I've been in a bit of an art slump over the last few months - so I've went through some of my old stuff and tried to identify the things that I liked/disliked stylistically about my work. This picture of Sym and Dys had a lot of the "bleh" I've been feeling lately about my coloring, so I took another stab at coloring it with a slightly different technique.
I'm still not entirely pleased, but I think it's a step in the right direction. I really enjoy defining shape with line, and having a bit of a crisper, more graphic look to my art.
Old version under the cut to make it easier to compare.
Sdfghjkl you can't just say that there's a second storyline with the boiz and not provide any details on how to get there! D:
For obvious reasons, this whole post is SPOILERS!! The instructions here are minimal spoilers, but I'm including the entire transcript of the scene below the cut.
Per Jobs_expeditions_artifacts.exo, you need to:
Set Sol to polyamorous (easiest option IMO is to date Rex and Marz simultaneously, then break up with both; IDR the other methods)
Get friendship 90+ with Dys
Flirt with Dys at least once
DO NOT onboard Dys OR Sym's relationship
Complete Wresting Ridge's first four (4) boss fights before Dys set us up the bomb.
Return to the Wresting Ridges after either Dys bomb route
Once Dys & Sym come out to you and explain their plan, you'll receive a different dialogue option for convincing Dys.
>>"Because I'm in love with you, spacehead!!"
This option has a whole little branch with Sym being Particularly Sym about these wayward teens thinking his 20 thousand year old alien ass cares if they also make out.
Anyway, here's the transcript, and remember:
MAJOR SPOILERS
>> "Because I'm in love with you, spacehead!"
Dys fumbles his dinner into the fire and stares at you. "Y-you... you what?" he stammers, "I... wait, you are?"
He stands up. "And you didn't... I can't believe you! How _dare_ you! How dare you come to me now," he spits, gesturing at the wilderness around you, "after I went through hell, thinking I was alone! That no one loved me!"
>> 1: "I'm sorry. I'm here now."
Dys's expression softens. "You are," he says, quietly. His fists unclench, and he looks at you as if he wants to cry. "I waited so long for you, [Name]..."
Proceed to [dysKiss]
>> 2: "You're not the easiest person to love…"
Dys seems to deflate before your eyes. His expression softens, like he's about to cry. "I know," he replies, quietly. "I'm a real asshole. I always was. But... I never really thought I had a chance with you, [Name]."
Proceed to [dysKiss]
>> 3: "Clearly, Sym does! That's two, asshole!"
Dys deflates, and he turns to look at Sym with a conflicted expression. Sym only laughs. "Oh, please," he says, waving his hands at you both. "By all means, continue!"
Proceed to [dysKiss]
[dysKiss]
Dys's eyes drop to your mouth, and you have a thrilling few moments to consider what that means before you're kissing. Well, being kissed.
Dys grips the lapels of your jacket, crushing your lips together. It's inelegant and desperate, and Dys makes a noise into your mouth like he was the one surprised by the kiss. He makes it again when you swipe your tongue over his lips, opening your mouth to bite and taste of each other.
You break for breath, chests heaving, and just stare at each other.
"Oh!" Sym says, causing you both to jump. You'd almost forgotten he was there. "You young creatures are so _wonderfully_ unpredictable!" He clasps his hands to his chest in delight. "What _is_ it like to have organic sexual desire? Truly, I cannot imagine it." Dys wipes his mouth and stares at you, wild-eyed.
"Come with me," he says, suddenly. "Come be a Gardener with me."
>> 1: "Wait… what about you and Sym?"
Dys looks at Sym, who looks back at you both blankly before startling, realizing you expect him to weigh in.
"Oh! No, this is delightful," he says. "Monogamous pair-bonding is unfathomable to me. When one has spent some time as a flower being pollinated by hundreds of one's closest friends, it changes how one feels about infidelity."
He gestures broadly to the both of you. "Don't let me get in the way."
>> 2: "I can't. I'm here to bring you home."
Dys looks like he wants to argue, his red kiss-bitten mouth working in silence for a few moments before his shoulders slump.
"I... okay," he says. "I'll give it a shot. For you."
>> 3: "If it means being with you… okay."
Dys looks like he's about to continue arguing, but your acceptance stops him in his tracks. "What... really?"
He looks at Sym. "Can [Sol] do that?"
Sym thinks it over. "Well... by the letter of Noctilucent's offer... no," he says, carefully. "But the Gardeners are big-picture thinkers, almost to a fault. Most of them don't even recognize your species as individuals, so they won't know the difference."
His eyes seem to twinkle. "And as for Noctilucent... well. I have ways of handling them."
[Causes Join The Gardeners ending route.]
>> 4: "I cant be with you if you're with Sym."
Dys's face crumples, but Sym only shrugs.
"I accept this," he says, simply.
Dys whips around to argue, but Sym holds up his hands placatingly. "It is not that I do not love you," he assures Dys, "it is that I am capable of loving you regardless of what human constraints [Name] has placed on that love."
Sym gives you a slight smile. "No offense, [Sol], but I am eternal. I can outwait you. Dys _will_ return to me, be it by his own choice, or when he becomes a Gardener, or when his essence returns to the planet and into my caretaking. I do not begrudge you your jealousy."
Dys looks at you, hopefully.
>> 5: "I can't. But… I support your decision."
Dys's eyes fill with tears.
"Y-you do?" he says. "But... we won't be able to be together."
Sym clears his throat. "Well. _Technically,_" he says, "You will become a part of the planet itself, as I am. [Sol] is a part of the ecosystem, and therefore... everything [Sol is] will be within your domain."
He smiles. "And when [Sol's] physical form fails and [Sol returns] all that [Sol] took from the planet, you'll be together, forever. I can think of nothing _more_ romantic."
You thumb away Dys's tears, and he smiles as well: sadly, but tinged with a little flicker of hope. "I'll wait for you," he promises. "Take as long as you want."
I realized after the fact that I messed up Sym's ears >> might go back and fix it later. Idk why, I like the idea of Dys's hair-decoration coming from Sym.
okay, i have tried three times now to no avail. can you help me with the correct route to get the poly sym/dys/sol relationship? please i’m desperate
Okay, so, I assume you've done Peace With The Gardeners.
SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT FORWARD.
To get the poly ending, you have to:
Do not date Dys when relationship with him reaches 100
But do flirt with Dys when the options arise otherwise
Do flirt with Sym, but do not date him until after this process
Let Dys blow up the wall or the medbay
Set Sol's relationship type to polyamorous (I usually just date Marz and Rex simultaneously then break up with them).
The year after Dys blows the colony and runs (which will be the next month, if he blows the wall during Glow!) Dys will be a boss event in the Wresting Ridges. This dialogue tree is usually where you either convince him to return to the colony, or help him upload to the array.
What should happen is, Sym will "accidentally" (on purpose) call Dys 'beloved' or similar, and Dys will confirm he and Sym are dating. Then you'll get to talk to Sym or Dys individually (you can go back and forth as many times as you like).
Normally, you would have to ask Sym to send Dys home with you. However, because the game remembers you flirted with Dys but didn't date him, you will have a romantic dialogue option to ask Dys to return to the colony with you as well.
Following this tree will establish that Sym is okay with sharing, and you can then take Dys back to the colony.
After this point, you can also start dating Sym.
Alternatively, if you bring Dys home the usual way, then do his 100-friendship event, you can start dating him and Sym after he returns to the colony. However, you'll miss out on all the fun dialogue in the Wresting Ridges event!!
