Elysium (RPGVX) Version 0.12 - 3/10/13

[AllenAndArth]

possible

[Seyser Koze]

In a week or so I'll be needing a couple of people to beta-test the next version (note: this does not mean "release is imminent").

If you're interested, send me a PM indicating that you can detect bugs and can communicate in non-eye-bleeding forms of English.

Testers will be notified with a response to their PM; everybody else will find out in a week or so when I post in the thread to say that I have all the testers I need for the moment.

[Seyser Koze]

All beta testers have been notified. Thanks to those who sent me messages.

[Grosham]

Had spare time, so I replayed the entire game (good alignment) to get back on track. Some thoughts:

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Xenia created this plan as a defense against imminent war, yes? The war with their neighbors is going to spill over in Orestin. If that's the case, what good came of throwing Darius into the pit? Was it a part of the sacrifice? Or was it the only way she could think to get him out of the way without Elaine raising a storm? The obvious outcome is that Elektra chose him to become the Beast and the Night returned. All in all, I think that could have gone better.

Now, as for the morality of the Night (potentially called into question because of the scene with Emily and Jacob/NOT). I admit to siding with Spectral on this, but I'm going to try to stretch to see this. Hmm. The Night feeds on sex. It is their food and water. They need humans in order to live and grow more powerful. Then, they have two possible paths to obtaining their meals: rape (the first night is a wonderful example), or willing slaves. So, Elektra wishes to convince humans that they are happy that way.

The Beast that spoke with Darius in Velvet's dimension spoke of people as cattle. This must be accepted as an evil idea. People are people, with intelligence and the ability to choose. A person may choose to be a whore, or to be a slave to Nightspawn. But from what I've seen, they've all been forced to accept it; Ophelia was the only one to choose her position. Trying to dress this over leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Sorry. It seems to me to be a standard domination: first the stick, then the carrot. Make people slaves, then reward them and tell them that being a slave makes them happy.

Or maybe Elektra's teaching of "No more lies" should be considered good? It's okay to admit it if it feels good, you don't have to hide anything anymore, that kind of thing. It's hard for me to grasp, but is this where you're aiming?

Um, I hope I'm not ruining anything. Seyser, I really want to know if you see the Night taking over the world as a happy ending. I suppose, if the view point is "non-stop sex is a good thing," then it might be. How far will they be able to reach? Will it stop with Orestin? Will we see them taking over all of Elysium? Or will it all fall apart before making it that far?
More importantly, what is Xenia's master plan? What has the princess's sacrifice unleashed? And what will Darius do when he finally reaches the princess?

I look forward to when the game has answered all of my questions. Thanks for the new content, and good luck on releasing the next chapter this summer! *nudge nudge*

[UnLimiTeD]

As a question to the post directly above,

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

What would you consider a "Happy Ending"?
I always think that that's a bad way to end a story, unless it's one of many(which only games can really provide), and even then it's often bland if it's clear cut.
One of the most memorable games I've played in the past years was Starwish, and aside rampaging logic holes, it had endings that really gripped me, made me think. The only truly "happy ending" in the game was kinda bland, it didn't feel like the real deal, while an equally hard to get ending revolving around one character was about as far detached from a happy ending as one would imagine, was it not for that one also spoiling all the other endings because that part would be even worse if you didn't pick it, only you never get told.
It literally made me depressed for a few days, but it was the best ending available considering the light it shed on all the other options, so one could potentially consider it a happy ending.

That aside, I think after the original takeover and the important characters, the story isn't as dark as one might believe if you take the 'light path'.
It's a question of what goal justifies what means.

[Seyser Koze]

I won't be responding to most of this, partly to be all mysterious and stuff, and partly to make people hate me just because.

Now, as for the morality of the Night (potentially called into question because of the scene with Emily and Jacob/NOT).

I will point out that that scene should go a bit differently if you're playing evil-Darius, which people only playing through on one version or the other wouldn't necessarily notice. To a limited degree, the behavior of the Nightspawn is subliminally influenced by Darius' own behavior (as opposed to being overtly influenced, like when Darius hands them some POWs and tells them to have fun).

Um, I hope I'm not ruining anything. Seyser, I really want to know if you see the Night taking over the world as a happy ending.

No. Although in the unlikely event that I ever make it to the end of this thing, there probably won't be a strictly "happy" ending, because the dichotomy is less between good and evil than between "really bad" and "at least X isn't in charge any more."

Thanks for the new content, and good luck on releasing the next chapter this summer! *nudge nudge*

Hee.

[SpectralTime]

...Whelp, that's officially good enough for me. I hereby, in the sight of the whole daggome forum, waive my b*#$%in' rights on that particular topic for the forseeable future.

Also, double hee.

[Seyser Koze]

Though I am a little disturbed that people are seeking moral grounding in freeware porn games. Sign of the times?

[SpectralTime]

Say rather, people appreciate the well-crafted plot of your freeware porn game, and the immersion it creates makes moral grounding a factor.

[UnLimiTeD]

While people come for the porn, they don't necessarily stick for it.
The question of morality may well influence what kind of porn draws them; There's plenty pictures and films out there, if you look for games there's likely another motivation.

[Grosham]

UnLimiTeD, I don't know what all a happy ending would entail. I'll revert to what Seyser said and claim that Darius in charge might be better than a Queen that shuns her subjects. The Night ruling the world might be a happy ending for me. If Darius can help the princess and keep his loving harem, I see the ending as happy. I'm very much a light player; I want to love all the girls.

Morality is probably not what I should be looking for, true. Elysium is a dark story - that's what makes it interesting. I suppose the entire world could descend into a giant orgy and I would accept it in this. I could even be happy as long as people got to choose whether or not to join it. That's where Darius ruling would come in, I suppose.

[Keegan]

I just finished playing the game and I most say. This game is amazing.

I fully enjoy the story line that goes with it. After seeing what the human rulers are like and how the nightspan treat them. I am starting to think that the once that everyone say is evil are more good then what the people were lead to beleave.

I look forward to the next up date to this game. Keep up the good work.

[ArdenWolfwatcher]

Downloaded and played this today, and I have to say that I love the gripping story that's stringing everything together. Though I don't immediately see where player choices for Darius' actions come into play in this (except for in the Arcanum and potentially those three female soldiers Elaine and Xenia find right close to where the other two generals are being gangbanged), I've got to say that I really enjoy all of the scenes that have been in this as well as the gameplay. Unlike some of the other games on here, at times it can be pretty challenging.

Great job on this and I'm looking forward to an update!

[Darth Cheesecake]

Elysium really is quite good, it's got that perfect mixture of interesting story and sexy that I find so appealing.

[Seyser Koze]

Downloaded and played this today, and I have to say that I love the gripping story that's stringing everything together. Though I don't immediately see where player choices for Darius' actions come into play in this (except for in the Arcanum and potentially those three female soldiers Elaine and Xenia find right close to where the other two generals are being gangbanged),

Mostly it just affects a few lines of dialogue right now, where Darius says different things depending on his alignment. The Chapter 6 scene with Emily and Jacob is also different based on alignment (with more later, assuming I find time in my 70-hour work week to do more).

Most of the choices just invisibly increment the alignment counter. A couple (like how you treat Juliet, which affects how you're introduced to Yolande) set flags instead.

[katie4565]

Played alittle bit so far, But didnt get very far maybe only liek 5 mins <_<

But im into it so far :3 Will play more tomorrow!

[Seyser Koze]

There's something oddly cathartic about ripping out an entire segment of the game that's had you stalled for months and starting it over from scratch.

[SpectralTime]

Huh, really? I've always had trouble doing that... come to think, mostly starting to do that. Is is something where worrying about having to do it just makes it worse, and actually doing it is cathartic?

[codered999]

Are you redoing that section of the game and then releasing your next version of the game, or are you going to release the next version before you're done with the revision?

[Seyser Koze]

The ripped-out segment was pretty much the entire next update, so I don't think it would accomplish anything to release now.

Huh, really? I've always had trouble doing that... come to think, mostly starting to do that. Is is something where worrying about having to do it just makes it worse, and actually doing it is cathartic?

More the satisfaction of realizing that the reason you've been at essentially the same point for two months is that your original clever idea for how to handle Carlotta's party is now completely sprawling and out-of-control beyond any hope of salvation. And then doing something about it.