These Reluctant Years - BETA TESTING (ROUND 2 OPEN)

[Tearasy]

Hey, I would love to beta test! I enjoy the game.

[Writing_Fever]

You are tester number 4 for the first round!

[Papal_Angel]

Ello, I’ve had my eye on this game for years, I’ll be down to beta test too! This will be my first time doing so.

[Writing_Fever]

You are tester number 5 for round 1! Round 1 is closed, which means I will shortly private message everyone with further instructions and a link to the game.

Sign-ups for round 2 are open!

[KJM]

I remember when this game was just starting to be written and gotta say, it progressed extremely well. I reckon most of things that caught my eye will probably be caught by the current testers, but wouldn’t mind giving it a go for second round.

[Writing_Fever]

You are tester number 1 for round 2!

[Braian_gabriel]

Hi ! How does your beta testing works? never did this before

[Sel_Lee]

All in all, interesting world and characters. But unless you express interest and friendship early on in the game, it locks you out of forming any relationship with anyone. Relationships, in short, can’t evolve and change. For all the belabouring about how the two mcs meeting is destiny, if you are neutral with each other during that first meeting (which is understandable since u are strangers, and more importantly, it’s an available option), any subsequent interaction is locked into this painfully apathetic small talk with most of the options greyed out. Same with everyone else; Unless they like you within the first interaction – usually achieved through flattery which is not in character for all mcs – you are locked out of further meaningful interaction. No growing attraction, no starting to understand each others’ differences, not even getting to know each other as the characters shut that shit down unless you have a certain amount of relationship points.

[Writing_Fever]

@Braian_gabriel

Hi ! How does your beta testing works? never did this before

You just tell me if you’re interested, and if so, I will put your forum username under the current round (for example, sign-ups are currently open for round 2), and then contact you through private message with a link to the game once all slots for the round have been filled or if we reach February 23rd without every slot being taken.

@Sel_Lee

All in all, interesting world and characters.

Thank you very much!

@Sel_Lee

But unless you express interest and friendship early on in the game, it locks you out of forming any relationship with anyone. Relationships, in short, can’t evolve and change. For all the belabouring about how the two mcs meeting is destiny, if you are neutral with each other during that first meeting (which is understandable since u are strangers, and more importantly, it’s an available option), any subsequent interaction is locked into this painfully apathetic small talk with most of the options greyed out.

Relationship accrual during the first meeting of MC1 and MC2 is based on your personality stats, as well. So, for example, even if MC1 is friendly and welcoming, an MC2 who has previously expressed distrust of foreigners might react poorly, and your relationship will go down as a whole. I can imagine that this might result in a lot of points being essentially negated, which might explain some unexpected neutrality.

@Sel_Lee

Same with everyone else; Unless they like you within the first interaction – usually achieved through flattery which is not in character for all mcs – you are locked out of further meaningful interaction.

Well, yes, usually people do not want to interact with others who, on their first meeting, were antagonistic. Lázaro in the beginning is a bit of an exception – you actually gain the most relationship possible with him if you say that you might kill someone if they got on your nerves enough.

@Sel_Lee

No growing attraction, no starting to understand each others’ differences, not even getting to know each other as the characters shut that shit down unless you have a certain amount of relationship points.

I recall someone else bringing up the same point, and I think I addressed it then by saying that the characters in this game are all very self-assured people who would realistically not be swayed by a person who, however earnest they might be, they had previously witnessed being a racist or something. It does sound like a bit of a cop-out, but it truly has always just been the way the characters are and not an attempt on my part to, say, avoid any extra effort writing a path where (for example) a traditionalist MC1 grows to understand Lázaro’s struggles and enters into a begrudging, but then strong, relationship with him. Lázaro simply isn’t the kind of guy to tolerate something like that. Some of it, too, is the nature of this being a game – things like friendship and love which are not gamified in the real world will necessarily have a layer of pastiche to them in a story-game (i.e. “relationship points” and “romance thresholds”) because they are recognizably unrealistic.

Thank you for the critique and I’m glad you liked the world and characters! (:

[Braian_gabriel]

@Writing_Fever

You just tell me if you’re interested, and if so, I will put your forum username under the current round (for example, sign-ups are currently open for round 2), and then contact you through private message with a link to the game once all slots for the round have been filled or if we reach February 23rd without every slot being taken.

@Writing_Fever

You just tell me if you’re interested, and if so, I will put your forum username under the current round (for example, sign-ups are currently open for round 2), and then contact you through private message with a link to the game once all slots for the round have been filled or if we reach February 23rd without every slot being taken.

well i”m interested then

[Sel_Lee]

You might have missed something coding-wise because my character is actually a very anti slavery/anti sovereignty radical and is famously known to be so. Literally the only choices I made for first impressions was open neutrality. Except for Lazaro — MC defended their grandfather because though they don’t agree with their grandfather he’s the only person who gave them affection and Lazaro was rude to him in his own house, at MC’s debut. I actually enjoyed the hate relationship very much, though I would’ve preferred if there was more than that. I think Lazaro is a very interesting character in that he is an immensely egotistical justice fighter.

@Writing_Fever

It does sound like a bit of a cop-out, but it truly has always just been the way the characters are and not an attempt on my part to, say, avoid any extra effort writing a path

It may not be intended to be a cop-out but from a writing perspective, if the way your characters would react to things limit the story to such an extent that is a problem, especially with an IF. If only certain routes work, it’s ok to limit MC’s options to ones that do. And in this case, unless you were unaware, a reasonably guarded MC who doesn’t immediately develop crushes, regardless of having the “right opinions”, is locked out of all possible relationships. Regardless of whether you think that’s how your characters would react (and might I remind you MC1 and 2 are literally supposed to be customise-able, as in you’re supposed to be able to choose your reaction. Why is the MC not allowed to develop an attraction on the second meeting? The options are greyed out for no reason), the fact of the matter is you’ve written a route that basically isn’t meant to be played. An unfurnished out of bounds route where you wander through a greyed out landscape until the game declares itself over, having accomplished nothing. And the route you Have written involves no character growth and relationship evolution from anyone, if I understand what you’re saying correctly.

Look, at the end of the day it’s your story and you can write it however you like. But I’m pointing out a narrative weakness (and possible bug if you think this is only applicable for racist mcs) that other people have also noticed.

[Writing_Fever]

@Braian_gabriel

well i”m interested then

You are tester number 2 for the second round! (:

@Sel_Lee

I actually enjoyed the hate relationship very much, though I would’ve preferred if there was more than that. I think Lazaro is a very interesting character in that he is an immensely egotistical justice fighter.

Thank you!

@Sel_Lee

An … route where you wander through a greyed out landscape until the game declares itself over, having accomplished nothing.

I’m a little confused by this criticism in particular? If you’ve read the endings, then I would kindly request to know who sent you a link, because you are not signed up for beta testing and testers are not supposed to share.

@Sel_Lee

limit the story to such an extent that is a problem, especially with an IF

@Sel_Lee

the fact of the matter is you’ve written a route that basically isn’t meant to be played.

@Sel_Lee

the route you Have written involves no character growth and relationship evolution from anyone, if I understand what you’re saying correctly.

It is reasonable and completely valid you understand the purpose of an interactive story/game to be the player character(s) directing “…character grown and relationship evolution.” I like this approach, myself, as a reader/player! But as a writer, I’m also conscious that there might be people who are playing my games for the plot or exploration, and so I would say that the purely neutral path you’re describing is not something that isn’t meant to be played, but rather simply another way to get through the game.

@Sel_Lee

Look, at the end of the day it’s your story and you can write it however you like. But I’m pointing out a narrative weakness (and possible bug if you think this is only applicable for racist mcs) that other people have also noticed.

And I appreciate you doing so!

[Sel_Lee]

@Writing_Fever

I’m a little confused by this criticism in particular? If you’ve read the endings, then I would kindly request to know who sent you a link, because you are not signed up for beta testing and testers are not supposed to share.

Oh I haven’t read the beta version. I just assumed that’s how it will end, at least relationship/character wise. I’m sure MC will still be part of the revolution – for or against. And yes you’re right that it is a valid path to choose. The problem for me is that you’re forced to choose that path unless you play a very specific MC (friendly, expressive, crushes easily etc), not simply ‘not racist’. Especially with two MCs who you’re supposed to have a hand in controlling. Some things like not being able to change MC’s attitude toward the other MC just doesn’t make sense to me.

And yes, I do think stories with character arcs are generally more interesting, but if you’re intending for it to be a more static character + plot choice story then that’s what it shall be.