Weekly Progress Update [10/DEC]

Ok, so for starters I was debating on posting this on Itch.io in order to see if anyone wanted to have a conversation. I still might but seeing as this deals heavily with spoilers for Chapter 2 and the Side Stories; 'The Lake' and 'Your 18th Birthday' I figured I would post here first and see how this goes. So if you have not played those IFs please do so before continuing to read. Or if you just do not want to read the rambling of a Mad Man! This is by far one of my favorite IFs I have had the pleasure of playing in recent years. In just 2 chapters you have me engrossed in the world and invested in the characters...well most of them. Vincent can kick rocks, and I sincerely hope later in the story we, the MC, get the chance to either directly or indirectly cause his death. I have no problems with Helios; however out of respect for him I almost always tell him the truth about his tyrant of a father when given the opportunity. It just feels disingenuous to not be honest, to not let him know the reasons for you being there cause it kind of discredits any relationship you build afterwards cause its very foundation is built on hiding the truth. However there is one exchange that leaves a sour taste in my mouth and it involves another character I want to like, but struggle to do so, Hunter. Towards the beginning of chapter 2 you have the (dis)pleasure of meeting Vincent's Mother, and discovering the apple barely fell from the tree at all, and after the encounter Hunter approaches you and you have the choice to confide in them. If you chose to confide in them, they say "You're not your family" unknowingly echoing the words the maid Arya said towards the end of Chapter 1 "I hope they (The people of Rosea) are able to see that just because your family was wicked, doesn't mean you are." Now the incident with Arya took place a couple weeks before, but lets remember that regardless of your choices your MC snaps at Arya and tells them to leave. Yet in this case these words somehow console your MC? This exchange cements Hunters role in my playthrough as "You're starting to feel resentful towards Hunter, they are one of them." I would have loved a few options here to allow you to chose how your MC reacts to Hunter's attempt to console you. Perhaps a conflict adverse character could react indifferently to these words on the outside but on the inside you are coming to the devastating realization of just how alone you truly are. Or perhaps your MC is one for the more direct approach and confronts this statement like you did with Arya, "Why is that a GOOD thing! My family were GOOD people, whom your Uncle and your Emperor murdered!". Which brings me back to the point I rose with Helios; because our MCs are aware of a key detail that I suspect Hunter, and almost everyone in Rosea, are not privy to. At the VERY beginning of Chapter 1 we are in a council meeting when we learn that you had 2 older brothers who tried to approach Luceris and Lancelot to negotiate an end to the war. And whilst under a flag of truce they were killed, maimed, and butchered in what we can only hope was in that order from the line your father say "Do you not remember that my boys were sent in bags after we sent them to try to negotiate?" This would be a good opportunity to bring this up with Hunter, that maybe their Emperor and Uncle are not as honorable and morally upstanding as they have been lead to believe, cause I refuse to believe that Lancelot had no say or involvement in the murder and dismemberment of your brothers as Luceris' Shield. Looking at this scene like this also alters my perception of Hunter in the Extra Stories; The Lake and Your 18th Birthday. In The Lake Extra Hunters first words to you are "What are you doing". I feel this was intentionally left open to interpretation since its unclear what your relations with Hunter are. I see it as them Confronting Fadiya and you in the manner of "Why are you here? We were here first, you should leave." But I can see how you would interpret this as innocent curiosity or perhaps they were teasing Fadiya. However this ambiguity is missing in the Extra Story 'Your 18th Birthday'. In this story Hunter is a lot more cordial with you, trying to prank you, teasing you and Fadiya, and ultimatly you end up dancing with them at the end of the story. I feel something must happen between the end of Chapter 2 and the events of this Story in order to justify this stronger relationship, perhaps the trip to Vesphire mentioned towards the end of Chapter 2 was eye opening for Hunter or perhaps they learned something while over there to make them start seeing that perhaps what happened to you was a hell of a lot more evil than just an 'injustice'. And to top this off with another observation for our lovely author, back to the exchange that started it all "You're not your family." It is actually very easy to tweak this one sentence to change the context from "Your entire family was evil and got what they deserved." To something much easier to swallow. Instead perhaps Hunter can attempt to console you by saying "You're not your SISTER." I feel is it rather foreboding that at no point do you or your entire family bring up Princess Catalina. Your MC does not even acknowledge her existence until Luceris confronts you about her crimes and extorts you into becoming the new Consort. So anyway it is late and will probably come back and edit this a bit later, but I would love to hear what anyone thinks about all of this, assuming you can tolerate my inane ramblings, but you were warned! Thank you for your time!

AForgottenHero