Corrupted

I just hate when my self insert protagonist does something I don't want him to do. I feel betrayed.

Messed around with Da Capo 3 to take a breather from the heavy stuff since I already had it downloaded. What the heck happened to the character design?! Da Capo 3's heroines look like clones of eachother all with the same exact round face. There's nothing unique and interesting like Anzu, Minatsu, Akane from Da Capo 2.

Three new suggestions that are all English translated? Yis, heckin' helpful! Shinko seems so popular as to be a good Japanese study goal in and of herself. Are you suggesting Favorite's games as easy to read in Japanese or as a good Mare-like character?

Fuck me. Played Evenicle for a zillion hours, probably very close to the end of the game, and it finally crossed the damn line for me and I had to close the game and step away from my computer. The game already disturbed me several times and I was able to get over it, even get into it. I could rationalize every cheesy artificial sexual premise and torture porn scene as something that fit the unique and interesting sci-fi setting, and even go back and fap to it later if I was too surprised by it to be anything but sickened at the time I first encountered it. When the world was cruel, it made the kind parts better. The main character was always on the right side of things, if perhaps for the wrong reasons. But he worked towards making the world a better place with less suffering. I never once see him turn down helping someone even if he's character is supposed to be potentially selfish enough to do so. Nope, he always steps up and does the right thing when it comes time and I can get behind that and sorta forgive his slight rapeyness. There's even a good in-world explanation for the flaws in his character. But wait: My immersion. Where did it go. Come back. Now I'm definitely too scared to play Rance. It's gonna make me mad.

Gah. Maybe I'll try one of the easiest ones to read after I finish Fate House Morgana and see how it goes. Gotta finish that one now, I'm committed.

Loli...Yandere...*drool*

Score! As long as there'a at least one person that reads my little self-conscious play-diary, then I am validated in my spam. Thanks! Yeah I've learned my lesson on pushing through on recommended games many times over. CLANNAD took me SO many tries to actually get through my first playthrough, then became the mindblowing, lifechanging experience that got me into VNs. Just recently, Ever17 bored me and frustrated me...then I got to the end and it laughed in my face for ever doubting it. I'm procrastinating on Fate Morgana by finishi Evenicle and Nekopara atm. Nekopara rubs my heart in a very special, unexpected way...every time a completely dependent cat girl asks me for money for a vending machine or permission to walk to the back of a store and look at something my BDSM Dom's heart goes aflutter. And Evenicle is imply the best turn-based JRPG style game I have ever played. Years after I swore off that medium, here I am actually going out of my way to explore everything and get into unnecessary combat because the game is so fun and rewarding. My only complaint is that I can't keep up with Aster - my refractory period is longer than his, so I can't keep up with the pace of the sex scenes! I suppose I am too scared to look up recommended play orders but...I regret doing G-String wrong. I WOULD like recommendations when the play order is super necessary to the experience. Really hard for me to determine that that's the case ahead of time without risking spoilers, you know? Sounds like I should at least also concern myself with Hapymaher, like you said. Perhaps I'll make a post later to research what people think are necessary play orders.

Players of Games is number 2 in the series. Don't let any reservations about Consider Phlebas hold you back. Player of Games is usually recommended instead of Consider Phlebas as your introduction into the Culture universe because it's all around a superior book and much more indicative of what the later books in the series is like. You should DEFINITELY read Player of Games. It is REALLY good. Like, best-of-the-best-sci-fi good. After that you can just read them in order of publication. The series tends to reference older books and you'd miss out on those little references if you read them out of order; that said, each novel is written so that it can be read entirely on its own, so it really doesn't matter what order you read them in. There will literally only be one or two paragraphs in the entire book that reference the old stuff and you won't even notice. I like Consider Phlebas; it's so action and scenery heavy that it reminds me of Blade Runner or Star Wars. It would make a great movie. He writes one more in this style, "Against a Dark Background". Every other novel in the series is less straight action and more well-balanced into action, drama, philosophy, and sci-fi mindfuckery, often with very wild and experimental story structure. You can really see Banks get better and better as the series goes on, but he's already amazing starting with Player of Games. Consider Phlebas is sort of a prequel that sets the background for "The Culture" while every other novel takes place "in" the Culture, more or less. Anywho, I hope you end up reading Player of Games and telling me about it! The Damage chapter was the best chapter because it was a fantastic tense setting and drama set around a fascinating game concept, instead of constantly running and shooting action Star Wars style; if that's what you liked most, you'll like the rest of the series. ESPECIALLY Player of Games - because he basically went "Ok, let's take the Damage scene from Consider Phlebas that everyone liked the most and make a whole book out of it".

I don't make a huge distinction between 3d art and 2d art, beyond making the obvious observation that most 3d art sucks. 2d art versus real porn aka 3d world live action porn - I'd say 2d porn is much more accessible and efficient. I can google what I want and have it and be done and it won't take all night. 3d porn, while potentially reaching greater heights of awesome than 2d porn ever could, requires 10x the time and effort to search through to find the good parts. The longer my life, the more live action porn I've fapped to, the more specific and demanding my tastes become, and the more effort and open tabs and hours out of the night it takes before I'm satisfied. Not efficient. But I can search some hentai and be done in 10 minutes. After all, anime girls can do things real girls can't...at least not without searching REAL HARD on the internet to find rare instances when they do ^_^. 2d/internet porn in general vs real life relationships - yet another balancing equation of maximum result versus efficiency. Real life sex, the "best of the best everything you've ever wanted with someone you love and think is hot" kind is exponentially better than any porn experience. However, the effort and time investment is also exponentially greater, and you have to deal with the excruciating fallout of what happens after the honeymoon period is over and sex/love starts dying off, or you breakup and/or get heartbroken for any other reason. In contrast, I read a VN, fall in love over a couple dozen hours, then get bored with that heroine and move on without being an evil person. In real life when I get bored of someone in 2 years (as I always do) it's tragic and makes me the bad guy. I'd say my perfect plan is to have several real life relationships so I can have experiences that allow me to deeply connect with the romantic themes of VNs then just enjoy VNs forever. Yush. This is what I'm doing.

Created this thread because I saw you reading Consider Phlebas in your signature, @Funyarinpa, and suddenly got reminded of the existence of my favorite sci fi series. Didn't want to get too off-topic discussing non-VN things in that thread so I made this one instead

They are my favorite books and I've read them all multiple times. They're so twisty, that any discussion should be in careful spoilers. In that way, I'd say they have a bit in common with my favorite VNs. I wouldn't be surprised if the same people that enjoy the same VNs I enjoy would also enjoy Mr. Banks's series. For reference, his Culture Books are: Consider Phlebas (1987). London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-44138-9 The Player of Games (1988). London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-47110-5 Use of Weapons (1990). London: Orbit. ISBN 0-356-19160-5 Excession (1996). London: Orbit. ISBN 1-85723-394-8 Inversions (1998). London: Orbit. ISBN 1-85723-626-2 Look to Windward (2000). London: Orbit. ISBN 1-85723-969-5 Matter (2008). London: Orbit. ISBN 978-1-84149-417-3 Surface Detail (2010). London: Orbit. ISBN 978-1-84149-893-5 The Hydrogen Sonata (2012). London: Orbit. ISBN 978-0-356-5015 But I've also read and would like to discuss his non-culture Sci Fi: Against a Dark Background (1993). London: Orbit. ISBN 1-85723-031-0 Feersum Endjinn (1994). London: Orbit. ISBN 1-85723-235-6 The Algebraist (2004). London: Orbit. ISBN 1-84149-155-1 Transition (2009). London: Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 978-0-316-73107-2. (Published in the United States as Iain M. Banks.) It's impossible to pick a favorite because they're all such utterly perfect masterpieces. But if were pressed to, I'd pick Look To Windward from the Culture series, and Feersum Endjinn from the non-culture books. In both cases I'm biased, because they focus on a theme that is extremely important to me: [very minor overall theme spoiler for those two novels] Although it's safe to say that that theme is ever-present in all his books, especially the later ones where it became very relevant to Mr. Banks's own life.

Blind is the only way I do it! I'm not really offended by any content. If it's going to be incredibly depressing with not cathartic relief possible I'd want a heads up, otherwise I'm good. Wouldn't that be called "utsuge"? I'd want to have my head on straight before challenging that genre, I think. Oh hey I just noticed in your signature that you're reading Consider Phlebas? Solid choice! Siiiiccckkk booooookkkk. One of my favorites, ever. My favorite author is Iain Banks, my favorite series is his culture/sci-fi series, and I've read every single one in it from Consider Phlebas to The Hydrogen Sonata. Hell I've read them all twice, sometimes three times or more. If you ever want to chat about those books hit me up, it would be my pleasure!

Daw. That really made my day. Thank you <3.

Hah yup that's pretty much the point of my recommendation threads and polls. I want to have just enough reason to think I might seriously like something about a VN (It has a robo-waifu or a daughter-waifu or jealousy etc) then jump in blind. Also I just analyze things to death and that's half the fun of life for me. I am literally a career Data Analyst. If I don't have to whip out excel to figure out how to win in PVP in an MMO or Dark Souls or such than I'm bored. Also my random picks led me to waste time with garbo like Yandere (the VN, not the lovely genre). I don't have time for that nonsense.

I actually have a decent Japanese foundation...I studied one year and studied abroad in Japan another year, and even learned a couple hundred kanji when I was last laid up bored for 8 months. Despite all that, I still feel like a miserable beginner when it comes to speaking, reading, or writing. I can learn visually pretty well, but as an audio learner I am so slow. If I've gained anything it's just the ability to hear it a lot better than when I first started. I can kinda follow along from the audio dialogue of a VN. It's just enough to make me constantly go - "How the heck did that translate to THAT". Over, and over, and over again. I start getting frustrated, wanting to know what's really going on, with this unnerving feeling that the translation is lying to me or dumbing it down or making a ridiculous cross cultural presumption. Anywho, if I survive the big hurdle of the next 6 months ~ 1 year, than I'll probably have another 30 years or so; PLENTY of time to hop back on the study wagon. But until then, my best rationalization has led me to believe that my most efficient usage of time is consuming, not studying. If I read every VN I want to read, read every book I want to read, play every game I want to play, or just get too intellectually bored, I may jump on it before then. It is really nice to have it to look forward to, though.

Maybe it's just me. I'm so terrified of spoilers that I won't even read the summary in VNDB. I won't look up a song in youtube because I'm afraid my eyeball my glance a spoiler somewhere on the page (Happened for me for Grisaia). The idea of even google searching a walkthrough before finishing at the very least my virgin playthrough gives me terror. If you even talk to me during a movie and make guesses as to what will happen I might punch you. The fact that I'm using these forums at all is an accomplishment. I've only been minored spoiled a couple times so far. I think my desperate need to have any outlet at all to share my VN joy with simply overwhelms the terror of spoilers. I have tried to explain to family and friends what a revolutionary experience discovering VNs has been but I quickly gave up because I saw it was gonna get annoying. I've managed to bribe a couple people to try some, but to no real result. One person only has Mac so I could only really get them to try Katawa shoujo, but they still haven't even gotten past the first couple days -.-. Got my brother to try DDLC and he didn't even

Oh you don't think the scene I missed in MLA was "necessary?" that does make me feel a little better. Yes. Please. Lie to me. More. <.< >.> ...... ... You use a walkthrough to play a VN from the start?!?!!?

If only DC wasn't so tragically annoying to navigate...yeah I think DC series is the only time I "skipped" through, ever. That and if I ... finish too quickly with a hentai scene, then I got skip through and get out of there before i get horrified at 30 minutes of terrible pointless dialogue. (Looking at you If My Heart Had Wings) I seriously gotta give you a squint for not finishing CLANNAD and doing the Afterstory completely. I went into that shit blind, as my very first long VN, and it rocked my world. Right after I was double rocked by Tomoyo After - a fantastic entry into VN land for me! If we're also listing "VN Regrets" I have two more that are bugging me. G-Senjou Even Worse, MLA Also, I started up The House in Fate Morgana tonight, but I'm like whoa not sure at all what to make of it yet. Waaaaay different than anything else I've played. Will probably have to force myself a little to get used to something new, as I usually have to.

For some reason, the best attributes of a heroine often change for the worst when they're the romantic interest? The biggest example that comes to my mind was Sachi from Grisaia. She's my favorite character in every route except her own. But it seems like it's not a hard rule, by any means. Ugh, if you keep saying stuff about DC 1 like that I'm going to feel obligated to go back and finish the game proper. I'm a completionist and I'm still beating myself up over everything I ever don't finish. But I really have a hard time with that game so I don't wanna. Other shit that's constantly bothering me for not completing it: 1. I stopped after I got the ending I liked in Saya No Uta because I was afraid of what would happen in other endings. 2. I didn't play the side stories in Grisaia 2, or the prologue in Grisaia 3. 3. I didn't play Clannad side stories, gah why did i buy them.

Alright I'm saying this poll is finished because we actually have something that's significantly ahead and I don't want to wait too long and that to change! The House in Fate Morgana is the winner! Going to start it tonight! I hope this pleases @Funyarinpa - this game only got on my radar because they talked it up in the previous poll thread. I suppose I'll use this thread to spoiler thoughts on playing the game for anyone that's interested in sharing my first run experience just as I did for Ever17 - instead of creating yet another thread and more spam.

Alright. Made more progress in Evenicle. Just got to the point when: Also knocked out Sakura's route in Da Capo 1 because I felt guilty about not getting all the references in Da Capo 2, and because in another thread someone mentioned there was enjoyable jealousy from Nemu. And oh was there! Jealousy is the best! Sakura's route was actually great and I have no complaints. I also, in general, really like Nemu and the MC's caretakery relationship with her, even if her route bored and depressed me to quitting the game in the first place. As if often the case, I liked her more when it wasn't her route. I think after Ever17 I'm a little more conditioned to accept old graphics, as well, which made getting through it easier - that and I skipped through all dialogue that wasn't with Sakura because I didn't want to get bored again. There was one aspect of that path of Da Capo 1 that was a delightful surprise:

...Oops. Going out of my way to list as many as possible may have backfired. Now the results are crazy spread out with no clear winner. Oh well, back to Evenicle until it resolves itself. Ramius and Gurigura, I missed you!

@cro-mag Finally finished Ever17 and these are my thoughts: I also just want to say thank you to everyone that voted Ever17 and Planetarian. They were SO GOOD.

Is the teamspeak server I saw mentioned still in existence?

Accidentally posted this by hitting the enter button before I entered all the poll options. Am now editing the rest of the options in. Edit: Whew ok fixed, all poll options added. Still open to adding new ones per suggestions, of course!