don't take it personally, babe, it just ain't your story
April 4, 2011 9:52 AM Subscribe
Seven students, three endings, one eavesdropping teacher. don't take it personally, babe, it just ain't your story is a full length digital novel by the writer of Digital: A Love Story. Luscious high-school drama with a delicious sprinkle of social network navel-gazing.
Digital is one of those gems that I recommend to anyone who's curious about games and their value as a unique experience of storytelling. Such great work.
Anyway, can't wait to check this out.
posted by m_steven_a at 10:18 AM on April 4, 2011
Anyway, can't wait to check this out.
posted by m_steven_a at 10:18 AM on April 4, 2011
I loved Digital. It actually made me cry a lot, because it reminded me of a kind of doomed relationship I had when I was 20.
posted by empath at 10:37 AM on April 4, 2011
posted by empath at 10:37 AM on April 4, 2011
If anyone hasn't played Digital: A Love Story, be sure to check that out as well. I was impressed both with Christine's writing and that she cited my own site as a historical resource that I invited her to an onstage conversation about it at the last HOPE conference. Here's the audio. And here's the video.
posted by jscott at 10:52 AM on April 4, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by jscott at 10:52 AM on April 4, 2011 [4 favorites]
I just finished it. Note: there is going to be a points where you are going to be like, what? whattttttt? Keep going.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 11:16 AM on April 4, 2011
posted by The Devil Tesla at 11:16 AM on April 4, 2011
you are going to be like, what? whattttttt?
One could argue this was the case with Digital, and was part of the style.
posted by jscott at 11:21 AM on April 4, 2011
One could argue this was the case with Digital, and was part of the style.
posted by jscott at 11:21 AM on April 4, 2011
One could argue this was the case with Digital, and was part of the style.
I'm not saying its a bad thing :p
posted by The Devil Tesla at 11:50 AM on April 4, 2011
I'm not saying its a bad thing :p
posted by The Devil Tesla at 11:50 AM on April 4, 2011
I didn't expect to enjoy this, but downloaded it because I was interested in the format. It turns out I'm enchanted and delighted and laughing a lot - this is very witty. Also, my vocabulary is expanding. Totes for real.
I've never read anything this way. (When I want to read novels, I generally pick up a book.) When it's described as a full length novel, what does that mean? I'm on chapter 6; how many chapters are there? The lack of paper is disorienting.
posted by DarlingBri at 9:00 PM on April 4, 2011
I've never read anything this way. (When I want to read novels, I generally pick up a book.) When it's described as a full length novel, what does that mean? I'm on chapter 6; how many chapters are there? The lack of paper is disorienting.
posted by DarlingBri at 9:00 PM on April 4, 2011
7 chapters! That was great. Thanks!
posted by DarlingBri at 9:32 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by DarlingBri at 9:32 PM on April 4, 2011
I"m not sure I liked the ending, but I was completely absorbed all the way up to the last chapter. She's such a fantastic writer, and just a kid. Really amazing talent.
posted by empath at 11:06 PM on April 4, 2011
posted by empath at 11:06 PM on April 4, 2011
Does anyone know what the different endings are?
I played through it a few times, so I can answer this somewhat. Spoilers, obv. The climax scene is the same no matter what you do, which is good because its awesome. The resolution afterwards changes depending on how you treat Arianna throughout the game, and I believe with one other Arianna focused decision. The other decision that really changes the story is deciding to tell Charlotte to get back together with Kendall. If you do they are the ones who can go to the dance in chapter six, and if they aren't together Nolan and Akira (note, no matter what you say they get together) can go. (I really don't think you can get both to go, which is sadface) Both versions of the story are awesome, so check it out.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 12:22 PM on April 5, 2011
I played through it a few times, so I can answer this somewhat. Spoilers, obv. The climax scene is the same no matter what you do, which is good because its awesome. The resolution afterwards changes depending on how you treat Arianna throughout the game, and I believe with one other Arianna focused decision. The other decision that really changes the story is deciding to tell Charlotte to get back together with Kendall. If you do they are the ones who can go to the dance in chapter six, and if they aren't together Nolan and Akira (note, no matter what you say they get together) can go. (I really don't think you can get both to go, which is sadface) Both versions of the story are awesome, so check it out.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 12:22 PM on April 5, 2011
empath: There's a good discussion thread on it here.
Wow, I would have thought RPS readers would have had a more thoughtful, less knee-jerk reaction to parts of the storyline. Even after it is explicitly stated in the review that 16 is the age of consent in the UK, few of the commenters can seem to get passed the student/teacher tangent.
Anyway, on the screenshots there was a downtown scene. I don't think I saw that... did everyone else make choices that got them to downtown? I want to go downtown!
posted by DarlingBri at 6:36 PM on April 9, 2011
Wow, I would have thought RPS readers would have had a more thoughtful, less knee-jerk reaction to parts of the storyline. Even after it is explicitly stated in the review that 16 is the age of consent in the UK, few of the commenters can seem to get passed the student/teacher tangent.
Anyway, on the screenshots there was a downtown scene. I don't think I saw that... did everyone else make choices that got them to downtown? I want to go downtown!
posted by DarlingBri at 6:36 PM on April 9, 2011
The downtown scene is your second 'date'.
If you think the RPS thread is bad, you should read the clusterfuck on something awful.
The hilarious part about that thread is that she's totally from the 4chan/goon culture and basically predicts that exact reaction on the 12chan threads in the game, and nobody on SA actually gets it.
posted by empath at 6:54 PM on April 9, 2011
If you think the RPS thread is bad, you should read the clusterfuck on something awful.
The hilarious part about that thread is that she's totally from the 4chan/goon culture and basically predicts that exact reaction on the 12chan threads in the game, and nobody on SA actually gets it.
posted by empath at 6:54 PM on April 9, 2011
I've played for a few minutes, and I'm starting to like it. It's not quite Digital, but I don't think the story elements have all been revealed or really congealed, so it has a lot of potential.
Also, the fact they use current web slang but would have to have been born around today seems strange. Language is constantly evolving, and internet slang seems to evolve even faster. I can't see the babies of today growing up to say "protip" or "cool story, bro" in high school. Personally, I kind of wish they spoke in Nadsat, but that's just how big a nerd I am.
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:00 PM on April 10, 2011
Also, the fact they use current web slang but would have to have been born around today seems strange. Language is constantly evolving, and internet slang seems to evolve even faster. I can't see the babies of today growing up to say "protip" or "cool story, bro" in high school. Personally, I kind of wish they spoke in Nadsat, but that's just how big a nerd I am.
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:00 PM on April 10, 2011
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