Episode 7 start - hints and suggestions

[Wolfschadowe]

Hi Brocho! Welcome to the forum!

You mentioned:

spoiler: show

By the way, I can get past the first point where Natalie can make you cum, but the option at the bottom of the screen to avoid the second one doesn't appear. Is there a particular path through the cab scene which is required to get to that choice you mentioned?

I'm not quite sure which you are talking about for holding off on cumming during the lap-dance game:

spoiler: show

Is is with Azumi or when Natalie takes over again?

Everything that happened earlier in the evening puts Brad into a different state of mind. It also subtly affects Azumi and Natalie's mood.

Passing first round with Natalie has a lot to do with the rules that are in effect.
The first round with Azumi will always pass.
Passing the second round with Natalie has a lot to do with what happened between Brad and Natalie in the cab.
Passing the second round with Azumi has a lot to do with Brad's total arousal level at that point.
Also, it's only possible to make it this far in Hard mode.
Once the mock fight occurs, Natalie's approach depends on What her mindset is, and if she's already done something with Brad once, she will have it in her mind to finish the job.

Hope that helps.

[Brocho]

Hi Brocho! Welcome to the forum!

You mentioned:

spoiler: show

By the way, I can get past the first point where Natalie can make you cum, but the option at the bottom of the screen to avoid the second one doesn't appear. Is there a particular path through the cab scene which is required to get to that choice you mentioned?

I'm not quite sure which you are talking about for holding off on cumming during the lap-dance game:

spoiler: show

Is is with Azumi or when Natalie takes over again?

Everything that happened earlier in the evening puts Brad into a different state of mind. It also subtly affects Azumi and Natalie's mood.

Passing first round with Natalie has a lot to do with the rules that are in effect.
The first round with Azumi will always pass.
Passing the second round with Natalie has a lot to do with what happened between Brad and Natalie in the cab.
Passing the second round with Azumi has a lot to do with Brad's total arousal level at that point.
Also, it's only possible to make it this far in Hard mode.
Once the mock fight occurs, Natalie's approach depends on What her mindset is, and if she's already done something with Brad once, she will have it in her mind to finish the job.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the welcome and the reply.

spoiler: show

It's the second round with Natalie I can't get past without doing the 'special kiss'. If it's to do with what happened in the cab, then I must need to find a particular way through that scene without the 'special kiss'. I feel like I've tried every combination I can remember, but maybe not. The one which has got me furthest so far is following the 'special kiss' path to a point, but then putting Azumi's outfit back and zipping up. I can't find another path which even allows me to watch the dance with pants off.

Edit: I just tried a few more things and finally got it to work!

spoiler: show

I decided to try the kiss pass path again, but made a few different decisions along the way to get different points, and eventually I managed to get the option to take my pants off, when I'd never got that option before on that path. From there, getting to the end of the lap dance game was easy.

Thanks again for your help!

[Brocho]

I've now found everything except for 'mutual masturbation'. I've read through the thread and I haven't noticed anyone else ask about it, so have I missed something really easy?

Edit: Don't worry, I found it and it was pretty easy. I just had to think of scenes which might fit the description and try to remember which options I had neglected when playing through them before. That's all achievements unlocked now, and it didn't take as long as I expected.

[JFR]

... That's all achievements unlocked now, and it didn't take as long as I expected.

[JFR]

... Also, it's only possible to make it this far in Hard mode. ...

You know, it occurs to me that I haven't been making that point and I should. I've just been assuming everyone is doing it.

So, to be clear - Everybody! You MUST be in "Hard" mode to see and clear all scenes and achievements.

The other two difficulty levels are helpful for learning the game and its mechanics and give an easier way to learn something about the women in Brad's life but when you start accumulating saves and achievements for real, it is time to put on our "big boy" pants.

[gamiller]

My advice. Don't look at the points.

I'm thinking about adding some kind of toggle so that a player can toggle the point's off and on. Maybe I'll mention that to Kexter (Psst... Hey Kexter...)

BEW was designed to be played without displaying the points. It was designed to be played by studying the text and the images and trying to figure out why the women are responding the way that they are responding. When I see people start focusing on points and getting frustrated from lack of progress, the best advice that I want to tell them is to just stop looking at the points and start looking at the women.

I think a lot of people don't understand how much time I put into thinking and even agonizing over the reactions that the women have and the choices that are made. For every response that a woman gives to Brad, I have a deep understanding of why they are responding in that way, at that moment. When there are various responses available, I can explain, based on their character, why they are responding that way. If I can't explain it, I don't put it in the game. Is there an empty glass on the counter at the bar? I can explain why it's there. Is there a car on the street? I can explain why it's there. There's a reason for everything.

Everything.

Maybe take this as an example about the points. Think of the points as gallons of gas you put in the car. (Or liters for most of you.)

If I put 10 gallons of gas in the car, how far will it go before running out of fuel?
If it's a ferrari?
If it's a prius?
How about if the car is driven hard?
How about if the car is driven gently?
How about if the car is driven hard uphill the whole time?
Downhill?
Cruising on the highway?
Stop and go in the city?

In other words, 10 gallons of gas has completely different meanings and ultimately, by itself, is a useless figure.
The relationship points are the same way. They have some meaning in the game, just as fuel has meaning in a car. But the meaning is so complex with so many additional variables, that taken by itself, it's somewhat meaningless.

But if you have your car, that you are familiar with, along with your driving style, and your local terrain, then you probably know how far you can go on 10 gallons of gas.

Each woman is their own car, with their own driving style, and their own terrain, and their own traffic patterns. Learn those first, and then the relationship points will have more meaning. The way you learn about the women is to play the game. ALL of it. Episode 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. That's why I packages all episodes together. Even episode 3 has hints that will help you with Episode 7. Episode 1, 2, & 5 have hints that will help you in Episode 8. Episode 7 has hints that will help with Episodes 2 and 4. And etcetera. Now that you have played Episode 7, go back and play some other content where Azumi and Natalie are both involved from earlier episodes and see if your understanding changes. As you learn more about the women in each Episode, you may find new insights in earlier episodes.

This is how I designed BEW to be played, for better or worse.

Before I step off my soapbox, I just want to remind everyone, this is not a virtual date game. It's not a meet and fuck game. It's an interactive fictional adventure game. Adult Interactive Fiction. It's a story.

Just because I designed it that way, that doesn't mean you have to play it that way. Play it however you like, of course. But I think many of you might be surprised if you take a few steps back from the points, and start paying attention to the stories in the game.

There are stories in the text.
There are stories in the pictures.
There are stories inside the stories.

Slowing down and savoring the game may just reveal a whole new world.

Or..maybe not. It's up to all of you.

I'm getting off my soapbox and heading back for the schadowes now.

Thanks for the advice I got many of the endings this way the only one I am missing is the nataile angry one still trying but running out of options if I do not get the special kiss the girls leave early.

[JFR]

... the only one I am missing is the nataile angry one still trying but running out of options if I do not get the special kiss the girls leave early.

While I would never disagree with Wolfschadowe and do in fact agree that the game is more fun if the player is not obsessing about points, this is one example of where I think you are a little points-deficient at a critical place.

spoiler: show

The "Natalie Angry" achievement is very tricky but if you reached "3 Pillows," you have traveled the correct path except for a couple of things. I am pretty sure I covered this above but I'll run through it once more. The path is the same as "3 Pillows" EXCEPT in this one, Brad must not have gotten the "Cock Kiss" in the Taxi. When you reach the breakfast conversation point where Brad says "I know one thing -- you still love each other," there is a points check. You must have Natalie = 17 and Azumi = 23 (or above) to continue. Missing this check will route you to another path. Later, when the girls go off to the bathroom, there is another check. To continue on this path, you must have N = 23 and Azumi = 28 AND already be unzipped from the club. I suspect this is where you are missing something since you say the girls always go home.

During the dance contest, you must accept the "Pants Off" request AND agree to "Taxi Rules." From that point, you need to make the right choices until the Natalie/Azumi "fight" over whose turn it is to sit on Brad's lap. Azumi won't give up her "seat," forcing Nat to try something else. If "Cock Kiss" occurred earlier in the Taxi, Nat will feel comfortable enough to go in for the lick and you eventually reach "3 Pillows." If CK did not occur, she will not be ready for oral now and instead will jump on Brad and Azumi, making it a 3-way. Avoid cumming until Nat pushes Brad into Azumi. That will lead to two options, one of which is "Natalie Angry."

[JFR]

Folks, I think we have pretty much exhausted the hints and spoilers available for Episode 7 in this 14 page thread. I am happy to keep helping but really, it is all in there. This is most certainly NOT directed at gamiller or any other poster in this thread. I just think we have reached the point where most of the help we are giving is now just a series of repeats. Sometimes, re-saying something in a different way can be helpful but in other cases, it is just redundancy.

As noted above, I am happy to keep helping but I'd request folks reread through the thread first to see if the answer has already been given. If it is not there, then by all means, fire away.

[Wolfschadowe]

Folks, it's time to lock up this thread and return to the standard Board rules when it comes to hints and tips. Due to the nature of this release, and that it's harder than intended due to logistical necessities of adding content into the middle of the released story, I allowed questions for EP7 to temporarily suspend the rules for giving hints and walkthroughs.

As of now, all forum rules regarding hints and tips, including strong moderation, will be enforced again.

For a refresher, here is the pertinent section from the forum rules:

• When giving hints, don't be a rule-breaking jerk. Keep the following rules in mind:
  • Only gentle nudges are allowed in the standard discussion forums. More specific hints require access to the Patron Only area.
  • Light hints and direction are permitted in the Coffee & Beer Forum.
  • Strong Hints are allowed in the Lunch & Dinner forum.
  • Major Spoilers and full answers are allowed in the AWESOME! & INSANE! Forum.

The primary purpose of this rule is to make containing story spoilers easier, and also to ease the burden on staff from answering too many game-play questions. Remember, it's our hobby, not our business, and our time is limited. More time answering questions = less time making the game. A big thanks to JFR for all his time in answering questions and helping out!

Thank you all for playing and continue to have fun!