AI-dol

Hi! Thought I'd check out your other games as well after playing Victor's Aesthetics :> 

As always, I love how you draw the eyes and hair. Your style is delicate, yet modern and glossy. I thought it worked really well with the techno-dystopian themes and whatnot.

I feel like most media that tries to integrate the topic of AI into media either turns out (1) pedantic or (2) doing the whole "oooh sexy robots~" thing (*cough* Ex Machina). I think your idea to explore idoldom in tandem with AI was a clever choice that ended up working really well! It allowed the exploration of other issues such as the public persona/private life and parasocial relationships without like, infodumping (what I mean is, a lot of these issues come up naturally over the course of game so nothing felt forced or shoehorned in).

AI is threatening to be more invasive, and I think the real thing is that people are getting so acclimated to AI as a baseline that they don't stop to consider how they're going to affect human values. The part under the night sky with Shiyu (?) was a bit of a gut punch because that was a moment in which we could drop the corporate environment and... kinda slow down to think about how so much of our freedom as humans is taken for granted. Very pretty scene.

Also the part where it takes AI-dols less than one minute to learn new songs and choreography. However audiences will be able to resonate with them more if they seem like they're working "harder" and "longer." God the dystopiaaaaa D: Aren't we already seeing ChatGPT try to do that by occasionally inserting grammatical errors into an otherwise polished essay. Calculated incompetence. Or those rp accounts with corporate IP that try to be likeable. >>.>>> Horrifying...

One thing is that the music is kind of repetitive, though I understand it's not easy to find a variety of loops. But I'm excited to see what you come out with next!

Also ah! I saw on your profile that you're in quite a similar position to me (illustrator interested in gamedev and philosophical themes) so I was wondering if you'd like to chat? I don't think there's a messaging sys on here (I'm new and actually found this game via a server you were in). 

Hallo! Although, I've written a proper review, I wanted to leave a comment in case that helps out the algorithm(?) promote your work. So, I thought I'd share a live-dubbed attempt for Ai-Dol, mixed in with stream commentary I exchanged with chat. I hope that and this helps bring some attention to your VN! We had lots of fun pondering over all the implications set forth by the plot. Shiyu was my favorite voice to perform for~

awesome so awesome game. gorgeous. i have a lot to say but i have to preface it by saying it is so awesome great  awesome game. I've only gone through one ending as of now but... wao.... i had to run to make a comment....

Before I get all pensive on the themes and story I will compliment the art :333 So awesome. gorgeous., love your power of. art . gorgoeus. this is such a silly compliment but love your power of color and shadow and light and.... in general i really like how the sprites and cgs are colored!!!!! despite all the backgrounds being very vibrant the characters never do take a backseat and manage to remain a focal point, their color palettes are also very beautiful and work awesome in harmony. i also really enjoy the use of soft and hard shadows  . gorgeous... Mentioning the backgrounds I know they're edited public domain photos but. You edited them so well???? They don't ever feel jarring against the characters, and I could see the constant use of certain shapes to keep their stylization consistent. Like really if you didn't mention they were public domain I wouldn't be able to tell because of the care put into making sure they fit the setting and theming of the game...

Talking about the setting and theming of the game :333....  Damn..... Like it really makes you think. From second one I'm sitting here like damn... so scary how technology has advanced in such ways to make AI take over a lot of the tasks that belong to humans. In current times it does hit closer to the fears many people including myself have, regarding how companies have put their sights into finding technology to replacing the work and passion that comes from humans in order to save investments. With the special focus on the entertainment industry in here, it really does reflect those worries well. I was especially shaken up by the segment where you could see an AI short film described... shiver... BUT THAT'S NOT THE MAIN THING ABOUT THIS GAME THAT HAS ME LIKE. DAMN....

What I really did become intrigued by is how this game showcases the concept of: If you were to make an AI designed to be as realistically human as possible and train it to be as genuinely human acting, at a certain point, is that really still an emotionless robot or is that a person? That's the thing that really had me thinking here with the boys of AI-dol. Seeing them further develop their goofy personalities and human quirks really did make me pity them, specially the conversation with Shiyu where he expresses how he imagines a world where he isn't tied to a purpose and being human. Like at a certain point where does the line blur between AI and people when it comes to such advanced technology? This can be highlighted in how the Presevers, who while I completely understand where they're coming from -I can't imagine myself sitting idly while human businesses are being taken over AI, replacing us and the need for education and our passions, as if we were disposable...- attack the Ai-dol boys. The ways they attack them, is not simply how you would hack a computer. They are sent hate letters, stalked... The same attacks that would wear down a human idol and make their mental health suffer. These attacks really leave you thinking about where the line blurs on taking justice on AI taking our jobs and attacking a person. This point becomes specially stronger around the end of the game (at least in the ending i got, i got pacifist because I worried my choices would affect the boys despite Jun's livelihood being on the line www) where rights are introduced for AI bots. I too am concerned about what this implies and does for the humans in the universe, but with everything shown, I can't help but feel bad the AI bots in here, who are so advanced that they might as well begin to be in the trenches with us in a distant future. 

I don't know if i was meant to think that deeply about this visual novel but i sure did BECAUSE IT'S SOOOOOO GOOODD...... wonderful game. 10/10 do recommend OH YEAH. THE CHARACTERS!!!!! they're so charming love them i forgot to say that wwww thank you!!! sorry for any incomprehensible text i don't speak English natively ^^; though even then it's not like i took the time to properly punctuate or grammar check this www sorry