Undertale

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Other than that, what are you hoping to see in the story of Deltarune - to those that played the game? I mean, worldbuilding, character dephts, etc?
I hope we see more Asgore at least. I feel like he didn't get enough screen-time in the original game.
It would have been better in true pacifist if the Asgore boss fight still happened and Toriel instead came in at the end to save Asgore, with a comment based on whether you chose to spare or kill him at the end. It would continue as normal afterward
An idea I had for the next chapter is that it would have both Toriel and Asgore in different sections who you would manipulate their protectiveness of Kris to level up their LV.
It would take place in the television world like many have suggested, with sections dedicated to different themes such as sci-fi, wild-west, cartoons and whatnot.

You would awaken separated from Toriel, with an angel-like being that would appear to attack you every now and then. It would never actually kill you, if you got to low health, attacks would start missing.

Soon you would encounter Toriel, who would be very protective and controlling. During battles, she would be out of the players control, acting of her own accord, often against what the player is trying to do in that fight. She would also sometimes interrupt your actions to do what she wants. She would also stop you from killing enemies, I don't know how genocide would be started on her route.

At some point, you get separated, where you meet Asgore. After travelling with him for a bit, you walk into a gameshow room where the angel appears again. Asgore is on one side, a frame of Toriel on the other with the angel floating above with Kris in the middle.

The angel would bring up things Asgore has said during arguments between him and Toriel and would ask Kris how he feels about it. If Kris answers in a way that isn't negative toward Asgore, the angel looks agitated and pauses for a second before continuing on. It exposes some dirty secrets of Asgore's as well as shedding more light into what made him step down as police chief. Asgore would be trying to quietly and politely explain each occurrence and what he meant, but the angel would always interrupt with questions posed in a way that he looks bad no matter how he answers or would just continue on regardless of his answer.

Eventually, Asgore would get very frustrated and attack the angel with a magic trident, knocking off the head and revealing it to be Toriel. She would be surprised and say she must have been under some possession, but the angel head would begin speaking of it's own accord, revealing she wasn't actually possessed. It would then attach itself to her and possess her before flying off.

You would next be with Asgore. He would have a lot of health and would guard Kris whenever he got attacked by an enemy. He would not have an attack option, only a guard, act and mercy option. To activate his genocide run, you would have one chance during a boss battle to activate it. There would be a one-shot attack during a boss fight, really easy to dodge and see coming, with a lot of warning beforehand. If Asgore is downed and Kris gets hit by it, a trident would appear in his hand and he would instantly slay the boss to protect Kris. From then on, whenever he protects Kris, he'd have a chance to use his trident, increasing with LV.

There would be 4 endings:
A Neutral ending for if none of them were max-levelled, in this ending things stay the same and there is no character progression for either of them, Toriel would stay bitter at Asgore and Asgore as a punching bag.

An ending for each of them if one gets maxed out while the other doesn't:
One kills the other (on purpose in Toriel's case, by accident in Asgore's case). In Toriel's ending, she refuses to admit to what she's done or deflects the blame. She becomes extremely controlling, angry and borderline abusive through the rest of the chapters. In Asgore's ending, he becomes extremely guilty over what he's done, spending the rest of the chapters being very aloof and quiet, only doing the bare minimum for Kris while the house gets more and more run down.

The ending where you max them both out would be the best ending. Asgore would become more confident, willing to accept now that his relationship with Toriel won't return to what it once was and leaves it behind. You would see this change in his personality with his flower shop: he would start cleaning it up, setting it up to look like an actual shop. Toriel would quit being so bitter at Asgore and would become less controlling of Kris{/SPOILER]
 
I hope we see more Asgore at least

Asgore's flower shop has a double door in the back which means that it will be a dark world location in the future chapters

asgoreshop.png
 
Anyways, didn't mean to stirr the topic on other direction.
It’s all good :)
Other than that, what are you hoping to see in the story of Deltarune - to those that played the game? I mean, worldbuilding, character dephts, etc?
I mostly just want to see where the story goes. But in no particular order…
  • What’s going on with Kris, and why is he I’m not saying “they” because it sounds dumb opening the fountains?
  • Who/What is Ralsei, and what is he telling Kris off-screen?
  • What did Asgore do, why is Toriel such a cunt to him, and will she stop being a cunt?
  • Will Sans and Papyrus be important at all, or are they just a big fake-out?
  • Same thing for Gaster and the door on the south side of town.
  • I want to see where the Snowgrave/weird route goes.
  • No Suselle. I’m fine with it as a one-sided crush but Susie and Noelle have no chemistry, and I sincerely hope Toby doesn’t go for the lesbian brownie points. Especially since a much better, much more appropriate ship would be…
  • Krusie. I won’t get greedy and ask for it to be explicitly confirmed, but I at least want more of the moments we saw in the first two chapters, and for later chapters to expand on the tea theory.
  • I’m curious to see the ending and how everything builds up to the fever dream Toby had like ten years ago.
So generally the same stuff that a lot of people are asking for.
 
It’s all good :)

I mostly just want to see where the story goes. But in no particular order…
  • What’s going on with Kris, and why is he I’m not saying “they” because it sounds dumb opening the fountains?
  • Who/What is Ralsei, and what is he telling Kris off-screen?
  • What did Asgore do, why is Toriel such a cunt to him, and will she stop being a cunt?
  • Will Sans and Papyrus be important at all, or are they just a big fake-out?
  • Same thing for Gaster and the door on the south side of town.
  • I want to see where the Snowgrave/weird route goes.
  • No Suselle. I’m fine with it as a one-sided crush but Susie and Noelle have no chemistry, and I sincerely hope Toby doesn’t go for the lesbian brownie points. Especially since a much better, much more appropriate ship would be…
  • Krusie. I won’t get greedy and ask for it to be explicitly confirmed, but I at least want more of the moments we saw in the first two chapters, and for later chapters to expand on the tea theory.
  • I’m curious to see the ending and how everything builds up to the fever dream Toby had like ten years ago.
So generally the same stuff that a lot of people are asking for.
That's pretty cool. Guess it's not much to ask for, yet am I the only one who feels that Mr. Fox may be on a crossroads between doing gameplay vs. a shipping war?
 
That's pretty cool. Guess it's not much to ask for, yet am I the only one who feels that Mr. Fox may be on a crossroads between doing gameplay vs. a shipping war?
The best way to put it is probably this: Aside from minor dialogue changes and side characters, I think Toby has a very explicit and non-negotiable vision of what the game should be - one that won’t be changed by any sort of vocal minority - but there’s a chance that Suselle is a part of that vision. So he won’t go out of his way to appease shippers, but what he wants may align with what they want anyway.
 
The best way to put it is probably this: Aside from minor dialogue changes and side characters, I think Toby has a very explicit and non-negotiable vision of what the game should be - one that won’t be changed by any sort of vocal minority - but there’s a chance that Suselle is a part of that vision. So he won’t go out of his way to appease shippers, but what he wants may align with what they want anyway.
Eugh. From what I skipped about back in... 2019? On the Chapter 1 of Deltarune, I kind of disliked Susie right from the start. Yet if theories are true from what I read here, she will be a de facto "good character" while Ralsei will be a "evil character", with Noëlle replacing Ralsei Yet I have a strange feeling something may take over KRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!! as Wesker would yell in the end of Resident Evil 5. Maybe it's just me thinking that Kris is too "generic" chatacter where you can't modify jackshit about him that tells me that Chara will take over? Who knows? Both Kris and Ralsei ending up out of the group and just Susie and Noëlle being what's left.

This sucks. Seriously, this fucking sucks. You got a lesbian "power team" that is essentially playing as a cheap knockoff of Undyne and Alphys to save... uh, whatever? The World? The Computer? The Player's Asshole? I rather play as Sans, and I say this as someone who is 50/50 about him. No joke.
But what I mean to say is that this theory stuff is almost reminding me about the ASOIAF fandom with their theories. Sure, the scope is much smaller, yet how George R. R. Martin hasn't released Winds of Winter for... 13 years now? And people have been doing theories since forever, it almost seems like fans are doing the same thing. Yet in another scope - which I don't blame. It's a manner to say the fandom is alive and well, and also a love letter to the series. I just hope I spoke a massive nonsense.
 
Eugh. From what I skipped about back in... 2019? On the Chapter 1 of Deltarune, I kind of disliked Susie right from the start. Yet if theories are true from what I read here, she will be a de facto "good character" while Ralsei will be a "evil character", with Noëlle replacing Ralsei
If you stopped before chapter 2, there are some interesting developments there for sure. Susie stops being really edgy now that she has friends, and is much nicer but still tries to act cool. She’s ironically the only one of the main cast who the fandom agrees is undeniably morally good. Chaotic good, but still good. As for Ralsei, we just don’t know yet. Maybe he’s good? Maybe he’s evil? Maybe he sincerely likes Kris and Susie but has ulterior motives? The only thing that’s certain is that he knows more than he lets on.
Yet I have a strange feeling something may take over KRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!! as Wesker would yell in the end of Resident Evil 5. Maybe it's just me thinking that Kris is too "generic" chatacter where you can't modify jackshit about him that tells me that Chara will take over? Who knows?
The thing is, Chara and (to a lesser exist) Frisk had backstories and loosely-defined personalities but were basically stand-ins for the player that the fandom ran with. But Deltarune, especially chapter 2, shows that Kris is his own person with his own personality, interests, and skills, but the player is controlling him through the human soul. Talking to people in town gives backstory about who Kris is, and even some dialogue options are presented in such a way that what you choose may not be what Kris wants. There are times where choosing a certain option causes Kris to say that dialogue normally, but other choices will result in other characters noticing that he sounds strained like he’s forcing himself to talk, because what you’re making him say isn’t what he actually wants to say.
Both Kris and Ralsei ending up out of the group and just Susie and Noëlle being what's left.
Without going too deep into shipping autism, I’ll just say it’s my opinion that everything shown involving Susie and Noelle has been one-sided with little to no reciprocation from Susie (and even that can be dismissed as Susie not knowing how to handle people being friendly toward her), while there’s plenty of moments where Kris and Susie are closer than anyone else, and even hints that Kris has feelings for Susie.
 
If you stopped before chapter 2, there are some interesting developments there for sure. Susie stops being really edgy now that she has friends, and is much nicer but still tries to act cool. She’s ironically the only one of the main cast who the fandom agrees is undeniably morally good. Chaotic good, but still good.
Interesting, that's cool.
The thing is, Chara and (to a lesser exist) Frisk had backstories and loosely-defined personalities but were basically stand-ins for the player that the fandom ran with. But Deltarune, especially chapter 2, shows that Kris is his own person with his own personality, interests, and skills, but the player is controlling him through the human soul. Talking to people in town gives backstory about who Kris is, and even some dialogue options are presented in such a way that what you choose may not be what Kris wants. There are times where choosing a certain option causes Kris to say that dialogue normally, but other choices will result in other characters noticing that he sounds strained like he’s forcing himself to talk, because what you’re making him say isn’t what he actually wants to say.
Hmmm, that is keeping with the theme of the meta-game BUT! This time I think Mr. Fox perfected it. What do I mean: He wants to make a game, and not a parody of games in general. See: the characters are noticing Kris is having no agency, rather than a "choose your path and this happens". I think that's much better.
Without going too deep into shipping autism, I’ll just say it’s my opinion that everything shown involving Susie and Noelle has been one-sided with little to no reciprocation from Susie (and even that can be dismissed as Susie not knowing how to handle people being friendly toward her), while there’s plenty of moments where Kris and Susie are closer than anyone else, and even hints that Kris has feelings for Susie.
Right, I see what you mean.
 
For the probably tiny subset of people who haven’t played Undertale and are still on the fence about whether they want to play it, it’s on Steam for $2.50 this weekend, which I think is the lowest it’s ever gone. Aside from being in a couple bundles, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it below $7.
 
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Well, since the new chapters aren't coming out anytime soon, might as well speculate on potential story development a bit more. (I'm mostly doing it to come back later and compare the speculations and theories with the actual finished plot.)

But first, check out Toby's description of his old Earthbound romhack. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
1694871287077696.jpg

It's pretty early to speculate, but I firmly believe that the story of Deltarune would be ultimately based on one of these two ideas. To put them briefly:

1) God's plan. The events are ultimately following the most beneficial path, and it's your choice to participate in the plan and achieve salvation (True ending, which is simultaneously the good one) or rebel out of pride and desire for freedom, even if it leads to suffering (Weird route). Sounds a bit out there, but it would explain the insistence on there being just one true ending and (seemingly) out of place Christian references.
2) The only winning move is not to play. Going off the aforementioned Halloween Hack interview, it would reinforce the idea that despite presenting various choices, any videogame is a pre-scripted, limited medium that doesn't allow you to go beyond the limits of its written code, so the only expression of true free will in a video game is continuing/stopping playing it. So, I believe that, if the story follows this route, the true good ending will be you reaching a certain point, turning off the game and uninstalling it.
 
Well, since the new chapters aren't coming out anytime soon, might as well speculate on potential story development a bit more. (I'm mostly doing it to come back later and compare the speculations and theories with the actual finished plot.)

But first, check out Toby's description of his old Earthbound romhack. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
View attachment 6043301
One specific text always stuck with me on a post-chapter-2 halloween hack rewatch.

*Your heartbeat quickens unnaturally as you approach the door...
*...but you open it anyway
*You've reached the heart of Twoson's sewers, and you continue onward, to Foggyland...
*Even though Winters lies incredibly far away,
*Even though you've been coerced into destroying a monster who may not even exist..
*Some forbidden force drives your legs yet forward.
*Minutes, hours, days...
*An unknown, boundless amount of time passes since you opened the door.

*Like the undead you've been chosen to fight, you lurch endlessly forward, as if in a trance...
*After what seems like infinity, the walls seem to darken uncharacteristically.
*They drip with a viscous, purple liquid which burns to the touch.
*The water's hue slowly drifts from dark brown to an unfamiliar, foul-smelling red.
*Suddenly, eyes are burning into you from all sides and your head is pounding with fear.
*You kneel over and clutch your stomach tightly.
*Something is so wrong, so, so, wrong.
*This can't be...
*Oh, no.
*Oh, no no NO.

The end of Toby's postmortem is a little concerning though. Reminds me of Spec Ops: The Line.
Still. OFF did something similar and that was great.
The Stanley Parable was similar but didn't have as much staying power.

Also
2) The only winning move is not to play. Going off the aforementioned Halloween Hack interview, it would reinforce the idea that despite presenting various choices, any videogame is a pre-scripted, limited medium that doesn't allow you to go beyond the limits of its written code, so the only expression of true free will in a video game is continuing/stopping playing it. So, I believe that, if the story follows this route, the true good ending will be you reaching a certain point, turning off the game and uninstalling it.
Reminds me of the DEMO days of UNDERTALE. Toby was apparently shocked by how many people wanted to stay with Toriel.
 
When it comes to ending, the biggest question mark on my head is why Gaster/whoever talks in all caps says "You have reached an ending" when you die in game. An ending? I am ESL but the only way "an ending" makes sense to me if it's "an ending from multiple endings".

Regardless, if you select "no" you will get "Then the world was covered in darkness". If we wanna go with the "just one ending" narrative, does this mean the the ending is the world getting covered in darkness? Fucked up if true, but either way the ending is literally toby's fever dream
 
When it comes to ending, the biggest question mark on my head is why Gaster/whoever talks in all caps says "You have reached an ending" when you die in game. An ending? I am ESL but the only way "an ending" makes sense to me if it's "an ending from multiple endings".

Regardless, if you select "no" you will get "Then the world was covered in darkness". If we wanna go with the "just one ending" narrative, does this mean the the ending is the world getting covered in darkness? Fucked up if true, but either way the ending is literally toby's fever dream
Speaking of ESLs and grammatical quirks, i once read that Toby made Jevil's dialogue specifically jank as a reference to old JRPGs with shitty translations, so maybe it is another reference like that?
 
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New newslettler is out https://toby.fangamer.com/newsletters/summer24/

TL;DR
He needs to tweak some battles and two cutscenes, but chapter 4 is already in a playable state (some friend of Toby even played the whole chapter) and some members of the team are working on chapter 5, despite that the release of chapters 3 and 4 will take a long while because 1 the creator of Gamemaker wants Deltarune to be the guinea pig of a new function from Gamemaker and 2 Toby wants to release the PC and Console versions simultaneously, as a result, bug hunting/fixing needs to be extra autistic.
 
New newslettler is out https://toby.fangamer.com/newsletters/summer24/

TL;DR
He needs to tweak some battles and two cutscenes, but chapter 4 is already in a playable state (some friend of Toby even played the whole chapter) and some members of the team are working on chapter 5, despite that the release of chapters 3 and 4 will take a long while because 1 the creator of Gamemaker wants Deltarune to be the guinea pig of a new function from Gamemaker and 2 Toby wants to release the PC and Console versions simultaneously, as a result, bug hunting/fixing needs to be extra autistic.
New Toriel sprite. Beach fun Berdly. Release in sight.
AUGH YEAH
>Noelle is possibly a main party agaig
NOT AUGH YEAH. Revert that.
:stress:
...but it might just be Topchef :julay:
 
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New Toriel sprite. Beach fun Berdly. Release in sight.
AUGH YEAH
>Noelle is possibly a main party agaig
NOT AUGH YEAH. Revert that.
:stress:
...but it might just be Topchef :julay:
No Asriel? That kind of sucks, I was hoping he'd have a role in the story - yes I know "Ralsei" has, yet I hoped the surface's Asriel would.
 
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