Anyone really like this game?

[Thatguy]

Does anyone here like it? If so what parts do you find enjoyable?

Just curious here

[jazgalaxy]

Well, I don't like the game, but I can talk about what it does well.

Personally I don't get added benefit out of "fully realized characters". Not to be a jerk, but I think it's because I have an imagination and a healthy social life. I think there are a lot of people who literally don't have an imagination (like biologically) and so they really enjoy fictional stories with excessive details. In that vein, Dustborn's characters are hyper-realized. They have full, overly developed backstories and, I mean this positively as much as it sounds negative, even a wide assortment of mental illnesses. I think there is a certain audience that will really enjoy the "cozy" road trip with people that they will see as "Friends".

And unreservedly, there is a moment in the game where the character finally get to the east coast after starting their journey on the west coast and the younger characters are marveling at the Atlantic Ocean. Noam, who is a posh elitist starts to go in on how "it's not nearly as good as the east coast" when another character, the peacemaker, says, "Hey. Stop. Let them enjoy this." It's a legitimately earned moment that can only exist with the gravity that it has in a story that has developed the characters well enough that they are speaking from a well developed place of friendship.

I will also say that it does a fantastic job of, ironically, not being in your face about its LGBT content. While some people will be upset at the very IDEA that it features LGBT characters, aside from the semi-obnoxious title card that introduces everyones pronouns it's actually pretty under-pronounced in the actual playing of the game. Noam, the "them" is actually the best character in the game.

It's also actually really good at its depiction of interpersonal relationships. People are going after the game because the characters are obnoxious, but the game is actually incredibly self-aware about that very thing. The CHARACTERS think they are obnoxious. They bicker and fight and point out each other's flaws. People who haven't played/seen the game don't know this. Pax, for example, has the power to control people with her words. This is introduced as something that immediately makes everyone else in the group uncomfortable and they call her on her use of it.

The real flaw in the game and the games writing isn't so much the characters as it is the cosmic "physics" of the world they inhabit. Like how they go on a road trip adventure acrosss the US and yet somehow they basically never run into any straight white men aside from the police. Like how do you take a trip across the United States and not run into the largest demographic of person in the nation? not only this, because of the desire to showcase disabled people, you will run into many scenarios where half the people in the room are maimed. And it's not like there was some central even that caused everyone to lose limbs like the Civil War. It's just, I guess, meant to be normal that 40% of people in the nation are inexplicably maimed. It's very apparent that the "god" of this world, the one who ordains all the randomness, is an SJW. Every homeless person is actually nice and just down on their luck, every street gang is good at heart once you look past the crusty exterior, every bartender is going to be receptive to being hit on by a "they", and everybody who bitterly disagrees with you is infected by a mind controlling space alien rather than has actual legitimate reasons for their beliefs.

So it's the world that's the problem. (And indeed the entire raison detre' of the game.) The actual character writing is at times quite good.

[MaceLupo]

Originally posted by Thatguy:

Does anyone here like it? If so what parts do you find enjoyable?

Just curious here

no

[MaceLupo]

Originally posted by jazgalaxy:

Well, I don't like the game, but I can talk about what it does well.

Personally I don't get added benefit out of "fully realized characters". Not to be a jerk, but I think it's because I have an imagination and a healthy social life. I think there are a lot of people who literally don't have an imagination (like biologically) and so they really enjoy fictional stories with excessive details. In that vein, Dustborn's characters are hyper-realized. They have full, overly developed backstories and, I mean this positively as much as it sounds negative, even a wide assortment of mental illnesses. I think there is a certain audience that will really enjoy the "cozy" road trip with people that they will see as "Friends".

And unreservedly, there is a moment in the game where the character finally get to the east coast after starting their journey on the west coast and the younger characters are marveling at the Atlantic Ocean. Noam, who is a posh elitist starts to go in on how "it's not nearly as good as the east coast" when another character, the peacemaker, says, "Hey. Stop. Let them enjoy this." It's a legitimately earned moment that can only exist with the gravity that it has in a story that has developed the characters well enough that they are speaking from a well developed place of friendship.

I will also say that it does a fantastic job of, ironically, not being in your face about its LGBT content. While some people will be upset at the very IDEA that it features LGBT characters, aside from the semi-obnoxious title card that introduces everyones pronouns it's actually pretty under-pronounced in the actual playing of the game. Noam, the "them" is actually the best character in the game.

It's also actually really good at its depiction of interpersonal relationships. People are going after the game because the characters are obnoxious, but the game is actually incredibly self-aware about that very thing. The CHARACTERS think they are obnoxious. They bicker and fight and point out each other's flaws. People who haven't played/seen the game don't know this. Pax, for example, has the power to control people with her words. This is introduced as something that immediately makes everyone else in the group uncomfortable and they call her on her use of it.

The real flaw in the game and the games writing isn't so much the characters as it is the cosmic "physics" of the world they inhabit. Like how they go on a road trip adventure acrosss the US and yet somehow they basically never run into any straight white men aside from the police. Like how do you take a trip across the United States and not run into the largest demographic of person in the nation? not only this, because of the desire to showcase disabled people, you will run into many scenarios where half the people in the room are maimed. And it's not like there was some central even that caused everyone to lose limbs like the Civil War. It's just, I guess, meant to be normal that 40% of people in the nation are inexplicably maimed. It's very apparent that the "god" of this world, the one who ordains all the randomness, is an SJW. Every homeless person is actually nice and just down on their luck, every street gang is good at heart once you look past the crusty exterior, every bartender is going to be receptive to being hit on by a "they", and everybody who bitterly disagrees with you is infected by a mind controlling space alien rather than has actual legitimate reasons for their beliefs.

So it's the world that's the problem. (And indeed the entire raison detre' of the game.) The actual character writing is at times quite good.

Why is so much of your talk about this game about how awesome you are and how ♥♥♥♥♥♥ other people are? What does that really say about you?

[myzeplin]

I liked it based on how I rate Choice Matter games.

Do the choices feel like they matter?

1. Yes, I paid attention to my crew and it’s needs and it paid off. I did regret some decisions of course but it felt like I was charting my course across America.

2. Are the characters relatable?

Yes. From arguing in the car to getting crunked in Chicago to singing along at a diner. The relationship with a growing circle of friends and how that impacts your older friends. Everything changed on the journey and it felt like I was there for the ride.

3. Did it contain atmosphere.

Yes. Traveling a void, secret underground labs for children, communes, busy city and lonely farm houses in the middle of Iowa with good background music. I was there for all of it and it hit all the feels.

[MaceLupo]

Originally posted by myzeplin:

I liked it based on how I rate Choice Matter games.

Do the choices feel like they matter?

1. Yes, I paid attention to my crew and it’s needs and it paid off. I did regret some decisions of course but it felt like I was charting my course across America.

2. Are the characters relatable?

Yes. From arguing in the car to getting crunked in Chicago to singing along at a diner. The relationship with a growing circle of friends and how that impacts your older friends. Everything changed on the journey and it felt like I was there for the ride.

3. Did it contain atmosphere.

Yes. Traveling a void, secret underground labs for children, communes, busy city and lonely farm houses in the middle of Iowa with good background music. I was there for all of it and it hit all the feels.

Now I have read comments of more than 2% of all people in the world that play this game.