VN Ren'Py Friends in Need [Mini-Sode: Blue Valentine] [NeonGhosts]

[SonsOfLiberty]

Dev Update! 11/25/24

Hey, friends! Hope you're all doing well today!




I don't have a whole lot to talk about right now, to be honest. Chapter 10 will be available to $2 subscribers tomorrow, with the public version arriving on the 29th. Between the Alpha and Beta versions I added a small scene with Ashe, and over the next few days I'll be finishing up a few little pieces of hand-drawn art, to complement a few scenes with Nicki and MC/Guy. Those will be in the public/final version.

The same day that the public version drops, I'll be suspending billing, for the month of December. I'm not quite sure how SubStar's system works, but I thiiiink you'll probably get an e-mail notification to that effect? Assuming it's anything like Patreon, anyways. With that, I'll be taking a few weeks off from updating the blog here. But, I'll still be active over on the Discord. So, feel free to pop over and say hi! We're a friendly group over there, and I'm usually posting some just-for-fun art.




Though I don't intend to update the blog in December, I do plan to continue working on the refined script for Chapter 1. With any luck, I'll even be able to get a jump on Chapter 11. It's my hope that I can build up some scripts, and smooth out the dev process a bit for 2025. A lot of people think that the art end of things is what slows me down, but it's almost always the writing end of things that I get bogged down in. Especially when I make a big ol' Gordian Knot out of the story, and need to align a bunch of disparate story branches.

So.. Yeah! I'm taking a little break, but I'll still be around, and still working. I've still got a little postmortem that I intend to post this weekend, just discussing the past couple years of being an adult game dev, my feelings about Chapter 10, and my plans for the immediate future, as well as 2025. Good things lie ahead!

Until next time, take care of yourselves -- and as always, thank you for your support.

 

[Skrotum]

SonsOfLiberty Neonghost was complaining a few posts before about sharing too much of his news.

 

[SonsOfLiberty]

SonsOfLiberty Neonghost was complaining a few posts before about sharing too much of his news.

Well, that is pretty much going to be the last post until next year. And all it is basically telling people when the public version will be out, there isn't too much privileged information there.

 

[desmosome]

I’d rather people not post the text of the Sneak Peek posts here, and limit themselves to posting one image from anything behind the pay-walled posts of Sneak Peeks or Wanton Weekends. Also, linking to the posts on SubStar or Boosty would certainly be nice.

I see it like this: my supporters give me money for three reasons. To support development of the game, to receive exclusive content, and to get access to me as a creator.

I’ve always tried to make myself available here. I don’t throw a hissy fit when people leak broken copies of my game, and I spend time trouble-shooting errors for people who haven’t paid for my work.

But, if this place is already leaking my game a couple days after it’s released (or immediately, in case of the Beta), leaking the full text and images of my exclusive content, AND getting access to me — then what are my subscribers getting?

I generally take a positive-to-neutral view of piracy, seeing it as something that drives traffic towards my work. But, having *all* of my content reposted for free? That just doesn’t sit right with me, because it isn’t fair to my subscribers. At the very least, people could wait a week before leaking that stuff.

It is your supporters (even if they supported just to leak) that are leaking stuff. They paid for it, and they are doing what they want with it. The pirates on F95zone didn't go on a raid where they broke into your vault and stole it.

Basically, what I'm saying is that you don't have any influence on what other people do the internet. Anything that is noteworthy will be shared online. The only things that don't get shared are shitty things that no one cares about.

As others have suggested, think of other rewards for your supporters that can't be leaked. Like voting power on bonus content or whatever.

 

[Ottoeight]

As others have suggested, think of other rewards for your supporters that can't be leaked. Like voting power on bonus content or whatever.

Voting power from patrons? bonus content?

That's the kind of shit that ruined most AVNs.

Hopefully he won't listen to you.

 

[SonsOfLiberty]

Voting power from patrons? bonus content?

That's the kind of shit that ruined most AVNs.

Hopefully he won't listen to you.

I've never voted on any of that shit, I've voted maybe twice and they were both concerning having a split update or wait and have a full update.

 

[Joshy92]

This is actually a line ripped directly from my (younger, female) Russian friend, who's referred to me in that way. :'D It's meant to be a little ironic, with Viola goofing around with someone who isn't really catching all the nuances of her words.



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View attachment 4272643

Holy shit I'm loving that render of Viola making a heart gesture. It's going straight in my special folder.

She's really been growing on me lately and I'm looking forward to seeing how her story plays out.

 

[soprano31]

This is actually a line ripped directly from my (younger, female) Russian friend, who's referred to me in that way. :'D It's meant to be a little ironic, with Viola goofing around with someone who isn't really catching all the nuances of her words.



View attachment 4272611



View attachment 4272643

Really gorgeous how she radiates peace,love and hope in a colourful environment,
but the best is how she takes a selfie kissing in Balkan style,really funny and touching !!
"Yo,Yo peace man,Viola is in da house "

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

OK, something is definitely wrong with my game. I started new game with patch and I had all earlier 'dark' options avaible, even checked a few, yet starting from chapter 9 I just don't see them anymore. There was nothing while encountering Cherry and nothing in Motel with Risa(only option to wait until she sobers up), while walkthrough says there should be other options. How can I fix this? Is there perhaps separate patch for latest episodes different from the one linked in OP? Because I even tried to download game again from different link. So far from MEGA and Mixdrop and neither works with dark patch in E9.

Only thing I can think of is that later dark scenes sometimes require dark points from earlier dark choices; if you didn't make enough dark choices, that Cherry scene, for example, might be blocked off. Keep in mind there may be choices in the game that reduce your dark points, if memory serves, so you can also make too many 'good' choices on a dark route. Can try making a speed run where you make all the dark choices you possibly can and see if it opens up then.

As a last resort, you can delete persistent variables, then start a new patch-enabled game and see if that fixes it. To do that in Windows (not sure in other stuff, sorry), go to C>Users>(YourComputerName)>AppData>Roaming>FriendsInNeed. Delete 'persistent'. Then go in 'sync' folder and also delete 'persistent'. I don't think deleting them should cause any problems, but you can back them up just in case.

Good luck.

 

[Joshy92]

I can't agree with this at all. Other than Isabella's mom. Most of them had it rough but never really did anything that is deserving of it even Nicki

I don't think Isabella is as bad as everyone says she is. I mean I know I'm often more sympathetic to women than I am men but still I remember a render Neon posted on SS of her in the strip club looking sad so now I have a kind of soft spot for her tbh.

 

[Dessolos]

I don't think Isabella is as bad as everyone says she is. I mean I know I'm often more sympathetic to women than I am men but still I remember a render Neon posted on SS of her in the strip club looking sad so now I have a kind of soft spot for her tbh.

yeah I don't doubt Neon's writing will soften my opinion of her over time. I just find it hard to feel bad for her with how she treats her daughter at the same time. I think it comes to down what is revealed of her past and how she treats Britt in future updates. I just don't like characters that treat their kids like shit even if they had it rough , just one of those things I have a hard time forgiving or looking past.

Characters like Isabella need to kind of prove to me they can and are willing to change. I know ive said some harsh things about her in the past but most of it was a joke cause I could never really do anything bad to her either. I'm hoping if we show kindness to her she will change her ways and treat Britt better.

 

[Joshy92]

yeah I don't doubt Neon's writing will soften my opinion of her over time. I just find it hard to feel bad for her with how she treats her daughter at the same time. I think it comes to down what is revealed of her past and how she treats Britt in future updates. I just don't like characters that treat their kids like shit even if they had it rough , just one of those things I have a hard time forgiving or looking past.

Characters like Isabella need to kind of prove to me they can and are willing to change. I know ive said some harsh things about her in the past but most of it was a joke cause I could never really do anything bad to her either. I'm hoping if we show kindness to her she will change her ways and treat Britt better.

Yeah, the way she treats Britt is disgusting. I like though that Neon doesn't make cookie cutter villans.

The only actually evil character I can think of is Lucien. We need to corner that bastard and give him a good old fashion beat down.

 

[Dessolos]

Yeah, the way she treats Britt is disgusting. I like though that Neon doesn't make cookie cutter villans.

The only actually evil character I can think of is Lucien. We need to corner that bastard and give him a good old fashion beat down.

yeah the update before this one actual made me feel a little bad for Brent even tho he is still pos for how he treated Nicki. ( I still need to play this update , waiting till public)

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

Yeah, the way she treats Britt is disgusting. I like though that Neon doesn't make cookie cutter villans.

The only actually evil character I can think of is Lucien. We need to corner that bastard and give him a good old fashion beat down.

Even Lucien might get a slight sympathetic glimpse, into his past maybe or something like that. Maybe he has a mental illness that's developed later in his life?

It won't change my mind about him and his actions, but.. it's sort of like when you think really, really, really openly about like psychopaths that do terrible things or something, for example. And then you realize they couldn't really choose to be a violently-predisposed psychopath, it's incredibly hard trying to not be yourself after all. There's a small part of you that sorta feels bad about their predicament, about how cruel the universe can be to some people, effectively being born without your humanity. But then of course you remember their victims and you're right back to "yeah, fuck that guy, burn in hell."

But still, it can be interesting from a story perspective when the author does it in a careful way.

 

[zaqrwe]

Only thing I can think of is that later dark scenes sometimes require dark points from earlier dark choices; if you didn't make enough dark choices, that Cherry scene, for example, might be blocked off. Keep in mind there may be choices in the game that reduce your dark points, if memory serves, so you can also make too many 'good' choices on a dark route. Can try making a speed run where you make all the dark choices you possibly can and see if it opens up then.

As a last resort, you can delete persistent variables, then start a new patch-enabled game and see if that fixes it. To do that in Windows (not sure in other stuff, sorry), go to C>Users>(YourComputerName)>AppData>Roaming>FriendsInNeed. Delete 'persistent'. Then go in 'sync' folder and also delete 'persistent'. I don't think deleting them should cause any problems, but you can back them up just in case.

Good luck.

I guess that might be it? I usually look at them once but then load save and make different choice. Feels wrong to continue playing while being THAT bad. I trusted the written walkthrough that didn't list any requirements for the dark scenes, but maybe there really are some. Would make sense, as in CH10 I again saw "smaller" dark choices like mastubate to the water bottle.

 

[citrone]

the most beautiful character i have ever seen in a WEG, Carolina, is a mother.
talk about monkey's paw... pity
any other game with her model?

 

[soprano31]

the most beautiful character i have ever seen in a WEG, Carolina, is a mother.
talk about monkey's paw... pity
any other game with her model?

What do you have against a single gorgeous mother of a cute and sweet child like Maya,
who literally had to start from zero after her divorce,
all the love in the world and everything she can give to her daughter,
and is now cautiously open again to letting someone into her and her daughter's lives.

Why would this a "pity"to give her back the passion in her life,
to give them all the love,protection and hope,
and to be a better father to her than her ex - husband has ever been ?

 

[MilesEdgeworth]

Even Lucien might get a slight sympathetic glimpse, into his past maybe or something like that. Maybe he has a mental illness that's developed later in his life?

It won't change my mind about him and his actions, but.. it's sort of like when you think really, really, really openly about like psychopaths that do terrible things or something, for example. And then you realize they couldn't really choose to be a violently-predisposed psychopath, it's incredibly hard trying to not be yourself after all. There's a small part of you that sorta feels bad about their predicament, about how cruel the universe can be to some people, effectively being born without your humanity. But then of course you remember their victims and you're right back to "yeah, fuck that guy, burn in hell."

But still, it can be interesting from a story perspective when the author does it in a careful way.

Lucien's like one step away from making snuff films, there's legit no redemption from him.

Brent became sympathetic to say goodbye to him and open up the larger story. Otherwise, he'd continue to be the boogeyman who screwed up Nikki's life/ continued making threats at the mc. Honestly, it feels like the men in this world are good or evil while the men around the women shape the women's morality.

 

[citrone]

What do you have against a single gorgeous mother of a cute and sweet child like Maya,
who literally had to start from zero after her divorce,
all the love in the world and everything she can give to her daughter,
and is now cautiously open again to letting someone into her and her daughter's lives.

Why would this a "pity"to give her back the passion in her life,
to give them all the love,protection and hope,
and to be a better father to her than her ex - husband has ever been ?

yeah nah, she's a single mother
it's worse than the other love interests with whorish pasts or with absolutely regarded financial situations.

Also, most unrealistic part of this game is how the MC, a millionaire, is pumping loads into every broken woman he sees with no protection. Talk about stupid. IRL he would already have 10 kids and 10 mommies with a lifestyle to found lmao.

Also also, someone like the MC, rich or not, always ready to come to the rescue, always say yes, set yourself on fire yadda yadda... yeah he would have already had a mental breakdown IRL from all the people taking advantage of him.

 

[Joshy92]

What do you have against a single gorgeous mother of a cute and sweet child like Maya,
who literally had to start from zero after her divorce,
all the love in the world and everything she can give to her daughter,
and is now cautiously open again to letting someone into her and her daughter's lives.

Why would this a "pity"to give her back the passion in her life,
to give them all the love,protection and hope,
and to be a better father to her than her ex - husband has ever been ?

Damn right buddy Carolina is a hot sexy milf.