VN Ren'Py Summer's Gone [S1 Steam + DLC] [Oceanlab]

[talion777]

The counterbalance is the basketball boys. The game cannot go 50:50 screen time between girls and guys because obviously the focus of the relationship would be the girls and not the guys.


In general, I'd usually agree with you that I'm not a fan of too many girls. There are so many games that introduced like 10 girls from the start and I thought they could benefit from being reduced down to 5 or so instead. However, specifically for Summer's Gone (and a few other select high-quality games), I don't mind that it has so many girls because of the way they are presented. In most other games, what we have would be 10 girls that are just on rotation where we get some scene with girl A, then girl B, etc. That breaks the flow of the game because those girls often exist as if exclusively and individually for the MC. In Summer's Gone, those characters are all part of the same existence because they interact with multiple different groups fulfilling different roles in potentially multiple plot points.

A few examples:

1. We were introduced to Ayua as Bella's friend, but we immediately got Ayua paired with Nami for the group project to kickstart the interaction between MC and Ayua. Her character wasn't pigeonholed as Bella's sidekick which then allowed her to be a more neutral character that can be a voice of reasoning to the complicated Bella/MC relationship instead.
2. Robin is a duo with Sasha. We get to see her being a victim of the gossip along with MC, then being an antagonist by tricking MC to help Zara/Nadia, but also going against Zara/Nadia by informing Bella/Marla. She is also a potential housemate with MC, Nami, and Mila. She does a lot.
3. The connection between plots where we get to see Mila being insulted by Mario that then led to MC working with Bella to sneak into Mario's house because Bella doesn't want Amber to be with Mario's dad which then led to MC/Bella trying to get more information from Vanessa. All this while also having other related plot points such as Amber/Mario's dad plot, MC meeting up with Elsa, Vanessa potentially being a future step sister, and maybe more.

In most other games, a character like Ayua would be one dimensional Bella's sidekick who exist only with MC and Bella. Similarly with Robin/Sasha. Plot points are also often unrelated to one another where MC interacts with each LI individually as if they only exist when with MC but not with each other. In Summer's Gone, all these characters are part of the big picture and they have lives that don't have to revolve around the MC.


Due to the reasoning above, I don't find this off-putting at all. I actually consider this as an amazing strong point of the game.

I can't say whether this will make paths to convoluted going forward because it isn't clear yet how the paths will be done for most of the characters, but I think LI-path-wise, it could be done as simple as having a point where MC will have to choose who he wants to be serious with (and breaking up with whoever else he was in relationship with at that point, if any) before the path move forward.

I'm definitely interested to see how the story would unfold that could lead to the more complicated potential LI such as Vanessa (how could she be convinced to break up with Mario to then end up with someone who is potentially her step brother by that point?) or Amber (how could she date a patient? how could she date her daughter's classmate? how could Bella give the OK for this?) and others that have complicated situation too. So far, I'm really enjoying the writing and the storytelling. I'm just going to enjoy the ride and see where the Ocean goes.

I don't think the basketball guys are a counterbalance, at least not yet. They haven't made their presence felt anywhere in the relationships really, just either spectators or hint droppers. They may well be in the future, but it feels unbalanced to me now.

Yes, I agree that some of the relationships you mentioned flowed naturally, although the relationships with Robin/Sasha/Ayua feel more like place markers (insert lewd scene with these girls later) to me. The problem really isn't where these relationships could end up. Any of them could be (and in some cases will be) much better fleshed out and relevant later, but depending on how you're rating what constitutes an interaction or a relationship there are between 20-30 girls so far and many of them were only incidentally introduced into the story. Because there are so many I don't feel like we got to know some of the current main LIs as well as we would have liked to because the rest was spread out too thinly. Again I'm sure that we will later. The initial pace just seems a little aggressive girls wise and I would like to have seen some of them come in further into the story when there was time and better context to make their presence felt. The combined grouping of relationships seems wider than it is deep, barring a few initial important characters.

I agree with you in that I'm definitely interested to see where everything goes but as there are obviously going to be a large number of LIs I'm hoping that it won't be too easy to blow one relationship up accidentally by simply saying hello to someone else (I'm exaggerating here a bit, but you know what I mean). I don't want to have to do 25 playthroughs to have a chance to get to know the girls, especially if the triggers are too far back towards the beginning of the story.

I guess the easy way to frame a question around this is quite simply: "How many is too many?"

Well, we'll just have to see how it goes!

 

[gamingdevil800]

Oceanlab Could you start doing this like the WVM developer Braindrop. He just puts a black box over his MC's head but still gets thousands of patron supporters


WVM Braindrops:

 

[Turret]

Sup. I call this post "I currently have too much time in my hands, and I'm in need of my SG fix".

Spoiler: SG/WiAB

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Hi!
Your point 1 I see similar. There is a very high chance that Nami/Nika are

Spoiler

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. I doubt Nami, a major character of SG, would have gotten this model if it is not some sort of hint. The resemblance is very strong.

Point 3: Well seen! Definite possibility that Vicki is related to the girl at the petrol station. Might be pure chance, but it could be.

 

[Fun Shaundi]

Hi!
Your point 1 I see similar. There is a very high chance that Nami/Nika are

Spoiler

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. I doubt Nami, a major character of SG, would have gotten this model if it is not some sort of hint. The resemblance is very strong.

Point 3: Well seen! Definite possibility that Vicki is related to the girl at the petrol station. Might be pure chance, but it could be.

At this point I don't know if it's Ocean dropping hints, or it's all just a coincidence since he's just merely tweaking some models that he already has to create new characters. But I love to speculate

 

[Sancho1969]

Something wicked this way comes....

SanchoMod proudly presents:
Summer's Gone - MultiMod Edition
View attachment 1946210

Go get you some.
( simply click on the banner pic above )

Spoiler: Newest Feature Set

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Spoiler: Standard Feature Set

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Please enjoy. Mod core is updated to the latest v6a with even more features. I hope you find at least one feature beneficial to your experience. Remember absolutely everything can be toggled on/off as desired and on the fly. Complete information and exhaustive previews can be found on the mod's thread (simply click the banner above). Regards and be well.

- Sancho

Temporary Note: Yes, I know it's not linked in the OP. Some of you know why. If you want it there then put in a request.

Something wicked this way comes....

SanchoMod proudly presents (includes new Core v7):
Summer's Gone Multi-Mod Fully Taxed Edition (Chapter 4.5 Update)

Go get you some.
( Simply click on the banner image above )

Spoiler: Newest Feature Set

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Spoiler: Standard Feature Set

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Please enjoy. Mod core is updated to the latest v7a with even more features. I hope you find at least one feature beneficial to your experience. Remember absolutely everything can be toggled on/off as desired and on the fly. Complete information and exhaustive previews can be found on the mod's thread (simply click the banner above). Regards and be well.

- Sancho

 

[SolarWindCatcher]

Why was the "Said fight" cinematic removed?

 

[BobTheDuck]

Sup. I call this post "I currently have too much time in my hands, and I'm in need of my SG fix".

Spoiler: SG/WiAB

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But we do know Vic's last name is Frohn, and the Frohn's were seen in the original WiaB at Relucia. Based on how Noji reacts to the Frohn name, I'm pretty sure the Frohn's haven't been seen in the reworked WiaB yet. Chances are WiaB is Willy impregnating everyone, populating Wollust single handledly or causing everyone's parents to die and starting every trauma, like the best daddy ever...

 

[Fun Shaundi]

But we do know Vic's last name is Frohn, and the Frohn's were seen in the original WiaB at Relucia. Based on how Noji reacts to the Frohn name, I'm pretty sure the Frohn's haven't been seen in the reworked WiaB yet. Chances are WiaB is Willy impregnating everyone, populating Wollust single handledly or causing everyone's parents to die and starting every trauma, like the best daddy ever...

That's my point, we know Victoria is a Frohn, but we never got this girl's last name.
So far, reworked WiAB is kinda following original WiAB's story, with the exceptions of some character behavior tweaking (Miru and Katie being the most obvious) and some small story tweaks.
Wouldn't surprise me if Ocean also reworked some other characters' introductions. I could be wrong, but the gas station girl had Vic's eyes, skin tone, hair and similar facial structure, so I just thought I would add it.

And yes, chances are Willi is the father of at least half of the characters we've seen in SG so far lol. At least Ayua, Nika and Nami seem somewhat confirmed.

 

[silverchariot23]

Why are there spiders in opening of both games?

 

[dkitten]

Is Summer back yet or still gone?

 

[DEVIL18]

Lol

 

[Capt_Kirk]

Why was the "Said fight" cinematic removed?

he removed all the cinematics and the original songs of that sequence , fight with Sai , getting away from the classroom and Nami trying to punch Bella.
the fight scene now it's funny 'cause the first punch that the mc throw it's so bad , that looks like a bitch slap !

 

[Ali ibn Hassan]

Is Summer back yet or still gone?

She's not around at present

 

[Spywareau]

Is there still no sexual content in this game? Is the prompt just for chapter one?

 

[captainamericarino]

Does the 4.5 full update include any reworks of Chapter 2?

 

[yossa999]

Is there still no sexual content in this game? Is the prompt just for chapter one?

There are lots of sexual and exciting content in this game. There are no explicit porn scenes, no dick has ever penetrated a pussy in this game yet. The prompt is correct for the entire game.

Does the 4.5 full update include any reworks of Chapter 2?

Yep, 4.5 full contains about a half of the reworked Chapter 2. And it has some pretty interesting differences from the old version.

 

[BobTheDuck]

That's my point, we know Victoria is a Frohn, but we never got this girl's last name.
So far, reworked WiAB is kinda following original WiAB's story, with the exceptions of some character behavior tweaking (Miru and Katie being the most obvious) and some small story tweaks.
Wouldn't surprise me if Ocean also reworked some other characters' introductions. I could be wrong, but the gas station girl had Vic's eyes, skin tone, hair and similar facial structure, so I just thought I would add it.

And yes, chances are Willi is the father of at least half of the characters we've seen in SG so far lol. At least Ayua, Nika and Nami seem somewhat confirmed.

The reason I'm thinking the Frohn's that we see in the pre-rework WiaB are legitimate is the linking of Relucia, the mention of Mila and Bella in the drinks, and the sudden change in renders post the forest scene. Also, the Frohns were stock market people, so completely feasible that Vic and Maja are living off their inheritance. My gut feeling is Ocean found what he wanted to do after that WiaB forest scene: we suddenly see the better models and better renders, and he realised it was better to start again than retrofit. But there's so many things preshadowing SG in that last section of the old WiaB that I think those details will remain.

I'm curious as to the earrings - I'm wondering if Leia used them as a way to identify Elysium "staff", I guess it really depends on how much of the original passes through and what the intentions were...

 

[SolarWindCatcher]

he removed all the cinematics and the original songs of that sequence , fight with Sai , getting away from the classroom and Nami trying to punch Bella.

well it's good there is old version, someone will mod 4.5 full so it get back all removed parts and old music

 

[PaxHadrian17]

yeah i get that my initial comment was in regards to steam in general. I've known a few games from here that have had to tone down significantly for steam release especially AVN's with Non-Con/Rape, BDSM, and other more traditional 'Hardcore' content.

steam seems to be following the current trend on the greater internet the last 5 or so years to clamp down on "oh no icky content offends my delicate sensibilities we must sanitize the internet so snowflakes don't have any chance to run into content in the wild internet that upsets them"

I wish Steam and Patreon would just adapt several variations on 'Adult' content the way the MPAA (Motion Picture Association in the U.S.) does:

R
X
XXX

Define what can/cannot be included at each level and put a warning about the VN/game when you do the download - read and accept (or no download) that neither Steam nor the creators of the entertainment you are about to download are responsible for the potential bruising and anguish your sensibilities could suffer if you continue. You acknowledge that you wear big boy/girl pants, and you accept the responsibility for your choice to continue this download.

Once agreed - there is no whining and clutching your pearls because, gasp - that is the MC's Mom/Dad/Brother/Sister/Aunt/Uncle engaged in adult behavior with adults that are of legal age in the country where you live.

There are limits - no snuff film equivalents and so forth, but the above would cover the vast majority of even mainstream hardcore.

Ocean should not have to dance around the issue of the MC and Nami being siblings with the same parents just to avoid the Patreon and Steam Police.

There should be no need to constantly patch SG to bring back the original relationships.

Stepping down off my soap box...

 

[Uriel ☁]

Sup. I call this post "I currently have too much time in my hands, and I'm in need of my SG fix".

Spoiler: SG/WiAB

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Lmao at this point we should make a Will-o-meter to indicate the probability of every SG character being Will's offspring.

My personal pick for Will's potential ones are the twins.

Spoiler

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Twins (hereditary) with different eye colors (very rare in identical twins) and skin tone compatible with WiAB Daisy.