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Junpei posted:Well, plot locks that require information from other routes were bound to happen at some point. I'd wonder if this is more a Mix Lock.
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Jun 23, 2022 07:13
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| # ? Jun 7, 2024 15:55 |
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 Alright, it's time once again to swap protagonists for a while, so we're going back over to F!Jordan! The thread voted and decided they wanted to stick to the branch we'd already experienced and see the other outcome for the Bidding Wars game, so that's what we're going to do. As a refresher, Beatrix was the one to be executed during the Logiship round, because she willingly voted for herself to ensure that she didn't accidentally vote for Nikolas. In Bidding Wars, Jordan found herself the leader of a team comprised of her, Shizuka, Yoshiki, and Nikolas; the team didn't really have much synergy, as Shizuka got lost in strategizing, Yoshiki had a hard time grasping the rules of the game, and Nikolas was still absolutely destroyed from the loss of his sister. A few days pass, and Nikolas and Katashi accidentally break the game rules by speaking to each other, leading to the Deletion Game starting up once again... [BGM: Carpe Noctum]   Your five minutes starts... now! As I was saying before, I think we should play high numbers, but that is just my opinion. The real choice is up to you, captain. Jordan 0, Nikolas 0, Yoshiki 3, Shizuka 7. Everyone supports our Team Captain, right? Yes. Yup!I input the allocation using the terminal and everyone else placed their palms there to approve it.  Thank you for your entry! Please exit the Dining Hall so stinky Team B can allocate their points. We quickly shuffled out of the Dining Hall and Team B entered for their turn.  Well, I guess all we can do now is wait. For your information, waiting is one of my finest skills. Watch this.… We all stood silently and watched Yoshiki.  See?! How good am I at waiting??Shizuka let out a nervous laugh while Nikolas seemed uninterested in the situation. After a few tense minutes of waiting, Team B exited the Dining Hall. Dai followed, boisterous as usual.  What a wonderful start to the Bidding Wars! Both teams are fighting hard! Now let's see the results of Round One. If you would be so kind as to draw your attention to this screen...Dai projected a screen using the same light she was made of.  And the winner of Round One is... Congrats, Team A! Strong start! Your tablets will now display your team's individual points.  Argh, the suspense is killing me! Let's move onto Round Two. Team A, you are up again, please follow me.Dai appeared to walk through the wall as we made our way back into the Dining Hall. … Your five minutes starts... now! I am proud of you, Team Captain! You made the right choice! What are your suggestions for this round? Hmm, I would probably go with one of the following options... Jordan 7, Nikolas 2, Yoshiki 0, Shizuka 1.I input the allocation using the terminal and everyone else placed their palms there to approve it. Thank you for your entry! Please exit the Dining Hall so stinky Team B can allocate their points.After a few tense minutes of waiting, Team B exited the Dining Hall. Dai followed, boisterous as usual. If you would be so kind as to draw your attention to this screen...Dai projected a screen using the same light she was made of. And the winner of Round Two is... With this, Team A has a score of 14, Team B has a score of 11, and Jordan has 7 points.  Waaah, Team A you are my hero! Let's move onto Round Three then! Team A, you are up again. Please follow me.Dai appeared to walk through the wall as we made our way back into the Dining Hall. … Your five minutes starts... now! We are winning so far, this is a relief. We might be safe! The game isn't over yet! Don't get too comfortable! For the last round, I suggest these... Jordan 3, Nikolas 0, Yoshiki 0, Shizuka 7.I input the allocation using the terminal and everyone else placed their palms there to approve it. … Let's get straight to the results.  Hey, we made it through a round of this without the math breaking! It's a miracle. Rip to someone from Team B, though. Congratulations, Team A! After three rounds, you have come out victorious! And that means... Team B, you lose! Congrats! I'm so sorry... Enough of that! Now, for the prize winner... Congratulations, Katashi! Alright well let's get to it, but first just let me take the time to really congratulate all of our winners and our losers. Isn't teamwork just the greatest?Shizuka's face swelled with grief as she approached Katashi and grabbed hold of one of his shirt sleeves.  No, no! Our winning wasn't supposed to sentence you to death! I don't ever believe you meant for me to die, kiddo. No, please, anyone else...Katashi patted Shizuka on the head as she began to weep. I should have lost! Then you would still be okay! Oh, kiddo, you were never gonna lose, games are your thing! I should have lost on purpose! No, you shouldn't have! You had your team to protect, and you did a wonderful job. But I... I was Team B's captain, and I would gladly die to protect my team. Katashi... Some games you win, some games you lose. In my case... it's usually lose.Katashi let out a hearty laugh before the captain interrupted.  I'm sorry, Katashi. I tried to ensure we all had points. I know you did, Captain, but as you said, it was important that we protect Melody, and we did. Besides, it's quite fitting, isn't it? After all, I was the one who triggered the game to start early in the first place.Shizuka shuffled to the back of the crowd. Although she was doing her best to hide her face, I could hear her quietly crying. Dai meaningfully cleared her throat. Yes, I agree, super fitting. Now let's get on with it.Dai materialized the Wheel in front of her and started it spinning immediately. Her eyes widened as she watched it spin. Tick, tick, tick.  Oh, how fitting, Katashi. You're going to be cooked to death! Can't come up with anything new, eh, Dai? Excuse me? I'm not the first person to die from being cooked. Katashi, don't be insensitive.The captain placed a reassuring hand on the back of Melody's head. Melody was planted firmly at Kimiko's side, grabbing tight to the captain's legs with both arms. Katashi glanced sheepishly at Melody before meeting the captain's gaze.  Sorry about that. I'm about to die, though, so can you forgive me this once, Captain?Katashi looked at the Captain playfully. ...Of course.The captain did her best to force a smile.  I'll have you know, Mr. Space Farmer- not that that is even a real job- that I've arranged a way to cook you without needing to resort to what happened last time. Oh? You know, I spend so much time every week trying to come up with interesting ways for you all to die, and this is the thanks I get? You know I am not phoning this in, right? Why doesn't anyone appreciate my creativity?Dai's anger suddenly turned to tears.  I... *sob* ...I even spend... *sob* ...hours designing the Deletion Game rounds... for you all.Everyone in the room looked at each other, confused. You don't ever... *sob* ...have to play the same game twice, but still... no one thanks me? Aww, don't say that, Dai. I'm sure we all appreciate how hard you work for us. Really? Yeah! Yoshiki! The captain gave Yoshiki a scathing look, causing him to snap out of his momentary lapse in judgment.  Uhhh, sorry, sorry. You know I can't handle it when people cry, especially girls!The captain seemed both angered and baffled by his stupidity. Um, excuse me Captain, but Yoshiki and I were having a beautiful moment.Dai turned her attention back to Yoshiki. You know what, Yoshiki? I will remember your kindness. Huh? Really? Yeah. When I kill you, I will stay with you and cheer you on until you eventually stop breathing. Um... I will even pretend to mourn for you! Isn't that sweet? Yoshiki let out a nervous laugh.  Hahaha, yeah, I guess it is. I appreciate it, Dai.Katashi cleared his throat, reminding everyone of the task at hand.  Oh, how unthoughtful of me! I should be focusing on the man of the hour! So, how exactly is this going to happen? Well, first we will- Wait! Forget it. I don't want to know. Ah, I hear you! You want to learn through experience.Dai winked at Katashi. Alright everyone, let's all head to the Kitchen! The Kitchen? Dai I hate to disappoint you, but I won't fit in the oven. Shhhh, you already said you didn't want to know. Now, onwards![BGM: The Aftermath of Bravery] Everyone marched solemnly out of the Dining Hall towards the Kitchen, which was close by. It wasn't even a few minutes that passed before we arrived. Alright, so what I need is for everyone to stand on the outside of the Kitchen- don't go inside, stay in the hallway.Everyone looked puzzled, but stood still in the hallway. Now, Katashi, if you would, please make your way into the Kitchen. See, how fitting for the Space Farmer am I right?Katashi was entering the Kitchen when he felt a tug on his arm. I'm sorry.Shizuka had tears streaming down her face, but she was still not lifting her head- rather, she was looking at the floor.  Kiddo, I said it's more than okay. Now come on.Katashi lifted her head with his hand under her chin to make eye contact. What is our motto for failure, what happens when we fail? You die?! Well, in this instance, yes, but I mean in general. What happens when we fail? ...Learn, retry, succeed. That's right. We learn, we retry, and we succeed. I'm simply leaving the learning to you, kid- make sure to win, 'kay?Shizuka's tears dried up, as she sniffled back further tears. I'll do it. I'll win this whole thing! That's the spirit.Katashi patted Shizuka on the head for the last time, and then stepped into the Kitchen.  Officer Ikari, you have served the Everett well and we thank you for your service. SALUTE!We all saluted Katashi as the door for the Kitchen was sealed off by Dai. Argh, about time people.Ship Broadcast: The Kitchen has been locked down. Temperature control in the Kitchen is no longer automated. Temperature control inside the Kitchen is now set to complete a disinfection cycle. Huh? Disinfection cycle? Oh, how rude of me. Sometimes I forget you ran away with your coward parents and know very little about this ship. … A disinfection cycle is an operation that can occur in any part of the ship. It isolates a part of the ship and heats it up using the temperature control to kill any live viruses and bacteria. Why would the ship even be able to do that? Why? Why??? Isn't that obvious? Let's say we picked you up from space, like we did, but you had, say, the bubonic plague. If we don't have a cure on board, we need to get rid of that real quick to limit infection to the other crew. So, we would just quarantine you, and your disease, and cook you! Then, no more you- or disease. That's so... Back me up, Captain, you know the protocol. Wait, really? If I was sick... It isn't personal, Jordan. I need to protect the crew, and if you did in fact have an infectious disease that could transfer to the other crew... You would just kill me? ENOUGH! Who cares about you hypothetically dying?! Katashi actually is, and all you care about is yourself?! I... I don't care about what you have to say! JUST SHUT UP! The entire room fell quiet. In my peripheral vision I could see Dai's smile growing. We stood in silence for almost half an hour. Ship Broadcast: Disinfection cycle in Kitchen, complete. Temperature control has returned to normal. I believe what the automated system means is: Ding! Dinner's ready!The door to the Kitchen swung open, and there we saw... Katashi.  He clearly had attempted to lower his body temperature and removed most of his clothes but his shorts. His skin was a crispy brown color with slight charring. I had never seen a human cooked, and I don't think I ever needed to again. Surprisingly, there was an apple in his mouth that had weathered the cooking a bit better than he did. Did it fall off the bench? Or was he trying to have one last treat before death? Shizuka ran in once the door was open, immediately removing the apple from his mouth and trying to close his eyes, which wouldn't shut. Someone help me! He shouldn't just be left in here! I wish I could, but you know, I am made of light.Dai shrugged while smiling slyly. Shizuka attempted to move Katashi, but she was so much smaller than he was, his body didn't even budge. Move, dammit!Shizuka became enraged. She was now flailing while tugging on his arm. Shizuka, perhaps it would be best if you left him to us. We can take care of him. What?! Like you took care of Katashi here?! I think we can all agree you're not taking care of anyone! The Captain's face winced at her words as the concern in her face melted away to reveal the stern captain I had come to know. Shizuka, return to your quarters at once. No! Ehhhhhh? Refusing an order? This is getting interesting!Shizuka was latched on pretty tightly to Katashi's arm at this point. The captain now was visibly irritated. She approached Shizuka and stood only inches from her. Shizuka, you are to return to your quarters- immediately. Ah, so intense...Shizuka's eyes met with the captain's, and her moment of rebellion died. ...Understood.Shizuka let go of Katashi's arm and left the Kitchen without looking at anyone on the way out.  Awww, and I was hoping the two of you would fight! You're no fun captain! Ahh, well, I'm bored now, it's been fun! I will see you all tomorrow for the next round of the Deletion Game, toodles!Dai, and her boredom, zapped out of the Kitchen, and left the rest of the crew standing silently. Yoshiki, Nikolas, I trust that you two can move Katashi? Of course. We'll see to it now. Thank you. Everyone is dismissed. Feel free to do as you all please for the remainder of the day. I will be in my quarters if anyone needs me.The captain left the room, and I followed suit.
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Jun 24, 2022 22:25
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eugh, that one's pretty skeevy
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Jun 24, 2022 22:34
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"Again"?
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Jun 24, 2022 23:21
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Leraika posted:There was that 59 41 thing at least I completely forgot about that to be honest i don't even know where it came up Leraika posted:eugh, that one's pretty skeevy Yeeeeah, that was pretty unnecessary. 
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Jun 24, 2022 23:41
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Quackles posted:"Again"? They're talking about Sora here, which is why Kimiko makes a point of comforting Melody.
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Jun 24, 2022 23:41
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I feel bad for being slightly less interested now that I have a proper Uchikoshi mainline crazy plot to sink into what with AI: Nirvana Initiative having just dropped.
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Jun 24, 2022 23:52
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I mean, it doesn't help that this one loves to leave interesting plot points dangling where they appear instead of going anywhere with them  (trust me most of you guys' complaints are ones I agree w/ lol, there's a reason i mentioned in the OP that this thread was probably gonna get pretty critical of this game at some point lmao)
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Jun 25, 2022 01:24
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Well, that naked sexy posing dead Katashi with an apple in his mouth managed to kill all seriousness this scene had deader than him, which is quite impressive.
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Jun 25, 2022 06:52
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Cloacamazing! posted:Well, that naked sexy posing dead Katashi with an apple in his mouth managed to kill all seriousness this scene had deader than him, which is quite impressive. If it was just the apple on its own, it could seem like some great warped gallows humor that Katashi went for in his final moments. But yeah, all together with the sexy posing and the boxers? Yeesh.
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Jun 25, 2022 13:37
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It's like some goofy description of a nightkill in a mafia game, but it's a total contrast to how the protagonist and rest of the crew are seeing it. I think part of the problem is that disconnect isn't addressed in the scene at all.
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Jun 25, 2022 14:17
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dervival posted:It's like some goofy description of a nightkill in a mafia game, but it's a total contrast to how the protagonist and rest of the crew are seeing it. I think part of the problem is that disconnect isn't addressed in the scene at all. Honestly, this is the game's biggest problem in general - it's trying to juggle being goofy, sexy and dramatic all together and completely failing to manage those three tones. That scene in particular seems like it's trying to be all three at the same time and they just don't have what it takes to pull that off, if it's even possible.
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Jun 25, 2022 20:37
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Tenebrais posted:Honestly, this is the game's biggest problem in general - it's trying to juggle being goofy, sexy and dramatic all together and completely failing to manage those three tones. That scene in particular seems like it's trying to be all three at the same time and they just don't have what it takes to pull that off, if it's even possible. I think spacing everything out would have helped a lot. Like, this game feels like it's taking a certain degree of inspiration from Danganronpa, and the thing is Danganronpa spaced each tonality out so you had time to cool down after the last one.
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Jun 25, 2022 20:59
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Yeah, this game is stuck in this weird dead zone where there isn't enough wacky pop culture references and black comedy to be Danganronpa, but it also doesn't have enough puzzles, riddles and real-world thought experiments and scientific ideas to be Zero Escape, either.
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Jun 25, 2022 21:10
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Junpei posted:Yeah, this game is stuck in this weird dead zone where there isn't enough wacky pop culture references and black comedy to be Danganronpa, but it also doesn't have enough puzzles, riddles and real-world thought experiments and scientific ideas to be Zero Escape, either. It seems like this game does have a running theme of gallows humor that could have made for a nice unique trademark, if they framed it a bit better. "When is a better time to make a bad joke" is a sentiment I fully agree with, and could make for some excellent black comedy. But the straight-up goofy bits (like beach volleyball, or Yoshiki in general) undercut it. FWIW I think Dai is an excellent deathgame host character. I enjoy a lot of her dialogue, and I especially love the moments where the crew play along with her too much. Having her act goofy is fine. But that whole hopeless feeling we talked about before, where no one seems to be actually giving a poo poo or trying anything to fix this situation, it just drags everything down. The story as a whole has such an aimless feel, any isolated good bits of dialogue can't feel very satisfying in the long run. And any "face your death with a smile" moments feel like more infuriating passivity, instead of a brave noble gesture to help the others cope.
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Jun 26, 2022 12:18
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Yeah, the fatalistic tone is a big show-stopper. It hits on two levels - one is that they're on a generational spaceship so there is no possibility of escape or rescue, so as long as no one on the crew knows how to shut Dai off there is no possiblity of getting out of the situation, and the other is that since Dai schedules the death games everyone is constantly staring down the fact that someone is going to die within the next week. Compare to Danganronpa, which this game is obviously pulling cues from - the deaths there are driven by the characters' own actions, so there is always the possibility that this time the villain's motives won't work and there just aren't going to be any more killings, so the characters can focus on either escaping or living together in peace. While it obviously never shakes out that way, it means the characters do get a break from the constant threat of death and can take time to goof off and flirt with each other. I agree on Dai being a great host character; honestly she's probably the most enjoyable character in the game. She's pretty funny about her bloodthirst, she manages to give the impression of genuinely feeling like she's throwing a good party without being annoying about it, and there's a sincere need for human connection underneath all that that the rest of her stops her from having. She'd have been great in a scenario more like the above where she has to push the crew to act rather than just act upon them.
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Jun 26, 2022 13:27
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Personally one of the big problems for me is the parallel universes. It's a huge killer to the tension when you know full well that anyone who dies will be back as soon as you switch routes. It makes the Shizuka universe hop ending feel like an outright good ending, because the concept of the 'original' crew doesn't matter when there's an infinity of duplicates. What makes it worse is how the timelines are all functionally identical despite different people dying. Logiship -> Bidding Wars (someone breaks the rules and start the game early) -> Use Watch? -> Shutdown code? -> Vampire Children. I know it's skipped in the LP but does the game force you to go through the game descriptions every single time? Even beyond that there's so much that I end up skimming because it's more of the same with only slight variations, and the only person who seems to matter is whoever's route it is (plus maybe the captain). To make some comparisons, I had a similar problem with Birth ME Code. The timelines were indistinct enough that I lost track of where we were at any given point, but at least we got different puzzle rooms depending on the route. Head AS Code could have had the same problem if not for it becoming clear that they weren't actually separate timelines, which meant that it felt like there were consequences for the events in each. One place where it was done really well was Zero Time Dilemma, as the survival/deaths of the different teams lead to very distinct timelines with wildly different outcomes.
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Jun 26, 2022 14:15
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I'd also call out Shizuka as being annoyingly goofy in her route, at least.
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Jun 26, 2022 15:03
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If every goofy alternate universe ending provided some clue that could be acted on in the main timeline to slowly get closer to whatever the true route is, that might also help provide momentum and give you the feeling of immediately wanting to start over to put in your new key, instead of "Maybe I should quit now and call this the good ending." We know on a meta level that we're getting somewhere, or at least we assume so, but we're not actually seeing those carrots dangling. I assume we'll find some eventually?
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Jun 26, 2022 15:41
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Sybot posted:Personally one of the big problems for me is the parallel universes. It's a huge killer to the tension when you know full well that anyone who dies will be back as soon as you switch routes. It makes the Shizuka universe hop ending feel like an outright good ending, because the concept of the 'original' crew doesn't matter when there's an infinity of duplicates. This is interesting to me, since the parallel universes as far as I can tell haven't really played into the game loop yet. Every time they've come up they've consisted of Jordan jumping into another time line and either dying there or living happily ever after. Plot-wise we're just starting the story from scratch whenever we start a new game just the same as when you start a new game in any other visual novel. The criticism about the different routes all being basically the same is definitely valid, though. Our decisions aren't really changing the plot at all other than deciding when the protagonist dies. The only differences have boiled down to which characters are giving colour commentary on the way to our final moments. Things might be more different from Vampire Children onwards, given what we saw there on Yoshiki's route with the captain. Most of our routes have ended before that so far.
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Jun 26, 2022 15:51
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Sybot posted:I know it's skipped in the LP but does the game force you to go through the game descriptions every single time? Yes.  You get the option to skip Dai giving you a more detailed explanation, but sometimes she just does it anyway.gegi posted:[mention about the alternate timelines] Without giving too much away (because there ARE legitimately interesting nuggets we haven't gotten to, lore/story wise), this one actually kind of mostly falls on which routes we've been hitting first lol- there are definitely some more interesting alternate timelines we'll be visiting that are closer to the alternate crew one we saw. It's just funnily enough been the case where we just keep dodging those 
Mix. fucked around with this message at 18:52 on Jun 26, 2022 |
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Jun 26, 2022 18:45
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Mix. posted:Yes. That's our Dai! Mix. posted:Without giving too much away (because there ARE legitimately interesting nuggets we haven't gotten to, lore/story wise), this one actually kind of mostly falls on which routes we've been hitting first lol- there are definitely some more interesting alternate timelines we'll be visiting that are closer to the alternate crew one we saw. It's just funnily enough been the case where we just keep dodging those OK, so now I'm curious. Think about something like Uchikoshi's Virtue's Last Reward. In there, almost all of the branches had some clue that acts as lock for another branch, except for a very few immediate bad endings. But here, some of the branches are just neutral? Feels vaguely like a design problem...
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Jun 26, 2022 20:59
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Quackles posted:Feels vaguely like a design problem... you just summed up half of this game's problems in one sentence
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Jun 26, 2022 21:26
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Yeah, I guess the problem is the characters I am currently finding the most intriguing/interesting right this second are Katashi (who mostly just hasn't given us an opportunity to get us to hate him yet, who knows his route could also go bonkers), Dai (who is a genuinely good antagonist), Ai (the most consistently sweet and helpful character here) and Kimiko herself (who I'm not sure I even like-I just wanna know what her deal is.) Oh and Melody too I guess but she's a child so she'll probably be somewhat less complex than everyone else here, also I fully expect her to be a package deal with Vladimir.
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Jun 26, 2022 22:58
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  [BGM: Drink Deep of the Universe]  Katashi's image was seared into my brain, making sleep an impossibility. I could still smell the aftermath of the Game; the pungent stench of charred human flesh was not something I ever wanted to revisit, even in my mind. I needed a distraction, so I decided to take refuge in the Rec Room. It probably wouldn't even take the edge off the pain, but at least watching a movie would stop me from seeing Katashi everywhere I looked and every time I closed my eyes. [BGM: The Aftermath of Bravery] I arrived to find that the TV was already occupied. Shizuka sat, staring intently at the screen, her face a wet mask of tears.  She continued to watch as if I wasn't there. Hey... Shizuka? Hmm?Shizuka didn't turn to face me. Um... I was wondering... The bottom option is a trap, and a pretty obvious one at that... I mean, think about it. Katashi's dead; who is there to steal food from now?  If we ask this, Shizuka freaks out and throws us out of the Rec Room immediately, end scene. Therefore, we won't be doing that, but instead, we'll start with the middle option... What are you watching? … Is this a famous movie? … What type o- PLEASE STOP TALKING! I saw you were upset and tho- And are you NOT upset? What? Of course I am! I can't sleep because I'm so upset! YOUR team chose to kill Katashi! Why would you be as upset as I am? We were on the same team, so I don't know why Shizuka says this- unless it's meant to be because Jordan was the Captain? Shizuka! That's not fair and you know it!Shizuka's voice started to waver. Neither is Katashi not being here anymore.A pained silence fell over the room. I had to break this stalemate somehow. Shizuka, I'm sorry.Shizuka finally looked me in the eye. Her face was softer than before.  I'm watching Katashi's favorite movie.And now, the top option. Are you okay? … Shizuka? ...I put myself in between Shizuka and the TV, at which point she instantly changed, becoming outraged. WHAT DO YOU WANT, JORDAN?! I... I wanted to make sure you're okay. Is that the only reason you came here? Well, technically not. TECHNICALLY??? Shizuka was becoming more and more furious with every word exchanged. I couldn't sleep... so I came to watch a movie.Shizuka's rage vanished in the blink of an eye, draining away to be replaced with a heart-rending emptiness. Her voice became calmer... sadder. You came to watch a movie too? Yeah, I'm just... not handling the result of last night's Game well.Shizuka's eyes spilled over with fresh tears as she motioned to the seat next to her. Watch with me.I took the seat next to Shizuka. [BGM: Standby to Standby]   It's called Sisyphean. Oh? What's it about? It's about a man in love and his struggle to reach his happily ever after. It's a very romantic movie. Do you like romantic movies?Shizuka smiled as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Not really, but Katashi couldn't get enough of them. This movie was his favorite, though. Why's that? I'm not really sure... but I think it might be because of me. Oh? How's that? This movie was originally a video game that got a movie adaptation. So it was a game first? Hah, yeah. Katashi might have thought that would appeal to me more, so he would always get me to watch it with him. And did you? I sat with him once while he watched it, but I was playing games at the same time.Shizuka continued, holding back tears. I should've just watched it with him, even once. I should have been there for him. And now... now... I'll never get the chance again!Shizuka's dam burst. I paused the movie and scooched closer to her for a hug. She began calming down in my arms. I'm sure he was grateful even having you sit next to him. I know that I am. Shizuka pulled away from me just enough that she could lock eyes with me. Really?I nodded sincerely. Thank you, Jordan. I... really needed to hear that. Any time.Shizuka snuggled back in closer and started the movie from the beginning. Over two hours later, the movie's credits rolled. I had enjoyed the plot- it made me think about our limited time on earth and having no regrets about how we used it. Thank you for watching with me, Jordan. It was my pleasure. I really enjoyed it. Me too! I think I can see why it was his favorite. Yeah, me t-[BGM: Ad Astra Per Aspera]  *sob sob* I especially liked the part where he was eaten by a giant cat. How long have you been here, Dai? Long enough to know that movie was actually pretty good. You like romantic movies? Wait. That was a romantic movie? Yeah? Huh, then I guess I do. I always knew I was a romantic at heart. Who would have thought... So, why are you here? It's time for the new Deletion Game explanation! So we should go to the Dining Hall? Bingo. Alright. Let us just tidy up here. Oh, Jordan, I do love how submissive you are. Dai cackled as she zapped out of the room. Shizuka and I put everything back where it belonged, still bathing in the warm afterglow of a good movie. …  At the Dining Hall, the entire crew was already assembled. About time, you two! Huh? We have been waiting for almost an hour now. What, really?! But we only just got told to come here! Guilty as charged~ What is the meaning of this, Dai? Well... I went to collect these two, but they were watching a movie. I was going to interrupt it, but then I got hooked and finished watching the movie with them. Seriously? We have all been wasting our time here for over an hour while you watched a movie?The Captain was not pleased with the situation, and it showed.  Cap-i-tan, need I remind you who's in charge here?Dai pointed at herself haughtily. The captain's eye twitched. Never mind that! How dare you waste my crew's precious time! Bu- In the future, you will refrain from this nonsense! Again~ ...I'm in charge.The captain's face took on such a menacing appearance that all the lights in the room seemed to go dark.   Your fun only lasts while there are crew members to play with. Push your luck any further with me, Dai, and I will take away that which gives you pleasure.Was the captain threatening... to kill us? Just to spite Dai?  Captain.Nikolas placed a hand on the captain's shoulder. She reeled at his touch and her head snapped around, as if released from a trance. I... I'm sorry, Captain.Dai- apologizing? What kind of fresh hell was this?! In the future I will not waste your time, Captain. On that note, let's get down to the explanation of the new Game. Allow me to welcome you all to the new round of the Deletion Game. Vampire Children.We know the rules, so skipping the explanation again. I will notify you of your human or vampire status some time before the Game begins on Sunday morning. Ahh, this is my favorite Game to date. Any questions? Need me to repeat? Nah, we got it! Excellent! Dai suddenly zapped out of the room, and the broadcast opened overhead, where we could all hear Dai using her best customer service voice. We understand that you have a choice in Deletion Game carrier, and want to thank you all so much for choosing the Dai Deletion Game service. We murder for your satisfaction, and we look forward to servicing you again this Sunday!
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Jun 27, 2022 21:15
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Yandere Kimiko, huh.
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Jun 27, 2022 23:06
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Okay, so, Kimiko is loving nutso, is what i'm getting here.
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Jun 27, 2022 23:10
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I guess it's possible Kimiko was trying to bluff Dai (and it's possible Kimiko might offer that as an explanation to the rest of the crew), but I feel like Dai would have called her bluff if she didn't think Kimiko was serious, and Dai's in a position to know Kimiko pretty well. (And "being forced to sit around and be bored for a while" would be an odd thing to bluff that hard about given... everything else about the situation.) And at least one version of Kimiko has already stabbed Jordan in the back in an alternate timeline because "She doesn't appreciate you. She doesn't deserve you." ...maybe this universe's Kimiko is the one that stabbed Jordan in that other path.
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Jun 27, 2022 23:39
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PepperedMoth posted:I guess it's possible Kimiko was trying to bluff Dai (and it's possible Kimiko might offer that as an explanation to the rest of the crew), but I feel like Dai would have called her bluff if she didn't think Kimiko was serious, and Dai's in a position to know Kimiko pretty well. (And "being forced to sit around and be bored for a while" would be an odd thing to bluff that hard about given... everything else about the situation.) Good callout. That Kimiko could absolutely be referring to Dai with that statement. Even if it's not this particular Kimiko, it could be any number of alternate ones. Unless it's secretly an indication that all of these timelines we're seeing will inevitably converge on each other? Can't wait for "ship doesn't exist because infinite ships piled onto the same point and 404'd that section of spacetime" joke ending.
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Jun 28, 2022 01:49
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PepperedMoth posted:I guess it's possible Kimiko was trying to bluff Dai (and it's possible Kimiko might offer that as an explanation to the rest of the crew), but I feel like Dai would have called her bluff if she didn't think Kimiko was serious, and Dai's in a position to know Kimiko pretty well. (And "being forced to sit around and be bored for a while" would be an odd thing to bluff that hard about given... everything else about the situation.) Begs the question as to how we got at least one Kimiko out of position...
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Jun 28, 2022 02:47
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quote:Katashi's image was seared into my brain 
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Jun 29, 2022 10:00
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...is it just me or is it seeming that the characters come in pairs that, if one loses in a game and dies, the other has a chance (though it's not 100 depending on gender?) to flip out and go nuts? Katashi/Shizuka, Yoshiki/Kimiko, the twins, and Vladimir/Melody (though the last one is unproven).
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Jun 29, 2022 10:06
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Quackles posted:Begs the question as to how we got at least one Kimiko out of position... We have at least one other established timeline where there's a watch and people who know how to use it, so it's not beyond reason. There are some interesting ideas behind what two Kimikos would mean and what effect that would have on Ai/Dai. Shizuka lamenting that she couldn't pull her head out of her games long enough to just watch a movie with her friend is a good scene and I want to highlight that. (And Dai getting caught in the movie and making everyone wait is legitimately funny.)
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Jun 29, 2022 14:26
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I can't say I didn't expect Kimiko to snap. In a way, at least it's a show of maybe taking initiative? My biggest complaint remains in that nobody on the ship but Jordan seems like they're doing much to try and fix the Dai issue. Perhaps it's just been so long since we've seen the latter, but it seems like Dai has a more "human" personality than Ai overall. Starting to wonder if Kimiko's mom just didn't upload her consciousness somehow and became Dai in the process, although if that was the case, I'd expect there would be more hostility directed towards our protagonist.
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Jun 29, 2022 15:26
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Odd Wilson posted:...although if that was the case, I'd expect there would be more hostility directed towards our protagonist. Remember that Jordan's arrival was what kicked off the Deletion Game in the first place.
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Jun 29, 2022 16:52
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Quackles posted:Remember that Jordan's arrival was what kicked off the Deletion Game in the first place. Oh, I haven't forgotten, it just doesn't seem to me like Dai's particularly hateful towards Jordan more than anyone else outside of that trigger. Maybe it's just the playfulness masking it.
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Jun 29, 2022 19:24
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Dai/deletion game is clearly rigged in favor of Kimiko Previous captain was a real piece of work
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Jun 29, 2022 23:41
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 [BGM: With Fear: Hope] Jordan. I could hear the captain calling my name. Why couldn't I see her, though? Jordan! Captain, is that you? Yes, Jordan. Wake up. I can't see you!I heard the captain sigh deeply. Jordan, open your eyes. I opened my eyes to find a scowling captain looming over me. I think you have been spending too much time with Yoshiki. What's wrong? For that matter, what time is it? It's half past four in the morning. I have come to request your counsel. It must be pretty important to wake me this early... Huh, we actually get to chat in here this branch, what a surprise! I'm sure not gonna complain about the game actually mixing things up for once. Anyway, we'll start at the top. Why are you awake? Because... I am not asleep. No, I mean why are you not asleep? Oh. I am performing the duties of a captain, duties I must be awake to perform. What duties? I am doing my daily morning check of system operations. What does that entail, exactly? Ensuring that life support systems are functioning properly, checking our supply levels, and establishing the accuracy of our navigation equipment. The latter is the reason why I am here.Next, the middle. I charge $200 for the first hour and then $50 an hour afterwards. The captain's stern face twitched and, before I knew it, she broke into a laugh.  Hahaha, I haven't heard anyone trying to barter using actual money for the longest time. What do you mean? We all live and die on this ship- currency and trading systems aren't exactly required. So when was the last time you heard anyone talking about money? That would be my father. He used to always pick up a phone and say 'Buy! Buy! Sell! Sell!' as if he were a stock broker. He would also make bets with me for money that simply doesn't exist.The captain laughed sadly to herself. Sorry, I am getting off track.And last, the bottom option. Why couldn't you ask someone else for help? I did. Who? I attempted to ask Shizuka for her counsel, considering the nature of the issue. She outright refused to get out of bed. Can't you just order her out? I have tried that many times. She seems to be immune to authority. Very well. What can I help you with then? Please make yourself presentable and meet me on the Bridge in five minutes. Dammit, spoke too soon! Anyway, the rest of this scene is literally the same scene we've seen countless times by now, so from now on I'm gonna be skipping this too, in the interest of cutting down redundancy. We know the drill, Kimiko's concerned about the black hole, Jordan uses her own words to reassure her, etc etc. We'll pick up from after Jordan returns to bed and falls asleep...[BGM: Standby to Standby]  A sudden jab to my cheek woke me up. Hey, wake up!I stirred to see Shizuka perched on the side of my bed, continuing to poke me in the face. Really? Can't a girl sleep around here without someone ruining it every night? That's why I'm here! This had better be good... I know that the captain woke you up this morning in my place... and I wanted to make it up to you. ...besides, it's practically dinnertime. Come again?I shot out of bed, snatching up my tablet as I pulled on clothes. She was right: it was almost 5pm. I've slept through the entire day?! You must have really needed it. I don't have time to sleep through days! I might have just wasted my last day alive!! I would have woken you up sooner, but... But what?Shizuka looked very bashful. I... only just woke up too.I sighed. I guess we're both equally hopeless. Yeah, but at least we're hopeless together! That's a thousand times better than being lonely! I guess you're right. Well, now that we're both awake, how about we do something with what's left of the day? Like what? Well, I was thinking that maybe we could... play some games? Hahaha, why am I not surprised? So, you in?Once again, we're given a choice to not hang out with her, but like most of the others it's functionally just a way to immediately skip time, so we won't be doing that. Video games it is! drat straight, I'm in!  YES! I'll go get everything set up for us! Let me run through the shower and go grab some research material to read while we play. I'll be there in half an hour!Shizuka could barely contain herself, yelling out her reply to me as she was already halfway down the hallway. SEE YOU SOON!I shot through the shower and grabbed the box of research from the Lab on the way to the Rec Room. …  It's probably a good thing you brought some work to do! Why's that? Well, tonight we'll be playing 'The Letter', and it's only one player so we'll have to take turns. Did the creator of that VN like pay you for an ad read or something? This is literally like the fourth time it's come up in this LP! Practically about to be a drinking game entry or something at the rate this is going. I guess everything has worked out perfectly then!I smiled and took the seat next to Shizuka as the game's opening screen came to life. I sifted through papers, reading more of my parents' work as Shizuka sat glued to the TV. I pulled the pocket watch out and stared at it once more. It still looked exactly as it did last time I saw it. I sighed with disappointment. More than an hour passed and I still didn't get a turn- Shizuka was quite the hog it seemed. When is it my turn? Like... when it's your turn, it's your turn. That doesn't even make sense! How will I know? Almost done! Hang on!A few minutes later, Shizuka finally ripped herself away from the game and reluctantly handed me the controller.  There, you happy? I am, thank you~I realized very quickly that, because I had been studying my notes, I was not sure what was happening in the game. Um, so Shizuka... Starting from the top. If you could do anything, what would you do? I would go to the mansion and talk to Luke. What? Not in the game, I mean in real life! Oh... that's easy! Really? Go on then. I'd be a necromancer. Er... I meant a career, but sure... let's go with that. Why, exactly? Not only would that mean I have magic abilities, but it means I could bring Katashi back to life! Wouldn't he be a zombie? Well, I only know about necromancy from video games, but I think if we brought him back he could still cook! Hahaha, you just want more cake, don't you? Guilty as charged!Shizuka and I both laughed at the image of a zombie Katashi serving us cakes. I knew that she wanted more than just his cooking, but any small respite was welcome. Next, the middle option. Other than video games, what else do you enjoy? What else is there? Um... Do you like music? Not really. Do you like cooking? Nope. Studying? Hahaha, absolutely not. Do you like taking baths? I only take baths because I have to.Gross. Hmm... we must be able to think of something that you like... I'm not sure if it counts, but I like hair brushing. Hair brushing? Yeah. When we were younger, the Captain would brush my hair while I played games. I liked that a lot. So that doesn't happen anymore? Nah, not for a long time. The captain just got busier and sterner and I... just stayed the same I guess. I started getting frustrated that she was always too busy for me. And we just sorta... drifted apart. I'm sorry. Don't be! These things happen, and besides, I have you now! Hahaha, that you do!And lastly, the bottom option. Do you think we will make it? To the end? I haven't failed to finish a game once. I'm not about to start now! I meant the Deletion Game- do you think we'll make it? I don't know about you, but I have no plans to lose.Shizuka put on her best game face. Well, let's hope for my sake that I'm on your team!Shizuka and I played well into the early hours of the morning. Shizuka had fallen asleep in her chair by 3am, but I powered through, only to be rewarded with one of the game's worst possible endings. I hope this isn't an omen...I looked at the time- 4:17am. It was well past time to get Shizuka and myself off to our respective beds. As I moved to pack up, a light peeked out from the box containing my research material. I rubbed my eyes to ensure that I wasn't hallucinating. If I didn't know better, I would say that the watch was- It's on! I'm not imagining things, it's definitely on!Shizuka didn't stir. Adrenaline flooded my body and my mind grew giddy with excitement. I was overwhelmed with emotion as I held our salvation in my hands, considering what to do next. 
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Jun 30, 2022 00:56
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I don't know if this is secretly a vote, but the answer is always push the button. Also, it's kinda weird that a dating sim death game doesn't actually seem to use relationship values at any point. It's certainly simpler to code, but it's a very strange design choice.
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Jun 30, 2022 01:43
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OneWingedDevil posted:Also, it's kinda weird that a dating sim death game doesn't actually seem to use relationship values at any point. It's certainly simpler to code, but it's a very strange design choice. yeah i haven't really gotten into it bc its completely irrelevant but there is NO kind of metric whatsoever when it comes to conversations, its literally only very specific choices that determine either a branch point, an instant death, etc
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Jun 30, 2022 01:46
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