discussion VN Ren'Py [HS] Cosy Cafe [v0.13] [Cosy Creator]

[mettersan]

Is it just me or has there been a level up on the renders in the last update? They were good before, now they're great.

 

[elfieeven]

If every VN can give players options to skip to the newest update content at the game start like this one,then saves compatibility won't be a problem.

Doesn't work so well if you've been able to pick your LIs but honestly I prefer KN's for the tight story telling.

 

[Lostandquiet73]

This is actually a pretty cool game. Dialogue can be very fun and most girls are very interesting. I love Sarah and Akatsuki, but in general all the heroines are pretty cute.

The only thing I don't really like is that girls fall in love with the protagonist because he does something for them.

Spoiler: Spoiler

It's never because he is cool, or because he is charming, or because he is attractive; it's because he was Lucy's escape from her mother (and because he was the only person she could resort to, so it would be fairly obvious from a girl in her position and attachment issues to fall in love with him), because you needed the job, because he helped you deal with a stalker, or because he is the head of a founding family. This exchange view on romance is pretty cliché.

The only exception to this seems to be Akatsuki.

Spoiler: Spoiler

Albeit she was technically forced to spend time with him, she didn't fall for him because she needed something from him or because he got something from him, or because she has attachment issues.

 

[Lostandquiet73]

I finished the game last night and I hope we get to see more updates in the future. It's pretty good aside from what I previously mentioned. I love all of the girls, but my favorite ones are Sarah and Akatsuki. I can't really get enough of them.

 

[Bunker]

I really enjoy this one. I'm fully invested in how this story is playing out. Akatsuki is my favorite so far

 

[Lostandquiet73]

I really enjoy this one. I'm fully invested in how this story is playing out. Akatsuki is my favorite so far

A man of culture

 

[peyiwe95]

This is actually a pretty cool game. Dialogue can be very fun and most girls are very interesting. I love Sarah and Akatsuki, but in general all the heroines are pretty cute.

The only thing I don't really like is that girls fall in love with the protagonist because he does something for them.

Spoiler: Spoiler

It's never because he is cool, or because he is charming, or because he is attractive; it's because he was Lucy's escape from her mother (and because he was the only person she could resort to, so it would be fairly obvious from a girl in her position and attachment issues to fall in love with him), because you needed the job, because he helped you deal with a stalker, or because he is the head of a founding family. This exchange view on romance is pretty cliché.

The only exception to this seems to be Akatsuki.

Spoiler: Spoiler

Albeit she was technically forced to spend time with him, she didn't fall for him because she needed something from him or because he got something from him, or because she has attachment issues.

I don't see a problem with the exchange based romance especially since the guy has scored 3.5 GFs in just 3 weeks after arriving in town. If there were to be a more realistic or non-cliché build up he might have just now gotten with Lucy after 10 updates. I doubt that no matter how good the writing is, there are more than a handful of players that would have that much endurance. The action-reaction relationships keep the story moving at it's otherwise unrealistic pace.

If it helps, I would look more into the fact that he does choose to put himself out there for each of these LIs. Granted the situations are thin and simplistic, but he dives in nonetheless which does say a lot about his character.

 

[Lostandquiet73]

I don't see a problem with the exchange based romance especially since the guy has scored 3.5 GFs in just 3 weeks after arriving in town. If there were to be a more realistic or non-cliché build up he might have just now gotten with Lucy after 10 updates. I doubt that no matter how good the writing is, there are more than a handful of players that would have that much endurance. The action-reaction relationships keep the story moving at it's otherwise unrealistic pace.

If it helps, I would look more into the fact that he does choose to put himself out there for each of these LIs. Granted the situations are thin and simplistic, but he dives in nonetheless which does say a lot about his character.

I see where you are coming from. In a setting where all characters are barely meeting, exchange-based romance helps accelerate the pacing. Depending on your plot ideas, you could also solve this matter by having the protagonist already know the main heroines by the start of the game (like what Eternum does with Annie, Penelope, Nancy and Dalia), and, tbh, when there's chemistry there simply is chemistry, there's really no need for 10 updates to develop a sexual-affective relationship.

Exchange-based romance at least has some perks, maybe for people who use those types of interactions as signs of getting closer to a romantic relationship (which is not advisable in the real world though), and for people who don't want to think too much about how to approach heroines in a visual novel and are mostly interested in the sexual content.

 

[throwawayjwill17]

Big fan of the update. One of my favorite in-dev WEGs.

 

[Nezron]

This is actually a pretty cool game. Dialogue can be very fun and most girls are very interesting. I love Sarah and Akatsuki, but in general all the heroines are pretty cute.

The only thing I don't really like is that girls fall in love with the protagonist because he does something for them.

Spoiler: Spoiler

It's never because he is cool, or because he is charming, or because he is attractive; it's because he was Lucy's escape from her mother (and because he was the only person she could resort to, so it would be fairly obvious from a girl in her position and attachment issues to fall in love with him), because you needed the job, because he helped you deal with a stalker, or because he is the head of a founding family. This exchange view on romance is pretty cliché.

The only exception to this seems to be Akatsuki.

Spoiler: Spoiler

Albeit she was technically forced to spend time with him, she didn't fall for him because she needed something from him or because he got something from him, or because she has attachment issues.

I think Lucy would have fallen for the MC no matter what, just because he is nice to her. But all relationships are give and take, if you didn't get anything out of being with someone (even if it is just kindness) then why be with them?

Well anyway, I really like the game and all the girls.

 

[rocketsheep]

This game was on my mind off and on all day. It really does fit its title, it felt so cozy!

Any other suggestions of games with a (mostly) wholesome premise, an MC that works with all his girls to help them through insecurities, to make them strong and confident women who in turn treat him well and get along with each other? Wide variety of body types/ personalities is a plus.

It somewhat makes me think of another great game - Eternum - though that one definitely has much more conspiracy wrapped up in it.

Is it necromancy if you reply to a very old post in a thread that is still active? Anyway, the above question from November 2023 seems to be still unanswered. I do not have a perfect answer, but some excellent 'wholesome' games seem worth mentioning in this context:

1. Crimson High is a Manga-style game with an over-the-top supernatural plot and Koikatsu graphics. In a world full of abnormal people (vampires, animals turned into humans, and similar), the MC gets involved with a school for human and myth girls. He is destined to build a huge, wholesome harem that he will need to save the world. (Or something like that. So far we have only hints.) Like the MC of Cosy Cafe, he is always trying to solve the problems of his love interests. Unlike in Cosy Cafe, almost everyone in this world is female and a love interest.
2. You must be registered to see links
   (also nown as Cripple Girls) is a legendary classic AVN with an amazing origin story involving 4chan. Its setting is a school for handicapped students, and it's easy to get a bad ending. Unlike Cosy Cafe and Crimson High, which are obligatory harem builders, Katawa Shoujo branches and forces you to choose between love interests. But the good endings are typically very wholesome, and I can't help feeling that Crimson High might have been inspired by this game.
3. Jeijei's Harem is also quite wholesome, but it is a bit eccentric in a refreshing way. I am not sure if the developer, MC and love interests (especially Ada) are on the autism spectrum, but they are certainly not quite neurotypical.

 

[Tiur]

Is it necromancy if you reply to a very old post in a thread that is still active? Anyway, the above question from November 2023 seems to be still unanswered. I do not have a perfect answer, but some excellent 'wholesome' games seem worth mentioning in this context:

1. Crimson High is a Manga-style game with an over-the-top supernatural plot and Koikatsu graphics. In a world full of abnormal people (vampires, animals turned into humans, and similar), the MC gets involved with a school for human and myth girls. He is destined to build a huge, wholesome harem that he will need to save the world. (Or something like that. So far we have only hints.) Like the MC of Cosy Cafe, he is always trying to solve the problems of his love interests. Unlike in Cosy Cafe, almost everyone in this world is female and a love interest.
2. You must be registered to see links
   (also nown as Cripple Girls) is a legendary classic AVN with an amazing origin story involving 4chan. Its setting is a school for handicapped students, and it's easy to get a bad ending. Unlike Cosy Cafe and Crimson High, which are obligatory harem builders, Katawa Shoujo branches and forces you to choose between love interests. But the good endings are typically very wholesome, and I can't help feeling that Crimson High might have been inspired by this game.
3. Jeijei's Harem is also quite wholesome, but it is a bit eccentric in a refreshing way. I am not sure if the developer, MC and love interests (especially Ada) are on the autism spectrum, but they are certainly not quite neurotypical.

I second the rec for Crimson High, it's one of my favorite VNs ever at this point, and almost every LI is adorable and likable (wtb more Quoth). One thing I'll mention, since I've seen people complain that Cosy Cafe is too slow-burn: CH is even slower with regard to sex scenes specifically, but has a lot of great romantic scenes and excellent writing. Trust that the sex scenes will be ramping up now due to a couple reasons that are too spoilery to mention, and note that certain story elements appearing near the start of the game (which cockblock the MC from having sex with several of the best LIs) do not last forever.

As for Jeijei's Harem, I would have agreed if the update currently on LC was the most recent update, but it's not, and the update that came after 0.12 absolutely ruined the game, destroying the wholesome feel of part 1 entirely. I can go into more detail, but it's probably better to do that in that game's thread once the part 1 final and part 2 updates are here on LC.

Edited to add that I did in fact make a post about Jeijei's Harem in its own thread.

 

[rocketsheep]

OK, I had already played the current version (0.3) of part 2 (Jeijei's Harem - A New Home) and would never have proposed it here. (It's not bad, it just isn't a cosy, wholesome harem game.) For some reason I had not played days 12 and 13 of part 1. I have done so now and it treats a dark topic in a good faith positive way that some people might consider a bit insensitive. And the end is basically the beginning of part 2. But yes, let's continue the discussion over there.

 

[Shanai]

Sarah is by far my favorite! Love spicy little redheads.

 

[ramy668]

Really great to see another wholesome harem game

 

[irpotato556]

Wow, such high ratings. I guess I gotta give this one a go!

The last time I've played this was v.4 and I loved it.. Every time I come back around there is a another update just on the edge of being released so I sit and wait then proceed to get distracted by another game and here we are, 7 versions later finally installing it again.

 

[Lostandquiet73]

Does anybody know what the last dev log says?

 

[Tiur]

Does anybody know what the last dev log says?

Nothing particularly important. Just that 0.12 writing has been slow because of having to fix bugs in the new UI, including broken saves... But not nonexistent, having gotten ~10k words done so far for it.

 

[TinCann]

For some reason, this looks familiar. I feel like I've seen it before. Not going to stop me from trying it out though.....

 

[Lostandquiet73]

Nothing particularly important. Just that 0.12 writing has been slow because of having to fix bugs in the new UI, including broken saves... But not nonexistent, having gotten ~10k words done so far for it.

Thanks for the reply. It's cool to see that the game is progressing. Bug fixing is equally important!