Ren'Py The Null Hypothesis [v0.8c] [Ron Chon]

[☆Jonathan Wick♤]

Title of the game: "The Null Hypothesis" Current Version: 0.3b

Review:

"The Null Hypothesis" has significantly evolved since its 0.2b version, offering notable improvements in gameplay and quality of life, as well as a deeper development of the individual stories of the girls, enriching the player experience satisfactorily.

While the overall experience has improved, there are areas that could benefit from adjustments for future updates, and here are some feedback and ideas for the developers:

1. Slightly increasing the amount of love and trust obtained in each interaction with the girls would be beneficial. Although the new "Optional Iterations" have simplified and streamlined progress in relationships, especially in the last two seasons, there is still some tedium perceived during these phases of the game.
2. Allowing the player to work more than once a day would be a valuable addition, especially after acquiring skills to increase Null stamina. This would facilitate gathering resources for gifts, items, and dates, thus reducing the need for repetitive grind sessions.
3. The possibility of flirting multiple times a day with the girls could be made more natural. It is suggested to allow flirting at different times of the day or limit the number of daily flirtations, ensuring that only the first one awards love and/or trust points.
4. It would be enriching to add specific and repeatable individual interactions for each of the girls. Although the 0.3b update introduced exclusive events for each one, such as running with Rouge or watching wrestling with X-23, the inability to repeat these activities limits the diversity of interactions. Allowing to repeat these experiences would increase immersion and variety in the game, reducing monotony and adding realism to the relationships with the characters.
5. Adding a greater number of items, accessories, and clothing options for each of the girls would be a significant improvement where possible. In this version, there is a noticeable decrease in this aspect compared to its predecessor, as there is now a disparity in the options available for some of the girls. For example, Jean lacks unique lingerie or her own casual or festive clothing, unlike X-23 and Rouge. Balancing these options would be beneficial to ensure a more comprehensive and varied experience for all characters.
6. One aspect that I particularly loved about this game is the customization of the girls' rooms as well as Null's room through gifts. I found it to be an excellent detail, although it almost went unnoticed because in the previous version, I didn't tend to use gifts. Therefore, please continue down this path.

In summary, "The Null Hypothesis" has achieved notable improvements in its 0.3b version, but still has potential to grow. These suggestions aim to enrich the player experience and improve gameplay in the future.

 

[Dazzier31]

So can you have a relationship with all the girls or must we choose

You can date all of them, with their permission too.

Adding a greater number of items, accessories, and clothing options for each of the girls would be a significant improvement where possible. In this version, there is a noticeable decrease in this aspect compared to its predecessor, as there is now a disparity in the options available for some of the girls. For example, Jean lacks unique lingerie or her own casual or festive clothing, unlike X-23 and Rouge. Balancing these options would be beneficial to ensure a more comprehensive and varied experience for all characters.

Specifically in regards to this point, I can tell you that it's coming and that the reason there are less clothes in this version is because they are being updated to the art change that happened between 0.2 and 0.3, so all the previous clothes are coming back eventually.

 

[Crel]

Has there been a timeframe estimate or roadmap on wardrobe restoration?

So can you have a relationship with all the girls or must we choose

You can harem, just be straight with them about it (tell them you're seeing other girls, don't try to hide it).

 

[Mutation8888]

One aspect that I particularly loved about this game is the customization of the girls' rooms as well as Null's room through gifts. I found it to be an excellent detail, although it almost went unnoticed because in the previous version, I didn't tend to use gifts. Therefore, please continue down this path.

This has already been in the game for a while since at least version 2.

In reference to "grind." By utilizing the options efficiently and properly, there hardly feels like there is grind to the game at all. It is all according to what one determines is grind though. Occasionally I feel like I am gaining love and trust so quickly to attain the limits for a particular season that I did not even realize I had already hit the caps and wasted gifts and other interactions that I could have waited to obtain the love and trust for in a later season. Each individual has their own way of playing though, and their own assessment of what is and is not interesting. Most every game will have certain actions you have to repeat at least a few times to attain some milestone.

 

[ewokk]

Some exhibitionism is planned but you won't be having sex in front of the entire student body like Rogue Like permits.

We're gonna get creative with it.

We have had discussions about specific girls fitting different types of exhibitionism.

Public nudity, one of the best parts of Rogue Like. Too bad of course that there won't be sex in front of students. I hope for a great realization. After all, the game is good.
Just didn't notice any reactions when I made all the heroines walk around with their tops open. I think that could have been done. Reactions like the students, the other heroines, Professor Xavier and the people in the restaurant, movie theater and store. There are "braless forever" type nudity videos, and public sex is often staged, so it's fine here.

 

[whity112]

is the max lvl 5 atm without useing console?

 

[Mutation8888]

is the max lvl 5 atm without useing console?

Yes. A message will pop up that the content is done and that you can still sandbox but no further levels or events will occur.

 

[apyrvalg]

I have another question.
Started fresh yesterday and for the first time I payed attention to the blackboard at the Farouk lecture. I thought he was teaching psychology, not discrete maths. Something changed during development or he is just too lazy to wipe the board?

 

[Testerguy19]

That said, it can take a couple of days to trigger. I capped Rogue at 1000/1000 and had the MC remain in his room for a couple of days straight and finally Rogue texted him for the "perfect date" talk. If you continue running around and sleeping in random rooms with the LI's it seems to delay things.

Cheers mate did some waiting and I got to Jean for now--and when I think about it it's been half a year since I got back to this, how time flies and I forgot when life happened and with stuff and other games to play, this one is unexpectedly one of the best to keep on playing

 

[Mutation8888]

I keep thinking about the broken phone and how it may be an analogy or foreshadowing of something else. I mean, yeah it is humorous since every phone has adds that indicate how indestructible they are, yet they break easily, but something about the broken phone scene feels like it is trying to send a message. It keeps being brought up several times by different characters and seems like more time was spent putting that part about the broken phone, screen image of cracks included, into the game (Chekhov's Gun: if you introduce an element into a story, it should have a later scene where it shows up as relevant). Could it indicate that reality is actually not what it is (cracked/fractured/broken)?

Broken phones are often used in analogies of human nature to indicate that life is not always perfect and is often painful and that the holder of a broken phone is mysterious and hard to read (much like a broken phone is hard to read).

A broken phone is also an analogy of a lack of self-care if the holder of a broken phone fails to get it fixed and keeps using that faulty phone. It indicates unresolved mental stress or physical illnesses hidden under the surface.

Null has all of the above since his power is mysterious and hard to read, his introduction to his power is painful and he has stresses that drive him to adapt. In addition, his contact with the Shadow King (Farouk) at the beginning is certainly an indicator that reality may be "cracked" due to the powers wielded by the the Shadow King and potentially by Null himself. I look forward to seeing if that cracked phone makes a reappearance in some form or another later in the game.

 

[jakesco]

Is rogue the only one who's ass you can't smack in the flirt menu or am i missing something?

 

[SolSpell]

I keep thinking about the broken phone and how it may be an analogy or foreshadowing of something else. I mean, yeah it is humorous since every phone has adds that indicate how indestructible they are, yet they break easily, but something about the broken phone scene feels like it is trying to send a message. It keeps being brought up several times by different characters and seems like more time was spent putting that part about the broken phone, screen image of cracks included, into the game (Chekhov's Gun: if you introduce an element into a story, it should have a later scene where it shows up as relevant). Could it indicate that reality is actually not what it is (cracked/fractured/broken)?

Broken phones are often used in analogies of human nature to indicate that life is not always perfect and is often painful and that the holder of a broken phone is mysterious and hard to read (much like a broken phone is hard to read).

A broken phone is also an analogy of a lack of self-care if the holder of a broken phone fails to get it fixed and keeps using that faulty phone. It indicates unresolved mental stress or physical illnesses hidden under the surface.

Null has all of the above since his power is mysterious and hard to read, his introduction to his power is painful and he has stresses that drive him to adapt. In addition, his contact with the Shadow King (Farouk) at the beginning is certainly an indicator that reality may be "cracked" due to the powers wielded by the the Shadow King and potentially by Null himself. I look forward to seeing if that cracked phone makes a reappearance in some form or another later in the game.

What?

 

[Elodrass]

I keep thinking about the broken phone and how it may be an analogy or foreshadowing of something else. I mean, yeah it is humorous since every phone has adds that indicate how indestructible they are, yet they break easily, but something about the broken phone scene feels like it is trying to send a message. It keeps being brought up several times by different characters and seems like more time was spent putting that part about the broken phone, screen image of cracks included, into the game (Chekhov's Gun: if you introduce an element into a story, it should have a later scene where it shows up as relevant). Could it indicate that reality is actually not what it is (cracked/fractured/broken)?

Broken phones are often used in analogies of human nature to indicate that life is not always perfect and is often painful and that the holder of a broken phone is mysterious and hard to read (much like a broken phone is hard to read).

A broken phone is also an analogy of a lack of self-care if the holder of a broken phone fails to get it fixed and keeps using that faulty phone. It indicates unresolved mental stress or physical illnesses hidden under the surface.

Null has all of the above since his power is mysterious and hard to read, his introduction to his power is painful and he has stresses that drive him to adapt. In addition, his contact with the Shadow King (Farouk) at the beginning is certainly an indicator that reality may be "cracked" due to the powers wielded by the the Shadow King and potentially by Null himself. I look forward to seeing if that cracked phone makes a reappearance in some form or another later in the game.

As having my own pet theory of Null being Earth's 69 version of David Haller aka Legion this take is really interesting and tempting, but... I had a way more simple tought when seeing the event by the first time, and since Occam's Razor i'm kinda of convince it's the actual explanaition to the cellphone cracking until more hints are added to the contrary:

The Cellphones are implied to be Forge's creation, it being indestructible a bi-product of his power not a inherit property of the materials used, so when Null touched it Forge's powers were nullified, making it as fragile as it normally would be. Kinda like Jean's projectiles being slowed down and dropping to the ground when she and Null are training together.

 

[drifter139]

I have another question.
Started fresh yesterday and for the first time I payed attention to the blackboard at the Farouk lecture. I thought he was teaching psychology, not discrete maths. Something changed during development or he is just too lazy to wipe the board?

I don't think it really matters either way. it could just be a random asset they grabbed and put there and didn't really bother looking at it to see what was on it

 

[Sweetluvd]

Potential game. Keep goin' dev.

 

[Tony Redgrave]

This is the first game in quite a while that I'm really interested in, and don't just skip through. Basically what I wish Rogue Like would have been with more focus on the story and characters and a more natural feel to the dating part. Really look forward to more!
Of course there are a couple kinks still, like not being able to read the phone chat until the conversation is over, and gifts being gifted to the wrong person, if you don't exit out of the menu again, but I for one am hooked.
Love the roleplay feeling of actually being in the institute and seeing where everything goes and what aspects get expanded upon.
Definitely would love things like more focus on the relationships between the girls romantic/sexual or just in general, now that you are all involved with each other, more possibilities on the unique relationships, like a switch route for Laura, sibling dynamic without the light femdom for Jean, and more noticable ways to dom Rogue, and just more possibilities to form and customize your own character, and if I'm really lucky some foot fetish stuff (without any humiliation please). But those are just personal wants, of course, nothing that needs to be in the game to make it enjoyable.
Just generally excited about this game, that hasn't happened in a while, so excuse the long posts, just wanted to give the dev his flowers.

 

[Epigonid]

i hate how my laptop always destroy save when any game update. thank god this game have console command

 

[Mutation8888]

As having my own pet theory of Null being Earth's 69 version of David Haller aka Legion this take is really interesting and tempting, but... I had a way more simple tought when seeing the event by the first time, and since Occam's Razor i'm kinda of convince it's the actual explanaition to the cellphone cracking until more hints are added to the contrary:

The Cellphones are implied to be Forge's creation, it being indestructible a bi-product of his power not a inherit property of the materials used, so when Null touched it Forge's powers were nullified, making it as fragile as it normally would be. Kinda like Jean's projectiles being slowed down and dropping to the ground when she and Null are training together.

I did think of that at first, but they spent a lot of time on the fractured cell phone and continued to mention it several times instead of explaining it and moving on. Being a bunch of professors at a school, I would think at least Xavier, Beast, and Forge would have concluded that and it would have been talked about instead of continuously mentioned and then conveniently forgotten. Sure, the simple explanation stands, but you never know. It is a story element that has not been actually concluded yet.

 

[john_1865]

i hate how my laptop always destroy save when any game update. thank god this game have console command

my dude has a laptop made by Boeing.

 

[CptValor]

I keep thinking about the broken phone and how it may be an analogy or foreshadowing of something else. I mean, yeah it is humorous since every phone has adds that indicate how indestructible they are, yet they break easily, but something about the broken phone scene feels like it is trying to send a message. It keeps being brought up several times by different characters and seems like more time was spent putting that part about the broken phone, screen image of cracks included, into the game (Chekhov's Gun: if you introduce an element into a story, it should have a later scene where it shows up as relevant). Could it indicate that reality is actually not what it is (cracked/fractured/broken)?

Broken phones are often used in analogies of human nature to indicate that life is not always perfect and is often painful and that the holder of a broken phone is mysterious and hard to read (much like a broken phone is hard to read).

A broken phone is also an analogy of a lack of self-care if the holder of a broken phone fails to get it fixed and keeps using that faulty phone. It indicates unresolved mental stress or physical illnesses hidden under the surface.

Null has all of the above since his power is mysterious and hard to read, his introduction to his power is painful and he has stresses that drive him to adapt. In addition, his contact with the Shadow King (Farouk) at the beginning is certainly an indicator that reality may be "cracked" due to the powers wielded by the the Shadow King and potentially by Null himself. I look forward to seeing if that cracked phone makes a reappearance in some form or another later in the game.

i hadnt actually sat and thought about it in depth until reading your theory but when you think about it Null is the phone (philosophically speaking)! hes created to be broken and evolves through being broken and even draws closer and gets romantically involved with broken females! its this brokenness that defines who Null is! his power to disable other powers doesnt work like other powers and thus can be seen as a "broken" power! it seems to me that the concept of being broken is illustrated in the scene with the phone and it coincides with everything that occurs in the course of the story!

the fact that Null interacting with the "broken" females to be their link to becoming somewhat normal again leads me to think that either we're looking at the possibility of the story going two ways! the first is the happy sunshine and rainbows path where Null fixes the girls social anxieties and they all become lovey dovey and we all live a nice sexy harem life of superpowered debauchery in the Xavier Institute. Or we see the story take a darker turn and embrace the whole "broken" theme and Null meets with more disastrous scenarios leading to even further suffering but eventually bringing a disastrous end to our hero and "breaking" the females even more once Null is gone!

this is just speculation on my part, but it would fit with the theme of everyone and everything in the game being "broken"! however its probably the least likely scenario as a bleak route like that would be hard to keep sexy time going when your dealing with dark themes and existential crisis content! who knows though, it was just my thoughts on the matter after i read your comment!