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

[Cabin Fever]

....as far as when they talk about costs for MCs psych, maybe Amber doesn't take insurance, she is that sought after? or maybe Noji doesn't trust the Dr's/group therapy he would get with her insurance.

Or maybe, just maybe, since Noji lied about knowing Amber, she also lied about the cost and that Amber is doing it pro bono since they are friends?

 

[Den1mo]

Or maybe, just maybe, since Noji lied about knowing Amber, she also lied about the cost and that Amber is doing it pro bono since they are friends?

I'm sure Noji didn't pay anything. maybe Amber realizes that Nika has a good influence on Bella so both sides benefit from it

 

[BobTheDuck]

I agree, the point of mysteries is that they are not clear and require speculation, otherwise, as in this case they are something else... to get ahead to sell more or deux ex machina... which surprises me, I always saw Ocean trying to put the stories together in a way that you have the points with a lot of vagueness, but building, without imposing an idea out of nowhere.



Edit: I add one more thing, forcing outside information can also ruin the plot twist if it builds up to the reveal in the future.

I agree - it does have more of the market speak about it, but the point I guess is that we are meant to find that the college itself is something we as players should be suspicious of. It might be Ocean's referencing what he knows will be revealed in WiaB (I assume that the Zane's end up buying out the college that Kat and Katie study at, and rebrand it), probably getting it at a firesale price to bury the sordid things that are currently hinted at in WiaB. Again, speculation on my behalf.

Either way, we know in game that there are rival factions in the college, as Katie seems to be on the side of Stahl and Hill, and Coates is on the other side. Whatever that rivalry is at least hints that the college is worthy of suspicion, and it's referenced a few times in game by the characters; I think the main intent of the blurb is to make sure players are paying attention rather than taking things at face value.

 

[Adhdclassic]

Where it all began was remade to what it looks like now. I wonder if some of it's story passed to summers gone. In the original game Miru had a Japanese friend who showed up and was real close to her. I don't believe they said her name but what if that's Nojiko. Again theory. Could explain why she knows so many influential people and no one cares even though she would normally not be apart of their circle.

 

[sorco2003]

I agree - it does have more of the market speak about it, but the point I guess is that we are meant to find that the college itself is something we as players should be suspicious of. It might be Ocean's referencing what he knows will be revealed in WiaB (I assume that the Zane's end up buying out the college that Kat and Katie study at, and rebrand it), probably getting it at a firesale price to bury the sordid things that are currently hinted at in WiaB. Again, speculation on my behalf.

Either way, we know in game that there are rival factions in the college, as Katie seems to be on the side of Stahl and Hill, and Coates is on the other side. Whatever that rivalry is at least hints that the college is worthy of suspicion, and it's referenced a few times in game by the characters; I think the main intent of the blurb is to make sure players are paying attention rather than taking things at face value.

I don't deny speculation, but no speculation would be born without external information.
I can think of explanations as to why it was necessary for Ocean to forcefully introduce that information outside the game, but that doesn't make it acceptable. I could understand the explanation (example, all that happens in WIAB and it would already be known when SG starts, but life put us in the situation that SG is much more advanced in its history) but as a narrative tool, I reject it, I don't like it and I never liked the situation that to understand something you have to go to X thing that explains it to you.

 

[BobTheDuck]

I don't deny speculation, but no speculation would be born without external information.
I can think of explanations as to why it was necessary for Ocean to forcefully introduce that information outside the game, but that doesn't make it acceptable. I could understand the explanation (example, all that happens in WIAB and it would already be known when SG starts, but life put us in the situation that SG is much more advanced in its history) but as a narrative tool, I reject it, I don't like it and I never liked the situation that to understand something you have to go to X thing that explains it to you.

I could be overthinking it, and it's just hype. I agree that the plot should be self contained. If it is the case though, there are already enough hints present to build that thread into the story naturally. Otherwise, it is just marketing hype, because Noji clearly shows he didn't have to go to college, that he agreed. So in one sense it's a pointless drama point that Ocean can use for the blurb in a market that's saturated with college mysteries, or he is giving a little away, much like the description of Bella on the steam page.

 

[Maviarab]

bury the sordid things that are currently hinted at

Lies...lies and slander!

 

[BobTheDuck]

Lies...lies and slander!

View attachment 3489016

I was referring to Kat's dodgy professor and Donna. Willi has to have an excuse to go undercover as a coach after all. How far undercovered is probably a gameplay style

 

[John972]

I don't think so - the fact that Nika isn't guaranteed a place on any team argues against it, as well as the extra curricular training that's off the books. Whatever the scholarship is, Nami's is also covered. Currently in sports they're playing with Mila and Nia, who have no interest - it makes it seem a very general sports class. Also, Nika wasn't certain he'd even try out when talking with Jeff. If you had a scholarship for the sport, it's guaranteed you'll be doing the sport, and your whole curriculum pivots around that.

I'd say is more likely a discretionary scholarship, like Vic's.

I don't really have faith in the basketball scholarship theory, but I do believe it's possible because:

(a) Ocean has a really ambiguous way of storytelling. By that, I mean he often doesn't state things obviously or directly. The Nika/Nami scholarships are a case in point (granted, maybe Ocean's reworked the Ch 1 script for the Season 1 Steam release to make the scholarships obvious beyond the Steam page blurb). Besides, some college things in the world of Wollust don't accurately mirror what happens IRL colleges.

(b) what we know so far in the game is mostly from Nika's perspective - someone who is traumatized and trying to reintegrate into society... We don't really see Nojiko's work behind the scenes. We know Nika/Nami get a college scholarship, we just don't know why because we don't know Nojiko's motivations/plans and Nika doesn't give a shit anyway. It's highly unlikely although not outside the realms of possibility that the scholarships are basketball-related if you view it from the perspective of Nojiko/Nami et al getting Nika back into the sport one very, very small step at a time (i.e. without pushing him or making it too obvious).

 

[BobTheDuck]

I don't really have faith in the basketball scholarship theory, but I do believe it's possible because:

(a) Ocean has a really ambiguous way of storytelling. By that, I mean he often doesn't state things obviously or directly. The Nika/Nami scholarships are a case in point (granted, maybe Ocean's reworked the Ch 1 script for the Season 1 Steam release to make the scholarships obvious beyond the Steam page blurb). Besides, some college things in the world of Wollust don't accurately mirror what happens IRL colleges.

(b) what we know so far in the game is mostly from Nika's perspective - someone who is traumatized and trying to reintegrate into society... We don't really see Nojiko's work behind the scenes. We know Nika/Nami get a college scholarship, we just don't know why because we don't know Nojiko's motivations/plans and Nika doesn't give a shit anyway. It's highly unlikely although not outside the realms of possibility that the scholarships are basketball-related if you view it from the perspective of Nojiko/Nami et al getting Nika back into the sport one very, very small step at a time (i.e. without pushing him or making it too obvious).

Both are completely plausible, with the caveat that scholarship is not mentioned once in the script for the ch5 beta, so the theory is built off the oddity that is the steam blurb, coupled with the suggestion that Vic got a (non basketball) scholarship. The first we know of basketball is Nika looking at the tryout poster (I think), then Trey asking him if he's going to go for it. As far as any scholarship goes, we've only got that one image of Vic's letter, and some vaguely suggested content. The mention that Noji thought Nika wanted to go to college, is a different conversation to (for example) 'they offered you a place, you should take the opportunity! Carpe diem!' It's currently very ambiguous but suggestive that there's more at play than it was the only college they could afford.

I have more belief that any scholarship that was for both of them would be discretionary, as Nika hasn't chosen any focus in his studies, and seems to be picking up whatever interests him in college life, rather than the obligitory scholarship activities. The whole basketball arc is the underdogs coming out of nowhere to impress the pros, Nika's currently training with the misfits, and Stahl and Hill know they have an uphill battle to get a team out of them. Also, Zara would know Nika had a scholarship for basketball before he did - she'd sniff it out, just like Rambo.

If there's a scholarship for both, it's due to nepotism in some form, which furthers the mystery aspect. Nami clearly doesn't have the basketball skills to be granted one on sporting merit. The only connections we have are the vague, suggestive wording of the blurb, Vic's mention of a list (that goes against all kinds of privacy issues) and Vic having one. The current script doesn't support anything conclusive, and the blurb only hints towards it.

Regards b) 100% plausible, but impossible to keep secret from Zara.

 

[codex35]

View attachment 3486691
View attachment 3486697

When people see Bella, all their anger for delay is gone

Ocean, you know what you're doing

 

[John972]

Both are completely plausible, with the caveat that scholarship is not mentioned once in the script for the ch5 beta, so the theory is built off the oddity that is the steam blurb, coupled with the suggestion that Vic got a (non basketball) scholarship. The first we know of basketball is Nika looking at the tryout poster (I think), then Trey asking him if he's going to go for it. As far as any scholarship goes, we've only got that one image of Vic's letter, and some vaguely suggested content. The mention that Noji thought Nika wanted to go to college, is a different conversation to (for example) 'they offered you a place, you should take the opportunity! Carpe diem!' It's currently very ambiguous but suggestive that there's more at play than it was the only college they could afford.

I have more belief that any scholarship that was for both of them would be discretionary, as Nika hasn't chosen any focus in his studies, and seems to be picking up whatever interests him in college life, rather than the obligitory scholarship activities. The whole basketball arc is the underdogs coming out of nowhere to impress the pros, Nika's currently training with the misfits, and Stahl and Hill know they have an uphill battle to get a team out of them. Also, Zara would know Nika had a scholarship for basketball before he did - she'd sniff it out, just like Rambo.

If there's a scholarship for both, it's due to nepotism in some form, which furthers the mystery aspect. Nami clearly doesn't have the basketball skills to be granted one on sporting merit. The only connections we have are the vague, suggestive wording of the blurb, Vic's mention of a list (that goes against all kinds of privacy issues) and Vic having one. The current script doesn't support anything conclusive, and the blurb only hints towards it.

Regards b) 100% plausible, but impossible to keep secret from Zara.

I am more playing devil's advocate with this this one.

The whole scholarship thing - or at least a focus on it within the story - has come out of the blue. Whether or not it was always part of the story remains to be seen and I guess we'll have to wait and see what a fresh Season 1 playthrough reveals.

 

[BobTheDuck]

I am more playing devil's advocate with this this one.

The whole scholarship thing - or at least a focus on it within the story - has come out of the blue. Whether or not it was always part of the story remains to be seen and I guess we'll have to wait and see what a fresh Season 1 playthrough reveals.

I'm kinda arguing myself out of it. All that I can really determine is that there is something suspicious right now. Vic's scholarship is almost a useless extra to Maja getting the job: did they recieve those things out of pity? Out of obligation to their parents? Some of it just seems to be the phrasing, and that's too tenuous to construct anything from, other than there is some potential there... for something. We really have to see what the full season brings, because right now there are a few gaps in the early material, and some of these points might be made more obvious.

 

[PickerLewd]

Well folks...it's sent to Steam. Can't change anything else now unless Steam tells him too (unlikely I think).

That's it...onwards and upwards!

Even now, he is currently changing and redoing the bar scene from chapter 3 .

 

[BobTheDuck]

Even now, he is currently changing and redoing the bar scene from chapter 3 .

Well, at least it's not delaying sending it to steam anymore I think it's wise as the official bar opening will be in the next season, and it'd be bad having a different look because that bar is in the old rendering style, and not maybe as flexible for the scenes he has planned now. Better to send it as a patch.

 

[Maviarab]

 

[JJ1960]

I'm kinda arguing myself out of it. All that I can really determine is that there is something suspicious right now. Vic's scholarship is almost a useless extra to Maja getting the job: did they recieve those things out of pity? Out of obligation to their parents? Some of it just seems to be the phrasing, and that's too tenuous to construct anything from, other than there is some potential there... for something. We really have to see what the full season brings, because right now there are a few gaps in the early material, and some of these points might be made more obvious.

I heard she said she was going to get the free scholarship for joining a sorority...

 

[PickerLewd]

It is better not to rack our brains and think about scholarships and say that everyone studies for free, period .
Because even if we think of a plot and an invisible person who pays for everything for Nika and Nami, there are other classmates who should never be able to pay for their studies, like Victoria (whose sister barely manages to help her financially) or Mila, who is supposed to be very poor.

 

[BobTheDuck]

It is better not to rack our brains and think about scholarships and say that everyone studies for free, period .
Because even if we think of a plot and an invisible person who pays for everything for Nika and Nami, there are other classmates who should never be able to pay for their studies, like Victoria (whose sister barely manages to help her financially) or Mila, who is supposed to be very poor.

This is the reason there is speculation, Victoria DOES have a scholarship, and Maja gets employed by ZPR on the same day.

 

[Insomnia_z]

This interests me, in the game, are there clues to this or is this information only given externally by Ocean?
Without the outside information, can one come to these conclusions organically?

If you are talking about the information that Nami and Nika are obligatory going to ZPR then yes.

Spoiler: Nami talks about college

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