Work Text:
From: [email protected]
Subject: Help with 7s’carlet Walkthrough?
Hello,
First off, thank you for the wonderful walkthroughs you provide for so many otome games. As someone relatively new to the genre but keen to learn, it’s very helpful to have your website pulled up on my phone while I play.
I was wondering if I could ask for a little more help on the game 7s’carlet? I’m having trouble getting … well, a good ending, I suppose. One doesn’t normally play a dating sim hoping to be dumped! Or worse (?), have your dream man die on you! Yet, no matter what I do, they either die or I’m sent back to Tokyo alone or, in one tragic case, left in a basement to die by fire? Is it supposed to be romantic that I was trapped in a basement to begin with? Is this what women put up with all the time?!
Please help. I would like to be able to kiss a man, at least digitally.
Best,
Stede
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Help with 7s’carlet Walkthrough?
Hey Stede,
Sorry to hear you’ve been having trouble with the game, mate. It’s usually fairly straightforward, especially if you’re using my guides. Have you been saving at certain points so you can go back and make different choices? That’s what [Create (insert character’s name here) Save 1] in the light green means. Not trying to sound patronizing, by the way. I just can’t understand how you’d be missing some things otherwise.
Don’t worry, Stede. We’ll get you kissing as many men as you like (digitally) in no time.
-Ed
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re:re: Help with 7s’carlet Walkthough?
Ed I don’t know what I’ve done. I thought I was creating save files but it says they were quicksaves? But then it also says they aren’t loadable? Why would they say they were saving when I can’t load them? Isn’t that what saving is FOR?
I’m not a gamer, I’m an idiot.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Calm Down, It’s Okay
Stede,
It’s fine. Honestly, I’m not sure how you managed to figure out quicksaves but ignore them. Just trust me on this. Press the X button on your Switch to bring up the menu and hit Save that way. Then it will always load.
These things all have their little tricks. The good news is that the same three publishers put out pretty much all of these games and configure them the same way so once you’ve got it down, you’ll be set for any game you like. If you're enjoying 7s’carlet, you should check out Collar Malice. More mystery solving but on a bigger scale.
Feel a little better?
-Ed
From: [email protected]
Subject: Thank You
Ed,
Sorry for that lapse in decorum in my last email. To be perfectly transparent, I went through a divorce a year or so ago when I realized that a) my wife was in love with her art teacher and b) I was gay. Two for two, as they say. It’s been a long year and some friends suggested I “get out and meet people” but I’m not sure I’m quite ready for that yet. When I discovered there was a whole genre of games revolving around solving mysteries and dating men, however, I knew this might be a good ‘first step.’
Lucius says I’m an idiot but it’s been fun, the little I’ve been able to play. I may not be ready for a proper date but flirting with digital men and having them respond positively, even if I’m playing as an implausibly beautiful girl next door and he’s some sort of mystical being trapped in the body of a handsome twenty four year old, is slowly helping me get over years of negative talk and self doubt about all of this.
So do I feel a little better? Yes. And I’m sorry to dump all this on you. Maybe it’s easier to talk to you because you’re just a computer screen (to me) that sometimes writes me nice emails but thank you for that. And for teaching me how to properly save. If Isora put me in a cage one more time, I was going to scream. And he’s supposed to be a romantic lead?!
Does anyone try to kidnap you for your own good in Collar Malice? I feel like there should be a warning.
Best,
Stede
From: [email protected]
Subject: No Worries
Mate, that sounds like a lot. Absolutely no worries about talking to me about it. I came out ages ago but it's always rough, especially that first time. I promise it gets easier. And even if you and your wife ended things, I hope it was at least a bit amicable? Sounds like it might be, despite the whole ‘in love with someone else’ thing? Maybe projecting a bit here but you don’t sound broken up about it. Trust me, being your authentic self is always better than anything else, even if it's hard sometimes.
Otome games are fun because they are dumb and ridiculous and somehow still kind of romantic half the time? I fully support this as a way to dip a toe into dating dudes even if it is absolutely nothing like it because now the worst thing a guy will do on a date is be rude to service workers when you’ve been prepared for him to admit to being part of an evil organization who threatened to murder your entire family twenty years earlier. Way lower stakes.
Yeah, I don’t know what the hell they were trying to pull with Isono. Just bad choices all around. If that threw you, definitely be careful with Amnesia: Memories and don’t play the Toma route. Trust me on that. Collar Malice has no weird kidnappings, I promise. Although there are a few things that are …. Well, I suppose I can give you spoilers if you ask but it will spoil other routes. What do you think?
Your Friend,
Ed
From: [email protected]
Subject: WHAT IS IT WITH MEN AND KIDNAPPING????
Ed,
Please. Why does this happen multiple times? I just googled the Toma Route of Amnesia: Memories and he keeps you in a cage in his room?!? And you’re supposed to be okay with this?!?! I just …
You’re certainly correct: nothing a man could do on a date would be worse than some of these supposedly romantic dating sim routes. Holy cannoli.
Yes, Mary and I have had a rather amicable divorce. Which has been lovely. It’s much easier being friends with her when I don’t have to pretend to be in love with her. And her new partner Doug is wonderful, everything I could never have been for her. They give me hope that there might be someone out there, waiting for me. I’d just been stuck in the wrong town for twenty years too long. I just hope he’s not too upset it took me this long to start looking for him.
Coming out has certainly been a journey. You’re right, it does get easier each time. And with a friend like Lucius, who is quite the Chatty Cathy, new folks tend to know before I meet them. Which I suppose is fine. I’m just being my authentic self, like you said.
By the way, it is quite unfair that you are both good at otome games and full of regular wisdom. Too much power in one person. I hope your partner knows how lucky they are to have you.
I can’t decide if I want Collar Malice spoilers or not. I think I’ll start it and email you as I feel I need. Is that alright?
Hope you’re well,
Stede
From: [email protected]
Subject: Your Guess is As Good As Mine
Stede,
I have no words on the cages. I’ve been playing these so long, I've started to just roll with things but you’re so fucking right, they’re horrible. I promise I will tell you about any cage-related storyline in any game I play, even if it’s 15 years from now. It’ll be the first thing I do, get you on fucking speed dial.
I’m glad to hear you’re friends with your ex. It definitely makes things easier. I’ve had some really terrible exes in my day and there is nothing worse than the way your stomach plummets when you realize you have to interact with them. I made the mistake of working with my ex for a while (we’d met when I was kicking him out of the bar I worked at for causing a scene which should have been the first red flag) and suffice it to say, never again. Also, just never date someone who goes by the initials CJ. There’s nothing good there. Just pure chaos and regret.
While I appreciate your words, I am currently partner-less. Single. Solitary. Unattached. Available. Eligible? I’m just throwing things out right now. But yeah, just me. And you, I guess. My email buddy. My dating sim disciple. My otome game gallant.
Stede, you can always email me.
Your Friend,
Ed
From: [email protected]
Subject: The Gentleman Gamer
I think that’s going to be my new handle online. Not that one really uses a ‘handle’ when one is only playing dating sims and the odd puzzle game. I think it fits. I hope it fits.
Consider me warned against all CJs. If I ever meet one, I will immediately turn on my heel and march the other way. They shall never have the pleasure of meeting me.
Can I even email you if I have nothing much to say?
Your Friend,
Stede
From: [email protected]
Subject: Of Course You Can
Stede, do you trust me?
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Of Course You Can
Yes
-sent from my iPhone
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: re: Of Course You Can
You have to promise not to be weirded out. After all, we’ve only been emailing for like two days.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: re: re: Of Course You Can
Ed. Yes.
-sent from my iPhone
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: re: re: re: Of Course You Can
Meet me at Guardian Games downtown at 5?
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: re: re: re: re: Of Course You Can
YES
-sent from my iPhone
From: [email protected]
Subject: Hi :)
I can’t believe I forgot to get your number. It’s a good thing I have your email.
On the one hand, I suppose I should find it strange that you were able to google my name and figure out we live in the same town but as you said, I have a very unique name and very poor internet privacy. I suppose it worked out for the best this time but you’re right, I probably should get Ivan to doublecheck all of that for me.
Ed, thank you for being so kind to me. Thank you for being so funny. Thank you for convincing me to play Spirit Island so I could relax a bit as we kicked those colonizers off our island. Thank you for taking me to dinner and letting us talk. Thank you for listening to me. Thank you for sharing, your stories and your fries. Thank you for inviting me over to show off your collection of games. Thank you for taking a chance.
Thank you for being Edward Teach. I think I’ve been looking for you for twenty years, I’ve just been in the wrong town. Thank you for waiting.
Yours,
Stede
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Hi :)
Yes, yes, yes. This is all very sweet and I agree on all points.
Now come back to bed. I'm not done cuddling with you yet.
-sent from my iPhone