Hungover00

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She suggests a coffee date with Ian right after they met again and confirmed being with her boyfriend. Coffee date is a nice trap anyways, Axel also used this term to Lena. And she added him on instagram with her new account having only pictures of herself alone, with her boyfriend missing. She dumped Ian, girl is used being several steps ahead of whoever currently her boyfriend is.
Is Gillian reverse monkey-branching? Or would it be monkey-branching in reverse?
 
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Hungover00

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Don't forget about Holly. She also tries to see if Ian is interested in starting a relationship with someone. She's also the one to initiate things with Ian if he accepts her invitation to the book fair.
It's very odd that Holly gives up on Ian noticing her if he doesn't come to the book fair. Like that one conflicted event weekend was the be all or end all of their relationship and if he sticks to his previous commitment there's no chance for her.

Like, yes, people can be that up in their own heads and creating narratives, but I'm not sure if that was on purpose for Holly, or accidental?
 

Hungover00

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Is Gillian reverse monkey-branching? Or would it be monkey-branching in reverse?
Would be very suitable if she is dating Mark, and Lena and/or Ivy are fucking him. Notices the branch she's on is unstable, so she tries to get back to solid ground (4 years of Ian).

I do worry that any possible Gillian plot is going to be undercooked. We're almost at chapter 14, and she's background and/or foreshadowing. And since many paths cut her out completely, trying to shoehorn her in will be a lot of dev time for little results, imo.
 

ffive

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Jun 19, 2022
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It's very odd that Holly gives up on Ian noticing her if he doesn't come to the book fair. Like that one conflicted event weekend was the be all or end all of their relationship and if he sticks to his previous commitment there's no chance for her.
I mean, Holly goes way out of her comfort zone to try and invite Ian, so if he turns her down i can definitely see her being dejected about it and going like, "what was i even thinking, of course he wouldn't go with someone like me", and then effectively giving up unless Lena and/or Ivy give her confidence boost down the road.
 

Gicoo

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Feb 18, 2018
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It's very odd that Holly gives up on Ian noticing her if he doesn't come to the book fair. Like that one conflicted event weekend was the be all or end all of their relationship and if he sticks to his previous commitment there's no chance for her.

Like, yes, people can be that up in their own heads and creating narratives, but I'm not sure if that was on purpose for Holly, or accidental?
It's very much gameplay oriented. It's the big important Holly event, if you skip it, you aren't on her route.

Else agreed that she gives up too easy just because he cancels one invitation. People are busy, girl, just ask for another date.

If I had to justify it, it is that Holly and Ian both need an extraordinary event to get together, else they keep being slightly awkward co-workers, so a romance is only possible if they share a special trip in which they are forced to confront each other.
 

Hungover00

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It's very much gameplay oriented. It's the big important Holly event, if you skip it, you aren't on her route.

Else agreed that she gives up too easy just because he cancels one invitation. People are busy, girl, just ask for another date.

If I had to justify it, it is that Holly and Ian both need an extraordinary event to get together, else they keep being slightly awkward co-workers, so a romance is only possible if they share a special trip in which they are forced to confront each other.
Yeah, I think that's my issue with it, there's a certain level of psychology that's implied, but hidden behind the artifice of gameplay branches. Not a big deal, just odd enough to get a double take.

That's part of why I prefer multiple on/off ramps for characters in games. And ORS does have them, they are just 6-8+ chapters apart at times.
 
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Hungover00

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Planning a 'Sluts Apart' playthrough, where Ian and Lena never get committed to one another (at best, FWB, but maybe not even that).

For Ian:
Alison is a bit of a cockblocker. It's her or Cherry. I think you might be able to hit her up early or very late and also kick off Emma, but not sure about the early (ie. sleep with Alison first opportunity, but hit up Emma at Blazer). It's either Cindy or Holly, iirc, and Holly is hard to not try and girlfriend hard. Bad Jessica (not a huge fan of what's available so far). I don't know if Ian even flirts with Louise without Lena creating the 3some. Flirt with Ivy. Minerva. And potentially Lena, if it doesn't mess up the meta-playthrough. Is there anyone else?

Is it even possible to go Cherry=>Emma=>Cindy, backdoor into Alison through Jeremy? Maybe get a slutty Holly at the beach party, though Emma takes precedence...So for that, Alison=>Alison=>Cindy=>Holly?

For Lena:
Robert sucks, and there's competition between him and the M's and Ian, but otherwise there's a bit of juggling. Jeremy or not to Jeremy. Axel (blargh). Seymour, Stan, Louise, Ivy, Holly, and end run of Emma. (John and Jack, as alternates, I guess) Marcel if not Jeremy, but I think that's one scene. Plus Seymour vs. Stalkfalp/Billy. I usually try and leave Jeremy high and dry, so I guess leave him and Louise together, and do that whole branch. Is Mike or Mark any different, other than the 'other woman' aspect?

Big question, is it better/easier to keep Ian/Lena completely separate for this kind of run, or is FWB conceivable?

Am I missing any big factors?
 

Socrambus

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Oct 28, 2019
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It's very odd that Holly gives up on Ian noticing her if he doesn't come to the book fair. Like that one conflicted event weekend was the be all or end all of their relationship and if he sticks to his previous commitment there's no chance for her.

Like, yes, people can be that up in their own heads and creating narratives, but I'm not sure if that was on purpose for Holly, or accidental?
It's stranger that there isn't a late Cindy path, not going to her (not even that, it's Wade's) birthday party for a career related travel it's perfectly reasonable. Cindy herself shows surprise when you go to the party and tell her you didn't go to the book fair instead. To me it's more of a dev decision to cut on multiple paths forcing a branching between Cindy and Holly (although we have ended with the late slutty Holly possibility so maybe we also get at some point a late slutty Cindy path). I understand the simplifying approach but to me it would have made more sense with Alison's travel instead of Holly's.
 
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Hungover00

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It's stranger that there isn't a late Cindy path, not going to her (not even that, it's Wade's) birthday party for a career related travel it's perfectly reasonable. Cindy herself shows surprise when you go to the party and tell her you didn't go to the book fair instead. To me it's more of a dev decision to cut on multiple paths forcing a branching between Cindy and Holly (although we have ended with the late slutty Holly possibility so maybe we also get at some point a late slutty Cindy path). I understand the simplifying approach but to me it would have made more sense with Alison's travel instead of Holly's.
I very much dislike mutually exclusive paths. It's probably 80% of why I prefer harem games. I'd rather opt in, than be excluded by arbitrary reason.

But if they have to happen, they should be consistent. At least.
 

ffive

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It's stranger that there isn't a late Cindy path, not going to her (not even that, it's Wade's) birthday party for a career related travel it's perfectly reasonable. Cindy herself shows surprise when you go to the party and tell her you didn't go to the book fair instead.
That's not really part of Ian's career though, he's got yet to write anything, much less publish and become an author people will want to meet and greet. As it is, that's just indulgement on his part, to see "what it's like".

On the flip side, the fact he does attend the b-day party despite having opportunity to go on the trip is very much a catalyst that makes Cindy realize just how high Ian values her and concerns himself with her well-being, as opposed to her own boyfriend. It's highly questionable if they got together without it (as opposed to just Axel swooping in and seducing highly disappointed and jaded Cindy)
 

Socrambus

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Oct 28, 2019
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That's not really part of Ian's career though, he's got yet to write anything, much less publish and become an author people will want to meet and greet. As it is, that's just indulgement on his part, to see "what it's like".
I disagree, book fairs (or similar events for other industries) have a lot of networking besides the advertisement and engagement with fans. If Ian goes with Holly, he meets Victor which is a very useful contact to make to publish in his magazine and as member of the jury on the book contest. I seem to remember Ian also gets to talk to Seymour.

Also, useful or not career-wise, Cindy herself acknowledges the sacrifice if you choose not to attend and go to her party:

Python:
i "I even rejected an invitation to go to a book fair to be here tonight..."
$ fcindy = "blush"
c "You did that...? Your writing career is what you're most passionate about."
i "It is... But that doesn't mean that's the only thing I'm passionate about."
On the flip side, the fact he does attend the b-day party despite having opportunity to go on the trip is very much a catalyst that makes Cindy realize just how high Ian values her and concerns himself with her well-being, as opposed to her own boyfriend. It's highly questionable if they got together without it (as opposed to just Axel swooping in and seducing highly disappointed and jaded Cindy)
Your reasoning is valid but I see two issues with it. The first one is that Cindy path might happen whether you refused the opportunity of going with Holly or not (because Ian didn't receive the invitation from Holly). So it's not really a necessary catalyst, Ian might have just gone to the party as part of his usual routine of having some drinks with his friends. The second issue I have with it is more subjective, I think Ian and Cindy relationship is more of a gradual process than an unique big moment turning point (I see more like that Ian suddenly realizing her friend Emms is hot and have a great ass, if the grinding at the club doesn't happen it makes sense to me that Ian continues to see Emma as just a very good friend as he has all those years).

Anyhow, I still think it would have made more sense to force the branching between Cindy and Alison's travel. It makes more sense narratively as traveling with Alison is purely recreational and it could have probably been a bigger help for simplifiying the plot as both Cindy and Alison are part of the same group of friends and we have ended having a late slutty Holly path anyway.
 

Gicoo

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Feb 18, 2018
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It's stranger that there isn't a late Cindy path, not going to her (not even that, it's Wade's) birthday party for a career related travel it's perfectly reasonable. Cindy herself shows surprise when you go to the party and tell her you didn't go to the book fair instead. To me it's more of a dev decision to cut on multiple paths forcing a branching between Cindy and Holly (although we have ended with the late slutty Holly possibility so maybe we also get at some point a late slutty Cindy path). I understand the simplifying approach but to me it would have made more sense with Alison's travel instead of Holly's.
Aside from what ffive explained about that event being a rare opportunity for Ian and Cindy to bond, which doesn't happen afterwards since they are never alone, late Cindy needs a reason why she would go after Ian. Okay, she is single again and is now looking for available men. Can it be Ian if she remembered how he supported her and did himself well during the past months (career, body, charisma)? Yes, but Cindy just broke up with Wade and is very busy with her own career. So if a late Cindy path happens, it couldn't have been in chapter 10-12.

I think Ian and Cindy relationship is more of a gradual process than an unique big moment turning point
Without the very dramatic events on that evening, Cindy and Ian would hardly have a reason to get together. They have a very loose, casual friendship with very clear boundarys. They could only get together if such a drastic event happened. It was a cumulation of multiple factors. Cindy is devastated at Wade dismissing her efforts to organize a memorable birthday party for him her themselves, self-loathing at her failure to maintain a stable relationship and moved that Ian is the only person in her life in that moment who ackknowledges her.


Regarding the old debatte of Holly and Cindy exclusive: What would we even gain if the two events weren't exclusive? Say Ian fucks Holly and Cindy. Then later on he and Holly meet Perry, Wade and Cindy and Ian introduces Holly as his new friend while they play cards. Considering how he just has a new girlfriend, why would Cindy consider to be interested in Ian? It is a signal that he moved on from the heat in the moment kiss/fuck and is already starting a new relationship with another girl. Why would he backtrack later after the photoshoot and tell her that she is the one he cares about? Also, Cindy was kind to Holly, so why would she agree to fuck her boyfriend? She is less likely to do that since she ascertains that Holly wouldn't take it as well than say Lena. With Lena its purposely intricate, since they consider themselves rivales in matters of Ian, Axel, their careers and being the woman in the room who gets all attention.
 
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