VN Ren'Py Karlsson's Gambit [v0.8.2B Final] [Grym Gudinna Games]

[Dr. Mick]

Wanting to see how the story unfolds is what keeps me playing this game.
This was one of the ones that was recommended while I was waiting for an update for other games/novels.
While it isn't my usual type of game, and has a few elements that I prefer to avoid, I've enjoyed the overarching plot. So much so that even after I realized what some of the main themes are, and that it is highly unlikely it will end in a way I would like, I'm still playing.

Mostly I'm intrigued to see how the protagonists will come out the other side. Curious to see how well they can avoid falling into the corruption, cruelty, and lack of empathy for the value of human life that seems to be prevalent in this dystopian setting. Interested to see if they can solve the global hunger problem, among other things.
On the more vindictive side, I'm also anxious to see if Juliette will ever get run over by the karma bus.

If there can be a semi-happy ending for two people in this future hellscape, that would at least be something positive in this rather depressing tale.

 

[Maviarab]

Also is there a Board member we haven’t seen yet or am I thinking crazy?!

I personally believe there might be yes.

We have discussed this before somewhat in detail. I don't believe Alexander was 'on the board'...in many a large corp, the 'chairman' is not actually a standard board member, but does oversee the board and has a final vote/say if required. In the Karlsson Group, this would rarely be required due to the odd number of board seats. I always saw him (and still do) as total ownership, total control, but ccreated a board for all the day to day running of the company but would/could/did override anything he saw fit to.

However, we go back into the script, what we are told and what we know, we know a board member is missing.

1. There is an empty chair and we are told explicitly they are not there/are away/cannot attend for....'reasons'....
2. If Alexander was officially on the board, Elena would have no reason to forfeit her own seat for Olivia (as Olivia could have his seat instead). Remember, he had had his own tower, was overall in control of the company and owned said company. Board members do not usually assume this position. Also important to note, inheritance. Dom was expected to take over....you cannot give away (inheritance) what you do not wholly, one hundred percent own. it was Alexander's company, lock-stock, the board was for other things as mentioned in my first paragraph.
3. Failing a board discussion (we have not been privvy to see) that was agreed the only way Olivia would get a seat is for Elana to vacate hers....

5. Then yes we can assume there is a still a missing (or are they?) 7th board member we have not seen/met yet (or have we?).

 

[Stan5851]

If there can be a semi-happy ending for two people in this future hellscape, that would at least be something positive in this rather depressing tale.

The game will have about 15 different endings to suit all tastes, so there will be good (morally speaking) endings, and more evil and twisted ones.

 

[Stan5851]

5. Then yes we can assume there is a still a missing (or are they?) 7th board member we have not seen/met yet (or have we?).

In that sense, I'm reminded of our big discussion in this thread about the mysterious identity of the 7th member of the Board. We didn't come to a consensus then..Some believed (and probably still do) that it is Cole "stuck at the end of the earth", and some are convinced that this is Astrid. Personally, I'm sticking with the Astrid option (for lack of a more realistic guess).

 

[Maviarab]

In that sense, I'm reminded of our big discussion in this thread about the mysterious identity of the 7th member of the Board. We didn't come to a consensus then..Some believed (and probably still do) that it is Cole "stuck at the end of the earth", and some are convinced that this is Astrid. Personally, I'm sticking with the Astrid option (for lack of a more realistic guess).

Yeah I think from a logical standpoint, Astrid is the most obvious choice. Her absence is explained by being in cryo and I've already made my points on the 'timing' of her revival coincides with other things happening so won't repeat that.

Cole for me I just don't see. Why would you keep someone on the board who you exiled (and also, important to note, most of the board believed to be dead /missing also)? It just doesn't make sense or add up for me why he'd still be a board member. Surely Alexander would have rectified that situation. Plus, thinking logically, how the hell would he have ever voted on/in board meetings for the last 'X' amount of years of his exile? Not how you run a board or company and directly contradicts information we have about the running of the company. It's not Cole was exiled a few weeks before Olivia gets there is it?

Astrid on the otehr hand, is around and we can assume, only goes into cryo intermittantly to keep her condition at bay. That being said, given what we think may have happened or is at least hinted at within character conversations, would Alexander also allow her to keep a seat?

Her being a daughter/sister though makes far more sense from any angle you look at it (being on the board) than Cole, or anyone else we may have met/heard about at this point in time. I do think we are going to get a 'wtf moment' when it is revealed, perhaps someone that has been mentioned but we have not met/seen or even a major cloak and dagger type of reveal. For whatever reason, Tess is keeping her cards close to her chest for now though obviously, so I'm guessing whoever it is will have some impact.

Maybe when Olivia officially gets her seat that information will be revealed to us?

 

[MilesEdgeworth]

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No worries, I am quite consistent, Im just choosing the lesser of two evils. The factors you highlighted is also the reason that I said that it would take a chapter maybe two before Veronica would become replaceable.
The chapter 10 dead sister would almost have to be Juliette at this point, the other three are needed elsewhere for the story, but after that...

 

[PickerLewd]

For me, Karlsson's world has no salvation, and the only way out is interstellar travel. Tess' futuristic games seem to indicate this.
The last member of the board is the super-AI that controls the whole complex and wants to look innocent, but is not .

 

[Stan5851]

No worries, I am quite consistent, Im just choosing the lesser of two evils. The factors you highlighted is also the reason that I said that it would take a chapter maybe two before Veronica would become replaceable.
The chapter 10 dead sister would almost have to be Juliette at this point, the other three are needed elsewhere for the story, but after that...

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Maybe when Olivia officially gets her seat that information will be revealed to us?

I sure hope so.

 

[Sharpshooter890]

In that sense, I'm reminded of our big discussion in this thread about the mysterious identity of the 7th member of the Board. We didn't come to a consensus then..Some believed (and probably still do) that it is Cole "stuck at the end of the earth", and some are convinced that this is Astrid. Personally, I'm sticking with the Astrid option (for lack of a more realistic guess).

I was in the Cole camp, then in Astrid camp, and now I think it's someone who is yet to be introduced to the story. Both Cole and Astrid are presumed dead by the majority of people in KG, so keeping the seat of a dead person empty would be weird, whereas when Olivia asks about the that seat during the Board meeting I assumed all of the Board was 'in the know', just choosing not to disclose that info to her yet. Maybe it's one of Alexander's sisters.

As for Veronica dying in ep.10, I've stated my reasons why I believe it's possible and probable, and I stand by them. And look, I was 100% right with the identity of the 'servant' in the Red Mask, and I have that same feeling with Veronica. Narratively it's the right time to do it - you've seen her brilliance and the potential to save the world, and you'll have episodes 11-12 without her in them and you'll see the decaying world, thinking of what could've been if only she was still alive. A bit depressing, sure, but that's the point. You become a king of ashes, a king of nothing.
I'd actually prefer such an ending to 'save the world' or 'fly away in a spaceship', it's just more real I guess. No magic bullshit mcguffin to save the day, only you and the weight of your decisions, good and bad.

 

[Maviarab]

And look, I was 100% right with the identity of the 'servant' in the Red Mask

My memory must be failing, but that was never actually confirmed was it?

Slightly different mask, slightly different cape/cloak...heavily hinted sure (and makes some sense in some context scenes like how she got into Elena's home)...but adds even more crazyness to how quickly Calista can move around from place to place (some requiring a plane to get to) without being noticed.

 

[Parakattu]

I am sorry if this has been asked before but the search did not reveal anything

I understand that there is no android version for 0.8 onwards. So for those of us who played on android( willis version to be precise), is there a way to use the save files on the pc version?

 

[Maviarab]

I am sorry if this has been asked before but the search did not reveal anything

I understand that there is no android version for 0.8 onwards. So for those of us who played on android( willis version to be precise), is there a way to use the save files on the pc version?

Save files...I have no idea what android's structure is like, I would find it unlikely though. However, you can always try playing it through joiPlay perhaps? Again, I have no experience of this myself so can't help there unfortunately with whether it would find the android saves or not, but have heard mixed reports (from this and other VN's) regarding how well it actually works.

Hopefully someone else can chime in with more experience.

 

[MilesEdgeworth]

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I sure hope so.

My Kane is about looking out for number one. There's enough people that if they work together can do what she does. As for the ending, if Kanes on top and there's a world to rule, I'm good, there are other ways to achieve what veronica is trying then to rely on one person to do everything.

 

[Stan5851]

There's enough people that if they work together can do what she does. As for the ending, if Kanes on top and there's a world to rule, I'm good, there are other ways to achieve what veronica is trying then to rely on one person to do everything.

Tess doesn't think so. As I've already written, if we're talking about a conditionally good ending, which includes the revival of life on the mainland, then a necessary condition for its achievement (according to Tess herself) will be the preservation of the lives of all Project participants, including Veronica. So no, she cannot be replaced and no quantity will ever change into quality. Otherwise she wouldn't be a genius, but just another "ordinary" scientist.

 

[Dr. Mick]

Tess doesn't think so. As I've already written, if we're talking about a conditionally good ending, which includes the revival of life on the mainland, then a necessary condition for its achievement (according to Tess herself) will be the preservation of the lives of all Project participants, including Veronica. So no, she cannot be replaced and no quantity will ever change into quality. Otherwise she wouldn't be a genius, but just another "ordinary" scientist.

Wholeheartedly agree for Veronica. She's brilliant, multiple characters have extolled her genius, and her research could very well save lives.

Most of the other daughters also seem to be intelligent, and have a necessary skillset with logistics, finance, operations, and so on.
The exception is Juliette. Outside of cruelty and depravity, she doesn't seem to contribute anything.

 

[Stan5851]

Wholeheartedly agree for Veronica. She's brilliant, multiple characters have extolled her genius, and her research could very well save lives.

Most of the other daughters also seem to be intelligent, and have a necessary skillset with logistics, finance, operations, and so on.
The exception is Juliette. Outside of cruelty and depravity, she doesn't seem to contribute anything.

Well, she's got a great ass and she's sexy enough. But other than kidding, she's supposedly really good at what she does (Revenue, Sales and Marketing).

The other thing is that no explicit evidence of this has been seen by the players yet, and all we can rely on in this matter is the scene of Sunshine13's successful slave sale, which is more of a credit to Kane than Juliette, btw. Speaking of irreplaceable..You can't replace a brilliant scientist, but you can very well replace a cruel sadistic marketer.

 

[Sharpshooter890]

The exception is Juliette. Outside of cruelty and depravity, she doesn't seem to contribute anything.

What? She is a great meat-seller, if you catch my drift. It's her department, after all.

Speaking of irreplaceable..You can't replace a brilliant scientist, but you can very well replace a cruel sadistic marketer.

Clearly you've never been corporate) It's always the other way around, sadly. Engineers and other specialists get shafted by clueless corpo-rats who get golden parachutes. Fuck the marketing department, more useless than Thad, every single one of them.

 

[Stan5851]

What? She is a great meat-seller, if you catch my drift. It's her department, after all.

BTW, I wonder who Juliette is selling the slaves to? Because if you think about it, the other powerful players on this continent (like New Paris or DeKocks) have plenty of obedient slaves of their own. Maybe, of course, the Joy facility slaves are more docile than the others. But in general, this topic isn't covered enough, or maybe I missed something.

 

[Dr. Mick]

BTW, I wonder who Juliette is selling the slaves to? Because if you think about it, the other powerful players on this continent (like New Paris or DeKocks) have plenty of obedient slaves of their own. Maybe, of course, the Joy facility slaves are more docile than the others. But in general, this topic isn't covered enough, or maybe I missed something.

Considering her temperament, it's probably the Soylent Green plant.

 

[Stan5851]

What? She is a great meat-seller, if you catch my drift. It's her department, after all.

Clearly you've never been corporate) It's always the other way around, sadly. Engineers and other specialists get shafted by clueless corpo-rats who get golden parachutes. Fuck the marketing department, more useless than Thad, every single one of them.

I understand that perfectly well. I just don't think that the shortcomings of the functioning of a real corporation in our world should be transferred to the world of dystopia, where the Karlsson Group has its own internal laws of functioning and its own special rigid hierarchy.