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[Bood_war]

So Christine Love, creator of Digital: A Love Story, just released a new visual novel with a name the just might beat Desert Bridge in length.

A spiritual sequel of sorts to Digital: A Love Story, set in a prestigious private high school, and on the social networks of 2027.

Seven students, three endings, one eavesdropping teacher. A full length visual novel about the erosion of privacy, gay drama, young sexuality, and the perils of modern online life for a high school literature class.

It's really fantastic, though I love visual novels of this sort. So I might be a little biased.

Get it here.

[PleasingFungus]

I wrote an analysis of / gushing rave about the game,  here.

[Aquin]

It's funny just how self-aware it is as a "typical anime highschool visual novel."  It really does a good job of poking fun at it (and I found the 4chan spoof pretty damn hilarious.)

The ending felt a bit... outta place.  I don't mind the whole theme of the ending in general, but there were a few lines in the first half of the story that suggested an entirely different take on the same theme.  I don't really wanna go all spoilers.

Still, it's good fun.  Also... her middle name is Morgan.  Yeeeeeaaaah.

lol porn

[sinoth]

I absolutely loved Christine Love's first game (Digital: A Love Story).  Clunky interface but great story (and nostalgia bomb for the BBS kids).  DTiP is much the same interface wise... checking your computer for message after message.  The characterization is fantastic though -- the whole "snooping on Facebook" idea is a clever way to go about it.

The ending felt a bit... outta place.

I agree.  The message was pretty good but it felt too abrupt and forced.  I would have liked a little more subtle revealing of the message through a few scenes rather than one huge speech.

Also... her middle name is Morgan.

Was this ever mentioned in the game?  I just assumed it wasn't XD

I wrote an analysis of / gushing rave about the game,  here.

PleasingFungus, I really like your review and wish I could comment on it!  You should allow comments on your Tumblr

[Triplefox]

That was amazing! It did crash hard on me halfway through though, wouldn't even respond to Windows end task; I had to logout to get it going again.

Edit: Got all endings, verified by checking the code. The only thing that changes is Rook and Ariana's relationship. Everything else is just color. I was looking for a way to Rook to be let in on the metagame Higurashi-style, but no such path exists, which is kind of disappointing, but wow, the first time through was a whopper.

[adam_smasher]

Digital: A Love Story is one of my favorite games ever, but this...I wasn't a big fan of this.

It's certainly interesting though. I'll try to articulate my thoughts and write something up about it later.

[Bood_war]

I just finished it.

And dammit, I hate it. I always do this. I'll play/read something like this, and get really attached to the characters, only to never hear from them again.

Oh well.

(I think another fanboy has been  born.(hint: it's me))

[hanako]

Edit: Got all endings, verified by checking the code. The only thing that changes is Rook and Ariana's relationship. Everything else is just color. I was looking for a way to Rook to be let in on the metagame Higurashi-style, but no such path exists, which is kind of disappointing, but wow, the first time through was a whopper.

IIRC your choices may also determine whether or not X and Y get back together, but I only played through once so I haven't seen the different ways that can play out.

[sinoth]

I did a quick second playthrough and the only real choices you get are for things to not happen.  Every relationship in the game can be stopped.  This doesn't change the game much, except for a missing scene or two.

I guess that's one thing I didn't like... the author definitely has an "optimal" path that includes the most story and scenes.  All your choices do is serve to block some of the story from happening.

[Terrorbuns]

Haha this was pretty entertaining. I enjoyed the twist at the end, I found it hilarious. This was actually hinted at least once by one of the character's comments on someone's status. Really vaguely hinted at, but yeah. Interesting game, I liked it.

[The Monster King]

I tried to make everyone feel miserable but looks like my heart was in the right place for two guys they are gay

the ending was a piece of shit, a japanese woman lectures you about how she wants to know everything about everyone because she is a control freak and then everyone who had a lot of drama tell you that you're too serious also you're a terrible teacher. the main twist is kind of dumb. Arianna is not a character, especially not if you pus her away, she litterally just disappears.

However i guess it was okay teen drama. i hate how they speak sometimes, but i hate how some people speak sometimes, so thats uhm
realistic

the game's best character is Taylor because she has a good music (the rest of this games music is elevator, hers is upbeat elevator)

[adam_smasher]

Okay:

(spoilers may follow)

I. I am not particularly a fan of this sort of teen-drama, will-they-or-won't-they, ostensibly-more-charming-because-everyone's-queer-and-an-animé-character thing. As a genre piece, I guess it works well enough.

II. Nor do I have any great affection for modern social networks, 4chan, etc., so intrinsically this is going to be less appealing to me than Digital, which is filled with the awe of the world slowly connecting, like a dim glow beginning to illuminate the furthest reaches of the globe; the same awe I felt as a kid, first exploring computing.

III. I agree with most everything PleasingFungus wrote about the game's strengths and weaknesses, but I think the weaknesses are more damaging than (s)he does. The ending, in particular, is poorly executed and is scarcely better than "it was all a dream!" in terms of how lame it is and how it demolishes any gravitas the storytelling hitherto might have had. As PleasingFungus points out, however, the characterization is really strong.

IV. The game attempts to elevate itself above a straightforward animé teen drama by throwing in the (lame) social commentary about privacy and the fairly judicious use of metafictional (and metametafictional) techniques. Normally I'm all for this, but it doesn't seem to be to any particular end - it's just sort of an intellectual afterthought that doesn't really add anything to the narrative. It's overthought, underfelt, and doesn't complement the game at all.

V. Ultimately, the game lacks a sense of unity. It tries really hard to be a lot of things, and to be about a lot of things, without really being much of anything. You've got this metafictional layer, and this teen drama layer, and this social commentary layer, and even this ghost story layer, and they don't really ever come together. Especially disappointing, because one of Digital's strongest assets was its unrelenting focus and drive.

VI. More concretely, constantly needing to check your inbox is aggravating. In Digital, this was fine because this was the gameplay/narrative, but here the narrative is always being interrupted - often after every line of dialogue - with little snatches of teenage gossip and insipid pseudo-4channery. Cue apologists insisting that this is the point: the invasive nature of technology and social networks is constantly distracting us, preventing us from focusing on anything; our need to always be hyperconnected is ultimately disconnecting us from reality. I'll grant this, but that makes it no less irritating - and it could probably have been toned down and still been effective.

[Triplefox]

Now that I've thought it over here's my criticism:

It's underdeveloped and ends where it should actually start; after the class reveals its true nature - which could be an episode condensed into the space of one chapter - the fiction should be delving into the consequences of their psychology, which never gets the deep treatment needed. Rook just seems like a foolish observer, with less influence than he should actually have. There are tons of private conversations on Amie, but they don't add up to any really big secrets at all. As well, there are some opportunities to fool around and do some matchmaking, but they don't really lead to plot developments later - the narrative becomes railroaded into feel-good optimism and is weakened as a consequence, a criticism that applies to Digital as well.

It was still awesome.

[PleasingFungus]

Also... her middle name is Morgan.

Was this ever mentioned in the game?  I just assumed it wasn't XD

Nope, it wasn't! It's an out-of-game-knowledge bonus.

I wrote an analysis of / gushing rave about the game,  here.

PleasingFungus, I really like your review and wish I could comment on it!  You should allow comments on your Tumblr

Aw, thanks!

...you can allow comments on tumblr? Ah, with Disqus.

I'll think about it!

--------

It's underdeveloped and ends where it should actually start; after the class reveals its true nature - which could be an episode condensed into the space of one chapter - the fiction should be delving into the consequences of their psychology, which never gets the deep treatment needed. Rook just seems like a foolish observer, with less influence than he should actually have. There are tons of private conversations on Amie, but they don't add up to any really big secrets at all. As well, there are some opportunities to fool around and do some matchmaking, but they don't really lead to plot developments later - the narrative becomes railroaded into feel-good optimism and is weakened as a consequence, a criticism that applies to Digital as well.

Your criticism can basically be summarized as "the game is great, but wouldn't it be even better if it was this other, completely different, much larger game?"

[Triplefox]

Your criticism can basically be summarized as "the game is great, but wouldn't it be even better if it was this other, completely different, much larger game?"

Ah, no. Most of the character development and story elements can be transplanted into a different plotline which would allow them to grow further. That's not the same as saying it should be completely different.

[PleasingFungus]

Your criticism can basically be summarized as "the game is great, but wouldn't it be even better if it was this other, completely different, much larger game?"

Ah, no. Most of the character development and story elements can be transplanted into a different plotline which would allow them to grow further. That's not the same as saying it should be completely different.

Um. I'll pick apart your original post (not super classy, but it'll serve the purpose):

Rook just seems like a foolish observer, with less influence than he should actually have.

Within the space of a few weeks, he single-handedly determines the happiness of several people he'd never met before. If anything, he has too much influence.

There are tons of private conversations on Amie, but they don't add up to any really big secrets at all.

Because the kids don't understand the idea of 'privacy' (online, at any rate), so any "really big secrets" never go up there!

As well, there are some opportunities to fool around and do some matchmaking, but they don't really lead to plot developments later...

The primary way you interact with the game is by matchmaking, or not, as you choose. The matchmaking is the point!

sinoth has a valid criticism of this, if you scroll up a bit.

It's underdeveloped and ends where it should actually start; after the class reveals its true nature - which could be an episode condensed into the space of one chapter - the fiction should be delving into the consequences of their psychology, which never gets the deep treatment needed.

And this is the main sentence I was complaining about.

Basically, you miss the focus of the game, and then suggest all those 'extraneous elements' can be discarded ("compressed into the space of one chapter") to make room for a completely different game?

-

EDIT: To clarify further: the moral at the end is not the game. The game is all the stuff in between the beginning and the end; most of which is matchmaking!

[Triplefox]

We're in agreement. Why try to drag out the end into a multi-chapter rising action? The stuff in between should be the point and it becomes obscured by that. Get the moral out of the way at the beginning and give the teacher full control!

[sinoth]

Why try to drag out the end into a multi-chapter rising action? The stuff in between should be the point and it becomes obscured by that. Get the moral out of the way at the beginning and give the teacher full control!

A lot of the story was not only the matchmaking, but the guilt and deception going on by Rook because he thought he was being a terrible Snoopy McSnooperson.  Getting the moral away early would turn the game into a matchmaking sim, not a matchmaking sim that explores the moral dilemma of privacy.

[Triplefox]

Yes, but as a player I could not emphasize with Rook's "guilt" to begin with. It's a game. I'm given the option to explore - and even forced to do so. And then you're going to tell me I should feel bad about that? C'mon.

[The Monster King]

you do get railroaded into checking your students chat QUITE A FEW TIMES SOMETIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF CONVERSATIONS

and you also always have that time where you HAVE to check 12chan
that was a bother