Echo Build 39 - Flynn, Chase, and all this Space

It's valid criticism, being free or not.

Aly Catra

What route? I’m trying to figure out where in the game this update is, it’s not in the Leo route as far as I can tell.

Rivz

Can anyone fill me in on what ‘Full expression sprite’ means? I assume it has something to do with expressions the sprites have but I never noticed anything like that in my play-throughs. Unless it’s not in the Leo route, I also never saw anything relating to naked Chase either for that matter heh

Rivz

Seeing Leo went nuts without any option to fix it really despaired me. While Leo was playing an overprotective dad role, Chase just acted like he's in his rebellion period and every move he took was so passive that It did no good to Leo's issue, only result in pushing him even further to his edge. I wish there would be an option to let me think positive and at least try to save Leo, even if it ends up with Leo being incorrigible. Then I would rather be crushed by the train than dump Leo and start a new relationship（Kudzu IS a husbando but I agree with that It's a little weird to inevitably have a crush on him since I'm playing Leo's route...）

Saurn

bloob

Carl's B ending will be expanded upon in the future.

McSkinny

So, involving Flynn, is the only option to condemn him as of now? Or will there be future updates to change the route?

Definitely, I wonder if any of the other choices will affect the ending as well, like if we continue to do things Flynn wants us to do when we were Chase, will that affect what Flynn does FOR Chase? Especially with where the route may be going right now. Will Daxton help? The two other routes besides Leos had the side characters take a more backseat approach when it came to the events that happened, maybe Daxton will have a bigger roll like Kudzu did? And that's the fun with this VN! You honestly never know what may be coming next! I definitely didn't expect TJ's route to end like that, at first I was a bit disappointed, but as more and more time goes, I feel myself thinking it's more fitting that his route is effectively the darkest so far, especially since there is ONLY one ending to it. I really want to see where Jenna's route goes, after this one. Most routes she takes a bit of a backseat, besides Carl's of course. I have a small theory that either Jenna or Carl need to be in the town for this weird hysteria to befall it. In TJ's route, Carl and Jenna both leave the town before the day that usually sends everyone in a panic happens. I'm leaning more on Carl since he's the one with the bad egg in the family, but Jenna could also be the reason! She came to town after years of absence, and not even a week later the town's folks start rioting and harming each other in a paranoid induced panic. And what you said about the black and white, it really fits. All of these characters have bad in them, but they all have good, too, even Chase, even Sydney.

2dReddersART

A fair point. Though Leo's over-protectiveness was a bad thing for Chase with how the 'B' ending for his route played out so only time will tell there. Also, if we consider what happens at the end of TJ's route there's no question as to whether Chase is guilty or not, but as far as how much he should be held accountable for is a different matter entirely. The circumstances being what they are does make it hard to place blame on any one person, there's no obvious black and white in these events, just more and more shades of grey. It's a case of the longer you look the less you see sort of thing. Honestly that is one of the best aspects of this VN in my opinion. No matter how much you may already be aware of events that transpired in the other routes, each one has just enough variation to keep you second guessing just how much you do really understand about everything.

Richard

Unless the creator says whether they want to change up any endings, all finished routes are finished. Well, besides some minor edits, like sprite changes and stuff like that.

2dReddersART

I'm sure this difference will be what changes the ending, I'm wondering which one is the bad end, though. I'm guessing the one where Leo doesn't chat with Chase to be the bad end one, but it could also be the one where Leo does. I mean, lunatic Leo may be, well, a lunatic, but he's also fiercely protective of Chase, I don't think he'd let Duke take Chase so easily. Just my two cents, I really can't tell with this one. It's unmistakable Chase has done some abhorrent things so far, but this is also the character were we're told almost all of this story from. I don't want him to be hurt, but I think he deserves to be held accountable for what he's done, if he's actually done it? It's difficult.

2dReddersART

From what I've seen that's the only real difference thus far. It may change some other things later on, but for the moment it's just a small difference in Leo's actions/personality.

Richard

Are the “finished” routes, like, completely done now? I loved the story but the endings fill me with dread... I just wish there was a happy/actually good ending for each of the routes.

Haven't played it yet but just looked at the new Art, Leo looks amazing now :D And now he can even show us how annyoing and pissed he as because his Plan isn't working out! Huge Fan , can't way to play it tomorrow.

Choky

I think it's fitting that Carl's good route is arguably the happiest route in the game. But I wouldn't be lying if I said I wanted just one route where the groups relationshipd don't just, well, get wrecked beyond saving. I think that's wishful thinking, though. Like Flynn said in this update, they're finally acting like something happened, like it isn't the good ol group of friends before the tragedy struck. No more pitter pattering around the sore subject, now. Peoples toes are gonna get stepped on and rude things are gonna get said. The group's dynamic is finally breaking down to their true feelings towards each other. Whether the town has something to do with that completely, I'm not sure. But that doesn't mean that there can't also be a genuinely good ending for all the main characters. It just means that they can't be happy together. Their wants and interests are too far contrasting. And if the truth about Sydney's death doesn't come out, that's not a happy ending for Flynn.

2dReddersART

Wow I didn't even realize this one had branching routes, now I feel bad for not giving leo his closure. Whats the alternative? What difference is there between talking to Daxton and talking to Leo? Is it just that?

2dReddersART

One interesting thing to note about your point with how Leo is acting in this update, is that his demeanor and actions are drastically different depending on whether or not you talked to him after the cookout earlier in the route. I suspect that a lot of his behavior stems from never having closure in their relationship and thinking there might still be a chance at getting back together, which allows for whatever force/entity is affecting the town to feed his obsession to the point that he acts like a complete lunatic. Conversely once he gets some honest feedback and real sense of where they stand it allows him to begin to move on in his own mind and can think more clearly, acting in a much more rational and constructive manner.

Richard

I loved reading this, I find it hard to disagree with many of your points. (Which is super unusual for me! ;)). Flynn has been my favourite since the start. Sure I have a penchant for a sarcastic, stereotypical bad boy but I was drawn in by, believe it or not! his innocence and kind of melancholy fear, bandaged over with promiscuity and venom. It seemed as though he probably loved Chase & saw Leo as a bit of a possessive psycho when they were teenagers. I'd hoped in some weird way that, of everyone, Chase & Flynn could have the one true happy end together, but hey, it's Echo!!!

Tequila Mockingbird

This update is my favorite so far, just the complex interactions between the characters make it really feel like they've known each other well enough to know how to get under each other's skin, even unintentionally. Jenna in this route is really well written, you get the sense that she's trying to keep this facade of calmness in such a stressful and fucked up situation, and how Flynn can see through it. Their relationship is unique, I really like their dynamic. Chase in this one is well written too, the change of POV in the route is real cool, I feel after the truth kinda came out that was the end of the old chase, that the chase we're seeing here is the real one, he's acting differently than how he was when we were in his POV. The way he finally voices his true opinions of Sydney during the confrontation between Flynn and himself, feel's like something's been lifted, he's finally able to say what he wants to say without having to lie and lie and lie to his childhood friends. Leo is unnerving in this one, he's acting just like how he was in his route, seeing him from someone elses' POV really shows his relationship with Chase really messed him up, and the town is just exaggerating it. His route really shows how easy it is to want to believe someone you've known since childhood wouldn't have ulterior, manipulative motives, especially from someone who was considered the "protector" of the group. I think it's fitting that TJ doesn't get much time in this update, Flynn isn't in the right environment to continue asking questions, especially with Jenna and Leo there. The way TJ progressively gets more and more stressed out and almost paranoid that his friends don't believe him, just by the way he's emoting, the way he quietly says how he isn't lying, it really shows the effect Sydney's death has on him. Carl is being good ol Carl, it's nice to see more screen time with these two, you really get the feeling that him and Flynn grew closer, their one on one scene was heartwarming. They really do care for each other, even if Flynn is hard to show his more sensitive side. Jenna walking in on them hugging was a good way to end the scene, comedic and awkward, especially since her and Flynn don't have much of a relationship outside their group. Pretty good route so far, I hope they POV stays on Flynn, it really does feel like this route is his story now. I wonder how this route'll end, especially with what Duke is saying now. Will the town, with it's already paranoid feeling, really listen to him? We know from Leo's route that the day ended, even though Chase was alive. The mystery with that is something I can't wait to see some sort of answer to. I really want to see the ending between Flynn and Chase

2dReddersART