Ren'Py Whispers of Desire [v0.30] [Mr_Fable]

[Pr0GamerJohnny]

Honestly? I wouldn't see the point in that. You'd get the "it's funny" part of it, but not much else, and I wouldn't see it as worth playing just for the "funny" side. The only way I could see it working and making some sense, which would be crucial, is if there was some reward to it, some tangible reason for them doing it. It can't be to tease him and leave him dangling just to teach him a lesson or something. Maybe it would need to be to build evidence against him to get Eva free from his manipulations, or to stop him going after other women. I think that would be too far too go though, given the actual premise of the game - you wouldn't want to build in all these offshoots that take you away from the actual story you're trying to tell.

You have options at every step of the way, and the way it's looking, regardless of path, you can still say yes or no to individual characters. So those like me, who just don't like Neil, can go down the "sharing" or "cheating" paths but still avoid Neil, and that's all we can ask for of a game like this.

The only thing I have to be careful of is "being nice". I had to redo my initial save as just being polite or even just "not being bitchy" gained me too much Neil relp, so I wasn't able to tell Vincent not to share at the end of the update. Being nice and polite doesn't have to mean I like someone and want to potentially do stuff with them later down the line.

I had mentioned as much to Fable - seems like the 15 point threshold is slightly to high - you'll have exact 15 Neil points if you act normally in the office - not deliberately pushing him away but also not undercutting the husband (declining his later interest when he suggests Sarah ignore her husbands input)

On the first part, I like the idea of the tease as it's more than just humor - it's a character building device for both Sarah and Alex's personalities. IMHO the binary notion of either 'let the creep have his way' or 'push him away hard' plays into the same stale tropes seen in this genre again and again. Neil is just a person like any other; vulnerable to the same temptations and deceptions; it'd be refreshing to see a couple with more agency and antagonists with more nuance than just "avoid the fire"/"get too close and get burned".

 

[Justaphase]

I assume he's sharp enough to know this..... hell you give me any avn poll, any game, I can tell you the winner with ~75% certainty. Be it antagonists, be it paths, be it outfits.

The expectations grow as they're often counted in. They won't be happy when they're excluded in future.

It was just a little concerning for me that the dev gave two NTR options (one NTR light and the other NTR heavy)in the poll and only one NTS option. Could simply be me reading too much into things, but we shall see.

 

[TonyMurray]

I had mentioned as much to Fable - seems like the 15 point threshold is slightly to high - you'll have exact 15 Neil points if you act normally in the office - not deliberately pushing him away but also not undercutting the husband (declining his later interest when he suggests Sarah ignore her husbands input)

On the first part, I like the idea of the tease as it's more than just humor - it's a character building device for both Sarah and Alex's personalities. IMHO the binary notion of either 'let the creep have his way' or 'push him away hard' plays into the same stale tropes seen in this genre again and again. Neil is just a person like any other; vulnerable to the same temptations and deceptions; it'd be refreshing to see a couple with more agency and antagonists with more nuance than just "avoid the fire"/"get too close and get burned".

In general, yes, but I'm talking specifically about Neil I'd have no intention of leading him on even if it was just to stop him when he thinks he's hit the jackpot. Otherwise though, I agree that you can have some teasing and flirting without it having to lead to something more than that (yes, you can "stop in the middle" of some things, Dealbreaker...). As you say, too often it is that binary choice, and it would be nice to see the couple dipping their feet a bit more while still having full control.

On the points, that's exactly the issue I had. My Sarah was nice and polite without doing anything to actually invite Neil in, but that still led to having too many points to see that choice at the end.

 

[Eleanorduval]

I had mentioned as much to Fable - seems like the 15 point threshold is slightly to high - you'll have exact 15 Neil points if you act normally in the office - not deliberately pushing him away but also not undercutting the husband (declining his later interest when he suggests Sarah ignore her husbands input)

On the first part, I like the idea of the tease as it's more than just humor - it's a character building device for both Sarah and Alex's personalities. IMHO the binary notion of either 'let the creep have his way' or 'push him away hard' plays into the same stale tropes seen in this genre again and again. Neil is just a person like any other; vulnerable to the same temptations and deceptions; it'd be refreshing to see a couple with more agency and antagonists with more nuance than just "avoid the fire"/"get too close and get burned".

She can using her charm at 1st but boom she deny him after.Crual i know it!

 

[Dealbreaker]

yes, you can "stop in the middle" of some things

Just pushing against too much peaceful consensus here in the thread - the dev should know that there are other tastes out there...

 

[Eleanorduval]

In general, yes, but I'm talking specifically about Neil I'd have no intention of leading him on even if it was just to stop him when he thinks he's hit the jackpot. Otherwise though, I agree that you can have some teasing and flirting without it having to lead to something more than that (yes, you can "stop in the middle" of some things, Dealbreaker...). As you say, too often it is that binary choice, and it would be nice to see the couple dipping their feet a bit more while still having full control.

On the points, that's exactly the issue I had. My Sarah was nice and polite without doing anything to actually invite Neil in, but that still led to having too many points to see that choice at the end.

bro even if it don t really with my way of playing but must admit u are a genius!try to not corrupt too much Mr fable with your idea (joke)

 

[Justaphase]

Going into the sharing (or even cheating) routes but denying Neil at every opportunity almost becomes a separate game in itself

"Yes, I'm (Sarah) a beautiful, sexual woman. Yes, I'm flirting with these men, allowing them to touch me, allowing them inside me. But you, my boss, the one who wants me the most, will not get anything!"

This is exactly how my main save will be. As long as he is scheming and being a creep he will always get turned down, if we are even allowed to obviously.

 

[Pr0GamerJohnny]

It was just a little concerning for me that the dev gave two NTR options (one NTR light and the other NTR heavy)in the poll and only one NTS option. Could simply be me reading too much into things, but we shall see.

Yeah true.

Ofc I'm biased for my own preferences - I see no use for a pure out-of-sight/out-of-mind cheating path in a game like this; it's anathematic to the very idea of a dual protagonist game. I'm convinced fans of such would love nothing more than to turn every game into a paint-by-numbers fem protag slut-em-up (which is already a popular genre with LOTS of existing titles).

The seduction/stealing (path 4) sounds a lot more sensible as the 'dark' or 'bad' path in a game like this. The interplay between personalities is what makes things interesting; mechanics like having Sarah 'defy' Alex (or vice versa) are a good part of that. It won't be my primary playstyle, but I still respect it as a narrative.

 

[TonyMurray]

Just pushing against too much peaceful consensus here in the thread - the dev should know that there are other tastes out there...

That's not the argument at all though, the argument is that it's possible to go so far and then choose to go no further, whereas you keep saying that once you've started, you can't stop until you hit the bottom. I think the dev has more than adequately shown an awareness and inclusion of the different tastes that are out there.

 

[Dealbreaker]

The seduction/stealing (path 4) sounds a lot more sensible as the 'dark' or 'bad' path in a game like this. The interplay between personalities is what makes things interesting; mechanics like having Sarah 'defy' Alex (or vice versa) are a good part of that. It won't be my primary playstyle, but I still respect it as a narrative.

That would be my preferred path, but the danger is not too much cheating here but much more the game becoming too much like Netorase Phone or how that one is called ("wholesome fun" and all that, roleplay, harmless sharing etc).

 

[Dealbreaker]

That's not the argument at all though, the argument is that it's possible to go so far and then choose to go no further, whereas you keep saying that once you've started, you can't stop until you hit the bottom. I think the dev has more than adequately shown an awareness and inclusion of the different tastes that are out there.

I know, but he needs input for that. As to the argument, I'm just in the middle of playing the update and will come back to that.

 

[TonyMurray]

That would be my preferred path, but the danger is not too much cheating here but much more the game becoming too much like Netorase Phone or how that one is called ("wholesome fun" and all that, roleplay, harmless sharing etc).

Maybe you're forgetting about the other paths, because it looks to me that a lot (even all?) of the stuff you say we're "in danger of" is stuff that wouldn't be for your preferred path anyway, it would be for the other paths which you can choose to either play or avoid.

 

[Eleanorduval]

Just pushing against too much peaceful consensus here in the thread - the dev should know that there are other tastes out there...

I think the dev was more than generious regarding the kinks.He can't satisfy everyone,he should keep in control the game!

 

[Maviarab]

Neil is just a person like any other; vulnerable to the same temptations and deceptions;

Sorry but what utter bollox.

I've worked in a lot of places...never once have I acted like a fucking creep and put my hands on a woman or acted inappropiately because I was a 'normal person with my own temptations and desires'......

 

[Mr Fable]

It was just a little concerning for me that the dev gave two NTR options (one NTR light and the other NTR heavy)in the poll and only one NTS option. Could simply be me reading too much into things, but we shall see.

Because in love route and NTS they both work together. That's the only option.

 

[Eleanorduval]

Sorry but what utter bollox.

I've worked in a lot of places...never once have I acted like a fucking creep and put my hands on a woman or acted inappropiately because I was a 'normal person with my own temptations and desires'......

Neil normal guy even if have temptation?my ass...

 

[Pr0GamerJohnny]

Sorry but what utter bollox.

I've worked in a lot of places...never once have I acted like a fucking creep and put my hands on a woman or acted inappropiately because I was a 'normal person with my own temptations and desires'......

You're misinpreting the the angle I was trying to come from, or I did a poor job stating it. Not a sympathetic take like "he's a person too ya know ", but rather "he's also vulnerable and fallible - and can be manipulated or deceived- just like everyone else".

I'm advocating moving away from the 1 dimensional villian-protected-by-plot-armor where there's only 2 ways to approach him; let him have his way or stay far away.

 

[Eleanorduval]

You're misinpreting the the angle I was trying to come from, or I did a poor job stating it. Not a sympathetic take like "he's a person too ya know ", but rather "he's also vulnerable and fallible - and can be manipulated or deceived- just like everyone else".

I'm advocating moving away from the 1 dimensional villian-protected-by-plot-armor where there's only 2 ways to approach him; let him have his way or stay far away.

Maybe in parallel word but not here no way he come close to my sarah,i will cut his balls

 

[Maviarab]

Thruth must be said!

You're misinpreting the the angle I was trying to come from, or I did a poor job stating it. Not a sympathetic take like "he's a person too ya know ", but rather "he's also vulnerable and fallible - and can be manipulated or deceived- just like everyone else".

I'm advocating moving away from the 1 dimensional villian-protected-by-plot-armor where there's only 2 ways to approach him; let him have his way or stay far away.

Out of reactions so now explained then

Still can't believe you're even half-defending his character though lol.

 

[xert13]

Out of reactions so now explained then

Still can't believe you're even half-defending his character though lol.

Neil is awesome and look forward to him wrecking her. This is an adult VN, right? Just checking. Ok, ok, just yanking y’all. ;-)