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Mind Blind: The First Ending, Now Up (Until the very end, y'all. For realsies.)
🕑 Added 2025-02-23 07:11:52 +0000 UTCFirst off, I am so so so sorry for the delay to schedule! There were more bugs than I anticipated in the newly released sections, and then I had an idea (Chapter 18’s circular narration, to mimic Button literally running out of options), and then I had ANOTHER idea (which was to reveal Nick’s secret in this ending as well, instead of locking it behind Shard’s motives). I know, I know. I need to stop having new ideas when the pixilated ink is already on the virtual paper. But I’m actually pretty happy with how the rework turned out—even though this ending doesn’t reveal Shard’s identity, which was MB's driving mystery, I feel that Button learning about Nick still makes it emotionally satisfying even though some questions remained unanswered.
The tiny loose threads are dealt with in the epilogues, by the way, like what happened on the mission that you didn’t choose (in this case, going after Vengeance with Kenzie and Glitch). The epilogues are 90% fluff with the characters that you're closest to, in order to let you breathe a little after the breakneck pace of the final chapters (which is a very deliberate pace, but please let me know if any areas need to be slowed down for emotional impact).
Demo Link Is The Same As Before: https://cogdemos.ink/play/bardictype/mind-blind-shard
Saves may or may not work, but to be safe I would only use one before Chapter 15.
What This Ending Includes:
This ending is the “Save Nick” version that occurs if you don’t accept Shard’s help in Chapter 14, when you also make choices that indicate you DON’T want to meet with Hope (either because Button has a bad relationship with their mother, or because they’re still afraid of her).
The ending will play out automatically should you select to go save Nick regardless of choices, but those are the choices that you’ll need to make for it to make narrative sense. (Otherwise, John will do things like teleport from the library to a plane, and that’s not one of his Ment abilities.)
Two other “Save Nick” endings exist, one of which will happen if you accept Shard’s help, and another version which has Hope present. None of these endings are necessarily best—this version, for example, has the most Grayson! And I love Grayson, especially when he’s being a showoff. I’m aiming to release the Hope-Save-Nick ending either today or tomorrow, depending on how many bugs that I need to fix for this latest update. Then the Vengeance pathways go up, and then finally all of Shards nonsense. (Oh, Shard. I adore you, truly, glorious trainwreck that you are.)
Feedback That I’d Really, Really, Really Appreciate Getting Back After You Play (Contains Spoilers):
1) Does the way that the BRS work make sense? Does the psychic stuff make sense in general?
2) Your opinion on Nick’s inner self. Originally, it was different but I liked the role reversal of older and younger sibling.
3) Does the ending work? What about the decision to end on a choice instead of text?
4) Is the fake out funny or obnoxious? (You’ll know it when you get there.)
5) Was the romance content with Gray satisfying? (I know that Sally gets a little sidelined in this ending, but she also really gets to shine in the “Go Out The Window” pathway that I’ll patch in with the Vengeance endings. Every RO has an ending where they get to play the largest role.)
6) Did you feel like there was enough reactivity to your relationships? (Especially with Nick and John.)
7) Is there ANYTHING that doesn’t make sense? I’m not gonna lie, y’all, it’s rough going trying to describe a nontangible mindscape.
How To Report Bugs/Typos/Suggestions:
Please screenshot the page if possible (if not possible, please just make sure to include all the other information). Let me know the chapter number, and preferably what choices you made leading up to the error.
Bugs/Typos/Suggestions may be reported on the discord channel, or you can just comment on this post if that’s easier.
Comments
Shawnee Donahue
I just want to chime in super late that I thought the fakeout was super in theme with the story. I'm pretty sure you break the 4th wall a couple of times, so it didn't seem totally out of place. I enjoyed it, but can see how others may not.
saarebasra
Here are a couple of comments I was unable to leave earlier: - The new Rosy romance status is *everything* I wanted out of their romance! I have the faintest of hopes that it won't be their last relationship update, but even if it isn't, I can die happily. - Re: Rosy avoiding Button in Chapter 17: YMMV, but I wish Button would tell us more about *how* exactly Rosy kept avoiding them after we choose the "saving Nick" route. If you're a die-hard Rosymancer, you will probably choose '“What else is being done to locate Nick?” I ask Rosy.' before selecting the Nick route. That choice will net you the following insight: 'Rosy’s tired gaze softens as [they meet] your eyes.' If, during the Nick route, we go for the choice 'I tried to talk to Rosy before I left, but [they] kept avoiding me.', Button wonders about Rosy's motive for doing so. However, those paragraphs tell us remarkably little about why Rosy's behavior makes Button arrive at 'The way that Rosy acted, however, one would think that you’re a contagious disease.' Didn't Rosy already shut a door in our face? What made their behavior stand out this time? And what happened to Rosy's tired gaze that softened just for us, or the “penitent granted earthly absolution yet still fearing hellfire”? There have been several great instances when Button already noticed Rosy closing themself off, is this here similar or different? Just to be clear: Rosy's behavior makes absolute sense. I would simply appreciate a smoother transition between all that intensity and Rosy suddenly pulling back. It seemed as if Button was so focused on making assumptions that they never got to tell us what really happened. - Re: 'And now Grayson and Sohvi are suggesting that you use that same BRS implant on Nick' in Chapter 18. I wish there were more reactivity for Buttons, who told John they didn't want Hope to get the implant and repeated the same during the call with Hope. The only way to argue against it is currently tied to the Mirrortech/Vengeance connection. - Re: 'Your mother had pleaded with Nick not to encourage you to enroll at Aeon because it was “too dangerous.”' in Chapter 18. This probably cannot be helped, but if Button agrees to the phone call with Hope in chapter 9, two choice outcomes reframe Hope's position on Button enrolling at Aeon. In one of them, Hope replies "Good" when Button tells her that they aren't quitting Aeon. In the other, Hope corrects Button when they tell her they should never have enrolled, admitting that she and John should have supported Button's decision from the start. - Re: 'What is that last thought, heard by no one and immortalized nowhere?' Could Rosymancers regret they stupidly let Rosy avoid them during their last moments together?
