VN Ren'Py The Hellcat Lounge [v0.3.34] [Wilson Wonka]

[ename144]

I just thought that this game would have a rhythm more similar to Become a Rock Star, maybe that was my mistake. I'm not saying I don't want there to be sex, just not all Li from minute one. Since for my taste the first thing is the story and then the sex and not the other way around. If you like the game that way, that's fine with me.

To be fair, BARS started out with some unavoidable sex scenes with Selina that didn't exactly sell the development its characters would eventually get (including Selina herself). Hopefully HL will similarly improve as it finds its footing.


Might as well give my quick review of the first update while I'm here. I'm always eager to see games that don't focus on harems and/or incest so I want to be onboard here, but I don't think this game is my cup of tea right now.

Like bubaldo I'd prefer to get to know the girls in non-sexual ways before we get down and dirty, but this game is having none of that. The 'contest' is too on the nose to take seriously, especially when the MC is a virtual stranger to all of them. I'm used the aphrodisiacal powers of a visual novel MC, but this is something else. If you wanted to avoid a slow start, I think you'd have been better off giving the MC some history the girls (or at least a solid majority of them) to start out. Maybe that was part of the idea - the situation had been smoldering between Caitlin and Lane while the MC was with Simone and now that he's apparently free they're pouncing. But when the MC himself is blindsided by interest it makes the girls look kind of delusional. If this is literally the first time Caitlin or Lane have spoken to the MC at any length, it can't be that much of a love triangle.

Speaking of Simone, I *REALLY* don't like her role in the game. Call me cynical, but when a game has the MC break up with a girlfriend based on some out-of-context eavesdropping, I take it a given that the girlfriend was faithful to the MC and we'll eventually learn the shocking [sic] truth after a suitable amount of time. In this case I find that particularly frustrating. Simone isn't very appealing to me (her face is oddly angular and the nose ring/haircut really doesn't do it for me), yet I'm forced to take her side because the MC's actions - at least as presented - are insane. Someone she knows calls her "babe" and invites her to a group gettogether and it's breakup time? Seriously? I get that Steve seems to be a former lover so the suspicion makes sense, but we skipped the suspicion and just jumped straight to treating it as fact.

Perhaps the MC saw more incriminating messages after that, but we certainly didn't. Granted, the relationship is relatively new AFAICT, but it's portrayed as serious enough I'd expect the MC to at least consider the alternatives before he closes the book on Simone. Yet even if I try to steer him in that direction (listening to her explanation, telling her she needs time), Simone is still summarily forgotten in the next scene and then it's sexual olympics ahoy. Maybe it's a side effect of not having any interior monologue for the MC, but the end result is very heavy-handed and leaves me poorly disposed towards my own avatar yet without an obvious end game to play towards.

So I didn't like the setup and I'm not a fan of the MC as initially presented. What about the main cast? Hard to say, really. The game clearly has a sense of style in mind and it does a good job portraying that through the relentless tattoos and the characters' attitudes. Unfortunately, the characters all seem to have the same attitude: they're sarcastic, they're off beat, and they're far too cool for school. Even Caitlin, who seems to be positioned as the wallflower of the group, still gets in a zinger or two.

It makes it hard to see the characters as anything but their most basic archetypes: Zach is the wingman, Cailtin is the virgin, Lita is the horndog, etc. That's not to say I dislike them or that they can't grow. I generally like them and they have plenty of potential, but it's just that: potential. For now, the girls are anatomically correct blank slates. Even turning down a threesome to focus on Lane tells us more about the sidegirl than it does about Lane. Until the cast have the room to show the full range of their personalities there's not that much to make them stand out (from each other, or from the host of other AVN characters out there).

Right now I'd say the art style is this game's biggest asset. I'm generally in favor of moderation when it comes to tattoos, but I can understand why everyone's sporting them because they fit the aesthetic and help ground the characters within it. Even familiar models look a little different here. Ink aside, I think the cast looks pretty nice (even Simone looks fine, she's just not my type). The animations are short but (from what I've seen) look good. The game has a solid artistic design.

The only thing I'm not sure about on the art side are the dynamic images. I get the idea, but they feel off. Sometimes I think they're a little too fast paced, but in general I think the problem is that they're used way too often. AVNs aren't movies, you shouldn't be trying to make everything dynamic! Save that for scenes that need to stand out: quick cuts for something meant to be disorienting, a slow pan for something dramatic, or an extra long pause on a big punchline, that sort of thing. If you try to give everything a dynamic flair it just comes off as animation envy. Still images are the bread and butter of an AVN, and the right still can convey just as much as a simple animation. Embrace that and you'll have a stronger base that will give you the most bang for your buck if and when you do go outside the lines.

That's my advice anyway. Take it for what it's worth, and good luck on your game.

tl;dr The game's got style to burn, but so far it's not capitalizing on it all that well.

 

[Deleted member 1571716]

To be fair, BARS started out with some unavoidable sex scenes with Selina that didn't exactly sell the development its characters would eventually get (including Selina herself). Hopefully HL will similarly improve as it finds its footing.


Might as well give my quick review of the first update while I'm here. I'm always eager to see games that don't focus on harems and/or incest so I want to be onboard here, but I don't think this game is my cup of tea right now.

Like bubaldo I'd prefer to get to know the girls in non-sexual ways before we get down and dirty, but this game is having none of that. The 'contest' is too on the nose to take seriously, especially when the MC is a virtual stranger to all of them. I'm used the aphrodisiacal powers of a visual novel MC, but this is something else. If you wanted to avoid a slow start, I think you'd have been better off giving the MC some history the girls (or at least a solid majority of them) to start out. Maybe that was part of the idea - the situation had been smoldering between Caitlin and Lane while the MC was with Simone and now that he's apparently free they're pouncing. But when the MC himself is blindsided by interest it makes the girls look kind of delusional. If this is literally the first time Caitlin or Lane have spoken to the MC at any length, it can't be that much of a love triangle.

Speaking of Simone, I *REALLY* don't like her role in the game. Call me cynical, but when a game has the MC break up with a girlfriend based on some out-of-context eavesdropping, I take it a given that the girlfriend was faithful to the MC and we'll eventually learn the shocking [sic] truth after a suitable amount of time. In this case I find that particularly frustrating. Simone isn't very appealing to me (her face is oddly angular and the nose ring/haircut really doesn't do it for me), yet I'm forced to take her side because the MC's actions - at least as presented - are insane. Someone she knows calls her "babe" and invites her to a group gettogether and it's breakup time? Seriously? I get that Steve seems to be a former lover so the suspicion makes sense, but we skipped the suspicion and just jumped straight to treating it as fact.

Perhaps the MC saw more incriminating messages after that, but we certainly didn't. Granted, the relationship is relatively new AFAICT, but it's portrayed as serious enough I'd expect the MC to at least consider the alternatives before he closes the book on Simone. Yet even if I try to steer him in that direction (listening to her explanation, telling her she needs time), Simone is still summarily forgotten in the next scene and then it's sexual olympics ahoy. Maybe it's a side effect of not having any interior monologue for the MC, but the end result is very heavy-handed and leaves me poorly disposed towards my own avatar yet without an obvious end game to play towards.

So I didn't like the setup and I'm not a fan of the MC as initially presented. What about the main cast? Hard to say, really. The game clearly has a sense of style in mind and it does a good job portraying that through the relentless tattoos and the characters' attitudes. Unfortunately, the characters all seem to have the same attitude: they're sarcastic, they're off beat, and they're far too cool for school. Even Caitlin, who seems to be positioned as the wallflower of the group, still gets in a zinger or two.

It makes it hard to see the characters as anything but their most basic archetypes: Zach is the wingman, Cailtin is the virgin, Lita is the horndog, etc. That's not to say I dislike them or that they can't grow. I generally like them and they have plenty of potential, but it's just that: potential. For now, the girls are anatomically correct blank slates. Even turning down a threesome to focus on Lane tells us more about the sidegirl than it does about Lane. Until the cast have the room to show the full range of their personalities there's not that much to make them stand out (from each other, or from the host of other AVN characters out there).

Right now I'd say the art style is this game's biggest asset. I'm generally in favor of moderation when it comes to tattoos, but I can understand why everyone's sporting them because they fit the aesthetic and help ground the characters within it. Even familiar models look a little different here. Ink aside, I think the cast looks pretty nice (even Simone looks fine, she's just not my type). The animations are short but (from what I've seen) look good. The game has a solid artistic design.

The only thing I'm not sure about on the art side are the dynamic images. I get the idea, but they feel off. Sometimes I think they're a little too fast paced, but in general I think the problem is that they're used way too often. AVNs aren't movies, you shouldn't be trying to make everything dynamic! Save that for scenes that need to stand out: quick cuts for something meant to be disorienting, a slow pan for something dramatic, or an extra long pause on a big punchline, that sort of thing. If you try to give everything a dynamic flair it just comes off as animation envy. Still images are the bread and butter of an AVN, and the right still can convey just as much as a simple animation. Embrace that and you'll have a stronger base that will give you the most bang for your buck if and when you do go outside the lines.

That's my advice anyway. Take it for what it's worth, and good luck on your game.

tl;dr The game's got style to burn, but so far it's not capitalizing on it all that well.

tl:dr
What I did read, you're absolutely wrong. I played the entire episode without any lewds at all. Unless there was something with Simone at the start. Don't remember and don't want to. But, if you don't play their little game and choose one girl like I did at the start to get to know, there's no lewds with anyone. If you used the mod, it pushes you to have every lewd in the game. I personally didn't want that. Anyway, it was your choice to play the game the girls wanted you to play. So, the only person you can blame, is yourself.

 

[Canto Forte]

This is a summer camp or summer festival, call it Christmas for MC all day every day:
working with a kind owner, being courted incessantly by his coworkers, both boy and girl,
getting teased to no end by the patrons of the establishment,
being in your face obnoxious and getting to meet all sorts of fellow in your face obnoxius babes.

I just thought that this game would have a rhythm more similar to Become a Rock Star, maybe that was my mistake. I'm not saying I don't want there to be sex, just not all Li from minute one. Since for my taste the first thing is the story and then the sex and not the other way around. If you like the game that way, that's fine with me.

To be fair, BARS started out with some unavoidable sex scenes with Selina that didn't exactly sell the development its characters would eventually get (including Selina herself). Hopefully HL will similarly improve as it finds its footing.


Might as well give my quick review of the first update while I'm here. I'm always eager to see games that don't focus on harems and/or incest so I want to be onboard here, but I don't think this game is my cup of tea right now.

Like bubaldo I'd prefer to get to know the girls in non-sexual ways before we get down and dirty, but this game is having none of that. The 'contest' is too on the nose to take seriously, especially when the MC is a virtual stranger to all of them. I'm used the aphrodisiacal powers of a visual novel MC, but this is something else. If you wanted to avoid a slow start, I think you'd have been better off giving the MC some history the girls (or at least a solid majority of them) to start out. Maybe that was part of the idea - the situation had been smoldering between Caitlin and Lane while the MC was with Simone and now that he's apparently free they're pouncing. But when the MC himself is blindsided by interest it makes the girls look kind of delusional. If this is literally the first time Caitlin or Lane have spoken to the MC at any length, it can't be that much of a love triangle.

Speaking of Simone, I *REALLY* don't like her role in the game. Call me cynical, but when a game has the MC break up with a girlfriend based on some out-of-context eavesdropping, I take it a given that the girlfriend was faithful to the MC and we'll eventually learn the shocking [sic] truth after a suitable amount of time. In this case I find that particularly frustrating. Simone isn't very appealing to me (her face is oddly angular and the nose ring/haircut really doesn't do it for me), yet I'm forced to take her side because the MC's actions - at least as presented - are insane. Someone she knows calls her "babe" and invites her to a group gettogether and it's breakup time? Seriously? I get that Steve seems to be a former lover so the suspicion makes sense, but we skipped the suspicion and just jumped straight to treating it as fact.

Perhaps the MC saw more incriminating messages after that, but we certainly didn't. Granted, the relationship is relatively new AFAICT, but it's portrayed as serious enough I'd expect the MC to at least consider the alternatives before he closes the book on Simone. Yet even if I try to steer him in that direction (listening to her explanation, telling her she needs time), Simone is still summarily forgotten in the next scene and then it's sexual olympics ahoy. Maybe it's a side effect of not having any interior monologue for the MC, but the end result is very heavy-handed and leaves me poorly disposed towards my own avatar yet without an obvious end game to play towards.

So I didn't like the setup and I'm not a fan of the MC as initially presented. What about the main cast? Hard to say, really. The game clearly has a sense of style in mind and it does a good job portraying that through the relentless tattoos and the characters' attitudes. Unfortunately, the characters all seem to have the same attitude: they're sarcastic, they're off beat, and they're far too cool for school. Even Caitlin, who seems to be positioned as the wallflower of the group, still gets in a zinger or two.

It makes it hard to see the characters as anything but their most basic archetypes: Zach is the wingman, Cailtin is the virgin, Lita is the horndog, etc. That's not to say I dislike them or that they can't grow. I generally like them and they have plenty of potential, but it's just that: potential. For now, the girls are anatomically correct blank slates. Even turning down a threesome to focus on Lane tells us more about the sidegirl than it does about Lane. Until the cast have the room to show the full range of their personalities there's not that much to make them stand out (from each other, or from the host of other AVN characters out there).

Right now I'd say the art style is this game's biggest asset. I'm generally in favor of moderation when it comes to tattoos, but I can understand why everyone's sporting them because they fit the aesthetic and help ground the characters within it. Even familiar models look a little different here. Ink aside, I think the cast looks pretty nice (even Simone looks fine, she's just not my type). The animations are short but (from what I've seen) look good. The game has a solid artistic design.

The only thing I'm not sure about on the art side are the dynamic images. I get the idea, but they feel off. Sometimes I think they're a little too fast paced, but in general I think the problem is that they're used way too often. AVNs aren't movies, you shouldn't be trying to make everything dynamic! Save that for scenes that need to stand out: quick cuts for something meant to be disorienting, a slow pan for something dramatic, or an extra long pause on a big punchline, that sort of thing. If you try to give everything a dynamic flair it just comes off as animation envy. Still images are the bread and butter of an AVN, and the right still can convey just as much as a simple animation. Embrace that and you'll have a stronger base that will give you the most bang for your buck if and when you do go outside the lines.

That's my advice anyway. Take it for what it's worth, and good luck on your game.

tl;dr The game's got style to burn, but so far it's not capitalizing on it all that well.

tl:dr
What I did read, you're absolutely wrong. I played the entire episode without any lewds at all. Unless there was something with Simone at the start. Don't remember and don't want to. But, if you don't play their little game and choose one girl like I did at the start to get to know, there's no lewds with anyone. If you used the mod, it pushes you to have every lewd in the game. I personally didn't want that. Anyway, it was your choice to play the game the girls wanted you to play. So, the only person you can blame, is yourself.

Try to remember the very first ”fuckface” introduction MC gets a wide berth to skanky broads.
Try to remember the very last ”boyfriend” introduction MC gets a load of a nutty hottie babe.
This is the game. One where MC is free to charter all the murky and steamy thunder storm waters
while working for a festival jam packed to the brim with in your face ”me gorgeaus you dumb toy of mine”
broads treating MC like the tool he is - that is the reason for the tatts:
- showing their collection of awesome self gratifying signs of in your face obnoxius these broads sport.

MC is supposed to be this free spirit, prone to experiment and ready for anything, anywhere, anytime.

Are you using a patch? This hasn't shown up for anyone else.

This looks like a freak instance where the OS misplaced the saves .. there is notihing there to fix.
Possibly using a save made during a scene or during action scenes and it got borked.

Thank you for this wildly entertaining summer rollercoaster happy feels game!

 

[Sin_Mechero]

To be fair, BARS started out with some unavoidable sex scenes with Selina that didn't exactly sell the development its characters would eventually get (including Selina herself). Hopefully HL will similarly improve as it finds its footing.


Might as well give my quick review of the first update while I'm here. I'm always eager to see games that don't focus on harems and/or incest so I want to be onboard here, but I don't think this game is my cup of tea right now.

Like bubaldo I'd prefer to get to know the girls in non-sexual ways before we get down and dirty, but this game is having none of that. The 'contest' is too on the nose to take seriously, especially when the MC is a virtual stranger to all of them. I'm used the aphrodisiacal powers of a visual novel MC, but this is something else. If you wanted to avoid a slow start, I think you'd have been better off giving the MC some history the girls (or at least a solid majority of them) to start out. Maybe that was part of the idea - the situation had been smoldering between Caitlin and Lane while the MC was with Simone and now that he's apparently free they're pouncing. But when the MC himself is blindsided by interest it makes the girls look kind of delusional. If this is literally the first time Caitlin or Lane have spoken to the MC at any length, it can't be that much of a love triangle.

Speaking of Simone, I *REALLY* don't like her role in the game. Call me cynical, but when a game has the MC break up with a girlfriend based on some out-of-context eavesdropping, I take it a given that the girlfriend was faithful to the MC and we'll eventually learn the shocking [sic] truth after a suitable amount of time. In this case I find that particularly frustrating. Simone isn't very appealing to me (her face is oddly angular and the nose ring/haircut really doesn't do it for me), yet I'm forced to take her side because the MC's actions - at least as presented - are insane. Someone she knows calls her "babe" and invites her to a group gettogether and it's breakup time? Seriously? I get that Steve seems to be a former lover so the suspicion makes sense, but we skipped the suspicion and just jumped straight to treating it as fact.

Perhaps the MC saw more incriminating messages after that, but we certainly didn't. Granted, the relationship is relatively new AFAICT, but it's portrayed as serious enough I'd expect the MC to at least consider the alternatives before he closes the book on Simone. Yet even if I try to steer him in that direction (listening to her explanation, telling her she needs time), Simone is still summarily forgotten in the next scene and then it's sexual olympics ahoy. Maybe it's a side effect of not having any interior monologue for the MC, but the end result is very heavy-handed and leaves me poorly disposed towards my own avatar yet without an obvious end game to play towards.

So I didn't like the setup and I'm not a fan of the MC as initially presented. What about the main cast? Hard to say, really. The game clearly has a sense of style in mind and it does a good job portraying that through the relentless tattoos and the characters' attitudes. Unfortunately, the characters all seem to have the same attitude: they're sarcastic, they're off beat, and they're far too cool for school. Even Caitlin, who seems to be positioned as the wallflower of the group, still gets in a zinger or two.

It makes it hard to see the characters as anything but their most basic archetypes: Zach is the wingman, Cailtin is the virgin, Lita is the horndog, etc. That's not to say I dislike them or that they can't grow. I generally like them and they have plenty of potential, but it's just that: potential. For now, the girls are anatomically correct blank slates. Even turning down a threesome to focus on Lane tells us more about the sidegirl than it does about Lane. Until the cast have the room to show the full range of their personalities there's not that much to make them stand out (from each other, or from the host of other AVN characters out there).

Right now I'd say the art style is this game's biggest asset. I'm generally in favor of moderation when it comes to tattoos, but I can understand why everyone's sporting them because they fit the aesthetic and help ground the characters within it. Even familiar models look a little different here. Ink aside, I think the cast looks pretty nice (even Simone looks fine, she's just not my type). The animations are short but (from what I've seen) look good. The game has a solid artistic design.

The only thing I'm not sure about on the art side are the dynamic images. I get the idea, but they feel off. Sometimes I think they're a little too fast paced, but in general I think the problem is that they're used way too often. AVNs aren't movies, you shouldn't be trying to make everything dynamic! Save that for scenes that need to stand out: quick cuts for something meant to be disorienting, a slow pan for something dramatic, or an extra long pause on a big punchline, that sort of thing. If you try to give everything a dynamic flair it just comes off as animation envy. Still images are the bread and butter of an AVN, and the right still can convey just as much as a simple animation. Embrace that and you'll have a stronger base that will give you the most bang for your buck if and when you do go outside the lines.

That's my advice anyway. Take it for what it's worth, and good luck on your game.

tl;dr The game's got style to burn, but so far it's not capitalizing on it all that well.

I agree for the most part, except for Simone's part, that if you read the messages and what she tells you carefully, you will see that they contradict each other and she is lying to you. (The SMS is looking to confirm her attendance, it is not an invitation, which indicates that they have spoken to meet previously).
I'm not complaining about the artistic part, it seems to me that it has a very good atmosphere and quality of renders both in characters and settings.

tl:dr
What I did read, you're absolutely wrong. I played the entire episode without any lewds at all. Unless there was something with Simone at the start. Don't remember and don't want to. But, if you don't play their little game and choose one girl like I did at the start to get to know, there's no lewds with anyone. If you used the mod, it pushes you to have every lewd in the game. I personally didn't want that. Anyway, it was your choice to play the game the girls wanted you to play. So, the only person you can blame, is yourself.

I did the same as you, if you go for a Li because of her appearance it's fine, but if you're looking to choose them for their personality, as a result you get that you have rejected 2 main Li from the beginning without knowing anything about them, and the "you missed it" comments moments later. I am more in favor of using secondary characters at the beginning, to give us time to get to know them a little. But they are only personal preferences, surely many people prefer the game as it is.

 

[ename144]

tl:dr
What I did read, you're absolutely wrong. I played the entire episode without any lewds at all. Unless there was something with Simone at the start. Don't remember and don't want to. But, if you don't play their little game and choose one girl like I did at the start to get to know, there's no lewds with anyone. If you used the mod, it pushes you to have every lewd in the game. I personally didn't want that. Anyway, it was your choice to play the game the girls wanted you to play. So, the only person you can blame, is yourself.

I think you missed my point. I'm aware you can skip the sex scenes (Simone aside), but you don't get to know the girls much if you do. It's not like we get a chance to bond with Lane if we leave Shannon hanging.

So sure, I can focus on one girl if I want to, but my point is that I don't have enough information to pick a girl yet. I'm effectively turning down everyone and learning nothing new in the process. I want a choice that lets me get to know the girls without gratuitous sex.

I agree for the most part, except for Simone's part, that if you read the messages and what she tells you carefully, you will see that they contradict each other and she is lying to you. (The SMS is looking to confirm her attendance, it is not an invitation, which indicates that they have spoken to meet previously).
I'm not complaining about the artistic part, it seems to me that it has a very good atmosphere and quality of renders both in characters and settings.

I already read it carefully and it's not a contradiction. She says he's an old friend of the family. It would not be surprising for her to be invited to hang out with him if she's back in town, and it's easy to see why she might accept even if she isn't fucking him. We're deliberately ignoring all the context of her actions so that we can be bushwacked by them later.

That's how it seems to me, anyway. If the devs really wanted to establish Simone as definitively cheating the MC could just catch her in the act; it's a classic trope for a reason. The fact that he didn't, and that she's conveniently out of contact for ~1.5 months of in-game time while we get attached to someone else, says there's going to be more than meets the eye here.

 

[Canto Forte]

Gamers, all the insinuations you keep pointing out in order to cut the course of this game are bonkers.
The girls offered hook ups to Mc, they are together and also look to hook up.
MC is in a pickle as his GF is getting outta town for supposedly business reasons,
she tells him like they are together together, while pointing to him he likes her for sex,
but then she has already arranged TO MEET SOME GUY ALREADY AND CRASH AT HIS BACHELOR PAD.

MC told her straight and SHE NEVER DId TELL HIM ANYTHING, NOTHING AT ALL WHILE HE SAT THERE SILENT, WAITING FOR HER TO MAKE ANY SENSE, TO SHOW ANY SIGN OF LOVE, ANY SIGN OF AFFECTION TO THE MC COLLAPSED ON THE GROUD IN HURT OVER THE FACT HIS GIRLFRIEND
has a ”babe” affectionate conversation with someone texting her like to a lover,
not to mentionSHE CONFESSES TO MC SHE KIND A STRINGS THAT FELLOW ALONG,
LIKE THAT GUY IS IN HIS HEAD THINKING OF HER AS HIS GIRLFRIEND.

This girl who could not get enough of MC a couple a minutes ago,
WHO LIKES TO BE OPEN AND CAREFREE AND SEX ALL THE TIME WITH HIM,
who let her phone unattended, unlocked, free to see to the MC,
IS SUDDENLY SPEACHLESS about what she reads in the texts
wHY?

I agree for the most part, except for Simone's part, that if you read the messages and what she tells you carefully, you will see that they contradict each other and she is lying to you. (The SMS is looking to confirm her attendance, it is not an invitation, which indicates that they have spoken to meet previously).
I'm not complaining about the artistic part, it seems to me that it has a very good atmosphere and quality of renders both in characters and settings.

I did the same as you, if you go for a Li because of her appearance it's fine, but if you're looking to choose them for their personality, as a result you get that you have rejected 2 main Li from the beginning without knowing anything about them, and the "you missed it" comments moments later. I am more in favor of using secondary characters at the beginning, to give us time to get to know them a little. But they are only personal preferences, surely many people prefer the game as it is.

I think you missed my point. I'm aware you can skip the sex scenes (Simone aside), but you don't get to know the girls much if you do. It's not like we get a chance to bond with Lane if we leave Shannon hanging.

So sure, I can focus on one girl if I want to, but my point is that I don't have enough information to pick a girl yet. I'm effectively turning down everyone and learning nothing new in the process. I want a choice that lets me get to know the girls without gratuitous sex.



I already read it carefully and it's not a contradiction. She says he's an old friend of the family. It would not be surprising for her to be invited to hang out with him if she's back in town, and it's easy to see why she might accept even if she isn't fucking him. We're deliberately ignoring all the context of her actions so that we can be bushwacked by them later.

That's how it seems to me, anyway. If the devs really wanted to establish Simone as definitively cheating the MC could just catch her in the act; it's a classic trope for a reason. The fact that he didn't, and that she's conveniently out of contact for ~1.5 months of in-game time while we get attached to someone else, says there's going to be more than meets the eye here.

 

[Sin_Mechero]

I already read it carefully and it's not a contradiction. She says he's an old friend of the family. It would not be surprising for her to be invited to hang out with him if she's back in town, and it's easy to see why she might accept even if she isn't fucking him. We're deliberately ignoring all the context of her actions so that we can be bushwacked by them later.

That's how it seems to me, anyway. If the devs really wanted to establish Simone as definitively cheating the MC could just catch her in the act; it's a classic trope for a reason. The fact that he didn't, and that she's conveniently out of contact for ~1.5 months of in-game time while we get attached to someone else, says there's going to be more than meets the eye here.

Msm: We're all still planing on heading out to the lake on Saturday
Simone: I haven't talked to him in months
Isn't it obvious to you that they talked recently?
From there, everything Simone says is to try to make things up. Her way of acting is more of "shit he has caught me". I don't see any affection towards him.
It is a way of letting you know that she is cheating on you without having to show anything else. If they had shown it to you, people would say that it is NTR. with all that this entails.
I would prefer your version, but it gives me that this time it is not like that.

 

[Hildegardt]

Msm: We're all still planing on heading out to the lake on Saturday
Simone: I haven't talked to him in months
Isn't it obvious to you that they talked recently?

Maybe he's reminding her about the meetup, so she doesn't forget, because they haven't talked in months?

Anyway, I think the point is that this obviously wasn't the last we'll see of Simone, which is also confirmed by the variable for her Love points. It's a frustratingly rushed breakup, only so her story can continue at a later time.

It is a way of letting you know that she is cheating on you without having to show anything else. If they had shown it to you, people would say that it is NTR. with all that this entails.

Another way to get around the whining is to reveal everything as a misunderstanding in the end.

 

[Sin_Mechero]

Maybe he's reminding her about the meetup, so she doesn't forget, because they haven't talked in months?

Anyway, I think the point is that this obviously wasn't the last we'll see of Simone, which is also confirmed by the variable for her Love points. It's a frustratingly rushed breakup, only so her story can continue at a later time.

Another way to get around the whining is to reveal everything as a misunderstanding in the end.

Hopefully it's like you say, but what annoys me the most is her embarrassed attitude. If it wasn't a lie, she would act with more confidence.

 

[Sin_Mechero]

Gamers, all the insinuations you keep pointing out in order to cut the course of this game are bonkers.
The girls offered hook ups to Mc, they are together and also look to hook up.

First of all, I don't want the game to change, for the author to do whatever he wants however he wants.
I only expressed my opinion of what I expected from this game and I was wrong. Only that it is rhythm with the Li is what made me stop supporting them and look for other games more to my liking. Whoever likes the game like this I'm happy for him, and enjoy it a lot.

 

[ename144]

Msm: We're all still planing on heading out to the lake on Saturday
Simone: I haven't talked to him in months
Isn't it obvious to you that they talked recently?
From there, everything Simone says is to try to make things up. Her way of acting is more of "shit he has caught me". I don't see any affection towards him.
It is a way of letting you know that she is cheating on you without having to show anything else. If they had shown it to you, people would say that it is NTR. with all that this entails.
I would prefer your version, but it gives me that this time it is not like that.

No, it's not obvious because as I said, he's (allegedly) a friend of the family. Based on what little we're told, Simone's internship is close to her home so it's entirely plausible someone other than Steve invited both of them to the lake. Please note how Steve helpfully specifies that "We're all still planning on heading out to the lake on Saturday." [emphasis mine] Why include other people for a romantic getaway?

As for her showing no affection towards the MC, I can't agree. She's clearly despondent when she drives away:

(There are some other shots too, but I'm not interested in having to replay the dynamic sequence to get the timing right). Whatever her relationship with Steve, she cared about the MC.

Now obviously I'm playing devil's advocate here; Simone's actions are definitely suspicious. But suspicion isn't proof. Remember, the relationship with Simone is only measured in "weeks." It's to be expected she'd have friends (possibly close ones) the MC isn't aware of, especially if (as seems to be the case) she grew up some distance away. The fact that some guy back home is carrying a torch for her isn't the same as her acting on the opportunity. And we have almost no data on her actions; it's not even clear if she was planning to go to the lake before Steve's message.

The MC should have been grilling Simone to get to the truth, but instead he takes one look at the situation and instantly kicks her out. The fact that he never asks the obvious questions tells me the answers would spoil the eventual reveal. Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but like I said, I'm cynical when playing AVNs; give me a twist-shaped hole in the narrative and I'm going to assume something is meant to fit in there.

EDIT:

Hopefully it's like you say, but what annoys me the most is her embarrassed attitude. If it wasn't a lie, she would act with more confidence.

Again, not necessarily. If the devs want us to suspect her, they can make her act unsure of herself because she's terrified of losing the MC through a stupid mistake. It's not like we a have a solid sense of Simone's personality to extrapolate from.

 

[Deleted member 1571716]

I think you missed my point. I'm aware you can skip the sex scenes (Simone aside), but you don't get to know the girls much if you do. It's not like we get a chance to bond with Lane if we leave Shannon hanging.

And you thought by fucking them, you'd get to know them better? It's barely getting started. You don't need to fuck anyone right now and you'll still get to know them as the story progresses. Not like they're going to disappear if you don't play their little game.

 

[Deleted member 1571716]

I did the same as you, if you go for a Li because of her appearance it's fine, but if you're looking to choose them for their personality, as a result you get that you have rejected 2 main Li from the beginning without knowing anything about them, and the "you missed it" comments moments later. I am more in favor of using secondary characters at the beginning, to give us time to get to know them a little. But they are only personal preferences, surely many people prefer the game as it is.

You don't need to choose anyone by their looks. Just hold off on banging anyone. The girls aren't going anywhere. Neither is the MC. Don't play their little contest.

 

[Sin_Mechero]

No, it's not obvious because as I said, he's (allegedly) a friend of the family. Based on what little we're told, Simone's internship is close to her home so it's entirely plausible someone other than Steve invited both of them to the lake. Please note how Steve helpfully specifies that "We're all still planning on heading out to the lake on Saturday." [emphasis mine] Why include other people for a romantic getaway?

As for her showing no affection towards the MC, I can't agree. She's clearly despondent when she drives away:
View attachment 1968631 View attachment 1968617
(There are some other shots too, but I'm not interested in having to replay the dynamic sequence to get the timing right). Whatever her relationship with Steve, she cared about the MC.

Now obviously I'm playing devil's advocate here; Simone's actions are definitely suspicious. But suspicion isn't proof. Remember, the relationship with Simone is only measured in "weeks." It's to be expected she'd have friends (possibly close ones) the MC isn't aware of, especially if (as seems to be the case) she grew up some distance away. The fact that some guy back home is carrying a torch for her isn't the same as her acting on the opportunity. And we have almost no data on her actions; it's not even clear if she was planning to go to the lake before Steve's message.

The MC should have been grilling Simone to get to the truth, but instead he takes one look at the situation and instantly kicks her out. The fact that he never asks the obvious questions tells me the answers would spoil the eventual reveal. Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but like I said, I'm cynical when playing AVNs; give me a twist-shaped hole in the narrative and I'm going to assume something is meant to fit in there.

EDIT:

Again, not necessarily. If the devs want us to suspect her, they can make her act unsure of herself because she's terrified of losing the MC through a stupid mistake. It's not like we a have a solid sense of Simone's personality to extrapolate from.

Simone is going away for three months, there's no rush, besides, the lake thing doesn't have to be romantic, they can perfectly spend the day with the rest of their friends and then go together afterwards.
In the renders I continue to see it more like I screwed up than affected.
You are also right, in that it is true that nothing is 100% sure until the dev says so. And I tell you that I hope it's as you say, you do well to be cynical, many times the Devs make us believe that the opposite has happened and then they make a script twist.

 

[ename144]

And you thought by fucking them, you'd get to know them better? It's barely getting started. You don't need to fuck anyone right now and you'll still get to know them as the story progresses. Not like they're going to disappear if you don't play their little game.

I didn't fuck them; I prefer dinner and a movie first. I only know that as of the end of the first episode I have only the vaguest notion of who these characters are, which isn't a promising start.

Also, while I think you are correct here, you might be surprised how easy it is to fall off a girl's path in some of these games. I don't take it as a given that I'll have a second chance if I flat out turn down an opportunity with a girl.

 

[Deleted member 1571716]

I didn't fuck them; I prefer dinner and a movie first. I only know that as of the end of the first episode I have only the vaguest notion of who these characters are, which isn't a promising start.

Also, while I think you are correct here, you might be surprised how easy it is to fall off a girl's path in some of these games. I don't take it as a given that I'll have a second chance if I flat out turn down an opportunity with a girl.

I turned them all down. Then the lesbian couple explained everything and they kept saying I blew it, but, continued to explain 'rules' to me about how interaction should go when they're around everyone. None of these girls are going anywhere. They're in the game to win it. I'm not going to play their game and even if someone bounces, it doesn't matter.

 

[Canto Forte]

Y”all are talking bonkers again.

First off, MC is not offered any dinner, MC is the dinner. You either accept or get nothing.
Where were you when they insulted MC - ”fuckface” right off the bat?
You still wanna hang with someone dissing you like that? Puppy for mommy to smother and fluff?

Second off, MC does not afford to let his GF get away with plans to be some dude”s ”babe” for 3 months.
She explicitly tells her boyfrined she has a childhood friend who thinks of her as his girlfirend.
The guy is presented by her as the ”friend” who is looking/has always been looking to shag her.

Would you still be with her knowing she will spend 3 months, 1000000%, certainly away from you,
with a guy who wants to shag her? Are ya mental?

I didn't fuck them; I prefer dinner and a movie first. I only know that as of the end of the first episode I have only the vaguest notion of who these characters are, which isn't a promising start.

Also, while I think you are correct here, you might be surprised how easy it is to fall off a girl's path in some of these games. I don't take it as a given that I'll have a second chance if I flat out turn down an opportunity with a girl.

I turned them all down. Then the lesbian couple explained everything and they kept saying I blew it, but, continued to explain 'rules' to me about how interaction should go when they're around everyone. None of these girls are going anywhere. They're in the game to win it. I'm not going to play their game and even if someone bounces, it doesn't matter.

Not to mention she never told you about this, never talked to you about her relatives, her friends at the lake, the getaway,
possibly the wild orgies where she would get knocked up and then some seedy doctor would exorcise her unwanted children?

 

[Deleted member 1571716]

Not to mention she never told you about this, never talked to you about her relatives, her friends at the lake, the getaway,
possibly the wild orgies where she would get knocked up and then some seedy doctor would exorcise her unwanted children?

Wtf game are you playing?

 

[blackmen]

wooooo

 

[EndlessNights]

I went into this game blind just because I saw Hildegardt and Canto were both playing it, and I'm glad I decided to check it out. All in all, I think it's off to a good start. It finished pornier than I expected with all the girls throwing themselves at the MC and the possibility of an impromptu threesome, but all the casual sex seemed to fit given the bar setting with its bohemian atmosphere and the fact that the MC is freshly out of a failed relationship and probably not ready to jump directly into a new one. The competition angle gives the MC a chance to enjoy a temporary harem of sorts if he so desires and the time needed to hopefully get to know each LI well before making things official. Forcing players to commit to a single love interest much too early into the relationship is a common mistake romance VNs make that I'm hopeful this game will avoid.

Now let's talk about the characters in no particular order.

Lita:

My initial impression of her wasn't the best because I was afraid she'd turn out to be another abrasive, obnoxious tsundere who would be putting the MC down all game long while secretly pining away for him. It turns out I was just reading way too much into her habitual use of the term of endearment "fuckface" and she's actually a playful, humorous person who is a lot of fun to be around. She and the MC have great chemistry, and she's also the character I think is the most physically attractive. I still had some reservations about hooking up with her, but the way she anticipated and eased my concerns about Zoe was really well done and made me decide to go for it. No regrets.

It'll be interesting to see how she develops as a love interest because right now she's basically just spicing up the competition and has no emotional attachment towards the MC whatsoever. Pursuing her seriously as a solo love interest is potentially a major asshole move since it could leave Zoe holding her clit all by her lonesome. A path like that would be a no go for me since I like Zoe quite a bit.

Zoe:

She's probably not going to be a love interest since she's said she's a lesbian and not bi like Lita, but I think Zoe is potentially a great friend for the MC to have. She's super chill and nice -- even when she calls the MC "fuckface" it doesn't quite have the same bite as when Lita says it. A cute idea I had for a way to let everyone down easy is to have Zoe "win" the competition by earning a declaration of love from the MC and then turning him down. That could potentially be something you'd want if you're more interested in Mary or in getting back with Simone than you are in any of the band members. I'm very much hoping we can take Zoe out to coffee and do fun platonic things with her.

I wonder if a throuple with Zoe might be possible with the understanding that both she and the MC would be focused on Lita and not do anything sexual with each other. There's been no hint of this in the game so far, but maybe she could even turn out to be biromantic so you could have the romance with her without the sex. I'd take that deal.

Lillian:

Lillian potentially has one of the more interesting back stories out of all of the characters. How does a super friendly adult cat just appear out of nowhere right when you need her the most and move right into our hearts and our home? She seems far too sweet and loving to be a stray who grew up on the mean streets, but if she has another home or family to go to that's straight up NTR which isn't supposed to be in this game.

Mary:

Mary likes cats, and I like that about her. She seems extremely nice, but I'll need to see some more character development before I can decide if she's a good fit for the MC. I wonder if perhaps he'll be too edgy and alternative for her, but then again she might like that.

Cris:

Cris is one reason I'm really glad I played the game twice because I initially thought she was Zach's girlfriend and completely wrote her off as a LI for that reason. No idea why I thought that because it's completely wrong. In fact, it seems pretty clear she has some interest in the MC as possibly more than a friend. She could be an interesting option for the future.

Sloane:

Sloane is my favorite character so far and my top LI. She has that special kind of quirky personality you sometimes find in creative people that's partly genuine and partly carefully designed persona. I've enjoyed every moment with her, and I especially liked how she changed from a borderline airhead going around greeting every single person in the bar in one scene to someone who could have fun at the expense of a pushy dude. Finding her true personality amidst all the quirkiness will take some time and effort, but I think it'll pay off in the end and the journey will be a total blast.

Caitlin:

I enjoyed both conversations the MC has had with Caitlin, but I honestly wouldn't have known she was so into our character if Zach and Lita hadn't repeatedly told us she is. I guess romancing a shy girl can be kind of tough, but she's an interesting person who seems worth getting to know. I'm not feeling the love vibes just yet, but we'll see how it progresses. If she turns out to have the kind of inner fire and passion that her fellow shy redhead Holly in Our Red String possesses, I'll definitely be interested.

Lane:

Lane's kind of a perplexing character to me. Supposedly she's had a thing for the MC for two years and yet he doesn't even remember meeting her once. That seems really, really weird. Are her feelings really genuine? Has she really changed so much? At least Caitlin knows the MC reasonably well even if he's probably thought of her more as a little sister than a potential girlfriend in the past. Present day Lane seems like a fun-loving party girl who is definitely super into the MC, but if I didn't know about her long-running crush I'd have assumed her interest was far more sexual than romantic.

Shannon:

Shannon seems like a side girl who is up for a hookup but not much else. Her attitude towards the MC seems to be shaped purely by his sexual interest in her. It remains to be seen if we'll see more to her personality down the line. In the threesome with Lane, I thought it was interesting how Shannon seemed to often be positioned outside the MC's gaze like she was intent on not upstaging her friend in any way. I hate to think of her as sacrificing herself in some way just to help Lane win the MC sweepstakes, but that is a possibility. Someone who values friendship to that degree might be worth getting to know better.

Simone:

From the MC's point of view, I think breaking up with Simone was absolutely the right call. She was clearly keeping things from him -- in a way, the story she tells when you ask for an explanation rather than just walk away paints her in a worse light. The fact that planned to meet with a guy she's hooked up with in the past to tell him goodbye makes it sound like there were three people in the relationship all along. This guy was out there waiting and maybe occasionally communicating with her and expecting her to return to him eventually. We can all imagine what might very well have happened in those three months Simone and the MC would be apart while that guy would be right there on her doorstep patiently waiting.

Considering VN logic and tradition, though, I think ename144 and Hildegardt are probably going to turn out to be right. Simone probably wasn't cheating and is going to live like a nun for the next three months until she can return to try to win the MC back. There was no smoking gun, and as suspicious as Simone's reaction and story were they can be explained away. Many players would never take a cheater back under any circumstances, but someone who was falsely accused and was actually the perfect girlfriend all along is quite a different story. This whole scenario reminds me a bit of Fallen Roads where the dev went to great lengths to retcon an obvious cheating ex into a unfairly maligned innocent victim. (Me personally, I was all about the mom in the unhappy relationship you meet in the store in that game so I wasn't quite as angry as a lot of other people.)

Zach:

Those of us who have played Intertwined will no doubt feel reluctant to ever Zach again, but I've decided to roll the dice and risk getting hurt all over again. This particular Zach seems like a really solid guy and great friend, coworker, and bandmate who has given us no reason whatsoever to doubt his friendship. Still, if some chick named Valeria shows up at any point, I'm bailing immediately.