I was fine with the question. I was just trying to determine what your definition was. Typically when I think of a "definitive edition" of something, it's usually several versions later after a game is completed maybe with add-ons, DLC, or upgrades or things like that. Then part of me just thinks that's a marketing ploy and using a specific term to try to identify their product differently. You used the word a few times in your OP so I was curious of your definition. I guess based on my understanding of the term, I'd say I have no plans to release a definitive edition-- I'd just release the final game when it's complete. As far as I'm concerned, the final Revamp edition should be the definitive edition of the game.
However, if you're question was asked based on why I release the story episodically versus just releasing the entire game in one update, that's a different question entirely. If this is what you meant, then I have no plans to release a game at this time that would just be one update with the full story. I prefer the episodic releases for a lot of reasons.
1) Episodic is just more fun. It's fun to have chapters that stop and cause readers to pause and think about a certain circumstance and the "anxiety" that you referenced in you OP is an important emotion to sit with for a bit. On our Discord, here, and on my Patreon and even other websites, people get to debate and guess what's happening. That was a big deal during the original game development. I had servers crashing during updates based on the volume of downloads because people were excited. that energy was fun but it only existed based on the anxiety of having to wait.
2) Episodic releases get you more content faster. I started Straight!? back in 2017. Which means if I didn't release episodically, I would have posted on a forum one time and then waited 6 years before anyone saw anything else. I'd rather give people something as it comes out-- the same way a TV show would or an ongoing manga or comic series.
3) Episodic gives me more time to adjust to public reaction. If i released the game in one lump, I would have no time to interact with fans and hear their thoughts throughout the story. The evolution of Straight!? is very much based on fan reactions. Side characters like Cody and Ash appeared more frequently because of subtle reactions from the fan base. I literally got ideas from hearing fans react and talk and that made the project better. It also allowed me to learn better ways the community was interpreting things so that I could adjust or even hide certain aspects of the story to make them more of a surprise later (like some of the twists). we wouldn't have seen that to the depth that it occurred without the fan base reacting in real time to each update. similarly, this also gave me a chance to learn how to write because i've never done this before.
4) Episodic gives me a chance to take breaks and not burn out. When an update drops, it usually forces me to take a break. While i'm much better at taking breaks now than I used to be, i do still sometimes need reminders and updates have always been a good time to do that. I release an update and i sit back and wait to make sure things are working, if they are, i get to walk away for a bit, clear my head, and regroup. It would be much harder for me to do that if the light at the end of the tunnel was 6 years away versus one to three months.
5) Episodic also shows that I'm actually working. Indie game devs, particularly in the adult field, have a terrible track record for updating things, stealing, milking, being jerks, and just generally abandoning things after they cash out. With regular updates, people know that I'm still working. They can see what I'm doing and experience it. The alternative would be me taking the George RR Martin approach where i promise fans, they assuming i'm working, but then 20 years passes and no one has seen it. I want people to see things along the way and many of the followers of the project just appreciate those updates. They want to hear and see that this thing is still in production and not abandoned like so many other games or canceled TV shows.
Just finished reading and i've never felt this many emotions before lol... but this is a masterpiece. The quote "nothing lasts forever" really resonates with me as I just just graduated with a psychology degree and my professor saying this to us as well make me feel a type of way i cannot describe. Now i know you said in a previous comment you're working on one thing at a time, but do you have any thoughts on making a sequel or even making it a series? In all seriousness this is one of the best game/novels i have ever got to read, so thank you.
jokes aside, thanks for reading and checking in. there's been a handful of people in the professional or associated professions over the years that have jumped on board the story and it's always fun to get that perspective. but first off, gratz on your graduation and i wish you success in the field :)
in terms of a sequel, nothing yet. yep, one project at a time for me. i can't multitask and i always fear that juggling too many things at once will scatter my thoughts more. if i take on a project, i want my audience to know that it will get my full attention. but sequel-wise, nothing yet. i worked really hard on the ending to check a lot of boxes and a sequel could destroy that. i'm ok doing more but only if i think i can do better than this story. sequels seem to be the standard nowadays and they keep pumping them out until they run stories into the ground. sometimes it's better to end on a high so i'm very much against jump pumping out the story as a money-maker. i like this story and it doesn't deserve to be ruined as a cash grab. but we'll see. the revamp is my main focus right now and much of the experience i'm gettring with the revamp could easily be turned into new ideas for future stuff--whatever that may be :)
but thank you for your kind words. seriously . i appreciate you reading the story and just taking time out of your busy life to post some nice stuff in the comments here. thank you <3
heya, glad you found me and hello. so gonna need some more information. like the follow-up response asked (mobile or desktop)? Are you getting any specific errors?
i will say the most common issue that i've seen is for desktop. If you didn't notice, the file is compressed which means it needs unzipped or extracted before you can play it. this keeps the download smaller. Windows has a built in extractor or you can use 3rd party apps like 7zip to unpack it.
I'm not sure if this is the answer you are looking for, but I also installed on mobile. I had to first make sure that I changed my settings to allow "install from unknown sources". From there, I was able to go into my files and click on the apk file.
Maybe Aaryn can give you more detail, but I had troubles at first, too, and this worked for me.
The advice by ShadowHaven here is a good start. Since Str8 isn't an official app from the app store, you'll have to do the "install from unknown source" thing. Also, if the game does start and you get a black screen, give it a few to load. Depending on the age of your device, it can take longer to load on older models. The newest version of the game (currently on Patreon) has a splash screen notifying people of that but that was only added on the most recent one. Hopefully the unknown source thing is what's holding you up, though. Try that and let me know.
Another option could be to join our Discord if you have it. that's real-time talking and we may be able to help. we also have several other android users on there that usually drop tips or help people out
I’m using iPhone. There isn’t a problem with installing it, but when I inzip the files and try to open the application, I just get a blank page with the name and application written under it
I have tried downloading on my Chromebook now something has opened but the loading bar keeps getting stuck right at the end where it says “AD will appear”
Ok, so to catch up here: the game is not supported on iPhone. There is a MAC download but that's only going to work on MACs and not the actual iphone. apple has a ton of restrictions to their content and trying to meet all of their demands would heavily censor important parts to the story's narrative so i just generally avoid the apple app store.
that being said, it should work on your chromebook but i also know those can be challenging. you should be able to run the .sh file from the Linux version or it could be possible to run the android version on the chromebook
I'm almost done reading and I love it but I'm so emotional over it, too! I'm seriously about to cry. Understandably, nothing last forever, but I REALLY don't want this to end. Braden just left and a huge part of me wants Zack to go with Braden to support him and maybe they even get an apartment together during the summer break.
On a separate note, I can relate so closely to the feelings of both of these characters. Currently, I have a wife and she knows about my attraction to men... she just doesn't know how much I desire thekind of relationship you have portrayed between Zack and Braden. All of their insecurities, their personal battles, EVERYTHING, I have felt over and over again. But I love their acceptance of each other and their willingness to work through challenges together.
Admittedly, I started reading through this for the sexual aspects of the story. However, it did not take me ANY time to feel an attachment to the characters and desire to know them better.
I really hope that the story doesn't end at the end of the semester. My heart is already shattering at the thought of Zack and Braden separating.
Heya, glad you liked the story and i'll take all the emotions as a compliment. I will say that you may want to edit your original post to state there are major spoilers. lot of people come down here and read the first few comments first before even starting the game and I'd hate to see others get spoiled with your post just from generally reading. Thanks in advance :)
Heya, thanks. i appreciate it. hopefully, i didn't come off too strong on that but when this story came out, the Discord server was buzzing with every update. people were on the edge of their seat and that was just fun. i think the anxiety of not being able to control certain things-- unlike most VNs-- is fun here because it actually creates tension. But sorry if i came off strong about the spoilers. I just didn't wanna ruin that for someone else if they were having a good experience :)
So back to your other comments that i think were removed now so if that was a privacy thing, i'll just vaguely acknowledge that I'm happy given your relationship status that the story tracks. it's always nice to hear from different demographics that read this story and how it related to them. i'm truly happy it held up for you as well. i know you said you're going through the story with different choices now but also consider checking out the Revamp if you want to relive the whole thing again but as a massive upgrade. i'm working my ass off on that version right now and i'm way more satisfied with it than the original
Nothing lasts forever. And just like that, I finished your game today after playing it for almost one and a half months, almost on a daily basis.
I don’t know where to start. Maybe with this: Thank you so much.
The life of your protagonist have become part of my life over time. It was comforting to spend time with them, laugh, cry, smile and grow with them.
To learn from them.
I deeply hope many young people play your game and get the chance to avoid the mistakes that I’ve made during my life. Mistakes, that I wouldn’t have made had I played your game at a young age. I’m over 50 years old. I know there are things in life that each of us regrets and yes, we grow and learn by making mistakes, but human beings can also learn from others, heck, otherwise we wouldn’t need any kind of education.
What I want to say is, that during the story, I often wished I could go back in time with this knowledge and act and react differently in certain situations in my life.
Who is to say if it’d make my life better – or worse – but that’s not even the point. There are at least a handful of decisions that you made and you later regret. It doesn’t mean that they were objectively wrong or right and there’s no way to ever know it. But it doesn’t matter. You regret them, that matters. You regret them, because making them was unnecessary. With a little bit more knowledge from people with more experience or wiser or older people, you might have done things differently. If not for your own benefit, than at least for the one of the people around you, especially the most important ones – friends.
It took me 29 years to stop living in fear, to stop living a lie. And so much longer to catch up. Your game would’ve given me strength and with that strength I wouldn’t have wasted so much time.
That’s why I hope your game will help others not to do the same.
Thank you for allowing me to dive into the world that you’ve created and to teach me something new along the way. You’re never to old to learn new stuff.
On a lighter note, each night when I played the game, I listened to the score of ‘The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button’ by Alexandre Desplat. For me, the music is from now on and forever entangled with the story of Zack and Braden and not with the movie anymore.
And one of the tracks is even named ‘Nothing lasts’.
heya, thank you for the long and thoughtful response to the project. I'm glad it resonated with you and i'm equally grateful that you found it thought provoking-- especially for an adult-related story.
I guess I will make a point related to much of the regret you discussed. I think all of us make mistakes as we mature and sometimes that translates into regret. But i honestly think that's the wrong way of looking at it. all of us mature differently. another way of looking at this is that many of us are stubborn or resistant to learning certain things for our own personal reasons. Because of that, sometimes the only thing that truly changes us are the "hard" lessons. And while those hard lessons sometimes have consequences, the consequence is what it took to teach the lesson. if it hadn't hurt so bad, we probably wouldn't have finally learned. you stated these decisions were "unnecessary" but I'd argue that, for us to learn, they were-- most because we had ignored any of the easier lessons along the way. without the consequence, we would have continued to be resistant. So i think regret sucks, for sure, but sometimes it was the necessary tool that we personally needed to learn a valuable lesson that is now very much a part of us. the consequence then becomes the very thing that protects that lesson. on the other side of the coin, though, you probably learned lessons that your neighbor had to learn the hard way so i like to think that it balances out in the long run. the story really pushes this ideology with consequences for these guys and sometimes it's easier for us to learn those lessons when we watch characters that we care about fall apart. that empathy can be a valuable teacher. but thank you for playing and thank you for taking the story seriously. that means a lot to me. Also, that's wild with the soundtrack you listened to. weird coincidence for sure. if you haven't checked out the Revamp and you wanna give the story another go, be sure and give it a try. i promise it's better. it has it's own soundtrack and sounds and looks waaaaay better than the original from the beginning.
Easily the best visual novel I have seen. It is a slow burn but the pacing makes the character and story progression so much more meaningful. This vn greatly resonated with me and I feel like if found it a few years ago it would have helped me in better understanding and perhaps even accepting certain aspects of myself. The struggle and internal conflict with one’s own sexuality. The shame and confusion, the building of walls to protect yourself. Wishing so desperately to be “normal”. There is so much I love about this visual novel. There are so many more things I wish I could say but can’t find the right words to express them. I just want to say thank you for creating and sharing this.
<3 thank you and thanks for reading. i'm a fan of the slow burn = meaning as well. i really did want this story to matter or possibly have some "use" to it for those that were open to any messages it was sending. thanks for taking it seriously and dont worry, i cried too and i wrote the damn thing :p
if you haven't seen the Revamp, check it out. i'm still working on it and it's easily lightyears ahead of the original.
I keep re-reading what Braden says at the station. And I just keep crying. I rarely experience emotions but this is just so beautiful. What an amazing writer. What a wonderful story. Just thank you for this.
well thank you. without putting spoilers here, i'm glad you enjoyed that scene, it has one of the best lines in the game according to a lot of people :)
I'm still very early into the (revamp) game but I needed to pop on to say... This is really great. The writing/plot in particular. You've got a really great style that is thoughtful, funny, and engaging. I'll be back when I've played a little more.
haha. i like hearing from earlier readers. thank you so much! so the original game beginning was rough so it's great to hear that the start of the revamp is more engaging. glad it's hooking you early. i hope it only gets better for you. keep me posted :)
I just finished what you've got in the revamp, and obviously it's so good that I'll play thru the original too while awaiting what comes next. I went to art school and had to participate in a bunch of critiques so I hope it's okay to view through that kinda lens for this instead of just saying that it's hot (it is, though).
The story like I said is really engaging to the point that I had to force myself to go to bed instead of just getting through it in one sitting. Whoever is writing this (I'm guessing the person replying but otherwise feel free to pass this on) has a real gift for plunging readers right into those environments-- specifically, being 18/19, out on your own for the first time, and trying to figure yourself out.
The nervousness and anxiety and pining from Zack is so visceral, it feels like you're going through exactly what he is. Actually, the nervousness from both of them is really well done (being an anxious mess I can relate to the point that I started getting nervous on their behalf hahaha).
The build up is so, SO, SO good. As it should be. It feels so delicate and lovely and comforting. Like, yes there's some uneasiness on Zack's end about ~falling for the straight guy~ but because the characters are so relatable and clearly enjoy each other's company, it's not something that feels like it'll inevitably go tits up (whether it does or not, not being the issue), if that makes sense.
And, yeah, okay, it's HOT. Sexy. Effortlessly. In the way that things are when you're young and aren't fully comfortable with yourself yet and everything is new.
And like can I just say it's nice to have characters with dark eyes. I think it's one of if not the only game I've played, so far, where the characters have lovely dark eyes instead of everyone having blue/grey/sometimes green.
heya, sorry i'm slow to respond. had some irl stuff that pulled me away from answering. I appreciate the artistic and serious assessment of the story. I will warn you that going from the revamp back to the original may be sorta jarring. However, since you'd be starting at chapter 5 on the original, it may be a little easier. just know that the original game progressively looks better as i learned how to do things and the financial support allowed me to upgrade my hardware to make more detailed environments and visuals. There's also no sound in the original because i couldn't afford a soundtrack yet. I was literally learning how to use these programs in real time with each game update.
in terms of the writing and stuff, that's me. i do a majority of the work on the project including the writing and visuals. i have 2 other guys that help me when i get stuck or help polish out some of the errors and stuff but it's about 95% solo. if you go back and play the original, you'll see i was a bit more cautious since i've never really written anything but college research papers. as the game progressed and i just got more cheers from the supporters, i slowly just got more and more confident with the writing. i think the writing in the revamp is a testament to that growth and i'm happy with it so far for a first timer :)
There's definitely a lot of growth between the original and revamp, in terms of writing and everything else.
However! Honestly, going from the revamp to original is not as jarring as you might think. The writing was already good and although there are some rough spots with the visuals, it was still enough to keep me stuck in my seat (think I finished it over two days lmao) because the writing in this one really carries the story (where others might be less story focused and definitely less focused on the inner lives of the characters).
I'm trying to pick my favourite parts and I keep coming back to the way you're able to describe Zack's anxiety. The way he kinda shuts down and retreats into himself and has to really think about things when people speak to him is eerily similar to my experience, so makes sense I would relate.
Braden is such a uniquely sweet (I can't think of another word for him) character, I'm not sure I've ever read or encountered anything like him in any other media. Which is special. Not to say the protag isn't a great character as well, but considering he falls for Braden, it makes sense that we would also kind of fall in love with him through his eyes.
Okay I think I'm done now haha.
EDIT: Forgot to say I adore the ending and when we pan over to see Braden sitting across from him with that lil expression I almost died and it reminded me of a detail I hadn't flailed over enough... in the revamp, Braden sometimes sleeps curled up on his side but with his arms curled into his chest like a little kitty-cat and let's just say.. cutest shit ever.
I just finished the story, I loved it, Granted I got stuck in a weird error loop for some reason for like 15 minuets. I just wanted to say it was amazing everything was great. The art, the story, the plot and the epilogue. I'm kinda bummed it's over but, like the game says "Nothing lasts forever"
yo, heya. glad you enjoyed things. i think a lot of us were bummed it was over, including me and i wrote the damn thing. be sure to check out the revamp if you want a new experience or feel like you need to go back to the world. i promise it's 100x better. but yeah, all things must come to an end and that's what makes them matter.
in terms of the error loop, if you played the original i'd be curious to see what it is. there shouldn't be any error loops in the original. however, if you used an old save file, it will create an error loop and you're likely to miss enormous chunks of the game. some use of old saves will actually have you skip half of the last chapter so hopefully you didn't use an old save and miss stuff
I'll definitely checkout the ReVamp. From what I understand it was because some pillow talk not being defined, I still it pulled I believe if u want to see it. I just did a chapter select and it worked 😁
yep, if it said pillow talk not defined, you somehow used an old save. converations in the game are based on defining variables and those variables didn't exist in the previous save files and updates so you have to start fresh. But the chapter select menu let's you skip to various places so you don't have to replay it. you missed like half of that scene. If you're interested in seeing the entire scene, go to main menu, new game, part 4, chapter 10 update. that'll drop you at the second half of the last update. hold ctrl down to fast forward past any text you've already scene. it'll stop when it's time to make a choice or if it's text you haven't seen before. you should be able to fast forward back to that point in the game in a few seconds and then see the rest of the scene. there's some pretty heavy stuff in that scene that changes a lot.
aww. yo, thanks a lot. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I'm working on the Revamp right now then I may take a look at future projects. I don't multitask well so I gotta focus on like one thing at a time or I completely lose focus :p
So, do you think you're gonna revamp the whole game or do you think there's a chapter where you're gonna be like "this is good, I don't need to change anything from this point onwards" ?
so as i progress through the game, i'm expecting less and less work during each update. The first few updates were a mess to try and organize just because of the way the code was originally written. that slowed me down but i'm already to the point where there's less of that now so things have sped up considerably. the only update that will really need minimal work is the very last update that i did. For consistency, the entire game will need done and the only update that even had depth of field in it was the last update. but even then, there were some problems with the lighting and all of the backgrounds outside the window had to be manually put in. so short answer is that the entire game will need revamped but honestly i'm not expecting most people to notice a difference with the second half of chapter 10. all other revamped sections, there should be a noticeable difference. but in contrast to the beginning of the game, where i reshot every since shot-- the last couple updates may be me just opening up the old file and doing corrections. Crossing my fingers :)
The Revamp will follow the same story as the original. I'm just a remaster with new shots, some expanded scenes, more polished writing, and sound/music. If you're referencing a sequel, I dont have any plans for one right now. I want to focus on one project at a time and I worked really hard on the ending of this story for it to check every box that I really wanted it to. I'm not opposed to a sequel but a sequel would completely undo all the work i did at the end of this one-- so if i did that, it needs to really be worth it. So basically i'd only do a sequel if it blows this story out of the water. i don't want to just drag the story out forever as a cash grab. But we'll see :)
To the deleted post below: I actually got a chance to read this but wasn't able to respond yet. Sadly, i don't remember the particulars but it had to do with a using a translator and the font. Really wish the poster hadn't deleted because it seemed like an interesting request that was really dependent on the details they provided
Choosing the naughty roote does it mean that I'd be naughty with everyone or it's just for Braiden? (Cause honestly Braiden isn't the one I'm interested in)
A long time ago when I was working on this, I saw a ton of developers in these indie projects try to do multiple love routes and end up abandoning their game because it's so much work. The other problem with multiple routes is that you need a lot more people to work on the project with you to complete it in a timely fashion. You end up doing regular updates but people are only interested in one character so they get an update with their interest in it then have to wait another year before that character comes back around.
Straight!? only has one route. It's more the story of Zack and his relationship with others than it is a dating sim. There are two routes in the story, which is what you're talking about, but those basically change the tone of the story moreso than being an entirely different story choice. Since I'd never done any of this before, I elected to do one "love interest" and do it right versus having like 5 really shallow choices. But imo, if there's a love interest in this story, it's Zack trying to love himself.
well, i hope you enjoy. If you haven't played the original story, i promise it gets waaaay deeper than it does now. thanks for the interest and stay tuned for more. all the best to you as well and stay safe :)
If you're talking about the revamp updates, yep, there's a free update to that version dropping here on January 20. the revamp goes to patreon donations first then drops free everywhere 3 weeks later. The revamp is the only version that's being updated and it will follow the story from the original draft (v0.021.4). The original is no longer being updated so the revamp will eventually replace v0.021.4 when it's finished.
if you want the full story, you can always check out the original version, the quality isn't as good but it progressively gets better as i figured out what i was doing (hence the reason the revamp is being done). that version has all 10 full chapters. you're able to start a new game and jump to the chapter you want so you wouldn't have to start completely over
yep, it's free. all versions of the game will be free. I just do an early release to those who donate but i always wanted the full game to be available to everyone. The original version is here on the page, just scroll up to Downloads and pick one of the Str8 v0.21.4 either for PC, MAC, or Android. (if for some reason you can't find it, just let me know which version you want and i'll just reply back to this thread with a direct link for you).
Warning on that version, it starts rough because i had no idea what i was doing. You can jump to the chapter you want to start but also keep in mind that I was suuuuper new, the visuals start bad but progressively get better, and there's no sound or music (couldn't afford it yet). If you start at the beginning, you have to keep trying different choices until you get the right combination to move things forward (If you get stuck there's a readme file in the game folder with a walkthrough) but that gameplay ends by chapter 4 i think. After that, the original game is much more linear and smoother.
IF i had a recommendation for you, it would be to wait until the FREE v09 of the revamp comes out because it ends Chapter 4. Then you could download the original game and start a new game and pick it up at Chapter 5 and it would probably be a smoother play experience. that's how i'd do it :)
Thank you for creating this wonderful story! At the beginning I expected just another simple game with some NSFW content, but with each chapter I was more and more involved in the story and the characters. I finished the game yesterday (original version) and I already miss Zack, Braden and the others. I will play the revamp version now and I am looking forward for new updates.
hey, glad you liked it and happy it surprised you. that seems to be a pretty common reaction and i'm grateful for it. i like depth and that first draft of the game was just me slowly getting braver to do what i really wanted to do. anxious to hear what you thin of the revamp. i think it blows the old game out of the water. hope you enjoy :)
Not to bother or rush, but first of all I loved the game and second, will version 21.4 be the last or will you continue with the story? And really the game is perfect.
Heya, nah you're good on questions and stuff. I like interest in the project :)
So v21.4 is the final draft of the "story." The revamp is the same original story, just fleshed out more with music, a billion new renders, and some gameplay mechanic changes. However, the revamp will follow the same story and have the same ending that v21.4 had. So in other words the revamp will eventually replace v21.4 as the full game. The revamp will not progress past where v21.4 went.
In terms of follow-up beyond the original story-- as in a sequel-- nothing is planned yet. i dont multitask well at all and this story was written from a very emotional place and i think i do pretty good when i'm in that headspace. problem is, i can't juggle multiple projects or multiple headspaces. my brain just isn't wired that way. so i prefer to focus on one project at a time to make sure i finish things. I'm getting to a point in the revamp where there should be less organization required and mostly just image stuff. i'm guessing that will give me more headspace to focus on something else or start planning whatever is next. Will that be a sequel to Str8? I'm not sure. I'm careful with that and i'm protective of the characters. I dont want to rush somethign or just write a bullshit sequel as a cash grab. if i do a sequel, it's because i believe it will be better. if i can't best this first project, then i'll leave it alone. i'd rather have a planned ending like i already did versus run the story into the ground.
and thank you for your kind words. i'm seriously glad you liked the story <3
the language question is actually more popular than you think but it's kinda got pushed on the backburner. Originally, i didn't intend to translate the story because i write with so much slang. i thought it would be really hard to actually translate.
but there's been a big push for it and i've sorta come around over the years
I've done some polling on the discord and had dozens of people come out offering to translate. the problem then is trying to organize that and it's something I haven't done before.
Recently, the revamp v0.09 was a TON of work so that was my priority. Getting constant updates out will always be the priority so everything else sorta happens when i'm taking breaks from that. Then merch has been the second priority since that's been something people have been asking for for literal years now and i was kinda reluctant to pull the trigger. That's gonna launch very very soon. So i'm back to translations again. The original game will not be translated, only the revamp and the plan is to use a couple popular languages from volunteers in the discord as a test to try and organize the process and work out any kinks in the system. it's going to be a big project and will likely take a lot of time to do it but it is being looked at by the community
Thank you for your quick response. I really like your project and that’s why I started talking about translation. I translated comics, so I wanted to try translating games. If you are thinking of translating, I will be glad to try to participate in it.
i seriously appreciate the motivation. right now, translations are still in a very hypothetical stage. my initial plan was to do them using our discord and create groups to translate various languages. that gives people direct access to me to discuss intention behind the scene to help combat all my friggen slang :p
but we'll see how it goes. i'm jumping back into it soon
Aaryn, thank you so much to you (and your development team) for sharing this amazing story with us. It was a genuine pleasure to go along with Zack on his journey of self-discovery together with Braden. And while Braden was a fantastic character and romantic interest in his own right, the other supporting characters such as Mikhail and Ash/Max added so much depth and character to the overall storyline. I absolutely fell in love with Max/Ash and it was such a pleasure to peel behind more and more layers of his character to better understand him. He's an absolute sweetheart to me and I'd be "loyal to the death" for him if he was someone I actually knew. I think he deserves a spin-off story of his own - I'd pay good money for that (just saying, hint hint lol!). There was one plot twist in the story that literally got my heart racing and me quite emotional and on the edge of my seat worried about how it'd turn out. Not many AVNs can bring about such strong emotions in my, but this one sure did. So once again, thanks for sharing this story with us. This is one of the best gay AVN stories I've come across so far and I'd unconditionally recommend this AVN to anyone looking for one with a fantastic slow-burn storyline and genuinely lovable characters that have great character development arcs.
heya, thanks for checking in and i'm glad you enjoyed it. Yeah, Ash became a fan favorite and it was super fun to watch the community go on that journey over time with him. He very much serves as a reminder on the importance of not judging others quickly based on stereotypes-- plus, he's the most fun to write in the entire game. I found myself actually rolling my eyes and smiling while writing many of his scenes because even I didn't know what he was going to say or do. I appreciate you giving the story a chance, in particular with it being in the adult genre. i also appreciate the recommendation to others. i'm just now starting to advertise and share more and have mostly depended on word of mouth to get me this far. recommending, posting about, or sharing it with others you think will like it really helps me and the project itself. thank you and be sure to check out the revamp if you haven't already. it's waaaaay better from the start
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i'm not sure what you mean by a "definitive version."
Ugh, never mind, it was a dumb comment anyway.
I was fine with the question. I was just trying to determine what your definition was. Typically when I think of a "definitive edition" of something, it's usually several versions later after a game is completed maybe with add-ons, DLC, or upgrades or things like that. Then part of me just thinks that's a marketing ploy and using a specific term to try to identify their product differently. You used the word a few times in your OP so I was curious of your definition. I guess based on my understanding of the term, I'd say I have no plans to release a definitive edition-- I'd just release the final game when it's complete. As far as I'm concerned, the final Revamp edition should be the definitive edition of the game.
However, if you're question was asked based on why I release the story episodically versus just releasing the entire game in one update, that's a different question entirely. If this is what you meant, then I have no plans to release a game at this time that would just be one update with the full story. I prefer the episodic releases for a lot of reasons.
1) Episodic is just more fun. It's fun to have chapters that stop and cause readers to pause and think about a certain circumstance and the "anxiety" that you referenced in you OP is an important emotion to sit with for a bit. On our Discord, here, and on my Patreon and even other websites, people get to debate and guess what's happening. That was a big deal during the original game development. I had servers crashing during updates based on the volume of downloads because people were excited. that energy was fun but it only existed based on the anxiety of having to wait.
2) Episodic releases get you more content faster. I started Straight!? back in 2017. Which means if I didn't release episodically, I would have posted on a forum one time and then waited 6 years before anyone saw anything else. I'd rather give people something as it comes out-- the same way a TV show would or an ongoing manga or comic series.
3) Episodic gives me more time to adjust to public reaction. If i released the game in one lump, I would have no time to interact with fans and hear their thoughts throughout the story. The evolution of Straight!? is very much based on fan reactions. Side characters like Cody and Ash appeared more frequently because of subtle reactions from the fan base. I literally got ideas from hearing fans react and talk and that made the project better. It also allowed me to learn better ways the community was interpreting things so that I could adjust or even hide certain aspects of the story to make them more of a surprise later (like some of the twists). we wouldn't have seen that to the depth that it occurred without the fan base reacting in real time to each update. similarly, this also gave me a chance to learn how to write because i've never done this before.
4) Episodic gives me a chance to take breaks and not burn out. When an update drops, it usually forces me to take a break. While i'm much better at taking breaks now than I used to be, i do still sometimes need reminders and updates have always been a good time to do that. I release an update and i sit back and wait to make sure things are working, if they are, i get to walk away for a bit, clear my head, and regroup. It would be much harder for me to do that if the light at the end of the tunnel was 6 years away versus one to three months.
5) Episodic also shows that I'm actually working. Indie game devs, particularly in the adult field, have a terrible track record for updating things, stealing, milking, being jerks, and just generally abandoning things after they cash out. With regular updates, people know that I'm still working. They can see what I'm doing and experience it. The alternative would be me taking the George RR Martin approach where i promise fans, they assuming i'm working, but then 20 years passes and no one has seen it. I want people to see things along the way and many of the followers of the project just appreciate those updates. They want to hear and see that this thing is still in production and not abandoned like so many other games or canceled TV shows.
Just finished reading and i've never felt this many emotions before lol... but this is a masterpiece. The quote "nothing lasts forever" really resonates with me as I just just graduated with a psychology degree and my professor saying this to us as well make me feel a type of way i cannot describe. Now i know you said in a previous comment you're working on one thing at a time, but do you have any thoughts on making a sequel or even making it a series? In all seriousness this is one of the best game/novels i have ever got to read, so thank you.
well hello to fellow psych nerd :p welcome :)
jokes aside, thanks for reading and checking in. there's been a handful of people in the professional or associated professions over the years that have jumped on board the story and it's always fun to get that perspective. but first off, gratz on your graduation and i wish you success in the field :)
in terms of a sequel, nothing yet. yep, one project at a time for me. i can't multitask and i always fear that juggling too many things at once will scatter my thoughts more. if i take on a project, i want my audience to know that it will get my full attention. but sequel-wise, nothing yet. i worked really hard on the ending to check a lot of boxes and a sequel could destroy that. i'm ok doing more but only if i think i can do better than this story. sequels seem to be the standard nowadays and they keep pumping them out until they run stories into the ground. sometimes it's better to end on a high so i'm very much against jump pumping out the story as a money-maker. i like this story and it doesn't deserve to be ruined as a cash grab. but we'll see. the revamp is my main focus right now and much of the experience i'm gettring with the revamp could easily be turned into new ideas for future stuff--whatever that may be :)
but thank you for your kind words. seriously . i appreciate you reading the story and just taking time out of your busy life to post some nice stuff in the comments here. thank you <3
hi I’ve just downloaded the game and checked my files and the application is there but nothing works. The game don’t pop up. Plz help
Is it on mobile or desktop?
heya, glad you found me and hello. so gonna need some more information. like the follow-up response asked (mobile or desktop)? Are you getting any specific errors?
i will say the most common issue that i've seen is for desktop. If you didn't notice, the file is compressed which means it needs unzipped or extracted before you can play it. this keeps the download smaller. Windows has a built in extractor or you can use 3rd party apps like 7zip to unpack it.
I’m using mobile. And yeah the file is unzipped. It has the 3 docs in there one of them being the application but as I open it nothing really happens
I'm not sure if this is the answer you are looking for, but I also installed on mobile. I had to first make sure that I changed my settings to allow "install from unknown sources". From there, I was able to go into my files and click on the apk file.
Maybe Aaryn can give you more detail, but I had troubles at first, too, and this worked for me.
The advice by ShadowHaven here is a good start. Since Str8 isn't an official app from the app store, you'll have to do the "install from unknown source" thing. Also, if the game does start and you get a black screen, give it a few to load. Depending on the age of your device, it can take longer to load on older models. The newest version of the game (currently on Patreon) has a splash screen notifying people of that but that was only added on the most recent one. Hopefully the unknown source thing is what's holding you up, though. Try that and let me know.
Another option could be to join our Discord if you have it. that's real-time talking and we may be able to help. we also have several other android users on there that usually drop tips or help people out
I’m using iPhone. There isn’t a problem with installing it, but when I inzip the files and try to open the application, I just get a blank page with the name and application written under it
I have tried downloading on my Chromebook now something has opened but the loading bar keeps getting stuck right at the end where it says “AD will appear”
Ok, so to catch up here: the game is not supported on iPhone. There is a MAC download but that's only going to work on MACs and not the actual iphone. apple has a ton of restrictions to their content and trying to meet all of their demands would heavily censor important parts to the story's narrative so i just generally avoid the apple app store.
that being said, it should work on your chromebook but i also know those can be challenging. you should be able to run the .sh file from the Linux version or it could be possible to run the android version on the chromebook
SPOILERS:
I'm almost done reading and I love it but I'm so emotional over it, too! I'm seriously about to cry. Understandably, nothing last forever, but I REALLY don't want this to end. Braden just left and a huge part of me wants Zack to go with Braden to support him and maybe they even get an apartment together during the summer break.
On a separate note, I can relate so closely to the feelings of both of these characters. Currently, I have a wife and she knows about my attraction to men... she just doesn't know how much I desire thekind of relationship you have portrayed between Zack and Braden. All of their insecurities, their personal battles, EVERYTHING, I have felt over and over again. But I love their acceptance of each other and their willingness to work through challenges together.
Admittedly, I started reading through this for the sexual aspects of the story. However, it did not take me ANY time to feel an attachment to the characters and desire to know them better.
I really hope that the story doesn't end at the end of the semester. My heart is already shattering at the thought of Zack and Braden separating.
Ok, so no more spoilers, but I just finished the epilogue and I am much happier, but I still DEFINITELY want more of Zack and Braden.
Heya, glad you liked the story and i'll take all the emotions as a compliment. I will say that you may want to edit your original post to state there are major spoilers. lot of people come down here and read the first few comments first before even starting the game and I'd hate to see others get spoiled with your post just from generally reading. Thanks in advance :)
No problem! I didn't think of that beforehand.
I'm actually reading the story again with different choices. I really want to get to know the characters better!
I know you had mentioned not having any plans for a sequel, but I really, really hope you make more!
Heya, thanks. i appreciate it. hopefully, i didn't come off too strong on that but when this story came out, the Discord server was buzzing with every update. people were on the edge of their seat and that was just fun. i think the anxiety of not being able to control certain things-- unlike most VNs-- is fun here because it actually creates tension. But sorry if i came off strong about the spoilers. I just didn't wanna ruin that for someone else if they were having a good experience :)
So back to your other comments that i think were removed now so if that was a privacy thing, i'll just vaguely acknowledge that I'm happy given your relationship status that the story tracks. it's always nice to hear from different demographics that read this story and how it related to them. i'm truly happy it held up for you as well. i know you said you're going through the story with different choices now but also consider checking out the Revamp if you want to relive the whole thing again but as a massive upgrade. i'm working my ass off on that version right now and i'm way more satisfied with it than the original
I definitely checked that out, too! That's just the first part, though, right? I love the audio additions!
Nothing lasts forever. And just like that, I finished your game today after playing it for almost one and a half months, almost on a daily basis.
I don’t know where to start. Maybe with this: Thank you so much.
The life of your protagonist have become part of my life over time. It was comforting to spend time with them, laugh, cry, smile and grow with them.
To learn from them.
I deeply hope many young people play your game and get the chance to avoid the mistakes that I’ve made during my life. Mistakes, that I wouldn’t have made had I played your game at a young age. I’m over 50 years old. I know there are things in life that each of us regrets and yes, we grow and learn by making mistakes, but human beings can also learn from others, heck, otherwise we wouldn’t need any kind of education.
What I want to say is, that during the story, I often wished I could go back in time with this knowledge and act and react differently in certain situations in my life.
Who is to say if it’d make my life better – or worse – but that’s not even the point. There are at least a handful of decisions that you made and you later regret. It doesn’t mean that they were objectively wrong or right and there’s no way to ever know it. But it doesn’t matter. You regret them, that matters. You regret them, because making them was unnecessary. With a little bit more knowledge from people with more experience or wiser or older people, you might have done things differently. If not for your own benefit, than at least for the one of the people around you, especially the most important ones – friends.
It took me 29 years to stop living in fear, to stop living a lie. And so much longer to catch up. Your game would’ve given me strength and with that strength I wouldn’t have wasted so much time.
That’s why I hope your game will help others not to do the same.
Thank you for allowing me to dive into the world that you’ve created and to teach me something new along the way. You’re never to old to learn new stuff.
On a lighter note, each night when I played the game, I listened to the score of ‘The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button’ by Alexandre Desplat. For me, the music is from now on and forever entangled with the story of Zack and Braden and not with the movie anymore.
And one of the tracks is even named ‘Nothing lasts’.
heya, thank you for the long and thoughtful response to the project. I'm glad it resonated with you and i'm equally grateful that you found it thought provoking-- especially for an adult-related story.
I guess I will make a point related to much of the regret you discussed. I think all of us make mistakes as we mature and sometimes that translates into regret. But i honestly think that's the wrong way of looking at it. all of us mature differently. another way of looking at this is that many of us are stubborn or resistant to learning certain things for our own personal reasons. Because of that, sometimes the only thing that truly changes us are the "hard" lessons. And while those hard lessons sometimes have consequences, the consequence is what it took to teach the lesson. if it hadn't hurt so bad, we probably wouldn't have finally learned. you stated these decisions were "unnecessary" but I'd argue that, for us to learn, they were-- most because we had ignored any of the easier lessons along the way. without the consequence, we would have continued to be resistant. So i think regret sucks, for sure, but sometimes it was the necessary tool that we personally needed to learn a valuable lesson that is now very much a part of us. the consequence then becomes the very thing that protects that lesson. on the other side of the coin, though, you probably learned lessons that your neighbor had to learn the hard way so i like to think that it balances out in the long run. the story really pushes this ideology with consequences for these guys and sometimes it's easier for us to learn those lessons when we watch characters that we care about fall apart. that empathy can be a valuable teacher. but thank you for playing and thank you for taking the story seriously. that means a lot to me. Also, that's wild with the soundtrack you listened to. weird coincidence for sure. if you haven't checked out the Revamp and you wanna give the story another go, be sure and give it a try. i promise it's better. it has it's own soundtrack and sounds and looks waaaaay better than the original from the beginning.
Easily the best visual novel I have seen. It is a slow burn but the pacing makes the character and story progression so much more meaningful. This vn greatly resonated with me and I feel like if found it a few years ago it would have helped me in better understanding and perhaps even accepting certain aspects of myself. The struggle and internal conflict with one’s own sexuality. The shame and confusion, the building of walls to protect yourself. Wishing so desperately to be “normal”. There is so much I love about this visual novel. There are so many more things I wish I could say but can’t find the right words to express them. I just want to say thank you for creating and sharing this.
That prologue... my heart... 20/10 beautiful in tears
<3 thank you and thanks for reading. i'm a fan of the slow burn = meaning as well. i really did want this story to matter or possibly have some "use" to it for those that were open to any messages it was sending. thanks for taking it seriously and dont worry, i cried too and i wrote the damn thing :p
if you haven't seen the Revamp, check it out. i'm still working on it and it's easily lightyears ahead of the original.
I keep re-reading what Braden says at the station. And I just keep crying. I rarely experience emotions but this is just so beautiful. What an amazing writer. What a wonderful story. Just thank you for this.
well thank you. without putting spoilers here, i'm glad you enjoyed that scene, it has one of the best lines in the game according to a lot of people :)
I'm still very early into the (revamp) game but I needed to pop on to say... This is really great. The writing/plot in particular. You've got a really great style that is thoughtful, funny, and engaging. I'll be back when I've played a little more.
haha. i like hearing from earlier readers. thank you so much! so the original game beginning was rough so it's great to hear that the start of the revamp is more engaging. glad it's hooking you early. i hope it only gets better for you. keep me posted :)
I just finished what you've got in the revamp, and obviously it's so good that I'll play thru the original too while awaiting what comes next. I went to art school and had to participate in a bunch of critiques so I hope it's okay to view through that kinda lens for this instead of just saying that it's hot (it is, though).
The story like I said is really engaging to the point that I had to force myself to go to bed instead of just getting through it in one sitting. Whoever is writing this (I'm guessing the person replying but otherwise feel free to pass this on) has a real gift for plunging readers right into those environments-- specifically, being 18/19, out on your own for the first time, and trying to figure yourself out.
The nervousness and anxiety and pining from Zack is so visceral, it feels like you're going through exactly what he is. Actually, the nervousness from both of them is really well done (being an anxious mess I can relate to the point that I started getting nervous on their behalf hahaha).
The build up is so, SO, SO good. As it should be. It feels so delicate and lovely and comforting. Like, yes there's some uneasiness on Zack's end about ~falling for the straight guy~ but because the characters are so relatable and clearly enjoy each other's company, it's not something that feels like it'll inevitably go tits up (whether it does or not, not being the issue), if that makes sense.
And, yeah, okay, it's HOT. Sexy. Effortlessly. In the way that things are when you're young and aren't fully comfortable with yourself yet and everything is new.
And like can I just say it's nice to have characters with dark eyes. I think it's one of if not the only game I've played, so far, where the characters have lovely dark eyes instead of everyone having blue/grey/sometimes green.
heya, sorry i'm slow to respond. had some irl stuff that pulled me away from answering. I appreciate the artistic and serious assessment of the story. I will warn you that going from the revamp back to the original may be sorta jarring. However, since you'd be starting at chapter 5 on the original, it may be a little easier. just know that the original game progressively looks better as i learned how to do things and the financial support allowed me to upgrade my hardware to make more detailed environments and visuals. There's also no sound in the original because i couldn't afford a soundtrack yet. I was literally learning how to use these programs in real time with each game update.
in terms of the writing and stuff, that's me. i do a majority of the work on the project including the writing and visuals. i have 2 other guys that help me when i get stuck or help polish out some of the errors and stuff but it's about 95% solo. if you go back and play the original, you'll see i was a bit more cautious since i've never really written anything but college research papers. as the game progressed and i just got more cheers from the supporters, i slowly just got more and more confident with the writing. i think the writing in the revamp is a testament to that growth and i'm happy with it so far for a first timer :)
There's definitely a lot of growth between the original and revamp, in terms of writing and everything else.
However! Honestly, going from the revamp to original is not as jarring as you might think. The writing was already good and although there are some rough spots with the visuals, it was still enough to keep me stuck in my seat (think I finished it over two days lmao) because the writing in this one really carries the story (where others might be less story focused and definitely less focused on the inner lives of the characters).
I'm trying to pick my favourite parts and I keep coming back to the way you're able to describe Zack's anxiety. The way he kinda shuts down and retreats into himself and has to really think about things when people speak to him is eerily similar to my experience, so makes sense I would relate.
Braden is such a uniquely sweet (I can't think of another word for him) character, I'm not sure I've ever read or encountered anything like him in any other media. Which is special. Not to say the protag isn't a great character as well, but considering he falls for Braden, it makes sense that we would also kind of fall in love with him through his eyes.
Okay I think I'm done now haha.
EDIT: Forgot to say I adore the ending and when we pan over to see Braden sitting across from him with that lil expression I almost died and it reminded me of a detail I hadn't flailed over enough... in the revamp, Braden sometimes sleeps curled up on his side but with his arms curled into his chest like a little kitty-cat and let's just say.. cutest shit ever.
I just finished the story, I loved it, Granted I got stuck in a weird error loop for some reason for like 15 minuets. I just wanted to say it was amazing everything was great. The art, the story, the plot and the epilogue. I'm kinda bummed it's over but, like the game says "Nothing lasts forever"
yo, heya. glad you enjoyed things. i think a lot of us were bummed it was over, including me and i wrote the damn thing. be sure to check out the revamp if you want a new experience or feel like you need to go back to the world. i promise it's 100x better. but yeah, all things must come to an end and that's what makes them matter.
in terms of the error loop, if you played the original i'd be curious to see what it is. there shouldn't be any error loops in the original. however, if you used an old save file, it will create an error loop and you're likely to miss enormous chunks of the game. some use of old saves will actually have you skip half of the last chapter so hopefully you didn't use an old save and miss stuff
I'll definitely checkout the ReVamp. From what I understand it was because some pillow talk not being defined, I still it pulled I believe if u want to see it. I just did a chapter select and it worked 😁
yep, if it said pillow talk not defined, you somehow used an old save. converations in the game are based on defining variables and those variables didn't exist in the previous save files and updates so you have to start fresh. But the chapter select menu let's you skip to various places so you don't have to replay it. you missed like half of that scene. If you're interested in seeing the entire scene, go to main menu, new game, part 4, chapter 10 update. that'll drop you at the second half of the last update. hold ctrl down to fast forward past any text you've already scene. it'll stop when it's time to make a choice or if it's text you haven't seen before. you should be able to fast forward back to that point in the game in a few seconds and then see the rest of the scene. there's some pretty heavy stuff in that scene that changes a lot.
Great game, I have no Idea of how do you manage to do all that, like honestly, congratulations!!! 😘💕 Any plans for a future game? Thank you!
aww. yo, thanks a lot. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I'm working on the Revamp right now then I may take a look at future projects. I don't multitask well so I gotta focus on like one thing at a time or I completely lose focus :p
So, do you think you're gonna revamp the whole game or do you think there's a chapter where you're gonna be like "this is good, I don't need to change anything from this point onwards" ?
so as i progress through the game, i'm expecting less and less work during each update. The first few updates were a mess to try and organize just because of the way the code was originally written. that slowed me down but i'm already to the point where there's less of that now so things have sped up considerably. the only update that will really need minimal work is the very last update that i did. For consistency, the entire game will need done and the only update that even had depth of field in it was the last update. but even then, there were some problems with the lighting and all of the backgrounds outside the window had to be manually put in. so short answer is that the entire game will need revamped but honestly i'm not expecting most people to notice a difference with the second half of chapter 10. all other revamped sections, there should be a noticeable difference. but in contrast to the beginning of the game, where i reshot every since shot-- the last couple updates may be me just opening up the old file and doing corrections. Crossing my fingers :)
This revamp of the game Will bring a part 2?
The Revamp will follow the same story as the original. I'm just a remaster with new shots, some expanded scenes, more polished writing, and sound/music. If you're referencing a sequel, I dont have any plans for one right now. I want to focus on one project at a time and I worked really hard on the ending of this story for it to check every box that I really wanted it to. I'm not opposed to a sequel but a sequel would completely undo all the work i did at the end of this one-- so if i did that, it needs to really be worth it. So basically i'd only do a sequel if it blows this story out of the water. i don't want to just drag the story out forever as a cash grab. But we'll see :)
To the deleted post below: I actually got a chance to read this but wasn't able to respond yet. Sadly, i don't remember the particulars but it had to do with a using a translator and the font. Really wish the poster hadn't deleted because it seemed like an interesting request that was really dependent on the details they provided
Nice update thank you+
Choosing the naughty roote does it mean that I'd be naughty with everyone or it's just for Braiden? (Cause honestly Braiden isn't the one I'm interested in)
A long time ago when I was working on this, I saw a ton of developers in these indie projects try to do multiple love routes and end up abandoning their game because it's so much work. The other problem with multiple routes is that you need a lot more people to work on the project with you to complete it in a timely fashion. You end up doing regular updates but people are only interested in one character so they get an update with their interest in it then have to wait another year before that character comes back around.
Straight!? only has one route. It's more the story of Zack and his relationship with others than it is a dating sim. There are two routes in the story, which is what you're talking about, but those basically change the tone of the story moreso than being an entirely different story choice. Since I'd never done any of this before, I elected to do one "love interest" and do it right versus having like 5 really shallow choices. But imo, if there's a love interest in this story, it's Zack trying to love himself.
Omg that's so inspiring actually I love it , now I understand the game even more which makes it even more amazing keep the good work and good luck
(It's rare to find a visual novel with a deep story like this one , all the best =)
well, i hope you enjoy. If you haven't played the original story, i promise it gets waaaay deeper than it does now. thanks for the interest and stay tuned for more. all the best to you as well and stay safe :)
When the update comes?
next free public update of v0.10 will drop here on jan 20. it's currently up on Patreon in the $5 donation tier
The story is amazing so far and I'm excited for the new characters (Mikhail) and I hope there will be like more manly ones
Any updates soon ?
Heya, glad you're enjoying.
If you're talking about the revamp updates, yep, there's a free update to that version dropping here on January 20. the revamp goes to patreon donations first then drops free everywhere 3 weeks later. The revamp is the only version that's being updated and it will follow the story from the original draft (v0.021.4). The original is no longer being updated so the revamp will eventually replace v0.021.4 when it's finished.
if you want the full story, you can always check out the original version, the quality isn't as good but it progressively gets better as i figured out what i was doing (hence the reason the revamp is being done). that version has all 10 full chapters. you're able to start a new game and jump to the chapter you want so you wouldn't have to start completely over
ooh wow how can I and where can I get the original version + is it free or no please?
yep, it's free. all versions of the game will be free. I just do an early release to those who donate but i always wanted the full game to be available to everyone. The original version is here on the page, just scroll up to Downloads and pick one of the Str8 v0.21.4 either for PC, MAC, or Android. (if for some reason you can't find it, just let me know which version you want and i'll just reply back to this thread with a direct link for you).
Warning on that version, it starts rough because i had no idea what i was doing. You can jump to the chapter you want to start but also keep in mind that I was suuuuper new, the visuals start bad but progressively get better, and there's no sound or music (couldn't afford it yet). If you start at the beginning, you have to keep trying different choices until you get the right combination to move things forward (If you get stuck there's a readme file in the game folder with a walkthrough) but that gameplay ends by chapter 4 i think. After that, the original game is much more linear and smoother.
IF i had a recommendation for you, it would be to wait until the FREE v09 of the revamp comes out because it ends Chapter 4. Then you could download the original game and start a new game and pick it up at Chapter 5 and it would probably be a smoother play experience. that's how i'd do it :)
Omg thank you so much
I'd take your recommendation absolutely i'd just wait for the v09 release,play it, then install the original game.
Thank you again you're the best
haha, well thank you for being interested. no worries. few more days. hope you enjoy :)
Thank you for creating this wonderful story! At the beginning I expected just another simple game with some NSFW content, but with each chapter I was more and more involved in the story and the characters. I finished the game yesterday (original version) and I already miss Zack, Braden and the others. I will play the revamp version now and I am looking forward for new updates.
hey, glad you liked it and happy it surprised you. that seems to be a pretty common reaction and i'm grateful for it. i like depth and that first draft of the game was just me slowly getting braver to do what i really wanted to do. anxious to hear what you thin of the revamp. i think it blows the old game out of the water. hope you enjoy :)
Not to bother or rush, but first of all I loved the game and second, will version 21.4 be the last or will you continue with the story? And really the game is perfect.
Heya, nah you're good on questions and stuff. I like interest in the project :)
So v21.4 is the final draft of the "story." The revamp is the same original story, just fleshed out more with music, a billion new renders, and some gameplay mechanic changes. However, the revamp will follow the same story and have the same ending that v21.4 had. So in other words the revamp will eventually replace v21.4 as the full game. The revamp will not progress past where v21.4 went.
In terms of follow-up beyond the original story-- as in a sequel-- nothing is planned yet. i dont multitask well at all and this story was written from a very emotional place and i think i do pretty good when i'm in that headspace. problem is, i can't juggle multiple projects or multiple headspaces. my brain just isn't wired that way. so i prefer to focus on one project at a time to make sure i finish things. I'm getting to a point in the revamp where there should be less organization required and mostly just image stuff. i'm guessing that will give me more headspace to focus on something else or start planning whatever is next. Will that be a sequel to Str8? I'm not sure. I'm careful with that and i'm protective of the characters. I dont want to rush somethign or just write a bullshit sequel as a cash grab. if i do a sequel, it's because i believe it will be better. if i can't best this first project, then i'll leave it alone. i'd rather have a planned ending like i already did versus run the story into the ground.
and thank you for your kind words. i'm seriously glad you liked the story <3
Now it’s clear that this is not popular, but there is a possibility that there will be other languages in the game, in particular Russian
the language question is actually more popular than you think but it's kinda got pushed on the backburner. Originally, i didn't intend to translate the story because i write with so much slang. i thought it would be really hard to actually translate.
but there's been a big push for it and i've sorta come around over the years
I've done some polling on the discord and had dozens of people come out offering to translate. the problem then is trying to organize that and it's something I haven't done before.
Recently, the revamp v0.09 was a TON of work so that was my priority. Getting constant updates out will always be the priority so everything else sorta happens when i'm taking breaks from that. Then merch has been the second priority since that's been something people have been asking for for literal years now and i was kinda reluctant to pull the trigger. That's gonna launch very very soon. So i'm back to translations again. The original game will not be translated, only the revamp and the plan is to use a couple popular languages from volunteers in the discord as a test to try and organize the process and work out any kinks in the system. it's going to be a big project and will likely take a lot of time to do it but it is being looked at by the community
Thank you for your quick response. I really like your project and that’s why I started talking about translation. I translated comics, so I wanted to try translating games. If you are thinking of translating, I will be glad to try to participate in it.
i seriously appreciate the motivation. right now, translations are still in a very hypothetical stage. my initial plan was to do them using our discord and create groups to translate various languages. that gives people direct access to me to discuss intention behind the scene to help combat all my friggen slang :p
but we'll see how it goes. i'm jumping back into it soon
Aaryn, thank you so much to you (and your development team) for sharing this amazing story with us. It was a genuine pleasure to go along with Zack on his journey of self-discovery together with Braden. And while Braden was a fantastic character and romantic interest in his own right, the other supporting characters such as Mikhail and Ash/Max added so much depth and character to the overall storyline. I absolutely fell in love with Max/Ash and it was such a pleasure to peel behind more and more layers of his character to better understand him. He's an absolute sweetheart to me and I'd be "loyal to the death" for him if he was someone I actually knew. I think he deserves a spin-off story of his own - I'd pay good money for that (just saying, hint hint lol!). There was one plot twist in the story that literally got my heart racing and me quite emotional and on the edge of my seat worried about how it'd turn out. Not many AVNs can bring about such strong emotions in my, but this one sure did. So once again, thanks for sharing this story with us. This is one of the best gay AVN stories I've come across so far and I'd unconditionally recommend this AVN to anyone looking for one with a fantastic slow-burn storyline and genuinely lovable characters that have great character development arcs.
heya, thanks for checking in and i'm glad you enjoyed it. Yeah, Ash became a fan favorite and it was super fun to watch the community go on that journey over time with him. He very much serves as a reminder on the importance of not judging others quickly based on stereotypes-- plus, he's the most fun to write in the entire game. I found myself actually rolling my eyes and smiling while writing many of his scenes because even I didn't know what he was going to say or do. I appreciate you giving the story a chance, in particular with it being in the adult genre. i also appreciate the recommendation to others. i'm just now starting to advertise and share more and have mostly depended on word of mouth to get me this far. recommending, posting about, or sharing it with others you think will like it really helps me and the project itself. thank you and be sure to check out the revamp if you haven't already. it's waaaaay better from the start