Ren'Py The Null Hypothesis [v0.5b] [Ron Chon]

[Buttholder]

Oh shit, in that case i would love to petition nicknaming Laura either Alice or McGee. Complete with the outfit/halloween costume.

View attachment 3524217

Atleast the stripped stockings. Those thighs of her's need them stockings.

I assure you, I have made this suggestion/request/demand more than once. Love that design and Alice's look in Madness Returns is very close to Laura's in general, so in my mind, it's a no-brainer

Guys, please help me, I am at a loss.

Being a hardcore redhead connaisseur myself and having only played this game and its obvious inspiration and never seen any X-Men show or cartoon, which portrayal of Jean is the most lore accurate?

The portrayals couldn't be more different imo and I'd love to know what the "real" character of my favourite redheaded mutant is.

In general, you can think of our interpretations of the characters as either a 'back-to-basics' or a 'best-of' of the various characterizations some of the characters have had over the years. For example, Laura's gone from being a flawed character who wants to be more than the killing machine she was raised to be to... reveling in the killing machine she was raised to be. Somewhere along the line, someone decided that, when she took on the mantle of Wolverine, she should actually be Wolverine, and we've already got dozens of characters like that. We only had one X-23 and there's still no one quite like her out there.

Jean's more interesting, in a way. When the comics were originally being written, she was basically the Den Mother, The Chick - she was there to get mad at the boys for being silly, she was there so everyone could have a crush on her, she was the grounded one who was really smart and kind and really kinda bland. Over the years, she's developed to be more than that, but she's never quite shaken that initial characterization. So we've taken that and shown what someone like that would probably be like in real life: someone who doesn't want to rock the boat, but wishes she could say something about how people treat her. Someone who wants to be helpful and likes when people ask for her assistance, but also wonders all the time if people are just taking advantage of her. Someone who wants to be part of something greater but sometimes is just so sick of everyone's shit and stressy stressy super depressy.

There's not quite any one story or series we've based everything on, but the various retellings of the initial stories (X-Men: First Class - the comics, not the movies) are a decent place to start, as is X-Men Evolution and the original animated series from '91. Everything else is basically cherry picked from issues or moments that we've liked, and as such, basically impossible to properly source. That should give you more of an idea of where we've been coming from with her.

 

[ShinyBoots1993]

Will the three girls be added immediately in a new chapter, like in chapter 1? Or will their introductions be spaced out over the seasons?

Probably all in the Autumn season of Chapter 2.
Otherwise one girl will get 4 seasons with Null, one with 3 and the third will only get 2 seasons with Null and that just doesn't sound right or fair, now does it?

I imagine 3 new girls will be added in Fall of chapter 2 but spread out by a few days in-game like with Jean who we met a few days after getting to the mansion

Pretty much this.

Is there a plan on how this is going to interact with the friendship system? Assumably by the end of chapter 1 you'll already be dating all three girls, do you need to have those three girls hang out with the new three girls to be friends enough to want allow the new girls to be dated without throwing a fit? This is only going to be more and more daunting the more girls you add.

We're still tweaking the friendship system but I think there's a desire for realism so the daunting might be part of the experience. Poll data shows that there are actually a large amount of monogamous players.

Though to assist. We do have plans for PLENTY of more methods to gain friendship and sandbox events showing the girls interacting and possibly gaining friendship points without player input.

There has also been talk of group texts so you might not need to hunt down every girl to ask if someone can be added.

Oh shit, in that case i would love to petition nicknaming Laura either Alice or McGee. Complete with the outfit/halloween costume.

View attachment 3524217

Atleast the stripped stockings. Those thighs of her's need them stockings.

This is surprisingly common to the point where we'd be dumb to not include it. The fanart of Laura dressed up like this is pretty awesome.

thank you very much. Yes that was what I was wondering

Our specific direction is "How would Jean behave if she was a millennial?" In the original run, it was the 60s. So she was just "The girl" character. We wanted more.

Jean will behave a lot more similarly to her comic appearances as the game goes on. Just minus the sociopathy that writers have been slowly implementing over the past decade.

Edit: Buttholder's post of above mine is more detailed.

 

[Thwip!]

Or... We found the impostor in staff!

Maddeninggg was Mystique all along!

 

[mypossiblepasts]

We're still tweaking the friendship system but I think there's a desire for realism so the daunting might be part of the experience. Poll data shows that there are actually a large amount of monogamous players.

That is touching on the issue that stands on the podium of both most common and most irritating flaws that VN's have.
There are many novels that are really lovely and well written and enjoyable, but then Chapter 1 ends. In Ch 2 we meet new Love Interest, and sometimes it is handled well (TNH falls into that category) and the pleasure continues. But then Ch 3 pulls out twins, Ch 4 mother of the chick from Ch2, and by the end it's either 10 girls harem, or zero content because sure - there are 30 different elaborated scenes! ...but the girl that you chose actually is only in one of them because *some excuse*.

I am part of the monogamous gang myself. Don't cut me out from game content just because I chose "No." when asked about blowjob from stranger in dark alley.

Though to assist. We do have plans for PLENTY of more methods to gain friendship and sandbox events showing the girls interacting and possibly gaining friendship points without player input.

Mixing it with my thoughts above - just another random idea that maybe good, maybe bad - what do you think about...
Plugging the favourable LI into the girl-specific plotlines more?
I really want to score some points for being loyal to my waifu, and I think I saw such thing maybe twice in my life.
I pushed ABC away when she leaned for kiss? Guess what! She yapped about it to XYZ, and by power of gossip - Jean likes me more now.
XYZ asked me flirtatiously to go with her to the beach? Heck yeah! Lemme call Laura to bag her towel.
(Don't read that literally - in this exact form it would increase amount of work exponentially, but I am sure there is some easy way to add some kind of such vibe to the story)

Oh, it reminded me about one more thing.
While the above ones are just loose brainstorming thoughts, this one is closer to a requirement (if I had any say in the decision making xD)
There is huge shortage of jealous girls in novels. Let's add some stakes finally ffs. Lock some paths NOT because of saying "No" to sex, but because of AGREEING to it!

 

[FacelessVixen]

I am part of the monogamous gang myself. Don't cut me out from game content just because I chose "No." when asked about blowjob from stranger in dark alley.

I mean, I get it. But for this game specifically: assuming that every girl will continue to have the same set of sex poses/actions, and that the main differences would continue to be their physical features and flavor text... I don't think that not knowing how one girl or another's labia is shaped or how light or dark their anal cleft is would be missing out on too much, at least compared to games that have more impactful ramifications for either succeeding to or failing to forge and maintain relationships with certain characters.

 

[ShinyBoots1993]

I am part of the monogamous gang myself. Don't cut me out from game content just because I chose "No." when asked about blowjob from stranger in dark alley.

Chapter 1 girls will continue to get the story even when we're in post-game chapter 6 stuff.

No girl will feel like they matter less to ongoing events.

Chapter 5 girls will obviously feel like they're late to the party but that's part of the point. There are a lot of shared experiences you have with others and whether you're dating them or not the newest girl's story will take into account that she's the newbie.

Trust me, we thought this part out before we came to the decision to make a progressing narrative.

(Don't read that literally - in this exact form it would increase amount of work exponentially, but I am sure there is some easy way to add some kind of such vibe to the story)

Yeah, that's a lot. There will be girls who have specific interactions. I've been calling them combos.

Not confirming anything but Jean and Storm are best friends. I'd assume that'd be relevant.

Though outside of girls who are deeply tied to each other in the comics, expect most things to appear in the main story.

There is huge shortage of jealous girls in novels. Let's add some stakes finally ffs. Lock some paths NOT because of saying "No" to sex, but because of AGREEING to it!

Yeah locking people out of paths was vetoed EARLY on.

I mean, I get it.

Shots fired.

assuming that every girl will continue to have the same set of sex poses/actions, and that the main differences would continue to be their physical features and flavor text...

We have discussions on unique scenes for girls.

Also, anatomy differences, especially height, will be depicted in scenes.

A funny bug was the "choking" animation just had Null's hand on Laura's face.

 

[ShinyBoots1993]

Maybe there will be twists on the story later? Or more well written porn pervy situations the characters can find themselves in?

ciri_in_trouble

Yes, there will be.

Just to clarify some things since you seemed uncertain in some parts.

1. Chapter 1 is a setting introduction. The stakes will be higher and the overarching plot will be more present in chapter 2 going forward.

2. We're still not 100% done with Chapter 1. It not having a proper finale kinda tells that... but I also mean that we still have more side quests and dialogue additions.

An example was that at first the characters would blink and sway slightly, then we gave them several arm poses to make them feel more alive.

We're trying to find the right balance ahead of time with the core experience rather than push forward and have to backtrack.

giving us Americans a taste of non-do-everything-for-me-I'm-a-princess women is commendable.

A. Laura doesn't know relationship dynamics.
B. Jean is essentially your sugar mommy.
C. Rogue lets you pay because she voices a desire in an old-fashioned relationship.

I'm not 100% certain on Storm but I know some of the other girls up for consideration would definitely expect you to pay.

 

[red1988]

 

[red1988]

i found this 2 picture in discord here

 

[mypossiblepasts]

Grr, my luck! Topics I was the most curious were left shrouded in mystery

I don't think that not knowing how one girl or another's labia is shaped or how light or dark their anal cleft is would be missing out on too much

Trust me, we thought this part out before we came to the decision to make a progressing narrative.

I trust you! And I have not really at any point in this topic spoke about TNH, rather just commenting on general state of the VN's - hence my example not being meaningful when put into TNH enviroment
So...

Though outside of girls who are deeply tied to each other in the comics, expect most things to appear in the main story.

Was never really my concern for your case! I played a lot of those almost kinetic ones with 3D renders, and too often any dialogue boils down to "play next sex scene?", and anything else is buildup to sexscene anyway.

Yeah locking people out of paths was vetoed EARLY on.

Goddamn liberum veto! Ruined my country, now ruins my VN's!
What about hidden optional toggle, like XYZ asking "do you promise to be mine and just mine?"

And I'd love to hear yours (everyones) thought on those two, which I found the most fun:

I could totally see it being extended into some wishes/desires/orders mechanic

Just like the scripted first sex, where the "minigame" plays itself basically. Me personally would find it really cool and fun to loose at least a little control over the playthrough.
Buuuut it could be even just a flavour text, together with this one:

I pushed ABC away when she leaned for kiss? Guess what! She yapped about it to XYZ, and by power of gossip - Jean likes me more now.

Maybe it's silly, but seeing "good boy" hits waaaaaaaaaay harder when triggered by players action and not just part of predetermined story.

 

[DarkLurker12]

Jean's more interesting, in a way. When the comics were originally being written, she was basically the Den Mother, The Chick - she was there to get mad at the boys for being silly, she was there so everyone could have a crush on her, she was the grounded one who was really smart and kind and really kinda bland. Over the years, she's developed to be more than that, but she's never quite shaken that initial characterization. So we've taken that and shown what someone like that would probably be like in real life: someone who doesn't want to rock the boat, but wishes she could say something about how people treat her. Someone who wants to be helpful and likes when people ask for her assistance, but also wonders all the time if people are just taking advantage of her. Someone who wants to be part of something greater but sometimes is just so sick of everyone's shit and stressy stressy super depressy.

Sounds like a Jean that would less get corrupted by the Pheonix Force, and more reaching her breaking point. Some "Aren't you tired of being nice? Don't you wanna just fuck shit up!?' running around her head at the worst of times. I like it.

That is, assuming we get Pheonix Force Jean....

...Are we going to have to fuck the Pheonix out of her? How dominering and possesive would PF Jean even be? Would we be a possesion or a pet to her? Would she kidnap us before or after Laura would?

 

[jvbatman]

We're still tweaking the friendship system but I think there's a desire for realism so the daunting might be part of the experience. Poll data shows that there are actually a large amount of monogamous players.

Though to assist. We do have plans for PLENTY of more methods to gain friendship and sandbox events showing the girls interacting and possibly gaining friendship points without player input.

There has also been talk of group texts so you might not need to hunt down every girl to ask if someone can be added.

I haven't tried testing it but then is there value in not declaring any girl your girlfriend or will they not have sex with you without declaring them your girlfriend if you're interested in the harem path?

 

[JustCallMeSteve]

Sounds like a Jean that would less get corrupted by the Pheonix Force, and more reaching her breaking point. Some "Aren't you tired of being nice? Don't you wanna just fuck shit up!?' running around her head at the worst of times. I like it.

That is, assuming we get Pheonix Force Jean....

...Are we going to have to fuck the Pheonix out of her? How dominering and possesive would PF Jean even be? Would we be a possesion or a pet to her? Would she kidnap us before or after Laura would?

Chapter 2 is the Phoenix Saga, I believe. God i need to sleep, mistyped it as Phonesex Saga at first

As for the PF Jean possessiveness there have been some discussions concerning that on the Discord.

 

[Buttholder]

Sounds like a Jean that would less get corrupted by the Pheonix Force, and more reaching her breaking point. Some "Aren't you tired of being nice? Don't you wanna just fuck shit up!?' running around her head at the worst of times. I like it.

That is, assuming we get Pheonix Force Jean....

...Are we going to have to fuck the Pheonix out of her? How dominering and possesive would PF Jean even be? Would we be a possesion or a pet to her? Would she kidnap us before or after Laura would?

I've always described the Phoenix Force as what happens when your best impulses get blown way out of proportion: want to protect your loved ones? The easiest way to do that is to destroy everything standing in their way, right? Want world peace? Awesome, now no one has any free will. People start complaining that they live in fear of you?

You show them what living in fear really means.

So when a young, insecure woman, tired of being everyone's doormat gets the power to stand up for herself... well, it can't be that bad for everyone around her, right?

Right?

 

[ShinyBoots1993]

That is, assuming we get Pheonix Force Jean....

The first storyline we're adapting is the Phoenix Force Saga

...Are we going to have to fuck the Pheonix out of her? How dominering and possesive would PF Jean even be? Would we be a possesion or a pet to her? Would she kidnap us before or after Laura would?

The pants of our growing yandere lovers probably got moist after reading this.

Chapter 2 is the Phoenix Saga, I believe. God i need to sleep, mistyped it as Phonesex Saga at first

I mean why not phonesex with the Phoenix?

As for the PF Jean possessiveness there have been some discussions concerning that on the Discord.

And they've been filled with thirst and "Manic Jean Face" memes.

I haven't tried testing it but then is there value in not declaring any girl your girlfriend or will they not have sex with you without declaring them your girlfriend if you're interested in the harem path?

I mean you can outright do an asexual run. All girl routes and most side quests in the game have platonic resolutions. Very few people are aware of that.

The "relationship quest" is clearly labeled though.

 

[FacelessVixen]

Shots fired.

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I like that girls will straight-up leave if you cheat on them and fail to convince them to stay, and the only way to get them back is to start from scratch or go into new game plus. But, that is not a mechanic that I personally want or need in every game, and you seemed to have confirmed that this game isn't going to implement any of that for either story or relationship progression while I was preparing and eating my dinner, so we're all on the same page in that regard. ...Just, surprise us on whether getting these "unique scenes" depends on maxing out their meters, staying monogamous, or by influencing their inclination towards one character trait or another.

 

[ShinyBoots1993]

...Just, surprise us on whether getting these "unique scenes" depends on maxing out their meters, staying monogamous, or by influencing their inclination towards one character trait or another.

I'm confused if you want me to go into detail or not lol

 

[drifter139]

I've wondered about this. how will the Phoenix Force react to Null since it would be like an unstoppable force? would it be worried about what Null can do and if he can stop it? another thing I was thinking of is what would happen if we copied Jean's telepathy? I feel like it would cause immense pain to hear all those voices in your head

 

[ShinyBoots1993]

I've wondered about this. how will the Phoenix Force react to Null since it would be like an unstoppable force?

Would Null's power affect a celestial force? We've already confirmed that it can't affect a magical one.

I was thinking of is what would happen if we copied Jean's telepathy?

What makes you think he doesn't already have telepathy?

 

[Dazzier31]

Chapter 2 is the Phoenix Saga, I believe. God i need to sleep, mistyped it as Phonesex Saga at first

Shiny, if we ever get sexting updates, can we call that set of patches the Phonesex Saga?