Your First Playthrough

[Notguest]

Yeah, there is one rare case where you don't immediately get locked onto Emi's path. I didn't feel like mentioning it, especially since there's a good chance you just end up on Kenji's path at that point instead.

[Guest]

Ringet. I hadn't really decided whether I was going after Rin or Lilly. I was spoiled about "I'm fine" (damn you, tvtropes), but I like to think I would have avoided it anyway. Reasoning below.

Some random observations:

- The period thing was... surprisingly unsurprising, after having previously spent so much time trying to get into Rin's head.

- The Lilly/Hanako ratio is kind of surprising for me, considering it's pretty much a straight-up choice in-game. There are at least two possible reasons for this I can think of:
1) People just plain liek Hanako better. The whole shyness thing didn't do it for me, though.
2) The path is more obvious for people who want Hanako than for people who want Lilly, since the necessary early-game interaction has more to do with Hanako. (Why would you look for a blind girl in the library? And then the other points are for treating Hanako delicately and thinking she's cute, while you don't get to express your feelings for Lilly until later). I imagine this is difficult for a lot of Lilly players since they're attracted to Lilly largely for her appearance and get into the personality later. (Personally, I liked her for her seeming appreciation of music and for how calm and blissed-out she looks in the tea room. The whole drama thing with Shizune annoyed me though. I wanted to tell Lilly to take it easy.)

- The game mechanic (? Not sure if that's an appropriate term when discussing a VN) for Kenji kinda sucks. I was disappointed to find out that it depends on not making wrong choices (and having at most 2 chances to make a wrong choice) in the late game. Makes much more sense to me to have it based on just not doing well with the girls overall.

Regarding those options, though:
- "I was having fun": Totally understandable to pick this, and actually a little unfair. If you got to this scene, there's a good chance you're genre-savvy enough to figure it's a Shizune-Emi tiebreak (or at least have a vague intuitive idea along those lines), and then figure that this is the way to prefer Emi. Also, Misha is annoying. On the other hand, if you're that genre-savvy, I suppose you'd only get here if you were hoping there was some kind of harem ending...
- "Kick them out": Understandable to pick, but it means you didn't really understand Shizune and Misha. The key point is that the whole thing is a game (which I just lost). You can't be so direct. OTOH, that contradicts the advice from the Risk scene about being assertive, so I don't know. Anyway I didn't mess this up when I tried for Shizune (although I did make a save just in case).
- "I just stuck with her": This one is pretty stupid. If you're at this point you're either trying for Rin or just totally non-commital. You're now being pretty much asked point-blank whether you'll take Rin. In the first case, of course you will, and in the second case, you ought to realize that you're nearing the end and should take what you're given. Personally, I figured I wanted Rin from what I'd heard ahead of time, but am also a little non-commital in general (and also paranoid about dying in video games; I honestly expected "Go for it" to be a one-way ticket to bad end). Actually, I guess that kinda makes sense personality-wise. Or maybe I'm more like Rin than I thought.
- "I'm fine": This is the interesting one.
If you're here because you fucked up trying to get Shizune (or, incomprehensibly, *tried to* get Emi and then *chickened out*), well, it's pretty much a toss-up how you want to interact with Lilly.
If you're here because you're non-commital or just don't know what you're doing, I'd think opening your heart (pun intended) and admitting a fault seems like the natural thing to do, especially if you've been reading all Hisao's inner monologue about coming to grips with the condition and relating to the girls and seeing past their disabilities. (This was part of my reasoning; the other part is that I would have been happy to get Lilly instead of Rin.)
If you're here because you're trying to get Rin, very specifically, on your first playthrough - well, you're a little strange I guess trying not to end up with Lilly makes some sense at this point. Heck, you might even be a little annoyed at being scripted into going on this long trip with Lilly alone at night, and suddenly overtaken with WTF-y joy by Rin's sudden appearance.
But if you're here because you're trying to get Hanako or Lilly - especially Lilly - you are an idiot if you mess this up. These two are all about empathy and consideration for others, and you know full well by now that you can't hide anything non-visual from Lilly. Why on earth would you not open up, given the chance?
Quick PS: anyone else notice that Rin results are disproportionate in the comments compared to the poll results?

[Petersaber]

Kenji. I died!

But my second playthrough, when I actually had a goal in my mind (Hanako) I got where I wanted. But, if we count test runs, I got a Kenji, and that's how I voted.

[Notguest]

- The Lilly/Hanako ratio is kind of surprising for me, considering it's pretty much a straight-up choice in-game. There are at least two possible reasons for this I can think of:
1) People just plain liek Hanako better. The whole shyness thing didn't do it for me, though.
2) The path is more obvious for people who want Hanako than for people who want Lilly, since the necessary early-game interaction has more to do with Hanako. (Why would you look for a blind girl in the library? And then the other points are for treating Hanako delicately and thinking she's cute, while you don't get to express your feelings for Lilly until later). I imagine this is difficult for a lot of Lilly players since they're attracted to Lilly largely for her appearance and get into the personality later. (Personally, I liked her for her seeming appreciation of music and for how calm and blissed-out she looks in the tea room. The whole drama thing with Shizune annoyed me though. I wanted to tell Lilly to take it easy.)

This is exactly what tripped me up when I tried to get Lilly on my first playthrough. By the time you figure it out, it's too late to do anything.

[Wokka]

I guess non-committal best describes my first playthrough, at least in game mechanics. Since she was introduced first I stuck with Shizune until I decided I didn't like being around her more than I liked her appearance (I consider her the most attractive, she's "my type"). I was not interested in Hanako, even though I called her cute...my ex was physically and emotionally abused by her first husband. It took years to build her self-esteem up. I've no interest in doing it again, even in a game. I wouldn't mind being friends with Hanako but I couldn't be more. I wasn't interested in Lilly either...I don't find blonds attractive so I skipped her the first time. Looking through the flowchart, I doubt I could have gotten on her path anyway by that point since my early choices were Shizune. Emi was cute and has a good personality but I liked Rin better. I didn't race Emi so I didn't see the bits where she dedicates herself to helping you.

By the point in the game where you're asked about why you're with Rin, I actually was most interested in Rin. She is the one most like me. My saying that I stuck with her, to me, is praise. I (and Hisao) have no interest in the art club but do have an interest in hanging out with Rin no matter what we're doing. Different interpretation than the writer, no problem.

The I'm fine... question. Until that point Hisao had always kept his disability hidden. He'd spoken to Rin about it briefly when she pushed but not to Lilly so I consider it more likely he'd keep quiet and just say he was fine. Personally I don't notice my health much so tend to say I'm fine when asked, up until the point I pass out.

So with 2 bad answers I end up on the roof with Kenji.


Later playthough, wile deliberately going after Shizune I didn't Race Emi so never saw the slow/no recovery scenes. I had to use the walkthrough to get those to pop up. When I did race Emi on her path I didn't have many points with Shizune.

My opinions after playing all the paths:
Emi became my favorite character, but I don't think I'd want to date her though, I think I'd be more likely to stay friends and running partners (and let her make lunch). Which is good since I was still most interested in dating Rin.

Rin was still the one I wanted to spend my time with; she's fun. I was a bit surprised when I later read the bit about being a thalidomide baby...given the drug stopped being used roughly 30 years before she was born. I guess the answer is 2nd generation, or she has incredibly bad luck that her mother was exposed during a time when it was being tested exclusively on people who could not/would not get pregnant. This is something I hope is covered later...even if it just to hang a lampshade.

Hanako: less interested now...still not interested in dating and my own mental problems make it unlikely I could stay her friend for long.

Shizune: I liked her ending the best and seeing her personality soften a bit makes me more interested in her. Once the game comes out I'll probably try her arc third.

Lilly: I liked her. Still after Rin though on wanting to date.

After playing through all paths a second time Lilly took the lead and hers is the first arc I'll try on the main game.

Wokka

[Guest Poster]

Rin being a thalidomide child has been dropped as far as I know. Word of God now says she simply had a severe birth defect and surgery that left her without arms.

[Wokka]

Ahh, already covered, thanks.

Wokka

[EternalLurker]

My saying that I stuck with [Rin], to me, is praise. I (and Hisao) have no interest in the art club but do have an interest in hanging out with Rin no matter what we're doing.

Yeah, I didn't like that question at all either. Making an excuse to stick with her somehow means I like her more than just saying I like being around her without needing a reason? Much like the choice about Hanako's appearance affecting the Lilly path, it just seemed utterly nonsensical to me when I played.

Also,

I don't find blonds attractive

This. The fact that Lilly is the most awesome even though I generally agree with that statement amuses me.

[Emi is a blight upon us all]

I got Emi on my first playthrough as well. Purely by accident.

It seems her route is the one you get if you just amble along without trying to get close to anyone/

[Smoku]

I got it as well.
Well, i think it's just the easiest one to take on, probably.

[G3n0c1de]

You're more or less set if you 'Go for it', which most people tend to do. This can be avoided only if you have picked all the pro-Shizune choices as well, thne you can choose on what path to be locked in.

[Zahlman]

Something interesting: Everyone who didn't get Emi (and a few who did) had at least one opportunity, on a 2-option question, to get the Bad End. (Those who got Rin had two.) Around 80% got it right on the first try. Even if we imagine that noone ever messes up with Shizune or Rin, the conclusion is that people do significantly better than 50-50 on "I'm fine". Maybe a lot of people get spoiled, or maybe the infamy is just undeserved :s

[Guest Poster]

Even in my first playthrough, I didn't expect "I'm fine" to work out well. Rather than Hisao throwing a fit, I expected your little lie to be immediately exposed by Rin blurting out a remark about your heart-thingie, resulting in Lilly in turn being put off by your degree of denial. Reading between the lines, in a lot of cases, helped a good deal to avoid the manly picnic.

[Smoku]

hmm.. actually the Emi ending of Act I was pretty disappointing... It ended like what? a promise of running together more regularly?
No fireworks, no semi- romantic event. I'm looking forward to Emi act 2 tough. maybe it'll be better.

[AppreciativeUser]

Kenji. First time through I just wanted to see what the game was like and interact a bit with all of the characters before deciding what order I wanted to tackle them in. I got a little more than I bargained for.