#failbetter

[failbettergames]

Mandrake - the rural life sim that we’re working on - will have character creation options and character traits raised through playing which change how your conversations will go. Here’s me (Hannah, the newsletter person/tumblr wrangler) to give an example of a typical introductory conversation with one of your neighbours.

[succubytez]

Commission for @benthicbloom Mrs Wines feeling itself 🦇

[cyberturbine]

[the-masterless-press]

Where is the Efficient Commissioner during this hell?

In Parabola floating aimlessly

[aeondeug]

my playthrough is being done as an alloaro characteer. i was initially going to go with just a romance with fucking run but like. upon thinking about it. given that i, a bisexual demiromantic, am never provided aromantic options in games like these i felt i needed to play one that gave me that. and i am really, really appreciating that option.

the game lets me pick this from the get go and i don't feel like i'm being shorted any content because i didn't feel up to romance. it's also acknowledged in game? like it's a small thing i guess but it did mean a lot when archie was like "i never thought i was someone up to the flesh without the heart" or whatever the hell it was. like i am in relationships with people who are alloromantic, all of them. and i do like that. i liked flirting and stuff prior to my having romantic feelings for them too. but like. i do really want to just feel like i'm allowed to instantly be sexually attracted to someone and feel like i'm allowed to pursue sex for sex's sake and not have that be a lesser thing. and i really, really, REALLY want to just be able to sleep with friends i'm attracted to and not in love with and i don't have to worry about someone thinking i'm leading them on just because i don't feel a certain way.

this leads me to the like way this is all presented to the player in game. namely that the game asks you up front upon meeting a character if you'd like to pursue them. this i found a bit weird upon first seeing it but i was excited and so at the second opportunity i had i got over my weird shame over it and just went yeah let's fuck this person, that is what i would like to do game. and then it doesn't judge me for this. it just goes sure, here's that content and it feels like it is around for something other than titillation. i don't mind titillation. gods know i don't. but like i dunno it's nice to have a character who is apparently my friend and i can just go "yeah i'm down to fuck" and then that means something emotionally without romance attached.

also this kind of helps me with my priorities in game since i can just go "yes, yes, no, no, no, yes" at everyone and then look at my little journal and go "right, this is who we are prioritizing". so i don't have the urge to get distracted and off task. i will admit it comes off as a bit clunky and very openly game-y even when compared to shit like tokimemo where meeting characters is literally based off grinding specific stats. i'm able to put that aside though and there are aspects about it i like. because, again, it does feel nice to have the game go "so here's this lady. do you want to fuck her just based on vibes alone?" and that's. fine. like it's fine. for once i'm not being judged for my lust at first sight deal and it's just...wonderful.

so for like the faults it does have with pacing and with weird obtuse systems i do really like this game a lot.

[im-ej-arts]

my parts of the 6-way switch around from the fallen london/sunless oc server!

first was sketched by @zecchou, lined by @ambereddragonfire and coloured by me.

second was sketched by @ambereddragonfire and lined by me

the last was sketched by me.

the finished grid below, featuring @emway99, @anchor-ice and @missiefishu:

[xederam]

also if you wanna know why i dont like failbetter take a look at this, a description of how they sincerely fucked one of their main members with false allegations and general haranguing

[cadaver1ne]

Why do you think he has had to grow his sideburns out?