VN Ren'Py The East Block [v0.5.2] [Bobbyboy Productions]

[Pr0GamerJohnny]

To me it seemed like the dev made a deliberate effort in this episode to row Clem's character back a bit and make her more palatable (even if she still wants to get on Luke's nuts).

I'll confess - I had forgotten about that earlier scene with Clem, and so indeed if that was his intention it worked on me - now I think of her as Madam of sorts, but one with clear boundaries.

In the current game (flashback aside) she is not portrayed as sexually inexperienced, she's able to throw down in the bedroom, but she comes across as very naïve about other people's motivations and dangers. The only way, e.g., the much-maligned scene in the park can make even a little bit of sense is if Kathryn has never come across anyone trying to take advantage of her before. The flashback flies in the face of that.

I hadn't thought of it like that and that's a fair point. I had a knee-jerk reaction to those moaning about her not being some chaste pure specimen, but indeed, with sexual experience often comes more awareness, an ability to read between the lines. However - the flashback wasn't the first time she acted like that; several times she's demonstrated greater sexual confidence, so if anything I think the "naive to the ways of the world" character is incongruent with the rest of her, not vice versa.

 

[menatv]

I generally try to play her as naively as possible. On the first run, I didn't have her stay with the dudes in the prequel. But of course I did go ahead and play that route through to see what would happen. And I can see that taking place due to both her love of her idol and being younger and more easily manipulated and the way she was getting turned on also.

Other times though I do play her as being turned on so much she can't help herself. Like a deep seated desire to do stuff with her boyfriend looking on. Not that I really care anything about the boyfriend. Don't understand what she really sees in Luke. Anyway I loved the shower scene where she essentially confesses she really gets worked up when she feels guys want to fuck her and fill her up.

Only thing I didn't like was the glory hole/room part. Seemed way too contrived to me. But other than that I did enjoy the update for the most part.

 

[Joshy92]

I'll confess - I had forgotten about that earlier scene with Clem, and so indeed if that was his intention it worked on me - now I think of her as Madam of sorts, but one with clear boundaries.I hadn't thought of it like that and that's a fair point. I had a knee-jerk reaction to those moaning about her not being some chaste pure specimen, but indeed, with sexual experience often comes more awareness, an ability to read between the lines. However - the flashback wasn't the first time she acted like that; several times she's demonstrated greater sexual confidence, so if anything I think the "naive to the ways of the world" character is incongruent with the rest of her, not vice versa.

Clear boundaries? Dude she is a fucking sex pest she constantly tries to get me to cheat on Kathryn.

 

[Pr0GamerJohnny]

Clear boundaries? Dude she is a fucking sex pest she constantly tries to get me to cheat on Kathryn.

Yeah but she doesn't do it by grabbing at you...

 

[Monstalova]

To me it seemed like the dev made a deliberate effort in this episode to row Clem's character back a bit and make her more palatable (even if she still wants to get on Luke's nuts).

The phone conversation making it seem like she was a reluctant part of the whole corruption drug shemozzle in particular seemed like an attempt to mitigate the earlier scene where she's shown gleefully drugging and abusing a sex slave. It didn't click for me, but maybe it'll work for others.

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The bit where she mentions (and Kathryn echoes) that some of the women working the gloryholes are actually there voluntarily, i.e. a casual admission that others aren't, was maybe less of a brag than she intended it.



As for Kathryn, I think the main issue with the flashback and prequel might be that it establishes a canonical past for her, against which her current behaviour can be judged.

In the current game (flashback aside) she is not portrayed as sexually inexperienced, she's able to throw down in the bedroom, but she comes across as very naïve about other people's motivations and dangers. The only way, e.g., the much-maligned scene in the park can make even a little bit of sense is if Kathryn has never come across anyone trying to take advantage of her before. The flashback flies in the face of that.

(But again, it may play differently for others and I'm not really in the audience for this game as it's currently headed, so YMMV. Just thinking out loud.)

Yes it seemed that Clem was tweaked with how she was portrayed before. Even having Mr Seville treat her a certain way to change things around. Same with Alex the prisoner. Now they are looking to have some redeeming factors. I know there were a handful of people who thought Alex was the only guy they didn't feel was a total creep. So now hes been written as a more sympathetic, sad figure, instead of the first scene where he manipulates her into letting him jerk off. Bit of a difference from initially being like, Show me your tits and I'm gona nut on your ass haha.

Think the problem was that other than Albert, every character in the game was a complete asshole, perverted creep, rapist. That gets old quick and isn't too realistic. You can get away with that for a few characters or if they are one offs but not the entire cast. So some things had to be changed slightly.

I actually liked this update overall. Had a lot of fun scenes. They were longer and more drawn out. Better when you can build a scene up. Im not into the flashbacks or dream stuff though. While some may be well told, I think Kath being able to do that kind of stuff years ago.. spoils the current game and its meaning for her character arc.
I'm over the Kathryn and Luke dynamic. Have been for a while. Only one thing that matters to me now..... Rebecca! Nice final scene to set up the next update.