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Well, some of ‘em at least. Wait, isn’t this the game with all the glitches and poo poo? No, that’s the original, Doki Doki Literature Club, which already has a nice LP. I hear some very good things about it. I wouldn’t know. I’ve never played it and I have no interest in it; I’m not a big fan of horror. Like anyone else too online in 2017, I absorbed a lot through pop-culture osmosis: I know the characters, I know the plot, I know the memes. I respect it as a piece of media, it just isn’t my thing. … Then why are you playing this? Doki Doki Blue Skies, according to its website, is “a psychological, choice-heavy take on the world of DDLC, Doki Doki Blue Skies aims to flesh out each character far beyond their stereotypes - giving them real personalities, a peek into what they're like in school, their hopes and dreams, and so much more. With new characters, art, music, poetry, and of course, writing, Blue Skies aims to truly reinvent the world of DDLC. Heavily inspired by Katawa Shoujo, this mod will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions with your Doki of choice - will blue skies remain, or will the storm take over?” Basically, it’s a full-conversion mod that switches the game’s genre from digital horror to psychological drama. Each female protagonist (except for Monika, they had to scrap her route) has her character and issues expanded into an actual storyline, with multiple endings, new writing, and (according to the devs, at least) a balanced treatment of mental illness. It tends to get a lot of praise for how accurate and respectful it is, but, well, people think they know more about this stuff than they actually do. I’m hopeful, though; just because I’m skeptical doesn’t mean I can’t be won over, and if this mod is as good as everyone says, it’ll sweep me along anyway. And what makes you so special? While I may do LPs in my spare time, I’m also a professional disability activist. I work with the diversity program of a major corporation, specifically the People With Disabilities workstream; I’m somewhere between a subject matter expert and community organizer in the neurodiversity effort. It’s my life’s work. You saw the Katawa Shoujo name in the last paragraph? That was the subject of my last LP, where we explored a game that started as a bunch of people on 4chan making a dating sim about disabled teenagers and turned out probably the best piece of disabled representation ever made. I went through that poo poo with a fine-toothed comb and while it had real issues (  ), it stands leaps and bounds ahead of just about everything published in the decade since. The DDBS devs cited the deep magic there, so let’s see if they can follow through.Okay, HOW are you playing it? This will be a pretty standard screenshot LP for the most part; expect in-game text as plaintext and my commentary as italics wrapped with  s to separate it out. Just keep in mind I use dictation software to write and and has more than a couple quirks, so if you see strange grammar or something that doesn’t read right, let me know and I’ll fix it. Ah, but there’s a twist! Four, in fact:
So, thread rules? Of course. Aside from general forum rules, I’ve got three:  No spoilers: not in text, not in spoiler tags, not even about endings we won’t see (we’ll talk about them when we wrap each route up). This does not go for spoilers of the original game! Those are open season. Spoiler tags are discouraged in general, actually, since they don’t register for screenreaders and don’t work right on all devices, so I’ll treat any tagged spoiler as an open spoiler and act accordingly. I won’t report your post if you say something that might vaguely be construed as giving something away, but please do keep it in line. Discussing stuff we’ve already seen on-screen and disability in general, though, is encouraged, and I’ll let everyone know at the end of each route that we can discuss content in that route I missed. For what it’s worth, the mod wants you to have played the main game first, and while I’m a rulebreaker, I’m sure all of you are good little goons who either already played the game or just don’t care. Don’t be a dick. Disability is a topic both rife with landmines and which desperately needs talking about. In general, just don’t make an rear end of yourself, but here are a few simple guidelines you might want to look over:
Do I think any of this will be necessary? Well, maybe. As far as I can tell goons are actually pretty good at this. But these discussions can and do suddenly spiral out of control, often as not due to some minor misunderstanding or miscommunication. I’d rather avoid that. Oh, and a word on language. I’m going to be talking about “disabled people” instead of, say, “people with disabilities”. The world is crawling with different ways to refer to disability, some better than others, and all of them have diehard supporters, but that’s what most disabled activists prefer and it’s what I’ll use. Just keep that in mind. Table of Contents Update 1: You want everything to be like how it should've been? Update 2: As she asks that, I realize I'm not much of a reader Update 3: Okay, everyone! Update 4: Although I was surprised to see her so dedicated Update 5: Exactly! It's fascinating when people can diverge from the creator's original intent to find their own meaning in a work of art Update 6: Everything is like an adventure to her Disability Corner: The Why-Don't-You Conversation Update 7: With another readthrough, you might find that there's actually a deeper meaning behind the words Update 8: I’m impressed, and judging by a quick glance around me, so is everyone else. Update 9: In actuality, it’s supposed to represent the last remnants of something lost to the past, and the sense of plaintive longing that comes with it Update 10: Deep down, I know that isn’t the reason. Falconier111 fucked around with this message at 01:55 on Apr 12, 2022 |
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Mar 11, 2022 21:05
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This thread also comes with PLENTY of supplementary materials. Interviews with Monster Girls is a lighthearted slice of life anime about teenagers who share traits with mythological creatures. It is also an exploration of the nature of life with disability from a sympathetic and understanding point of view masked as a lighthearted slice of life anime about teenagers who share traits with mythological creatures. In this recurring feature, I’ll take a look at this anime, dissect its themes and characters, and demonstrate what it has to say about living as one of us. The first nine links (through episode 5 part 1) are from the old thread; I plan on picking up where I left off. Episode 1: "Tetsuo Takahashi Wants an Interview" (Pt. 1) Episode 1: "Tetsuo Takahashi Wants an Interview" (Pt. 2) Episode 2: "Dullahan-chan Wants to be Coddled" (Pt. 1) Episode 2: "Dullahan-chan Wants to be Coddled" (Pt. 2) Episode 3: "Succubus-san is a Real Adult” (Pt. 1) Episode 3: "Succubus-san is a Real Adult” (Pt. 2) Episode 4: "Tetsuo Takahashi Wants to Protect" (Pt. 1) Episode 4: "Tetsuo Takahashi Wants to Protect" (Pt. 2) Episode 5: "Snow Woman-chan is Cold" (Pt. 1) THE COMMUNITY The disabled community is both large and scattered across different corners of society, and SA is no different. This section contains links to threads across the forum where goons discuss their experiences with disability, whatever form it takes. If there’s a disability-related thread you want to draw this thread’s attention to, go ahead and make a post about it here. We’re all in this together. PM me if you want a link to that thread included in the OP; if I get any requests, I’ll go ahead and make a new section for links there. I just ask you drop a post about this LP there as well. The NEW TGRS Disability Thread: If It's Not You Yet, It Probably Will Be The official Something Awful disability thread. Minority issues in video games. Yeah, you can probably guess what this one’s about. Mostly talks about race and gender, but ableism can and does come up. The wonders of epilepsy: a guide to involuntary unconscious break-dancing Doesn’t just cover what it’s like to have epilepsy; the OP, SerthVarnee, collects info on what media does or doesn’t provoke seizures and discusses what they’ve found in the thread. Ask me about : Being an adult with autism! Or just autism in general. An A/T thread with strong autistic representation; plenty of people know what they’re talking about here. The KS LP discord The discord server this thread spawned; come here to socialize and learn more about us and yourself. OUR STORIES Those of us who have disabilities are used to being talked over and ignored, even by those trying to help us. That sucks. I can’t hope to fix that on my own, but I can give a voice to goons with something valuable to say; I won't guarantee everything in this thread will show up here, but I do want to commemorate personal experiences that would otherwise be lost. That’s what this section is for. And yes, even if you think your story isn't interesting or somebody's already said everything you want to say, you ought to have your voice heard. Us thinking we don't have anything to contribute is kind of the problem  .Quick note for context: Neurodiverse or Neurodivergent/ND describes people whose minds work differently from what society considers normal (autism, ADHD, PTSD, bipolar, etc.) and Neurotypical/NT refers to people with “typical” thought processes as defined by society. It’s a big deal in disability activism.Second quick note: the KSLP discord sees posts worthy of inclusion in the thread; some of these posts will be crossposts from there. ACCESSIBILITY Ghost Car talks about what happens when someone sits at the center of dyslexia, subtitles, and anime elitism. Funktor makes a point about subtitles in other languages. GAME COMMENTARY: GENERAL Namtab lays out what Literature Club was parodying and how that might (or might not) play into the mod. PERCEPTION OF DISABILITY Antistar01 links a high-profile charitable stream where an autistic reporter and streamer talks about her life. SOCIAL INTERACTION JeffRaze describes what happens when people's assumptions of what people can and can't do collides with those of others. Falconier111 fucked around with this message at 21:17 on Apr 28, 2022 |
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Mar 11, 2022 21:06
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Update 1: You want everything to be like how it should've been? And so, we begin. Bear with me; I’m working with a very rickety understanding of the tech involved, so this might be a bit rocky starting out..jpg) The first time you open the game (with the mod installed), you get a grayed-out screen with all three major characters and a series of dialog boxes laying out the basics: this is a mod, it has nothing to do with DDLC’s original team, it has some spicy stuff you can turn off in the options, and it expects you to have already beaten the game. It actually makes you check something to agree you beat Doki Doki Literature Club first. You can’t even make it fullscreen until you do. I checked it anyway. Don’t tell anybody  .Anyway, after saying yes, the colors seep back into the screen and it launches the – hang on, let me get this fullscreen… 1. Main Theme - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST .jpg) Much better. It launches the main menu, complete with graphic and unique theme. Compare it to the original theme; right off the bat it’s less jazzy, a little bit slower, still cheerful but prone to slipping into a more meditative, even moody minor key. It sets the mood very nicely, which bodes well; the mod has an original score triple the size of Literature Club’s OST, and that’s not counting the old songs they moved in. Right now, the screen has options for us to look at galleries, view music tracks, and do all kinds of stuff. But all of it is empty. We’ll unlock it as we play. .jpg) When we start a new game, it asks us for our name. We, of course, put down “Hisao”, in honor of the classics. Doki Doki Literature Club! OST - I Still Love You  ???: … …… ???: What's this…? This...shouldn't be possible...! Why am I here? How am I here?   MONIKA: ...Did you bring me back? I...don't see any other explanation... Why? We've already established that there's no happiness here, so why? MONIKA: ... MONIKA: H-huh? Why can't I look at the script? Something's wrong...you didn't do anything, did you? Don't you understand? Are you trying to mess things up even more?! How did you-- Wait, I know…you've installed a mod, haven't you? That's why everything's been changed! Don't you think it's time to let us all go...? What? You want everything to be like how it should've been? But... MONIKA: …You really care about them, don't you...? I wish... Nevermind. If you really want to do it...I won't stop you... I've been fighting to take control of this game again, but if you want to play through the mod, then... Well...I'll succumb to the mod's control. MONIKA: So... Do you want me to allow the mod's activation? (Silence)  >Yes. >No. We can say no here. Repeatedly. Monika will get gradually more frustrated and eventually lock the choice down, forcing us either to quit the game or just started already. But we’re not here to torture her. =>Yes. MONIKA: Aha...I knew it. Hisao, or whatever your name actually is...I truly hope that you can find happiness with your choice.  Sigh... I lay in bed, motionless and staring up at the blank, white ceiling. Last night was dreadful - the sound of thunder kept me up for hours. But today's another day, I guess. Let's just hope that it's at least a bit better. With another sigh, I begrudgingly drag myself out of bed and groggily begin the monotony of my daily routine.  Making my way to the kitchen, I haphazardly rummage through the cupboards, looking for something to eat . Unfortunately, there's no tasty homemade breakfast awaiting me; ever since my parents' divorce, I've just been living off of whatever I find in the kitchen. I live with my Mom, but she's always taking business trips abroad. So for the most part, it's pretty much just me at home. It's lonely, but I manage. ...Although I do miss the smell of bacon and eggs in the morning. Breakfast used to be a family thing... Dad would read the newspaper at the kitchen table, while Mom would stand at the stove and fry up her famous sunny-side up eggs. But all of that feels like a long forgotten memory. Well, at least breakfast is sorted - a CalorieM-te. Not exactly the best start to the day, but it'll do. I do my own shopping since Mom's never home, but I usually stick to buying the bare necessities. The ease of using pre-made stuff has pretty much sapped me of the urge to cook meals for myself. And with my food quickly finished, I head for the door.  At the very least, the weather looks much better than yesterday's. Clear skies beat thunderstorms any day of the week. 25. Cinnamon - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST I'm still lost in my thoughts when I notice a familiar face. It's Sayori. We have quite a history together - as children, we were basically inseparable. Always exploring, getting up to mischief, driving our parents wild. Typical things that young children do, really. As time went on - especially in recent years - we started slowly drifting apart. In fact, I haven’t properly spoken to her in a long time. It’s a real shame; after all, we've shared a lot of fond memories with each other. I’m surprised to see her up so early, though. A couple of times I've glanced out the classroom window only to see her hurriedly walking along to school. We used to walk to school together, and although she was sometimes a little late to meet me, I never really minded. As we continued to drift apart, however, her lack of punctuality became more frequent and I just decided it'd be better if I walked to school alone. Which meant that although I did get to school on time more often, it was quite lonely. Knowing her, she's probably just gotten more and more lazy with time. After all, her dedication to sleeping in seems to be unwavering. Ah well. Still, I’ve always enjoyed talking to her.  HISAO: "Hey, Sayori. I haven’t seen you in a while. How’ve you been?" The main character has no official sprite; this portrait is just an edited version of some concept art bundled into the special edition.  She looks a little surprised at my appearance and question. I suppose I can’t blame her.  SAYORI: "Oh hey, Hisao. I wasn't expecting to see you." HISAO: "That makes two of us. You're up early today, aha." She laughs softly, a misplaced looking frown on her face. SAYORI: "I’ve been alright, though. Not a whole lot has changed recently, you know?" HISAO: "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. Life has been pretty routine these days. School’s kinda...meh, although I guess it could be worse." She nods as we both resume the walk to school. Although I can talk to her just fine, there’s still an awkward air between us. I guess that’s a given, seeing as this is our first proper conversation together in a long time. As we carry on making idle small talk, a sudden thought hits me. HISAO: "Anyway, this might come across as a bit...out of the blue, but seeing you here has given me an idea." SAYORI: "Oh?" HISAO: "Well, it’s been a while since we’ve walked to school together. How about we start doing that again?" SAYORI: "Ehhh...would you really want to do that? I’m not very fun to talk to, and I’m always late…" I frown. It’s really strange to hear Sayori say this, given I’ve always known her to have a bubbly, cheerful personality." HISAO: "Sayori, that's definitely not true." Well, the bit about always being late is true... HISAO: "I’ve always loved hanging out with you, and I think we’d have a lot of fun again."  HISAO: "Besides, I’ve missed you. I'll even help you wake up on time if you need me to." Was that a bit too forward? I don’t know. I’ve never been in this sort of situation before. I mean, we are childhood friends after all, right?  SAYORI: "Really?" HISAO: "Yeah, really." SAYORI: "I’ve missed you too, Hisao." HISAO: "Well, let’s do it then. From now on, we’ll walk to school together, okay?"  SAYORI: "Okay!" Ah, there it is. That classic Sayori smile I grew up loving. All the memories I have of us together as children feature that smile. No matter where we ventured - parks, playgrounds, forests - that smile would follow. That innocent, childlike sense of adventure we used to have...it's painfully clear that that’s long gone. But maybe we can still smile together anyway. SAYORI: "So, what've you been up to lately?" HISAO: "Ah, you know. The usual." SAYORI: "Hmm...you mean games, anime, and manga, right?" HISAO: "Yup, it pretty much goes without saying." SAYORI: "Oh Hisao, you haven't changed." mc "Heh, are you saying that you think I need some change?" SAYORI: "No one's perfect - there's always room for improvement!" SAYORI: "Especially in your case! I'm guessing that you're still a part of the Go Home Club?" HISAO: "Hey, that cuts a little deep. What do you want me to do, join the soccer club and trip over everyone?" SAYORI: "Well, I think a little exercise is good for anyone..." HISAO: "I'm very offended if you're trying to call me fat right now." SAYORI: "Ehehe, well you don't have to join a sports club if you don't want to." mc "Yeah, I was actually thinking of checking out the--" SAYORI: "Anime Club?" HISAO: "Wow, how'd you guess? It does suit my hobbies though, so..." SAYORI: "Hisao, you should try branching out a bit more." HISAO: "Okay Miss Club-Expert, if you're gonna criticize all my club choices, what would you suggest?"  SAYORI: "Weeeell, it just so happens that there's this club that I'm in..." HISAO: "Oh really…" SAYORI: "Yeah! I'm actually the Vice-President." Wow, I did not expect that. HISAO: "Dang, so you get to take part in all the executive decisions, huh?" SAYORI: "Aha, kind of. The club kinda only has four members at the moment… but it's really fun! We're actually looking for new members right now! Ah, so that's why she brought it up. HISAO: "Only four members? Sound like you guys are just starting out then. What club is it, anyway?"  SAYORI: "It's the school's very own Literature Club!" I unintentionally let out a sigh.  Her face drops… I don't think that was quite the reaction she was hoping for. In my defense, literature has never quite captured my interest…unless you count manga as literature, that is." SAYORI: "I knew it – you don't want to join. I understand though, not many people like reading." HISAO: "Hey, who said I didn't like to read? I love reading, if you count uh...manga…" I mutter the last word more to myself than to Sayori. On the plus side, Sayori laughs at my sheepishness. SAYORI: "Ehehe, you sound like someone I know from the Literature Club. She talks about manga all the time." HISAO: "Oh really? I am actually interested in your club, though." Sayori smiles, seemingly content that I'm showing initiative. If I'm looking for a club to join, I guess the Literature Club is as good a place as any to start." SAYORI: "That's great! You should come by sometime." HISAO: "And by 'sometime,' you're hoping for today, aren't you?" SAYORI: "Ehe, the sooner, the better." HISAO: "Alright, I'll have a look after school today." SAYORI: "Yay! Thanks, Hisao!" HISAO: "Although we should probably hurry up. Don't wanna be late now, do we?" SAYORI: "Yeah, you're right..."  Within a few minutes, we've arrived at the school entrance amidst a crowd of chattering students.  We wave goodbye as we head off to our separate classes. And I think we’ll call it here for the day. If you played the original, you may have already noticed the opening dialogue is a lot different. For context, this is what the protagonists says after leaving his house: Doki Doki Literature Club! posted:I see an annoying girl running toward me from the distance, waving her arms in the air like she's totally oblivious to any attention she might draw to herself. That girl is Sayori, my neighbor and good friend since we were children. You know, the kind of friend you'd never see yourself making today, but it just kind of works out because you've known each other for so long? That’s a pretty dramatic gap, isn’t it? The whole game has been completely rewritten to match the game’s new dramatic thrust; I wasn’t kidding when I called it a full conversion mod. Feel free to discuss where Blue Skies and the base game diverge in the thread; I’m no expert so I can’t comment, but I’m very much open to working the thread’s commentary into regular posts.Expect longer and more frequent posts in the future; I’m still getting my feet under me with translating Ren’Py files into formatted LP updates.
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Mar 11, 2022 21:07
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I'm excited for this. I had never heard of this but I'm here for the quality of the LPer. Did play and enjoy DDLC. I went into that very blind, just told that it was "surprising," I usually hate horror but I felt enough sympathy for the characters that it landed for me more as tragedy.
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Mar 12, 2022 04:14
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Tulip posted:I'm excited for this. I had never heard of this but I'm here for the quality of the LPer. I just played DDLC (knowing nothing except there was some kind of twist) because Falconer said they were going to LP this game soon. I really did enjoy the characters, so I'm excited to see them get fleshed out and whatever else this game is going to do.
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Mar 12, 2022 19:24
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I've never played DDLC - the concept never agreed with me - but I am looking forward to this DDLC DLC. 
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Mar 12, 2022 22:03
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Welp I mainlined the LP you linked of the original, so I'm all ready for the mod!
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Mar 13, 2022 03:12
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Tulip posted:I'm excited for this. I had never heard of this but I'm here for the quality of the LPer.  , though I have heard a bit about the game and its twists. But to be quite honest, I'm mostly here for the Interviews with Monster Girls analysis 
Carpator Diei fucked around with this message at 23:41 on Mar 13, 2022 |
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Mar 13, 2022 10:10
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I only got to the KS thread halfway though Lily's route, and by then I think anything interesting I had to say (likely very little) had already had the moment pass. Diabetes and how that interacts with disability culture was never really a thing that came up more than once. As someone who also has anxiety, however, I look forward to participating.
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Mar 13, 2022 22:57
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Im hoping this turns out to be more than doki doki literature club "i can fix her" edition. E: the game is being a bit more obvious from the start about sayori's mental health needs though Namtab fucked around with this message at 23:04 on Mar 14, 2022 |
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Mar 14, 2022 22:57
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Update 2: As she asks that, I realize I'm not much of a reader Follow us on Twitter! @blueskiesmod Doki Doki Literature Club famously opens with a disclaimer on a splash screen telling you not to play this apparently light and fluffy dating Sim if you are young or easily disturbed. Blue Skies subs in various warnings, bits of trivia, and offhand remarks; I’ll be featuring them as they come up. (Silence) I have Sakurai in the morning, so I'm fairly confident that the next hour or so won't be too bad. 8. Student at Heart - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST Who's Sakurai, you might ask? Only one of the coolest, most down to earth teachers we have in the whole school. Being on the young side himself, the experience of high school is much fresher in his mind than in some of the other teachers, especially the older ones. He gives me a smile as I open the door.   SAKURAI: "Morning, Hisao. How are we doing today?" HISAO: "Not bad, sir. Same old, same old. How about you?" SAKURAI: "Well, we're finally starting our module on twentieth century history today, so needless to say I'm excited. HISAO: "Oh yeah? First World War, Nazism, Second World War, that stuff?" SAKURAI: "You bet. I've waited all year for this to start. Oh man, you guys are in for a real treat!" That's something else I really admire about him. He's so enthuastic about his subject, and that enthusiasm really makes learning about history that much more enjoyable. Combined with the fact that he's fairly relaxed - especially when it comes to homework - you can really see why he's popular. Although he does have a strict side, of course. That side of him comes to light every now and again, so he isn't a pushover. By and large, he's earned the respect of his students by striking the balance just right. I just wish that all of my teachers were as friendly and made efforts to know their students better... Ah well. I take a seat and one of my classmates - Emi - smiles and waves. Bouncy and energetic, she has a reputation for her skills on the track field. Even when she isn't running, she's still pretty much a ball of energy.   EMI: "Heya!" We have one of those odd friendships where we get along well in class but don't really see each other outside of school. HISAO: "How're you doing, Emi?" EMI: "Training was really fun today, Hisao!" HISAO: "Oh?" She's always on the hunt for new recruits to join the track team and she has a habit of dropping some...not so subtle hints. EMI: "Yeah! We're always looking for new people, and I know you aren't part of any clubs, so you should totally join us!" HISAO: "It's funny you mention that I'm not part of any clubs, actually." EMI: "Hmm?" HISAO: "I think I'm gonna check out the Literature Club after school." EMI: "Ahaha, I didn't really think you were the poetic type! But if you ever get bored of writing poems, you know where to find me!" HISAO: "How many times do I have to tell you that-" SAKURAI: "Alright, guys - let's make a start! It's almost criminal that I've had to wait so long to teach my favorite century..." Yes, that is Emi. No, she doesn’t play a huge role in the game. This isn’t quite a cameo; Emi will be showing up from time to time and have some minor plot relevance going forward. But she’s mostly here to say “this entire mod is an extended homage to Katawa Shoujo!” Well, that's the school's lessons over... As I linger behind in the classroom to gather up all my things, I hear the door open. It's Sayori. SAYORI: "Hi again, Hisao!" HISAO: "Hey. The Literature Club's meeting today, right?" SAYORI: "Yeah, it is! I was just heading there now. Do you still want to come along?" HISAO: "You betcha." Sayori seems to perk up, looking excited that I still want to come along to the club. SAYORI: "Look at you, finally doing some extracurriculars!" HISAO: "I mean, if you're the vice-president it can't be all that bad, right?" She giggles, making me smile. SAYORI: "Each individual club member makes it special. Everyone works hard to have fun together!" HISAO: "Well… let's not keep them waiting, it'd be rude to show up late. I wanna make a good first impression, after all." SAYORI: "Ah, I guess you're right. Come on, it's right this way and up the stairs at the end."  I follow Sayori down the hallway. She seems excited, and it's nice to know that I'm making her day at least a little bit better. The stairs lead up to a section of the school that I recognize as the third-years' wing. Sayori leads me to a classroom and knocks on the door. ... SAYORI: "Trust me, you're gonna love it!" She's definitely enthusiastic about this club, that's for sure. After a seemingly long wait, the door finally slides open. ...  A small, pink-haired girl peeks out.  NATSUKI: "Sayori…?" She peeks out further. SAYORI: "Heeyyy, Natsuki! Guess what? I found someone who wants to join our club!"  The girl, who's apparently called Natsuki, slowly turns a glare to me and narrows her eyes. She opens the door fully, and behind her I see another girl sitting at a desk, her face buried in a book." NATSUKI: "W-what?! Hey wait, Sayori!" Sayori practically pushes Natsuki out of the way. She seems excited to introduce me to the rest of the club members. SAYORI: "Hey guys, I wanted to introduce you to our newest member, Hisao!" HISAO: "Ah, Sayori, hold up!" It's a bit quick to call me the new member, isn't it? I then notice a third girl peek out from behind a bookshelf in the corner of the classroom. Can it be… is that Monika? Monika is one of the most popular girls of this high school. Everyone seems to flock to her because she's smart, beautiful, athletic...you name it, she's got it. Unfortunately, this also means she's completely out of my league. She looks at me first with a stern look, but then quickly lights up, puts down the books she's holding, and rushes over.  MONIKA: "Ah, Hisao! What a nice surprise! Welcome to the club!" The girl who has her face buried in her book suddenly jolts up and looks right at me. She quickly snaps her book shut and timidly moves to join the conversation."   YURI: "O-oh, a new member? My name is Yuri..." HISAO: "Y-yeah...” Holy crap, it seems that I've somehow lucked out. Not only is Monika in this club, but also a bunch of other cute girls." Am I glad I decided to come here instead of the Anime Club today! But enough gawking, Hisao! Stop staring and start talking!" HISAO: "It's nice to meet you, Yuri. Like Sayori said, I'm Hisao." I smile at her, then turn to Monika. SAYORI: "So it sounds like you already know Monika, is that right?" MONIKA: "That's right. It's great to see you again, Hisao." It’s hard to see, but every time a character talks, their sprite pops forward a bit to put a tighter spotlight on them. It’s a nice touch. Monika smiles sweetly. We do know each other - well, we rarely talked, but we were in the same class last year. It's kind of strange to say, but having her smile at me so genuinely makes me feel a bit starstruck. The powers of a school idol... HISAO: "Y-You too, Monika. So you guys run a club with just the four of you then, huh? Sayori told me about how you were looking for new members." MONIKA: "Ahaha, well I've actually been trying to push for more members for a while, but we haven't had any luck recently." HISAO: "Ah, Sayori did say..." My words dry up in my mouth as Natsuki shoots me a piercing glare. She looks pissed at me, but for what reason I don't know. I haven't really had the chance to do much besides walk in and say hello." NATSUKI: "Sayori, you brought a boy?!" SAYORI: "Yep! He told me he wanted to join just this morning." Not sure if it's just Sayori being an airhead again, but I don't recall promising that I'd join... NATSUKI: "Ugh, great…" Natsuki glowers at us, folding her arms with an irritated huff. I don't really get why though... MONIKA: "Aha, sorry about Natsuki, that's just how she is. She's a little…standoffish to new members." HISAO: "Oh, it's nothing, I don't mind." NATSUKI: "Hey! I'm right here, you know!" MONIKA: "Haha, sorry, sorry. I've got to try to make a good impression though." SAYORI: "C'mooooon Natsuki, we need new members! If you don't feel like being nice to Hisao, can you at least be nice for me? Please?"  NATSUKI: "Geez, you don't have to make such a big deal out of it. Fine, fine. If you're gonna beg, I guess I have no choice." SAYORI: "Hooray! Thanks, Natsuki!" Looks like I know who the tsundere of the group is now... It's almost comical, the extent to which Natsuki fits that trope. Well, maybe my view of the world is just clouded by anime influences though." MONIKA: "Anyway, let's get this conversation back on track, aha... How'd you come to learn about the Literature Club, Hisao?" YURI: "I-I'll have to admit, I'm a bit curious about that, myself..." HISAO: "Ah, Sayori and I were just walking to school when she mentioned this club to me. Since I was sorta looking for a club to join, I figured that I should check you guys out. At any rate, Sayori was really enthusiastic about the Literature Club, so..." Monika beams at Sayori when she hears this. Guess Sayori has done a good job at advertising for the club. YURI: "I see… Well, I t-think this is a great place to start… after all, books can be very...enticing..." SAYORI: "Yeah, it's super fun! I think the club is the only place where I've been feeling comfortable lately." Sayori's face falls for a moment, but she quickly picks herself back up. SAYORI: "It's somewhere I can just sit and read while hanging out with friends." MONIKA: "I think they summed up the club pretty well. After all, I started it to bring together like minded people who love literature! I'm really happy with how it's turned out so far - it's very cozy. But enough introductions. Why don't you come in and take a seat, Hisao? Did you bring anything to read?" As she asks that, I realize I'm not much of a reader, much less someone who 'loves literature.' To be honest, I haven't thought this through very well. Would joining a club that focuses on reading really be the best thing for me? HISAO: "Oh uhh… no, I don't really have any books on me at the moment. I just haven't seen any good titles recently..." I lie through my teeth, hoping Monika doesn't see through my facade. I obviously don't read much, but if they believe that I do, hopefully it’ll help me relate to these girls." MONIKA: "Ah, well we have plenty of books here. If you want to check out what we have, I'm sure you'll find something that matches your taste!" HISAO: "I-is that so? Then I guess I'll head over there; maybe something might catch my eye." I start to sweat nervously as I walk awkwardly over to the bookshelf. There looks to be a good variety of books available, ranging in genre from horror and fantasy, all the way down to non-fiction. Sheepishly, I turn towards…"  >Yuri >Natsuki Our first choice of the game. Katawa Shoujo’s first act operates off a complicated series of flags that take you through different sets of scenes in a deliberately confusing manner; better to get you hooked if you’re invested in figuring out how to navigate the system. Instead of taking that route (or, like Literature Club, having one path where everyone dies horribly), Blue Skies kicks off with simple counters that track how much time you’ve put into interacting with Sayori, Yuri, and Natsuki. Monika was supposed to have a route, but apparently the person in charge of writing it flaked out or their life blew up or something and the devs gave up on finishing it; some of the code for putting you on her route is still in the game, as are the parts of the route they did finish (I’ll probably cover them in a bonus update at some point), but in the mod as it stands, we’ll be choosing between those three and their routes.However haven’t seen much of these girls yet – we haven’t seen much of anybody yet – and we already need to decide which route to start off with. Sayori… We’ve seen enough of Sayori already to get an idea of what she’s about, but we literally just met Yuri and Natsuki. So let’s look at both real quick. =>Yuri Doki Doki Literature Club! OST - Play With Me HISAO: "Hey, could you help me pick out a book you think I'd like?"  YURI: "O-Oh! Um, I'd be happy to… If the prospect isn't too offputting, I know of a wonderful horror novel..." To be honest, horror never particularly appealed to me. Still, I want to make an effort here. HISAO: "I have an open mind. What book were you thinking of?" Blushing, Yuri bends down and removes a thick book from the bookcase. It has a large, piercing eye on the cover; it almost feels like it's staring into my soul... YURI: "One of my personal favorites: Portrait of Markov. I know it might look intimidating, but… s-sorry..." She shakes her head, and goes to put the book back, but I stop her. HISAO: "Don't worry about it, I'd love to check it out. What's it about?" A coy smile plays across her face, as though she were pleasantly surprised by my enthusiasm. YURI: "Let's see… The protagonist is a young high-school student who moves in with her sister. But shortly after, sinister things start happening. The two are captured by an ominous cult that practices nightmarish experiments on their prisoners. Throughout the story, she's forced to make choices no one her age should have to make. In the process, her ability to trust others is warped, and many of her relationships are broken as a result." Pretty dark, but hey. I'd be lying if I said it didn't sound interesting. HISAO: "Well, it definitely sounds pretty engaging. I think I'll read this book then." Natsuki mumbles something, but she's just barely out of earshot. YURI: "R-Really? You don't have to if you don't w-want to..." HISAO: "I do! While this might not be what I usually pick, your description of the plot intrigued me. Although I have to ask… what makes this your favorite book?" YURI: "If I had to put it into words… "  YURI: “I suppose I'm a big believer in literature's ability to challenge the psyche, so to have such an immersive tale question your ideals and foundations can be extremely exhilarating…" She smiles, and twirls a long, lavender strand of hair around with her finger. YURI: "Words are immensely powerful; they can paint stunning portraits, invoke emotion, or even whisk oneself away to an entirely new dimension...” As she continues to speak, she transforms from the timid girl I just met into a proud and confident expert. I get the impression that she feels more at home with books rather than other people." YURI: "Isn't that exhilarating, Hisao? We have such a vast vocabulary at our disposal… with such a powerful resource at our fingertips… we can do anything." I clear my throat, hoping that I don't put her off with my evident inexperience. HISAO: "Yeah… when you put it that way, I can understand how powerful the written word can be." I scratch the back of my head nervously. Fortunately, she finds that to be a satisfactory answer. YURI: "Mhmm… One must look at the words the author chose… We have so many synonyms; so what compelled the author to shape their story the way they did?”  YURI: “The feeling I get when I finally finish a truly compelling novel…it leaves me totally breathtaken..." I wish I had something as coherent to respond with. We might as well be from different planets. HISAO: "I think I know what you mean..." She closes her eyes, pulling her hands close to her chest. Then, as though remembering she's not alone, she suddenly blinks, and immediately appears more bashful.  YURI: "O-Oh goodness… I'm sorry, I must have gotten lost in my train of thought..." She fidgets with a thin clip in her hair, sliding it up and down. HISAO: "Hey, don't worry about it. It's nice to see you talk about something you obviously enjoy. Who's to say otherwise?" Yuri glances over to Natsuki, who simply raises her eyebrow in reply. HISAO: "Ah…does Natsuki not like these kinds of stories?" She sighs, and turns to look out of the window. YURI: "Th-That's putting it lightly... We...have our differences in what we enjoy, literature wise." She frowns slightly, as though pained by Natsuki's apparent disapproval. HISAO: "Well, I think everyone's different tastes are what make literature interesting, especially when talking about it with other people." I can't help but grin. I feel like that was actually pretty clever. YURI: "Yes…that's a good way of looking at it..." I reach over and take 'Portrait of Markov' from her, tucking it under my arm. HISAO: "Well, I'll give this a bit of a read and see how far I can get tonight." YURI: "I appreciate you giving it a chance, even if it's not something you're used to. I'll be looking forward to hearing your opinion. I must warn you though: once you get past the first few chapters, you might have trouble putting it down. And perhaps…tomorrow, I-I mean, if you wanted to…we could…” YURI: “...Discuss it…" She looks quite nervous as she suggests that. Guess that's just how her personality is. HISAO: "Yeah, we can do that tomorrow. Thanks for the recommendation, Yuri. I do need to branch out and try new things, this'll be a good place to start." I'm grateful that I get to read it on my own, at least for now. I honestly have no idea if I'll even like it, and if I were reading it with her and decided I didn't, that might make things a little awkward. With the book in hand, I make my way to a desk. The others are all now preoccupied, so this seems like a convenient time to start the story.  It's definitely an...unusual book. Horror was never really my thing, but I have to admit the main idea is intriguing and the main characters are written well. The more I read, the more I can see why it appeals to Yuri. All that talk about appreciating sophisticated language… While it's not exactly my kind of story, to their credit the author does a good job building up the rather bleak situation. I've never been particularly imaginative, but even I can picture the scenes in my head. If I weren't so tired, I could probably engage with it more. That’s Yuri down. Let’s try Natsuki =>Natsuki Doki Doki Literature Club! OST - Play With Me HISAO: "Uh...so do you have any recommendations?" I take a closer look at the books as I say that, and to my surprise I notice that there's a rather extensive collection of manga on the bottom shelves. When I glance back up at the girls, I notice Natsuki staring down at the manga too. Our eyes suddenly meet, and she looks away, blushing."  NATSUKI: "W-well, what do you like to read, huh?" HISAO: "Honestly, I just read manga most of the time, so the collection down there caught my eye. I didn't know that manga was allowed in the classroom like this." MONIKA: "Ahaha, those are actually Natsuki's!" NATSUKI: "Don't just say it like that! I-I just put them there while I was reorganizing the closet. Monika always messes with my collection when she goes in there so I'm trying to make more space for them." As she says this, Natsuki shoots a look at Monika, who smiles sweetly in return. HISAO: "Which series do you have? I've read a lot but I don't think I recognize many here…" Most of the book spines are vibrantly colored, with big blocky letters announcing the titles. The Boss is a Maid, Rice Ball Basket, Orange High School Night Club...I've never heard of these series in my life. That probably means they're either way out of my demographic or they're simply terrible." NATSUKI: "If you're gonna judge, you can go do it through the glass on that door." She points to the classroom door. HISAO: "H-Hey, I wasn't judging anything...! I didn't even say anything." NATSUKI: "I could tell just by your expression. But I'll tell you one thing, Hisao.”  NATSUKI: “Consider this a lesson straight from the Literature Club: Don't judge a book by its cover! In fact--" Natsuki stomps over to the bookshelf, elbowing me out of the way, and pulls a very pink book out from a box set. NATSUKI: "I'm gonna show you exactly why!" She unceremoniously shoves it right into my hands. HISAO: "Ah..." I stare at the cover. It's the first volume of a series titled Parfait Girls, and features four girls in colorful attire striking animated feminine poses. It's...exceedingly moe." NATSUKI: "Well? Don't just stand there!"  YURI: "Natsuki, have you considered that maybe Hisao might not want to read this…?" NATSUKI: "Excuse me? Who are you to say that Hisao likes or dislikes something?" I quickly break in to try to relieve some of the sudden tension. HISAO: "Uhm, thanks for your concern Yuri, but I'm definitely open to trying out new things. I don't usually read this stuff, but I'm willing to give it a try." YURI: "O-oh, alright then." Natsuki triumphantly smirks a bit while Yuri abashedly looks away. I guess I can't satisfy everyone… NATSUKI: "I'd have thought you spent enough time in the Literature Club to not judge books by their covers either, Yuri! Manga can have just as deep of storylines as your novels can." YURI: "I never said that they can't. It's just…" Yuri looks like she's holding herself back from saying something. NATSUKI: "Just what? Just because they have pictures in them, they're childish or something? Well, there's a reason why people say a picture's worth a thousand words. Sometimes, there are things that are best described through art. Manga blends both good art and good writing to create fantastic stories. Plus, being able to actually see the characters helps you to relate and empathize with them!" Yuri thinks to herself, looking a bit perturbed. YURI: "I...I see. I just meant that manga is...a bit unorthodox as a medium." NATSUKI: "Well, manga is literature too!" It's obvious that the two girls have their differences. Yuri appears comparably more mature and timid, and seems to have a hard time keeping up with people like Sayori and Natsuki. Meanwhile, Natsuki seems to be a lot more forward and outspoken. And although she looks like the youngest in the club, she's clearly just as passionate about her hobbies as the others are. NATSUKI: "Anyway! This'll be your homework today Hisao! I'll let you borrow volume one for tonight, so you can start on the next book tomorrow. But if you smudge or bend it, I'll kill you!" HISAO: "Ah, you don't have to worry about that. I'm pretty protective of my manga too. Is it really alright if I borrow it though?" I say that mostly because I really didn't plan on using my spare time to read this... NATSUKI: "Well, of course. It would take forever to finish if you only read it here." I might fall behind on some shows if I try to get through this... But I suppose that's a necessary sacrifice in exchange for seeing Natsuki's enthusiastic face. Or am I more scared of what will happen if I don't finish it...?" HISAO: "Okay then!" The girls on the cover of the manga beam up at me, and I can't help but shiver a bit. I guess I shouldn't underestimate what high school girls are into… Hopefully I can get away with skimming through it." NATSUKI: "Make sure you read it thoroughly, 'cause I'll be quizzing you on it tomorrow!" Is she a mind reader? HISAO: "In that case, I think I'll give it a shot now actually. I want to make sure that I have enough time to finish it after all." NATSUKI: "Fine, but I'll be keeping a close eye on you then!" I slide into a nearby desk as the rest of the girls dissipate, moving to work on their own things. I quickly start flipping through the pages. Given that pictures take up the majority of space on the pages of the manga, it doesn't take me long to get through the beginning. As I read, I start to become more aware of Natsuki sneaking peeks in my direction. She seems intently focused on my face, as if waiting to see my reactions to her manga. I clear my throat. HISAO: "Ahem. Natsuki, did you need something? You seem to really like looking in my direction…" I feel a smile creeping through as Natsuki starts to furiously blush and splutters a response. NATSUKI: "Y-you idiot! It's not like I was looking at you or anything! I was just - just staring into space!" HISAO: "Don't you have anything better to do?" NATSUKI: "Hmph! Yeah, of course!" With that, Natsuki huffily turns away to seek refuge in the closet, where loud rummaging sounds soon follow. I guess I should keep on reading then…" As it turns out, Parfait Girls is just as I imagined it would be. It's basically about a bunch of friends in high school and the cutesy hijinks they get themselves into. Typical slice-of-life affair. I kind of grew out of these, since it's rare for the writing to be entertaining enough to make up for the lack of plot. To its credit, it does manage to subvert some anime tropes quite neatly though. The more I read, the more I can see why it appeals to Natsuki. All that talk about appreciating the expressiveness of art… While I don't exactly read romance manga usually, the artist actually does a good job of portraying the girls as their own characters. I often find that the girls in these kinds of stories are bland and unoriginal - not to mention that they often suffer from same-face-syndrome too. So it's a pleasant surprise to find that the title characters are likeable and unique in their own ways. No matter who we go with, eventually… Still, over time I can't help but grow a little bored though. I decide I'll finish it later tonight and place the novel in my bag. Looking up, I spot Sayori reading something. Might as well see what she's up to. Standing up with a stretch, I make my way over and take a seat next to her. In KS I had a clear idea of which routes to hit in which order to keep an emotional rhythm; this time I don’t know what I’m doing any better than you people. So while I recover from jetlag caused by two redeyes in a row, I think it’s time to throw the gates open: Who will we go with first?
Please bold the name in your response! Voting closes in 48 hours.
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Mar 15, 2022 00:09
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natsuki owns, op
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Mar 15, 2022 00:15
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Got to pick Sayori for this one.
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Mar 15, 2022 00:21
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Natsuki! She was my favorite in DDLC, so I'm curious.
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Mar 15, 2022 00:26
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Voting Yuri.
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Mar 15, 2022 03:46
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Sayori, let's see what our childhood friend thinks of literature.
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Mar 15, 2022 04:01
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Childhood friend best friend! Sayori.
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Mar 15, 2022 04:28
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Best friend and best girl Sayori, for sure. Speaking of not-quite-cameos, Dan Salvato (the original creator for DDLC) also made Project M, a Smash Brothers Brawl mod reworking the entire game to make it more like Melee. Masahiro Sakurai is the director of the Smash Brothers series, and it makes me wonder if the name is a reference as well.
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Mar 15, 2022 07:40
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Spector29 posted:Best friend and best girl Sayori, for sure. … Seriously? I remember how people swore by that in high school. poo poo, that’s some range right there. Namtab posted:Im hoping this turns out to be more than doki doki literature club "i can fix her" edition. Yeah, I noticed how they were leaning into the depression naps and isolation instinct with her right away. Bodes well.
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Mar 15, 2022 21:21
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Seems less depression naps and more sleeping too much but yeah. Also implies in the text that she’s been experiencing depression for quite a while if her increasing lateness is because of this. Also, hints of low self esteem too.
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Mar 15, 2022 22:44
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Falconier111 posted:… Seriously? I remember how people swore by that in high school. poo poo, that’s some range right there. Oh yeah! There's a randomly selected opening splash quote in DDLC after the horror game part of it starts (which you mentioned), and one of them states, "Project M died for this." When the came first came out and you were locked in with Monika, one of her randomly chosen conversation topics was about Super Smash Brothers, as well. This eventually got patched out, along with the topic where Monika tells you Dan Salvato's email address.
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Mar 16, 2022 01:53
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Natsuki, might as well rip the tsundere bandaid off all the way.
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Mar 16, 2022 06:02
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Jade Rider posted:Natsuki, might as well rip the tsundere bandaid off all the way. Honestly, the more I play ahead the more I like her; she has an actual aesthetic philosophy and a habit of laying down good points. gently caress it, lightning round! Unless I miscounted it, Nats and Sayori are now tied, first vote secures the route.
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Mar 16, 2022 15:19
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Sayori, please. I'm interested to see what happens to her since hopefully she won't be suffering the same fate as in the base game.
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Mar 16, 2022 15:24
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jaydee864 posted:Sayori, please. I'm interested to see what happens to her since hopefully she won't be suffering the same fate as in the base game. Well, there you go. Vote closed. .And I can tell you this game has multiple endings, good and bad, and we aren't shooting for the bad ones in the body of the LP.
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Mar 16, 2022 15:30
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Update 3: Okay, everyone! Binyot, why do you play baby games? I want schüt. The Room references aside, the thread decided on Sayori - unsurprising, considering how much screen time she’s gotten. Gotta admit, I was kinda hoping for Natsuki to see how they rescue that archetype, but Sayori’s frankly in a better position for analysis. For future reference, when it came to the two options we had last update, I went with Yuri because I accidentally wrote over the save where we went with Natsuki and I didn’t want to reload. Doki Doki Literature Club! OST - Doki Doki Literature Club! (Main Theme)  HISAO: "Hey, how's it going Sayori? What are you reading?" As I sit down, I notice that she looks quite content. SAYORI: "Nothing much, just reading some stuff for a school project. What about you? You seemed really into your book!" HISAO: "Oh, yeah. It was a good read, at least as far as I can tell right now." I can't help but wish I sounded a little more enthusiastic. SAYORI: "That's great! So how are you liking the club? …You're not bored, are you?" She looks a little worried, her cheerful persona faltering for a moment. Where did that question come from? It's a bit too early to tell how I really feel about the Club." HISAO: "Of course not, Sayori! Sure, I haven't been here for long, but I've enjoyed meeting everyone. They've opened my eyes to new stuff. I've never been huge on reading, but I'm confident the Literature Club could change that." SAYORI: "Well I'm glad to hear that you're involved! You don't want to join a club that you have no interest in, right?" HISAO: "I know what you mean; I think reading will grow on me in time. Actually, do you mind if I sit with you and read?" She looks at me, clearly surprised. I don't think she was expecting me to sit next to her, but nonetheless she seems happy. Her smile is infectious, lifting my own spirits too. SAYORI: "That would be great, Hisao! Hehe~" We read for a while, which turns into talking fairly quickly, our conversation being a continuation of our chat from the walk to school. It's nice to just sit and talk with my childhood friend; who'd have guessed reconnecting would be so easy? I haven't felt this content for as long as I can remember. The good mood reflects on her as well, given that she seems very uplifted and bubbly. I don't know what it is about her that makes me so… at ease. HISAO: "Wow, we've been talking for a bit haven't we? Man, I didn't even realize the time." SAYORI: "Ehehe, I guess we have been talking for a while…" HISAO: "I can see why you come to the Literature Club so much. There really is a welcome, at-ease vibe here. It must be a nice change of pace after how hectic the school day can be." SAYORI: "I was hoping you'd say that, Hisao! It really is, and I'm grateful for the others as well. They really help make the club the way it is." HISAO: "I can't help but notice that Natsuki and Yuri seem to be very different, though. Do they argue much?" She looks a little downcast at my question. SAYORI: "Sometimes, yes...but thankfully it isn't often." I can sense this isn't a topic she likes discussing. HISAO: "Well, that's only normal, I guess. Monika seems like a great president though. She must be very proud of this club." Just then, Monika gets up from the desk she was sitting at and faces the classroom confidently. HISAO: "Speak of the devil…" Doki Doki Literature Club! OST - Okay, Everyone!  MONIKA: "Okay, everyone! I hope we're all having a good time so far!" There's a good moment of silence during which everyone seems to be glancing at me. Do they want me to respond? HISAO: "I'm honestly having a great time. Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone." MONIKA: "Well it's great to hear that! And as it turns out, Natsuki baked some cupcakes for the club, too!" NATSUKI: "Yeah yeah, I know. I was just about to announce it, so let me get them..." SAYORI: "Let's go sit over there, Hisao! It looks like there's room at those desks for all of us." I dutily follow Sayori over to where the rest of the girls have pulled a couple of desks together to form a table. YURI: "How about I make some tea as well?" Natsuki and Yuri walk over to the corner of the room, where Natsuki grabs a wrapped tray and Yuri opens the closet. Still feeling a bit awkward, I opt to take a seat next to Sayori. If the conversation starts to die out, I can always rely on her to save me." Meanwhile, Natsuki proudly marches back to the table, tray in hand." NATSUKI: "Okaaay, are you ready? ...Ta-daa!" SAYORI: "Uwooooah!"  Natsuki lifts the foil off the tray to reveal a dozen white, fluffy cupcakes decorated to look like little cats. The whiskers are drawn with icing, and little pieces of chocolate were used to make ears." SAYORI: "So cuuuute~!" MONIKA: "I had no idea you were so good at baking, Natsuki!" NATSUKI: "Ehehe, well, you know… Just hurry and take one!" Sayori grabs one first, then Monika. I follow. SAYORI: "It's delicious!" Sayori talks with her mouth full and has already managed to get icing on her face. I turn the cupcake around in my fingers, looking for the best angle to take a bite. Natsuki is quiet. I can't help but notice her sneaking glances in my direction. Is she waiting for me to take a bite? I finally bite down. The icing is sweet and full of flavor - if she made it all by herself, that's seriously impressive. It practically tastes professionally done to me. But then again, it's not like I have the most discerning taste palette. HISAO: "These cupcakes are amazing… Thank you, Natsuki!"  NATSUKI: "Heh, y-yeah. You better thank me, 'cause this took hard work to do!" HISAO: "Yeah, it really seems like it. Did you make it by yourself, or did you parents help you?" NATSUKI: "Hey, what's that supposed to mean? Are you saying I couldn't have done it myself?" HISAO: "A-ah, no...it's just that it seems professionally made, so I was wondering if an actual baker helped you."  NATSUKI: "Pfft, I wish my dad was a baker. But just because I don't bake for money, it doesn't mean that I can't be good." HISAO: "Yeah, you're right. Sorry, I just suck at cooking myself, so I'm wowed by good cooking. I guess I should count myself lucky that I got to try your cupcakes today, eh?" NATSUKI: "Uh-huh. It's not every day that I have the time to bake. So be thankful!" The expression on Natsuki's face practically says 'bow down before me, peasant.' MONIKA: "Aha, are you expecting Hisao to prostrate himself before you?” Looks like Monika had the same thought." NATSUKI: "Uuu--!" SAYORI: "You can't blame Natsuki for bragging a little though, ehe. I would too if I made these~" NATSUKI: "Y-yeah, exactly!" Natsuki smiles gratefully at Sayori's save. Meanwhile, Yuri returns to the table, carrying a tea set. She carefully places a teacup in front of each of us before setting down the teapot next to the cupcake tray. HISAO: "You keep a whole tea set in this classroom?" YURI: "Don't worry, the teachers gave us permission. After all, doesn't a hot cup of tea help you enjoy a good book?" HISAO: "Ah...I-I guess..." MONIKA: "Ehehe, don't let yourself get intimidated, Yuri's just trying to impress you." YURI: "Eh?! T-That's not..." Embarrassed, Yuri looks away. YURI: "I meant that, you know..." HISAO: "Don't worry about it, I believe you." HISAO: "Tea and reading might not be a common pastime for me, but I can at least appreciate it." YURI: "I'm glad..." Yuri faintly smiles to herself in relief. Monika raises an eyebrow, then smiles at me." MONIKA: "I'm happy that you look like you're enjoying yourself, Hisao. As president of the Literature Club, it's my duty to make the club fun and exciting for everyone!" HISAO: "Oh, that reminds me. I've actually been meaning to ask you something, Monika. How come you decided to start your own club? You could probably be a board member for any of the major clubs. Weren't you a leader of the debate club last year?"  MONIKA: "Ahaha, well, you know..."  MONIKA: "To be honest, I can't stand all of the politics around the major clubs. It feels like nothing but arguing about the budget and publicity and how to prepare for events... I'd much rather take something I personally enjoy and make something special out of it. And if it encourages others to get into literature, then I'm fulfilling that dream!" SAYORI: "Monika really is a great leader!" Yuri also nods in agreement. HISAO: "Then I'm surprised there aren't more people in the club yet. But I guess it must be hard to start a new club, since everyone's probably settled into their own activities already." MONIKA: "You could put it that way. It can be hard to get people invested in things that are brand new... Especially when it's something that doesn't grab your attention, like literature. You have to work to convince people that you're both fun and worthwhile. But it makes school events, like the cultural festival, that much more important." HISAO: "Speaking of school events, I don't think I saw your club at the Club Fair at the beginning of the year?" MONIKA: "Ah...that's because I hadn't started it yet, aha." HISAO: "Oh, guess that explains why you don't have many members yet." MONIKA: "Yeah, we missed that opportunity to draw in first years who hadn't found clubs yet... It's a lot harder to advertise on a person-by-person basis... And like you said, a lot of people already have other extracurriculars by now. But even so, I'm confident that we can all really grow this club before we graduate! Right, everyone?" SAYORI: "Yeah!" YURI: "We'll do our best." NATSUKI: "You know it!"  Everyone enthusiastically agrees. Such different girls, all interested in the same goal... Monika must have worked really hard just to find these three. Maybe that's why they were all so delighted by the idea of a new member joining. Though I still don't really know if I can keep up with their level of enthusiasm about literature... HISAO: "By the way, I know that everyone here likes reading, but do you guys write as well?" 6. Play With Us - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST MONIKA: "Actually, we haven't really done any writing together, funnily enough." HISAO: "Do you guys just read and discuss books, then?" MONIKA: "Aha, you could say that." Sounds more like a normal book club than a literature club... HISAO: "Huh, to be honest, I was kind of expecting you all to do stuff like write poetry together." At the word 'poetry,' Natsuki jolts back a bit. HISAO: "Eh? Do you not like poetry, Natsuki?" NATSUKI: "W-what? Uh, I don't really have an opinion on it, I guess..." MONIKA: "Oh really?" With a sly smile, Monika gets up, rummages through her bookbag, and returns with a loose notebook page in her hands. MONIKA: "I happen to have here a poem called--" NATSUKI: "Hey! Where'd you get that?!" Natsuki springs up and snatches the paper out of Monika's grasp. MONIKA: "Don't worry, I didn't steal it from your bag or anything. You dropped it on the way out the other day. I was going to return it, but I couldn't help teasing you a bit before I did that~" NATSUKI: “W-well, I'd appreciate it if you kept your nosy nose out of my private work." MONIKA: "Aha, duly noted. And sorry, I just couldn't help glancing over your poem when I picked it up. Your writing style is really cute, Natsuki." SAYORI: "Ehehe, your cupcakes, your poems... Everything you do is just as cute as you are~" Sayori sidles up behind Natsuki and puts her hands on her shoulders.  NATSUKI: "I'm not cute!!" SAYORI: "Hey, there's nothing to be ashamed of~" HISAO: "So you do write your own poems, Natsuki." NATSUKI: "Eh? Well...I guess sometimes. Why do you care?" HISAO: "I just think that's pretty neat. Why don't you share them with the club sometime?" NATSUKI: "N-Not if everyone's just gonna call them cute!" HISAO: "Like Sayori said, there's nothing wrong with being cute, you know." NATSUKI: "Ugh, you wouldn't get it."  NATSUKI: "There's nothing worse than trying to get honest feedback from someone and just having them say it's cute." Scorn drips from the word 'cute.' HISAO: "Ah...I guess I didn't think of it that way." NATSUKI: "Yeah, no one does. It's super annoying, you know."  YURI: "Actually...I believe I understand how Natsuki feels." Natsuki looks surprised at Yuri's sudden interjection. YURI: "Sharing that level of writing takes more than just confidence... The truest form of writing is writing to oneself. You must be willing to open up to your readers, exposing your vulnerabilities and showing even the deepest reaches of your heart. And when that's all dismissed with a single remark, well... Suffice to say, it can greatly discourage you from putting your work out there again." MONIKA: "It sounds like both you and Natsuki have writing experiences in common, Yuri." YURI: "M-maybe... Erm, although I didn't mean to speak for Natsuki!" NATSUKI: "Geez, it's fine. I pretty much agree with what you said, so..." A brief moment of silence falls upon us as we all reflect on the conversation. MONIKA: "Hmm, this just gave me an idea, everyone~" We all look quizzically at Monika, who smiles knowingly back at us.  MONIKA: "If we have members who are looking for legitimate criticism of their poetry, how about we do that here? I'm sure we can all trust each other to be respectful, and I think it'd be a fun activity for us!" YURI: "E-eh? Umm, I don't know if I feel comfortable sharing my old poetry.. I d-didn't write it to be read by the public, s-so--!" NATSUKI: "Y-yeah, same here!" MONIKA: "That's fine, we can all just go home and write new poems to bring tomorrow! I was going to suggest that anyway, since I don't think the rest of us have poetry ready to share yet." NATSUKI: "U-Um..." YURI: "..." SAYORI: "Yeaaah! That sounds awesome! I think learning about poetry would be really fun!" MONIKA: "Mhmm! And now that we have a new member, I think it will help us all get a little more comfortable with each other and strengthen the bond of the club. Isn't that right, Hisao?" Monika smiles warmly at me once again. The Literature Club has been very welcoming so far, at least after the initial introductions were made. And although I'll have to start writing poems, it seems like a fair price to pay in order to spend every day with these beautiful girls. I had my doubts at first, but given how friendly and welcoming these girls are, I don't really see any reason why I shouldn't join the club. HISAO: "Yep, I'll be looking forward to becoming better friends with you all!" MONIKA: "Then that makes it official!"  MONIKA: "Welcome to the Literature Club!" HISAO: "Thank you Monika." SAYORI: "Yesss! I'm so happyyy you're joining us~" Sayori wraps her arms around me, jumping up and down. HISAO: "H-Hey--" SAYORI: "And thanks for playing along, ehe~" She whispers this last remark in my ear. So she was aware that I'd never agreed to join in the beginning. That sneaky girl... Although Sayori is the most enthusiastic, all of the girls' eyes are lit up in happiness." NATSUKI: "I would have been super pissed if you just left after eating my cupcakes." YURI: "I'm very glad that you're staying as well." MONIKA: "Okay, everyone! I think with that, we can officially end today's meeting on a good note. Don't forget tonight's assignment! Write a poem to bring to the next meeting so that we can hold discussions!" Monika looks over at me once more. MONIKA: "Hisao, I look forward to seeing how you express yourself. Ehehe~" HISAO: "Yeah..." Can I really impress Monika with my mediocre reading and writing skills? Something tells me no...geez, I can already feel the anxiety welling up inside me. Ah well, it's not like Monika's going to be as harsh as an actual literature teacher though, right? Meanwhile, the others continue to chit-chat as Yuri and Natsuki clean up their food. HISAO: "Hey Sayori, since we're already here, do you want to walk home together?" Given that she introduced me to all these amazing people, it's the least I could do for her. SAYORI: "Sure - let's head home!" With that, the two of us wave goodbye to the others and make our way home. 25. Cinnamon - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST On the way back, we discuss the events of the day, focusing particularly on each club member. As we do so, my mind wanders between them all:  Sayori,  Natsuki,  Yuri,  and Monika. I’m excited to hang out with everyone from now on. Perhaps I'll have the chance to grow closer to one of them…? Alright! I'll just need to make the most of my circumstances, and I'm sure good fortune will find me. And I guess that starts with writing a poem tonight... 23. Our Next Chapter - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST    Doki Doki Blue Skies, instead of using a concrete scene structure like KS, divides itself up by days, each of which ends with a cute little animation where littler versions of the main four hop as the sun and moon circle above them. It works well enough, but the lack of clear scene transitions make it much harder to divvy up the text for updates; expect much more varied update lengths. Many days (at least in the first act) also end with a chance to write a poem. Doki Doki Literature Club! OST - Dreams Of Love and Literature  It’s time to write a poem! Pick words you think your favorite club member will like. Something good might happen with whoever likes your poem the most! 
While the poem-writing process was present in Literature Club, here it’s a vital game mechanic, the main way you boost your relationships. Every time you open the poem screen (including when you reload the game if you save it there, which makes screenshot in this difficult  ), you get a list of 10 randomly generated words drawn from a list of a few hundred. Each of these words is attached to either Sayori, Yuri, or Natsuki and boost your relationship with them when you use it; Yuri favors dramatic or morbid words and abstract concepts, Natsuki favors cutesy imagery and action words, and Sayori favors more personal imagery and strong emotions. For instance, here vibrant, effulgent, agonizing, and universe endear you to Yuri, Natsuki likes shiny, lollipop, and blanket, and Sayori favors family, warm, and dark. There’s a few hundred of these, most of which are pretty obvious once you figure out what to look for. But not all of them. Yuri’s list includes massacre, horror, mausoleum, and entropy, but also vivid, pleasure, and heavensent. Natsuki’s list includes marshmallow, candy, bunny, and of course kawaii, but also heartbreak, anger, and papa. And Sayori’s list includes happiness, friendship, joy, and sunshine, but also broken, scars… And death.Anyway, I have access to the full word list (thanks for the game files Quackles, the LP wouldn’t be possible without you), so every word I pick will carry us along. We choose a whopping 20 words (about 1/3 Natsuki’s and 2/3 Sayori’s) from these lists, then we skip to the next scene without any word on what our result will be.
Falconier111 fucked around with this message at 23:09 on Mar 16, 2022 |
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Mar 16, 2022 21:47
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quote:NATSUKI: "There's nothing worse than trying to get honest feedback from someone and just having them say it's cute." Oh, I feel that. I mean, I can appreciate a compliment in and of itself. But when someone looks at my writing and says 'it's good', a part of me wants to shake them and ask 'Why?' Why do you think it's good? What do you like, what do you dislike? I can't improve if I don't get criticism! Anyways, looking forward to this LP and seeing all the changes from the original Doki Doki Literature Club! I mean, at least this won't turn into another horror game!
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Mar 17, 2022 00:35
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SimplyUnknown1 posted:Oh, I feel that. I mean, I can appreciate a compliment in and of itself. But when someone looks at my writing and says 'it's good', a part of me wants to shake them and ask 'Why?' Why do you think it's good? What do you like, what do you dislike? I can't improve if I don't get criticism! I've been doing some editing stuff in my day job and for my second job and the thing is that writers are, on average, faberge eggs. Hell literally just got out of a meeting with one that the point of the meeting was to deliver a criticism but me and my coeditor wrapped it in like 90% compliments. That said yeah I do get that there are compliments that I do not take well.
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Mar 17, 2022 01:35
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The picture of the cupcake is a new addition (and how it was done certainly feels like something out of KS). The original game didn't have drawings for any of the items talked about, so it's a nice little touch here. I also like Play With Us as a spin on the original's Play With Me. The later was definitely Monika talking to the player, but this one feels like it'd be at home at some sort of poetry reading event.
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Mar 17, 2022 02:10
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Oh hey, I wasn't aware this mod existed. DDLC, perhaps due to timing and personal circumstances, hit me hard. The Sayori gut-punch left me off balance enough to genuinely feel powerless in the face of the second run despite how silly it comes off out of context. It felt like one of the most effective pieces of writing I've read. I probably shouldn't have ignored the warnings, but I'm still glad I did. Looking forward to a more in-depth exploration of the mental health of the cast, the nature of the base game meant they could only really brush the surface of things. Hoping to see some good endings here too. The characters deserve it.
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Mar 17, 2022 05:05
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Update 4: Although I was surprised to see her so dedicated Rescue me before I fall into despair… 6. Play With Us - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  MONIKA: "Hisao! Fancy meeting you here!" HISAO: "Aha, yeah. What a coincidence, huh?" MONIKA: "Seriously speaking though, I'm happy to see you back here~. I would've been disappointed if you ran away on us, ahaha!" HISAO: "Hey, I enjoyed myself last time, so why wouldn't I come back?" MONIKA: "True enough, aha. Feel free to make yourself at home before we start on our club activities." HISAO: "Thanks, will do." Well, I'm back at the Literature Club. Sayori and I were the last to come in, so everyone else is already hanging out." YURI: "Oh, H-Hisao! I'm glad to see you here again." Who knew that something so simple would warrant so much thanks? First Monika and now Yuri... YURI: "I know that it may be overwhelming to be thrown into a new hobby so suddenly, much less an organization centered around that hobby... So don't hesitate to let me know if you ever need any help. Erm, o-or any other club member for that matter! Th-that is to say, feel free to ask any one of us for assistance..." HISAO: "Right, thanks. I'll keep that in mind. Don't worry though, it's not like I've never read anything before, haha. I even remembered to write a poem for today, if you'll believe it."  NATSUKI: "We'll believe it when we see it." HISAO: "Hey, it's not like I need to have a university degree to write a poem. It was just like another school assignment. Although it might be a little new to me, it's not that hard." NATSUKI: "It's not that hard to write a bad poem, you mean." She's got me there. HISAO: "And that's why I never said I wrote a good poem." Natsuki smirks at me, seemingly pleased that I'm not offended by her teasing. YURI: "Well, 'good' is often subjective when it comes to subjects like these... I'm sure you did fine, Hisao." HISAO: "Well, thanks for the vote of confidence. Try not to overhype my work though, heh." NATSUKI: "Yeah Yuri, if you keep your expectations low you'll never be disappointed. Besides, I bet this is the first extracurricular Hisao's done since high school started. So extra work is probably really foreign to him." Again, she's not wrong...but she doesn't have to say it like that! YURI: "Natsuki, you're being unfairly harsh..." NATSUKI: "Hisao, what would you say your main hobbies are?" Wow, she's really putting me on the spot here. HISAO: "I know I'm playing into your teasing right now, but yes, I spend a lot of my time playing games and watching anime." NATSUKI: "And that's all you need to know." MONIKA: "That's a bit rich coming from someone who keeps her manga collection in the clubroom." NATSUKI: "W-wha--" Natsuki splutters to a halt. Looks like a certain someone knows how to dish it out but can't take it. NATSUKI: "Manga is literature!!" Swiftly defeated, Natsuki plops back into her seat. SAYORI: "Don't worry, guys~ Hisao always gives it his best as long as he's having fun. He's always been there when I need it! When we were kids, he'd always be around to help me with stuff, ehehe~" YURI: "Oh, are you two childhood friends?" I glance at Sayori. Despite her cheery recollection of our childhood memories just then, Yuri's question is a reminder that we haven't spent much time together in a long time. It's a tad awkward. HISAO: "Yeah, we've known each other for a while, haven't we?" We smile at each other. I'm really hoping we can use the club to reconnect. YURI: "Such a history with one another...I imagine you've shared much together." HISAO: "You could say that. Would you believe Sayori is still as clumsy now as she was ten years ago?"  SAYORI: "Hey! Meanie...that's not true..." HISAO: "Oh? Need I tell Yuri about the time you tried to cook lunch and almost set the house on fi-" Her face turns pink, and she rushes to interrupt me. SAYORI: "Anyway, I'm sure you two could be just as good of friends! After all, you're both in the Literature Club now!" HISAO: "Uh, yeah haha. Look forward to it." Yuri looks hopeful at hearing this. Although...I can't help but wonder… ...Given the maturity and intelligence she carries so elegantly, and how her passion for reading is much stronger than my own...will it be as easy as Sayori thinks it is? Still, it's worth a try at least. SAYORI: "Yay!~ Oh, oh! Yuri even brought you something today, you know~" YURI: "W-Wait! Sayori..." Eh? Me? YURI: "Um... It's not much, really..." SAYORI: "Don't be shy~" YURI: "It's really nothing..." HISAO: "Whatever it is, I'm sure I'll like it. What is it, Yuri?" YURI: "Uuuuh, Sayori made it sound like a big deal when it's really not... I was going to wait to give it to you at the appropriate time, but..." SAYORI: "Eh? I'm sorry, Yuri, I wasn't thinking... Now I've ruined the surprise..." The two girls both look dolefully down. I guess that means it's up to me to rescue this situation..." HISAO: "Hey, don't worry about it. First of all, I wasn't expecting anything in the first place. So this is still a pleasant surprise to me. Just knowing that you went through the effort to get me something makes me feel really welcomed. No matter what, I'm sure it'll make me happy." YURI: "I-Is that so...?" HISAO: "Of course. Thanks for being so considerate, Yuri." YURI: "You're welcome... It was the least I could do. A-anyway...if that's the case, here it is..." Yuri reaches into her bag and pulls out a book. Isn't this…the book from yesterday? Upon seeing the confused look on my face, she hastens to explain. YURI: "I thought you might like to, um, have your own copy so that…you can read it on your own as well..." I honestly don't know what to say. How is it that she's only known me for a day, yet she's already done something this thoughtful for me? HISAO: "Oh, Yuri, thank you! That's really thoughtful of you, but uh...you didn't have to do that for me. I feel kinda bad, aha…" YURI: "A-ah, I'm sorry! I didn't mean for that! I just, umm… I-I understand if you don't want to read with me anymore, so..." Honestly, she gets more adorable by the minute. HISAO: "Please, it's fine. I'd love to read it with you. I just wasn't expecting you to buy me a copy of my own." YURI: "Are you sure? I-I don't want to force you..." HISAO: "Seriously Yuri, I'm sure. After all…" I grin at her. HISAO: "It is a good book." She timidly returns my smile, relaxing a little bit. YURI: "I'm glad you seem to think so…how are you liking it so far?" She looks at me with wide, expectant eyes. She must be really worried that I'm not enjoying it as much as her. HISAO: "To be honest, I've been pleasantly surprised. While horror isn't really my thing, it really kept my attention. Even though I haven't gotten very far yet, I find myself feeling sorry for the protagonist. The language is pretty, uh…engaging? It certainly makes me think about it." As I praise the book, her face grows visibly more relieved, and her eyes light up as I mention the language. YURI: "I'm glad you think so. One not only needs to look at what is being said, but how it's phrased. It can entirely change the desired message, wouldn't you agree? " Oh boy, I hope we don't get into an in-depth discussion about the language; I'm still nowhere near Yuri's level with this sorta thing… HISAO: "Oh, totally. I never really thought about it until you brought it up with me. You really made me look at it with a bit more scrutiny than I would normally." She blushes at this, turning away slightly. YURI: "R-Really? I helped you with that?" HISAO: "I have to admit, you really managed to open my eyes to this sort of thing. Or should I say, my third eye?" YURI: "..." Yuri's silence makes me nervous. Did I make a mistake? HISAO: "You know? Because the book mentions the third eye, and there's an eye on the cover..." YURI: "Ah, I see…" Probably best not to comment on her accidental continuation of the pun… HISAO: "Tough crowd…" YURI: "Oh! I see, you were making a joke! I-I'm sorry, I didn't realize..." HISAO: "No worries, I just thought it was a good pun." She smiles bashfully. YURI: "Huhu… yes, it is quite humorous, isn't it?" Phew… I think that means everything is okay now. Now that everyone's settled in, I expected Monika to kick off the scheduled activities for the club. Like the poetry thing...I've already steeled myself for the critique I'll probably be receiving. But it seems that we have some downtime before then. Ah well. Looks like I won't be able to just immediately get it over with. Now we get the scene with whoever we’ve farmed up the most affection for her. The equation’s slightly biased against Sayori – we got a mandatory point for one of the other two earlier – but the poem we just wrote has like triple the value as far as the game’s concerned. Doki Doki Literature Club! OST - Ohayou Sayori! Hmm… Everyone seems to be doing their own thing today. Natsuki is rummaging around in the cupboard, and Yuri is sitting by herself, silently engrossed in her book. Meanwhile, Monika and Sayori seem to be talking animatedly about something. I’m not really in the mood to read anything. I slump down into the nearest desk. Closing my eyes, I end up listening in on Sayori’s conversation with Monika.  MONIKA: "...The problem with a literature club is that it just doesn’t sound particularly exciting. Plus, people probably have their own preconceptions about what the club will be like. I’m a bit worried they might assume we’re all pretentious and haughty…" SAYORI: "Yeah, it’s a real shame that people can’t look past their assumptions…" MONIKA: "Still, I’m confident we can come up with something. We can’t just give up - this festival is a real chance to show everyone what literature is all about! After all, we have such a variety here. Everyone’s poems and writing styles are so different. Natsuki loves manga and Yuri’s really into horror. There should be something here for everyone, you know?" SAYORI: "Agreed! I’m glad everyone has such different tastes~ It really helps bring the club to life." MONIKA: "That’s exactly what we want everyone else to see. We just need to find a way of showing how fun literature can be. Something that really stands out and appeals to their creative sides!" SAYORI: "Mmmmmmm… That doesn’t solve the problem, though!" MONIKA: "Huh? What do you mean?" SAYORI: "Well, even if we come up with the most fun thing ever… I don’t think people will come in the first place if it’s a literature event. Soo...I think it’s more important to figure out how to get people interested in the first place, right? then once they’re here, we can do whatever to appeal to their creative sides!" Huh. This is a side to Sayori I haven’t seen before. She’s really taking this seriously and giving it a lot of thought. MONIKA: "Excellent point, Sayori. Where would I be without my vice president? Okay, do you think food will get the job done?" I can practically hear Sayori’s face light up, even though I have my eyes closed. SAYORI: "Food! What kind!?" MONIKA: "You like that idea, huh? Aha. I was thinking -" SAYORI: "Cupcakes!" MONIKA: "Natsuki would love that. Good thinking!" SAYORI: "Her cupcakes are soooo good That works out perfectly~" MONIKA: "That wasn’t why you suggested it…?" SAYORI: "Cupcakes speak to my creative tummy! Seriously! They uhm...really help me write!" MONIKA: "… Okay, cupcakes will do fine." SAYORI: "All this talk about food has made me hungry…" MONIKA: "Anyway, don’t forget we still have to sort out the details of the festival itself!" I tune out the rest of the conversation as tiredness takes a stronger hold on me. Sayori is still her usual self. Bubbly and goofy. I guess some people never change. It brings a smile to my face. Although I was surprised to see her so dedicated. I always remembered her as the kind of person who just improvises things. Kinda like me, actually…"  I didn’t expect to see Sayori’s face taking up my vision when I opened my eyes. I nearly fall out of my chair. SAYORI: "Wake up, sleepyhead!" HISAO: "Geez Sayori, you scared me!" SAYORI: "Ehehe, sorry~ Hang on, I’m not sorry at all! Why were you napping? This is the literature club, not the napping club!" HISAO: "Wait, our school has a napping club?" SAYORI: "Hey, don’t try and change the subject, mister! The others won’t like if it they catch you sleeping, you know. I don’t want you getting in trouble…" HISAO: "Ah, Sayori. You’ve not changed one bit." SAYORI: "Huh?" HISAO: "You always used to look out for me. Back when we used to hang out." SAYORI: "Ehehe...I remember that. Do you remember that time when we went on a bike ride to that park? It feels like such a long time ago…" HISAO: "Yeah, I think I do, actually… It was in the summer. You’re talking about the time I fell off my bike and hurt my knee, right?" SAYORI: "Yeah, that one! You were in a lot of pain, but you were trying to act like it was no big deal… You were so silly. I had to go and get a band aid…” That memory makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. The fact I could tell straightaway which memory she was talking about makes me wonder if we have a psychic bond or something. HISAO: "Good times, good times… By the way, did you know you have a big toothpaste stain on your collar?" SAYORI: "E-eh? No I don’t!" She nervously picks at the stain with her hands as I stand up and get a closer look at her. HISAO: "Wait a sec. Your collar is sticking up a bit. Your hair doesn’t look brushed, either! Were you in a rush this morning?" SAYORI: "Ah--" I reach out and run my fingers down the messy part of her hair, in a vain attempt to straighten it out. Her hair is really soft, and smells faintly of cinnamon." HISAO: "I’m probably making this worse...you really need a brush, Sayori." SAYORI: "Noooo I don’t, my hair is just naturally like this! Okay okay, maybe it isn’t, but it’s super hard to get right!" I give up with her hair and try to wipe off the stain with my fingers. Much like with her hair, I’m not having much luck. HISAO: "C’mon Sayori, you can’t fool me. I know I’ve not seen much of you over the past few years, but I still know you. I can tell when you’ve been in a rush." SAYORI: "People wouldn’t even notice these things…" HISAO: "They would. They just wouldn’t say anything because they don’t want to embarrass you." I give up with the stain and step back, looking at her blazer. HISAO: "But luckily for you, I’m not bothered about that. Also, why don’t you button up your blazer?" She shrugs. SAYORI: "It was too stuffy last time I tried it." With a sigh, I start buttoning it up.  Yeah, our first CG of the route is us staring down at our love interest’s tits. Katawa Shoujo was in large part written by people either trying to spite visual novel conventions or just didn’t care about them; Blue Skies, however, clearly leans into those tropes, even when they get a bit scuzzy. We’ve already seen points where the paint starts to fleck off (Sayori’s checklist of depression symptoms, the way Yuri seems to try and fail to navigate her way past her social anxiety, how Natsuki breaks from the tsundere to clearly lay out her positions), but right now we are playing a more traditional visual novel. SAYORI: "Ehehe~ This is so funny." HISAO: "What is?" SAYORI: "Well... I was just thinking how weird it is to have a friend who does these kinds of things." I freeze. Now that I think about it, the situation is a little suggestive. After all, my hands are very close to her chest… Aaah...come on Hisao, get it together. You’re just helping out a friend, that’s all… HISAO: "D-Don’t say that! There’s nothing weird about this…" SAYORI: "If you say so~ It’s okay, though. I’m happy we’re like this. It makes me feel that nothing has really changed between us. Don’t you think?" HISAO: "Uhm...yeah, I guess. Ugh, why is this one button so hard to close?" SAYORI: "Hey, be careful!" HISAO: "This is impossible. Does this thing even fit you properly?" SAYORI: "It did when I bought it!" HISAO: "You know, if you actually buttoned it, you’d probably have realized sooner that it doesn’t fit you anymore… Wait, what’s so funny?" SAYORI: "Ehehe, don’t you see? It means my boobs got bigger again!" How on earth am I meant to reply to that? HISAO: "Uhm...geez, Sayori, d-don’t say that out loud… Aaaanyway, you look a bit better now." Seeing Sayori’s blazer buttoned up like that is weird. SAYORI: "Uwaaa, it’s so stuffy! I told you!" She quickly unbuttons it again. There goes all my hard work… SAYORI: "Much better! Thank you for that, though! Even though I prefer the blazer unbuttoned, it was really thoughtful of you to do this for me! Even if you were a bit of a meanie. I do try, you know…" HISAO: "Ah, I’m sorry. I just want what’s best for you, that’s all. Just try to give yourself a bit more time in the morning, okay? SAYORI: "Only if you promise to stop napping in the club!" I laugh. She got me there. HISAO: "It’s a deal."  MONIKA: "Okay, everyone!" Monika suddenly calls out. MONIKA: "Why don’t we share the poems we wrote now?" SAYORI: "Yay!~ I can’t wait to read yours, Hisao!" HISAO: "Don’t expect too much, Sayori…" MONIKA: "By the way, you did remember to write a poem, right?" HISAO: "Don't worry, I'm not that much of a slacker. I've got it right here in my bag." I rifle through some stray papers to pull out the page that I wrote my poem on. While I can't help but feel a little nervous, I have to admit that I'm excited now. Talking to these girls has really calmed my nerves, and now I'm just eager to share my poem. After all, judging by each girl's personality, I doubt that anyone would say anything nasty about it. Well, Natsuki...I don't know if she'd be unduly harsh though; she just seems like the type of person who enjoys ribbing on her friends. Either way, I hope they realize that I put hard work into it. I figured that it'd only be fair to repay their warm welcome by showing effort in club activities. MONIKA: "Now that everyone's ready, why don't you find someone to share with?" SAYORI: "I can't wait~!" Sayori and Monika enthusiastically pull out their poems. Sayori's is on a wrinkled sheet of loose leaf torn from a spiral notebook. On the other hand, Monika wrote hers in a neat, black composition notebook. I can already see Monika's pristine handwriting from where I sit...she's going to put us all to shame. Natsuki and Yuri reluctantly comply as well, reaching into their bags.  Whom should I show my poem to first? >Sayori >Natsuki >Yuri >Monika We never get to see our poem, which sucks. I know it would’ve been Mad Libs at best and word salad at worst, but I wish we could’ve seen how the game assembled a poem that included both “effervescent” and “doki-doki”. Ah well, at least everyone else in the club gets to look at it. Each poem gets a round robin where we run it by the three main girls (and Monika) and get a positive, negative, or neutral reaction from the depending on which words we chose. What those reactions look like varies, but the game’s pretty good about making it clear which one you got – it’s how you track what kind of progress you’re making. I’ll be showing all these reactions off eventually, but in this loop we’re covering Sayori’s good reactions, Natsuki’s meh reactions, and Yuri’s bad reactions. =>Sayori I'm definitely most comfortable sharing it with Sayori first. She's my good friend, after all.  SAYORI: "Wow, Hisao! This is soooo good! Seriously, this is your first poem?" HISAO: "Huh? It’s not that good, geez…" SAYORI: "Seriously, it is! I love it! I had no idea you were such a good poet!" HISAO: "Sayori, you’re overreacting a bit. It’s really nothing special." SAYORI: "Trust me, it is! How did you write it?" HISAO: "Huh? What d’ya mean?" SAYORI: "Like uhm...what did you think of while you wrote this?" HISAO: "Hm...this is gonna sound a bit weird, but I uh… I thought of you?" She gives me a brief look of disbelief, a faint blush on her cheeks. SAYORI: "M-Me?" HISAO: "Yeah uh...hey, not in like, a weird way or anything! I just thought of words that reminded me of you, and went along with that. It just felt kinda natural doing it that way, I guess." SAYORI: "Well if it works, it works! Looks like this club really is the best place for you." HISAO: "Well I’m glad you liked it, Sayori. Good to know I’m not totally in over my head here, haha."  SAYORI: "..." She looks at me for a moment, not saying anything. There’s a few moments of an odd silence. HISAO: "Uh, earth to Sayori?" She jumps slightly. SAYORI: "Sorry, sorry! I’m just not used to seeing you around again, that’s all~ To have you in the club, writing poems… It’s lovely, though! It just takes a little getting used to." HISAO: "Ah, yeah that’s understandable… I’m a bit surprised myself, to be honest. But I’m enjoying it here so far.” SAYORI: "That’s good to hear! Do you want to read my poem now? I’m not very good though…" HISAO: "Only one way to find out!" Doki Doki Literature Club! OST Disc 2 - 02 Okay, Everyone! (Sayori) God, these soundtracks. DDLC may only have a dozen or so tracks, but half of them have variations for each main character (Sayori’s into the ukulele). I have to track down the right ones across three separate albums Anyway, after they read our poems, we get to read theirs.  Dear Sunshine posted:The way you glow through my blinds in the morning. SAYORI: "Well? What did you think?" I hesitate as I answer. It’s not that it was a bad poem - in fact, it was great - I’m just really inexperienced with poetry, especially feedback. mc "It’s really...you." SAYORI: "What’s that supposed to mean?" HISAO: "As in, the poem just...really reminds me of you. It made me feel really good inside." SAYORI: "Really?" HISAO: "Yeah. I had no idea what to expect, as this is my first time reading your poetry. But the way this was written...I dunno, it feels really wholesome and cheery. Like you are. I also really liked the last line. Trust you of all people to include breakfast in their poems, haha." SAYORI: "Hey, I was eating it when I wro-" Sayori stops speaking immediately, as if she’s accidentally let something slip. HISAO: "Oh, so you wrote the poem this morning?" SAYORI: "Huh? Eeeh...no! Well...maybe… I forgot to write it last night…" HISAO: "Well, at least we know where your inspiration comes from." SAYORI: "Eggs and toast!" HISAO: "Well, I suppose if it sounds silly but it works, then it isn’t silly. Either way, thanks for showing me your poem, Sayori. It was really good." SAYORI: "I’m happy you think so!~ Anyways, next time I won’t forget! Tomorrow’s poem will be even better!" HISAO: "I’ll hold you to that!"  Whom should I show my poem to next? >Natsuki >Yuri >Monika =>Natsuki  NATSUKI: "... Well, it’s about what I expected from someone like you." HISAO: "Is that a good thing or bad thing?" NATSUKI: "What I mean is that it’s just kinda average. Doesn’t really evoke any emotions." HISAO: "So, kinda bland for your tastes?" Natsuki furrows her eyebrows at me. NATSUKI: "My tastes? What’s that supposed to mean, huh?" HISAO: "Oh, nothing." NATSUKI: "Sigh… Well, anyway, guess I’ll show you my poem. Not that you’ll like it or anything…" Normally this would be our opportunity to get more insight into each of these characters by growing them on their poems and watching how they react. But, well, by the time we come back around to them on their routes, we’ll already have forgotten those poems and their content before they became relevant. So, executive decision: I’ll be saving everyone’s poems and reactions for their individual routes to keep it fresh. No, I’m not doing this because the poems, the responses, auxiliary dialogue, and the main script are all stored in different documents and I can’t be assed to cobble all that together over and over again. How dare you say that? How dare you.  Whom should I show my poem to next? >Yuri >Monika =>Yuri  YURI: "... Mm... …" Yuri stares at the poem. A minute passes, more than enough time for her to finish reading. HISAO: "Um...is everything okay?" YURI: "Oh goodness, s-sorry! I know what I want to convey, but I need to find the right words." HISAO: "I understand. Take your time." YURI: "...Okay, I think I know what I want to say. Do you have any prior writing experience?" HISAO: "To be honest… not really. Is it that obvious?" YURI: "U-Um, I don’t mean to be rude, but… I guessed that it might be after reading through it." mc "Ah, so it's that bad." YURI: "No!!" YURI: "...Did I just raise my voice...? Uu, I'm so sorry..."  Yuri buries her face in her hands. I couldn't help but notice that it's been several minutes and we really haven't gotten anywhere. Yuri seems to be incredibly introverted. It must take her a long time to warm up to new people." HISAO: "Don’t worry about it; we all start somewhere, right? What were you saying?" YURI: "Right...umm... I’ve just noticed a few qualities consistent with newer writers that y "Perhaps what stands out the most is that you’ve tried very hard to make the structure of this poem your own... A-And that’s okay! But, if this is the first poem you’ve written, it might be prudent to consider more traditional structures; couplets, sonnets, Haiku, and the like... If you’re not confident in your writing style, it’ll show.” It’s like Yuri is a totally different person once she gets going… She sounds incredibly confident, and stands tall, speaking clearly.  YURI: "Again, that’s not your fault. I think that once you’ve studied poetic structures and techniques a bit more, you’ll be able to put together a truly wonderful composition." HISAO: "I appreciate the feedback, Yuri. It sounds like you’re well versed in this sort of thing. Would it be okay if I took a look at what you’ve written?" YURI: "Oh goodness, of course! Please let me know what you think; I’d be thrilled to explain my process…" Yuri smiles dreamily, as if that's a rare opportunity for her. Which itself is kind of funny... ...After all, isn't this supposed to be a literature club?
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Mar 18, 2022 19:59
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extremely funny that Yuri focuses her critique on the structure of our poem, despite the fact that we have no control or even ability to see the structure of our poem
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Mar 18, 2022 22:57
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The Sayori CG is from the base game, so blame that on them.
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Mar 19, 2022 22:43
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I'm interested to see where Blue Skies goes if it's taking inspiration from Katawa Shoujo, but so far I'm not... sure about the writing. A lot of the dialogue in particular feels like aliens trying to approximate human communication - or maybe like a couple of neural network chatbots talking to each other. I don't recall Doki Doki Literature Club itself well enough to remember how much of this is from the base game - I only watched a stream of VB and Chip playing it when it was new - but obviously this part of the original had a deliberate writing style that was meant to set up the later twist/s and it being a critique of dating sims. With Blue Skies though... I don't know where it's going with it.
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Mar 20, 2022 00:06
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pretty much everything that has happened so far is just slightly tweaked/rewritten bits that existed in the original game. i agree though, somehow the dialog feels... worse, to me? i don't really know how to explain it, but it's definitely clunky in a way. like, they took the old dialog, which was already a bit too wordy at times, and padded it out even more. i'm waiting to see where it starts doing its own thing, maybe it will be better once it's standing on its own two feet instead of retreading scenes that already existed.
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Mar 20, 2022 00:24
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quote:(except for Monika, they had to scrap her route) Isn't that what made her go crazy and do crazy in the first place? The fact she never got a route? This can't end well. Then again, is that not the point? Is this not meant to be the 'original game'?
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Mar 20, 2022 10:16
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Not having played the original feels a bit... weird? It's free and it seems like it would make more sense to be able to point out which bits are coming from references in the original that then get fleshed out in this game. It's not particularly long either. like if your understanding of the game is fandoms and general osmosis it's basically this meme 
bewilderment fucked around with this message at 13:01 on Mar 20, 2022 |
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Mar 20, 2022 12:58
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bewilderment posted:Not having played the original feels a bit... weird? It's free and it seems like it would make more sense to be able to point out which bits are coming from references in the original that then get fleshed out in this game. It's the content. Long story short, I have two issues I don't think I could overcome:
Falconier111 fucked around with this message at 17:27 on Mar 21, 2022 |
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Mar 20, 2022 18:13
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its fair to not want to see sayori hang herself, I'm sure there's enough people itt who can point out when something is from the base game.
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Mar 21, 2022 01:46
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I do agree with the comments that the dialogue is overwritten thus far though. The point of the original was that these four girls are recognisable visual novel cliches due to deep rooted issues that Monika exploits so they become more obvious and pronounced: - Sayori is the friendly and energetic childhood friend stereotype, because she's deeply depressed and thinks her only worth is to make others happy. - Natsuki is the tsundere archetype, because she's being abused by her dad - yuri is the mysterious girl archetype, because she has obsessive tendancies and social anxiety - Monika is the guide/tutorial/club leader archetype, because she's controlling and manipulative This game doesn't have the conceit of Monika meddling, and obviously can't straight up copy the dialogue from the original, so instead its rewriting the original but making sayori and Yuri's issues more obvious (although natsuki seems fairly unchanged thus far). As per my previous post, my worry is that this becomes shallow "I can fix her" fanfic. Mental illness is hard, often doesn't get parity of esteem with physical health, and I hope this game defies my expectations in how things are resolved.
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Mar 21, 2022 02:08
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