Stories that left you disappointed for a reason

[Gone_Dead]

Would you read an IF without romance included in the story?

It depends on how well the other parts of the IF are. If it's a true IF then I won't mind if there is no romance. For example, i won't mind no romance in games like ZESH which has more emphasis on player choice and narrative in its own way. But I would love to have romance in stories which gives more importance to personal story, character growth, bonds between characters and how that bleeds into the main narrative. This isn't to say that games like ZESH don't have the latter, but rather that it isn't as much articulated as in a game like ITFO for example. Although ITFO is good enough without romance, it certainly complements the MC very well. It adds to their growth.

Golden Rose on the other hand would take a massive hit without the romance due to its slow pace and uneventful story in the first game. But the way romance is written in that game makes me give high points to that. I will play it without romance just for the roleplaying aspect, but It is not at the level it is when it has romance.

So the gist of it is, it depends on the IF, writing style, genre and how much of it is actually an Interactive Fiction.

 

[Sokrates]

Because all most players want is a romance simulator/VN in the form of a text-based IF format. The offer in the market is meeting the demand..

A lot of IFs don't have much interesting going on outside of ROs, so the answer is "depends on the game, but regrettably most likely no".

 

[God]

Honestly it all depends on the story tbh, if it’s interesting I’ll play it. I was originally going to say idk than I realized I’ve been playing Poma for years with 0 romance because I wanted to romance a dragon and haven’t gotten anything so yeah I could. I don’t play these games for romance anyways tbh that’s why I’m not big on most popular IFs.

 

[Benu]

Would you read an IF without romance included in the story?

Not the person you asked but yeah, one of my biggest sadness is that If you remove romance from most interactive fiction the whole thing falls apart, few still stand strong without it, from my experience mostly wod ifs, poma, infinity trilogy, a mage reborn and aura clash.

Not that i dislike romance (quite the opposite when well done) but its clearly the default for every genre, i dont even remember the last time i seen a If with zero romance, but It is what It is.

 

[xeroxo]

Would you read an IF without romance included in the story?

Most IFs are rubbish witihout romance, but if there's one without it, why not? It's probably because my intro to interactive fiction were CYOA books like Lone Wolf and Goosebumps, and earlier CoG titles like SLAMMED! and The Great Tournament, but those barely had any romance, and even if they did it wasn't the main focus. I think it's just that most games now are catering to the dating sim market, which isn't bad, but not everything has to be a dating sim.

 

[yourstalkeroutside]

Would you read an IF without romance included in the story?

Depends on what the story is about. I play POMA with a FeMC, pretty much the same thing. I also quite liked playing Life as a ruler: Nexus Island where the romance is completely optional.

 

[realman]

The Great Tournament, but those barely had any romance, and even if they did it wasn't the main focus. I think it's just that most games now are catering to the dating sim market, which isn't bad, but not everything has to be a dating sim.

Tbh the great tournament got me crazy into the knight x princess trope back then

older games had more naturally written romances i guess? Because they definetly do have romance options but it's just not the thing you're supposed to focus on. The ROs are not around in every step of the story and YOU actually have to show interest and approach them at every chance you got if you want something more, rather than people you're absolutely forbidden to date falling head over heels for you from 2 flirting dialogue choices. Or at least that's how i remember it.
Great tournament princess supremacy. I'm afraid noone will live up to her in the whole hg verse (that first game bias really hits hard huh..)

 

[CQ2205]

It always irritates me how some IF authors just pop up out of nowhere, drop a chapter or two, sometimes not even past the prologue, and suddenly boom, there's a Patreon and Ko-fi link. Like??? The story hasn’t even started yet, and people are already subscribing! You haven’t seen anything of the actual plot, so how are you paying for something that barely exists?

If I started listing all the IFs where this happens, we’d be here forever, but I think the crown has to go to The Abyssal. Patreon with “bonus content” … but surprise, we’ve never seen any of that content, because the story is still stuck in the prologue since the dinosaur era. And yet there’s still new RO content being posted Anyway, no comment.

Personally I think authors should only launch Patreon/Ko-fi once the IF already has a solid amount of content, like 5 or 6 chapters maybe? Or at least more than just 2 or 3. At that point, sure, I’d consider a Patreon reasonable.

Also, question: when an IF author opens a Patreon, what kind of exclusive content actually makes you want to subscribe (besides early access, obviously)? Side stories? POVs? I know a lot of people thought Rotting-Ink’s Patreon benefits were ridiculous, I did too, and I was honestly surprised people bought into it.

I think the 13leagues Patreon is actually a good example. There’s a decent amount of content, and even though the progress is still kinda slow, it’s way more consistent than most others.

 

[Harwoof]

It always irritates me how some IF authors just pop up out of nowhere, drop a chapter or two, sometimes not even past the prologue, and suddenly boom, there's a Patreon and Ko-fi link. Like??? The story hasn’t even started yet, and people are already subscribing! You haven’t seen anything of the actual plot, so how are you paying for something that barely exists?

If I started listing all the IFs where this happens, we’d be here forever, but I think the crown has to go to The Abyssal. Patreon with “bonus content” … but surprise, we’ve never seen any of that content, because the story is still stuck in the prologue since the dinosaur era. And yet there’s still new RO content being posted Anyway, no comment.

Personally I think authors should only launch Patreon/Ko-fi once the IF already has a solid amount of content, like 5 or 6 chapters maybe? Or at least more than just 2 or 3. At that point, sure, I’d consider a Patreon reasonable.

Also, question: when an IF author opens a Patreon, what kind of exclusive content actually makes you want to subscribe (besides early access, obviously)? Side stories? POVs? I know a lot of people thought Rotting-Ink’s Patreon benefits were ridiculous, I did too, and I was honestly surprised people bought into it.

I think the 13leagues Patreon is actually a good example. There’s a decent amount of content, and even though the progress is still kinda slow, it’s way more consistent than most others.

Can't say for anyone else atleast me before I completely stopped supporting anyone on patreon due to feeling scammed, I subscribed for the latest wip and some side character content.
Not really a big fan of pov and lore dumps, genuinely believe that stuff should come after the story is complete, same reason I quit subscribing too many author only releasing side content without any actual progress in main story.

 

[Ireth313]

when an IF author opens a Patreon, what kind of exclusive content actually makes you want to subscribe (besides early access, obviously)?

Bride of shadows' author is doing Patreon-exclusive game modes for her story. Sort of like AU versions of the main game, with their own plot and dynamic. This, I think, is neat. CC Hill also has her Patreon-exclusive erotic stories, which I think works out pretty nicely for her? Generally, I think, if an author can provide more of the game without castrating the public version, or to provide different IFs in the same universe, it's a good solid bonus. I'm not that interested in extra POVs (unless it's interactive, like the ones the Infamous' author does) or trivia about the characters as paid content, and lore drops are a hit or miss. For some games lore and side-stories are always welcome and for the others it's whatever. I think lore is all nice and good if either your story is very worldbuilding-packed, or you are far enough in the story to be interested in it. E.g., like you pointed out with the Abyssal, when we haven't seen anything why would we care that much about the lore?

 

[LosLorento]

It always irritates me how some IF authors just pop up out of nowhere, drop a chapter or two, sometimes not even past the prologue, and suddenly boom, there's a Patreon and Ko-fi link. Like??? The story hasn’t even started yet, and people are already subscribing! You haven’t seen anything of the actual plot, so how are you paying for something that barely exists?

If I started listing all the IFs where this happens, we’d be here forever, but I think the crown has to go to The Abyssal. Patreon with “bonus content” … but surprise, we’ve never seen any of that content, because the story is still stuck in the prologue since the dinosaur era. And yet there’s still new RO content being posted Anyway, no comment.

Personally I think authors should only launch Patreon/Ko-fi once the IF already has a solid amount of content, like 5 or 6 chapters maybe? Or at least more than just 2 or 3. At that point, sure, I’d consider a Patreon reasonable.

Also, question: when an IF author opens a Patreon, what kind of exclusive content actually makes you want to subscribe (besides early access, obviously)? Side stories? POVs? I know a lot of people thought Rotting-Ink’s Patreon benefits were ridiculous, I did too, and I was honestly surprised people bought into it.

I think the 13leagues Patreon is actually a good example. There’s a decent amount of content, and even though the progress is still kinda slow, it’s way more consistent than most others.

I don't mind Ko-Fi (one-time payment with optional subscription) nearly as much as I mind people opening Patreon's (almost exclusively a subscription service) without a solid plan for the content they want to release and provide. As for what I'd look for in a Patreon - first and foremost consistency is imperative. A creator that isn't consistent with the way they structure their Patreon is one I refuse to support regardless of what they actually say they provide - I am paying for a service a la Netflix and co, so if you don't provide what you wrote on the tin I will consider it a scam, blacklist, and move on to greener pastures.

Very few creators also don't bother to use anything other than the default subscription even though I know Patreon does have payment scheme options; one of which is a pay when you drop content rather than every month - which would be a far better plan for those writers to use that don't update very often but that only works when they aren't trying to grift people out of their money for a quick buck.

 

[cloudyday]

Superstition was one of my fave twine interactive stories for a while (not that it's hard for twine stories), but what made me dislike it was the implementation of romance with two certain npcs (Chris and Rahim) while it's obvious the author ships Roe and Sydero and they are the Canon couple before it was IF(Tho Sydero being annoying and aro makes me not want her) anyway back to Chris and Rahim, those two bitches are so incredibly awful and hard to romance (Chris only if you are not a woman) Roe has to keep chasing them for 2-3 books, but when you are out of the picture those 2 fall in love super easily and it's all peachy, the romance for the main character is so lacking, but I doubt the rewrite if it happens is going to change that, any criticism for authors that have ros be into each other are met with the "how dare you be jealous of characters", my dear if a route for the main character feels lacking it's your skill as a writer, but the fault is always within the reader.

We wretched creatures, I still like it to some exchange, but reading the Tumblr made me be less into it because of the way the author treats the Mc, don't get me wrong, Mc is not a perfect character, but even your makes is putting faults into you to elevate every other character.

 

[cloudyday]

Breach the archangel job, I don't understand how so many people enjoy it, besides rolling a die to pass checks, that story is just not good as interactive fiction the Mc and nothing is almost the same thing, remove them and nothing changes, also the night market for the same thing.

Soul Stone war that story gives me the ick Mc is not an adult, they don't act like one or are treated like one, there's a lot of sexual harassment happening and the ros are so into each other I feel like I'm intruding.

Creme de la creme, it's well written, but so incredibly shallow and flat, the characters like personality, it was a let down.

Perfumare - I've read it years ago and back then the amnesia thing wasn't in the summary, which I wouldn't even have tried it, I hate amnesia trophes

Throne of Ashes - the main character has suffered so much and the only route ready is from a dude who sucks so bad, I wanted the option to runaway with his friend(BTW getting a rewrite and he and his friend are going to be a thing ofc!)

Crown of ashes and flames - it's never getting finished, but everyone in that story sucks so bad, and the mcs that want revenge are punished.

 

[Foulwarden]

I don't mind Ko-Fi (one-time payment with optional subscription) nearly as much as I mind people opening Patreon's (almost exclusively a subscription service) without a solid plan for the content they want to release and provide.

This. If you are charging monthly and not delivering monthly, you’re not running a Patreon, you’re running a scam. And worse, you are ruining it for the creators who do take it seriously.

 

[Glitch]

Perfumare - I've read it years ago and back then the amnesia thing wasn't in the summary, which I wouldn't even have tried it, I hate amnesia trophes

I'm not usually a fan of amnesia in stories either, but in Perfumare, it's partially short-lived, so it didn't bother me much. What I don’t quite understand, though, is why the author decided to turn the visual novel into an interactive fiction. I remember she said the VN was just a glimpse of the IF, but now that I’m playing the IF, it doesn’t feel all that different. Aside from a few new passages and some added choices, nothing really feels new, we’ve only lost the visuals. Maybe because it's been a long time since i played the VN, or because that it is the original experience that it feels better.

On another note, Fool Me Once felt rushed. I was really looking forward to seeing how the love triangle between Rez and Ren would unfold, especially during the story’s climax

Spoiler

when we negotiate with the living realm, Mastravisch’s sister…

but there was nothing. We just had to pick one of them, no tension, no real emotional buildup. The only romances I actually enjoyed were Lotár's and Mal’s and their love triangle, at least they had some conflict and were actively competing for the MC. I feel like the romance in her writing isn't very developed; it’s often wrapped up too quickly. Maybe that’s because the MCs in her stories already know the love interests beforehand, and the relationships are pre-established rather than evolving over time.

 

[game_hunt3r]

(BTW getting a rewrite and he and his friend are going to be a thing ofc!)

This is really disappointing. Both because the friend (I assume you mean the one who had been super nice to us since the start?) always seemed to have feelings for the MC and not Ruben. And Ruben already is a very difficult RO to stomach because he's so needlessly cruel to a heavily abused MC that he is actively using--that there's really no need to bring another messy thing into it, like an established partner/lover. Especially since there was the whole "mates" thing dragons have?

Also, that damn IF just needs to get published after 4 years. As do all the rest of the authors IF's. They're already rewriting Superstition 1, 2 & 3 (the demo, which isn't finished yet). And then they have Sea of Stars, an unpublished game called Riders of Abauruth they're working on--and already dropped Dragon Racer 2 and For the Crown.

 

[Parallax]

Breach the archangel job, I don't understand how so many people enjoy it, besides rolling a die to pass checks, that story is just not good as interactive fiction the Mc and nothing is almost the same thing, remove them and nothing changes, also the night market for the same thing.

Soul Stone war that story gives me the ick Mc is not an adult, they don't act like one or are treated like one, there's a lot of sexual harassment happening and the ros are so into each other I feel like I'm intruding.

Creme de la creme, it's well written, but so incredibly shallow and flat, the characters like personality, it was a let down.

Perfumare - I've read it years ago and back then the amnesia thing wasn't in the summary, which I wouldn't even have tried it, I hate amnesia trophes

Throne of Ashes - the main character has suffered so much and the only route ready is from a dude who sucks so bad, I wanted the option to runaway with his friend(BTW getting a rewrite and he and his friend are going to be a thing ofc!)

Crown of ashes and flames - it's never getting finished, but everyone in that story sucks so bad, and the mcs that want revenge are punished.

To the pathetic MCs you can add the one from Lost in your eyes. It seems like you can play badass, but then you are forced to grovel and blush in front of the healer. I would understand if it was optional if someone likes that kind of content, but I wanted to beat the **** out of that son of a *****, not cower and apologize!
There's nothing I hate more than being forced to play a submissive wimp because the author has some fantasy about how that RO will be dominant and commanding - I don't care, I want to turn them into a bleeding and begging pile. If for plot reasons they can't be killed then give any intimidating option that will actually have an effect and fit MC's personality. This supposed to be interactive fiction.

Every demo I've checked lately is worse than the last one I can list games that I like almost 10/10 on the fingers of one hand. But reading the same things over and over gets tiring after a while...

 

[cloudyday]

This is really disappointing. Both because the friend (I assume you mean the one who had been super nice to us since the start?) always seemed to have feelings for the MC and not Ruben. And Ruben already is a very difficult RO to stomach because he's so needlessly cruel to a heavily abused MC that he is actively using--that there's really no need to bring another messy thing into it, like an established partner/lover. Especially since there was the whole "mates" thing dragons have?

Also, that damn IF just needs to get published after 4 years. As do all the rest of the authors IF's. They're already rewriting Superstition 1, 2 & 3 (the demo, which isn't finished yet). And then they have Sea of Stars, an unpublished game called Riders of Abauruth they're working on--and already dropped Dragon Racer 2 and For the Crown.

They had a fling or something in the past and both still have feelings for each other, it's possible to turn it into a poly relationship, but I do not think that one is a good thing, like you said it's already hard stomaching the dude, but whatever, I'm just over her content tbh. She keeps starting stuff over and over and never finish

 

[cloudyday]

I'm not usually a fan of amnesia in stories either, but in Perfumare, it's short-lived, so it didn't bother me much. What I don’t quite understand, though, is why the author decided to turn the visual novel into an interactive fiction. I remember she said the VN was just a glimpse of the IF, but now that I’m playing the IF, it doesn’t feel all that different. Aside from a few new passages and some added choices, nothing really feels new, we’ve only lost the visuals. Maybe because it's been a long time since i played the VN, or because that it is the original experience that it feels better.

I thought without the art it would be finished earlier, but it doesn't seem to be the case.
Fool me once was very promising, but I think it needed way more chapters, it sounded intriguing, but it ended so abruptly probably because she's working on a new story in the same universe

 

[Ireth313]

My disappointment of the day is Bacchanal. It seemed to be like such a fun concept, but the author has been writing hobbytime scenes for what, half a year? And today they announced that they've started to conceptualise another game... Like why... You haven't even finished chapter 1 of the first one. Sigh...

I was really looking forward to seeing how the love triangle between Rez and Ren would unfold, especially during the story’s climax

It fell really flat to me, as well. Doubly so for Rez and Ren, and noticeably enough for Lotar and Mal. My initial pick was Lotar (and then Mal) and even though I liked it, I feel like it lacked emotional depth. For Lotar the author could fall back on 'oh yeah they know each other already', but for Mal there really hasn't been enough of establishing the relationship except

Spoiler

'whelp, you are soulmates'

I feel like the culprit is the 2nd part of the game where you get only 2 measly scenes per RO, and if you are on a triangle route, you don't even get proper one-on-one scenes.