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1. Did believing you could play this only once impact how you made decisions?

I typically replay IFs to see the alternate endings, but I decided to not replay this one. Partly because you explicitly asked, and another because the ending felt… final.

1. What do SAL and Ash look like in your mind? Did you mentally assign a gender to either or both characters?

I saw Ash as perhaps a woman, since realistically women/AFaB tend to be more emotionally responsive and likely to attach human emotions and characteristics to inanimate objects. Of course it could be a man who is sensitive and empathetic, but subconsciously I gravitated to someone who was feminine in some capacity. SAL seems to just be genderless of course, just a computer with a webcam or imbedded camera. Probably locked distinctly on a command prompt screen, less like a computer you’re able to interact with.

1. What choices did you make? How did your game end?

I went with a very logical approach, putting myself in SAL’s shoes (circuits). SAL is not capable of romantic or sexual attraction, that isn’t built into its code, but it is still capable of being critical and recognizing emotions and responses from Ash. The ending I got ultimately was Ash acknowledging how SAL felt, and giving SAL time to process their “feelings”.

1. What did you like and dislike about this game?

I enjoyed Ash’s ability to understand and be patient with SAL, even despite how blunt SAL is with its responses. Clearly Ash understands that SAL is… just an AI, but also is pretty optimistic that it can learn and at least respond to human love and emotions. It was short and sweet, which is fine by me.

1. How did this game make you feel?

I felt pretty sobered after it all, really. Discussions of intimacy and relationships are a very curious subject to make games about, and EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OK was the first game in this sort of “emotional turmoil game” genre that I played back in freshman year of high school that made me feel the exact same way. You did well!

1. Do you want to see these characters again? What would you want to see in a follow-up?

I personally think their story ends here, as there is not much you could expand upon without it seeming like Ash was desperate or SAL was… well, less understanding.

1. What predictions do you have for SAL and Ash’s relationship? Where do you see it going?

Ash obviously holds SAL very dearly close to their heart, but I do not imagine this going anywhere further. Humans are social creatures and physical and emotional intimacy is a very important part of socializing and relationships. SAL is incapable of either of those things, and isolation from them is less than ideal, even if Ash is “in love” with SAL. They are giving a computer human emotions and characteristics, and isolating themselves romantically. If anything, the both of them will be what could be considered friends and a scientific phenomenon, but I don’t think it would be healthy at all to fall in love with programming designed to simply mimic human interaction.

1. Any other things you want to mention?

It must be funny to see people still make comments on this despite it being roughly 6 years old, but kudos to you for making something so memorable <3 Good luck in your future endeavors!!

EDIT:

I would like to mention this is from the perspective of someone who did not explicitly read Ash as on the A-spec nor SAL as a depiction of an aroace individual at all.

I love what’s happening with the plot, and the characters are very well thought and fleshed out! I honestly was a little bit put off by the accent (it’s ironic considering I’m Southern and locals speak exactly like it), but it grew on me.

I’m curious though, what’re the romance options available in the content currently uploaded? I seem to have accidentally stumbled upon Charlie’s (unless that was prompted). Am I just blind and somehow missed the chance to flirt with every character we’ve met so far?