VN Ren'Py The Adventurous Couple [TACOS S2 P3b] [Mircom3D]

[Segnbora]

I use Martin's scene as an example. Yes, its a choice for players, but on the flip side, once chosen, it simply becomes no hold bars. And if later MC tells Anne he is not very happy about all that happens, there is minus relationship points.

Well, absolutely, and that's where this story goes off the rails. I fully understand "you can't make me stop" as a reaction to the MB's relentless haranguing. But one of the fundamental flaws of the narrative is that Anne's descent into whatever isn't controlled by the narrative. Stopping her from cheating should limit what happens in the future, or at least put it in the control of the couple (e.g. the player). That never happens. Saying "don't fuck Martin" stops her from fucking Martin, but it has zero effect on anything else. That's terrible storytelling.

 

[NewTricks]

Well, absolutely, and that's where this story goes off the rails. I fully understand "you can't make me stop" as a reaction to the MB's relentless haranguing. But one of the fundamental flaws of the narrative is that Anne's descent into whatever isn't controlled by the narrative. Stopping her from cheating should limit what happens in the future, or at least put it in the control of the couple (e.g. the player). That never happens. Saying "don't fuck Martin" stops her from fucking Martin, but it has zero effect on anything else. That's terrible storytelling.

I disagree. Having a red line in the relationship be "Don't fuck my dad" shouldn't change anything else. Everything Anne does from then on is stuff that they have already done. Everything MC does too. They swing if they have already swung, cuck if they have already cucked, and have carte blanche to follow their genitals to wherever they will lead them. They have established a boundary to their open relationship. Well, unless MC decides to fuck her mom, which he has a chance to do. It is only if the MC starts yanking the leash of this horny bitch that she realizes that there is still an unhealthy power dynamic at play, and that's why you lose relationship points by not trusting her or letting her make her own decisions. Especially when they are identical to the ones you pushed her to do earlier in the game. By dropping arbitrary "stop it honey" on her when she is performing for your pleasure you are making her feel bad. Your sudden and irrational disapproval stings. It is not a good thing to do to your partner. It is like her dressing up for you in the same beautiful dress you have liked her in a dozen times and you telling her that she is embarrassing you because she is dressing like a slut. She has started to enjoy herself in the world that you built for her, and suddenly you turn into dad back from his business trip to break up the party. It isn't terrible storytelling to point out that corrupting your wife for months and then expecting her not to be corrupt because you have had a come to Jesus moment during your fuck vacation on cuck island isn't a reasonable expectation.

 

[Segnbora]

I disagree.

I'm not sure you understood my point, based on your post. We're largely in agreement.

 

[Canto Forte]

The whole kink is not to have her be a whore, free use whore to assholes.
But this is what she becomes with no character development whatsoever.
The setting is that they talk it out and she finds pleasure in that, their interaction.

The problem is that she whould give herself to unsuspecting nobodies.
While in the start she gets to know this or that person a little,
in the latter game, she just jumps anyone for no reason.
She gets off on having MC dictate, like make her the instrument for tease and play.
Then she just gets out of such kink play and simply becomes a cum dump, plastic cock sleeve.

The disconnect comes from making her be no more a human but a sex slave to anybody.
She has little glimmers of self esteem with people she knows from before this phase, others she
has little worry even tho she knows jack all about them.

There are barren days for MC where we are encouraged to see her simply offer herself up.
That is no power play or kink in letting ogling assholes just do whatever to her.
She had suddenly become starved where she otherwise would pick and choose.

Then MC finds out time and time and again she went and done all sorts of demeaning cheap whore
crap with literally the most idiot foul mouth asshole in a group, like:
Even the other girls in that group would sit that idiot out,
but you went and got him cream you?
Girl, you are literally the worst of the worst. Where is the kick in being a liefeless whore?

 

[Segnbora]

I mean, I love that you structured that as an epic poem, but the husband begged/pleaded for her to fuck other guys, and never stopped begging her to keep doing it.

You've misunderstood the story, the game, and what you're doing here playing both.

 

[Canto Forte]

He did no such thing. He talked to her about exposure.
Had anyone looked at the emails that make spam look like snowflake butter,
there was nothing about pushing her into full on sex with anyone.
She does exhibition and teasing and she gets hot and bothered by it.
The point was for them to go back into eachother. She just drifts apart.
She says she is doing it for him, but she keeps not doing it for him a lot.

 

[Segnbora]

Again with the poetic symmetry, but you never understood the game. He wanted her to fuck other guys. She did. She kept doing it. He loved it. The end.

 

[Thickgravy49]

The whole kink is not to have her be a whore, free use whore to assholes.
But this is what she becomes with no character development whatsoever.
The setting is that they talk it out and she finds pleasure in that, their interaction.

The problem is that she whould give herself to unsuspecting nobodies.
While in the start she gets to know this or that person a little,
in the latter game, she just jumps anyone for no reason.
She gets off on having MC dictate, like make her the instrument for tease and play.
Then she just gets out of such kink play and simply becomes a cum dump, plastic cock sleeve.

The disconnect comes from making her be no more a human but a sex slave to anybody.
She has little glimmers of self esteem with people she knows from before this phase, others she
has little worry even tho she knows jack all about them.

There are barren days for MC where we are encouraged to see her simply offer herself up.
That is no power play or kink in letting ogling assholes just do whatever to her.
She had suddenly become starved where she otherwise would pick and choose.

Then MC finds out time and time and again she went and done all sorts of demeaning cheap whore
crap with literally the most idiot foul mouth asshole in a group, like:
Even the other girls in that group would sit that idiot out,
but you went and got him cream you?
Girl, you are literally the worst of the worst. Where is the kick in being a liefeless whore?

It's like you're taking it as a personal insult that she's fucking around, like she's your real wife.
It's just a game.
She's not a real person.
No real, actual men, dogs or cats were harmed in the making of this game.
Why keep coming up on here complaining like you are? It's just boring.
The game is what it is and it's not going to change just because you don't like it.
Move on, if it's bugging you that much.

 

[Canto Forte]

Well, see, this game is about their struggle as a couple. So, of course, this thread would emulate that,
like you said, this game is what it is, does not change the fact MC is struggling at times.

 

[Thickgravy49]

But what is he struggling with?
This whole thing was his idea, wasn't it?
She got a taste of the extra-marital cock and she liked it. A lot.
Doesn't it make sense that she would take advantage of the 'free-pass' to fool around with whoever she wanted?
It does to me, anyway.

 

[NewTricks]

I'm not sure you understood my point, based on your post. We're largely in agreement.

Apologies. I seem to have tagged your post rather than the one you were responding to.

 

[Adviar5050]

Obviously the developer has created a game people enjoy which is why there are so many discussions about Annie's character. I've said this in previous posts and I will say it again, the main concern I have with the game is its told completely through the eyes and thoughts of the MC. Rarely do you get an insight into Annie's thoughts and feelings which make her an unsympathetic charecter. I will give you two examples.
1. If you catch Annie and Ryan and confront them you throw Ryan out of your house. Later he texts Annie while she is alone and she "performs for Ryan over the phone. Does she feel any remorse over that? You never know.
2. If you confront Annie about Martin and she answers truthfully she seems to feel bad about hiding it from you and requests that you talk the next night. She then goes to work the next day admits to Martin that the MC knows but then gladly screws his brains out.
Now compare that to the MC when both Chloe and Emma admit they love him. He flat out tells them sorry but I'm with Annie. That is my only concern. I'm just glad the developer has created such an interesting game.

 

[Spiny Norman]

Obviously the developer has created a game people enjoy which is why there are so many discussions about Annie's character. I've said this in previous posts and I will say it again, the main concern I have with the game is its told completely through the eyes and thoughts of the MC. Rarely do you get an insight into Annie's thoughts and feelings which make her an unsympathetic charecter. I will give you two examples.
1. If you catch Annie and Ryan and confront them you throw Ryan out of your house. Later he texts Annie while she is alone and she "performs for Ryan over the phone. Does she feel any remorse over that? You never know.
2. If you confront Annie about Martin and she answers truthfully she seems to feel bad about hiding it from you and requests that you talk the next night. She then goes to work the next day admits to Martin that the MC knows but then gladly screws his brains out.
Now compare that to the MC when both Chloe and Emma admit they love him. He flat out tells them sorry but I'm with Annie. That is my only concern. I'm just glad the developer has created such an interesting game.

Getting more of Anne’s thoughts could be interesting. If she is, in fact, falling into corruption and not just doing what she thinks her husband wants that could be fun to see play out in her head.
And if she is just doing what she thinks he wants but that conflicts with her character it could be hot to see that, too.
Maybe the reason some players see her as just quietly turning into a fuck machine for everybody is that we don’t know much of her thought process on the matter.

 

[NewTricks]

Getting more of Anne’s thoughts could be interesting. If she is, in fact, falling into corruption and not just doing what she thinks her husband wants that could be fun to see play out in her head.
And if she is just doing what she thinks he wants but that conflicts with her character it could be hot to see that, too.
Maybe the reason some players see her as just quietly turning into a fuck machine for everybody is that we don’t know much of her thought process on the matter.

All I know is hearing her thoughts and dialogues in the Spicy Mod made the game objectively better. I don't know if it would have the desired effect of making her more likable to her critics, though

 

[Spiny Norman]

All I know is hearing her thoughts and dialogues in the Spicy Mod made the game objectively better. I don't know if it would have the desired effect of making her more likable to her critics, though

Does the spicy mod work with the current version? I’ve never used it. What does it add?

 

[NewTricks]

Does the spicy mod work with the current version? I’ve never used it. What does it add?

Oh nnnnooooooo do not try it with the current version you will break the game. It wasn't updated after episode 10 or so. I think that if you can find the old version you can play it. It was a dialogue-only mod that added her internal monologue when she was having encounters as well as dialogue with her partners that MC couldn't hear. It was pretty great. It let you know that not all of her sexual encounters were to her taste or expectations. My favorite scene was how fucking disappointed she was with the tattooed guy she met on the beach.

 

[Nurikabe]

Obviously the developer has created a game people enjoy which is why there are so many discussions about Annie's character [ . . . ]
Rarely do you get an insight into Annie's thoughts and feelings which make her an unsympathetic charecter.
I will give you two examples.
1. If you catch Annie and Ryan and confront them you throw Ryan out of your house. Later he texts Annie while she is alone and she "performs for Ryan over the phone. Does she feel any remorse over that? You never know.
2. If you confront Annie about Martin and she answers truthfully she seems to feel bad about hiding it from you and requests that you talk the next night. She then goes to work the next day admits to Martin that the MC knows but then gladly screws his brains out.
Now compare that to the MC when both Chloe and Emma admit they love him. He flat out tells them sorry but I'm with Annie. That is my only concern. [ . . . ]

All I know is hearing her thoughts and dialogues in the Spicy Mod made the game objectively better. I don't know if it would have the desired effect of making her more likable to her critics, though

Actions speak louder than words.

This is a story about a couple told through the MC's point of view. We do not need to see Anne's POV to develop or change our opinion of her behavior. It is not necessary to hear Anne's thoughts to know that she enjoys doing what she is doing.
Hearing Anne's inner dialogue, as you pointed out, will not please the majority of people who think Anne is off the rails. Hearing that she is enjoying her sexual encounters, or worse — that she is becoming romantically involved with certain characters — works to further push her into the unlikeable character.

The two examples you gave are excellent examples of why she is no longer likable. A wife feeling remorse would not perform for Ryan after her husband, who she is supposed to be tremendously in love with (according to the story), confronts them and throws Ryan out! And a wife that loves her husband and regrets not telling him about his dad secretly hiring her is not going to then go and screw that father's brains out.

My favorite scene was how fucking disappointed she was with the tattooed guy she met on the beach.

Using the Spicy mod does not change her behavior, or excuse it. You do get to see what her opinion might be on certain "adventures." For example, the white guy at the beach and not being happy with his performance. That doesn't change her behavior.

I think if we are looking for a quick fix button, it would be adding the option to not participate (Anne and therefore the MC) in each sexual event (WITHOUT Anne getting angry). One event the game DOES do a good job of this is with Dre. You can choose to include that storyline or completely omit it.

 

[Adviar5050]

The reason I stated that it would help to know Annie's perspective is to think of this game if it had been done totally in her head. The MC would come off like a more unlike able character. We wouldn't know his inner monologue about how he feels about Annie's actions and the only time we get insight into him is IF he blows up at Ryan. Then you would probably wonder, like Annie did, why is he getting upset when he was the one pushing it. I agree about Martin. That is the storyline that I like the least. If you choose to go down the Martin path the MC states to Annie that he is worried because his father has banged and stolen more than 1 girl. First of all no guy would even speak to his father again but I get it its not real life. But then if Annie admits she has been sleeping with Martin he actually wants to hear more and encourages her. I'm sorry but that's Last Jedi stupid writing and that's saying something. Anyway everyone is entitled to an opinion and I will never tell anybody they are wrong. I just enjoy the game and hope the new update comes out soon.

 

[NewTricks]

Actions speak louder than words.

This is a story about a couple told through the MC's point of view. We do not need to see Anne's POV to develop or change our opinion of her behavior. It is not necessary to hear Anne's thoughts to know that she enjoys doing what she is doing.
Hearing Anne's inner dialogue, as you pointed out, will not please the majority of people who think Anne is off the rails. Hearing that she is enjoying her sexual encounters, or worse — that she is becoming romantically involved with certain characters — works to further push her into the unlikeable character.

The two examples you gave are excellent examples of why she is no longer likable. A wife feeling remorse would not perform for Ryan after her husband, who she is supposed to be tremendously in love with (according to the story), confronts them and throws Ryan out! And a wife that loves her husband and regrets not telling him about his dad secretly hiring her is not going to then go and screw that father's brains out.


Using the Spicy mod does not change her behavior, or excuse it. You do get to see what her opinion might be on certain "adventures." For example, the white guy at the beach and not being happy with his performance. That doesn't change her behavior.

I think if we are looking for a quick fix button, it would be adding the option to not participate (Anne and therefore the MC) in each sexual event (WITHOUT Anne getting angry). One event the game DOES do a good job of this is with Dre. You can choose to include that storyline or completely omit it.

I hate to break it to you buddy, but every single storyline you are complaining about is just as avoidable as the Dre storyline. All you need to do is make the right choices early in the game. Don't invite Ryan to stay, and if you do, don't send him back alone to seduce her while you drink beer. If you find your dad peeping on your wife, crush his nuts instead of sending him into the shower. At the beach, if he touches her ass have her tell him to go fuck himself. Then she never slips into unfaithful status, which is the prerequisite for all of your complaints. You actually have to work pretty hard to get the scenes you are carping about, chipping away at her self-esteem and refusing to fuck her while you keep pushing her to go farther faster and harder with other men. You can't complain about her fucking your buddy or your dad when you fed them your wife for your own pleasure. If you don't like the version of Anne that lives in your playthrough it is your fucking fault.

 

[Nurikabe]

I've played through all the options. In my main playthrough, the couple has a good relationship, Ryan was denied, the father was shutdown, Dre was not chosen. Despite all the stats being correct, Anne will cheat. Regardless, the player is never given the option to opt-out of a sexual encounter without ending the game. When you think about it if you were to opt-out of the sex scenes, what would be left? The obvious answer is nothing. No character development. No relationship between the couple. No story. It is literally one sex scene after another. And THAT is fine — for a porn game.

BTW, an example is a characteristic that illustrates a general rule. As in the man was simply using those scenes as an example. There are more scenes that illustrate why the character has become so unlikeable. Listing every scene would be tedious and belabor the point unnecessarily.