Spoilers ahead (or not idk-)
i honestly hope Dean makes it back safe-
at the start of the novel, when Dave discovered Dean's body in the greenhouse, I almost bawled my eyes out TvT
Dean and Tyson may have the highest chance of survival; But imo it's still a bad move cause Dean is the only one among dave friends being able to use the revolver.
Speculation, spoiler:
There is also the possibility the Dean is on Memphis payroll all the time. There are two very subtle hints to that. Would be quite ironic, but also a crazy payoff: The only way for everyone to survive is to follow the Dean-Romance Path A, to make Dean defect from Memphis gang.
It would certainly be... a choice to lock the best ending behind Dean's route. But I just don't think it'll play out that way.
As someone that spent basically the entirety of their time playing, convinced he would have some kind of heel turn. I'm just not seeing it. Not this close to the end. At some point we need to accept he's just a normal character that needs a rewrite to his route. Because right now his most notable moment is everyone else's day 19 when his romance subplot with Dave finally ends.
I think it's genre paranoia to not trust the character who's "just nice".
But to feed into my old suspicions, he still has moments that make me hesitate. That vision in the forest where he doesn't react right to Dave bloody while also armed with a gun. When Tyson finds Dave dying Dean is somewhere in the forest allegedly looking for Dave. He's intentionally left out when Thanatos goes through the list of who died after Dave does. Tyson is shot immediately, Orlando right after, Hoss, Roswell, Benson and Oswin all burn up in the fire with Sal maybe still being alive right outside. The fact on both path A and B his location is unknown at the "to be continued" point.
Thanatos even mentions that Dean has so far always been good on every timeline. But he also admits the group has never made it this far accompanied with the knowledge some of his memories have been deleted.
I don't see him working for Memphis. But I can see him breaking under the threat of death and abandoning the group. I believe Sal even mentions Dean and Tyson as the most likely to snap first. But with Tyson (who I'm personally worried wth he's up to on path B) he's at least loyal to Dave no matter what because that's all he has. Dean has a nice life outside of the mansion he'd probably want to get back to.
Now that I think about it, going back to the part where Thanatos lists who dies, I remember noticing that Dean hadn't been listed as well, but didn't think much of it for some reason.
Back to everything else, you do make a valid point. I can also kind of see Dean abandoning the group when sh*t hits the fan.
Personally, I just hope everyone makes it out okay, and when it happens, I hope Roswell will pass away knowing his friends are alive and safe.
At some point we need to accept he's just a normal character that needs a rewrite to his route.
What kind of rewrite? I personally enjoy the "normal guy" Dean. His Story feels like a vacation compared to most character with their (family) issues. The main flaw of his Story is the missing bridge/logic between his character-flaw "Abadonning Rami" to his "dating" problems and other parts of his bahaviour.
But I can see him breaking under the threat of death and abandoning the group.
He already abandoned Rami. So Dean coming to the rescue of Dave or Hoss or even Tyson would be a nice end of his Story-arc, no matter if he is on Memphis Payrole or not. I think Dean is pretty brave.
a) Dean volunterd (it's only brave if he does not work for Memphis) b) Dean tried to stop Sal from killing Roswell, but gets himself killed c) On Benson death, Dean and Tyson are the first to spring into action. d) He took a hit from Sal without resisting/dodging.
I only mention the rewrite because a touch up is apparently happening once the story is finished. I don't even think he needs that much of one. Mostly just getting more of his personality to shine through would be nice.
And realistically the one most likely to mess things up, at least on path B, is Tyson. His actions on C/D are what escalated everything to go to hell as quickly as it did. Because if I'm right about why he snuck into the forest... ugh, if he doesn't get killed Dave really should invest in that collar once they get home.
But yeah, Dean doing something courageous is the more likely scenario. Hopefully by saving someone.
I'm just so curious how B is going to end. I can see it being the path characters are about to die in comparison to A, I just hope it isn't as "kill em all" as C/D/E/G have been. Characters individually living or dying based on our choices instead of scripted has always been my dream mechanic.
I only mention the rewrite because a touch up is apparently happening once the story is finished.
I misunderstoood you. I guessed you demand specific rewrite for Dean being too normal=bad writing.
Spoiler part.
I only mention the rewrite because a touch up is apparently happening once the story is finished.
I guess i would be poetic justice if the mastermind dies because of that. However: considering Dave Vision on Path F i think the hostage/colletarel is going to die without Oswin being around.
I want to clarify: Dean on Memphis Payroll means that Dean is not part of the Mafia Clan. Memphis does not hesitated to kill Dean on Route F. Instead Dean got blackmailed by the mafia to keep and eye on Orlando and his sus frined the small hyena Dave. And Dean wanting to protect his large bear family and his brother agreed to that and started flirting with Dave,
Speculation-time !!
Path B:
1. Dean dies as hostage OR
2. Dave sacrifice himself, Dean losses his mind -> hook ending of Orlandos Vision. OR
3. Dean is on Memphis Payroll -> Everyone dies if you broke Dean's heart (Roswell Route), only one Character dies because Dean takes to much time to decide OR everyone survives (Dean Route only, because Dean backstabs Memphis instantly or convince Dom to join the other team.)
Path A:
1. Oswin dies instead of Dean after an exchange of hostages
2. Dave act as a bait, but get rescued by Dean, Oswin , Orlando and Roswell to fight the Endboss Memphis.
3. Dean is on Memphis Payroll. But Dean (and Dom?) betrays Memphis anyway.
The rewrite is basically just to make Dean's personality and who he is shine through more on his route as most of the things that makes him interesting or rather, about him, exist more on other routes. So that needs to change.
Consider B... not nearly as dire as the others. Expect a lot more survival, or at least that's the intention. Granted so far it's maybe been one or two surviving so that's not much of a stretch. As far as living or dying based on choices, the original plan was to have the final run be something closer to Mass Effect, choosing the characters for different jobs based on what they are good at and if you choose right they live, wrong they die. This was cut though due to a few factors, scope not being part of them. Mostly with people not really wanting to engage with mechanics in their visual novel, along with me botching character details in their delivery for people to properly understand.
Maybe in another project we can have something like this, but for now just expect a clear(ish) run to the end.
As far as living or dying based on choices, the original plan was to have the final run be something closer to Mass Effect,
would have been cool idea. :)
Mostly with people not really wanting to engage with mechanics in their visual nove
I liked the passwort mechanic. I played the Dean Route first and it keeped me engaged to find the anwser by carefully reading and writing down sus words. Also i like making choices, even if less than a quarter are actually meaningfull. Without choices or certain mechanics, the VN's loses an advantage over the normal book.
botching character details in their delivery for people to properly understand.
Point taken. ;)