BobTheDuck

Well-Known Member
Dec 24, 2018
1,297
6,931
Chill, it doesn't need a full rework again. Just a script overhaul. Changing a few hundred lines of text wouldn't be the end of the world. No renders need to be touched.
I agree. And I hope that once there's a level of stability with SG on S2 being actually 18+, Ocean will clarify those things he's left ambiguous, whether as part of S2 or a script overhaul. I'd love for the intro cinematics and some of the school cinematics to be added back with alternate music (my guess is they were cut because he couldn't find music that felt as iconic after the license drama).

But this is almost as old as the 'Gawd, I'll be soooooooo frikken ald when I get to nut to SG that I'll be Papa Smurf, and sooooooo frikken blue that I can't blow my load.'

Let's face it, the majority of people who are complaining aren't complaining for story integrity like you are, they're complaining because they don't know how to google porn that matches their kinks.

I 100% hope that the clarity comes; maybe we get the clarification when Nika starts talking with Amber about his deal with Nami? That would be sufficient, if slightly lame and late. BUt the story making sense can still happen, and easily. Ocean just has to make sure his balls have descended far enough to make the one true epic decision. Otherwise it'll remain an untapped potential. I'll stand by my assertions that the game doesn't actually need a huge amount of change to recover. There are just some very key moments. Some can be deferred (ie the jacuzzi scene loocks like it'll have more epic moments with Nami in the bathroom) - I don't think we need all the restored scenes, just a trajectory that covers the current bandaids.

Regardless, I'm keen for this and WiaB, whether or not Ocean's a pulp writer, I'm enjoying it despite the glaring continuity problems. Heck, I can poke issues in pretty much any game I play, even my favourites have major plot holes. The thing is, when I see an argument like Willi and Katie after the pool, or Nika and Nami in the dark on the bike talking, Nami in tears because she's overwhelmed by feelings she doesn't know how to express or the world receding into a blue cold fog that Sasha rescues Nika from, damn I love what Ocean is doing.

Maybe he hits these emotional inflection points purely by accident/intuition rather than design, and then overthinks it, but damn, I love those moments. They happen despite what's arround them (Sasha's moment while Nika's panicking is glorious, and completely divorced from the cluedo style of the bookclub, it happens in that context, but is apart from it, same as Nia's loneliness). Why is Katie the best? Because she has probably the most self confidence despite being wounded.

Essentially we're seeing people triumph over their own shittiness. That's the second order function/moral of the plot. 'Healing' is too vague. It'll take Nika a while, but there will be moments where the light shines through. There will be moments where people are disarmed of their own bullshit. Fuck, even Bella might get over herself. What will Bella's personality become?

Actually, I'm going to stop, the whisky's kicking in. What was I even replying to? :coffee::whistle:

We are sure we want to wake up the remake demon?
Is this a ghostbusters reference??? Or do you legit want Sasha to be Shub-Niggurath???? Or *gasp* Summer???? Where will it end????
 

RNasc4444

Active Member
Aug 16, 2022
774
3,060
I agree. And I hope that once there's a level of stability with SG on S2 being actually 18+, Ocean will clarify those things he's left ambiguous, whether as part of S2 or a script overhaul. I'd love for the intro cinematics and some of the school cinematics to be added back with alternate music (my guess is they were cut because he couldn't find music that felt as iconic after the license drama).

But this is almost as old as the 'Gawd, I'll be soooooooo frikken ald when I get to nut to SG that I'll be Papa Smurf, and sooooooo frikken blue that I can't blow my load.'

Let's face it, the majority of people who are complaining aren't complaining for story integrity like you are, they're complaining because they don't know how to google porn that matches their kinks.

I 100% hope that the clarity comes; maybe we get the clarification when Nika starts talking with Amber about his deal with Nami? That would be sufficient, if slightly lame and late. BUt the story making sense can still happen, and easily. Ocean just has to make sure his balls have descended far enough to make the one true epic decision. Otherwise it'll remain an untapped potential. I'll stand by my assertions that the game doesn't actually need a huge amount of change to recover. There are just some very key moments. Some can be deferred (ie the jacuzzi scene loocks like it'll have more epic moments with Nami in the bathroom) - I don't think we need all the restored scenes, just a trajectory that covers the current bandaids.

Regardless, I'm keen for this and WiaB, whether or not Ocean's a pulp writer, I'm enjoying it despite the glaring continuity problems. Heck, I can poke issues in pretty much any game I play, even my favourites have major plot holes. The thing is, when I see an argument like Willi and Katie after the pool, or Nika and Nami in the dark on the bike talking, Nami in tears because she's overwhelmed by feelings she doesn't know how to express or the world receding into a blue cold fog that Sasha rescues Nika from, damn I love what Ocean is doing.

Maybe he hits these emotional inflection points purely by accident/intuition rather than design, and then overthinks it, but damn, I love those moments. They happen despite what's arround them (Sasha's moment while Nika's panicking is glorious, and completely divorced from the cluedo style of the bookclub, it happens in that context, but is apart from it, same as Nia's loneliness). Why is Katie the best? Because she has probably the most self confidence despite being wounded.

Essentially we're seeing people triumph over their own shittiness. That's the second order function/moral of the plot. 'Healing' is too vague. It'll take Nika a while, but there will be moments where the light shines through. There will be moments where people are disarmed of their own bullshit. Fuck, even Bella might get over herself. What will Bella's personality become?

Actually, I'm going to stop, the whisky's kicking in. What was I even replying to? :coffee::whistle:



Is this a ghostbusters reference??? Or do you legit want Sasha to be Shub-Niggurath???? Or *gasp* Summer???? Where will it end????
Amazing post as usual Bob. I agree on all counts. Feels like we keep rehashing the same stuff over and over again but I can't help it that they remain relevant. I can't help it if Ocean instead of fixing the glaring issues just keeps introducing new problems with each new update. That's how "Lost" (TV show) for example died for me. You can't answer 1 question then introduce 3 new questions right after. At some point the story can't sustain itself and viewers/readers/players lose interest.

BUt the story making sense can still happen, and easily. Ocean just has to make sure his balls have descended far enough to make the one true epic decision. Otherwise it'll remain an untapped potential.
Agreed. I relentlessly highlight the negatives because I believe that has greater odds for meaningful improvement then blindly praising it. It doesn't bother me that people LOVE this game and want to defend Ocean as long as they remain objective about it.

Why is Katie the best? Because she has probably the most self confidence despite being wounded.
This is just blatant reaction farming from the big ol' Katie simp that lurks around these parts. Shame on you! :ROFLMAO:

Maybe he hits these emotional inflection points purely by accident/intuition rather than design, and then overthinks it, but damn, I love those moments.
Fucking agreed! It does start to seem like it doesn't it? I've been saying this shit for ages, the emotional heights this game was able to achieve consistently pre ch3.5 were amazing. It seems bland now by comparison. I still feel something here and there while playing it but it's so much more forced and soft and tame.

Regardless, I'm keen for this and WiaB, whether or not Ocean's a pulp writer, I'm enjoying it despite the glaring continuity problems.
Question for the ages. Why is WiAB so much more sound, solid and competent in all aspects than SG? It's written by the same person. Story and dialogue by the same person as far as we know yet the quality disparity is glaring. There is only one explanation. Reworks. That's why I call this game Frankenstein's monster. It's barely more than a mishmash of scenes held together by hopes and prayers. By "turn your brain off" moments and a smidge of suspension of disbelief. With a side of retroactive changes of course. How does this help the story? How can you even claim "the rework improved the game massively" with a straight face unless all you do is look at the pretty renders and fuck everything else?
 

yossa999

Well-Known Member
Dec 5, 2020
1,959
13,028
And it was created just for you man, after years of work you can observe and spend 100+ hours watching scenes like these, god bless what else do we need anyway?
I was not sure if you were addressing this to me, man, because today I got the impression that me quoting you made you feel violated. :Kappa:
Look, I'm a simple guy, so feel free to @ or quote me if you're addressing me in your post.
Do we even give a fuck about Summer?
Dude, I didn't give a fuck who killed Laura Palmer for the entire first season of Twin Picks, and you're talking about some fucking Summer. I think there's too much of her already. Let her appear in flashbacks and let her body stay wherever it is now. It would be really awkward if she showed up on the doorstep one day when the MC finally got up the wormy and gave some spermy to Bella's greedy vajayjay. :BootyTime:

Or, to put it another way, a very common trope where a mystery in a book or movie, while it's the basis for the main plot, ends up being left unrevealed. I'm not even sure that anyone who survives to see the ending will know what the fuck is happened to that bitch poor child. This is the base.
Maybe get to 3rd base or even 2nd with a LI after years?
Don't even start with the bases per year. I have no compassion for blueballed sexwhen-ers. Move your lazy ass, find a quality fap material yourself or ask in the recommendation section of the forum. We don't do that here. This is a story-focused game with adult elements and not the other way around.
No we want reworks that fix visuals for us and extend scenes like these where Nojiko can say you look beautiful to Nami before going to uni.
No, we want a rework to bring the graphics quality of the first chapters in line with the subsequent ones. So that we can sell the game through Steam. It would be cool to read the reviews when guys saw scenes from the 4th and 5th chapters in the ads, bought the game and when they launched it they saw this.
You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.
Oh, and also, we had to bring the illustrations in line with the plot, after the completely fucked in the head version of MC was cancelled. You know, the one who tried to shoot Marla.
Epic is a word that is underused in this game.
I know, right? Glad you're starting to understand.
- Sincerely yours, the fanatic. :Kappa:
 

Dr.TSoni

Active Member
May 20, 2022
663
1,662
I agree. And I hope that once there's a level of stability with SG on S2 being actually 18+, Ocean will clarify those things he's left ambiguous, whether as part of S2 or a script overhaul. I'd love for the intro cinematics and some of the school cinematics to be added back with alternate music (my guess is they were cut because he couldn't find music that felt as iconic after the license drama).

But this is almost as old as the 'Gawd, I'll be soooooooo frikken ald when I get to nut to SG that I'll be Papa Smurf, and sooooooo frikken blue that I can't blow my load.'

Let's face it, the majority of people who are complaining aren't complaining for story integrity like you are, they're complaining because they don't know how to google porn that matches their kinks.

I 100% hope that the clarity comes; maybe we get the clarification when Nika starts talking with Amber about his deal with Nami? That would be sufficient, if slightly lame and late. BUt the story making sense can still happen, and easily. Ocean just has to make sure his balls have descended far enough to make the one true epic decision. Otherwise it'll remain an untapped potential. I'll stand by my assertions that the game doesn't actually need a huge amount of change to recover. There are just some very key moments. Some can be deferred (ie the jacuzzi scene loocks like it'll have more epic moments with Nami in the bathroom) - I don't think we need all the restored scenes, just a trajectory that covers the current bandaids.

Regardless, I'm keen for this and WiaB, whether or not Ocean's a pulp writer, I'm enjoying it despite the glaring continuity problems. Heck, I can poke issues in pretty much any game I play, even my favourites have major plot holes. The thing is, when I see an argument like Willi and Katie after the pool, or Nika and Nami in the dark on the bike talking, Nami in tears because she's overwhelmed by feelings she doesn't know how to express or the world receding into a blue cold fog that Sasha rescues Nika from, damn I love what Ocean is doing.

Maybe he hits these emotional inflection points purely by accident/intuition rather than design, and then overthinks it, but damn, I love those moments. They happen despite what's arround them (Sasha's moment while Nika's panicking is glorious, and completely divorced from the cluedo style of the bookclub, it happens in that context, but is apart from it, same as Nia's loneliness). Why is Katie the best? Because she has probably the most self confidence despite being wounded.

Essentially we're seeing people triumph over their own shittiness. That's the second order function/moral of the plot. 'Healing' is too vague. It'll take Nika a while, but there will be moments where the light shines through. There will be moments where people are disarmed of their own bullshit. Fuck, even Bella might get over herself. What will Bella's personality become?

Actually, I'm going to stop, the whisky's kicking in. What was I even replying to? :coffee::whistle:
Damn man! You almost moved me

This is just blatant reaction farming from the big ol' Katie simp that lurks around these parts. Shame on you! :ROFLMAO:
And it's work like a charm
 

LHDLLB

Member
Oct 3, 2019
149
267
Ocean's already teased Zara squishing herself against him in the hot tub, with something in her hand in another render? Questionable as to what the thing is. We also have renders of Nika infrom of Nami in the bathroom, down low, and renders of Mila that Ocean was cagey about because there was nudity. The question is how much of this will be in Ch1. I think there's a good chance almost every girl will have some sort of lewd scene in S2 somewhere. Sonja would be the only one that might move slower.
A SG chapter with lewd scenes ? Unacceptable! In all seriousness though, I feel that for the 5 LI that are explored in S1 we will have a natural progression of the intimacy between them and the MC, beyond just kisses. Nami and Bella are the one who are far ahead in this department, and is only fair that others get a little love. That said, I feel is to early to Zara, despite I wanting it, she still is conflicted about her feelings for Nika, feel that lewds with her are gonna take a little while.


I agree. And I hope that once there's a level of stability with SG on S2 being actually 18+, Ocean will clarify those things he's left ambiguous, whether as part of S2 or a script overhaul. I'd love for the intro cinematics and some of the school cinematics to be added back with alternate music (my guess is they were cut because he couldn't find music that felt as iconic after the license drama).

But this is almost as old as the 'Gawd, I'll be soooooooo frikken ald when I get to nut to SG that I'll be Papa Smurf, and sooooooo frikken blue that I can't blow my load.'

Let's face it, the majority of people who are complaining aren't complaining for story integrity like you are, they're complaining because they don't know how to google porn that matches their kinks.

I 100% hope that the clarity comes; maybe we get the clarification when Nika starts talking with Amber about his deal with Nami? That would be sufficient, if slightly lame and late. BUt the story making sense can still happen, and easily. Ocean just has to make sure his balls have descended far enough to make the one true epic decision. Otherwise it'll remain an untapped potential. I'll stand by my assertions that the game doesn't actually need a huge amount of change to recover. There are just some very key moments. Some can be deferred (ie the jacuzzi scene loocks like it'll have more epic moments with Nami in the bathroom) - I don't think we need all the restored scenes, just a trajectory that covers the current bandaids.

Regardless, I'm keen for this and WiaB, whether or not Ocean's a pulp writer, I'm enjoying it despite the glaring continuity problems. Heck, I can poke issues in pretty much any game I play, even my favourites have major plot holes. The thing is, when I see an argument like Willi and Katie after the pool, or Nika and Nami in the dark on the bike talking, Nami in tears because she's overwhelmed by feelings she doesn't know how to express or the world receding into a blue cold fog that Sasha rescues Nika from, damn I love what Ocean is doing.

Maybe he hits these emotional inflection points purely by accident/intuition rather than design, and then overthinks it, but damn, I love those moments. They happen despite what's arround them (Sasha's moment while Nika's panicking is glorious, and completely divorced from the cluedo style of the bookclub, it happens in that context, but is apart from it, same as Nia's loneliness). Why is Katie the best? Because she has probably the most self confidence despite being wounded.

Essentially we're seeing people triumph over their own shittiness. That's the second order function/moral of the plot. 'Healing' is too vague. It'll take Nika a while, but there will be moments where the light shines through. There will be moments where people are disarmed of their own bullshit. Fuck, even Bella might get over herself. What will Bella's personality become?

Actually, I'm going to stop, the whisky's kicking in. What was I even replying to? :coffee::whistle:



Is this a ghostbusters reference??? Or do you legit want Sasha to be Shub-Niggurath???? Or *gasp* Summer???? Where will it end????
I agree with everything that was said. But sadly I don't think that Ocean will address the many faults of S1, nor should he. The story needs to move forward and now that the reworks are done, I don't think that there is this much of good will left. It is a patched thing, where you can see where was cut and stitched together and some of this are done better than the others, is far from perfect but, it is what it is. About clarity... we got clarity in WiaB and well. For everyone who played it since Ch1 knows that SG was written with a idea in mind, and the reworks did little to deter this ideia, ambiguity is the only path left with the exception of others grands rewrites.
 

BobTheDuck

Well-Known Member
Dec 24, 2018
1,297
6,931
Amazing post as usual Bob. I agree on all counts. Feels like we keep rehashing the same stuff over and over again but I can't help it that they remain relevant. I can't help it if Ocean instead of fixing the glaring issues just keeps introducing new problems with each new update. That's how "Lost" (TV show) for example died for me. You can't answer 1 question then introduce 3 new questions right after. At some point the story can't sustain itself and viewers/readers/players lose interest.


Agreed. I relentlessly highlight the negatives because I believe that has greater odds for meaningful improvement then blindly praising it. It doesn't bother me that people LOVE this game and want to defend Ocean as long as they remain objective about it.


This is just blatant reaction farming from the big ol' Katie simp that lurks around these parts. Shame on you! :ROFLMAO:


Fucking agreed! It does start to seem like it doesn't it? I've been saying this shit for ages, the emotional heights this game was able to achieve consistently pre ch3.5 were amazing. It seems bland now by comparison. I still feel something here and there while playing it but it's so much more forced and soft and tame.


Question for the ages. Why is WiAB so much more sound, solid and competent in all aspects than SG? It's written by the same person. Story and dialogue by the same person as far as we know yet the quality disparity is glaring. There is only one explanation. Reworks. That's why I call this game Frankenstein's monster. It's barely more than a mishmash of scenes held together by hopes and prayers. By "turn your brain off" moments and a smidge of suspension of disbelief. With a side of retroactive changes of course. How does this help the story? How can you even claim "the rework improved the game massively" with a straight face unless all you do is look at the pretty renders and fuck everything else?
I started writing a reply, it was glorious. But then the whisky won and I accidentally closed the page before posting..... at very least Ocean is better than I was just then with his posts and updates :sneaky: I'll try to remember tomorrow after sleep!
 

SDDA

Member
Jun 21, 2017
113
240
I was not sure if you were addressing this to me, man, because today I got the impression that me quoting you made you feel violated. :Kappa:
Look, I'm a simple guy, so feel free to @ or quote me if you're addressing me in your post.

Dude, I didn't give a fuck who killed Laura Palmer for the entire first season of Twin Picks, and you're talking about some fucking Summer. I think there's too much of her already. Let her appear in flashbacks and let her body stay wherever it is now. It would be really awkward if she showed up on the doorstep one day when the MC finally got up the wormy and gave some spermy to Bella's greedy vajayjay. :BootyTime:

Or, to put it another way, a very common trope where a mystery in a book or movie, while it's the basis for the main plot, ends up being left unrevealed. I'm not even sure that anyone who survives to see the ending will know what the fuck is happened to that bitch poor child. This is the base.

Don't even start with the bases per year. I have no compassion for blueballed sexwhen-ers. Move your lazy ass, find a quality fap material yourself or ask in the recommendation section of the forum. We don't do that here. This is a story-focused game with adult elements and not the other way around.

No, we want a rework to bring the graphics quality of the first chapters in line with the subsequent ones. So that we can sell the game through Steam. It would be cool to read the reviews when guys saw scenes from the 4th and 5th chapters in the ads, bought the game and when they launched it they saw this.
You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.
Oh, and also, we had to bring the illustrations in line with the plot, after the completely fucked in the head version of MC was cancelled. You know, the one who tried to shoot Marla.

I know, right? Glad you're starting to understand.
- Sincerely yours, the fanatic. :Kappa:
Sorry for not tagging you in the comment right under yours that was directly reacting to your post, i noticed you tend to be slower with understanding things. I am also getting very angry and violated yes not you guys, when every 2nd post that was directed towards me was angered and told me to shush and take my negative opinion elsewhere. First i tried to make converstation, but had to stoop down my lvl.

Sadly youre not grasping the essence of my writing time and time again,and am a bit tired of explaining myself and give more examples so just going to paste my rating which summarise my thoughts and be on my way.
This game is a loop, in each update we keep repeating every scene to scene and get close to nothing new. in 2019 we already played the basketball scene, we knew that bella and ayua are racers we did our hair like 10 times already at the barber with bella, knew that the mother character got a new boyfriend that Nami is into us, we stole the heirloom and went to therapy 10 times mc still impotent(which doesn't add anything to the whole story, just a nuisance), mila is still accused of stealing, saw victoria getting hit by a car on and on and on. And after 5 years of development, we are getting The Same story once again, but with better visuals. I'm usually not some1 to degrade some1-s work or anything, but the game states its a slow burn game, but in reality its a loop for the dev to improve his daz skills and not to tell a story. 5 years of visual updates and close to 0 new content.

With this i bid you farewell and hope youre going to enjoy this game where more money/ better rig still means 1 update per year for both games (if youre lucky)[what was promised 3 months/chap?].
 

BobTheDuck

Well-Known Member
Dec 24, 2018
1,297
6,931
Sorry for not tagging you in the comment right under yours that was directly reacting to your post, i noticed you tend to be slower with understanding things. I am also getting very angry and violated yes not you guys, when every 2nd post that was directed towards me was angered and told me to shush and take my negative opinion elsewhere. First i tried to make converstation, but had to stoop down my lvl.

Sadly youre not grasping the essence of my writing time and time again,and am a bit tired of explaining myself and give more examples so just going to paste my rating which summarise my thoughts and be on my way.
This game is a loop, in each update we keep repeating every scene to scene and get close to nothing new. in 2019 we already played the basketball scene, we knew that bella and ayua are racers we did our hair like 10 times already at the barber with bella, knew that the mother character got a new boyfriend that Nami is into us, we stole the heirloom and went to therapy 10 times mc still impotent(which doesn't add anything to the whole story, just a nuisance), mila is still accused of stealing, saw victoria getting hit by a car on and on and on. And after 5 years of development, we are getting The Same story once again, but with better visuals. I'm usually not some1 to degrade some1-s work or anything, but the game states its a slow burn game, but in reality its a loop for the dev to improve his daz skills and not to tell a story. 5 years of visual updates and close to 0 new content.

With this i bid you farewell and hope youre going to enjoy this game where more money/ better rig still means 1 update per year for both games (if youre lucky)[what was promised 3 months/chap?].
Yeah, and we get that. We've been here too. Ocean's posting new renders of S2 which are not reworks in devlogs. Ch1 of S2 is half to 2/3 the size of S1 and he's aiming to do that in less than a year. Why not watch the devlogs and loog at where things are going, rather than obseessing over the problems of the past? S2 will be a lot less restrained because he knows he can't keep it PG. So... if you like it enough to be frustrated by it, learn patience or give up on it. There's not really any middle ground where we can give some sort of consolation prize or special code to unlock the hidden portion of the game that some monk in tibet uploaded.

We're all working out ways to deal with the production time, but even if it seems like its taking forever, in reality Ocean is doing things faster - half way through ch1 based on his estimates is 2500-4000 renders already. That's more than a single chapter so far I think, in less than a year, if I take him on face value.

Or not, your choice.
 

yossa999

Well-Known Member
Dec 5, 2020
1,959
13,028
Take Summers Gone, for instance. On the surface, it might not have the trappings of a traditional epic with sprawling quests and celestial battles, but it delves deeply into themes of nostalgia, loss, and personal growth. The emotional depth and complexity of its narrative can be considered epic in the sense of its impact and scope within the human experience.
Maybe he hits these emotional inflection points purely by accident/intuition rather than design, and then overthinks it, but damn, I love those moments. They happen despite what's arround them (Sasha's moment while Nika's panicking is glorious, and completely divorced from the cluedo style of the bookclub, it happens in that context, but is apart from it, same as Nia's loneliness).
You guys nailed it. This is something I felt but couldn't formulate. The emotional impact and depth of the story is probably the deciding factor that let me put this game above any other AVN in my book.
Because I can name many games with graphics and animation that are no worse, with a more twisted plot, written in a much more literary style, with very appealing characters. But they all lack something, something that SG has.
 

yossa999

Well-Known Member
Dec 5, 2020
1,959
13,028
i noticed you tend to be slower with understanding things.
It's probably because of my modem.
This game is a loop,
Sure bro, whatever you say :KEK:
With this i bid you farewell and hope youre going to enjoy this game where more money/ better rig still means 1 update per year for both games (if youre lucky)[what was promised 3 months/chap?].
Rest assured, I will enjoy every future update. And don't be so dramatic, the zone is quite large and I am subscribed to many threads, so there is a good chance we will meet in another thread, see ya, I am sure you are as much excited about it as I am. :KEK:
 

RNasc4444

Active Member
Aug 16, 2022
774
3,060
I´m so lost in this thread...
Don't worry about it bud... Everything is good. If anyone asks just take the blue pill. Stay in the Matrix! Blissful ignorance is underrated :LOL:

Don't go digging too deep, don't overthink it or ask too many questions. Just take the game and its story for what it is and you're gonna have a good time. Don't be like any of us lunatics that post too much in here.

Bless your favorite LI and fuck Zara and Nia in particular!

(Not literally 'cause eww)
 
4.30 star(s) 514 Votes