ways you're saying.

Similar to the MC's evolving relationship with Tiffany, or most of his amnesia memories, there have been moments that lack 'morality'.

Some people might want to seduce and corrupt a married woman.

Yeah, to me it seemed like the choices mostly boiled down to pre-Corpo MC, or Amnesia-Year MC (with the possible exception of Ritual/Bisexual Awakening), and I leaned towards pre-Corpo MC, as that was the RP I chose for first run. The other path could easily be canon as well, it just didn't feel quite as conscious.

Great game again. The banter is S-tier (for my preference of humour). Seeing even Ishani start to riff off of Sasha, MC, and Gigi's extended bits is great.

 

[Hungover00]

I'm going with two separate playthroughs, simply to cover all choices. But I admit, with Nemy, I'm just curious how far can she fall into depravity, being the only married woman on the ship. Her internal conflict will definitely be interesting to see.

Yeah, that's the motivation I could see choosing her as well.

 

[Hungover00]

I actually did this during the part when PAIGE asked the MC to list his 5 likely culprits (I can't remember which day that was). I ranked every girl at that point in the story (pre-Kasumi). I've since adjusted the list based on more story unfolding.

1. Skylar
2. Ishani
3. Sasha
4. Gigi
5. Marissa
6. Alina
7. Raegan
8. Elsie
9. Zara
10. Camila
11. Umiko
12. Kasumi
13. Daphne
14. Tiffany
15. Haylee
16. Lira
17. Ariel

Interesting that Daphne is higher up than some of the women that were awake before the MC was. Any particular reason for that (especially since she might not have been woken up)?

 

[Paerun Cru'Av]

Interesting that Daphne is higher up than some of the women that were awake before the MC was. Any particular reason for that (especially since she might not have been woken up)?

I've been wondering about the same.

 

[gotmy223]

See, I don't think our points conflict. The culprit I propose would likely wake Skyler up first on purpose, because for whatever the greater plan is (probably something about upgrading or field testing PAIGE) having a crew of healthy beautiful woman awake for the MC to pursue makes sense. Not that there's any proof against your theory, just I don't think that particular evidence negates any other.

I agree with you, and I think that ultimately your theory is likely the correct one. The clues/personalities are leading me to Skylar, but I'm a writer too, and as a writer I don't think Wildman has the stones to ultimately "kill" one of his characters. I know I wouldn't. LOL!

He's put so much time into developing each personality, and crafting a special relationship with the MC for each. Readers have to gravitated to the women of their liking and forged bonds with certain characters. That's what a good story does.

Does Wildman have it in him to "kill" a character (in the eyes of the reader), and break those bonds with the audience? I'm not sure.

But your theory avoids this, and there also have been plenty of hints in that direction.

 

[gotmy223]

Interesting that Daphne is higher up than some of the women that were awake before the MC was. Any particular reason for that (especially since she might not have been woken up)?

No. I just wanted to do a complete list. Really from Umiko down can all be #11.

11-17 is more of the order of how shocked I would be if it ended up being one of them.

 

[Hungover00]

One other thing I'm curious about is the timeline for Pandora. She must have found the memo ~2-3 years ago and left very quickly from Elysium to intercept the Endurance. That's quite a long time to spend alone, probably not in cryo. Maybe that's why she's so keen to kill. That's assuming a single person ship can reach the speeds of a deep space colony ship.

Or is she lying, and is coming from somewhere much, much, closer?