I Play Porn Games for the Story (and Porn) // 17.02.2012

@Video_Game_King said:

@Jay444111:

That's....kind of horrifying. Yea, the guy's a cunt (look at the title of the picture), but aren't you even more of a cunt for wishing that he gets a heart attack?

Well.. how about this. Add the damn option of being a good guy. If you are a dick like the pic shows. The more stress it creates then BOOM! heart attack!

Still, who the fuck would treat disabled girls like that? I mean, WHO? A dick that needs a ass whooping, that's who. Okay, I admit wanting him to heart attack because he is a dick is a dickish thing on my part, I apologize. But still. Kids like that who treat others like that deserve a metric fuckton worth of a beating. I mean. Hell, if I saw a kid saying/doing horrible things to some disabled girls I would fucking do something about it! Hell, these girls should beat the living shit out of him in all honesty.

@Jay444111:

Well, there's this in Hanako's bad ending:

Now that you have proposed a Mega Man-esque progression for the girls I feel it necessary to chart this out.

@LordXavierBritish said:

Now that you have proposed a Mega Man-esque progression for the girls I feel it necessary to chart this out.

I did? Like, in this blog? I don't remember that. Was it when I outlined the order I went through the girls?

@Video_Game_King said:

@Turambar said:

And Hanako at the end of the path makes it aware to him that both his and Lilly's overly caring and concerned reflected negatively on her in a moment of *character development*. He doesn't by any means get off the hook for his behavior.

He does in the good ending, though. I really,really don't like how he treated Hanako and Emi in their respective paths. Just for some context on this issue, though, let me tell you how I would have treated her: I'd leave her the hell alone and let her make the decision to open up to me. She's expressing a desire to be alone, and I'm not going to mess with that desire. Hisao's approach just seemed very forceful and disrespectful and many other mean words. It's like he's treating them not as human being, but as goddamn charity cases.

I felt the whole point about Emi wanting to be left alone was the fact that she, if left entirely to her own devices, would never truly be able to open up to anyone about the issue that was causing her to cry herself to sleep each night and she'd remain trapped. If Hiaso had just left her alone as you suggest, (which, given the obvious clues, would have been a really uncaring thing to do) the relationship would never have progressed as Emi, due to her stubborn nature, would simply continue to bottle-up her emotions and probably end up rather damaged as a result. By doing the truly caring thing and pressing her, in spite of the danger that he could come across as a forceful dick and lose her, I felt he handled the situation perfectly.

You also have to keep in mind that the different paths you can take aren't simply meant to show different parts of Hiaso's personality, in essence, each choice you make produces an entirely different Hiaso. So to say the character is a dick is a little bit of a sweeping statement- there's one Hiaso that is a dick, sure, but then there's a Hiaso that's indifferent and there's also a really deep and caring version of Hiaso and so on. That's the game element. You wouldn't say commander Shepherd is necessarily a dick, for example, it's just your choices might come to define him as one if you choose a certain path. The same applies here- although I'll admit you're right in saying the paths could have been made much clearer.

@Moreau_MD:

But I really don't think he came across as caring and loving in that route; he came across as an intrusive asshole who didn't know his boundaries. Remember when he and Emi had that fight about emotionally opening up, and then she's actually kinda happy the next day? And he's fucking pissed at her for it? Yea, Hisao, where does she get off, feeling good about herself after venting all these painful emotions she's been feeling? I mean, it's not like she's been bottling these emotions up for a while, or that she's entitled to feel good about herself after seeing that even after all those things she said, there's somebody who's willing to stick it through with her (at least from her perspective; she doesn't really know that he's being an asshole in those thought bubbles). No, she's a bitch; end of story.

I guess that changes the question to "just how sweeping are these statements across the routes", because I'm sure I can find meaty examples in each one. (Also, I'd totally call Shepherd a dick if one of those sex scenes was with Misha. Just sayin'.)

@Video_Game_King: I don't particularly got the impression she was happy because there was someone there to stick it out with her, her venting ended with her explaining to Hisao how he can never be more to her than someone of superficial value, which is contrary to Hisao's wishes and the way things were progressing between them. I wouldn't say she's a bitch nor he's a dick, but he's definitely impatient and Emi can't recognize affection because she's too stubborn to accept any notion of weakness.

@Pezen said:

@Video_Game_King: I don't particularly got the impression she was happy because there was someone there to stick it out with her, her venting ended with her explaining to Hisao how he can never be more to her than someone of superficial value, which is contrary to Hisao's wishes and the way things were progressing between them. I wouldn't say she's a bitch nor he's a dick, but he's definitely impatient and Emi can't recognize affection because she's too stubborn to accept any notion of weakness.

This.

Hisao has moments where he is a dick on every path. Besides that, he has too many moments of utter stupidity.

Spoilers be here, obviously.

The worst of it was Emi's route. Maybe if Hisao had guessed at what happened to Emi's Father, like I did the first effing time the words "car crash" and "Father gone" were brought up, there wouldn't have been as much conflict to the story, but it was just aggravating.

But Hisao taking the time to push Emi and Hanako a little and make them open up, I feel, would have been the right way to go about things. Hanako especially. She's content to live in her bubble. She doesn't even confide everything to her best, and only, friend, Lilly. It's where she's treated like "damaged goods" (though she may be) where things start to break down. It's funny that Lilly is the one who gives you the advice to back off when she can't really do that herself, at least not according to Hanako.

And while we're talking about it, did anyone else feel like the "neutral" Hanako ending was the worst in the game? I mean worst as in horribly sad and depressing. She basically loses the will to ever change. The bad ending would actually work out better for her. Well... now that I think of it, there's the neutral Rin ending too. Trapped in her own life being something she hates.

I also found it interesting how different characters are actually better for Hisao. In Lilly's path, he realizes his ability in Science and is set to become a Science teacher. In Shizune's path, he's determined to become a sign language teacher. Then there are other paths, most notably, I felt, Rin's path, where he's the most aimless, kinda depressing person. He follows her to art class and either sticks with it despite lacking the natural talent and only sort of admitting to liking art, or he quits halfway through and doesn't pick up any other activity.

That said... I really did like Rin's path too. She's easily the most interesting character. The only bad part was that every path leads to an also kind of depressing outcome. Not everything is well even in the good ending. At least, that's the impression I got.

Well, I guess we can count the game as a success considering the discussion it has brought up here and how people have seen the same things and gotten entirely different opinions and assumptions out of it, that is in itself fairly impressive and games usually have a tendency to over-explain things or not explaining them enough so the player is left without an opinion.

I haven't played too much of the game yet, I'm still on my first time through, so I can't really say anything about it for sure...

@AndrewB: I think that's a nice detail how Hisao changes in regards to the girls, because it's pretty common people color their perception of life through the ones close to them. I also found that interesting because some avenues he explores are, as you noted, more constructive than others. But I also found his changes personality wise to be interesting. Such as Hanako's arc making him seem to look at life through her isolationist angle and almost adopting it to a certain extent and Lilly and Emi's paths are polar opposites as far as how he takes care of his health.

@AndrewB: I think that's a nice detail how Hisao changes in regards to the girls, because it's pretty common people color their perception of life through the ones close to them. I also found that interesting because some avenues he explores are, as you noted, more constructive than others. But I also found his changes personality wise to be interesting. Such as Hanako's arc making him seem to look at life through her isolationist angle and almost adopting it to a certain extent and Lilly and Emi's paths are polar opposites as far as how he takes care of his health.

@Turambar: Yeah, but most of the story arcs have the common theme of thinking about the future. In all routes, Hisao realizes he's the best in science class. He just doesn't choose to do anything with that in most of them, instead going with art for Rin (but ultimately nothing once he realizes he sucks), with running for Emi, with teaching for Lilly, with Sign for Shizune, and... what the eff does he decide on with Hanako? Nothing that I can remember... I feel like Hanako's arc leaves the common themes up in the air at the end.

@Turambar: By design or not, the end product still end up fascinating me considering I tend to be one of those people that overanalyze ever step I take in life and how those decisions define me.

@Village_Guy said:

I haven't played too much of the game yet, I'm still on my first time through, so I can't really say anything about it for sure...

I'd suggest starting off with Shizune, then. Ease yourself into something like Hanako's route.

@AndrewB:

Exactly. How could he not figure it out when she was crying "DADDY!" in her sleep? What other possibilities are there for something like that?

But it's pretty difficult to force her out of her bubble without treating her like "damaged goods" (or at least that's how the game portrays it). Again, I would have loved it if he just backed the fuck away and let her come out of her shell of her own accord. In that sense, I can say that I kinda liked her neutral ending. It forced Hisao into the friend zone, which is at least one step closer to treating her like an actual person instead of as damaged goods. Rin's neutral ending, though, is pretty sad. That "I'll find my own way to huge people"....it gets to me, man.

I don't think I mentioned it, but one of my notes on this game was that Hisao's characterization is sort of inconsistent between the various routes. For example:

Yea, all the paths have something that's utterly depressing and sad, but that's what makes me love it so much. It seems that in order to connect to me, a game's gotta do some really depressing shit, like show you how dead the world is or no, wait, that's exactly the same thing, really.

Oh, and on his future in Hanako's route: I don't think he really has one. Remember that line about her life being on pause at the orphanage and stuff? That would probably reflect on his character, too, given the characterization thing I mentioned before.

@Video_Game_King: I think I remember being skeptical about that line, too, when I came across it. He clearly states that he had a bunch of close-knit friends back at his old school. I guess he was obviously never good with girls before that, what with having a heart attack at the first signs of affection, but that's not what being an introvert means.

But whatever. A slip-up in the writing is bound to happen when you have more than one writer on a project.

Anyway... I think Emi is the exception where she really did need a shoulder to cry on. Her big problem was that she kept it all bottled up. She really wants someone who she can rely on, but felt that she couldn't. Since she's afraid of losing everything again, she keeps everything at a certain distance. It made her a stronger person, but it was unhealthy. If Hisao had backed away, she wouldn't have come out to him, and she really needed to to help get over her father's death and the psychological backlash from it.

That said, it makes Emi's bad ending probably the softest of all of them. If you ignore the fact that she's going to fall right back into her routine of shutting people out, all that really happens is that she breaks up with Hisao. She'll most likely find someone else like him once the angsty period of her life is over (though I guess you can say that about any of them), and... wow, I'm analyzing this way too much now.

Kinda like Hanako, except with Hanako he really just needed to make it obvious he was there for her as a friend and then back off instead of coddling her... in another super dense moment, Hisao ignores the signs where Hanako is telling him that she's not looking to made a project; she wants to be treated like an equal. And she even offers the troubled Hisao help of his own... and he ignores it.

I guess with Hanako it's about baby steps. Just getting her to come out of her shell is enough. Thinking about the future is secondary. That Hisao lets himself become just as aimless goes with my general theme here that Hisao is a terrible character quite a bit of the time.

@AndrewB:

Plus there's the fact that he socialized with about twelve different kids in his first few days at school. That's not exactly introverted.

I agree that she needed a shoulder to cry on; it's just that Hisao is a pretty shitty shoulder. Again, that point about him being pissed at her happiness the day after.

I thought her bad ending was kinda lame, compared to the other bad endings. Rin....OK, you're guaranteed to see that in some form, but Shizune gets you splitting up a friendship by thinking that "comfort" means "fuck", and Hanako just calls Hisao the fuck out. Emi just breaks it off, and she's completely morally justified for doing so. Seriously, how the hell did he not catch onto the whole "he's dead" thing? SO MANY HINTS WERE DROPPED.

Exactly? Again, I really don't like how he treats her in that route. Yes, coming out of her shell is important, and she probably needs help, but doesn't she have a therapist for that? You know, a trained individual who knows how to handle her specific situation WITHOUT making her feel like she needs to open up lest Hisao beat her up (there are just so many instances of that just leaking through in her route)?

@Video_Game_King said:

Seriously, how the hell did he not catch onto the whole "he's dead" thing? SO MANY HINTS WERE DROPPED.

Like I said, that was kinda the part that broke my suspension of disbelief. To be good in science, you have to have some talent in deduction. I can't remember how many times I yelled at the VN: "her father's dead!"

As for Hanako, I'm not saying Hisao is a substitute for a therapist, but he is the real-world example she needs to make actual progress. At least he came out and told Hanako that she didn't have to get naked for him to see her true self, even if he said it only after she had done it...

I could've absolutely sworn you'd already covered Katawa Shoujo. I would've bet money on it.

@AndrewB:

*starts posting, but then sees your avatar* I see that you've changed your avatar again. How about I compile all the special scene faces into one picture for your personal use? Actually, I really shouldn't, but moving right along...

Yea, that's pretty much what I did, too. Again, my jaw dropped at that "carry your secret to your grave" comment in the lead up to the bad ending.

But given that he had to tell her "but I see you as an equal" far later on, I don't think it did much good.

@matti00:

In various comments on the site, absolutely; in a "formal" structure like this, though, not at all.

@Video_Game_King: Good write up anyway, even if I disagree with some of your points, the way you put them forward always makes me laugh. I won't go into my disagreements right now, because I'm moving house and far too busy to argue on the internet. I'm sure you understand.

@Video_Game_King: What, you don't want me changing avatars? Alright, pick one of the girls and I'll stick with it.

I'M SO CONFUSED. THIS ISN'T RIGHT. SOMETHING IS WRONG.

@AndrewB:

I honestly tried compiling at least one face from every piece of art in the game, but ignoring the fact that the file became effing huge effing fast, my screenshot button suddenly stopped working. All the other buttons work; it's just that one button that refuses to cooperate. As for your avatar, I'd prefer if you rotate around and shit. Let the forumites see that Emi looks much better when her hair is down (she really does).

@rmanthorp said:

I'M SO CONFUSED. THIS ISN'T RIGHT. SOMETHING IS WRONG.

It turns out that it is possible for a thread to go on for several pages without it devolving into violent bickering.

@Video_Game_King: That's what I do. I'm more confused because I really expected another entry from Psy. You throw me off big.

@rmanthorp:

Oddly enough, I think @Psycosis refuses to talk to me on the matter. He hasn't posted in this blog (he did before) and he's, like, the only person who hasn't randomly Steam chatted me up while I was playing the game. Then again, that may be for the best; most of it was either somebody saying, "What the fuck, dude?" or @LordXavierBritish saying "Fuck yea, cripple chicks!" (I'm not saying I approve of that vernacular, but merely stating that's probably how he talks.)

@Video_Game_King: Maybe the game thought you were taking too many screenshots as well?

Agreed with Emi, but the problem with using Emi with her hair down is that all of those scenarios are from sex scenes I think. Except one that looks horrendously drawn.

@AndrewB:

Is there seriously a limit on how many screenshots it will let you take?

You could still edit it so that you don't see her titties or...do you see her vagina? In those scenes, at least? Anyway, it hasn't stopped @MattyFTM in his blog.

@Video_Game_King: Are you using Print Screen, or a specific screenshot key? I use the Mac version it, so my screenshot method is probably way different. Either way, I kinda doubt there's a limit.

I've been trying my best to selectively crop, but none of my Emi pictures seem avatar-worthy.

@AndrewB:

I started off using Print Screen, but I eventually switched to the screenshot button when I realized that it saved them to PNGs and not JPEGs (I really wish Steam would at least give you the option to choose what format your pictures are). Every other button works, though, which is the strange thing.

I think it looks pretty good. What about Lilly mid-cum, though? Would that be cool? I'm fairly certain you can always back out to "Rin sleeping".

I didn't find Hisao that bad. There was one moment where I was actually shouting at my PC screen calling him an idiot (in Emi's route when Emi & Hisao have a fight at her house and they effectively break up for about a week. I was literally shouting at the screen saying "Talk to her you fucking idiot. Stop being a stubborn asshole and apologize!!!"), but apart from that I think he was all right. There were a few moments where he was slightly annoying, but overall I think his behaviour is understandable. He is young, he's in this new and strange situation and he doesn't know how to act. It's a pretty natural way to act. And he grows as a character. He matures. He gets used to this situation. When I started the game I wished I was kinda playing as Gordon Freeman. Or at least a less talkative protagonist, anyway. I wanted to fill in the gaps. I wanted it to be my story, not Hisao's. But upon seeing his character progression, I totally get it and like what they've done with him. He's not perfect, he certainly could have been better, but definitely he wasn't that bad.

@MattyFTM:

My thoughts on that matter were pretty different. It went from, "Back down, fucking back down you turd, she's dropping some pretty big hints" to "......What? Did you......My god, you're an asshole."

As for the other stuff, I believe I've made my case clear in the other comments. Never truly learns to look past their disabilities a lot of the time, treating them like charity cases, yadda yadda yadda...

Just wondering, after having explored the Hanako relationship, can someone explain the 'good' ending? I know the bad ending, but is there a neutral ending or is this ending the best ending possible?

@mustachioeugene:

There's a neutral ending. Just don't take her to the city, but trust your own judgment. You end up getting friend zone'd.

@Video_Game_King: Thanks, I had figured that the ending I got was the good one, but wasn't too sure as my gf (the reallife one) and I played through this together to see what it was all about, and we both didn't know how we really felt about the ending.

Also, we both thought Hisao was at least prick-ish at times, but after playing through the Lilly, uhh... campaign, we sort of realized that some of his interactions with Lilly happen no matter which of the two girls you are persuing. I suppose that the guys who made the game must have been trying to maximize efficiency in art assests, dialogue, etc.

I think I may have to do a blog write-up about this game, as my gf found it a really interesting story on a personal level. Without going in to too much detail here, she had spent a large portion of her youth in and out of hospitals and had to endure multiple severe surgeries and extensive rehabilitation. So as fake as some of the characters or their traits may have seemed, she found herself actually identifying with some of the concepts and story elements.

@mustachioeugene said:

@Video_Game_King: Thanks, I had figured that the ending I got was the good one, but wasn't too sure as my gf (the reallife one) and I played through this together to see what it was all about, and we both didn't know how we really felt about the ending.

Also, we both thought Hisao was at least prick-ish at times, but after playing through the Lilly, uhh... campaign, we sort of realized that some of his interactions with Lilly happen no matter which of the two girls you are persuing. I suppose that the guys who made the game must have been trying to maximize efficiency in art assests, dialogue, etc.

I think I may have to do a blog write-up about this game, as my gf found it a really interesting story on a personal level. Without going in to too much detail here, she had spent a large portion of her youth in and out of hospitals and had to endure multiple severe surgeries and extensive rehabilitation. So as fake as some of the characters or their traits may have seemed, she found herself actually identifying with some of the concepts and story elements.

.........I'm not even posting that Shizune picture. Instead, here's a random picture from Emi's route, of all places.