The revamp is SO beautiful and real. It's been a few years since I've watched Brian Sandbox dramatize it. Don't remember what's different, but the writing is just great. My heart's been broken a few times by the story. Keep it up. This project is something really special.
yo, thank you so much for the response. glad you're enjoying the revamp. I really felt like i had to make a case for why i was going back through things but it seems like people are onboard with this once they actually see it. I will say Brian did a good job on the story. He brought some really good points into the reading of it as well as sharing personal things and adding things that I left out or just didn't even think of-- i think that's what makes a good stream on something like that: just taking the source material and adding something of your own to make it better. I know he was able to reach a lot of people that I couldn't and I appreciate that. He did a good job and i'm grateful for that. thank you for reading :)
so no plans on a sequel right now. the ending was really purposefully done to tie up a lot of things and really focuses on the story that i wanted to tell here. it checked a lot of boxes for a lot of people. that being said, i'm open to a sequel but it would have to be better than the original for me to even do it. I'm not a fan of just running stories into the ground with dozens of sequels and stuff.
This story was AMAZING, i got so connected to the characters! i REALLY hope a sequel happens at some point, i think a lot of people would agree with me. I truly thank you for this story!
Fuck! It totally gave me book hangover! I've played before the first draft it was completed and now I've played all what it's published and I cried like a bitch!
I love the writing, how you can feel all the storm that is Zack head! I relate to him so much! And Brendan too, he's experience remind I bit of myself, whom is self labeled as demiromantic. Maybe you didn't intend for that but, that's what I'm reading as.
The scenes! Fuck the pool scene! It was so beautiful! And the end fuuuuuuuuck. Have you ever watch the 3 season of skam specifically? This gave the same feelings when I first watched.
haha, sorry about your hangover. but super glad you enjoyed it and all the feels hit the way they were supposed to. In terms of how you interpret the characters and stuff, i really wanted to leave that part open so people could look into them the way they wanted to of whatever appeals to them the most. sexuality is a big discussion in this game and it's really hard to take a complete stance on what that is or isn't. it's complicated and diverse so i really wanted to leave it up to the reader. I've never heard of Skam here personally but it looks kinda interesting. i can add it to my list and maybe get to it eventually :)
You should watch it. It is a Norwegian series but it got famous because the 3th season and now there are a lot of version out there, but nothing like the original. I still have it saved on my old Megadrive
So no plans for voiceovers for a couple of reasons. 1) Logistics. The amount of dialogue in this game is insane. The original script had over 50k lines of code. It would be hard to try and record some parts and not record others. Recording that would take months and coding it in and editing it would be a nightmare. I honestly don't think it would be worth the time and would likely delay updates, prolong development, or just prevent me from starting something else. There's just never been a lot of demand and I don't want to be a developer that just spends forever redoing and adding to the same project. 2) Voices can ruin head canon. So this second point is honestly more important to me and is the primary reason I'm about 99% sure we'll never see voiceovers. I think visual novels, especially one of this length, kinda blend that novel and game genre together. However, the length of this one really pushes more of a "novel" than a game. I think that causes a lot of people to read it like a book where you get to make the voices up in your head. There's also a lot of readers that have developed head canon about these characters including voices, accents, ethnicities, and all kinds of diverse characteristics. That freedom allows the reader to identify more with the characters and that's proven powerful to thousands of readers over the years. I don't want to take that from them. I think the characters are more powerful and diverse being silent and left to the imagination of the reader with this project and I want to protect that.
However, that being said, cinematically it would be pretty sweet to have voices and it would make doing music way easier
So I really like the music in this game I was trying to find the audio/sound files. Is there a way to access them, or where are they located in the game's files? I could discover most of the songs but there are a few I couldn't manage to identify.
heya, glad you like the music I chose for it. I don't lock any of the media files down even though I've been urged to do it. You should be able to find all the audio stuff in the base game folder/game/audio/music folder :)
good deal. glad you found it. and thank you. I've really tried hard on the music aspect. while i respect that music taste is objective, I've really tried hard to find things that make me feel the moment when i'm writing the stuff while still remaining within my price range because.... bruh... the music stuff is expensive as hell, lol. But i'm happy with the tracks so far and i'm seriously glad you're vibing to them.
Yeah, I definitely could tell you put a lot of thought into it. I write music myself so I can understand the cost aspect haha. I look forward to seeing what you add to the game in the future!
I really loved this game, tbh it's kind of the few that, after completing it I instantly feel shit (because its perfect and I wanted more of it). Yesterday I saw the reworked version (I played the older one) and I'm gonna play it *straight* after I completed the non=reworked one. All I got to say is that I am happy there are people like you working in these kind of games and you did great in this one (and I haven't even played the reworked one). I hope you make us proud once again with the rework. I usually don't trust using my credit to any website (even if its itch.io) but I wanted to share (even if it is a small amount) for your effort. I know there are quite few people that want to say things like this comment and maybe are shy. We are here, we thank you and we want more like this.
Stay strong and good job.
P.S.:I know I might be greedy but I honestly would die to play more of this... I don't know if you have planned to show things like what happens after the end of semester, like part 2 or something like that... What I'm trying to say is, it's your choice (ofcourse) if you are gonna make more after this, but I'm sure there are a lot of people who would LOVE to see this.
sorry i'm slow on the response. Really happy you enjoyed things but sorry it left you sorta lost after you finished it. I'll take that as a compliment :) Lemme know how you like the Revamp. I've grown a lot during this so it's definitely something I recommend if you liked the first one. It's way better from the opening scene. I think it grabs you much earlier and it's just fun to see the characters look 1000 x better.
but thank you for your kind words. I know people don't always say stuff and that's ok. I'm pretty shy and quiet myself so I'd probably be one of those silent type, myself. Hell, on the discord i talk because I'm the admin but otherwise I'd probably be waaaay quieter. But I'm just really glad you appreciated the story and the angle I chose for this whole thing.
No plans for a sequel right now but i didn't really plan this thing in advance either. apparently, i do ok just winging it so we'll see where the future goes. I'd only seriously consider a sequel if i thought I could blow this one out of the water
No problem with the slow response... I like the revamp very much :) With those changes (characters, music, effects etc) it does grab you much earlier. I read about how comments like these help you and make you feel good, so I'm trying to aswell ^^
Anyways, you're doing good, and I'm a fan of what you do so keep going. Also thanks for letting me know in the end about your future thoughts, I really appreciate it. (No need to reply, it's enough to see you read our comments and you are trying :P)
The comments really do help with the game visibility. Itchio bumps up projects that are "active" from comments so every bit helps. It's nice to get feedback but it's also nice to hear reactions to the story or even the stories of other people who have had similar experience is even something completely opposite. Tons of people read through this stuff and even if they end up not playing the game, you never know who you're going to impact so that's nice too. we're all in this crazy life thing together.
This game is truly a masterpiece! It's just unfortunate that there's no Portuguese language support, which sometimes makes the story difficult to follow. But, the game, the story, the characters... Everything is perfect! Great Job, Aaryn! :)
heya! thanks so much for playing and i'm glad you liked it. yeaaaah... Portuguese has been a popular request. It's on the list to get it done at some point and i know there's a lot of you out there that have been excited about it. We have had discussions about translations on the discord server so it kinda got pushed on the backburner right now. But I would like to get it done at some point. I seriously appreciate you going through all the extra steps you had to just to read this thing, though. I really appreciate that and I'm glad you enjoyed it <3
Not tryna be rude, but if you look at the dates in the Development Log section, it seems to take between 2 and 6 months between updates. It's been 2 since the last one, so it'll probably show up sometime by September or October.
Just some clarification here: the original version of the game took much longer for updates for several reasons. 1) i was super new and literally learning how to do this in real time. 2) i had to write it plus do each outline for each update. I didn't like working ahead. 3) i've just overall gotten much faster now.
that being said, the Revamp updates are waaaay quicker and are usually closer to the 2 to 3 month mark. The next update has already dropped on Patreon on May 17. I drop it there first for donations then put it over here as well as Patreon for free 3 weeks later. Which means the next update here is gonna be June 7. That update will be the second half of Chapter 5. I'm already working on the next update after that now :)
lol. i'm not sure on the 6. i think the longest ever was close to 4 but that was a really big update and was a couple hours long. There's definitely a speed difference between the original game and the Revamp. with the writing now, i'm just polishing mostly. the beginning of the revamp was a ton of work tho but i was anticipating it would get faster and it mostly is (until i add a bunch of new stuff and make it complicated, lol).
also, the dev logs over here are really inconsistent. this isn't really my main base. I just do quick stuff here. I do post stuff on my social media or discord links tho about update progress
Well, I'm sure we both appreciate the confirmation, and I can't wait to see how the Revamp handles everything. I have to admit to being apprehensive about it when it was first being released, because I truly love the original. I've been keeping up with this project since you were about halfway through the original, but I didn't play the Revamp until the day I commented here. It's the first visual novel I ever played, and I can't wait to see what you do next! (I would follow you on socials, obviously, I just don't use them nearly enough to bother). The Devlogs work for me, I just check for updates when I realize it's been a minute.
Okay, first of all. TBH i'm totally went for the porno stuff and all that.
But as i keep playing the game, i actually can relate to some of the characters, and they just seem so real to me. It's like they actually live around you.
I couldn't help but really stuck in the game, moved by the plot, they all just seem so soft and tender, I mean, no matter what sexuality's you are, you can always find something to relate on it, and it also doesn't have to do with any sexuality, it can be your life experience about relationships between friends and family and all of that.
Throughout this whole journey, i kept message my friends telling them how wonderful the game is.
THANKS ALL OF YOU!!!
AARYN, BLAYKE&JORDYN for bringing a such great game, i can tell that you guys put a looooooooot of work in there.
And now i must have to download the revamp, can't wait to see the update for revamp.
haha. awww. one of my fav scenes too. thanks for reading and i'm glad you enjoyed it and got sucked in. also thanks for the recommendation to your friends. i always appreciate that because it just helps spread the word (i'm a terrible marketer, lol). let me know what you think of the revamp, i promise it's waaaaaaay better. also, make sure your sound is turned on because it actually works this time :p
I honestly didn't think much about the game content going into it. I thought I could just speed-pass into some NSFW scenes, but I couldn't have been more wrong.
I haven't been so engrossed by a story and its characters in a long time. The connection both Zack and Braden share is unrelenting and palpable that I completely forgot about the NSFW scenes. It just ended up as bonus content at this point.
How Straight!? depicts self-love, self-sabotage, and self-acceptance is so accurate and relatable to the queer experience. This is so much more than a game, it truly was an experience.
Keeping everything open may feel a little bittersweet, but I think that's the beauty of Straight!?.
I feel like I can discuss this game for forever, but this comment will have to do.
Thank you, Aaryn, Jordyn and Blayke. As someone who struggled (and still struggles) with self-acceptance, this game was extremely healing.
Heya, I know I ended up talking to you when you joined the Discord but I'll still respond here. Glad you enjoyed this thing. I'm always happy to hear people downloading because it's NSFW but then completely forgetting about that while they're playing. It's a fun compliment that I just really appreciate. Lot of people have called it an "experience," which i think is super fun, too. I'm glad the story gave part of you a voice and helped you sort through some stuff. I think that's a lifelong journey. I know I seem to do it pretty often now and I think that's healthy :)
thanks for reading, thanks for commenting, and thanks for joining our little discord community <3
Hey. Just finished the original game and I enjoyed every bit. The storyline really was amazing! I identified a lot with both characters, but if there's one that I really felt close to, it's Braden.
I'm not actually an emotional kind of guy, but I still found myself really moved by some of the scenes (won't give details so I don't spoil anyone). That story really is very strong, nearly got me in tears more than once. Not gonna lie, I came in here mainly because of the NSFW scenes (which I still enjoyed a lot, not gonna lie about that either), but as the comments already predicted, the story quickly took a place at least as important as that.
Just wish we heard more of what happens next. I've read that you want to leave the story as open as possible, but I can't refrain myself from wishing to see what happens after the end of it. It ended too soon for me (not that I could ever get too much of Braden and Zack anyways!)
I really look forward to seeing the finished revamp version!
Hey, thanks for the comment and really glad the story won you over. And yep, over the years I've read thousands of messages and comments and I really tried to stay intune with how the story was affecting the community. Open was the way to go. Let the readers make several assumptions throughout the game and I just really didn't want to take that from them by have very specific "what happens next" kinda situations. There's stuff to go with, for sure. But this project began back in 2017 so it's very much a commitment for another chapter. We'll see. I'm not closed to the idea. For now, I told the story that I personally wanted to tell :)
Revamp is looking (and sounding) great so far. Next part drops over here on June 7 FREE and finishes up Chapter 5. Chapter 6 is next and it's a doozy.
Thanks for reading and glad you enjoyed this thing. Seriously appreciate the comments <3
Hiiii! So I recently finished this game and I don't normally comment on stuff (in fact I made an account just to say this) but I honestly couldn’t NOT say something about this game (sorry if I ramble too long!):
Little story actually, my first encounter with Straight!? was actually a gameplay video. At the time I normally didn’t take porn games seriously so I wasn’t too focused on the story and just wanted to see some really bad sex scenes (my first mistake).
After a while the game just popped back up in my mind and I would think about it every once in a while so I decided to check it out myself. I saw it on a random porn game site (second mistake btw) and noticed something different. The graphics and everything changed since I last saw it! It was like a completely different game and I was astonished, it was freakin’ gorgeous! So what did I do? Skipped through most of the dialogue because why not? (3rd mistake lol)
That was until I (Minor spoiler!) got completely SPOOKED by an animation of Braden going to town on his bed- I was even more surprised. Animations?? And they’re smooth as straight up butter?? That's when I knew I had to finally give in and really give this game the attention it deserved (No, Braden beating his schmeat didn’t give me that realization- it was the dedication!).
And I’ll tell you, I’m so glad I did.
I started with the revamp and first thought maybe I’ll just wait for the full revamped release THEN go back to the original (which made no sense lol) buuut I couldn’t take it. I was so invested that I had to continue from the original and oh my god…I’ve never been so emotionally invested in a story in my LIFE. I loved everything about this, the characters, the humor, how natural the conversations felt, everything. Every time I’d try and put the game down, not even 15 minutes later I’d open it back up cause I NEEDED to know what happened next.
I felt myself honestly relating to each of the characters in a way, Zack and Braden especially. Despite being female I completely understood how they both felt, as someone who overthinks their damn self. Every time they’d explain why they felt a certain way I’d go “Yep. I completely see what you mean” (Well…sometimes lol)
Don’t think I forgot the other two! (Spoiler!: I literally started freaking out when I noticed Mikhail behind Zack in his Psychology class and Ash is just such a big ol’ sweetheart…despite being wild AF- getting some friends like them is a life goal hell- I wanna BE them.) and good GOD don’t get me started on that final chapter and the epilogue-
Still trying to recover from that roller coaster…
I just love how naturally Zack and Braden’s relationship progresses over the course of the game, it’s really sweet. Even when they got upset and seemed just a little unjustified, I completely understood why they felt that way. And I love how they’re just a bunch of unexperienced goofs (Spoiler!: The ending ‘sex’ scene was just so silly I loved it! I reallyyy liked how the end goal was never for them to have sex, it’s sweet that they just enjoy each other's company.)
Also this could just be me cause I love this stuff but I really like the subtle differences between the respect route and the Perv route. (Spoiler!(?): Like when Zack and Mikhail go to surprise Braden and his reactions are completely different. After playing a ‘certain route’ beforehand I really liked that difference in particular knowing why they were so different, just little details like that)
Literally ever since I finished this game I have not stopped thinking about it, it is trapped in my head rent free like WOW. I can't wait to see more of the revamp, the progress is gonna be in-SANE! The end product is gonna be so freakin’ GOOD. It’s amazing to see a game like this go from another soulless porn game (no offense lol) to one of the greatest, most heartwarming stories I've ever witnessed!
You did such a great job, man! You’ve come such a long way <333
Heya :) Such a fun post to read. Thank you for this. No judgement on your list of mistakes-- they were fun to read :P Honestly, it's meaningful that the game slowly just chipped away until you sat down and read it. As someone who's never done this before, that's a very meaningful compliment. I just really appreciated reading this. Actually, I've read it a few times but just have been too busy to comment back yet. I also want to acknowledge that you mentioned being a female reader. The game audience has mostly been male but it's always super fun to have another female reader in here. I've had a few over the years and it's just a fun demographic that brings an entirely new perspective to things and I just really appreciate that and appreciate having you in the audience.
Stay tuned with the Revamp, I definitely think it's going to continue to upgrade the entire story like we've already seen in the beginning. I have grown a lot with this and it's super cool you noticed that so thank you. Thanks for reading, thanks for your energy, and thanks for making an account just to check in and tell me how much you enjoyed it. Super fun post to read :) Stay tuned! There's more coming! <3
Ngl to you I read this over a few times lol, I was just so glad you appreciated it so much and so I’m super freakin’ glad my energy came through!
I figured there weren’t too many female readers of this story since I think it’d be a little hard to put yourself in Zack’s place as a female (not to mention the full male cast of course lol) though personally, I didn’t feel it was that hard. I feel like it’s structured in a way where (like you said) anybody can be in that place.
I saw that you’ve finished chapter 5 and on your Twitter you were starting Chapter 6, don’t burn yourself out and for the love of GOD take breaks! Jk! (sorta) <3
Haha. Yeah, you're energy came through. I'll admit to making some assumptions while reading it that you write exactly like you talk-sorta like I do. I could hear a voice in the comment and it was just fun.
You mention the "all male cast", which is honestly something that I was a bit ashamed of by the end. I like diversity in characters and I really tried to come up diverse personalities and combatted a lot of stereotypes here. However, in the process of that-- I completely left out female characters. Since this as a first writing attempt, I sorta went the direction of "write what you know." I don't know that I can write a good female character-- at least what my goals for the character would be so I very much stuck to my comfort zone in terms of gender. I wrote a very "bro" story here and I'm fine with that. However, it does kinda suck that we don't have female characters (I did sprinkle them in as secondary characters throughout so females do exist, lol). But with the story, I felt like I was already trying to do a lot and I was worried I'd end up writing a cliche female character and that would be almost more offensive than not including some.
In terms of gender and their relation to the Zack. I think that can really depend on the person. I tried to include a lot of generic struggles and hopefully those had enough of a reference point that people could relate to something in their own life just to be able to empathize with the characters in that moment. Gender is certainly a variable here as also is culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and tons of physical characteristics that are included in the story. As a female, i'm glad you were able to relate at least to some degree and hopefully the all male cast wasn't too exclusive.
Chapter 6 is coming up. I'm good. 6 is a difficult chapter so I'm ready to get started with it. I do take breaks but there's also a ton of work to do on this stuff when you mostly develop it solo. There's not a lot of time to take breaks but I am pretty good at self care most of the time. I've taken my motivation seriously on this project-- it's easy to get burnout doing that and that impacts the community, characters, and me so it's important I avoid that. I'm good :)
Hi! Hope you're doing well. I just wanted to say that i loved this game and its characters. I related to zack and fell in love with braden(like he could top me and I'd be jumping for joy lol). I just had two questions. Will the revamp have any new nsfw scene added to it possibly and my other question is that after the revamp will you be making a new different game and if yes do you have any ideas what it could be about(also any hints?) that's about it. Thanks for making this amazing game :)
Heya:) glad you're enjoying stuff. So with the Revamp, I didn't plan to have any extra NSFW scenes; however, I didn't make a lot of plans with the original game and it sorta just wrote itself. So the short answer is they're not planned but that's always possible. There are a ton of changes in the Revamp visually-- some of which include NSFW content-- either adding more in some scenes or using new tricks to obscure stuff more artistically. Almost every scene in the game has expanded CGs now so that could easily translate into more NSFW images to make the same scene. The Revamp is planned to follow the same story tho-- it's just waaaaay better quality in every way.
So in terms of another game: i haven't officially announced anything. Truth is that I'm terrible at multi tasking and i dont do well splitting my attention. When you're doing most of this solo, there's a lot of jobs to do already-- trying to take on another project while doing all the work that Str8 requires, is just not something I naturally excel at. The work with Str8 will gradually get easier with each Revamp update. I'm through the roughest parts of the writing now so that's getting easier and the end of the game will just need some image touch-ups so that should go super quick. That extra time should help me plan any future things. I've also began the process of learning more animation and tyring to techniques in Str8 that could apply to future projects on purpose. I will say I have a secret folder on my computer and another notepad on my phone tho with some things I'm tossing around :p
thanks. glad you're enjoying it. In terms of the top and bottom role thing, there's an extended scene near the end of the game that talks about that in a lot of detail. I won't spoil it.
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
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The revamp is SO beautiful and real. It's been a few years since I've watched Brian Sandbox dramatize it. Don't remember what's different, but the writing is just great. My heart's been broken a few times by the story. Keep it up. This project is something really special.
yo, thank you so much for the response. glad you're enjoying the revamp. I really felt like i had to make a case for why i was going back through things but it seems like people are onboard with this once they actually see it. I will say Brian did a good job on the story. He brought some really good points into the reading of it as well as sharing personal things and adding things that I left out or just didn't even think of-- i think that's what makes a good stream on something like that: just taking the source material and adding something of your own to make it better. I know he was able to reach a lot of people that I couldn't and I appreciate that. He did a good job and i'm grateful for that. thank you for reading :)
is this really the end ?
it cinda ended on a cliffhanger so I just wanted to know so it doesn't keep me up
heya :)
so no plans on a sequel right now. the ending was really purposefully done to tie up a lot of things and really focuses on the story that i wanted to tell here. it checked a lot of boxes for a lot of people. that being said, i'm open to a sequel but it would have to be better than the original for me to even do it. I'm not a fan of just running stories into the ground with dozens of sequels and stuff.
This story was AMAZING, i got so connected to the characters! i REALLY hope a sequel happens at some point, i think a lot of people would agree with me. I truly thank you for this story!
well thank you for reading. i seriously appreciate the support and the energy. <3
Fuck! It totally gave me book hangover! I've played before the first draft it was completed and now I've played all what it's published and I cried like a bitch!
I love the writing, how you can feel all the storm that is Zack head! I relate to him so much! And Brendan too, he's experience remind I bit of myself, whom is self labeled as demiromantic. Maybe you didn't intend for that but, that's what I'm reading as.
The scenes! Fuck the pool scene! It was so beautiful! And the end fuuuuuuuuck. Have you ever watch the 3 season of skam specifically? This gave the same feelings when I first watched.
Brilliant!
haha, sorry about your hangover. but super glad you enjoyed it and all the feels hit the way they were supposed to. In terms of how you interpret the characters and stuff, i really wanted to leave that part open so people could look into them the way they wanted to of whatever appeals to them the most. sexuality is a big discussion in this game and it's really hard to take a complete stance on what that is or isn't. it's complicated and diverse so i really wanted to leave it up to the reader. I've never heard of Skam here personally but it looks kinda interesting. i can add it to my list and maybe get to it eventually :)
You should watch it. It is a Norwegian series but it got famous because the 3th season and now there are a lot of version out there, but nothing like the original. I still have it saved on my old Megadrive
sure thing. i'll look into it :)
do you plan on adding voiceovers for the dialogues in the future. At least for the important scenes?
heya :)
So no plans for voiceovers for a couple of reasons. 1) Logistics. The amount of dialogue in this game is insane. The original script had over 50k lines of code. It would be hard to try and record some parts and not record others. Recording that would take months and coding it in and editing it would be a nightmare. I honestly don't think it would be worth the time and would likely delay updates, prolong development, or just prevent me from starting something else. There's just never been a lot of demand and I don't want to be a developer that just spends forever redoing and adding to the same project. 2) Voices can ruin head canon. So this second point is honestly more important to me and is the primary reason I'm about 99% sure we'll never see voiceovers. I think visual novels, especially one of this length, kinda blend that novel and game genre together. However, the length of this one really pushes more of a "novel" than a game. I think that causes a lot of people to read it like a book where you get to make the voices up in your head. There's also a lot of readers that have developed head canon about these characters including voices, accents, ethnicities, and all kinds of diverse characteristics. That freedom allows the reader to identify more with the characters and that's proven powerful to thousands of readers over the years. I don't want to take that from them. I think the characters are more powerful and diverse being silent and left to the imagination of the reader with this project and I want to protect that.
However, that being said, cinematically it would be pretty sweet to have voices and it would make doing music way easier
So I really like the music in this game I was trying to find the audio/sound files. Is there a way to access them, or where are they located in the game's files? I could discover most of the songs but there are a few I couldn't manage to identify.
heya, glad you like the music I chose for it. I don't lock any of the media files down even though I've been urged to do it. You should be able to find all the audio stuff in the base game folder/game/audio/music folder :)
I found it thanks, yes I really think the music fits each scene very well! I'm impressed and curious how you managed to find such great music.
good deal. glad you found it. and thank you. I've really tried hard on the music aspect. while i respect that music taste is objective, I've really tried hard to find things that make me feel the moment when i'm writing the stuff while still remaining within my price range because.... bruh... the music stuff is expensive as hell, lol. But i'm happy with the tracks so far and i'm seriously glad you're vibing to them.
Yeah, I definitely could tell you put a lot of thought into it. I write music myself so I can understand the cost aspect haha. I look forward to seeing what you add to the game in the future!
thank you very much. also good luck with your music stuff too <3
I really loved this game, tbh it's kind of the few that, after completing it I instantly feel shit (because its perfect and I wanted more of it). Yesterday I saw the reworked version (I played the older one) and I'm gonna play it *straight* after I completed the non=reworked one.
All I got to say is that I am happy there are people like you working in these kind of games and you did great in this one (and I haven't even played the reworked one). I hope you make us proud once again with the rework. I usually don't trust using my credit to any website (even if its itch.io) but I wanted to share (even if it is a small amount) for your effort.
I know there are quite few people that want to say things like this comment and maybe are shy. We are here, we thank you and we want more like this.
Stay strong and good job.
P.S.:I know I might be greedy but I honestly would die to play more of this... I don't know if you have planned to show things like what happens after the end of semester, like part 2 or something like that... What I'm trying to say is, it's your choice (ofcourse) if you are gonna make more after this, but I'm sure there are a lot of people who would LOVE to see this.
sorry i'm slow on the response. Really happy you enjoyed things but sorry it left you sorta lost after you finished it. I'll take that as a compliment :) Lemme know how you like the Revamp. I've grown a lot during this so it's definitely something I recommend if you liked the first one. It's way better from the opening scene. I think it grabs you much earlier and it's just fun to see the characters look 1000 x better.
but thank you for your kind words. I know people don't always say stuff and that's ok. I'm pretty shy and quiet myself so I'd probably be one of those silent type, myself. Hell, on the discord i talk because I'm the admin but otherwise I'd probably be waaaay quieter. But I'm just really glad you appreciated the story and the angle I chose for this whole thing.
No plans for a sequel right now but i didn't really plan this thing in advance either. apparently, i do ok just winging it so we'll see where the future goes. I'd only seriously consider a sequel if i thought I could blow this one out of the water
No problem with the slow response... I like the revamp very much :) With those changes (characters, music, effects etc) it does grab you much earlier.
I read about how comments like these help you and make you feel good, so I'm trying to aswell ^^
Anyways, you're doing good, and I'm a fan of what you do so keep going. Also thanks for letting me know in the end about your future thoughts, I really appreciate it. (No need to reply, it's enough to see you read our comments and you are trying :P)
The comments really do help with the game visibility. Itchio bumps up projects that are "active" from comments so every bit helps. It's nice to get feedback but it's also nice to hear reactions to the story or even the stories of other people who have had similar experience is even something completely opposite. Tons of people read through this stuff and even if they end up not playing the game, you never know who you're going to impact so that's nice too. we're all in this crazy life thing together.
This game is truly a masterpiece! It's just unfortunate that there's no Portuguese language support, which sometimes makes the story difficult to follow. But, the game, the story, the characters... Everything is perfect! Great Job, Aaryn! :)
heya! thanks so much for playing and i'm glad you liked it. yeaaaah... Portuguese has been a popular request. It's on the list to get it done at some point and i know there's a lot of you out there that have been excited about it. We have had discussions about translations on the discord server so it kinda got pushed on the backburner right now. But I would like to get it done at some point. I seriously appreciate you going through all the extra steps you had to just to read this thing, though. I really appreciate that and I'm glad you enjoyed it <3
So when the next update
Not tryna be rude, but if you look at the dates in the Development Log section, it seems to take between 2 and 6 months between updates. It's been 2 since the last one, so it'll probably show up sometime by September or October.
Just some clarification here: the original version of the game took much longer for updates for several reasons. 1) i was super new and literally learning how to do this in real time. 2) i had to write it plus do each outline for each update. I didn't like working ahead. 3) i've just overall gotten much faster now.
that being said, the Revamp updates are waaaay quicker and are usually closer to the 2 to 3 month mark. The next update has already dropped on Patreon on May 17. I drop it there first for donations then put it over here as well as Patreon for free 3 weeks later. Which means the next update here is gonna be June 7. That update will be the second half of Chapter 5. I'm already working on the next update after that now :)
I wasn't too far off for a guess XD. But yeah, looking at the dates again, it's consistently been nearly every 2 months. Where'd I get 6?
lol. i'm not sure on the 6. i think the longest ever was close to 4 but that was a really big update and was a couple hours long. There's definitely a speed difference between the original game and the Revamp. with the writing now, i'm just polishing mostly. the beginning of the revamp was a ton of work tho but i was anticipating it would get faster and it mostly is (until i add a bunch of new stuff and make it complicated, lol).
also, the dev logs over here are really inconsistent. this isn't really my main base. I just do quick stuff here. I do post stuff on my social media or discord links tho about update progress
Well, I'm sure we both appreciate the confirmation, and I can't wait to see how the Revamp handles everything. I have to admit to being apprehensive about it when it was first being released, because I truly love the original. I've been keeping up with this project since you were about halfway through the original, but I didn't play the Revamp until the day I commented here. It's the first visual novel I ever played, and I can't wait to see what you do next! (I would follow you on socials, obviously, I just don't use them nearly enough to bother). The Devlogs work for me, I just check for updates when I realize it's been a minute.
Okay, first of all. TBH i'm totally went for the porno stuff and all that.
But as i keep playing the game, i actually can relate to some of the characters, and they just seem so real to me. It's like they actually live around you.
I couldn't help but really stuck in the game, moved by the plot, they all just seem so soft and tender, I mean, no matter what sexuality's you are, you can always find something to relate on it, and it also doesn't have to do with any sexuality, it can be your life experience about relationships between friends and family and all of that.
Throughout this whole journey, i kept message my friends telling them how wonderful the game is.
THANKS ALL OF YOU!!!
AARYN, BLAYKE&JORDYN for bringing a such great game, i can tell that you guys put a looooooooot of work in there.
And now i must have to download the revamp, can't wait to see the update for revamp.
LOVE YOU GUYS!!!
haha. awww. one of my fav scenes too. thanks for reading and i'm glad you enjoyed it and got sucked in. also thanks for the recommendation to your friends. i always appreciate that because it just helps spread the word (i'm a terrible marketer, lol). let me know what you think of the revamp, i promise it's waaaaaaay better. also, make sure your sound is turned on because it actually works this time :p
Wow. Just wow.
I honestly didn't think much about the game content going into it. I thought I could just speed-pass into some NSFW scenes, but I couldn't have been more wrong.
I haven't been so engrossed by a story and its characters in a long time. The connection both Zack and Braden share is unrelenting and palpable that I completely forgot about the NSFW scenes. It just ended up as bonus content at this point.
How Straight!? depicts self-love, self-sabotage, and self-acceptance is so accurate and relatable to the queer experience. This is so much more than a game, it truly was an experience.
Keeping everything open may feel a little bittersweet, but I think that's the beauty of Straight!?.
I feel like I can discuss this game for forever, but this comment will have to do.
Thank you, Aaryn, Jordyn and Blayke. As someone who struggled (and still struggles) with self-acceptance, this game was extremely healing.
- Boy in (less) Crisis
Heya, I know I ended up talking to you when you joined the Discord but I'll still respond here. Glad you enjoyed this thing. I'm always happy to hear people downloading because it's NSFW but then completely forgetting about that while they're playing. It's a fun compliment that I just really appreciate. Lot of people have called it an "experience," which i think is super fun, too. I'm glad the story gave part of you a voice and helped you sort through some stuff. I think that's a lifelong journey. I know I seem to do it pretty often now and I think that's healthy :)
thanks for reading, thanks for commenting, and thanks for joining our little discord community <3
Hey. Just finished the original game and I enjoyed every bit. The storyline really was amazing! I identified a lot with both characters, but if there's one that I really felt close to, it's Braden.
I'm not actually an emotional kind of guy, but I still found myself really moved by some of the scenes (won't give details so I don't spoil anyone). That story really is very strong, nearly got me in tears more than once. Not gonna lie, I came in here mainly because of the NSFW scenes (which I still enjoyed a lot, not gonna lie about that either), but as the comments already predicted, the story quickly took a place at least as important as that.
Just wish we heard more of what happens next. I've read that you want to leave the story as open as possible, but I can't refrain myself from wishing to see what happens after the end of it. It ended too soon for me (not that I could ever get too much of Braden and Zack anyways!)
I really look forward to seeing the finished revamp version!
Hey, thanks for the comment and really glad the story won you over. And yep, over the years I've read thousands of messages and comments and I really tried to stay intune with how the story was affecting the community. Open was the way to go. Let the readers make several assumptions throughout the game and I just really didn't want to take that from them by have very specific "what happens next" kinda situations. There's stuff to go with, for sure. But this project began back in 2017 so it's very much a commitment for another chapter. We'll see. I'm not closed to the idea. For now, I told the story that I personally wanted to tell :)
Revamp is looking (and sounding) great so far. Next part drops over here on June 7 FREE and finishes up Chapter 5. Chapter 6 is next and it's a doozy.
Thanks for reading and glad you enjoyed this thing. Seriously appreciate the comments <3
Hiiii! So I recently finished this game and I don't normally comment on stuff (in fact I made an account just to say this) but I honestly couldn’t NOT say something about this game (sorry if I ramble too long!):
Little story actually, my first encounter with Straight!? was actually a gameplay video. At the time I normally didn’t take porn games seriously so I wasn’t too focused on the story and just wanted to see some really bad sex scenes (my first mistake).
After a while the game just popped back up in my mind and I would think about it every once in a while so I decided to check it out myself. I saw it on a random porn game site (second mistake btw) and noticed something different. The graphics and everything changed since I last saw it! It was like a completely different game and I was astonished, it was freakin’ gorgeous! So what did I do? Skipped through most of the dialogue because why not? (3rd mistake lol)
That was until I (Minor spoiler!) got completely SPOOKED by an animation of Braden going to town on his bed- I was even more surprised. Animations?? And they’re smooth as straight up butter?? That's when I knew I had to finally give in and really give this game the attention it deserved (No, Braden beating his schmeat didn’t give me that realization- it was the dedication!).
And I’ll tell you, I’m so glad I did.
I started with the revamp and first thought maybe I’ll just wait for the full revamped release THEN go back to the original (which made no sense lol) buuut I couldn’t take it. I was so invested that I had to continue from the original and oh my god…I’ve never been so emotionally invested in a story in my LIFE. I loved everything about this, the characters, the humor, how natural the conversations felt, everything. Every time I’d try and put the game down, not even 15 minutes later I’d open it back up cause I NEEDED to know what happened next.
I felt myself honestly relating to each of the characters in a way, Zack and Braden especially. Despite being female I completely understood how they both felt, as someone who overthinks their damn self. Every time they’d explain why they felt a certain way I’d go “Yep. I completely see what you mean” (Well…sometimes lol)
Don’t think I forgot the other two! (Spoiler!: I literally started freaking out when I noticed Mikhail behind Zack in his Psychology class and Ash is just such a big ol’ sweetheart…despite being wild AF- getting some friends like them is a life goal hell- I wanna BE them.) and good GOD don’t get me started on that final chapter and the epilogue-
Still trying to recover from that roller coaster…
I just love how naturally Zack and Braden’s relationship progresses over the course of the game, it’s really sweet. Even when they got upset and seemed just a little unjustified, I completely understood why they felt that way. And I love how they’re just a bunch of unexperienced goofs (Spoiler!: The ending ‘sex’ scene was just so silly I loved it! I reallyyy liked how the end goal was never for them to have sex, it’s sweet that they just enjoy each other's company.)
Also this could just be me cause I love this stuff but I really like the subtle differences between the respect route and the Perv route. (Spoiler!(?): Like when Zack and Mikhail go to surprise Braden and his reactions are completely different. After playing a ‘certain route’ beforehand I really liked that difference in particular knowing why they were so different, just little details like that)
Literally ever since I finished this game I have not stopped thinking about it, it is trapped in my head rent free like WOW. I can't wait to see more of the revamp, the progress is gonna be in-SANE! The end product is gonna be so freakin’ GOOD. It’s amazing to see a game like this go from another soulless porn game (no offense lol) to one of the greatest, most heartwarming stories I've ever witnessed!
You did such a great job, man! You’ve come such a long way <333
Heya :) Such a fun post to read. Thank you for this. No judgement on your list of mistakes-- they were fun to read :P Honestly, it's meaningful that the game slowly just chipped away until you sat down and read it. As someone who's never done this before, that's a very meaningful compliment. I just really appreciated reading this. Actually, I've read it a few times but just have been too busy to comment back yet. I also want to acknowledge that you mentioned being a female reader. The game audience has mostly been male but it's always super fun to have another female reader in here. I've had a few over the years and it's just a fun demographic that brings an entirely new perspective to things and I just really appreciate that and appreciate having you in the audience.
Stay tuned with the Revamp, I definitely think it's going to continue to upgrade the entire story like we've already seen in the beginning. I have grown a lot with this and it's super cool you noticed that so thank you. Thanks for reading, thanks for your energy, and thanks for making an account just to check in and tell me how much you enjoyed it. Super fun post to read :) Stay tuned! There's more coming! <3
Yes! I’m so glad you liked my post!
Ngl to you I read this over a few times lol, I was just so glad you appreciated it so much and so I’m super freakin’ glad my energy came through!
I figured there weren’t too many female readers of this story since I think it’d be a little hard to put yourself in Zack’s place as a female (not to mention the full male cast of course lol) though personally, I didn’t feel it was that hard. I feel like it’s structured in a way where (like you said) anybody can be in that place.
I saw that you’ve finished chapter 5 and on your Twitter you were starting Chapter 6, don’t burn yourself out and for the love of GOD take breaks! Jk! (sorta) <3
Haha. Yeah, you're energy came through. I'll admit to making some assumptions while reading it that you write exactly like you talk-sorta like I do. I could hear a voice in the comment and it was just fun.
You mention the "all male cast", which is honestly something that I was a bit ashamed of by the end. I like diversity in characters and I really tried to come up diverse personalities and combatted a lot of stereotypes here. However, in the process of that-- I completely left out female characters. Since this as a first writing attempt, I sorta went the direction of "write what you know." I don't know that I can write a good female character-- at least what my goals for the character would be so I very much stuck to my comfort zone in terms of gender. I wrote a very "bro" story here and I'm fine with that. However, it does kinda suck that we don't have female characters (I did sprinkle them in as secondary characters throughout so females do exist, lol). But with the story, I felt like I was already trying to do a lot and I was worried I'd end up writing a cliche female character and that would be almost more offensive than not including some.
In terms of gender and their relation to the Zack. I think that can really depend on the person. I tried to include a lot of generic struggles and hopefully those had enough of a reference point that people could relate to something in their own life just to be able to empathize with the characters in that moment. Gender is certainly a variable here as also is culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and tons of physical characteristics that are included in the story. As a female, i'm glad you were able to relate at least to some degree and hopefully the all male cast wasn't too exclusive.
Chapter 6 is coming up. I'm good. 6 is a difficult chapter so I'm ready to get started with it. I do take breaks but there's also a ton of work to do on this stuff when you mostly develop it solo. There's not a lot of time to take breaks but I am pretty good at self care most of the time. I've taken my motivation seriously on this project-- it's easy to get burnout doing that and that impacts the community, characters, and me so it's important I avoid that. I'm good :)
You take care of yourself too <3
braden is btm
you can have whatever head canon you'd like :)
Hi! Hope you're doing well. I just wanted to say that i loved this game and its characters. I related to zack and fell in love with braden(like he could top me and I'd be jumping for joy lol). I just had two questions. Will the revamp have any new nsfw scene added to it possibly and my other question is that after the revamp will you be making a new different game and if yes do you have any ideas what it could be about(also any hints?) that's about it. Thanks for making this amazing game :)
Heya:) glad you're enjoying stuff. So with the Revamp, I didn't plan to have any extra NSFW scenes; however, I didn't make a lot of plans with the original game and it sorta just wrote itself. So the short answer is they're not planned but that's always possible. There are a ton of changes in the Revamp visually-- some of which include NSFW content-- either adding more in some scenes or using new tricks to obscure stuff more artistically. Almost every scene in the game has expanded CGs now so that could easily translate into more NSFW images to make the same scene. The Revamp is planned to follow the same story tho-- it's just waaaaay better quality in every way.
So in terms of another game: i haven't officially announced anything. Truth is that I'm terrible at multi tasking and i dont do well splitting my attention. When you're doing most of this solo, there's a lot of jobs to do already-- trying to take on another project while doing all the work that Str8 requires, is just not something I naturally excel at. The work with Str8 will gradually get easier with each Revamp update. I'm through the roughest parts of the writing now so that's getting easier and the end of the game will just need some image touch-ups so that should go super quick. That extra time should help me plan any future things. I've also began the process of learning more animation and tyring to techniques in Str8 that could apply to future projects on purpose. I will say I have a secret folder on my computer and another notepad on my phone tho with some things I'm tossing around :p
amazing game, but.. Who is top and who is bottom??
thanks. glad you're enjoying it. In terms of the top and bottom role thing, there's an extended scene near the end of the game that talks about that in a lot of detail. I won't spoil it.
gracias! <3
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