I know this is such a small detail to ask about, but how are the more blunt choices taken by the other characters? I don't wanna choose them and end up realizing that whichever character I was interacting with took the bluntness in a negative way :'))
(If the question makes sense; I find it hard to word things sometimes)
It depends on your relationship and dynamic and the specific choice. Usually, you have to be unambiguously rude for them to think you're trying to be unkind, otherwise they take it as normal. Or they can like your bluntness if you have a close bond!
I have a question is walks and wheels playable. By that i mean do you have buy it is it free? Like for examples for step 2 preview a sneak peak or is it free?
So, I'm in like, my 10th playthrough and still haven't managed to get to the rain scene with tamarack with a red umbrella, is it just not on the demo? Cause I tried to say no to the dinner and just managed to invite someone to it.
So hello hi hi 🤗 ... I loved the game 1mil out of 1mil but but but here's the problem now When is the full version gonna come out 😭 cause oh my god the story was just getting good and bam that was the end of the demo, bruh y'all really left me on a the hugest cliffhanger I've ever seen,. I so totes gotta know FAM when Is the full version coming out cause I gotta be the first one to download it🥰. Really amazing game❤️❤️❤️❤️
This is a question I intended to ask on Tumblr but for some reason it is giving errors. Since I am very anxious, I decided to ask the question here. I hope this doesn't get in the way in any way 🙏.
A few days ago I saw your post on Kickstarter talking about the wedding DLC for Our Life: Now and Forever that you had made after the fundraiser. In it you explained how to unlock the DLC and that you could get engaged to Qiu/Tamarack in step 3 or 4 but, that you couldn't have the wedding in step 3 because by default Qiu/Tamarack expected to get older. This honestly confused me, since in OL1 (with the wedding DLC) you could only propose to Cove at the end of step 3 to the beginning of step 4. So in theory you asked him to marry you in step 3 but soon you were already in step 4, so it didn't take long for you to be married to him (if you chose to be legally married). I don't know if you fully understood what I'm trying to say. But it made me wonder if OL2 will follow the same line of events as OL1. By this I mean in matters of confessions, dating, engagement and marriage. Or if there will be a more direct way compared to OL1 where you just declared, dated and got engaged in the transitions from one step to another?
I'm sorry, I'm not sure I fully understand. You can propose in Step 3 but the actual wedding will only ever happen with their Step 4 versions. But you don't have to do things during the transitions. If you play the DLC Moments, you can propose to Cove in Step 3 with an actual scene. If you don't have the DLC or just want to wait, you can propose to him in Step 4 itself or Cove can propose to you in Step 4. There's tutorials on how to get those scenes in an FAQ- https://gb-patch.tumblr.com/faq
WWont lie was looking for adult games when saw this. And it was the most adorable game that completely flipped my plans for the night. I stayed up all night reading and loving every second of this. Also no I saw it was not an adult game. But note to creator It came up in a erotic search for some reason?
I'm glad you enjoyed it for what it was! I know some adult-oriented sites like to re-upload Our Life simply because it's a semi-well known VN that people look for and those listings appear on search engines. But if it was listed with adult games on Itch itself, I don't know what happened there.
Yes it was a third party game so that makes more sense, but if it wasnt for that i wouldnt have found it. IT WAS SO GOOD! about to play as many paths as possible!
Hi! I love this game! I was just wondering if there will be an IOS version. My android phone recently broke and now all I have is my iPad. I would LOVE if I could still play, even if I have to start over. Also yes, there is the apple ICON but it said it’s only for COMPUTERS. So I was wondering if you might be able to add that feature. 😁✌️
Any news on when the full game will release? I am in love with these Our Life games. Gonna buy the Beginnings and Always dlc's soon. So i can do my 3rd playthrough. And am super excited for this one to fully release.
think they said- that they're gonna release it 2025, if not, finals of this year cuz they're totally into programming this masterpiece,dunno if im right tho that's what I heard😭😭
Ok, I don't really know what to say about the game since I don't know where to start.
~the artistic section: which in my opinion is beautiful, the amount of details and how pleasant it is to look at and how well implemented it is for the setting.
~the music: there's not much to say, it's incredible, relaxing and a bit sentimental, I genuinely shed a few tears with such a beautiful soundtrack.
~The characters: I love their presentations and how charismatic they are, the sweetness, tenderness and kindness of Tamarck, and with Qiu how "cool" friendly and above all pleasant that he becomes, they do steal the attention and it is even difficult choose one of the two and about some secondary characters like Tamarack's grandparents or Qiu's parents, I don't know how to describe them so I'll leave it to the discretion of whoever is reading this.
~Before finishing let's talk about the content of the game and here it stands out having multiple options to make it more immersive such as the different hairstyles, clothing, etc. and even details that many games overlook such as height, skin color or even which hand is dominant! That is undoubtedly dedication and love for detail and that shows the love with which the game is being made. Sorry if it's long, the truth is that I loved this game. If I had to describe it in a short summary, it would be difficult since this video game hugged every fiber of me and accompanied me by the hand. It saw me cry It saw me laugh, until the end. This deserves 5 stars and a lot more support. Without a doubt a great game and I literally can't wait to play the full version.
---------------------------------------------------------------------Sorry again and thanks to those who read until the end!♡
this might just be overthinking, but is the towns name (Golden Grove), as well as the sign a reference to Mystery inc. tv show? (where the towns name is Crystal Cove, and the town has a similar sign by the entryway)
It's not a reference to that. The lead of the first Our Life game is Cove Holden. So "Grove" and "Golden" match his naming convention! But that is a neat coincidence.
Really Good game,so Far im liking this one more then the First one,i really Like Tamarack,but i have a question:
Do you guys plan on making a scene/memory/moment where we meet out father? Even if it was a really short thing,i think It would be really nice,in the First game,our parents are dead,but i this one (if i got it right) he was a sperm donor or something alike,so i really think it would be Nice knowing him
I think this is quite difficult because if he shows up he will have to rely on our appearance right? (I used translation to write this comment sorry if it has bad grammar)(╥﹏╥)
I'm glad you like the demo! But I'm afraid you won't meet the dad. He's not in the MC's life specifically so we don't have to create another highly customizable character, aha.
I'm amazed by how much content there was in the demo! I had a lovely time experiencing these friends meet, among other things. One particular favorite facet of this is how specifically it remembers your choices: Tamarack asked if my character was a girl. I replied "sometimes" to match myself, and throughout the remainder of Step 1 my character was introduced as "sometimes a girl." It's peak. Can't wait to play more! (Note: I have not yet investigated the Step 2 preview.)
I was a supporter on patreon for like a year, until I unfortunately had to cancel my subscription due to my financial situation changing. It's with great regrets that I had to stop, but I am still frequently checking on the game's progress ! I want to thank all of the GBPatch team for their great work !
So, I last played the 1.3.3 beta from when I was still a supporter. I'm going to play the demo 1.4.0 and write my thoughts there.
First, the new pronoun settings : I love the changes ! I especially enjoy being able to use fem, masc, gender neutral, etc, at the same time ! Even tho I don't use this feature it's not usually a possibility and I think much fellow queer people will enjoy this new feature ! The new interface is also very pleasurable. The question marks are very much appreciated, especially when english is not your native language.
Uh oh ! Error screen ahah. I guess it's from picking "continue". I'll make a brand new save. Here is the full error in case you might want it.
Okay, so ! Brand new save !
I see new haircuts I think ! I love these ! So much possibilities ! A lot of hair types, that is great ! I also love the added filters, very much appreciated. So many new outfits, including traditional clothing ! That's amazing.
If I am not mistaken, it wasn't possible to change the facial expression by clicking the camera ! I also don't think ambidextrous was a possibility either ? Might be wrong tho ! Either way I love these opportunities !
NO WAY FREQUENCY BUTTONS FOR PRONOUNS?!?! Okay this is unprecedented. What a great feature.
New stickers too ! I love the additions !
There are now sometimes two pages of choices ! Ahah ! I think some illustrations changed too ! Nice improvement.
I see new dialogues, they add details, nice. Nice addition of "Autumn" as a nickname for Qiu ! Added dialogue during the walk to school, that's cool ! Cannot imagine that moment without it now ! I like that every speaking character has their face made with the character editor in the textbox. Adddition of race and nationality, good ! Backyard dialogue w Tamarack !!
I think the room customization got an upgrade too ! Wow !
Thank you for supporting us and for the feedback. The error you got might be because there's conflicting info from the beta build and the demo. But it hopefully won't be a problem with later updates/the completed version!
Made an account literally just so I could comment on here lmao
Okay, so basically, THIS WAS SO GOOD HOLY CRAP??? The writing, the characters, EVERYTHING is so good I was actually so sad when i got to the end of the preview. This is one of those games where after you play it, you can't play anything else because everything will pale in comparison.
And then the art? The characters are gorgeous (Qiu is so cute omg), but the scenery just blew me away. I had to pause at moments and go "wow someone actually drew this" because they were so detailed and nice to look at.
Normally I prefer more darker, graphic visual novels but this was amazing. The cutesy atmosphere paired with the childlike point of view made my heart so happy (it also hurt a bit but we don't talk about that), and the world felt decently fleshed out. I really felt like I was just a little kid who just moved to an unfamiliar neighborhood, and that my choices would actually shape my life and relationships from then on.
I also can't tell if i'm just going crazy or in the preview for step 2 the world seemed a lot less bright, like we lost our childlike wonder or whatever? If so, then that's a really cool detail. Also the shift in personalities for both Tamarack and Qiu was really intriguing, I can't wait to see more of how that came to be and how it gets expanded on.
Overall, this game was a joy and pleasantly heartwarming, which I kinda needed right now. I'm looking forward to playing more as you continue to develop and release more portions of the game! Have a great rest of your day or night! :)
After playing this game I tried To play other dating sims and stuff but nothing clicked!😭
I even tried to buy an expensive one with its dlc just me to forget OL2 but nothing happened!!!😭
AND I DONT EVEN WANT TO PLAY A GAME WHERE IT COST TONS OF MONEY!😭 OR BETTER YET, LIKE NO MONEY AT ALL!!!😭 FOR SHORT FREE!
REALY I SPENT LIKE 30 EUROS OR SOMETHING!!!😭
There is the truth of Not because its more expensive dossent mean its better.
That phrase hit me harder than my dads belt!!!😭
felt like all the other games went dull and nothing is enjoyable anymore😭
The art was an art I've never ever seen on a game before. Like it feels warm and cozy despite it being autumn. The soundtrack was just perfect. basically THERE IS NO OTHER GAME LIKE IT!
also Im same as you... I never thought I'd enjoy a cute game such as this... This game was a real eye opener on finding a new genre.
Im happy I just randomly spotted this game on itch while searching for some free yuri games and just so happens that its free😅
Like I didn't even understood the mechanics of the game...
I thought I would play as qui cous he lookd like a girl and Im targeting Tamarak. But boy was I surprised that It was nothing I've thought of😅
Instead... It was ✨️Better✨️
the first time ive opened the game like just on the menu screen When I heard the music something warm just suddenly appeared inside me... Like suddenly I felt like someone was hugging me... It felt so emotional that I couldn't understand wat da hek was happening to me...
AND IT GOT WORSE AFTER PLAYING THE GAME!😭
Now it makes me cry every time I open the game and hear the music ... cous it feels like
i left something behind... something I never wanted to leave but had too cous I got no choice... something I had to move on too...
It just feels Nostalgic like remembering ur own childhood... but the only difference is... It was never yours.
Thats how you know how great the game realy is.
Love how you feel like its your own life that you lived for since you were a child. Like you were realy there...
Its basically the life I've dreamed of having.
I always say to my self
"Wow... the kid who actually gets to live a life like this sure is lucky. Hope they see how happy and content their life is and not think its dull and boring."
You rarely find a game like this. Like I mean Suuuper rare. A game that you dont ever want to end, cous it will also feel like ur life also went to an end with it...
Im scared and happy if it finally comes out. If it comes out you get to finally play it. But when you finish it well... yah know what will happen😅
So when it comes out We shall enjoy every Inch of it. Playing it as our own little life where we shall treasure every moment with it and finally it will come to an end...
Cous every thing has to end am'ai right?😅
Sorry for suddenly getting emotional😭
Pls its 12am!!!😭🤧
SO PLS JUST THINK OF IT AS UR RANDOM 12AM THOUGHTS!!!😭😭😭
English isn't my mother tongue, but I still want to share my thoughts, and I sure hope what I say behind makes sense. If parts of my words are difficult to understand or too rude, I'm sorry (TAT)
I loved your OL games much! The relationship between families and friends around MC are just so suitable and heartwarming. And I loooove the B&A's sea and the N&F's forest! Thanks for your showing us such amazing and heartwarming games!
I still remember the moment I first 'met' Tamarack nearly 1 year ago. I was shot and happy to see an energetic angle with a sunny smile. How does she beam so bright!! I love her, the kind of love that is friendship or even motherly love. I really want her to live a happy life.
But during these days playing the new edition of demo, I suddenly noticed that she just wears shorts which cant cover her whole legs. It is unreasonable and even makes me feel a little ache.
I do think what she wears should be hard-wearing, loose-fitting trousers ( such as sweatpants, hiking pants, jeans and so on). That's because she shows up as an adventurer girl. I dont think shorts or skirts fit an adventurer girl (living in a mountain town) well, especially when she's playing and adventuring in the forest. And the story of N&F is roughly based in a mountain town and autumn...
※For "mountain town"※
●The temp and humidity in the forest during fall might change a lot. So just wearing shorts won't cut it for staying warm, making it easy to catch a cold.
●In forest, there are tons of low bushes, branches, and rocks around. Shorts cant really protect her legs, making it easy to get scratched or cut.
●There might be loads of mozzies and ticks hiding in the grass. OMG what I'm terribly worried about is the TICKS and the LYME DISEASE. I dont think walking and playing in the forest with exposed parts of legs is safe.
※For 'autumn'※
·When seeing other people wearing suitable cloths like long pants and long sleeves, I feel a little strange and ache about Tamarack's shorts. And it boomed when I see the description text as "but you had to wonder if she didn't feel cold the same way most people did". It strongly remind me of something sad and infuriating: Many female middle school students in Jap*n and south Kor*a put on their uniform short skirts 'voluntarily'.
·They're always told or advised or required to be a 'beautiful' woman just since they're born. There is a group and social atmosphere where women (of all ages) are expected to remain 'attractive' and 'suitable'.
·That makes, even some schools dont have rules like "students must wearing uniform (skirts) even when it's cold", plenty of female-students will still wear skirts even if it's winter. Although they might wear some white, flesh-colored or other colored stockings or tights. They'll still feel cold a lot when no heating. But they keep it. That's so :-(
I dont know either or not you guys designed this point to make Tamarack more fashionable and special, or to leave an important foreshadowing (like the carelessness of 'omi and opa'). But I think it'll be bad, if it's not a foreshadowing and you dont wanna criticize such a damn situation, nor even just change her wearing.
I hope Tamarack wont need to or be made to wear shorts or skirts when it's autumn. She should live a healthy, happy and free life, just like everyone should.
And I also want to know... Will you or would you like to add some characters (especially, women) into N&F in the future? Would there be some characters added like Lee? I think something like "Tamarack's cousins" or "MC's cousins" will be great!
There's actually been a boy's club/boys' club in the N&F and it causes an unhappy conversation (which even makes me felt a little angry) in step1. I cant stop thinking about girl's clubs/girls' clubs.
I think if there's popular Qiu and their club, there'll also likely be a popular girl, who also has many friends and leads a club of girls.
When playing the moment of 'Walks' and 'Wheels', I always think about girl's clubs/girls' clubs. Because I dont want to leave Tamarack alone and dont want MC to join a boy's club/boys' club, I feel stressful to be friendly to them or play with them, even when I want to let MC join and win a game or a bicycle race. I know there always need to be some choices and divisions. But I do hope Tamarack have some female friends from girl's club/girls' club to play with, so I could make my choices more easier
I hope the interpersonal network of everyone in N&F is extensive, and no one will be lonely just because MC is not their friend. So I dont want MC to be Tamarack's only friend or the only person who knows her well. It's stressful and unfair for her. If so, it's such a terrible 'tough love'.
Though I think what I said and shared has its own meaningful sense, still sorry to say these things that may greatly increase your workload or make you feel bad.
Anyway, your games are amazing! Thanks for your providing us such heartwarming games. Looking forward to your further development of OL:N&F.
I've edited my comment to remove linguistic ambiguities, like changing 'or' into 'nor'.
I'm sorry about the truth that my comment seems a bit too direct and overly critical in some places. But I am serious about the situation about skirts for women in Eastern Asia. Because I've actually experienced it, and I've heard many many of my female-friends and female-classmates around talk about how to chose long socks or tights under skirts to keep 'beautiful' and feel less cold.
And I had searched for many posts talking about it and criticizing it, and talked with people experienced this situation online. I'm sure when talking about this in my comment, there isn't a lack of understanding and respect for a 'culture' or so.
The game is a work of fiction, so maybe not everything needs to adhere to strict realism or social commentary. But if it's not so hard for you to change Tamarack wearing , could you change the character drawings? For example, just lengthen her shorts and change some texts about her wearing... Plz Plz Plz (^人^)
Thank you for being concerned for Tamarack! Tamarack moved to this town very recently and didn't come from a place in the mountain. She's used to be in a more city/suburban area. So she doesn't dress thinking about what makes sense for going in the woods, she just wears the clothes she has and doesn't think of it as a problem. Her knees get scraped and she puts on bandages, but it doesn't cross her mind to try wearing different pants. That's just how she is at this age, haha.
And yes, there will be more female characters to meet later in the game!
Hahaha. Right. Kids are really innocent and carefree.That's just how they are at these ages.
My little cousin loves skateboarding. She's always getting bumps and scrapes while learning new tricks, playing with friends, or competing. But she usually just brushes it off and keeps going. If she bleeds a bit, she just wipes it with a tissue. She only asks us for help when she gets a bigger scrape. I'm always told I'm overreacting and being too worried, and yep, I need to chill a bit.
But I think you team had put some settings like "cold-resistant physique" into Tamarack, haha, as in step3 overview, Tamarack is dressed in a light plaid dress with short sleeves (And maybe there is a perfect "faux bare-leg tights"? I dont know) and a red scarf around her neck, while Qiu's wearing a green jacket with a fluffy collar, a white turtleneck underneath, and dark jeans...
Sorry for talk too much, and thank you for explaining! Your reply makes things clear and clears my confusions. I'm excited to meet the other female characters in the game and see how they bring different perspectives and experiences! Thanks a ton to your team for all the hard work you put into making this game! Looking forward to your further development of OL:N&F.
Oh I need to add something, that in my last replies, my haha and etc. are snarky. At that time I was a bit angry and felt ridiculous about some things.
i just suddenly realized that i dont need to be nor shouldn't be polite when mad. And i might no longer be the audience of your game (or have never been considered as the target audience? i dont know), so i dont need to maintain 'harmony'.
So ATTENTION! The words below may be snarky and directly critical. and i always talk too much...
You mentioned the nature of children. There is some truth in what you said, but I do think that, whether intentionally or unintentionally, you had downplayed the issue. Just face it and dont hide the real problem.
Even for adult Tamarack, you team chose a plaid short-sleeve dress (that even doesn't reach the knees) for her, which is completely different from Qiu's and many of others (i guess so, just by things showed in step1). Sorry a bit but i felt ridiculous about this outfit, and the reasons are easy to find in my recent comments. I think, when designing Tamarack, you indeed—whether intentionally or unintentionally—incorporated gender stereotypes. This cannot be excused by citing 'the nature of children' or 'parental negligence'.
But you team and your games are safe. Cause this is just one of the wrong things that most of people around the world take for granted. And many women wear such outfits 'voluntarily', haha.
And one thing very important, you really did a much better job than some disgusting games like gal games (also known as Bishojo Game). So i should stop here.
Finally, still politely, thanks your efforts and your games provided. Wish you good luck. But Goodbye.
I don't understand what your problem is with the way she dresses. There's literally nothing wrong with wearing a skirt/dress that doesn't reach the knees. If it's a child, I guess I could sort of see the concern, but Tamarack is a literal adult at that time, she can do whatever she wants, and that's what she wanted to wear. But I also didn't read your entire rant (because it was seriously so long and - if I'm honest - I didn't feel that the few parts of your argument that I did read was reasonable enough for me to consider reading the rest) so I might have missed something, but anyway:
Your argument for why Tamarack shouldn't be wearing skirts or shorts is that there are diseases and parasites. Have you forgotten that we're talking about a fictional character here? There's no reason to worry about such things. Also, children AND adults in the real world walk around with bare legs out in nature without any issues. I think I've had way over 100 mosquitoes and maybe 50+ ticks on me in my whole life (I'm in my early 20's), and I've never gotten sick from it. We have vaccines for a lot of diseases, and the ones we don't have vaccines for yet are rather rare. To worry about a fictional character in a freaking game getting a disease or parasite is some next level snowflake stuff. You sound like the type of controlling and overly concerned parent that force their kids to wear helmets indoors.
You also mention "incorporating gender stereotypes", which I personally don't see at all. You DO realize that some kids will wear skirts/shorts at all times if possible because that's what they prefer, right? Some kids also don't feel very cold or cold at all (I was one of those kids, so I know what I'm talking about), so that's also a possibility. And lastly, if anything, you're the one incorporating gender stereotypes by trying to decide what a girl should wear.
It sounds like the deeper issue here is that YOU might have experienced some gender stereotypes directed to you or something along those lines, and you're taking that out on the rest of us, which is obviously not fair at all. And if there is no "deeper issue", that's even worse.
And then you said this:
"i just suddenly realized that i dont need to be nor shouldn't be polite when mad. And i might no longer be the audience of your game, so i dont need to maintain 'harmony'"
Believe it or not, that is NOT how the world works. Just because you're not a company's "target audience" does NOT mean you get to be snarky. You should be polite when you're mad, because no one wants to hear out a grown adult throwing a temper tantrum (other than redditors or youtubers wanting to make content). You sound incredibly entitled and honestly bordering on Karen behavior.
Also, later in the thread you admit that you overreacted, but you still keep the comments up, which makes it seem like you don't completely think you overreacted, (because why else would you keep them up? people who realize they overreacted will usually feel embarrassed or ashamed afterwards and will more often than not delete the comments).
You also point out yourself that you "always talk too much" and have on multiple occasions been told by other people that you're overreacting and being too worried, and then you also say that you "need to chill". So let me get this straight: You are aware of this issue of yours, yet you STILL keep doing it? You notice a personal flaw and do nothing to stop it. You're actively avoiding trying to become a better person, and you have the gall to criticize these game devs that are really doing everything to make their games more inclusive for everyone?
Not to mention, what you're criticizing them for iscreating a girl character who herself chooses what to wear.
I used quotes or examples to convey my ideas clearly, so it will be very long:) When you criticize me for being arrogant and wrong, doesn't it also imply a confidence and arrogance in your own cognition?
When I tried to suppress my temper and pointed out the problem in a subtle and humble way, you already thought I wasn't being proactive enough and implicitly blamed me. So, after I stopped being conflicted and restated my position, there's no need for you to pretend to be "righteous," "proactive," and "tolerant," while accusing me of being an arrogant person who cannot truly recognize mistakes.
事实上，我从不觉得自己的反应过度。
In fact, I never thought my reaction was excessive.
I was subtle in the beginning simply because I hadn't fully realized that "off-season dressing" had crossed my bottom line, and I was conflicted about whether I should be harsh on "imperfection." At the same time, I believed that if my tone was more gentle and I lowered my stance, it would be easier for people to accept my opinion. Perhaps it was because my stance was too low, my language too subtle, or because I hadn't yet mastered the "art of language" and failed to suppress my emotions well, resulting in a poor overall effect that appeared contradictory and strange—how unfortunate.
As the conversation progressed, I realized the answers to the questions I hadn't asked. I recognized that this game doesn't quite reach the level of "imperfection" in my mind, but I won't heavily criticize or boycott it because it hasn't yet reached the level that would trigger my "condemn and resist" line.
In recent years, there have been many discussions about feminism on our internet, especially regarding so-called "freedom of dress," "freedom of creation," and "freedom of entertainment."
First of all, don't twist the concept or misinterpret my comments. In fact, I am not criticizing her for wearing a skirt (at least not in my comments); I am criticizing the impractical, off-season, and anti-human nature (warmth and comfort) of such dressing styles.
Next, let's talk about the so-called "freedom of dress," which we often call "Beauty Duty." If wearing "beautiful" but un-warm off-season clothes in autumn and winter is a form of freedom and fashion, then why haven't I seen the boys' club in Step 1 wearing shorts and knee-high socks? Why didn't Qiu wear short sleeves and knee-length shorts, or wear a skirt like Tamarack in Step 3?
In the end, as we often quote from Foucault: "If I haven't forced you at all and let you be in a completely free state, yet you still choose the path I preset for you, that's when I start exercising power."
And the view from "Started at the Limit": "The more the subject insists on choosing freedom, the more the structure is absolved." Your so-called "freedom" is in name freedom, but in reality, it's a shackle of "beauty" and "charm."
Also, let me vent a bit: Women wearing pants is something that earlier generations of women fought for, and it hasn't even been a hundred years since "women wearing pants was widely accepted." This makes your so-called "freedom to wear skirts" laughable. When have women ever lacked the "freedom to wear skirts"? From childhood to adulthood, women have basically been taught or subtly influenced by society to think that "women should wear (beautiful) skirts." Even as they age, the mainstream formal wear for women is still dresses. Have women ever lacked skirt freedom? Stop calling women wearing off-season skirts a "freedom," and use it to attack me for despising others' "freedom." It's utterly absurd—do you and I live in the same era, on the same planet? When has society ever had an atmosphere of "preventing women from wearing off-season skirts"? Clearly, such behavior is almost always encouraged, both openly and subtly.
Moreover, I was merely pointing out the irrationality and expressing my thoughts, standing up for a "paper person" (in reality, "her" entire existence is basically decided by the creator), and yet you jump out to say I'm interfering with or disrespecting her "freedom of dress"… To give an analogy, it's like when I criticize the unfairness of sweatshop labor and its exploitation of workers, hoping the factory owner would correct it, and you pop out saying I'm interfering with or disrespecting those workers' "freedom to work overtime." Isn't that just ridiculous?
Regarding "freedom of creation" and "freedom of entertainment," it is often said that people are influenced by the stance and understanding of the creator on certain issues reflected in the work, and creators need to take some responsibility for their audience.
Professor Dai Jinhua once said: "You consume this kind of culture, thinking it's just providing you with pleasure. However, unknowingly, it constructs your emotional ways, constructs your values, constructs your lifestyle, and constructs your aspirations, your fears, and your needs, precisely those things that you lightly consume for entertainment..."
Any "freedom" in a work, if not within the correct bounds, will ultimately become a weapon that harms and shackles people in reality. This is something that both creators and consumers need to pay attention to.
I need to make things clearer for my reply. So here some snarky (maybe) adding: Well, with your another recent comment ( you only use "hot", when showing your like to a character), I've easily understood why you replied me so. If i want to show my like for her, i would use words like "caring" or so. Ngl, due to that, i am sure that we are not the same kind of people, making it difficult to understand each other. So my comments dont need your approval like "positive". And i chose to be direct, cause i just realized that i went here just to point out problems i'd seen and felt.
Then end with something polite: Enjoy your games :)
it’s about to be a new year I hope the game we’ll be out that we’ll be beautiful I really can’t wait for it just take your time on the game I know it well be good you guys never disappoint I love the creators of the game these games are amazing I was crying my heart out when I found out that made other one just like our life beginning 😭😭😭 keep up the good work!
This is my top text/romance sim/life sim ever. The story is amazing so far, the characters and the way they are written feel so real and believable. The way you can make your own character come to life is amazingly intuitive and consistent. Just a 10/10 game.
redownloaded for the may update, i think i found an editing mistake (probably just forgot to change) when i went through the tutorial in the beginning, it mentioned not being able to date the love interests at once, so thought it was out of place
Ahhhhhh I'd love to see a Cove cameo, but I doubt it since there are so many options to customize Cove in B&A. Who knows though! Maybe we will be surprised. :D
yeah good point. But imagine if we could load a save file from b&a into n&f, determining his characteristics. What is he even mentioned the player name from that save?
Although now that i think about it, i do NOT want a shiloh cameo. Like, the step 3 dlc handled shiloh kinda weirdly, made him kinda... not intentionally mean, but still mean. As if he moved on with his life and his new friends took priority over his old ones. And i dont want that FRECKLED FUCKFACE on my screen. Istg, every time hes on screen, my screen feels dirty. I just have the urge to wipe my screen.
It's wonderful you've enjoyed the OL games :D! Yes, the Our Life games take place in the same world, so does our older game XOXO Droplets (that's where Shiloh and Jeremy are from). Baxter is the only cameo from Our Life: Beginnings & Always, but you'll meet someone who knows Shiloh and Jeremy because they're another cameo from XOXO Droplets.
And yeah, the Patreon beta does have an android version.
I got the insider teir. That has the extended beta. But the step 1-3 bonus moments, the wedding dlc, and Derek and Baxters dlc are all additional purchases
Once again, GBPatch shows how dominant they are at crafting immensely detailed and tailored Visual Novel experiences. Having played beginnings and always, as well as all the dlc content that game had to offer, and placing glowing reviews on them, naturally my sight turns to see at what else GBPatch has to offer. And I must say, they have delivered. You may notice when playing b&a that the developers learned a lot during the process of developing it, with features such as room design only appearing at the third step. But here, we have it in step one, meaning that GBPatch is taking the experience they had from their previous masterpiece and applying it here. And perhaps the most startling difference between these games is the introduction of a second romancable character. I am incredibly excited to see the dynamic this creates in future steps, and am on board to buy all the dlc content, as they have never steered me wrong before. I do understand that the amount of effort and time to create Now and Forever is much more than that of beginnings and always, with two different reactive characters creating far more potential dialogue than just little Cove Holden. Nonetheless, I am willing to wait for the full game, and have complete confidence that it will be not just as good, but even better than their previous works!
I just played the demo of this game, and I’m simply in love with Qiu. So adorable ♥️✨
I’m really looking forward to the release of this game!
I just have one question. I wouldn’t even call it a question, but more of a curiosity. In some conversations with Qiu, words often appear in italics, and I’m not sure if it’s meant to emphasize what Qiu is saying or something like that?
Oh yes! I imagined it was something like that. But I still had doubts because most of the time it was just Qiu who had these italics. I rarely see any italics in conversations with Tamarack, so I thought it might be something different! 🤌✨
i think it wont have anything +18, in Our life Beginnings and Always i think there's dlc's that actually haves +18 scenes and stuff and probably will be the same for Now and Forever
I'm glad you like the demo. But I would rate this as better for teens and adults rather than 12-year-olds. There will be some swearing, sensitive topics, and optional suggestiveness.
← Return to game
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
kinda rude to say this but when is the update :( i always check this game every now n then
ok I'm already very confused, it will come out at the end of this or the next one
I know this is such a small detail to ask about, but how are the more blunt choices taken by the other characters? I don't wanna choose them and end up realizing that whichever character I was interacting with took the bluntness in a negative way :'))
(If the question makes sense; I find it hard to word things sometimes)
It depends on your relationship and dynamic and the specific choice. Usually, you have to be unambiguously rude for them to think you're trying to be unkind, otherwise they take it as normal. Or they can like your bluntness if you have a close bond!
Ohh, alright. Thank you very much!! ^^ I'm glad it's set up that way :))
GB! GIVE US EYE BAGS AND TOP SURGERY SCARS AND MY LIFE IS YOURS!
THIS!!
yes.
Please.
YES PLEASE GB WE WILL SACRIFICE OUR SOULS FOR THIS TO HAPPEN PLEASE 🙏🙏🙏🙏
HELLO GB!!! One question, are you planning to upload the soundtrack of Our Life somewhere? I would like to enjoy it more often
Someday the soundtrack might be uploaded somewhere! But it'd only be after the game has fully released. Glad you like it.
you are cruel but fair
I have a question is walks and wheels playable. By that i mean do you have buy it is it free? Like for examples for step 2 preview a sneak peak or is it free?
It is in the base game if that is what you were asking
It is in the base game and some more moments will be free, the base game will be free but the expansions will be paid where they will add more scenes.
Great demo, a good introduction to the game. Can't wait to see what's in store for the full game!
So, I'm in like, my 10th playthrough and still haven't managed to get to the rain scene with tamarack with a red umbrella, is it just not on the demo? Cause I tried to say no to the dinner and just managed to invite someone to it.
There are no scenes with Tamarack's umbrella in the demo, I'm afraid. I post a lot of screenshots from the full game just as previews.
So, a "sprite" of tamarack holding an umbrella does exist, just not in the demo?
I tried seeing the "sprite" ever since I watched a yt thumbnail, and been thinking it was like a Mandela effect or smthg
Yes, she does have an umbrella! But you'll have to wait for the full game to launch to play that scene, or join the Patreon beta testing,
It's a nice story demo so far.
So hello hi hi 🤗 ... I loved the game 1mil out of 1mil but but but here's the problem now When is the full version gonna come out 😭 cause oh my god the story was just getting good and bam that was the end of the demo, bruh y'all really left me on a the hugest cliffhanger I've ever seen,. I so totes gotta know FAM when Is the full version coming out cause I gotta be the first one to download it🥰. Really amazing game❤️❤️❤️❤️
The full version, if I'm not wrong, will be released at the end of next year😭, but don't worry, the wait will be worth it.
Well now that is quite the long wait 🥲but YEAH! You're right, it's so totally gonna be worth the wait and wait.I.Shall 😌
frr i've been following this game for over two years now i'm so impatient for the final release of ittt xD
I thought it was a game about lesbians...
it can be!!
You could be the lesbian!!
Become the gay lesbian >:)
I hope you are well :D
This is a question I intended to ask on Tumblr but for some reason it is giving errors. Since I am very anxious, I decided to ask the question here. I hope this doesn't get in the way in any way 🙏.
A few days ago I saw your post on Kickstarter talking about the wedding DLC for Our Life: Now and Forever that you had made after the fundraiser. In it you explained how to unlock the DLC and that you could get engaged to Qiu/Tamarack in step 3 or 4 but, that you couldn't have the wedding in step 3 because by default Qiu/Tamarack expected to get older. This honestly confused me, since in OL1 (with the wedding DLC) you could only propose to Cove at the end of step 3 to the beginning of step 4. So in theory you asked him to marry you in step 3 but soon you were already in step 4, so it didn't take long for you to be married to him (if you chose to be legally married). I don't know if you fully understood what I'm trying to say. But it made me wonder if OL2 will follow the same line of events as OL1. By this I mean in matters of confessions, dating, engagement and marriage. Or if there will be a more direct way compared to OL1 where you just declared, dated and got engaged in the transitions from one step to another?
I'm sorry, I'm not sure I fully understand. You can propose in Step 3 but the actual wedding will only ever happen with their Step 4 versions. But you don't have to do things during the transitions. If you play the DLC Moments, you can propose to Cove in Step 3 with an actual scene. If you don't have the DLC or just want to wait, you can propose to him in Step 4 itself or Cove can propose to you in Step 4. There's tutorials on how to get those scenes in an FAQ-
https://gb-patch.tumblr.com/faq
It will be the same kind of thing for OL2.
WWont lie was looking for adult games when saw this. And it was the most adorable game that completely flipped my plans for the night. I stayed up all night reading and loving every second of this. Also no I saw it was not an adult game. But note to creator It came up in a erotic search for some reason?
I'm glad you enjoyed it for what it was! I know some adult-oriented sites like to re-upload Our Life simply because it's a semi-well known VN that people look for and those listings appear on search engines. But if it was listed with adult games on Itch itself, I don't know what happened there.
Yes it was a third party game so that makes more sense, but if it wasnt for that i wouldnt have found it. IT WAS SO GOOD! about to play as many paths as possible!
Hi! I love this game! I was just wondering if there will be an IOS version. My android phone recently broke and now all I have is my iPad. I would LOVE if I could still play, even if I have to start over. Also yes, there is the apple ICON but it said it’s only for COMPUTERS. So I was wondering if you might be able to add that feature. 😁✌️
That's just not gonna work, big bro. If you're asking about MACOS, then you're all set, but for iPhone/iPad iOS... 💀 Ggs.
I'd suggest you save up and get a new android phone
Maybe someday it'll work for IOS mobile, but I don't know when we'd be able to get approval from Apple for that. I'm sorry!
Its okay :) ty anyways
Any news on when the full game will release? I am in love with these Our Life games. Gonna buy the Beginnings and Always dlc's soon. So i can do my 3rd playthrough. And am super excited for this one to fully release.
think they said- that they're gonna release it 2025, if not, finals of this year cuz they're totally into programming this masterpiece,dunno if im right tho that's what I heard😭😭
I know it will definitely be worth the wait, but whyyyy does 2025 have to be so far away 😭
Ok, I don't really know what to say about the game since I don't know where to start.
~the artistic section: which in my opinion is beautiful, the amount of details and how pleasant it is to look at and how well implemented it is for the setting.
~the music: there's not much to say, it's incredible, relaxing and a bit sentimental, I genuinely shed a few tears with such a beautiful soundtrack.
~The characters: I love their presentations and how charismatic they are, the sweetness, tenderness and kindness of Tamarck, and with Qiu how "cool" friendly and above all pleasant that he becomes, they do steal the attention and it is even difficult choose one of the two and about some secondary characters like Tamarack's grandparents or Qiu's parents, I don't know how to describe them so I'll leave it to the discretion of whoever is reading this.
~Before finishing let's talk about the content of the game and here it stands out having multiple options to make it more immersive such as the different hairstyles, clothing, etc. and even details that many games overlook such as height, skin color or even which hand is dominant! That is undoubtedly dedication and love for detail and that shows the love with which the game is being made. Sorry if it's long, the truth is that I loved this game. If I had to describe it in a short summary, it would be difficult since this video game hugged every fiber of me and accompanied me by the hand. It saw me cry It saw me laugh, until the end. This deserves 5 stars and a lot more support. Without a doubt a great game and I literally can't wait to play the full version.
---------------------------------------------------------------------Sorry again and thanks to those who read until the end!♡
this might just be overthinking, but is the towns name (Golden Grove), as well as the sign a reference to Mystery inc. tv show? (where the towns name is Crystal Cove, and the town has a similar sign by the entryway)
It's not a reference to that. The lead of the first Our Life game is Cove Holden. So "Grove" and "Golden" match his naming convention! But that is a neat coincidence.
oooo I see, thanks!!
this game is so good but I’m sadly hoping for the game to release fully because it’s so good and I want to know what happened next
I fell in love with the game. I really loved it. Keep up the good work, I'm so impatient to see the step 2 and the step 3.
Really Good game,so Far im liking this one more then the First one,i really Like Tamarack,but i have a question:
Do you guys plan on making a scene/memory/moment where we meet out father? Even if it was a really short thing,i think It would be really nice,in the First game,our parents are dead,but i this one (if i got it right) he was a sperm donor or something alike,so i really think it would be Nice knowing him
I think this is quite difficult because if he shows up he will have to rely on our appearance right? (I used translation to write this comment sorry if it has bad grammar)(╥﹏╥)
Indeed,it would be neat tho
maybe... or we could be a mix up lmao, IMAGINE IF THE GUY WAS LIKE, CHINESE AND U DID A CAUCASIAN CHARACTER💀💀
I'm glad you like the demo! But I'm afraid you won't meet the dad. He's not in the MC's life specifically so we don't have to create another highly customizable character, aha.
👍
I'm amazed by how much content there was in the demo! I had a lovely time experiencing these friends meet, among other things. One particular favorite facet of this is how specifically it remembers your choices: Tamarack asked if my character was a girl. I replied "sometimes" to match myself, and throughout the remainder of Step 1 my character was introduced as "sometimes a girl." It's peak. Can't wait to play more! (Note: I have not yet investigated the Step 2 preview.)
Hello, I'm wondering if the game will still be free after the other 2 steps? I hope it's not going too be paid or anything 😊
There will be optional paid dlcs, but ir soptional, not needed
Hi! Can i ask how many characters in total are gonna be in the game? ☺️
I think there's about twenty characters in total. Step 3 and 4 aren't fully planned, though. And not all of the characters will be in every Step.
Hello !
I was a supporter on patreon for like a year, until I unfortunately had to cancel my subscription due to my financial situation changing. It's with great regrets that I had to stop, but I am still frequently checking on the game's progress ! I want to thank all of the GBPatch team for their great work !
So, I last played the 1.3.3 beta from when I was still a supporter. I'm going to play the demo 1.4.0 and write my thoughts there.
First, the new pronoun settings : I love the changes ! I especially enjoy being able to use fem, masc, gender neutral, etc, at the same time ! Even tho I don't use this feature it's not usually a possibility and I think much fellow queer people will enjoy this new feature ! The new interface is also very pleasurable. The question marks are very much appreciated, especially when english is not your native language.
Uh oh ! Error screen ahah. I guess it's from picking "continue". I'll make a brand new save. Here is the full error in case you might want it.
Okay, so ! Brand new save !
I see new haircuts I think ! I love these ! So much possibilities ! A lot of hair types, that is great ! I also love the added filters, very much appreciated. So many new outfits, including traditional clothing ! That's amazing.
If I am not mistaken, it wasn't possible to change the facial expression by clicking the camera ! I also don't think ambidextrous was a possibility either ? Might be wrong tho ! Either way I love these opportunities !
NO WAY
FREQUENCY BUTTONS FOR PRONOUNS?!?!
Okay this is unprecedented. What a great feature.
New stickers too ! I love the additions !
There are now sometimes two pages of choices ! Ahah ! I think some illustrations changed too ! Nice improvement.
I see new dialogues, they add details, nice. Nice addition of "Autumn" as a nickname for Qiu ! Added dialogue during the walk to school, that's cool ! Cannot imagine that moment without it now ! I like that every speaking character has their face made with the character editor in the textbox. Adddition of race and nationality, good ! Backyard dialogue w Tamarack !!
I think the room customization got an upgrade too ! Wow !
Thank you for supporting us and for the feedback. The error you got might be because there's conflicting info from the beta build and the demo. But it hopefully won't be a problem with later updates/the completed version!
eversince i saw this demo i always wanted to ask, since the game takes place in fall/autumn will there be a halloween scene? or atleast a dlc?
I curse you gb patch for making this my daily routine
Made an account literally just so I could comment on here lmao
Okay, so basically, THIS WAS SO GOOD HOLY CRAP??? The writing, the characters, EVERYTHING is so good I was actually so sad when i got to the end of the preview. This is one of those games where after you play it, you can't play anything else because everything will pale in comparison.
And then the art? The characters are gorgeous (Qiu is so cute omg), but the scenery just blew me away. I had to pause at moments and go "wow someone actually drew this" because they were so detailed and nice to look at.
Normally I prefer more darker, graphic visual novels but this was amazing. The cutesy atmosphere paired with the childlike point of view made my heart so happy (it also hurt a bit but we don't talk about that), and the world felt decently fleshed out. I really felt like I was just a little kid who just moved to an unfamiliar neighborhood, and that my choices would actually shape my life and relationships from then on.
I also can't tell if i'm just going crazy or in the preview for step 2 the world seemed a lot less bright, like we lost our childlike wonder or whatever? If so, then that's a really cool detail. Also the shift in personalities for both Tamarack and Qiu was really intriguing, I can't wait to see more of how that came to be and how it gets expanded on.
Overall, this game was a joy and pleasantly heartwarming, which I kinda needed right now. I'm looking forward to playing more as you continue to develop and release more portions of the game! Have a great rest of your day or night! :)
Help i also made this account just for this stupid silly game
IK RIGHT!!!😭
After playing this game I tried To play other dating sims and stuff but nothing clicked!😭
I even tried to buy an expensive one with its dlc just me to forget OL2 but nothing happened!!!😭
AND I DONT EVEN WANT TO PLAY A GAME WHERE IT COST TONS OF MONEY!😭 OR BETTER YET, LIKE NO MONEY AT ALL!!!😭 FOR SHORT FREE!
REALY I SPENT LIKE 30 EUROS OR SOMETHING!!!😭
There is the truth of Not because its more expensive dossent mean its better.
That phrase hit me harder than my dads belt!!!😭
felt like all the other games went dull and nothing is enjoyable anymore😭
The art was an art I've never ever seen on a game before. Like it feels warm and cozy despite it being autumn. The soundtrack was just perfect. basically THERE IS NO OTHER GAME LIKE IT!
also Im same as you... I never thought I'd enjoy a cute game such as this... This game was a real eye opener on finding a new genre.
Im happy I just randomly spotted this game on itch while searching for some free yuri games and just so happens that its free😅
Like I didn't even understood the mechanics of the game...
I thought I would play as qui cous he lookd like a girl and Im targeting Tamarak. But boy was I surprised that It was nothing I've thought of😅
Instead... It was ✨️Better
✨️the first time ive opened the game like just on the menu screen When I heard the music something warm just suddenly appeared inside me... Like suddenly I felt like someone was hugging me... It felt so emotional that I couldn't understand wat da hek was happening to me...
AND IT GOT WORSE AFTER PLAYING THE GAME!😭
Now it makes me cry every time I open the game and hear the music ... cous it feels like
i left something behind... something I never wanted to leave but had too cous I got no choice... something I had to move on too...
It just feels Nostalgic like remembering ur own childhood... but the only difference is... It was never yours.
Thats how you know how great the game realy is.
Love how you feel like its your own life that you lived for since you were a child. Like you were realy there...
Its basically the life I've dreamed of having.
I always say to my self
"Wow... the kid who actually gets to live a life like this sure is lucky. Hope they see how happy and content their life is and not think its dull and boring."
You rarely find a game like this. Like I mean Suuuper rare. A game that you dont ever want to end, cous it will also feel like ur life also went to an end with it...
Im scared and happy if it finally comes out. If it comes out you get to finally play it. But when you finish it well... yah know what will happen😅
So when it comes out We shall enjoy every Inch of it. Playing it as our own little life where we shall treasure every moment with it and finally it will come to an end...
Cous every thing has to end am'ai right?😅
Sorry for suddenly getting emotional😭
Pls its 12am!!!😭🤧
SO PLS JUST THINK OF IT AS UR RANDOM 12AM THOUGHTS!!!😭😭😭
you might enjoy "oiur life: begginnings and always" from the sam developers !
THE TEACHER IS SO HOT
This is an opinion!
English isn't my mother tongue, but I still want to share my thoughts, and I sure hope what I say behind makes sense. If parts of my words are difficult to understand or too rude, I'm sorry (TAT)
I loved your OL games much! The relationship between families and friends around MC are just so suitable and heartwarming. And I loooove the B&A's sea and the N&F's forest! Thanks for your showing us such amazing and heartwarming games!
I still remember the moment I first 'met' Tamarack nearly 1 year ago. I was shot and happy to see an energetic angle with a sunny smile. How does she beam so bright!! I love her, the kind of love that is friendship or even motherly love. I really want her to live a happy life.
But during these days playing the new edition of demo, I suddenly noticed that she just wears shorts which cant cover her whole legs. It is unreasonable and even makes me feel a little ache.
I do think what she wears should be hard-wearing, loose-fitting trousers ( such as sweatpants, hiking pants, jeans and so on). That's because she shows up as an adventurer girl. I dont think shorts or skirts fit an adventurer girl (living in a mountain town) well, especially when she's playing and adventuring in the forest. And the story of N&F is roughly based in a mountain town and autumn...
※For "mountain town"※
●The temp and humidity in the forest during fall might change a lot. So just wearing shorts won't cut it for staying warm, making it easy to catch a cold.
●In forest, there are tons of low bushes, branches, and rocks around. Shorts cant really protect her legs, making it easy to get scratched or cut.
●There might be loads of mozzies and ticks hiding in the grass. OMG what I'm terribly worried about is the TICKS and the LYME DISEASE. I dont think walking and playing in the forest with exposed parts of legs is safe.
※For 'autumn'※
·When seeing other people wearing suitable cloths like long pants and long sleeves, I feel a little strange and ache about Tamarack's shorts. And it boomed when I see the description text as "but you had to wonder if she didn't feel cold the same way most people did". It strongly remind me of something sad and infuriating: Many female middle school students in Jap*n and south Kor*a put on their uniform short skirts 'voluntarily'.
·They're always told or advised or required to be a 'beautiful' woman just since they're born. There is a group and social atmosphere where women (of all ages) are expected to remain 'attractive' and 'suitable'.
·That makes, even some schools dont have rules like "students must wearing uniform (skirts) even when it's cold", plenty of female-students will still wear skirts even if it's winter. Although they might wear some white, flesh-colored or other colored stockings or tights. They'll still feel cold a lot when no heating. But they keep it. That's so :-(
I dont know either or not you guys designed this point to make Tamarack more fashionable and special, or to leave an important foreshadowing (like the carelessness of 'omi and opa'). But I think it'll be bad, if it's not a foreshadowing and you dont wanna criticize such a damn situation, nor even just change her wearing.
I hope Tamarack wont need to or be made to wear shorts or skirts when it's autumn. She should live a healthy, happy and free life, just like everyone should.
And I also want to know... Will you or would you like to add some characters (especially, women) into N&F in the future? Would there be some characters added like Lee? I think something like "Tamarack's cousins" or "MC's cousins" will be great!
There's actually been a boy's club/boys' club in the N&F and it causes an unhappy conversation (which even makes me felt a little angry) in step1. I cant stop thinking about girl's clubs/girls' clubs.
I think if there's popular Qiu and their club, there'll also likely be a popular girl, who also has many friends and leads a club of girls.
When playing the moment of 'Walks' and 'Wheels', I always think about girl's clubs/girls' clubs. Because I dont want to leave Tamarack alone and dont want MC to join a boy's club/boys' club, I feel stressful to be friendly to them or play with them, even when I want to let MC join and win a game or a bicycle race. I know there always need to be some choices and divisions. But I do hope Tamarack have some female friends from girl's club/girls' club to play with, so I could make my choices more easier
I hope the interpersonal network of everyone in N&F is extensive, and no one will be lonely just because MC is not their friend. So I dont want MC to be Tamarack's only friend or the only person who knows her well. It's stressful and unfair for her. If so, it's such a terrible 'tough love'.
Though I think what I said and shared has its own meaningful sense, still sorry to say these things that may greatly increase your workload or make you feel bad.
Anyway, your games are amazing! Thanks for your providing us such heartwarming games. Looking forward to your further development of OL:N&F.
I've edited my comment to remove linguistic ambiguities, like changing 'or' into 'nor'.
I'm sorry about the truth that my comment seems a bit too direct and overly critical in some places. But I am serious about the situation about skirts for women in Eastern Asia. Because I've actually experienced it, and I've heard many many of my female-friends and female-classmates around talk about how to chose long socks or tights under skirts to keep 'beautiful' and feel less cold.
And I had searched for many posts talking about it and criticizing it, and talked with people experienced this situation online. I'm sure when talking about this in my comment, there isn't a lack of understanding and respect for a 'culture' or so.
The game is a work of fiction, so maybe not everything needs to adhere to strict realism or social commentary. But if it's not so hard for you to change Tamarack wearing , could you change the character drawings? For example, just lengthen her shorts and change some texts about her wearing... Plz Plz Plz (^人^)
Thank you for being concerned for Tamarack! Tamarack moved to this town very recently and didn't come from a place in the mountain. She's used to be in a more city/suburban area. So she doesn't dress thinking about what makes sense for going in the woods, she just wears the clothes she has and doesn't think of it as a problem. Her knees get scraped and she puts on bandages, but it doesn't cross her mind to try wearing different pants. That's just how she is at this age, haha.
And yes, there will be more female characters to meet later in the game!
Hahaha. Right. Kids are really innocent and carefree.That's just how they are at these ages.
My little cousin loves skateboarding. She's always getting bumps and scrapes while learning new tricks, playing with friends, or competing. But she usually just brushes it off and keeps going. If she bleeds a bit, she just wipes it with a tissue. She only asks us for help when she gets a bigger scrape. I'm always told I'm overreacting and being too worried, and yep, I need to chill a bit.
But I think you team had put some settings like "cold-resistant physique" into Tamarack, haha, as in step3 overview, Tamarack is dressed in a light plaid dress with short sleeves (And maybe there is a perfect "faux bare-leg tights"? I dont know) and a red scarf around her neck, while Qiu's wearing a green jacket with a fluffy collar, a white turtleneck underneath, and dark jeans...
Sorry for talk too much, and thank you for explaining! Your reply makes things clear and clears my confusions. I'm excited to meet the other female characters in the game and see how they bring different perspectives and experiences! Thanks a ton to your team for all the hard work you put into making this game! Looking forward to your further development of OL:N&F.
Oh I need to add something, that in my last replies, my haha and etc. are snarky. At that time I was a bit angry and felt ridiculous about some things.
i just suddenly realized that i dont need to be nor shouldn't be polite when mad. And i might no longer be the audience of your game (or have never been considered as the target audience? i dont know), so i dont need to maintain 'harmony'.
So ATTENTION! The words below may be snarky and directly critical. and i always talk too much...
You mentioned the nature of children. There is some truth in what you said, but I do think that, whether intentionally or unintentionally, you had downplayed the issue. Just face it and dont hide the real problem.
Even for adult Tamarack, you team chose a plaid short-sleeve dress (that even doesn't reach the knees) for her, which is completely different from Qiu's and many of others (i guess so, just by things showed in step1). Sorry a bit but i felt ridiculous about this outfit, and the reasons are easy to find in my recent comments. I think, when designing Tamarack, you indeed—whether intentionally or unintentionally—incorporated gender stereotypes. This cannot be excused by citing 'the nature of children' or 'parental negligence'.
But you team and your games are safe. Cause this is just one of the wrong things that most of people around the world take for granted. And many women wear such outfits 'voluntarily', haha.
And one thing very important, you really did a much better job than some disgusting games like gal games (also known as Bishojo Game). So i should stop here.
Finally, still politely, thanks your efforts and your games provided. Wish you good luck. But Goodbye.
"Tamarack can't wear skirts. Because Tamarack is a girl."
You can't be serious
I don't understand what your problem is with the way she dresses. There's literally nothing wrong with wearing a skirt/dress that doesn't reach the knees. If it's a child, I guess I could sort of see the concern, but Tamarack is a literal adult at that time, she can do whatever she wants, and that's what she wanted to wear. But I also didn't read your entire rant (because it was seriously so long and - if I'm honest - I didn't feel that the few parts of your argument that I did read was reasonable enough for me to consider reading the rest) so I might have missed something, but anyway:
Your argument for why Tamarack shouldn't be wearing skirts or shorts is that there are diseases and parasites. Have you forgotten that we're talking about a fictional character here? There's no reason to worry about such things. Also, children AND adults in the real world walk around with bare legs out in nature without any issues. I think I've had way over 100 mosquitoes and maybe 50+ ticks on me in my whole life (I'm in my early 20's), and I've never gotten sick from it. We have vaccines for a lot of diseases, and the ones we don't have vaccines for yet are rather rare. To worry about a fictional character in a freaking game getting a disease or parasite is some next level snowflake stuff. You sound like the type of controlling and overly concerned parent that force their kids to wear helmets indoors.
You also mention "incorporating gender stereotypes", which I personally don't see at all. You DO realize that some kids will wear skirts/shorts at all times if possible because that's what they prefer, right? Some kids also don't feel very cold or cold at all (I was one of those kids, so I know what I'm talking about), so that's also a possibility. And lastly, if anything, you're the one incorporating gender stereotypes by trying to decide what a girl should wear.
It sounds like the deeper issue here is that YOU might have experienced some gender stereotypes directed to you or something along those lines, and you're taking that out on the rest of us, which is obviously not fair at all. And if there is no "deeper issue", that's even worse.
And then you said this:
Believe it or not, that is NOT how the world works. Just because you're not a company's "target audience" does NOT mean you get to be snarky. You should be polite when you're mad, because no one wants to hear out a grown adult throwing a temper tantrum (other than redditors or youtubers wanting to make content). You sound incredibly entitled and honestly bordering on Karen behavior.
Also, later in the thread you admit that you overreacted, but you still keep the comments up, which makes it seem like you don't completely think you overreacted, (because why else would you keep them up? people who realize they overreacted will usually feel embarrassed or ashamed afterwards and will more often than not delete the comments).
You also point out yourself that you "always talk too much" and have on multiple occasions been told by other people that you're overreacting and being too worried, and then you also say that you "need to chill". So let me get this straight: You are aware of this issue of yours, yet you STILL keep doing it? You notice a personal flaw and do nothing to stop it. You're actively avoiding trying to become a better person, and you have the gall to criticize these game devs that are really doing everything to make their games more inclusive for everyone?
Not to mention, what you're criticizing them for is creating a girl character who herself chooses what to wear.
这是我的最后一次回复，以母语(mother tongue)＋机器翻译(machine translation)的形式出现：
If you think what I said was too long to read, just focus on what i highlight here (used ''heading'').
我为了传达清楚想法作了引用或举例，所以会很长:) 你批评我自大和错误时，难道不也隐含着一种对自身认知的自信和自大吗？
I used quotes or examples to convey my ideas clearly, so it will be very long:) When you criticize me for being arrogant and wrong, doesn't it also imply a confidence and arrogance in your own cognition?
当我尽量压住脾气、以低姿态委婉地指出问题时，你们就已经觉得我不够积极，并且暗含了对我的谴责。所以，在我不再纠结、重新表明态度后，你们没必要装出一副“深明大义”、“积极”和“包容”的样子，并指责我是个无法真正认识错误的自大之人。
When I tried to suppress my temper and pointed out the problem in a subtle and humble way, you already thought I wasn't being proactive enough and implicitly blamed me. So, after I stopped being conflicted and restated my position, there's no need for you to pretend to be "righteous," "proactive," and "tolerant," while accusing me of being an arrogant person who cannot truly recognize mistakes.
事实上，我从不觉得自己的反应过度。
In fact, I never thought my reaction was excessive.
我在前期表现得委婉，只是因为当时我没有明确地意识到“反季穿搭”触及了我的底线，而且我一直在纠结“是否应该对‘不完美’表现得苛刻”。同时，我以为，如果语气委婉一些、把自己的姿态放低一些，能让人更容易接受我的意见。可能是因为我的姿态太低、语言太委婉了，或者是因为我没能很好地压抑情绪、还未掌握“语言的艺术”，所以整体效果很差，显得矛盾和古怪，非常可惜。
I was subtle in the beginning simply because I hadn't fully realized that "off-season dressing" had crossed my bottom line, and I was conflicted about whether I should be harsh on "imperfection." At the same time, I believed that if my tone was more gentle and I lowered my stance, it would be easier for people to accept my opinion. Perhaps it was because my stance was too low, my language too subtle, or because I hadn't yet mastered the "art of language" and failed to suppress my emotions well, resulting in a poor overall effect that appeared contradictory and strange—how unfortunate.
随着对话的进行，我已经明白了那些我没问出来的问题的答案。我意识到，这个游戏还达不到我心中的“不完美”线，但我并不会大肆批评和抵制它，因为它还没有差劲到触及我的“责骂抵制”线。
As the conversation progressed, I realized the answers to the questions I hadn't asked. I recognized that this game doesn't quite reach the level of "imperfection" in my mind, but I won't heavily criticize or boycott it because it hasn't yet reached the level that would trigger my "condemn and resist" line.
近年来，我们的互联网上一直有很多关于女权主义的讨论，尤其是在所谓的“穿衣自由”、“创作自由”和“娱乐自由”上。
In recent years, there have been many discussions about feminism on our internet, especially regarding so-called "freedom of dress," "freedom of creation," and "freedom of entertainment."
首先，别偷换概念或误解我的评论。事实上，我并不是在批评她穿裙子（至少我的评论里没有），我批评的是这种不实用、反自然季节、反人类天性（保暖与舒适）的穿着方式。
First of all, don't twist the concept or misinterpret my comments. In fact, I am not criticizing her for wearing a skirt (at least not in my comments); I am criticizing the impractical, off-season, and anti-human nature (warmth and comfort) of such dressing styles.
接着，聊聊所谓的“穿衣自由”，我们这边经常叫它“服美役”（Beauty Duty）。如果在秋冬季节里穿着“美观”但不保暖的反季节衣服是一种自由和时尚，那为什么我没看到Step 1的boys' club穿不及膝的短裤和长袜？为什么在Step 3中Qiu没有穿短袖和不及膝的短裤，或者穿和Tamarack一样的裙子？
Next, let's talk about the so-called "freedom of dress," which we often call "Beauty Duty." If wearing "beautiful" but un-warm off-season clothes in autumn and winter is a form of freedom and fashion, then why haven't I seen the boys' club in Step 1 wearing shorts and knee-high socks? Why didn't Qiu wear short sleeves and knee-length shorts, or wear a skirt like Tamarack in Step 3?
说到底，就如我们常引用的福柯的一部分观点：“如果我完全没有强迫你，并让你处于完全自由的状态，你却依然选择了我为你预设的道路，那就是我开始运用权力之时。”
In the end, as we often quote from Foucault: "If I haven't forced you at all and let you be in a completely free state, yet you still choose the path I preset for you, that's when I start exercising power."
还有《始于极限》中的观点：“主体越坚持选择自由，结构越被免责。” 你们所谓的“自由”，名为自由，实为“美丽”枷锁和“魅力”枷锁。
And the view from "Started at the Limit": "The more the subject insists on choosing freedom, the more the structure is absolved." Your so-called "freedom" is in name freedom, but in reality, it's a shackle of "beauty" and "charm."
另外吐槽一下，女性穿上裤子是女性前辈们经过斗争、付出了一定牺牲才争取来的，而“女性穿裤子被广泛接受”距今还不到一百年，这让我对你所谓的“穿裙子自由”感到好笑。女性什么时候缺过“穿裙子自由”？从小到大，女性基本上被教导或被社会潜移默化地认为“女性该穿（美美的）裙子”。哪怕是年岁增长，女性的正装主流也是礼裙，女性缺过裙子自由吗？别再将女性穿反季裙子称为“自由”，并以此来攻击我蔑视她人的“自由”了。荒谬至极，你和我活在同一个时代、同一个地球上吗？社会什么时候有过“阻止女性穿反季裙子”的氛围？明明几乎都是在明里暗里鼓励这种行为。
Also, let me vent a bit: Women wearing pants is something that earlier generations of women fought for, and it hasn't even been a hundred years since "women wearing pants was widely accepted." This makes your so-called "freedom to wear skirts" laughable. When have women ever lacked the "freedom to wear skirts"? From childhood to adulthood, women have basically been taught or subtly influenced by society to think that "women should wear (beautiful) skirts." Even as they age, the mainstream formal wear for women is still dresses. Have women ever lacked skirt freedom? Stop calling women wearing off-season skirts a "freedom," and use it to attack me for despising others' "freedom." It's utterly absurd—do you and I live in the same era, on the same planet? When has society ever had an atmosphere of "preventing women from wearing off-season skirts"? Clearly, such behavior is almost always encouraged, both openly and subtly.
而且我只是指出了不合理、说出了自己的想法，为一个“纸片人”（实际上，“她”的一切基本都由创作者决定）鸣不平，而你却跑出来说我干预或不尊重她的“穿衣自由”……打个比方吧，这就像我在批评血汗工厂制度的不合理和它对工人的剥削、希望工厂老板改正时，你却冒出来说我干预或不尊重那些工人的“超额工作自由”，你说好不好笑吧。
Moreover, I was merely pointing out the irrationality and expressing my thoughts, standing up for a "paper person" (in reality, "her" entire existence is basically decided by the creator), and yet you jump out to say I'm interfering with or disrespecting her "freedom of dress"… To give an analogy, it's like when I criticize the unfairness of sweatshop labor and its exploitation of workers, hoping the factory owner would correct it, and you pop out saying I'm interfering with or disrespecting those workers' "freedom to work overtime." Isn't that just ridiculous?
关于“创作自由”和“娱乐自由”，人们常说，人会被作品本身会反映创作者在一些问题上的立场和认识，创作者需要对他们的作品受众负一定的责任。
Regarding "freedom of creation" and "freedom of entertainment," it is often said that people are influenced by the stance and understanding of the creator on certain issues reflected in the work, and creators need to take some responsibility for their audience.
而戴锦华女士曾经说过：“你消费着这样的文化，你觉得它不过是给你提供快乐。但是，在不知不觉当中构造了你的情感方式，构造了你的价值观念，构造了你的价值观念，构造了你的生活方式，构造了你的向往、你的恐惧和你的需求的，正是那些你轻松地去消遣的东西......”。
Professor Dai Jinhua once said: "You consume this kind of culture, thinking it's just providing you with pleasure. However, unknowingly, it constructs your emotional ways, constructs your values, constructs your lifestyle, and constructs your aspirations, your fears, and your needs, precisely those things that you lightly consume for entertainment..."
任何作品中的“自由”，如果不在正确的尺度里，最终都会成为伤害、束缚现实中的人的凶器。这一点，是创作者和消费者都需要注意的。
Any "freedom" in a work, if not within the correct bounds, will ultimately become a weapon that harms and shackles people in reality. This is something that both creators and consumers need to pay attention to.
no one is forcing you to play the game?? whether you stop supporting gbpatch or not, theres a bunch of other people who will
This is unnecessarily judgemental, I think the character designs are just fine? Nothing about this seems positive in my opinion
Yep, yep, I just overreacted. Sorry a ton for that :)
I need to make things clearer for my reply. So here some snarky (maybe) adding: Well, with your another recent comment ( you only use "hot", when showing your like to a character), I've easily understood why you replied me so. If i want to show my like for her, i would use words like "caring" or so. Ngl, due to that, i am sure that we are not the same kind of people, making it difficult to understand each other. So my comments dont need your approval like "positive". And i chose to be direct, cause i just realized that i went here just to point out problems i'd seen and felt.
Then end with something polite: Enjoy your games :)
oh! ....
I lava the way you type
wait so when will step three be out
it’s about to be a new year I hope the game we’ll be out that we’ll be beautiful I really can’t wait for it just take your time on the game I know it well be good you guys never disappoint I love the creators of the game these games are amazing I was crying my heart out when I found out that made other one just like our life beginning 😭😭😭 keep up the good work!
This is my top text/romance sim/life sim ever. The story is amazing so far, the characters and the way they are written feel so real and believable. The way you can make your own character come to life is amazingly intuitive and consistent. Just a 10/10 game.
I downloaded the game like four days ago and I just want to says that i'm obsessed I love it so so much !! It's so amazing !
redownloaded for the may update, i think i found an editing mistake (probably just forgot to change) when i went through the tutorial in the beginning, it mentioned not being able to date the love interests at once, so thought it was out of place
Thank you for reporting that!
you’re welcome!
well,its a perfect game! Everything is sooo good!!! I cant wait to play full game,thanks for this game!!
Now, aside from my actual review, I have a few questions for the developers.
firstly, is there shared universe potential for this game and the other our life? Or our we left to speculate?
Secondly, is the patreon only demo staged for android?
Well, Baxter is in both games and seems to be the same character.
True. Begs the question, might we get other character appearances? Like Jeremy, or shiloh? Or do I dare hope... cove?
Ahhhhhh I'd love to see a Cove cameo, but I doubt it since there are so many options to customize Cove in B&A. Who knows though! Maybe we will be surprised. :D
yeah good point. But imagine if we could load a save file from b&a into n&f, determining his characteristics. What is he even mentioned the player name from that save?
Although now that i think about it, i do NOT want a shiloh cameo. Like, the step 3 dlc handled shiloh kinda weirdly, made him kinda... not intentionally mean, but still mean. As if he moved on with his life and his new friends took priority over his old ones. And i dont want that FRECKLED FUCKFACE on my screen. Istg, every time hes on screen, my screen feels dirty. I just have the urge to wipe my screen.
I love how this comment went from polite to rage in a sentence
It's wonderful you've enjoyed the OL games :D! Yes, the Our Life games take place in the same world, so does our older game XOXO Droplets (that's where Shiloh and Jeremy are from). Baxter is the only cameo from Our Life: Beginnings & Always, but you'll meet someone who knows Shiloh and Jeremy because they're another cameo from XOXO Droplets.
And yeah, the Patreon beta does have an android version.
Consider me a patreon then. Ima go buy rhat right now
Y'know, last time i was a patreon, the patreon beta only went as far as the first moment. And now there are 6? WOOOOOO!
which tier did you buy to get extra moments? by tier i mean like the supporters fans and other options.
I got the insider teir. That has the extended beta. But the step 1-3 bonus moments, the wedding dlc, and Derek and Baxters dlc are all additional purchases
Once again, GBPatch shows how dominant they are at crafting immensely detailed and tailored Visual Novel experiences. Having played beginnings and always, as well as all the dlc content that game had to offer, and placing glowing reviews on them, naturally my sight turns to see at what else GBPatch has to offer. And I must say, they have delivered. You may notice when playing b&a that the developers learned a lot during the process of developing it, with features such as room design only appearing at the third step. But here, we have it in step one, meaning that GBPatch is taking the experience they had from their previous masterpiece and applying it here. And perhaps the most startling difference between these games is the introduction of a second romancable character. I am incredibly excited to see the dynamic this creates in future steps, and am on board to buy all the dlc content, as they have never steered me wrong before. I do understand that the amount of effort and time to create Now and Forever is much more than that of beginnings and always, with two different reactive characters creating far more potential dialogue than just little Cove Holden. Nonetheless, I am willing to wait for the full game, and have complete confidence that it will be not just as good, but even better than their previous works!
i love qiu so much omgggg I'm really excited to see what the other steps will be like!
I just played the demo of this game, and I’m simply in love with Qiu. So adorable ♥️✨
I’m really looking forward to the release of this game!
I just have one question. I wouldn’t even call it a question, but more of a curiosity. In some conversations with Qiu, words often appear in italics, and I’m not sure if it’s meant to emphasize what Qiu is saying or something like that?
It's great you enjoyed the demo! The italics is just a text-based way to convey an emphasis in tone of voice.
Oh yes! I imagined it was something like that. But I still had doubts because most of the time it was just Qiu who had these italics. I rarely see any italics in conversations with Tamarack, so I thought it might be something different! 🤌✨
GBPatch, I was wondering when the full game is released if it will be appropriate for ages 12+, because I’m 12 and I’m already in love with the demo
i think it wont have anything +18, in Our life Beginnings and Always i think there's dlc's that actually haves +18 scenes and stuff and probably will be the same for Now and Forever
I'm glad you like the demo. But I would rate this as better for teens and adults rather than 12-year-olds. There will be some swearing, sensitive topics, and optional suggestiveness.
I understand, thank you anyway!