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Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA https://forums.court-records.net/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=33460 |
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Author: | Planetbox [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:28 am ] |
Post subject: | Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Spoiler: Default Names Spoiler: QT Dump Thanks for gaming, gamers. It was a good time. This game was definitely longer than I would have liked, but there was really no avoiding that. I’m glad everyone kept giving it their all the whole way through. Made it way easier to keep the game going knowing people were enjoying themselves. Honestly this ending stuff has been making me tear up a lot already. Special thanks to Nanjo for his epic QT posts and everyone else who posted theories, as well as SC and Matt for being very supportive throughout the game. I’d also like to thank NIKI since their role was a bit limiting, but I still enjoyed all their posts (and thanks for the Yin Yang picture obviously). I’d also like to thank my brother, my old roommate, and UkuleleLady for assisting with some of the puzzles. Finally, big thanks to L o n e for Hiroyuki’s SICK FIRST NAME Not sure if this will ever become anything bigger but be sure to let me know your thoughts and criticisms and things you think could be improved in case it does. If you have any questions about the game you can ask them here. Though if your headcanon fits and is way cooler, then you can just ignore me. If you have suggestions you’d like to keep private (regarding characters for instance) you can let me know, well…privately. I think it’d be best to have a lot of thoughts in this thread as opposed to Discord so I can look back on them more easily. Anyway my brain is barely functioning so I’ll just end this here. Looking forward to any future NG shenanigans and the epic NG7 VN! |
Author: | JesusMonroe [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:30 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
gg |
Author: | Kachu [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:33 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Good. Game. |
Author: | DootDootDoot [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:40 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
GOOD game man. Good good. Goddamn good. I'd love to say more but I've been itching to get those QTs so see you when I've read everything |
Author: | Pierre [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:42 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Yeah thanks very much for running this! It was a great game with great characters and the puzzles were absolutely exceptional! |
Author: | NIKI_4829 [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:58 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
All I gotta say is this was an epic first NG experience geegee |
Author: | Franzise Deauxnim [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 1:02 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
gg |
Author: | CaptainPancakes [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 1:04 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
gg |
Author: | Joker [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 1:08 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
a good game, one of the best GG |
Author: | KamiPanda [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 1:20 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Great game! I had a lot of fun. This was the best forum game I've ever played. |
Author: | Planetbox [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 1:44 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
More like pp gottem |
Author: | CaptainPancakes [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 1:46 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
pb |
Author: | KamiPanda [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 1:52 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Hey PB who was third murderer???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? |
Author: | Planetbox [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 2:13 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Oh yeah that one that's actually a long story, and I bet the truth will blow your mind. Take a look: Spoiler: The Third Murderer |
Author: | DootDootDoot [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 2:16 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Planetbox wrote: Oh yeah that one that's actually a long story, and I bet the truth will blow your mind. Take a look: Spoiler: The Third Murderer WHAT |
Author: | JesusMonroe [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 3:31 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
omg I inspired GM X's personality I'm shaking |
Author: | Doctor Nanjo [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:02 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
GG EZ NGX can consider itself absolutely owned by true gamers. Also imo the game was the perfect length. |
Author: | Lone [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:32 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Planetbox wrote: Finally, big thanks to L o n e for Hiroyuki’s SICK FIRST NAME ur welcome pb. such nice manners |
Author: | Southern Corn [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 8:16 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Gg. Would like to echo the sentiment that this was the best forum game I've ever been in. Not much to add, I think everything was basically perfect. Length wasn't an issue to me, I think it was actually pretty ideal overall. Thanks everyone for gaming with me, it's been a real pleasure. |
Author: | Datamatt [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 8:24 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
I think there is no hyperbole involved when I say that this is not only the best nonary game I've ever played but also the best forum game I've played in general. The story was good, but like Panda said on Discord, the characters really carried the game and the game itself was long just enough to be a great experience. I think everyone played really solid characters and I might post a character ranking later, but it's 9 AM, I woke up 10 minutes ago and I'm a bit sad that the game had to end. valentine's day ending when |
Author: | Kachu [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 1:08 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Sad hours over here. Game was such a good time I wish it wasn't over but also it ended well. I had a really rocking good time and yeah this is probably the best thing I've ever been a part of so I'm incredibly thankful to be a part of it. I was quite worried when I got Fujisaki and read the Role PM because I didn't know if I could handle him at all, despite specifically asking for something new in the sign ups. Though he ended up being pretty fun to play I was pretty stressed about pulling it off well especially early on. I can only assume I didn't do that poorly because nobody has blown up in my face about it. Yin/Isuzu/Snake stuff was super super rad as well though and I loved timelines where Fujisaki was drained more because of it. (Biased but my fave ending is still Fujisaki end despite that, really really loved that one.) Everyone else was fantastic though. This whole game really spoke to me and inspired me to get to writing something of my own which I tried doing way back when before NG7 as well. I had a similar "holy crap timelines I gotta do that" but then my dumb brain really struggled though during times where I was dead in NGX I've actually gotten somewhere. Won't be done anytime soon though lol. Big big big thank you to PB for running this (extremely well, even, to me. Length was never an issue on my end even if sometimes it sounded like it was.) |
Author: | Pierre [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 2:09 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Right I'm awake more thoughts Favourite Character: X X was incredible. I love the wildcard element of her and her disconnect from common humanity a lot of the time allowed for her to make some really interesting dialogue things. I'm glad she turned out to be an absolute star of a main character at the end because she was certainly one of the most interesting characters for me in terms of backstory. Favourite Ending: Probably Fujisaki's? I'm a sucker for a good tragic romance, and I know there were SEVERAL of them here but Fujisaki in general strikes me as more tragic, maybe because what haunts him is far more obvious than Taikong and Mei. In any case it was delightfully bittersweet and my heart goes out to the guy. Top Marks. Best Puzzle Room: Sunny's Playroom Obvious reasons (least to me), this was an incredible use of theme. It's probably also tied with the fact that at this point in the plot, Sunny was reunited with Juanli, so it allowed me to step off the "GET THE BOY!" pedal and just 'be' a bit more in a relaxed fashion. Thoughts on my own character: I enjoyed playing Zhang Juanli, though I really worried she was grating on people. From my brief I was advised that she was kind of generic motherly character right down to the relatively simple design (aside from an eye-scar). I saw I had scissors as a starting item, and a devoted-drive to protect Sunny as was like "Right, so I'll need to kill someone at some point!" which probably shaped a more "Mama bear" approach leading into Yurei/J-Horror archetypes once Sunny was killed. I hope I did alright with that stuff, even if I intentionally had to dial down the murder at the end so that Mao could drink himself to death. I saw it mentioned a little in some QTs now I've read them, that Juanli was kind of disconnected and that's fair but I think it's also by design. Juanli had an estranged connection to Suyin, and then Sunny and that was it which I fear made her a bit one-note compared to other characters. Maybe I could have done more to interact with other characters? I'd have felt I'd have needed more of a reason. I didn't really want to portray her as an exceptional character based on the descriptions I'd had so there was moments where I just didn't make her cope with everything and I'm sorry if that dragged RPing down at times. Yeah overall a great and memorable experience. Cultural shift was really well reflected too with the music choices and aesthetics. |
Author: | JesusMonroe [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:00 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
fwiw Pierre, Juanli was my favorite character personality-wise. I agree it was nice when she had moments that weren't all about Sunny, but it was also reasonable that that would be her only priority. Still, I think Suyin/Juanli should’ve been combined into one character. They both work separately, but they're also the two characters that I find have the most tenuous connections to the cast. So in this version Mao would be raising Sunny as the son he never had, with Suyli being his partner in crime though more motivated to be able to be a mother/raise this child as her own. In the current version it felt a little weird that Suyin was pretty much in the dark on Mao even though she was about as bad as he was, or at least comparable. But I guess there needed to be 12 characters so here we are. Anyway here is my review/scattered and disorganized thoughts of the game. I want to echo that I loved the game that’s why I am including critiques in the review as if this were a ‘proper’ game. This was my favorite NG so if it sounds like parts are negative it’s just because those are the parts I haven’t focused on mentioning yet (on discord) and I hope it's seen as respect for the quality of the game rather than trying to tear it down :p First of all, Mao. He was a weird character to play at first, but I ended up enjoying it. I more or less tried to portray him as pure evil, racist, etc but a competent general. So that’s what I ran with—if anybody didn’t like Mao because he’s too evil, I get it. I just don’t want him misinterpreted, so I wanted it clear that I never intended for him to be sympathetic in any way even in the times he was 'nicer'. He’s more or less a psychopath. But yeah, early on he was awkward to play because of this. I felt I was making him a little too goofy at times, but once I had him live a little more in his inner monologue things became easier. The one good thing I allowed Mao to do while playing him was sparing Taikong/Mei in their ending. I don’t even really know why he did it so I doubly enjoyed it for that. RP-wise my main concern was that I was overstepping “player authority”, which is a weird line to walk as a villain character. My intention was mostly trying to get people involved in fun scenarios, but I can see how the fight scenes or handcuffing someone to you can seem like a lot. I thought things ended up being cool and I usually did anything it was with PB insider info of who was expected to win/lose the fight and such. But yea if anything was not cool you can mention it. I think a lot of the twists I saw coming, but I don’t consider that a knock on the game (only bringing this point up cause PB and I talked about it). There was never something I predicted in its entirety, and things always happened a little differently than expected. Plus being able to predict things is also a sign that the story is coherent (also everyone is just NG-trope savvy at this point). The Monk/Fujisaki conversation in the Fujisaki end for example. I kinda predicted all the little parts of what happened, but for some reason it never clicked in my head together. So to see how everything in the war started truly from Isuzu’s death and Fujisaki's want for revenge was very satisfying. Same with the Benedict Clarkson reveal. I kinda knew that Monk would be him, but didn't really put together the full implications that he would feel responsible for starting the war because of it. I also think in the rewrite that the gun from the “Who killed Amethyst?” lock should be the one behind the [12] door. I initially thought that this was the case and thought this tiny set-up was one of the most satisfying “twists” in the game, if not the most. I was theorizing at that point that the killer HAD to be someone on the outside who killed everyone to get 12 CDP. And then it ended up just being some gun. My least favorite timeline and ending was the Mao/Suyin end. It felt like the Midge end equivalent from NG7—I almost felt that Mao didn’t really need an ending since you learn so much about him in other timelines, and it didn’t feel like much new was learnt about Suyin. The timeline itself was also the one I found the most boring, in which Fujisaki was just soloing everyone and we were in this awkward dynamic of waiting for him to post, and not really being able to participate in the action much since we can’t kill him until a designated time. I don't agree with the sentiment that the game was the "perfect length", it was one timeline too long imo and this is the easiest cut. Don’t get me wrong, for personal character reasons I liked the “screentime” from the ending. I liked the reveal of what was behind the [12] door, the quote reveal, and that Mao still found a way out despite the odds. But considering the insignificance of the gun mentioned above, it didn’t feel like this ending or timeline added much of anything to the actual story that could've been put elsewhere. I also didn’t enjoy the true ending timeline too much. It wasn’t too long so there’s nothing to really dislike, but I guess I was expecting more answers even though there weren’t really any questions left. Like the X reveal felt more like a standard ending reveal than a final TRUE ending reveal. Snake “living" felt a little weird too, like everything was resolved in a neat little bow. I still don't really get the point of the game or how it stopped the war (like if all they needed was to blackmail Mao they had the information from the beginning). But it’s still better than most endings to these games so maybe it’s for the best it didn’t go crazy. My favorite ending was probably the Taikong/Mei one and my favorite timeline was probably that one too or the Monk one. I thought it was a lot of fun to be the aggressor as Mao, and I think even the lead-up with all the specter syndrome reveals and Snake’s “death” was the most ZE this game felt. My favorite “scene” in the game was the fight between Monk and Mao (which was weird because I thought Monk was going to win it). It just felt very epic to participate in, Penumbra is an awesome piece of OST from Judgement, and it just felt like a good climax from the rising tension of the whole trial. Anyway everyone did a great job and especially PB for being able to map all the timelines and events out. It definitely felt like the reveals were carefully thought out in a way where our timeline order wouldn’t really have “spoiled” anything in most circumstances. The branching choices were also very natural so it's all wicked cool. This review is only really mostly complaining because these are like the only complaints I have and this might be official one day, but I do wanna reiterate this is my favorite NG. Also I was very impressed by Nanjo’s “performance” for such a hard character and uh I don’t really know what else to say but you all did a great job just not as good as PB. |
Author: | Doctor Nanjo [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:29 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
One thing I just remembered is in my survey I told PB that no matter what character he gave me, I would play them like a wild card who heck’s up everyone’s plans. And then he was like “actually that just is a character, here you go.” So that’s the story of how I got in the game. |
Author: | DootDootDoot [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:30 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Doctor Nanjo wrote: One thing I just remembered is in my survey I told PB that no matter what character he gave me, I would play them like a wild card who heck’s up everyone’s plans. And then he was like “actually that just is a character, here you go.” So that’s the story of how I got in the game. It was FATE |
Author: | JesusMonroe [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:33 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
I submitted a blank survey and let PB-sama decide my fate |
Author: | Southern Corn [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:36 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
i literally just vibed like i'm doing now |
Author: | Pierre [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:42 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Doctor Nanjo wrote: One thing I just remembered is in my survey I told PB that no matter what character he gave me, I would play them like a wild card who heck’s up everyone’s plans. And then he was like “actually that just is a character, here you go.” So that’s the story of how I got in the game. Perfectly Cast. Quote: But yeah, early on he was awkward to play because of this. I felt I was making him a little too goofy at times, but once I had him live a little more in his inner monologue things became easier. The one good thing I allowed Mao to do while playing him was sparing Taikong/Mei in their ending. I don’t even really know why he did it so I doubly enjoyed it for that. I felt as a villain you played him fantastically. The goofiness offset how actually dangerous he could be. There were some moments in his ending where he gets to be brutally cold to indicate the real depths of his villainy and I thought that was DELIGHTFUL in contrast to his goofiness earlier. Nothing hammers home the bleakness of the situation rather than that. Was a great job. |
Author: | Planetbox [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:42 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Yeah the true ending was weird cause I wasn’t really sure how to have the war actually end. I think Monk probably had something to do with it but that’s about it. I was almost trying to go from the angle that Taikong’s game didn’t have a huge direct impact, though that’s pretty lame. It’s hard to think of any feasible way to just instantly end the war though even with time travel, otherwise people would be doing it already And also a lot of Taikong’s plan was that he was trying to save Mei who he had premonitions of getting blown up by a bomb. Which I think was never mentioned. It feels like a rewrite would need more twists with Snake, Li An, the sisters, and some possible protag character though it’s hard to come up with them especially when the game has so many already. |
Author: | Kachu [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:50 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
It was mentioned on Discord and I'm putting it here for REALSIES this time. I felt like Fujisaki while being very important to the events in the game feels disconnected from the cast as a unit. His only relationship with the cast is with Amandi, although it's nowhere near as close as the other relationships pairs of characters gets. Isuzu is a thing but to literally everyone else she isn't so I don't particularly count her. It felt a little weird at times but I didn't really mind that much as the game went on. I feel like if there's ever a rewrite into an actual VN or something there should be something added there, someone else who knows him and his weirdness. Or maybe just knows him, like some other American soldier who he worked with or maybe something else. At first glance he looks like a total outsider and kinda ends the game that way which is also fitting as heck so really it's not even a bad thing tbh. Just some thoughts. I want positivity though so reminder that NGX was super super fun. This, F8 and BF2 have been super great for me and I love these games. Also ALSO I thought the third murderer was gonna be someone who killed Li An, either Amethyst, Amandi or technically even Yang. also also ALSO I literally cannot picture a reality where I got Monk and did half as good as SC. |
Author: | Planetbox [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:58 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Just realized that if Juanli and Suyin were combined the mask would be covering up the scar so that would be a bonus twist WAOW |
Author: | Kachu [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 5:03 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
If you combined them you could slot Mx. Generic Protagonist person in as the 12th person if you needed one of those though having someone like that kinda ruins all the epic endings doesn't it |
Author: | Southern Corn [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 5:14 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
I'm honestly overjoyed that people enjoyed Monk. I absolutely loved playing the guy (he obviously had a cool role in the story but just also looked/acted cool so that was nice) so it's great that he was cool to everybody else. Definitely one of the more satisfying characters I've had to RP for sure and a huge part of why I loved the game. In general I think everyone's roles were very accurate to their strengths. The cast choices as a whole was ideal as heck. |
Author: | Joker [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 5:29 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
I had a lot of fun in this game and with playing Suyin. I agree with the others that it's the best forum game I've played, and I don't have any complaints about the length or anything. It didn't feel too long for me and being dead helped prevent me from getting burnt out. As for Suyin I think she was the perfect character for me, and I loved her. She was definitely my favorite character I've played. It was lot of fun interacting with the cast as her, and I really enjoyed her connections to her family. I'm biased but my favorite ending Mao/Suyin's and I think my favorite timeline was the one leading to Fujisaki's ending, even if I didn't care too much for that ending itself. I had a blast playing as a guard and it was fun arguing with the cast. I don't have too much more to say other than I love the game, the cast and again I had a lot of fun. I'm sad that the game is over but I'm really glad I signed up for it and got to be a part of it as well. Thank you PB for running the game and thank you everyone for making this my favorite roleplaying experience I've had. |
Author: | Datamatt [ Wed Jan 27, 2021 5:35 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Zodiac Game Post-Game GALA |
Hey I'm home and fully awake so time for a full review! Spoiler: The Game Overall Spoiler: Characters Best ending? Mei/Taikong. Okay, sure, there's a little bit of bias here, ok maybe more than just a bit, but it was just really fucking good. I absolutely loved how their ending was so tragic, how their own ending even had them separated from the start. Apparently that's a sentiment shared by others so I don't find it too hypocritical to put it down as my fave. Also I loved this game so much I'm going to try my hand at writing a valentine's day ending. It will be pog |
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