Really good game with great style, story and characters!Maybe eventual plot twist* a little too obvious , but still.
Wolf character form is really adorable, love it :))
I'm know it's common practice in furry games and novels for characters have armour but here's it's too much.Even in human form main character admits that his armour quite tight.Cannot imagine how this is bad while having fur.So at least for him better to choose more open armour or even clothes for his wolf form if it not emergency measure like tf during battle.
Also as for me really strange moment when MC having sex with Lyric because Lyric took off his clothes but MC still not which is really strange due to reasons upper + seriously?))
Combat made really well, sometimes a bit annoying but nothing more)
Almost forgot - goblin hipsters really got me xD
Wish for you having good time when making game, really worth it. Unfortunately can't subscribe on patreon because already have more than enough subscriptions((
But will buy it later, full version, if option would be present.
*I think eventually will be discovered that Master is evil.Because of his strange behaviour - a willingness for charity with unknown reasons + he clearly wishes that power.Almost forget, he's also a warlock as cherry on the cake)
Want to write impression after completing demo.Now seems i softlocked after first dungeon - Master always say "Make necessary preparations..." when i already made them and even spent literally all gold he gave on enormous amount of different potions.
Checked for other possible routes to went from city but no luck(
1.About human-dragon friendship.And that was in original story.
2.Yep, and i wrote earlier that they indeed existed , but not openly.But here we can see definitely open character dialgues , like ones to Arthur.
3.At least not allow opnely gay/bi and black at all( like black Morgana).In medieval times if someone married on black, well there's Very bad news for him.
4.I wrote earlier abou it - it's certainly possible to have black, bi, gay , whatever people in medieval fantasy.But much better if it is not placed on Earth and on entirely new fictional world rather than real world and based on existing fictional story.
Another great update))
Probably minor spoilers ahead
The way Nem and Isaac placed(watch their tails) in image when first time met in new chapter is just coincidence or intended?If last and given their later 褋onversations.....
About uncle and aunt, with overall novel direction that would be really bad time for Isaac , especially because they are religious.In mere fact nothing bad, but religious people more likely than others to turn those things in negative side.
And others pretty showed themselves earlier.Which is terrifyingly realistic, for real life, not this novel(wrote earlier about this).
P.S. Still hate the library.
Yes, slightly, perhaps in comparison to other commentator))
Nvm, my reaction on your comment wasn't perfect too.Due to things happens in the world i quite easily getting mad on this stuff.So take my apologies too(
I understand why this was made.And that's why rated game 5 stars from beginng.
Plus obviously my comment start and ended on positive note, explanation was in neutral language.
Maybe that was not so obvious because amount of text, but i wanted to make proper explanation for my point.
Agree that make person playing closer to the story, at least it must be.But only if person doesn't bother with society.Opinion to bastards was 100% realistic but listed things much much worse in this kind of society.
Maybe problem with me, but even if this is fantasy i just can't stop using Medieval society norms when this take place on Earth and original story was made in Medieval Ages when those rules pretty much applied to the story.
If it was just modern story that takes place on Medieval fantasy Earth this wouldn't be so much problem because easy explanation - magic and all other stuff changed some things.
"
About creative liberty, many people somehow forget that works in both ways.If is allowed to add black people in Medieval society, especially in higher classes , so must be allowed to make a film which places somewhere in central Africa during Antiquity or Medieval Age and pictures tribe where people have white skin*.
But in similar cases when black people pictured as white many as you unhappy with that and exist special term for that.Which is kinda really strange - if you okay with this why you not okay with similar?
*Personally hate this too.And unlike many people i will hate both things, without being hypocrite and telling that one thing awesome but similar - bad.
"
Want to remind, i'm not against this - specifically for me no difference who has some different colour or sexuality or orientation.Human is still human, no less, no more.But we have here a fucking Medieval Ages.
"
My opinion on creative liberty in fantasy - If anyone want to make fantasy with all kind of these things just make your fantasy world or choose one where they look believable and not messing with existing original descriptions.
"
"
Cases happened(mostly gay) but quite rarely and often that had a bad end.But even see someone with black skin or acting like a girl (for boys*) was ridiculous.
"
"
*As i remember opposite for girls was considered as strange, maybe really strange but certainly not bad in begginning. Still this was up to circumstances.
"
Okay, answer where i wrote where only straight white people allowed?My point is about accordance to realism.Story about Arthur and Morgana clearly take place on fantasy variation of Earth in Medieval Society that's not much different from real.Especially considering this story originally was made in Medieval Ages.
But fantasy world which haven't any relationship to Earth like Arda (Tolkin) haven't these restrictions and characters can be any skin colour, orientation or sexuality , except those who clearly was depicted in original books.
Completely own fantasy worlds haven't all kind of similar restictions at all.
P.S. Look my profile for games i played through comments which can be viewed in profile.You would be very surprised :/
P.P.S If someone depictures black as white many ppl hates him. But opposite somehow good.
Don't be hypocrites - both must be allowed or prohibited(personally prefer second option).
"nah, everything will be fine" i meant reaction of other fictional characters on it.Like Morgana with black skin...
If that happens story even can't begin.
About creative liberty, many people somehow forget that works in both ways.If is allowed to add black people in Medieval society, especially in higher classes , so must be allowed to make a film which places somewhere in central Africa during Antiquity or Medieval Age and pictures tribe where people have white skin*.
But in similar cases when black people pictured as white many as you unhappy with that and exist special term for that.Which is kinda really strange - if you okay with this why you not okay with similar?
*Personally hate this too.And unlike many people i will hate both things, without being hypocrite and telling that one thing awesome but similar - bad.
My opinion on creative liberty in fantasy - If anyone want to make fantasy with all kind of these things just make your fantasy world or choose one where they look believable and not messing with existing original descriptions.
What a good text game)
Probably one of the best on itch io besides some visual novels.
Have interesting question to author - Are you watched anime Naruto?Because one kind of interaction with characters through all 3 chapters is clearly Naruto path 馃榿
Must admit game have really big number of choice variations , probably TOO BIG.I understand everything but choices like to change Morgana skin colour up to black, making protagonist non-binary, gay and etc is awful in context of Medieval Europe, specifically England.
Thinking "nah, everything will be fine" is like putting quadruple set of pink glasses.
Usual fantasy films , books, etc puts on Medieval time pink glasses, but that's just for entertaining reasons - i'm sure most of readers/watchers don't want to see all horrors of this certainly dark ages.
Plus it's unrealistic, if looking for education of nobles and even others , by their ancestors.
Cases happened(mostly gay) but quite rarely and often that had a bad end.But even see someone with black skin or acting like a girl (for boys*) was ridiculous.
If Morgana was black we can certainly delete this story much much earlier than Mordred was birthed.
Want to remind, i'm not against this - specifically for me no difference who has some different colour or sexuality or orientation.Human is still human, no less, no more.But we have here a fucking Medieval Ages.
*As i remember opposite for girls was considered as strange, maybe really strange but certainly not bad in begginning. Still this was up to circumstances.
P.S. If story recieves later some option literally named "Fuck the throne" it would be double shot 馃槅
P.P.S Honestly i not against one type of non-traditional relationships in this kind of fantasy.Yes, it's not realistic in Medieval Age setting, but hey, dragons's didn't existed in Medieval Ages ... 馃檭
Maybe game great, maybe not, but won't buy it due to one simple reason - What is game?
No, seriously, who ate the description?!
Likely that's why it have so low popularity - only few ones will buy game without any relevant description.Plus this empirically shows product quality - if devs even don't bothered by making a description what will wait us inside actual game?
P.S. Saw comments but they don't prove anything.And they look really suspicious if anyone saw comments to other games on itch io and not only.
Good game and great story!
Love one tendention...
Also want to say that game have well made detailed interactions between characters.One of the best game parts.
Fights pretty boring. First 9 hours was good due to fast beating of enemies and a lot of story between fights.After that they become much harder, but not really harder, just consuming several times more of time.
Before ending location after buying/upgrading everything possible they become too easy, and that's good because i can go through them much faster ar just don't battle for exp/items.After part where i beated last boss without losing even 10% of any character health(no healing from any sources).
Game have more interesting abilities than Dino Chronicles but they don't really need.Only Dei and Asura abilities really useful and necessary.But their abilities quite similar to those in Dino Chronicles, so...
4 out of 5
About endings, in comments you mentioned that game have only bad endings, with one better than other.But it is doesn't quite right.
Spoilers Ahead
Second ending looks more like infinite peaceful vacation for rest after everything.No more fights, B.F.S and other bad things (mostly due to B.F.S).So this is rather good ending than bad.
All i can say - good game and really good story)
Also characters have a really well made interactions between them.One of best things in game.
And personally i see tendetion in your games in scheme of picking game main or at least most hateful enemies.Like it 馃檭
But due to one thing i cannot rate game higher than 4 - Fights.Dozens of same boring fights, even bosses boring.And this for 90% of gameplay.
Only began the novel and had a good laugh for one pretty big reference to one anime episode))
Moment where Cecilia intimidated half of students to leave.
Maybe spoiler so i put it down.
Really do not understand why Melmond was so surprised about Illif mother because they literally have same pattern on muzzle.As i saw her i already suspected that she perhaps is his relative.
About Transcedents , MC , his new friends... Everything at the end of current build was just too cliche.
4/5
Have only one question - why rather often people who creating such great and deep stories need to suffer from moral trauma or losing relatives in painful way?((((
(Sorry for reminding)
Wish you good luck in creating this great VN!
P.S. Really like Joel impression + his overall mood.Personally i think he is best person to distract Simon(Aaron) from his gloom state of mind due to things happened.
10/10 without any doubts
Thanks for dev which explained answer for my problem after first meeting with goblin.
So if someone struggling with finding a goblin hut - door that you see in begginning is her door, so go to it and knock few times in it.
About game , it's weird indeed but personally like the style and never ending those jokes)
Public build , pretty small so i can't say practically nothing actual about it , so will wait for updates.
Game is really great, no doubts.
But her plot is really something.Everything goes to in the way devs wants only thanks to stupidity x stupidity.
Spoilers ahead
Earth is ruled by tyrants and we suffer from it?Let's destroy her!
- But what we do after that?
- Ehh...
We discovered that chosen planet covered by xenophlora and xenophauna?
- Lets kill each other and/or destroy all xenophlora and phauna!
Instead of making temporary base in order to refuel and search for another planet to colonize.Maybe leave outpost for studying.
No that's too smart instead of that we'll risk everything :/
And even after that sentient AI still want to continue this idiocy.
4/5 rate
Unfourtanately reached end of this build((
After all i can say that definitely enjoyed this game despite all of it flaws which i'll explain later.As for me best thing in this VN that's it makes think about everything described.Now it's rare to see anyone who lift up AI consciousness and similar topics.So only for this and amount of efforts which devs put in this NMF i definitely can rate 10/10.
English isn't my primary language so sorry for all grammatic and similar mistakes inside text.Next, i definitely cannot say about yourself as an expert in this kind of topic but read numerous books, played some games, watched films and read some scientific papers which lift up this and related themes, plus most important pondered about it for... pretty long time.
So if you disagree with my opinion on NMF and topic i happilly agree to discuss under this post.In any case guess it's part of devs intention))
1ST PART
And will begin with.... what is actually things like "AI", person "humanity" or "yuumanity*"
*In general there's simply no difference so will use yuumanity when i'm talking about NMF, in other cases would use humanity.
AI means Arficial Intellegence, but what we usually get used to name "AI"?Generally it's just nothing more than advanced programs, so called "neural networks ", etc which do exactly for what they are programmed , nothing more.In sci-fi or some discussions usually we can meet combination of words "sentient AI" or in very rare cases some unique words which describes same but they aren't generally accepted.
So as we haven't generally accepted word which means "sentient AI" I would use "AI", in other cases "programs", "highly advanced programs", "AI imitation", etc.
Why so?AI became really popular and hype abbreviation and described things in 95-99+% cases aren't fit for this therm and used only to just get people attention.So with all these facts phrase "sentient AI" much much worse than using instead "humans" phrase "sentient apes" because apes(hell, even mice) have much more intellect and sentieness than any so called "AI".
Unfortunately i can't use something else instead AI because it would make text less understable.Maximum what i can do is not using AI therm for nothing more than programs or similar things.
Most fun part if scientists someday will create fully functional brain with self-awareness it still would be AI.Under "fully functional brain" i not necessarily mean human brain.To be precise it would be biological AI.
Main part about AI,NMF and related would be after reasoning(hope i used correct word) about "What is person humanity?" because it's important for next reasoning.
I wouldn't digging deep in this topic because it's irrelevant for this "discussion" and NMF and it will be so general that's i can say about this as "anyonity".
Basically it's accordance of person to society generaly accepted things like morality, attitudes, etc + personal feeling about who is he/she/they.If they're too different or became different we can say(as example i will use us) that person haven't or losing his/her/their humanity.
2ND PART
In machine AI case often people talking about emotions (not yet described in NMF) and "doing necessary stuff" which is described in NMF but in a wrong way.
In reality this two problems not even problems, people just overstimate them.
Most(besides people with head problems) humans have emotions but emotions isn't things which are produced by consciousness if did they would be as different as people personality.But they are same - anger, fear, happiness, etc.And more important animals which is big enough have them too, yes, they can be simpler than humans but still, they're exist.It is natural adaptation in order to help them survive like fear of predators or height(for mature non-flying creatures).These who completely haven't them simply died and disappeared forever.
So emotions isn't product of our mind and if we can create AI with consciousness we also can make non-organic alternative which allows machine to have emotions.All of steryotype about machine consioness as pure logical emotionless things is nothing more than delusion and fault of dumb sci-fi scientists.
Remember that our brain based around neuron interaction between them by electrical impulses and transferring atoms or molecules( as i remember) and this theoretically can be made in synthetic "brain".Also at least some of functions(researching of this topic just began) work thanks to quantum physics, but that's another topic and it is irrelevant for this.
With "doing necessary stuff" everything much more simpler and funnier - mostly is nothing more than illusion.Because we do them because our body allows them(excempt pure mental) by hormones, 褋hemical elements and other reasons.
Why we eat?Because we need food plus what's more important our body produces hormones(i don't exactly remember what, but it is definitely chemical elements, but i will call this hormones even if it not hormone.Okay?) which make us happier if food tastes good.If not this and if taste buds are gone no one would enjoy his food.
So in this case if existed opportunity to not eat or drink we wouldn't.
Why we breathe or sleep?Because it's necessary for our body and mind plus earlier (before current tech level) we haven't nothing to do at night and that's boring.
I can compare this to flying for most birds - they're flying because this is necessary for their survival and they have opportunity to do this.
So if we didn't need to breathe and sleep plus haven't anything which allowed us to, nothing would changed for us.NOTHING.
Why we enjoy sex and it not simple breeding?Because hormones plus this feels nice.If not this we simply would have sex just for breeding.
I want to say thanks to devs for not putting this kind of mature content in NMF.But still it could be mentioned because sexual equipment pretty much important part of anyone.
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Same probably for every "necessary stuff" on physical level.
Mental needs probably (i don't sure on 100%) come from both physical(like emotions) and spiritual origin.Latest probably exist due to our consciousness and cannot be measured so simply.
As conclusion i can say two things:
1.On my opinion NMF devs don't really understand topic about this.
2.If AI will made with ability to do and enjoy "necessary stuff" it would , at least on physical level, mental needs will exist(likely) but same or different no one can say; if not... you know, wouldn't.
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Closer to end NMF have moment when Isaac bothered by "reality" of his feeling of the world, like hearing, feeling, seeing the world.And as for me devs don't really well explained this by Mary.
Simply if feelings aren't simulated they are completely real.Under simulated i mean made manually for just everything.Simulated feelings have same problem as program "褋ommon sense problem" - TOO MUCH DATA.So much that's all world data storage isn't enough to simulate basically everything.
Simpliest and most realistic solution is make adapters that can sense world in universal way instead of doing it manually.
No matter of result and how this feelings different compared to humans they would be as real as humans.We feeling everything as our body allows to, nothing more.
All possible feelings as big as pencil dot compared to house or even Earth.
To really feel universe in most realistic way you need to probably be universe itself or someone like Demiurg.
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3RD PART
Here we go, to main part all of this and NMF main qustion about AI awareness and "Transited" people as well.
But at first i want to ask you and devs one qustion - do you really understand difference between AI with self-awareness with and without body with all it's functions?
Guess not.Okay, humans or yuumans are creators and they have body, feelings, etc but AI without body - not.And even if they would treat AI with self-awareness as real person and not only, this fact will likely cause inferiority complex plus other differences also can "help" in different ways.
Much less worse circumstances 褋ause major problems in childrens mind which can drive to their hatred to society.Doesn't remind of anything?))
Plus even if to this AI granted emotions and his creators would treat as real person due to origin of his forming and eventually formed personality can be far different from humans and who knows which result this would have.Like wish to destroy humanity because they're destroying Earth and other life on it, nothing personal.
Even worse if they accidentally made AI with at least some levels of awareness and treating him as just machine, as nothing.So wish of exterminating creators becomes much less unrealistic.
So idea of creating AI and giving android body with all it's restrictions and advantages, especially like NMFs with mostly closed external acess to it.As for me it's nearly best solution for AI.At least for forming AI healthy identity instead receiving good result as if in lottery.
With this far eathier treat AI as person, educate him, etc, just like child at first, than children... Remember from very beginning AI personality wouldn't have major differences from them, at least if base(brain, emotions,opportunity to feel,etc) for consciousness, self-awareness was made properly.
Our personality and consciousness don't appeared on empty space, all thanks to DNA and all perfomed work to make the body and brain where consciousness and personality can appear and exist.
To believe(i later answer why believe) in AI consciousness and personality they must appear and exist not as something coded(which is only imitation) but on some premaded base after which no code are exist and there's only own actions.
I guess in NMF we have exactly same case in which scientists made only base and nothing else to be sure result wouldn't be "just another program".Main difference is transfering all expierience, thoughts and peronality from existing living person instead of growing it's own.
And i didn't really understand why in NMF Isaac, Mary and others seeking answer on wrong question - "Isaac just machine and original Isaac is died or Isaac never died, only his previous body", perhaps Isaac clearly bothering about this.
When real question is - "Indeed, Isaac definitely not a machine, but is he original Isaac"?
I'll tell right away, first question have it's right to exist but only for those who doesn't know how Isaac was "made".So who was directly involved into this + Isaac don't should be bothered about this too much.
In NMF reality we have two possible scenarios:
1.Isaac is Isaac and he is alive.
2.Isaac is exact Isaac copy and still alive("new" Isaac) + actually newborn but have illusion of opposite.
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In first case everything is ok.But in second already exists moral dillemas which partially named in NMF like isn't his is just a pretender of original Isaac to his cousin and haven't rights to act as actual Isaac.But in NMF this mixed with "just a machine", disappointingly.
As for me secon case definitely not best, but better than nothing.At least in some sense you continue to live, bringing new life to world which would free from fear to die from old age.Unfortunately this is only partial immortality, but much more closer than existing order of things.Plus it's helping for everyone who you cared for.And not only, 褋ontinuation can take a while.
Clone would know this because he is same, 100% same, so he wouldn't so bothered about this.
But what's most exciting news - it's generally imposibly to verify without finding soul, perhaps in NMF.In reality already proven that perhaps some brain functions works by using quantum mechanics, i personally think our consciousness exist due to quantum mechanics.
If everything will be correctly transited without completely breaking quantum state initial person would survive if not, we would have a perfect clone of it.Ah yes, in reality i personally think AI with true consciousness must have brain working not only on physical level, but on quantum physics level too.
Without soul and quantum state factors is impossible to determine whether Isaac is original or clone.
So the only one way is social consensus, like that's one we using everyday - assuming each other as equally sentient beings.
Why is it social consensus?There's no way to disprove that our universe and everyone else can be just simulation on super-super computer.Or other similar things.
In this situation best what we can do is continue this social consensus about everyone.
Better than thinking of yourself and everyone like an AI, eh?*smirk*))
In Isaac case must be the same principle but devs decided to go easier way(basically cheating) and added Abilities, paranormal things, soul... I greatly dislike this decision which kills morality and reduces it all just to searching of soul existence(((
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4TH AND LAST PART
Devs showed in NMF really fucked up sotiety which is doomed in timef of few centuries or up to few thousand years.Pandora gigacorporation(one step and we would have Pandoranation) makes things even worse, especially with transiting.
At first we see so called "yuumanity" multispecied race which was made from ???(huge number) races formed by Shift event few centuries ago from humans.They definitely accustomed with this and everyone but later we see that they have HUGE brain problems.
Okay, they're treating humans as freaks(i understand why devs made so) but they also treat really badly those who was born with Abilities, hell, even simply no one came to Isaac by his/her/they own with good intentions just from curiosity , NO ONE.
Usually expected that multispecied race would be tolerate for those who "aren't as everyone" because they are already accustomed to differencies between yourself.
So from one side they're tolerate for those who aren't same as his race but from other side they aren't tolerate for those who aren't same as everyone -__- :/ .
I understand, devs projected humanity as yuumanity without mental changes but this is just ridiculous for whole multispecied race in this circumstances.
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Besides yuumanity is pretty authoritarian society plus they aren't reached enough cultural and mental level but already have society with one corporation without nearly any competitors.
Yes, indeed leader bad it can be forcefully removed but no one can stop this corporation from slow degradation of her members especially with head problem which i already described plus who knows how many those problems.
Finally Pandora will greatly increase number of idiots just bad people by making them androids who aren't age.
Immortallity, even partial immortality isn't always a blessing, for those who aren't prepeared this would be a hell and for those who interacting with them too.
Seems like ending for yuumanity woud be much worse than for Trantorian Empire(read Azimov Foundation, reccomend to read from ve泻y begginning - The Bissential Man to Daniel Olivo stories and related to them -> to Foundation prequils and beyond.
P.S. It took a pretty long time to systematize everything in readable form))
P.P.S Just for discussions and thinking NMF deserves 10/10 but for major flaws only 6/10 , so i'll give well deserved 8/10(4/5).
P.P.P.S. Bruh, at least this was helpful for me to structurise my thoughts about this particular topic.
As for me it's simple - i just don't care.
In your scenario i will treat "me" as actual person, and closest person.
Either for any kind of robot - if it will have consioness and apparently selfconsioness all is good.
P.S. Hell, after reading/watching some anime, VN, game etc which i really like most saddest thing for me that it's universe, characters simply... don't exist 馃槬
I always know, that's a work of fiction, but still...
P.P.S I know determination of consioness is compilcated.So if to be honest i will treat as actual person in any case if i can't say with at least 100% that it's haven't consioness and selfconsioness and just imitating it.
Sorry for my English , he isn't my native language and i'm bad in writing with it.
Awesome update for awesome story))