Just found this game.

[draksig]

I found this game a few days ago and really enjoyed it. Hats off to Drifty for creating a great game with fantastic developed characters. I found myself really feeling for the characters and empathizing for them when they are hurt. I will add that I come to these games for the story, not the sex scenes. I wind of with a soft core option was available since I don't care much for Hardcore scenes but that is my personal preference. (think dragon age)

The serious turn in chapter 6 took me by surprise and is unexpected in a AVN. After completing it the first (and so far only time) I felt that the Dev had a personal connection and I saw later that he does. The scene left me in tears and emotional.

Spoiler warning for everything coming after.

I also have someone close to me who committed suicide and it hit hard due to that.

I have completed several routes and want to talk about them, your opinion probably differs from mine but that is what makes this so great. I have three main routes that I really enjoyed.

To me the main route is the Lexi route. The proposal at the concert was, to me, the high point of the story. None of the other concert scenes came close to that one.

The next route I enjoyed was the Linda route. In anime I always root for the childhood friend, the girl who has always loved the MC and thought they would always be together but never had the nerve to move to the next stage just to watch another girl come in a steal him away and in this story, it was her best friend. I love it when the childhood friend wins.

Another route I enjoyed as much as the Linda route was the Stephanie route. She risked everything to protect the man she loved knowing how bad it could go. Doing this broke her heart as much as it did his. For this alone I felt she deserved to get back together with him.

I'll take a moment here to point out that Linda and Stephanie both had loved the MC for years while the feelings the other women had for him were all pretty shallow in the beginning, when they went to LA. All had the beginnings of feelings (or lust) but none compare to Stef and Linda.

I really liked Kira but I didn't like the Kira only route. I hated breaking her and Robin apart. I enjoyed the Kira/Robin route but Kira seemed to be pushing to make Robin the main girl in the 3 some but that may be because I told Robin at the bowling ally I liked her more. I will try that route again with a different choice to see if it makes a difference since I actually preferred Kira. I have not attempted the Robin only route and not sure I will try it.

I really didn't care for the Lexi/Holly route and I don't plan on trying the Holly only route since I don't want to break Lexi's heart.

And for the Cece route, I know a lot of people will disagree with me but I didn't really like it. To me Cece is someone I would want to protect, romancing her would never occur to me, at least not until she was better. The only thing good about that route is she stayed in town. I do like the twist at the end where it is revealed that she was the one telling the story.

Now, a few things I would like to see different.

I think it would be really cool that in the Stephanie route, she recruited MC into the agency (think true Lies) and the Paris scene was them on a mission. They would make a great duo working missions.

I see no reason there couldn't be a thrupple between MC/Linda/Stephanie. Linda and Stef are best friends and both love the MC so that could be a natural development.

I would love a harem ending but that isn't in the cards.

I wish that the meeting with his father had a possible better outcome but I loved the sister twist at the end.

I would also love a sequel but that is likely to happen. I just want to see more of these characters.

On a different note, I also use Daz and am wondering if there is a list somewhere listing the resources used in the game. I would like to get some of them especially Lexi and Kira's hair and Lexi's bikini.

Sorry that ended up being so long.

[RobOda]

Don't need to apologise for sharing your thoughts.

I agree, it's a nice game, tackles some very important themes.

Some of the dialogue is a bit too 'and I must preach', when I think in reality there would probably be a bit more push back tbh.

But when the comedy moments hit, the story can be hilarious! The bunny rabbit slippers scenes, the burger and Sam scenes for example.

[draksig]

I really liked the 4th wall breaks, my favorite was after Cece put the MC to bed and was choosing between the peek and don't peek buttons and while looking directly at the camera went, (paraphrased) don't give me that, you did the same thing. Now leave me to my fun.

[Quetz]

Originally posted by draksig:

I really liked the 4th wall breaks, my favorite was after Cece put the MC to bed and was choosing between the peek and don't peek buttons and while looking directly at the camera went, (paraphrased) don't give me that, you did the same thing. Now leave me to my fun.

I hope Drifty forgives me for spoiling something from the walkthrough/director commentary DLC. This scene wasn't meant as much as a 4th wall break by itself, but to remind players that they're playing a game right before the heavy part starts.

I think he succeeded here, the small WTF moment made the next scenes almost bearable.

[draksig]

Originally posted by Kato:

Originally posted by draksig:

I really liked the 4th wall breaks, my favorite was after Cece put the MC to bed and was choosing between the peek and don't peek buttons and while looking directly at the camera went, (paraphrased) don't give me that, you did the same thing. Now leave me to my fun.

I hope Drifty forgives me for spoiling something from the walkthrough/director commentary DLC. This scene wasn't meant as much as a 4th wall break by itself, but to remind players that they're playing a game right before the heavy part starts.

I think he succeeded here, the small WTF moment made the next scenes almost bearable.

That makes sense, and I've seen that used in other works to remind the reader/viewer that this was a work of fiction. I have the DLC with the commentary but haven't watched it withe the commentary turned on yet. Will soon, I liked that the scene where MC and Robin are playing video games he shows an alternate view showing how he saves on resources, I do the same when I render a scene in DAZ. I used to be tedious on making sure everything was just right until I realized that if it can't be seen in the camera, no need. If the hand is out of view, no need to spend 20 minutes getting the fingers right.

Spoiler warning.

The heavy part still took me by surprise, even with the warning. By this time I have gotten emotionally invested in the characters, my heart was in my throat and tears were flowing. I was freaking out on how this would effect the MC and the others. I haven't watched it again but I will. Well written scenario Dev's!

[Quetz]

Originally posted by draksig:

I do the same when I render a scene in DAZ.

What's DAZ?

Originally posted by draksig:

The heavy part still took me by surprise, even with the warning. By this time I have gotten emotionally invested in the characters, my heart was in my throat and tears were flowing. I was freaking out on how this would effect the MC and the others. I haven't watched it again but I will. Well written scenario Dev's!

Same. The first playthrough, I had to take a break from the game for a little while. Played something else for a few days and then came back. Then that scene with all the hands on MC's shoulder... I'm almost at 100% achievements, and that scene still gets me every time.

It's pretty remarkable, by the end of the game it feels like the MC has known everyone forever, and we do too. The humor is entirely up my ally as well, I'm not sure any other game has made me laugh so much as this one.

[draksig]

Originally posted by Kato:

Originally posted by draksig:

I do the same when I render a scene in DAZ.

What's DAZ?

Originally posted by draksig:

The heavy part still took me by surprise, even with the warning. By this time I have gotten emotionally invested in the characters, my heart was in my throat and tears were flowing. I was freaking out on how this would effect the MC and the others. I haven't watched it again but I will. Well written scenario Dev's!

Same. The first playthrough, I had to take a break from the game for a little while. Played something else for a few days and then came back. Then that scene with all the hands on MC's shoulder... I'm almost at 100% achievements, and that scene still gets me every time.

It's pretty remarkable, by the end of the game it feels like the MC has known everyone forever, and we do too. The humor is entirely up my ally as well, I'm not sure any other game has made me laugh so much as this one.

DAZ is software used to create images, from an interview I read with the Dev, he mentioned using DAZ to do the artwork and it also does animation. I think most AVN use it, in playing other games I spot items I have in my inventory, I have the cutoff blue jeans that Kira is wearing at the bowling date. You need a powerful computer and graphics card to render images in a decent time. The more you have in the scene the longer it takes. The base software and starter inventory is free, just do a google search for DAZ3D. Believe me, it is an expensive hobby but there are plenty of free resources out there to get started. I got pretty good at it (IMO) but haven't done anything in a while. Playing games like this (just started) has me itching to get back to work.

[Quetz]

Nice! Are you getting inspired to make your own AVN?

[draksig]

Originally posted by Kato:

Nice! Are you getting inspired to make your own AVN?

Maybe... My old renders are on an old HD so I re-rendered an old image I did some time ago. Here is a link to it since I can't post pictures here. What do you think? This is what you can do with DAZ.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QBjxGAvBlQipQTcbm5o1lldXIFz65UfQ/view?usp=sharing

[Quetz]

That looks pretty good! One point of criticism is that the shadows seem too dark compared to the brightness of the light. Looking at the shadow her arm casts, light seems to come from the front. Yet her face is only slightly turned but very dark. Generally, light diffuses a bit more. Looking a bit closer, her face might just look dark because of an optical illusion because of her dark hair.

That said, I'd absolutely buy and play a game that features these kinds of "creatures". I really like her design, and the gothic look & feel of the scene. Just please, no lazy jump scares. :D

[draksig]

Originally posted by Kato:

That looks pretty good! One point of criticism is that the shadows seem too dark compared to the brightness of the light. Looking at the shadow her arm casts, light seems to come from the front. Yet her face is only slightly turned but very dark. Generally, light diffuses a bit more. Looking a bit closer, her face might just look dark because of an optical illusion because of her dark hair.

That said, I'd absolutely buy and play a game that features these kinds of "creatures". I really like her design, and the gothic look & feel of the scene. Just please, no lazy jump scares. :D

This was an earlier work and the first where I was doing a scene not in the tutorial. This room is almost completely enclosed and dark. I removed a wall and added a distant light. I learned more later and would do it different if I was to do it again.

[Quetz]

If you do ever create a game, no matter how small, let me know. I'd love to test it.
For this being your first unguided scene, it's pretty awesome. I'm great at pinpointing things that are /off/, but I don't have a creative bone otherwise. ;)