VN Ren'Py The East Block [v0.8.3] [Bobbyboy Productions]

[Justaphase]

I think expecting people in the porn space not to be money focused is the issue. If they weren't why are they remotely near smut? It's a space for Sasha Greys and Elsa Jeans, not Agatha Christies.

Very few people enter porn out of a deep seated artistic desire. They enter it to make money. For a writer or developer usually because their talent sits them in a space where they would earn pennies or less than pennies in the mainstream. Where as in AVNs their talent level may provide an income they can actually live off or even get them rich if they're good. It's why so many are willing to bend backwards for Patreon or a Steam release. That's not even a criticism from me, every fucker has bills to pay and starving artist is noble for everyone but the actual artist.

We need to stop pretending porn devs are some auteurs grinding for the love of their creation. They're not writing stuff like a girl sucking a homeless man off while her BF claps like a seal, a wife been cratered by bbc, a college woman been gangbanged, a woman sucking off a rottweiler or a mom sucking her son off for the love of art or a creative vision. They're doing it to get paid. If AVN's wern't a money focused space you wouldn't see so many abandoned, milkers, drip fed updates, content changes etc. If their original vision pays of they'll stick to it, if it becomes more profitable to tweak or pivot they will. Players are far more invested in these stories and characters than most of the devs.

And if he were open and honest about what to expect in this update then there wouldn't have been as much of a reaction. If he had said that this is mostly going to be an NTR focused update, where the couple face some problems. The issue is that he said nothing so his fans/supporters who are used to getting one thing, got something else entirely.

With your logic should all developers start making the same shit, whatever makes the most money? Or do they let people know their plans, what to expect and what won't ever happen. Then see who wants to come along for the journey.

 

[TonyMurray]

And if he were open and honest about what to expect in this update then there wouldn't have been as much of a reaction. If he had said that this is mostly going to be an NTR focused update, where the couple face some problems. The issue is that he said nothing so his fans/supporters who are used to getting one thing, got something else entirely.

With your logic should all developers start making the same shit, whatever makes the most money? Or do they let people know their plans, what to expect and what won't ever happen. Then see who wants to come along for the journey.

I don't even mind that it was a fully NTR/no NTS episode (although there was at least one really obvious NTS opportunity that should have been explored and wasn't). What I minded (other than the AI) was the shoehorning of every path into a motel room with a Kathryn predator, potentially after an argument even if you're playing a loyal game. If there was a path where Kathryn went home with Luke, angry or not, then my only real complaint about the release would be the heavy overuse of AI that was often also subpar.

 

[Joshy92]

And if he were open and honest about what to expect in this update then there wouldn't have been as much of a reaction. If he had said that this is mostly going to be an NTR focused update, where the couple face some problems. The issue is that he said nothing so his fans/supporters who are used to getting one thing, got something else entirely.

With your logic should all developers start making the same shit, whatever makes the most money? Or do they let people know their plans, what to expect and what won't ever happen. Then see who wants to come along for the journey.

And then we get called retarded for being upset as the cherry on top

But I'm sure if an NTR game had a purely NTS update without a heads-up, NTR fans would be totally cool with it, right?

 

[Justaphase]

And then we get called retarded for being upset as the cherry on top

But I'm sure if an NTR game had a purely NTS update without a heads-up, NTR fans would be totally cool with it, right?

Like I said yesterday after reading Bobby's latest post on Patreon. I don't know how he's going to now even turn away from the game having completely separate branches. Which would obviously be alot more work. Now that he has stepped over into NTR and Kat being in control, the NTR fans are not going to settle for Luke being back in control in any way. Since the start of this it's been "When is she going to cheat?!" "Why does she always have to ask for permission?!"
Are we going to get two kinds of Kathryn's? One loyal girlfriend and another who sneaks around and does stuff behind Luke's back? I can't see it working any other way.

 

[Joshy92]

Like I said yesterday after reading Bobby's latest post on Patreon. I don't know how he's going to now even turn away from the game having completely separate branches. Which would obviously be alot more work. Now that he has stepped over into NTR and Kat being in control, the NTR fans are not going to settle for Luke being back in control in any way. Since the start of this it's been "When is she going to cheat!" "Why does she always have to ask for permission?!"
Are we going to get two kinds of Kathryn's? One loyal girlfriend and another who sneaks around and does stuff behind Luke's back? I can't see it working any other way.

I don't know man, I really don't. All I know is, I really hope I can trust Bobby to not turn it into another generic FMC cheating game.

I've talked with him a lot these last few days, and he assured me there is more sharing to come but then what? Who knows. I had to unsub for a bit because I just can't right now, and the funny thing is I was thinking last week before it came out of subbing for the whole year using money I'll get at Christmastime next month.

 

[Dessolos]

I don't know man, I really don't. All I know is, I really hope I can trust Bobby to not turn it into another generic FMC cheating game.

my biggest fear right here , im mostly past it barley thinking about this game now and can enjoy the sex scenes in the update for whatever they are without thinking of everything I disliked. But it's always in the back of my mind how it feels like he avoided NTS on purpose in this update. If that becomes a trend for future updates this game would essentially transition into a FMC game to me.

 

[gregers]

Maybe worth keeping in mind that when the dev began floating the idea of a prequel game, that also involved some rewrites to Kathryn's character, sounding like she is now a Reformed Slut™ who used to get very freaky indeed, but decided to change her life around when she started dating Luke. By that logic, the (optional) scene during the flashback to their first date was not so much a one-off as the Last Hurrah of her old self.

 

[Joshy92]

Maybe worth keeping in mind that when the dev began floating the idea of a prequel game, that also involved some rewrites to Kathryn's character, sounding like she is now a Reformed Slut™ who used to get very freaky indeed, but decided to change her life around when she started dating Luke. By that logic, the (optional) scene during the flashback to their first date was not so much a one-off as the Last Hurrah of her old self.

I kind of wish the next game wouldn't have Kathryn, tbh. My autistic brain has decided that I need to play any game she is in, even if I don't want to. We know she will be in it, but in what capacity yet is anyone's guess.

 

[gregers]

I kind of wish the next game wouldn't have Kathryn, tbh. My autistic brain has decided that I need to play any game she is in, even if I don't want to. We know she will be in it, but in what capacity yet is anyone's guess.

Yeah, I think it's a bad decision for both this story and the next one: The events there impacts the characterization of her in this game, and the existence of this story limits the potential scope of events in the prequel.

But against that you have a dev who has build a brand of sorts and wants to continue using that, which makes economic sense.

Apparently she'll be doing "some pretty crazy stuff", but beyond that your guess is as good as mine:

Yeah I need to provide a bit more context there. I'll add more dialog and thoughts when they are in the bar earlier. They had been courting each other for a year or so but didn't really get together on a proper date until that night. The prequel I'm planning shows this, plus how Kathryn did some pretty crazy stuff up until this point but after that first date, she decided to be a good girl.

 

[Dessolos]

I kind of wish the next game wouldn't have Kathryn, tbh. My autistic brain has decided that I need to play any game she is in, even if I don't want to. We know she will be in it, but in what capacity yet is anyone's guess.

Man I feel this so much maybe not the part exactly where you don't want it have Kathryn in it. But I get like this all the time it's why I play NTR paths even tho I dislike them. I find certain LI I like alot to the point I want to see ever bit of content there is with them even if it's stuff I dislike. Thankfully most of those LI only have 1 path. But the worst part is this also extend to the game it's self where if I really like the game ( which is alot of them) I will play every path possible even for characters I don't like or have no interest int. It's rare for me to skip a path I really have to dislike something about them to have the willpower to skip it.

 

[Joshy92]

Yeah, I think it's a bad decision for both this story and the next one: The events there impacts the characterization of her in this game, and the existence of this story limits the potential scope of events in the prequel.

But against that you have a dev who has build a brand of sorts and wants to continue using that, which makes economic sense.

Apparently she'll be doing "some pretty crazy stuff", but beyond that your guess is as good as mine:

Bobby has said a lot of things and tbh I don't trust anything he says right now. I'll wait and see what happens.

 

[Lagunavii]

I don't even mind that it was a fully NTR/no NTS episode (although there was at least one really obvious NTS opportunity that should have been explored and wasn't). What I minded (other than the AI) was the shoehorning of every path into a motel room with a Kathryn predator, potentially after an argument even if you're playing a loyal game. If there was a path where Kathryn went home with Luke, angry or not, then my only real complaint about the release would be the heavy overuse of AI that was often also subpar.

100% this - that Motel scene should have only appeared on one path - the path where Kathryn and Luke Argue and Lukes previous escapades come to light. You could make an argument that she can end up at that Motel even without the argument with Luke as she still knows or suspects his cheating - but in a strictly Loyal Path, there is no reason why Kathryn should ever have been in that position in the first place.

This game has been giving us choices since way back and its insistence on trying to keep everyone happy, by continuing to give those choice, is making plot holes and character flaws. At this point point scenes should be "locked out" or "forced" depending on your choices way back when

 

[MagicMan753]

I hope Bobby forgets this prequel idea. For one, I hate prequels, I already know where the story will go eventually, don't need to see anything else from past.

Secondly and most importantly, it would ruin how I view Kathryn if she has had this crazy past. I view her as someone sweet, loving, a bit naive, bit not someone that would go on crazy sex adventures.

So yeah, hope he scraps this whole prequel idea and just focus on a new cast. As for her showing up, I would be ok with a small cameo, maybe based on paths, she shows up with Luke, alone, or whatver type of paths we got, just a small scene, can acknowledge her, then move on.

 

[Turret]

Maybe worth keeping in mind that when the dev began floating the idea of a prequel game, that also involved some rewrites to Kathryn's character, sounding like she is now a Reformed Slut™ who used to get very freaky indeed, but decided to change her life around when she started dating Luke. By that logic, the (optional) scene during the flashback to their first date was not so much a one-off as the Last Hurrah of her old self.

That is an idea Bobby would do well to put it back, to be rude and crude, where the sun does not shine! This game lives of the fact we have a young, comparatively innocent couple from a little town going into a metropolis and landing in events larger than them. How they cope with these and their sexual ideas, fetiishes and appetites is the meat of the story.

Bobby has said a lot of things and tbh I don't trust anything he says right now. I'll wait and see what happens.

You can trust Bobby as far as you can throw a 40tons truck, this became clear already months ago.

 

[Dessolos]

I hope Bobby forgets this prequel idea. For one, I hate prequels, I already know where the story will go eventually, don't need to see anything else from past.

Secondly and most importantly, it would ruin how I view Kathryn if she has had this crazy past. I view her as someone sweet, loving, a bit naive, bit not someone that would go on crazy sex adventures.

So yeah, hope he scraps this whole prequel idea and just focus on a new cast. As for her showing up, I would be ok with a small cameo, maybe based on paths, she shows up with Luke, alone, or whatver type of paths we got, just a small scene, can acknowledge her, then move on.

I may not agree with your reasoning but I do agree overall. As for me I rather not have the prequel since it would be just a FMC game without sharing with Luke and that is the main appeal to the game and her character for me. I would however love a prequel that is all about her and Luke's relationship without the crazy sex adventures, basically how they started and how their relationship grew.

 

[Lady Lurchimore (No2)]

And if he were open and honest about what to expect in this update then there wouldn't have been as much of a reaction. If he had said that this is mostly going to be an NTR focused update, where the couple face some problems. The issue is that he said nothing so his fans/supporters who are used to getting one thing, got something else entirely.

With your logic should all developers start making the same shit, whatever makes the most money? Or do they let people know their plans, what to expect and what won't ever happen. Then see who wants to come along for the journey.

They already do this we've been at that point for years now. For example the flood of NTR shit this year, specifically the AI. It was like that years ago with all the incest shit and it was unchanged when I started re-playing these kind of games last year. They've always targeted the shit that makes the most money or tried to emulate a smash hit. It happens again and again yet somehow people are still shocked. Anyone trusting an AVN dev is painfully naive all they give a shit about on the whole is money....it's why I'm pirating in the first place. I learned my lesson on backing them. We treat them like creatives, they treat us like paypigs.

 

[MagicMan753]

I may not agree with your reasoning but I do agree overall. As for me I rather not have the prequel since it would be just a FMC game without sharing with Luke and that is the main appeal to the game and her character for me. I would however love a prequel that is all about her and Luke's relationship without the crazy sex adventures, basically how they started and how their relationship grew.

You know what, not a fan of prequels usually, but if Bobby did make a vanilla romance showing our relationship, how it was built and grew, with cute dates. Then, and only then, would I be all in.

 

[TonyMurray]

You know what, not a fan of prequels usually, but if Bobby did make a vanilla romance showing our relationship, how it was built and grew, with cute dates. Then, and only then, would I be all in.

Instead, it sounds like the idea would just be a vehicle for Kathryn to do anything and everything with absolutely anyone, because she has no boyfriend at the time to be loyal to. So basically something to appease those who just want to see her get fucked over and over.

 

[Lagunavii]

You know what, not a fan of prequels usually, but if Bobby did make a vanilla romance showing our relationship, how it was built and grew, with cute dates. Then, and only then, would I be all in.

We already know this, though - The couple go and sees a singer on their first date, where Luke May or May not get Rooffied and Kathryn may or may not have fun with some of the roadies. With them declaring their love shortly after. I don't think there is really a compelling story to tell there. Instead, it just sounds like Tony said, a way to tell a story about Kathryn in her slutty college days

 

[SomeOldFart]

All that everyone has to do is make the choice, multiple times, in the motel room for Kathryn to not go down the cheating path, like in tons of other AVN's that give you a choice to stay faithful or not.