Hey, playing this for the first time (original ver) after hearing about it a few times. Is there meant to be no audio? I'm not far in but it's completely silent so far, not even any BGM.
yep. Original is very much a work in progress or a “rough draft.” I wanted legal music but couldn’t afford it when I started the project so I kept the original without audio. The Revamp does have a licensed soundtrack and sound effects though. If you’re playing for the first time, the game starts rough. I promise I get better. It’s also repetitious at the beginning and requires the right combination of activities to progress otherwise it loops. There’s a walkthrough file included in the game folder if you need it. That mechanic was annoying tho and goes away by the third chapter. It’s completely removed in the Revamp because I didn’t like it.
I don't mind the loops as much, I'm still seeing dialogues I never saw before - I read through 4 chapters in one sitting. Is the original version a complete story by the end?
yay, that makes me happy you made it that far. you're getting out of the roughest parts of the story then in terms of me being soooo new. around chapter 5 i got more community support and encouragement so I really started to push the story to a more mature narrative than just a smutty adult game.
if you're playing the original v0.21.4 it is the complete story. it's 10 chapters and they progressively get longer. like i said before, the quality is a bit rough at the beginning but i promise it gets better. all that stuff is ironed out in the Revamp but the Revamp is only the first 5 chapters right now.
I've finished the original ver now, I liked the friendship dynamic between the 4 characters towards the end but I felt like it ended way too quickly. Would've liked to have seen more of the 4 of them before the whole "nothing lasts forever" - even the writing letters to Ash/Max and them getting the picture of Bradens phone picture never happened. And the whole parting ways at the pool with your bestie 'for the last time' - felt a bit too bittersweet for my liking. It was an almost happy ending. But kudos to you!
i won't go into a lot of detailed spoilers with the ending (lots of people check comments down here before downloading so you can really spoil things if you're not careful) but the ending was very purposeful for me. It checked a lot of boxes and tied up all the loose ends while still leaving a lot of things open to reader head canon. over the years, a lot of people have related to these characters in many different ways and the community around this story has really grown. I've received thousands of letters and messages and personal stories just based on these character interactions and how important they were to people. As the story progressed, I found that I really wanted to write things in a way that was specific to the characters but also left openings for the reader's own head canon and fan theories about things. So trying to keep the majority of those as possibilities was definitely a goal for me for the ending. you sound like you interpreted things in a very different way than most and that's ok. that's the first I've heard of a "bittersweet" reaction to the bestie plans but I'm glad you like the friendship dynamic. that was a big part too. The majority of this story is just guys hanging out :p
There's also hints throughout the game on things like the phone picture that end up popping up on the patreon page as additional content sometimes. most patreon pages have monthly CG extra they put out. I used to do that frequently but then found that it delayed the game development so now I do it a bit less. I mostly use a lot of those photo sets as practice for other development and visual skills that I want to use in game later. Over time, i thought it would be fun for those pictures to end up actually playing a roll in the game somewhere so that everything is connected. They're not required for the story but it was just an attempt to make supplemental content there actually matter. There's a photo set on there that's unconfirmed if it's the actual one he's talking about but it could be. This is also just a first attempt at all this for me so I'm learning as I go-- mistakes and all. I've thing I ever wrote before this was research papers for school :p
Heya, thanks a lot. Glad you’re enjoying the story. To hide text in game just tap H. If that isn’t working for some reason, go to the Options screen and there’s a Controls setting there where you can change that or it’ll list some other default for your system :)
heya, glad you liked all the feelings in a game like this but you may wanna include spoiler warning or something like that so you don't ruin that experience for people that scroll down here and read the comments before playing :)
I just started playing the revamp after playing the original a couple years ago (after it was finished already).
I'm not far, just at the shower scene, and just had a minor thing I wanted to express my opinion on: The revamp shower seems a bit too bright for having half the lights out/uneven lighting.
heya. glad to see you pop back in for the revamp. yep, the entire game is brighter overall now to be in par with the quality of the ending of the original (well... it's actually gotten better than that as you'll see if you go further into the Revamp). one thing that i continue to struggle with artistically is dealing with white. there's a pic set on the patreon page of Braden in the white hoodie and i've continued to try and just create opportunities to work with lights and white backgrounds or white tile or whatever. white blows out really easily and i still haven't figured it out yet. i've gotten better but it's definitely a struggle for me
God. I have to say.. This was an amazing story. I started with the revamp, but I couldn't take the wait, so I ended up reading the original. I will now follow the revamp because there are definitive differences between the two. I am excited to see how the story unfolds again. I had so many emotions during the story and I am very happy with the ending. Would love to see what happens after though too. I got so invested I binged the entire story in a matter of a few days, just absorbing the content every second I could. Thank you Aaryn for a great story!
heya, thank you so much for the comment. i like hearing from people that started with the Revamp and went backwards. i was worried about the shock of that transition given that the original has no sound and is so empty on the campus but I think you did it at a good time. Hopefully it will continue to be excited to see how those same iconic scenes later in the game translate to the Revamp. i'm intimidated by some of them but that just means i'll be careful :)
thanks for playing and i'm really glad you enjoyed it <3
It is an amazing and beautiful story. Probably the best visual novel I've ever experienced. The animations and graphics are also amazing. It's just great. I would be very happy if the story continued. Great thanks to all creators!
Just finished reading or watching? idk but all i know is i have the same feeling after finishing a REALLY good book so you're defiantly doing something right. And I do need to know when the next part/chapter come out!!
heya, thanks for checking in. Not sure which version you played. If you played the original (v0.21.4) that one is no longer being updated as it was the end of the story and is being replaced by the Revamp when it's completed. If you're playing the Revamp (Revamp v0.09.3) then the first half of Chapter 5 will drop here on March 27 for FREE. It's currently on my Patreon for early access. I'm already working on the second half of Chapter 5 now.
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
yep, so for the original version, the beginning of the game kinda sucks and i'm sorry about that. it was based on the grinding type games that were popular when this began back in 2017. If you look in the game file, there's a .txt file called walkthrough.txt that will tell you the order of things to pick for the first few chapters. That repetition slows down considerably in chapter 4 and then goes away completely after that.
If you ever play the revamp, the repetition sequences from the beginning are completely removed and the entire story is more linear.
I absolutely loved this game! Every part of it - the visuals, the storytelling, the story itself, the characters. It all felt so vivid, so real. Nothing felt forced or out of place or dramatized to no end. It really was a great experience. Zack is honestly adorable. I loved his humor and I really felt like he was so relatable, both in queer and plain human terms (although I am a girl, not a boy, so certain things were wildly different for obvious reasons, lol). Also, I actually scanned the code on the purple poster and I have to say it was really a nice detail to add! I'll be waiting for more content from you, Aaryn. Keep doing whatever you're doing, it's working! :)
Yay! I love getting girl fans of the game! It's been awhile since I've heard from one and I just got excited again :p
Glad you liked the story and felt like everything clicked. While i do like drama, I wanted all the drama to matter or to really illustrate something that could pop up in a relationship and really explore how to talk about that or sort through it. Also, glad you cause the scanning code on the Pool poster in the revamp version. It was a fun detail that Jordyn added and it's a fun easter egg for those that find it and take the extra step to see if it actually works or not. there's a lot of easter eggs in the story that people still haven't found :)
Thank you for stopping by and thanks for playing. I'm super happy you enjoyed it and stay tuned. the next one update is coming up before too long
Yeah, drama is fine as long as it makes sense and it is not sensationalized. A story where absolutely nothing ever happens would be boring, after all. But I love how you handled it - these guys just straight (or not :D) up TALK when things go wrong and I really appreciate that. No mindless, useless dragging of it all for the sake of it. Just people actually communicating. Absolutely loved that.
Not gonna lie, at first I only wanted to play this because it was not heterosexual stuff, lol - I am bi and quite tired of the general narrative focusing on straight relationships/stories. But then I got hooked on the characters and the storytelling. It's so refreshing to see such a honest, raw take on certain aspects of life. The NSFW content is good (Zack is DAMN FINE!) but the fact you actually made these characters feel real and like people rather than just mindless figures doing hot things, makes it 10000x times better.
As for the two versions: not gonna lie, the original looks great. Yes, the revamped is even better, but I would have been happy even with just the first one. It's gorgeous. However, I do prefer the narrative of the revamped version of a mile. It reads more easily and gives more glimpses of what actually goes on in the characters' minds.
the communication was a big thing to me, especially because i'm using an online environment to distribute this. the online environment just seems to foster snap judgements and angry people attacking others. people seem so quick to either attack or defend and sometimes there's important context that's left out. we assume things about other people that probably aren't true and that makes the world look like an ugly place.
I wanted to show some fucked up situations between two people that are really good together but sometimes things get messy. I wanted to explore that and show a way to actually communicate and work together. to put some time into trying to hear the other person out, even if you dont agree with them. sure, the solutions from the game wont apply to everyone but i wanted to show one way where two people actually sit down and collaborate on life. i just felt like i was starved for that in media today. you never see someone take the simple role of "you fucking like the guy so hear him out!" anymore.
These guys aren't perfect, in fact their a hot mess sometimes and they're trying to figure themselves out and we get to watch in real-time while that happens--even if it's slow. and hopefully some of the questions they ponder are applicable to the reader-- they were to me. i did a ton of soul searching in this story and sorta went on that same journey with the characters.
the original game is what it is. it's its own journey. you can see the progress from the beginning of it to the end. i think super fans enjoy that because they get to see the improvements in the world as the characters improve. that makes the entire thing almost metaphorical and that's fun. i think, to me, the revamp is an open love story to the characters and the fans. it's my attempt to say that you stuck with me through the rough patches while i learned how to do this and you were open to my soul-searching storytelling, so here, i'll redo it all and show you what i can do now with that energy behind me. i've been lucky enough to have an amazing community of fans behind this thing and i'm finally at a point where i can show you what i saw in my heart the first time i wrote this :)
You 100% delivered all of this and MORE. You gave depth to all of the characters, which alone is an incredible feat, and told a beautiful story that's really vivid.
And while I promise to stop writing essays in these comments at once, lol, I feel compelled to say I especially loved the ending - like the inner turmoil, the arguments, the feelings, the issues, that too felt incredibly real. No promises of forever and unicorns riding off into the sunset in a perfect world, no flawless people doing things flawlessly and never having an issue, but realistic guys trying their best. Doing what they can with what they have. Being friends and lovers, taking care of each other, trying to be good for each other. And I don't mean just Zack and Braden - Mikhail and Ash too.
Ultimately, THANK YOU SO MUCH for this story! I will absolutely donate what I can next month because none of this deserves to be free and because if I can give something in return I am only happy to, tbh. And I will wait for any new content that might or might not happen to grace your page in the future for sure :)
heh, glad you approved. Yeah, i'm not a big fan of perfection. i like flaws and the individuality of the human experience. i wanted characters that were human and fucked up and stumbled and falling into storybook cliches is not an appropriate way to handle characters like that. too much storybook and i think they lose their relatability. all of the characters are frustrating at some point but then i also believe all of us can be frustrating to others when we're not able to see things clearly and i wanted to capture that. i think you summarized it good: characters just trying to do their best. that's smoothing that gives me comfort and it's easy to relate to.
So: on the donation aspect-- hopefully you see this. lemme run through a couple quick things to help you with that decision. 1) please don't rush to donate or feel compelled to. only do so if you're in a safe position. take care of yourself and those you love first-- seriously. 2) the official platforms are Patreon and Itch.io. the problem with sending a donation here on Itchio is that you dont get anything for it. If you donate on Patreon, you can unlock extra stuff (if you're interested in that). The problem with patreon is that when you donate, it sets up autobill so if you're just looking to make a one time contribution, itch.io is probably easier but if you wanna do a subscription thing then Patreon is the way to go. A third option for a one time donation (and my recommendation) is do Patreon so you unlock stuff, then cancel right after, you'll be good for 30 days and it gives you time to see what you're interested in (if anything) over there. There's videos and extras and behind the scenes stuff as well as picture sets that get a bit steamy and fun. If you do the patreon route and forget to cancel, just DM me. I can always refund (but only 3 months back-- after that, Patreon locks it and i'd likely just donate to a charity on your behalf). I want an honest setup here so if you have questions and stuff, please ask. but just remember the game is free for a reason. you can always recommend the game to others, post about it in places or share it. that helps me just as much :)
I've been obsessing over this game for the past week and I just finished it today. I must say that this is quite literally one of my favorite games EVER. I was expecting it to be more like a game you'd wank to, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that it's so much more profound than that. The end kind of disappointed me though, and not because I didn't like it, but because I desperately wanted to see more of the story. I also felt like it ended on a cliffhanger, like what happens next, is it just happy ever after? Regardless, thank you for creating this masterpiece.
heya, sorry i'm slow responding. holidays were busy. glad you liked the story and i'm pleased it surprised you. i think it's fun doing something in this genre that surprises people with the depth. Also, i'll take your comment about the ending as a compliment that you wanted more. i worked hard on that ending to get it to be a lot of things. it's supposed to kinda echo (without saying spoilers cause lot of people scroll down here and read this before they even start playing so we dont wanna ruin things). thank you for your kind words and glad you liked it <3
heyy! no worries, i get that you're preoccupied. hope you had a nice time over the holidays! i also think that depth is more important than a couple of meaningless nsfw scenes. i have to admit that it took me by surprise and once i knew it, i was going through all the emotions. since you're working on the revamp, i was wondering if you have thought about continuing the story further? i assume you want to stick to the original script, but i think many people (including me) would like to see what happens next. (though it would kind of kill the point of the ending in the original, so i get why you wouldn't want to do it) you've probably been asked this like a thousand times already, so i apologize in advance, lol. also, any news on when we can expect the next update to release?
holidays were good but busy af so i'm glad to have them checked off the list. hope yours were good as well. I think the NSFW scenes hit harder when you actually care or there's a better introduction or even consequences for it. emotions can change things and i think just rushing into NSFW scenes in games was fine to create the genre but it's boring now because everyone does that. You can only order so many pizzas or do so much yoga.
in terms of the revamp, yes, it will stick to the original script. everything should happen mostly the same way with some minor changes but big events will not change nor will the ending. I have gotten asked about doing a sequel a few hundred times now but that's ok, i appreciate the interest :p
right now, i dont have one in the works but i'm open to it. however, my requirement is that a continuation would have to be better than this by a lot. i'm not willing to risk pushing the story forward unless it's going to greatly make an impact. i told the story i needed to. i think a lot of sequels feel rushed or are just done for financial reasons and i'm not willing to just push something out for those reasons. people have trusted me with these characters for several years now and i dont take that trust lightly. i'm careful with them so it would really have to mean something. it's all about the story to me, everything else falls in somewhere behind that.
I understand that you feel satisfied with the story you've told and characters you've built, and now that I've taken time to think about it all, I think I also am. The ending felt disappointing to me initially, but only because I was left wanting more and now that I've reflected on it once again, I finally understand what you meant when you said that it's supposed to "echo", leaving the rest to the imagination of the player. Having a sequel would be nice, but the story is perfect as it is right now. Some things are just best left untouched. I'm glad that you've got your head in the right place and you're not doing a sequel for monetary purposes. You seem like a really neat and wise guy :).
Keep up the great work, I'm thrilled about the upcoming update and I want you to know that you've earned yourself an unconditional supporter. <3
haha, i could always be wiser :p but thank you. you're very kind and made me smile. But yeah, I really am careful with these characters. You can't build an audience and really want people to put in an effort to get to know your characters then just sacrifice them for cash or cheap tricks to try and make money. naaaah, fuck that. these guys mean to much to me and to others. I take my role serious. and thank you for taking my project seriously. i really put and continue to put a lot into it. it's growing every day. thanks for being part of that :)
Edit: bah, also.... damn, my bad. i knew i read someone had left a comment asking about the next update on here and i couldn't find it. it was you and i saw it right after i responded here. so next update for the revamp will hopefully drop in the next few days on my Patreon page. I'm working my ass off to try and get it out during December so like pray or something, lol. But 3 weeks after the Patreon release, then it posts here and Patreon for FREE. so figure in like 3 weeks into January or so for FREE version (hopefully)
Not gonna lie, I downloaded this for something to wank to and holy shit, I was not prepared for how utterly drawn in I'd get by the story. I can't even begin to explain how moved, touched, and seen this made me feel. I just finished and my emotions are... so complicated.
It's an emotional rollercoaster, but I very much appreciated the handling of heavy and emotionally charged subjects - invariably honest, but only sometimes brutally so. It doesn't feel like punches were pulled, but it feels like there's an intrinsic kindness and gentleness to the storytelling itself, and to the reader through it. It never preaches, it tells a story of deep dynamic characters finding their way through they own lives, but in a way that's just... so fucking identifiable it's almost creepy. Not all of their lessons are for me, but a few of them definitely were, and I'm immensely grateful I found this.
And now, since this comment is one of the most honest things I've said online in a while and I'm starting to overthink it (okay, I started to overthink it... probably literally over half an hour ago), it's time to just post it 😊
yo, thanks a lot for checking in and letting me know what you thought. i'm glad you appreciated the depth as well as how some of the heavy issues in the game were discussed and handled. I've stated before but I'll also reiterate that these situations and the opinions and perspectives are central to these characters so they're in no way a sample of the "right" way to do things; but they are an example of "a way" that worked in these situations for these guys. So please take what you feel applies and leave the rest. I'm glad it didn't come off as preaching, tho, that was definitely a goal to try and walk that balance.
and dont worry about the overthinking. i literally wrote like a 15 hours story on overthinking; suffice to say I'm well-versed in the art :p I'm glad you posted tho and reading your experience means a lot to me so thank you for sharing and thank you for reading. If you haven't already, be sure to check out the revamp, i promise it's way better from the very start. all the best to you and those you care about <3
I did not realise there was a part of me that needed to see guys fumble with, well, stuff. And I'm not even through the game yet. What kind of white magic fuckery is this?
Where do I begin!? This is by far the best visual novel I've read. Usually, the content of the story has me intrigued, but Straight!? had me emotionally invested. I simply wanted more to the story, which I loved. I finished reading the original version, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. The author(s) has/have done an amazing job.
***SPOILER!!!!!!***
The only thing I wish was different is the epilogue. I wish it was part of the final chapter, and a new epilogue was written to focus more on what happened during the summer; their return to school, how did the changes to the swim team go, did they stay in touch with Ash, do they all still hang out (would love them to see Ash several times), and for heavens sake do they finally get lube! [you know which scene I'm talking about ;)]. Just food for thought as you revamp. I honestly haven't found a story that I was more consumed by than this. The authors deserve all the praise they get.
yo, glad you enjoyed it and the emotions hit. it was a blast to write and emotionally had me all over the place as well so you're not alone. While there's no sequel planned right now, hopefully the desire to want more means that things hit like they should so thank you for that. You should check out the revamp if you liked the original. it's lightyears better
Loved it! I'm usually not an emotional person, but this story just hit different; a good kind of different. I'm definitely going to subscribe and start reading the revamp. If at all possible, I would love to have more added to the epilogue. I think the story and message behind everything is magnificent, but I totally had several questions when it ended. I'm looking forward to seeing all the changes! You guys are awesome.
Also, thank you for staying connected, listening, and engaging in comments. Many authors don't, and it makes our loyalty and passion for the story grow when you do. I greatly appreciate it.
yeah, your'e supposed to have some questions really or fill those blanks in yourself. however you wanna piece it together. Also, thanks for the kind words about me being connected. i think it's important for the creator to take an active role with the community. i have no idea why more devs don't-- other than just being arrogant-- which i have no use for. I'm just a regular dude trying to figure this thing out and people have been very kind in supporting the project or leaving nice comments and stuff over the years and i'm grateful for that. least i can do is answer them back and say thank you <3
Think of "Straight!?" like a romance novel. Probably the most romantic story I've come across in a video game... unlike most interactive story games in this genre, Straight!? puts telling a good story first, and sprinkles nsfw scenes slowly, just where it makes sense. The goal isn't unlocking art, it's, well, pretty much the same pleasure as reading!
5/5, excited to read to the end! (I played Ch 1-3 of the Revamp edition).
hey, ooooh nice. you're just playing the revamp huh? no original version? I appreciate your kind words. i really do put a lot of thought into it and it seems like you're really appreciating the adult content the way it's intended-- to move things forward to have serious discussions about the content. i seriously appreciate your kind words and i hope you continue to enjoy it. I just dropped the first half of Chapter 4 today
this totally works and thanks for making the mild change; hopefully, my request didn't come off too harsh. i really appreciate that you enjoyed the story and checked in. thanks for reading <3
This game is honestly incredible. I play quite a few of the gay visual novel games as I got into it a couple of weeks ago and to be frank, this so far has been my favourite.
This game shares a lot of qualities with the other games like it's really good art design (although this game is on the higher end of that too) as well it's fun options available.
The best part of it that stands out against the other games though is it's incredible story that is wholesome, adorable, and healthy. And when I mean it's healthy, I mean it's a genuinely healthy story where it's not just some toxic relationship but everyone thinks is cute because of the media. It focuses a lot on the characters self development and all the characters and the plot points are points that resonate with myself really hard.
The things this game does and how it normalises things that we feel are often disgusting or ashamed of is really incredible and makes at least me, feel a lot better.
Thanks for the incredible game, I can't wait to see what's in store.
yo, glad you enjoyed it and vibed with a wholesome story in the adult genre. I really did want to normalize a lot of things or at least normalize the conversation about them between people that care about each other. if you haven't already, check out the revamp. i promise it's better :)
I started with playing the revamp but found myself needing to play more so I played the old game. It was great. I’m just waiting for each chapter for the revamp to come out and enjoy it now.
Hello, I'm a horny player who got trapped into following the story til the end with butterflies in the stomach during half of it.
I found the game on an explicit website and prefered to download it from the actual source. In a hurry to unhornynize myself, I completely missed the revamp part and played the classic version, which wasn't too much of a problem.
As you might already have guessed, I'm one of those who came for the NSFW and stayed for the feels. And what feels they were!
I've never really read any romance before. I have troubles feeling strong emotions and that's why I'm seeing a therapist. I only realised it was more than a porn game after I had the choice between two different routes.
I got attached to Braden at that point so I chose accordingly and never regretted it.
Spoiler Warnings from here
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS : I'm gonna start with a lenghty and useless first sentence to protect wandering eyes from getting spoiled. Here we go. The sex scene that one would expect in a NSFW game kinda never came (even though I enjoyed the final explicit scenes and am one of those who consider it to be "unvirgining") but the thing was so well led that I didn't mind at all. When I started, I definitely wanted them to do the deed, but the writing succesfully led me to only want them to end up together and happy. The attempt at sex at the end made me actually chuckle. How cute, how relatable, how I wish I had that experience as a first time! END OF SPOILERS.
The NSFW question now set aside, I'm going to talk about the rest.
As I said before, I don't think I've ever read actual romance before.
Thanks to this work, I now know I'm not made for this : the thing made my stomach churn with emotion, and I felt compelled to finish it so I could move on with my life.
I feel like I felt too much emotions for my own good. Maybe not for my own good, but that definitely felt overwhelming.
Probably because I identified to the main character like crazy (I had a massive crush on a straight guy and never built the courage to confess -as I was and still am a 100% sure that I would have gotten rejected-), I was violently touched by the story : I fell in love with the character you wrote and couldn't stop thinking about him while I wasn't playing. When I was talking about it to people, my stomach churned again. That's a thing I should talk about to my therapist!
Anyways, I'm not sure this would have happened with any other romance. I think *you* did an amazing job and that you have an ability to create relatable characters. Sure some scenes were idealised and would have probably never happened in real life (that's why we write romances I guess), but the characters themselves reacted accordingly.
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS : Ash was legit funny, Mikhael is a friend that could fix anyone's life and I won't even talk about Braden because my stomach will start to churn again (it literally is right now). Zack was at a perfect point between being its own character and extremely relatable. END OF SPOILERS
Now I will be able to close this game and delete it. In a few days I will think that I was stupid to have felt such intense emotions about a romance visual novel, but this doesn't change anything to the fact that you've done a wonderful job at touching people right in their heart. You're an amazing artist, man
Thank you sincerely for the long, well-written response and thank you for reading and taking the project as a serious attempt. No worries on the horny reader approach, you're among thousands, lol. I actually take that as a compliment: that you downloaded for the horny reasons and stayed for the story.
That being said, I have no idea how this story stacks up with other "romances." Honestly, I dont even know if it's a romance-- i've never read one either. But it felt like what I'd want a romance to be. I've actually never seen a gay themed movie or read any gay-themed literature or novels-- I purposely avoided them while writing this because I didn't want them to influence this story.
Sorry about the upset stomach throughout this thing. If it makes you feel better, you're not alone there; I had the same stomach pains the entire time that I was writing it. It was cathartic but brutally honest and difficult sometimes for me to accept or share. I'm glad to hear you're in therapy. While I don't know your situation, I was going through my masters program in clinical psych when I wrote the majority of this so I'm familiar with therapy and have worked in the field. That being said, please don't take this story as "truth" or some type of "correct" way of doing things. It's simply a template on communication and honesty and self-acceptance that worked for these particular characters. Not everyone has the same journey so remember to listen to yourself, but if any of these interactions spoke to you or helped you, please take them and use them to your heart's desire. I tackled a lot of heavy issues in this story and it was even more fun to do all of that under an "adult" tag. Hell, the Discord was full of churning emotions-- especially for the ending. I'm glad it spoke to you and I'm glad you checked in to share your thoughts and your experiences. Good luck to you. Thank you for reading, thank you for leaving an emotional response, and thank you for your being a part of this for me <3
I was sure you were doing something linked to psychology, I felt like there was no way you had no knowledge in this field for you to be able to write with such accuracy. It's a good thing you used your skills to write such a story.
I was however surprised to learn that you've never read or seen any fictive gay romance either before : that makes your work even more authentic than I thought, because you wrote straight out of your heart, without using stuff from potential past litterary experiences (something that most writers efficiently and rightly do).
Thanks for your concern and advice. I already had this kind of approach to be honest. Even if I can't expect everything to work like with Zack and Braden (if only: I would have a perfect guide!), their story made me realise that, even as an out of closet bi dude, I should still let go of the labels and just consider myself as myself and nothing else.
I learned that trying to find a label as if it would have helped me find my identity is not a solution. My identity is unique, just like anyone else's, and for this reason I can't a 100% appeal to any label that has been created by anyone else than myself (that's more or less what Mikhail once said to Zack, if I remember well!).
I feel like that's quite an interesting thing that happened in the LGBTQ+ community. For a community that originally had to form itself because it couldn't be labeled efficiently by society, I think that it's now doing an awfully good job at creating a multiplicity of labels for people to fit in (top, bottom, vers, twink, twonk, fem, masc, bear ...). I know this is a complicated issue and labels help with representation and inclusivity, but in my case, I'm way too much overthinking stuff to be able to use those efficiently (and I'm not the only one apparently, as it's also the case with Zack and Braden and I'm not sure those two came out of nowhere). That's partly why I don't really feel a part of this community despite not being straight, even if I fully respect it.
This is the main lesson that I got from your story: if you can do without labels, definitely do without them. This might be a bit too succint of a summary, but this comment is already pretty long, lol. I know there were a lot more, but that's the one that appealed to me the most (along with the communication stuff, but that I kinda already got it from past experiences :) I'm sure this lesson will remain after the week I'll have used to digest all these intense emotions I felt (and to come to terms with the fact that my chances of ever meeting a perfect copy of Braden are more than slim haha), and I feel like I've got to thank you for this. Take care
On the most recent update, I like the original versions of the massage and nighttime better. The new massage positioning isn't realistic like the original and the the nighttime doesn't look like someone trying to sneak one in with all that hip action. Lucky the bed doesn't squeak, I guess.
Change for the sake of change isn't necessarily a good thing.
heya, thanks for checking in with the feedback. I'll actually take this a step further and say that change for the sake of change is never a good idea.the focus of the revamp is not to rewrite or really change the story even if i feel like there are mistakes in it (there are). it's mostly a visual overhaul, polish on the writing, and removing the loop at the beginning. these two changes on the other hand were very purposeful and i feel like they're drastic improvements from the original.
the original massage scene is very rigid with terrible camera angles. I was using stock poses that are very robotic to the point that it didn't seem like there was much life in the the characters at all. For the reavamp, the same poses were used as a base, i just did more fine tuning to make the characters actually touch this time and they have facial expressions; but both characters are basically in the same position they were in before and the writing didn't change that much. I just have more camera angles and more pictures but nothing was removed that I recall. in fact, I'm honestly so surprised by your take on this that I'm actually confused on what part you thought wasn't realistic compared to the original. this version felt way more realistic to me because there's just more life in it. I can barely look at the original images, they're terrible, lol.
The nighttime scene had some changes that i was concerned about and i talked about this on the patreon in a lot of detail because i actually did expect some backlash but people ended up being super receptive to the change. The original nighttime scene is very revealing-- which in my opinion-- later negates the purpose of Zack trying to peek in the first place. Why peek if he's already got a full side view? the other concern was that i purposely deleted the chair in the original game just so i could get the revealing shot of braden. as I was building these scenes, I ran into the same problem again, the friggen chair was in the way and i got frustrated and had to move it. but then i thought more about that and that didn't make sense either. there was emotion and frustration with that chair for me as a creator and there was story there. the more i thought about it, the more it made sense to have a much more restricted view of the scene to frustrate zack and to actually capture the layout of the room rather than making objects in the room literally invisible just so we could see more. here zack could finally have a clear shot but something so minor as a chair being in the way is almost infuriating. that totally fits with the beginning progression of the story and it just felt stupid that i ever took it out to begin with.
the "hip action" you noted was an addition that's very much in canon with how braden is in the later parts of the game-- something that zack doesn't really know about yet-- but it's certainly not untrue for his character and it's fun to see that without actually knowing the context yet. braden has a wild side and this is literally a sneak peek early on. In terms of the beds squeaking that wasn't something i ever thought about because they jump in and out of the beds constantly throughout the story so if they were squeaky, I felt like that would have been mentioned at some point during the narrative; jokes would have been made-- stuff like that. Plus, they're wooden framed beds and I've never heard one of those squeak-- just the springy ones but maybe that's just me.
While I did expect that backlash about the nighttime change, it never came. the community was pretty happy about this change and you're actually the first voice that i've seen that didn't think it fit the story. we've talked about it pretty openly on the discord and most people had the same take: they regret not getting to see more of braden like the original but admit that this version does make more sense for the sake of the story-- which has always been the main focus-- aaaaaand it doesn't include invisible chairs.
Sad and surprised that you liked the original better but I definitely don't do change for the sake of change. everything has to make sense to me and honestly-- the more change I do, the more work it is and I would like to do less work since it's a revamp. I dont want to be working on the same game for the rest of my life. I actually put a lot of thought into changes because i'm super protective of these characters. but if you have more feedback on the unnatural massage I'd love to hear it 'cause you kinda lost me there.
I absolutely loved this. I fell in love with the characters and story and actually related to the story quite a bit 😅. Been telling anyone willing to try about it glad to share.
heya. yo, glad you liked the story and I seriously appreciate you sharing the story with others. Up until the revamp, i've sorta depended solely on word-of-mouth and didn't really advertise any of this stuff. But even then, i can't believe how big it got and i'm really grateful for that. so it means a lot when people are willing to recommend it to others. plus, it's free, so you really can't lose :)
thanks for reading and glad you can relate. if you haven't checked out the revamp, i promise it's worth it if you liked the original
Ich möchte mich von ganzem Herzen für deine Mühe und deine Offenheit hier bedanken! Diese Geschichte hat mich mehr als nur berührt, eher konnte ich mich dadurch weiterentwickeln und Fehler in meiner Vergangenheit erkennen. Z.B. habe ich nach der Szene, in der Zack Brayden im Schlaf angefaßt hat, meinem besten Freund eine Mail mit einem Geständniss geschrieben.....er hat mir verziehn und ist immer noch mein bester Freund :D Eher noch mehr, als zuvor :))) Und das, obwohl er wirklich nichts mit Männern anfangen kann :D :D Vielen Dank dafür und natürlich für alles Andere :)
Wenn ich ein Tränenglas hätte, wäre es sicher sehr voll.....mit Freude, Verständniss, Mitgefühl, Trauer, Wut, Angst......aber vor allem mit Liebe :)))) Und das nur, weil ich auf dein tolles Spiel/Story gestoßen bin :D
Gerade habe ich das neueste Update deiner Version 2 durchgespielt und ich bin zutiefst beeindruckt! Trotzdem werde ich nie das Original von Euch vergessen und ewig in guter Erinnerung behalten!
Ihr Alle, die an diesem Projekt mitgearbeitet haben, seid meine Helden!!! :D
Heya, thanks for writing. I used Google translate for your message but I'm honestly afraid to use it to translate back because I don't want to butcher your language if the translation is off.
There's a lot of heavy situations in this game and it was fun to flip things that normally appear in adult games and actually give them heart, purpose, and consequences based on characters that a lot of people fell in love with. i'm glad the story helped you deal with things in your past and you were able to communicate and find peace in that. that's really a large reason of why i wrote and shared this in the first place so thank you for your energy and I'm also glad you're enjoying the revamp so far. revamp is only going to get better :)
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Hey, playing this for the first time (original ver) after hearing about it a few times. Is there meant to be no audio? I'm not far in but it's completely silent so far, not even any BGM.
yep. Original is very much a work in progress or a “rough draft.” I wanted legal music but couldn’t afford it when I started the project so I kept the original without audio. The Revamp does have a licensed soundtrack and sound effects though. If you’re playing for the first time, the game starts rough. I promise I get better. It’s also repetitious at the beginning and requires the right combination of activities to progress otherwise it loops. There’s a walkthrough file included in the game folder if you need it. That mechanic was annoying tho and goes away by the third chapter. It’s completely removed in the Revamp because I didn’t like it.
I don't mind the loops as much, I'm still seeing dialogues I never saw before - I read through 4 chapters in one sitting. Is the original version a complete story by the end?
yay, that makes me happy you made it that far. you're getting out of the roughest parts of the story then in terms of me being soooo new. around chapter 5 i got more community support and encouragement so I really started to push the story to a more mature narrative than just a smutty adult game.
if you're playing the original v0.21.4 it is the complete story. it's 10 chapters and they progressively get longer. like i said before, the quality is a bit rough at the beginning but i promise it gets better. all that stuff is ironed out in the Revamp but the Revamp is only the first 5 chapters right now.
I've finished the original ver now, I liked the friendship dynamic between the 4 characters towards the end but I felt like it ended way too quickly. Would've liked to have seen more of the 4 of them before the whole "nothing lasts forever" - even the writing letters to Ash/Max and them getting the picture of Bradens phone picture never happened. And the whole parting ways at the pool with your bestie 'for the last time' - felt a bit too bittersweet for my liking. It was an almost happy ending. But kudos to you!
i won't go into a lot of detailed spoilers with the ending (lots of people check comments down here before downloading so you can really spoil things if you're not careful) but the ending was very purposeful for me. It checked a lot of boxes and tied up all the loose ends while still leaving a lot of things open to reader head canon. over the years, a lot of people have related to these characters in many different ways and the community around this story has really grown. I've received thousands of letters and messages and personal stories just based on these character interactions and how important they were to people. As the story progressed, I found that I really wanted to write things in a way that was specific to the characters but also left openings for the reader's own head canon and fan theories about things. So trying to keep the majority of those as possibilities was definitely a goal for me for the ending. you sound like you interpreted things in a very different way than most and that's ok. that's the first I've heard of a "bittersweet" reaction to the bestie plans but I'm glad you like the friendship dynamic. that was a big part too. The majority of this story is just guys hanging out :p
There's also hints throughout the game on things like the phone picture that end up popping up on the patreon page as additional content sometimes. most patreon pages have monthly CG extra they put out. I used to do that frequently but then found that it delayed the game development so now I do it a bit less. I mostly use a lot of those photo sets as practice for other development and visual skills that I want to use in game later. Over time, i thought it would be fun for those pictures to end up actually playing a roll in the game somewhere so that everything is connected. They're not required for the story but it was just an attempt to make supplemental content there actually matter. There's a photo set on there that's unconfirmed if it's the actual one he's talking about but it could be. This is also just a first attempt at all this for me so I'm learning as I go-- mistakes and all. I've thing I ever wrote before this was research papers for school :p
That would be nice if you put a "hide" button, if is possible, of course. Amazing story, btw
Heya, thanks a lot. Glad you’re enjoying the story. To hide text in game just tap H. If that isn’t working for some reason, go to the Options screen and there’s a Controls setting there where you can change that or it’ll list some other default for your system :)
This story has been nothing but love and strong emotion, i just really loved the storyline of it all
heya, glad you liked all the feelings in a game like this but you may wanna include spoiler warning or something like that so you don't ruin that experience for people that scroll down here and read the comments before playing :)
I just started playing the revamp after playing the original a couple years ago (after it was finished already).
I'm not far, just at the shower scene, and just had a minor thing I wanted to express my opinion on: The revamp shower seems a bit too bright for having half the lights out/uneven lighting.
heya. glad to see you pop back in for the revamp. yep, the entire game is brighter overall now to be in par with the quality of the ending of the original (well... it's actually gotten better than that as you'll see if you go further into the Revamp). one thing that i continue to struggle with artistically is dealing with white. there's a pic set on the patreon page of Braden in the white hoodie and i've continued to try and just create opportunities to work with lights and white backgrounds or white tile or whatever. white blows out really easily and i still haven't figured it out yet. i've gotten better but it's definitely a struggle for me
God. I have to say.. This was an amazing story. I started with the revamp, but I couldn't take the wait, so I ended up reading the original. I will now follow the revamp because there are definitive differences between the two. I am excited to see how the story unfolds again. I had so many emotions during the story and I am very happy with the ending. Would love to see what happens after though too. I got so invested I binged the entire story in a matter of a few days, just absorbing the content every second I could. Thank you Aaryn for a great story!
heya, thank you so much for the comment. i like hearing from people that started with the Revamp and went backwards. i was worried about the shock of that transition given that the original has no sound and is so empty on the campus but I think you did it at a good time. Hopefully it will continue to be excited to see how those same iconic scenes later in the game translate to the Revamp. i'm intimidated by some of them but that just means i'll be careful :)
thanks for playing and i'm really glad you enjoyed it <3
It is an amazing and beautiful story. Probably the best visual novel I've ever experienced. The animations and graphics are also amazing. It's just great. I would be very happy if the story continued. Great thanks to all creators!
thank you very much. this is very kind and i'm glad you enjoyed it :)
Just finished reading or watching? idk but all i know is i have the same feeling after finishing a REALLY good book so you're defiantly doing something right. And I do need to know when the next part/chapter come out!!
heya, thanks for checking in. Not sure which version you played. If you played the original (v0.21.4) that one is no longer being updated as it was the end of the story and is being replaced by the Revamp when it's completed. If you're playing the Revamp (Revamp v0.09.3) then the first half of Chapter 5 will drop here on March 27 for FREE. It's currently on my Patreon for early access. I'm already working on the second half of Chapter 5 now.
Yes, I was playing the revamp I'm so excited!! See you in 6 days lol
haha. Good deal! See ya then! hope you enjoy <3
I enjoyed it! Never been so emotionally invested in something lol
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 epilogue... 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
is there a guide?
yep, so for the original version, the beginning of the game kinda sucks and i'm sorry about that. it was based on the grinding type games that were popular when this began back in 2017. If you look in the game file, there's a .txt file called walkthrough.txt that will tell you the order of things to pick for the first few chapters. That repetition slows down considerably in chapter 4 and then goes away completely after that.
If you ever play the revamp, the repetition sequences from the beginning are completely removed and the entire story is more linear.
I absolutely loved this game! Every part of it - the visuals, the storytelling, the story itself, the characters. It all felt so vivid, so real. Nothing felt forced or out of place or dramatized to no end. It really was a great experience.
Zack is honestly adorable. I loved his humor and I really felt like he was so relatable, both in queer and plain human terms (although I am a girl, not a boy, so certain things were wildly different for obvious reasons, lol).
Also, I actually scanned the code on the purple poster and I have to say it was really a nice detail to add!
I'll be waiting for more content from you, Aaryn. Keep doing whatever you're doing, it's working! :)
Yay! I love getting girl fans of the game! It's been awhile since I've heard from one and I just got excited again :p
Glad you liked the story and felt like everything clicked. While i do like drama, I wanted all the drama to matter or to really illustrate something that could pop up in a relationship and really explore how to talk about that or sort through it. Also, glad you cause the scanning code on the Pool poster in the revamp version. It was a fun detail that Jordyn added and it's a fun easter egg for those that find it and take the extra step to see if it actually works or not. there's a lot of easter eggs in the story that people still haven't found :)
Thank you for stopping by and thanks for playing. I'm super happy you enjoyed it and stay tuned. the next one update is coming up before too long
Yeah, drama is fine as long as it makes sense and it is not sensationalized. A story where absolutely nothing ever happens would be boring, after all. But I love how you handled it - these guys just straight (or not :D) up TALK when things go wrong and I really appreciate that. No mindless, useless dragging of it all for the sake of it. Just people actually communicating. Absolutely loved that.
Not gonna lie, at first I only wanted to play this because it was not heterosexual stuff, lol - I am bi and quite tired of the general narrative focusing on straight relationships/stories. But then I got hooked on the characters and the storytelling. It's so refreshing to see such a honest, raw take on certain aspects of life. The NSFW content is good (Zack is DAMN FINE!) but the fact you actually made these characters feel real and like people rather than just mindless figures doing hot things, makes it 10000x times better.
As for the two versions: not gonna lie, the original looks great. Yes, the revamped is even better, but I would have been happy even with just the first one. It's gorgeous. However, I do prefer the narrative of the revamped version of a mile. It reads more easily and gives more glimpses of what actually goes on in the characters' minds.
And now I'm on the hunt for more easter eggs, lol
the communication was a big thing to me, especially because i'm using an online environment to distribute this. the online environment just seems to foster snap judgements and angry people attacking others. people seem so quick to either attack or defend and sometimes there's important context that's left out. we assume things about other people that probably aren't true and that makes the world look like an ugly place.
I wanted to show some fucked up situations between two people that are really good together but sometimes things get messy. I wanted to explore that and show a way to actually communicate and work together. to put some time into trying to hear the other person out, even if you dont agree with them. sure, the solutions from the game wont apply to everyone but i wanted to show one way where two people actually sit down and collaborate on life. i just felt like i was starved for that in media today. you never see someone take the simple role of "you fucking like the guy so hear him out!" anymore.
These guys aren't perfect, in fact their a hot mess sometimes and they're trying to figure themselves out and we get to watch in real-time while that happens--even if it's slow. and hopefully some of the questions they ponder are applicable to the reader-- they were to me. i did a ton of soul searching in this story and sorta went on that same journey with the characters.
the original game is what it is. it's its own journey. you can see the progress from the beginning of it to the end. i think super fans enjoy that because they get to see the improvements in the world as the characters improve. that makes the entire thing almost metaphorical and that's fun. i think, to me, the revamp is an open love story to the characters and the fans. it's my attempt to say that you stuck with me through the rough patches while i learned how to do this and you were open to my soul-searching storytelling, so here, i'll redo it all and show you what i can do now with that energy behind me. i've been lucky enough to have an amazing community of fans behind this thing and i'm finally at a point where i can show you what i saw in my heart the first time i wrote this :)
You 100% delivered all of this and MORE. You gave depth to all of the characters, which alone is an incredible feat, and told a beautiful story that's really vivid.
And while I promise to stop writing essays in these comments at once, lol, I feel compelled to say I especially loved the ending - like the inner turmoil, the arguments, the feelings, the issues, that too felt incredibly real. No promises of forever and unicorns riding off into the sunset in a perfect world, no flawless people doing things flawlessly and never having an issue, but realistic guys trying their best. Doing what they can with what they have. Being friends and lovers, taking care of each other, trying to be good for each other. And I don't mean just Zack and Braden - Mikhail and Ash too.
Ultimately, THANK YOU SO MUCH for this story! I will absolutely donate what I can next month because none of this deserves to be free and because if I can give something in return I am only happy to, tbh. And I will wait for any new content that might or might not happen to grace your page in the future for sure :)
heh, glad you approved. Yeah, i'm not a big fan of perfection. i like flaws and the individuality of the human experience. i wanted characters that were human and fucked up and stumbled and falling into storybook cliches is not an appropriate way to handle characters like that. too much storybook and i think they lose their relatability. all of the characters are frustrating at some point but then i also believe all of us can be frustrating to others when we're not able to see things clearly and i wanted to capture that. i think you summarized it good: characters just trying to do their best. that's smoothing that gives me comfort and it's easy to relate to.
So: on the donation aspect-- hopefully you see this. lemme run through a couple quick things to help you with that decision. 1) please don't rush to donate or feel compelled to. only do so if you're in a safe position. take care of yourself and those you love first-- seriously. 2) the official platforms are Patreon and Itch.io. the problem with sending a donation here on Itchio is that you dont get anything for it. If you donate on Patreon, you can unlock extra stuff (if you're interested in that). The problem with patreon is that when you donate, it sets up autobill so if you're just looking to make a one time contribution, itch.io is probably easier but if you wanna do a subscription thing then Patreon is the way to go. A third option for a one time donation (and my recommendation) is do Patreon so you unlock stuff, then cancel right after, you'll be good for 30 days and it gives you time to see what you're interested in (if anything) over there. There's videos and extras and behind the scenes stuff as well as picture sets that get a bit steamy and fun. If you do the patreon route and forget to cancel, just DM me. I can always refund (but only 3 months back-- after that, Patreon locks it and i'd likely just donate to a charity on your behalf). I want an honest setup here so if you have questions and stuff, please ask. but just remember the game is free for a reason. you can always recommend the game to others, post about it in places or share it. that helps me just as much :)
I've been obsessing over this game for the past week and I just finished it today. I must say that this is quite literally one of my favorite games EVER. I was expecting it to be more like a game you'd wank to, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that it's so much more profound than that. The end kind of disappointed me though, and not because I didn't like it, but because I desperately wanted to see more of the story. I also felt like it ended on a cliffhanger, like what happens next, is it just happy ever after? Regardless, thank you for creating this masterpiece.
heya, sorry i'm slow responding. holidays were busy. glad you liked the story and i'm pleased it surprised you. i think it's fun doing something in this genre that surprises people with the depth. Also, i'll take your comment about the ending as a compliment that you wanted more. i worked hard on that ending to get it to be a lot of things. it's supposed to kinda echo (without saying spoilers cause lot of people scroll down here and read this before they even start playing so we dont wanna ruin things). thank you for your kind words and glad you liked it <3
heyy! no worries, i get that you're preoccupied. hope you had a nice time over the holidays! i also think that depth is more important than a couple of meaningless nsfw scenes. i have to admit that it took me by surprise and once i knew it, i was going through all the emotions. since you're working on the revamp, i was wondering if you have thought about continuing the story further? i assume you want to stick to the original script, but i think many people (including me) would like to see what happens next. (though it would kind of kill the point of the ending in the original, so i get why you wouldn't want to do it) you've probably been asked this like a thousand times already, so i apologize in advance, lol. also, any news on when we can expect the next update to release?
holidays were good but busy af so i'm glad to have them checked off the list. hope yours were good as well. I think the NSFW scenes hit harder when you actually care or there's a better introduction or even consequences for it. emotions can change things and i think just rushing into NSFW scenes in games was fine to create the genre but it's boring now because everyone does that. You can only order so many pizzas or do so much yoga.
in terms of the revamp, yes, it will stick to the original script. everything should happen mostly the same way with some minor changes but big events will not change nor will the ending. I have gotten asked about doing a sequel a few hundred times now but that's ok, i appreciate the interest :p
right now, i dont have one in the works but i'm open to it. however, my requirement is that a continuation would have to be better than this by a lot. i'm not willing to risk pushing the story forward unless it's going to greatly make an impact. i told the story i needed to. i think a lot of sequels feel rushed or are just done for financial reasons and i'm not willing to just push something out for those reasons. people have trusted me with these characters for several years now and i dont take that trust lightly. i'm careful with them so it would really have to mean something. it's all about the story to me, everything else falls in somewhere behind that.
I understand that you feel satisfied with the story you've told and characters you've built, and now that I've taken time to think about it all, I think I also am. The ending felt disappointing to me initially, but only because I was left wanting more and now that I've reflected on it once again, I finally understand what you meant when you said that it's supposed to "echo", leaving the rest to the imagination of the player. Having a sequel would be nice, but the story is perfect as it is right now. Some things are just best left untouched. I'm glad that you've got your head in the right place and you're not doing a sequel for monetary purposes. You seem like a really neat and wise guy :).
Keep up the great work, I'm thrilled about the upcoming update and I want you to know that you've earned yourself an unconditional supporter. <3
haha, i could always be wiser :p but thank you. you're very kind and made me smile. But yeah, I really am careful with these characters. You can't build an audience and really want people to put in an effort to get to know your characters then just sacrifice them for cash or cheap tricks to try and make money. naaaah, fuck that. these guys mean to much to me and to others. I take my role serious. and thank you for taking my project seriously. i really put and continue to put a lot into it. it's growing every day. thanks for being part of that :)
Edit: bah, also.... damn, my bad. i knew i read someone had left a comment asking about the next update on here and i couldn't find it. it was you and i saw it right after i responded here. so next update for the revamp will hopefully drop in the next few days on my Patreon page. I'm working my ass off to try and get it out during December so like pray or something, lol. But 3 weeks after the Patreon release, then it posts here and Patreon for FREE. so figure in like 3 weeks into January or so for FREE version (hopefully)
Not gonna lie, I downloaded this for something to wank to and holy shit, I was not prepared for how utterly drawn in I'd get by the story. I can't even begin to explain how moved, touched, and seen this made me feel. I just finished and my emotions are... so complicated.
It's an emotional rollercoaster, but I very much appreciated the handling of heavy and emotionally charged subjects - invariably honest, but only sometimes brutally so. It doesn't feel like punches were pulled, but it feels like there's an intrinsic kindness and gentleness to the storytelling itself, and to the reader through it. It never preaches, it tells a story of deep dynamic characters finding their way through they own lives, but in a way that's just... so fucking identifiable it's almost creepy. Not all of their lessons are for me, but a few of them definitely were, and I'm immensely grateful I found this.
And now, since this comment is one of the most honest things I've said online in a while and I'm starting to overthink it (okay, I started to overthink it... probably literally over half an hour ago), it's time to just post it 😊
yo, thanks a lot for checking in and letting me know what you thought. i'm glad you appreciated the depth as well as how some of the heavy issues in the game were discussed and handled. I've stated before but I'll also reiterate that these situations and the opinions and perspectives are central to these characters so they're in no way a sample of the "right" way to do things; but they are an example of "a way" that worked in these situations for these guys. So please take what you feel applies and leave the rest. I'm glad it didn't come off as preaching, tho, that was definitely a goal to try and walk that balance.
and dont worry about the overthinking. i literally wrote like a 15 hours story on overthinking; suffice to say I'm well-versed in the art :p I'm glad you posted tho and reading your experience means a lot to me so thank you for sharing and thank you for reading. If you haven't already, be sure to check out the revamp, i promise it's way better from the very start. all the best to you and those you care about <3
I did not realise there was a part of me that needed to see guys fumble with, well, stuff. And I'm not even through the game yet. What kind of white magic fuckery is this?
lol, glad to make your subconscious dreams come true :p
Where do I begin!? This is by far the best visual novel I've read. Usually, the content of the story has me intrigued, but Straight!? had me emotionally invested. I simply wanted more to the story, which I loved. I finished reading the original version, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. The author(s) has/have done an amazing job.
***SPOILER!!!!!!***
The only thing I wish was different is the epilogue. I wish it was part of the final chapter, and a new epilogue was written to focus more on what happened during the summer; their return to school, how did the changes to the swim team go, did they stay in touch with Ash, do they all still hang out (would love them to see Ash several times), and for heavens sake do they finally get lube! [you know which scene I'm talking about ;)]. Just food for thought as you revamp. I honestly haven't found a story that I was more consumed by than this. The authors deserve all the praise they get.
yo, glad you enjoyed it and the emotions hit. it was a blast to write and emotionally had me all over the place as well so you're not alone. While there's no sequel planned right now, hopefully the desire to want more means that things hit like they should so thank you for that. You should check out the revamp if you liked the original. it's lightyears better
Loved it! I'm usually not an emotional person, but this story just hit different; a good kind of different. I'm definitely going to subscribe and start reading the revamp. If at all possible, I would love to have more added to the epilogue. I think the story and message behind everything is magnificent, but I totally had several questions when it ended. I'm looking forward to seeing all the changes! You guys are awesome.
Also, thank you for staying connected, listening, and engaging in comments. Many authors don't, and it makes our loyalty and passion for the story grow when you do. I greatly appreciate it.
yeah, your'e supposed to have some questions really or fill those blanks in yourself. however you wanna piece it together. Also, thanks for the kind words about me being connected. i think it's important for the creator to take an active role with the community. i have no idea why more devs don't-- other than just being arrogant-- which i have no use for. I'm just a regular dude trying to figure this thing out and people have been very kind in supporting the project or leaving nice comments and stuff over the years and i'm grateful for that. least i can do is answer them back and say thank you <3
We appreciate it! You have created an amazing story, and love everything about it. <3
thank you very much. i seriously appreciate it
[Review, no spoilers]
Think of "Straight!?" like a romance novel. Probably the most romantic story I've come across in a video game... unlike most interactive story games in this genre, Straight!? puts telling a good story first, and sprinkles nsfw scenes slowly, just where it makes sense. The goal isn't unlocking art, it's, well, pretty much the same pleasure as reading!
5/5, excited to read to the end! (I played Ch 1-3 of the Revamp edition).
hey, ooooh nice. you're just playing the revamp huh? no original version? I appreciate your kind words. i really do put a lot of thought into it and it seems like you're really appreciating the adult content the way it's intended-- to move things forward to have serious discussions about the content. i seriously appreciate your kind words and i hope you continue to enjoy it. I just dropped the first half of Chapter 4 today
Thank you so much for this wonderful game (story...), i loved it. I actually had tears at the end...
heya, thanks a lot. glad you enjoyed it :)
you may wanna reword your post a bit tho so you dont spoil all my tension building for others :)
Sorry, i didn't think of that, but I just changed it now.
this totally works and thanks for making the mild change; hopefully, my request didn't come off too harsh. i really appreciate that you enjoyed the story and checked in. thanks for reading <3
Thanks again for your work. Greetings from Germany
thank you for reading. greetings from the US <3
This game is honestly incredible. I play quite a few of the gay visual novel games as I got into it a couple of weeks ago and to be frank, this so far has been my favourite.
This game shares a lot of qualities with the other games like it's really good art design (although this game is on the higher end of that too) as well it's fun options available.
The best part of it that stands out against the other games though is it's incredible story that is wholesome, adorable, and healthy. And when I mean it's healthy, I mean it's a genuinely healthy story where it's not just some toxic relationship but everyone thinks is cute because of the media. It focuses a lot on the characters self development and all the characters and the plot points are points that resonate with myself really hard.
The things this game does and how it normalises things that we feel are often disgusting or ashamed of is really incredible and makes at least me, feel a lot better.
Thanks for the incredible game, I can't wait to see what's in store.
yo, glad you enjoyed it and vibed with a wholesome story in the adult genre. I really did want to normalize a lot of things or at least normalize the conversation about them between people that care about each other. if you haven't already, check out the revamp. i promise it's better :)
yeah it was a great game.
I started with playing the revamp but found myself needing to play more so I played the old game. It was great. I’m just waiting for each chapter for the revamp to come out and enjoy it now.
i'm working on v0.09 now. adding some new shiny stuff that honestly impressed me today so stay tuned :)
Hello,
I'm a horny player who got trapped into following the story til the end with butterflies in the stomach during half of it.
I found the game on an explicit website and prefered to download it from the actual source. In a hurry to unhornynize myself, I completely missed the revamp part and played the classic version, which wasn't too much of a problem.
As you might already have guessed, I'm one of those who came for the NSFW and stayed for the feels. And what feels they were!
I've never really read any romance before. I have troubles feeling strong emotions and that's why I'm seeing a therapist. I only realised it was more than a porn game after I had the choice between two different routes.
I got attached to Braden at that point so I chose accordingly and never regretted it.
Spoiler Warnings from here
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS :
I'm gonna start with a lenghty and useless first sentence to protect wandering eyes from getting spoiled. Here we go. The sex scene that one would expect in a NSFW game kinda never came (even though I enjoyed the final explicit scenes and am one of those who consider it to be "unvirgining") but the thing was so well led that I didn't mind at all. When I started, I definitely wanted them to do the deed, but the writing succesfully led me to only want them to end up together and happy. The attempt at sex at the end made me actually chuckle. How cute, how relatable, how I wish I had that experience as a first time!
END OF SPOILERS.
The NSFW question now set aside, I'm going to talk about the rest.
As I said before, I don't think I've ever read actual romance before.
Thanks to this work, I now know I'm not made for this :
the thing made my stomach churn with emotion, and I felt compelled to finish it so I could move on with my life.
I feel like I felt too much emotions for my own good. Maybe not for my own good, but that definitely felt overwhelming.
Probably because I identified to the main character like crazy (I had a massive crush on a straight guy and never built the courage to confess -as I was and still am a 100% sure that I would have gotten rejected-), I was violently touched by the story : I fell in love with the character you wrote and couldn't stop thinking about him while I wasn't playing. When I was talking about it to people, my stomach churned again. That's a thing I should talk about to my therapist!
Anyways, I'm not sure this would have happened with any other romance. I think *you* did an amazing job and that you have an ability to create relatable characters. Sure some scenes were idealised and would have probably never happened in real life (that's why we write romances I guess), but the characters themselves reacted accordingly.
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS :
Ash was legit funny, Mikhael is a friend that could fix anyone's life and I won't even talk about Braden because my stomach will start to churn again (it literally is right now). Zack was at a perfect point between being its own character and extremely relatable.
END OF SPOILERS
Now I will be able to close this game and delete it. In a few days I will think that I was stupid to have felt such intense emotions about a romance visual novel, but this doesn't change anything to the fact that you've done a wonderful job at touching people right in their heart. You're an amazing artist, man
Heya,
Thank you sincerely for the long, well-written response and thank you for reading and taking the project as a serious attempt. No worries on the horny reader approach, you're among thousands, lol. I actually take that as a compliment: that you downloaded for the horny reasons and stayed for the story.
That being said, I have no idea how this story stacks up with other "romances." Honestly, I dont even know if it's a romance-- i've never read one either. But it felt like what I'd want a romance to be. I've actually never seen a gay themed movie or read any gay-themed literature or novels-- I purposely avoided them while writing this because I didn't want them to influence this story.
Sorry about the upset stomach throughout this thing. If it makes you feel better, you're not alone there; I had the same stomach pains the entire time that I was writing it. It was cathartic but brutally honest and difficult sometimes for me to accept or share. I'm glad to hear you're in therapy. While I don't know your situation, I was going through my masters program in clinical psych when I wrote the majority of this so I'm familiar with therapy and have worked in the field. That being said, please don't take this story as "truth" or some type of "correct" way of doing things. It's simply a template on communication and honesty and self-acceptance that worked for these particular characters. Not everyone has the same journey so remember to listen to yourself, but if any of these interactions spoke to you or helped you, please take them and use them to your heart's desire. I tackled a lot of heavy issues in this story and it was even more fun to do all of that under an "adult" tag. Hell, the Discord was full of churning emotions-- especially for the ending. I'm glad it spoke to you and I'm glad you checked in to share your thoughts and your experiences. Good luck to you. Thank you for reading, thank you for leaving an emotional response, and thank you for your being a part of this for me <3
I was sure you were doing something linked to psychology, I felt like there was no way you had no knowledge in this field for you to be able to write with such accuracy. It's a good thing you used your skills to write such a story.
I was however surprised to learn that you've never read or seen any fictive gay romance either before : that makes your work even more authentic than I thought, because you wrote straight out of your heart, without using stuff from potential past litterary experiences (something that most writers efficiently and rightly do).
Thanks for your concern and advice. I already had this kind of approach to be honest. Even if I can't expect everything to work like with Zack and Braden (if only: I would have a perfect guide!), their story made me realise that, even as an out of closet bi dude, I should still let go of the labels and just consider myself as myself and nothing else.
I learned that trying to find a label as if it would have helped me find my identity is not a solution. My identity is unique, just like anyone else's, and for this reason I can't a 100% appeal to any label that has been created by anyone else than myself (that's more or less what Mikhail once said to Zack, if I remember well!).
I feel like that's quite an interesting thing that happened in the LGBTQ+ community. For a community that originally had to form itself because it couldn't be labeled efficiently by society, I think that it's now doing an awfully good job at creating a multiplicity of labels for people to fit in (top, bottom, vers, twink, twonk, fem, masc, bear ...). I know this is a complicated issue and labels help with representation and inclusivity, but in my case, I'm way too much overthinking stuff to be able to use those efficiently (and I'm not the only one apparently, as it's also the case with Zack and Braden and I'm not sure those two came out of nowhere).
That's partly why I don't really feel a part of this community despite not being straight, even if I fully respect it.
This is the main lesson that I got from your story: if you can do without labels, definitely do without them. This might be a bit too succint of a summary, but this comment is already pretty long, lol. I know there were a lot more, but that's the one that appealed to me the most (along with the communication stuff, but that I kinda already got it from past experiences :)
I'm sure this lesson will remain after the week I'll have used to digest all these intense emotions I felt (and to come to terms with the fact that my chances of ever meeting a perfect copy of Braden are more than slim haha), and I feel like I've got to thank you for this. Take care
On the most recent update, I like the original versions of the massage and nighttime better. The new massage positioning isn't realistic like the original and the the nighttime doesn't look like someone trying to sneak one in with all that hip action. Lucky the bed doesn't squeak, I guess.
Change for the sake of change isn't necessarily a good thing.
heya, thanks for checking in with the feedback. I'll actually take this a step further and say that change for the sake of change is never a good idea.the focus of the revamp is not to rewrite or really change the story even if i feel like there are mistakes in it (there are). it's mostly a visual overhaul, polish on the writing, and removing the loop at the beginning. these two changes on the other hand were very purposeful and i feel like they're drastic improvements from the original.
the original massage scene is very rigid with terrible camera angles. I was using stock poses that are very robotic to the point that it didn't seem like there was much life in the the characters at all. For the reavamp, the same poses were used as a base, i just did more fine tuning to make the characters actually touch this time and they have facial expressions; but both characters are basically in the same position they were in before and the writing didn't change that much. I just have more camera angles and more pictures but nothing was removed that I recall. in fact, I'm honestly so surprised by your take on this that I'm actually confused on what part you thought wasn't realistic compared to the original. this version felt way more realistic to me because there's just more life in it. I can barely look at the original images, they're terrible, lol.
The nighttime scene had some changes that i was concerned about and i talked about this on the patreon in a lot of detail because i actually did expect some backlash but people ended up being super receptive to the change. The original nighttime scene is very revealing-- which in my opinion-- later negates the purpose of Zack trying to peek in the first place. Why peek if he's already got a full side view? the other concern was that i purposely deleted the chair in the original game just so i could get the revealing shot of braden. as I was building these scenes, I ran into the same problem again, the friggen chair was in the way and i got frustrated and had to move it. but then i thought more about that and that didn't make sense either. there was emotion and frustration with that chair for me as a creator and there was story there. the more i thought about it, the more it made sense to have a much more restricted view of the scene to frustrate zack and to actually capture the layout of the room rather than making objects in the room literally invisible just so we could see more. here zack could finally have a clear shot but something so minor as a chair being in the way is almost infuriating. that totally fits with the beginning progression of the story and it just felt stupid that i ever took it out to begin with.
the "hip action" you noted was an addition that's very much in canon with how braden is in the later parts of the game-- something that zack doesn't really know about yet-- but it's certainly not untrue for his character and it's fun to see that without actually knowing the context yet. braden has a wild side and this is literally a sneak peek early on. In terms of the beds squeaking that wasn't something i ever thought about because they jump in and out of the beds constantly throughout the story so if they were squeaky, I felt like that would have been mentioned at some point during the narrative; jokes would have been made-- stuff like that. Plus, they're wooden framed beds and I've never heard one of those squeak-- just the springy ones but maybe that's just me.
While I did expect that backlash about the nighttime change, it never came. the community was pretty happy about this change and you're actually the first voice that i've seen that didn't think it fit the story. we've talked about it pretty openly on the discord and most people had the same take: they regret not getting to see more of braden like the original but admit that this version does make more sense for the sake of the story-- which has always been the main focus-- aaaaaand it doesn't include invisible chairs.
Sad and surprised that you liked the original better but I definitely don't do change for the sake of change. everything has to make sense to me and honestly-- the more change I do, the more work it is and I would like to do less work since it's a revamp. I dont want to be working on the same game for the rest of my life. I actually put a lot of thought into changes because i'm super protective of these characters. but if you have more feedback on the unnatural massage I'd love to hear it 'cause you kinda lost me there.
I absolutely loved this. I fell in love with the characters and story and actually related to the story quite a bit 😅. Been telling anyone willing to try about it glad to share.
heya. yo, glad you liked the story and I seriously appreciate you sharing the story with others. Up until the revamp, i've sorta depended solely on word-of-mouth and didn't really advertise any of this stuff. But even then, i can't believe how big it got and i'm really grateful for that. so it means a lot when people are willing to recommend it to others. plus, it's free, so you really can't lose :)
thanks for reading and glad you can relate. if you haven't checked out the revamp, i promise it's worth it if you liked the original
Hey Aaryn!
Ich möchte mich von ganzem Herzen für deine Mühe und deine Offenheit hier bedanken! Diese Geschichte hat mich mehr als nur berührt, eher konnte ich mich dadurch weiterentwickeln und Fehler in meiner Vergangenheit erkennen. Z.B. habe ich nach der Szene, in der Zack Brayden im Schlaf angefaßt hat, meinem besten Freund eine Mail mit einem Geständniss geschrieben.....er hat mir verziehn und ist immer noch mein bester Freund :D Eher noch mehr, als zuvor :))) Und das, obwohl er wirklich nichts mit Männern anfangen kann :D :D Vielen Dank dafür und natürlich für alles Andere :)
Wenn ich ein Tränenglas hätte, wäre es sicher sehr voll.....mit Freude, Verständniss, Mitgefühl, Trauer, Wut, Angst......aber vor allem mit Liebe :)))) Und das nur, weil ich auf dein tolles Spiel/Story gestoßen bin :D
Gerade habe ich das neueste Update deiner Version 2 durchgespielt und ich bin zutiefst beeindruckt! Trotzdem werde ich nie das Original von Euch vergessen und ewig in guter Erinnerung behalten!
Ihr Alle, die an diesem Projekt mitgearbeitet haben, seid meine Helden!!! :D
Mit ganz lieben Grüßen!
Heya, thanks for writing. I used Google translate for your message but I'm honestly afraid to use it to translate back because I don't want to butcher your language if the translation is off.
There's a lot of heavy situations in this game and it was fun to flip things that normally appear in adult games and actually give them heart, purpose, and consequences based on characters that a lot of people fell in love with. i'm glad the story helped you deal with things in your past and you were able to communicate and find peace in that. that's really a large reason of why i wrote and shared this in the first place so thank you for your energy and I'm also glad you're enjoying the revamp so far. revamp is only going to get better :)