Merry Crisis (WIP) - Updated: 7 Jan '25 [300k words]

[Phenrex]

One thing I actually felt was a little strange was how basically nobody mentions you being non-binary but how being gay is like, constantly thrown around. (I don’t mean this in a bad way, I think it’s great! I just found it a little odd how gender doesn’t seem to be a sticking point unless you are both men/women). I don’t have experience there to know about this but I feel being gender non-conforming (particularly if you dress in a way that is ‘not appropriate’ for how you look) would get mentioned.

I was kind if curious to see Qiu’s reaction to you transitioning since Qiu presumably would have seen you knew you were trans so I was imagining surprise (particularly if you are now the same gender and before the relationship was ‘a girl and guy’). For me personally I could imagine a sense of conflict at first, with not understanding they are the same person and having to like, process for a moment. I could imagine that hearing about the transition is different from seeing it.

Also I can completely understand why Qiu would not be very mobile considering his stable job and seemingly very successful career. I would imagine moving to New York would be a nightmare, he’d have to get licensed to practice in the U.S. on top of having to find a firm. and everything that comes with the culture shock of a move. I can’t imagine it would be particularly appealing for him even if he still has strong feelings for you.

[Stuffies12]

@burninglights

My next goal is to re-insert Nat back into the running with the following update. Watch out, folks.

Yo at this point my MC is going to stay trapped in the past forever and be unable to move forward at all! It’s going to be such an unhealthy mindset and I can’t wait for the trainwreck.

@burninglights

Exactly! I’m wondering how many permutations I can write regarding MCs who want to be with xx RO but the countries they want to be in dont line up

From what I’ve read so far, taking into account willingness to move and attachment to their home country, I’d say it’s Nat > Shay > Qiu in decreasing order of willing to move to where MC is. Nat is in the unique position of having visited Singapore before, so they know to some extent what they’re in for. Whereas Shay and Qiu haven’t been to the US, at least as far as we know. I don’t know how attached they are to NY, but at least from second hand experience it isn’t abnormal for those from the US to move states a few times so probably not too attached? Shay could be interested in moving to maybe help further their musical ambitions but it’s clear from the demo they associate Singapore as their home, flaws and all. Qiu would probably be the most difficult logistically, with a very entrenched life in Singapore. As @Phenrex also stated, Qiu will need to be licensed again to practice law in the US, though I’m not sure what sort of law they’re practicing so maybe it won’t be that hard depending on what it is? Despite their passionate statement in the latest demo, they’ve yet to back it up with action. And boy will they need a lot of action to prove to MC they’re serious about a second chance.

[Snowflower]

I liked carrying a torch for Qiu (and acting on it in the present day only for MC to regret everything as soon as the haze cleared) despite everything between my MC and him (and she definitely is angry at him for not fighting for her the first time), even if my MC’s life was in NYC and therefore she wasn’t staying. I hope a messy ending is possible; while this game is awesome and feels so real, it never struck me as one that had to have a happy end for anyone involved.

[Starkness]

I was getting the

You’d think she’dve gotten used to the idea that her child was queer by now, considering how much she knows about your relationship with Nat. Just willful desire to disregard evidence even when it’s sitting right in front of her, you suppose.

With a same gender Shay and a same gender Nat, the parents should not know that my MC is queer as I had chosen
the “I’d told them the bear bones of it - that I was dating someone called Nat” option about my MCs relationship

I’ve played again got this

(its repeating btw) and the line “your parents already look at me and wonder what the hell went wrong” doesn’t seem like something that applies in this context as I’m guessing when Nat came to Singapore he came as the MC’s ‘friend’ as my MC is closeted?

[Knoez]

There’s no poly but I can’t chooose between three of them

@burninglights you’re cruel Allie for making me choose

[Lee_Lee]

Possible repeated text passage error. After admitting to same-sex relationship with unnamed partner, to Aunt at dinner:

You don’t even censor the pronouns—your aunt’s getting everything she’s asked for, and more.

It certainly makes for a good story. Beside you, your parents stare at you wide-eyed, with growing horror. They can’t do anything to stop you, though.

Your aunt listens to you, enraptured. But when you’re finally done, she shakes her head and says, “so, you’re one of those gays?”

Your parents look at you, stunned. They’re hearing all of this for the first time. It’s probably a lot more than they’d bargained for.

A shocked silence hangs over the restaurant, and it’s as though everyone had chosen to stop talking at the same time.

Your eldest cousin breaks the silence. “Well,” she drawls, looking at you. “Sounds like a pretty cute love story,” she drawls. “Now, if you’re done chatting, can I have my seat back?”

Oh, thank goodness. Your aunt relucantly returns to her own seat, but she still seems to want to say something else to you. Before she gets the chance, however, a waiter arrives at the table. Your parents look at you, almost as stunned as your aunt. They’d heard some of this before, but certainly not in this level of detail, and the latest updates are news to them also.

A shocked silence hangs over the restaurant, and it’s as though everyone had chosen to stop talking at the same time.

Your eldest cousin breaks the silence. “Well,” she drawls, looking at you. “Sounds like a pretty cute love story,” she drawls. “Now, if you’re done chatting, can I have my seat back?”

Oh, thank goodness. Your aunt relucantly (missing letter “T”) returns to her own seat, but she still seems to want to say something else to you. Before she gets the chance, however, a waiter arrives at the table.

[Lee_Lee]

Nat related. Having chosen to not reveal anything of the MC’s relationship status or personal identity/status, this text still appears as though MC’s parents are aware of relationship and personal status as out of the closet:

“That’s for me to deal with,” you say hotly. “Why don’t you want to do this?” “I’ve already told you,” Nat says, brokenly. "It’s all the small things, added together. It’s the fact that your parents look at me, and wonder what the hell went wrong. Most of all, it’s the fact that we’re from different worlds, standing on opposite sides of a huge chasm. Sometimes, it feels like we’re both giving up pieces of ourselves just to be together." “Your parents already look at me and wonder what the hell went wrong. I don’t want you to feel the same.” Nat’s voice cracks. “I don’t want you to wake up one day, and resent me for what you had to give up. I don’t want to resent you for what you can’t give me.”

[burninglights]

Bug fixes first!

@Starkness @Lee_Lee, thanks a bunch for the quotes!! Very helpful. I think I’ve fixed the text where:

1. Nat mentions that ‘parents wonder what the hell went wrong’ when parents shouldn’t know any details.
2. Repeated text for the above
3. Repeated text for the ‘Thank goodness’ part with aunt returning to her seat

@Starkness

You’d think she’dve gotten used to the idea that her child was queer by now, considering how much she knows about your relationship with Nat. Just willful desire to disregard evidence even when it’s sitting right in front of her, you suppose.

With a same gender Shay and a same gender Nat, the parents should not know that my MC is queer as I had chosen

As for this error, that’s weird, I should’ve already fixed the code (as of yesterday), not sure if maybe you would still be getting this text. Let me know if the bug’s still there

[Lee_Lee]

@burninglights

As for this error, that’s weird, I should’ve already fixed the code (as of yesterday), not sure if maybe you would still be getting this text. Let me know if the bug’s still there

Bug is gone now. Fixed indeed.

[Lee_Lee]

Error presented when:

Choice made:

Stare at him coldly. “None of your business.”

dashingdon.com says
3_boxing line 5524: Non-existent variable ‘brother’

Option to press OK button and then page freezes

[Zyrios]

Well, now we can turn that on our brother when he starts getting mouthy with us again: “Oh yeah? Well, according to the code, you don’t even exist!”

[bitmo]

Possible bug: Shay messages you at the dinner even if you don’t give out your number and if you don’t ask your mom and text Nat first.

[burninglights]

Got it, fixed as well.

@Zyrios HAHAHHA.
Brother: mouths off
MC: Erases brother out of existence.

@bitmo Ah right. Hmm. Will give that a look thank you

[blob]

first, i wanna say thay i love ur writing so much! both merry crisis or college tennis! i love how u write the casts, they feel like living breathing person with different sides to them. im a big fan

typos and stuff

i choose male qiu

double

my mc missed their performance

no bread mentioned before

mc turn 2x?

also idk if this is intended, i just feel this part is a bit strange, after choosing this but refusing the kiss

i got this scene that feels like im ending things with qiu

but then i also got this scene where mc happily chats with qiu until almost closing time just 10 minutes my ass

thoughts about the update

why nat still text with “<3”??? shay is taking it slow with mc??? its been 10 goddamned years, qiu??? anyway, the current demo makes my mc so confused about his feeling…its very good! waiting patiently for the next update!

[burninglights]

@blob thank you so much for catching the errors–super helpful I’ll work on those in the next update!

And

@blob

why nat still text with “<3”??? shay is taking it slow with mc??? its been 10 goddamned years, qiu??

Hahaha, those three have to get their shit together, for sure. So does MC. A holiday romantic drama-comedy where no one knows what the hell they’re doing. Merry crisis in a nutshell

[blob]

some more bugs i found while replaying

i chose to talk to seiyi-jiong, i thought mc didnt go outside

Edit:seems Joony’s pronouns always swapped here

also i wanna ask whether choosing no/refusing advances/not choosing the “romance” choice will “lock” mc out of routes?

chose to not kiss shay at fat dog brewery and it said “I don’t want to give Shay the wrong idea.” but mc still let shay kiss him on the forehead? is that platonic?

[kinephile]

hey, i’m playing as a (very) gay guy, and during an optional flashback scene, mrs ling mentions a daughter. i set qiu as a male, so i think it might be a coding mistake (unless he secretly has a sister!??!?!)

unfortunately i can’t upload the screenshot i took? quite annoying but oh well. i can paste the text if you’d like, just let me know. cheers and have a good one!

[Hollows]

Bugs I found

Although Qiu was not invited in, they are later described as washing dishes with MC.

And this last one has a repeating line.

[Christabella]

You said this is a light hearted slice of life so why am I crying I’m bawling like a baby over here, your writing is beautiful

[lai]

qiu’s scenes made me cry. a lot. half of me kinda wanna make him work hard for a second chance and the other just wanna—