PINE POINT: INSOMNIAC | Full Playthrough

So I made a visual novel.
it's called pinepoint Insomniac.

Um, yeah okay I know
this is not ramshackle episode 2 but

I just really needed to
get this out of my system because

Pine Point's been occupying my brain
for God knows how long now

and I just needed to make something with it

before I can like move on with my life

Um, and I'll let you in on a secret

I'm actually not a gamer

So why the fuck did I make a visual novel

it's because I hate making comics

and if I had to make another animated pilot

with pinepoint I would simply pass away

It's, it'll take too long it's too much work

So yeah, I was like why not

let's take the plunge and try
completely different storytelling medium

Snd I think it turned out all right

Um, in terms of story like everything is completely

I don't know different from ramshackle like it's

pinepoint is way more serious and dramatic it's kind of a

Coming of Age sort of thing and it's way more like

surreal and weird and kind of creepy

which I was really excited to dive into it's just

you know stepping out of my comfort zone doing a little bit of exploring

and I hope you like it

uh the game is free to play
if you want to play it on your own but

today I'm going to be recording
myself playing it because

I know some of y'all are too lazy to play it on your own

I totally respect that

and some of you probably just want to see
me make a fool out of myself

because I've never streamed a game before

um so that'll be fun

if you want to support um my future Creations you can

you know support the patreon or grab
some merch yada yada yada

you get the point
let's stop yapping and start playing

thanks for joining me
let's go

"this community protected neighborhood watch"

Zoom

You're no stranger to the feeling of being watched.

The people of Pine Point stare at you all the time, whispering things and talking behind your back.

"There goes that kid who sleeps in the woods again."

"What a freak."

They always look so offended, like you're about to drown their dog or smash their car windows with a baseball bat or something.

To be fair, you DID do the latter to Roark Romano's brand new Civic last summer, but it was in the name of justice.

Yeah.

Justice.

Despite being used to the judgemental eye of the town, you admit the past few days have felt.

...difeferent.

It's the kind of different that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, the kind that makes you think someone is standing behind you...

...but when you turn around there's nothing except the summer breeze...

That's why you haven't gotten a single hour of sleep in the past few days, despite curbing your insomnia ages ago.

It's this goddamn town.

It's driving you crazy.

Nil: Yawn...

Dimitri: Whooooah, did you carry your groceries with those eye bags.

I'm going to kill you.

Not if I kill you first.

I know where they keep the industrial strength bleach.

I'll lock you in the meat freezer.

Joke's on you, the freezer lock's broken.

I jammed it on my first day and they never fixed it.

Dammit.

10AM's too early for murder anyway.

But not too early for prep work!

Dimitri, teach Nil the sauce station today, will ya?

Sure thing, boss.

Okay, Marco also says you make the thin crust pizzas too thick and the thick crust ones too thin, so I gotta run you through everything again on top of teaching you the sauce station.

Oh, and they're adding some gimmicky summertime promo so we gotta learn how to make that monstrosity too.

Yawn...

It'd be a miracle if you survived today's shift.

Normally, you wouldn't give a rat's ass about a minimum wage job and would much rather play hooky, but this time you get to work with Dimitri.

You don't want to disappoint your best friend.

He did help land you this job, after all.

Snoozin' on your second day?

Tsk, tsk.

Did you stay up watching the rerun of Snailman and Slime Frog too?

I'm goint with...

Shit like that is never good as you remember.

You know what they say.
Nostalgia's a hell of a drug, and I'm jonesing.

They played the episode where Snailman was dying cuz he couldn't make enough slime, so Slime Frog had to give him a slime transplant.

How could I forget the greatest television line ever written...

"It's slime time."

"He's not just a Slime Frog, he's also-"

"my Slime Friend."

Shitty writing or not, that shit had us kids in a fuckin' chokehold.

Remember when we dressed up as them for Halloween? My mom still has the photos.

I wish I could forget.

Your head was so big we had to cut the costume so you could fit through the hole.

Hm...

Seems like things haven't really changed.

Hey, you know what they say about big heads.

I'd love to pay you two to reminisce, but I pay you to make pizzas, okay?

What were you like as a kid, Marco?

Oh, got into all sorts of trouble. Stay in school, kids, or else you'll end up like me.

What, bald and divorced?

Hah!

Shuddup, kid.

Haha!

Everyone in town loves Dimitri, and Dimitri loves them right back.

It's weird.

Dimitri even gets along with authority figures,
which is something you could never achieve in an entire lifetime.

But you guess that's why you didn't mind his company — he never cared if you slept in the woods or had anger issues or whatever.

He just treats you like everyone else, instead of like some rabid stray animal.

Too bad he's not going to be here forever.

Not bad for your second day.

...You're being way too nice.

No, seriously. When I first started, mine looked worse and I wasn't even stoned.

Marco can probably teach you how to do the dough toss thing when you're more accustomed.

He's been in the biz for like, 40 years.

Holy shit. 40 years?

You look around the ugly, fluorescent-lit kitchen. No windows, no A/C, over 12 hours a day, for 40 years.

Doing the same thing, over and over for over half your life... then having kids, and making them do the same thing over and over in the same small town you grew up in...

You can't stomach it.

Hey, can I come with you?

To the storage room?

No, stupid. To uni.

To do what?

I dunno. Hang out?

Hang out?

Yeah, I don't know if it's that easy, haha.

Seemed easy for you.

What's that supposed to mean?

Nevermind.
Pretend I never said anything.

Dude... I spent so many nights studying til my brain turned to static, plus I worked two jobs.

You don't think I busted my ass off to get into university?

No, you're the hardest working person I know. I didn't mean it like that. Sorry.

It was the hardest I've ever worked for anything in my life.

It just kinda rubs me the wrong way when people assume things about me, y'know?

But it's cool, I'm sure you didn't mean any harm. Wanna drop it?

Yeah, let's drop it.

...

...

So... what should we do with the band?

I mean, you'll still have Momo and Journey, right?

I know a couple guys who can fill in as guitarist if you still wanna continue band stuff.

Either that, or you're gonna have to finally pick up a guitar.

It shouldn't be too hard to replace me, though.

The fluorescent lights are starting to get to you for some reason.

You should stay in Pine Point. We could go fishing at Lost Lake every day.

Man, I wish! That would be the fuckin' dream.

That's definitely one of the things I'll miss about Pine Point- the fishing here's too good.

I don't even know if they have lakes where I'm going.

No lakes?

Fuck that.

Y'know, sometimes I wish I was more like you. No thoughts in my brain except for fishing.

You calling me dumb?

Yes. But I'm also kinda jealous.

You're like a wild animal, you just do whatever the fuck you want and you don't give a shit about what people think.

I respect the hell out of that.

I could never live the way you live.

You're more like a coyote and I'm more of just a... sheepdog.

People love sheepdogs though.

I've never heard anyone say their favorite animal was a coyote.

Eh, to each their own. I think coyotes are pretty neat.

You're fuckin' weird.

But yeah, trust me, I'd choose to stay in Pine Point if I could.

Now the fluorescent lights are really starting to get to you.

There's the sleep deprivation finally catching up. But this is not the right time. You can't afford to lose this job.

You feel your heart thumping slowly and heavily, and your vision starts to blur. Your body craves sleep, and you want to pass out right there, but there's something...

...there!!

!!!

...

...It really wasn't that bad. I woulda eaten it.

You've been looking really tired lately, you okay?

Sorry. I'm fine.

No you're not. You look like Mrs. Samanski after her divorce.

I know you're a coffee hater, but Marco always keeps a pot warm for employees if you want some.

...You know what, fine. I'll bite.

Dope. Coffee's over there.

There's usually sugar and creamers too.

Dimitri points you over to the front where they keep the coffee pot. You walk over and the bitter smell makes your nose scrunch in disgust.

You're more of a soda drinker yourself.

Still, you have to survive the day somehow, and you pour yourself a cup.

You find the sugar and creamers stashed behind the coffee pot, and add one of each to the steaming black liquid.

You take a sip.

EUGH.

How do people drink this shit?

Maybe it needs more sugar...

Perfect.

You're not proud of your childlike palate, but the coffee is finally drinkable.

You guzzle down your cup, not flinching even one bit. It's much better than before.

Now you're wide awake and ready to take on the rest of the day.

Except you feel as if your third eye opened and your heart is now about to beat out of your chest and you wanna throw up and oh god if you don't rip your fucking heart out right now you'll explode oh fuck is there someone standing behind you are you gonna die-

You good?

Yeah, I'm fine.

You don't have to check in on me every second, y'know.

Sorry, oldest sibling habits.

How's the coffee? Nasty?

...*hurk*

Haha. Bathroom's to your left.

Thanks.

You'll learn to like it someday!

Ughhh...

If there's anything you hate the most, it's throwing up.

You've had a rough couple of days, and this isn't helping with that sense of dread you've been feeling.

The bathroom tiles are cool against your skin, and maybe if you just shut your eyes for a while, you'll return to normal...

"goodnight"

"Ending (1/3): Coffee"

Yeah, coffee's nasty. I'll take my 15.

That's a good idea. Fresh air should be good for ya.

You step outside and take a stroll around the block.

Somehow the automotive repair shop around the corner is still in business, even though it looks like it should have been demolished years ago.

This small-ass town has nothing and is nothing, but hey- at least today the weather was nice.

You decide to continue up the street to hit up Junkie's convenience for a soda.

Oh god, Momo and Journey are here.

Fuuuuck. Is it too late to turn back?

NIIIIIIIL! Nil!!

Did you catch last night's episode of Snailman and Slime Frog?
They're doing reruns!!

Yeah, I heard.

I'm just here to grab a soda so could you fuck off, please?

It's wild; when you rewatch these shows as an adult, you catch all the dark shit they threw in, all the stuff that flew over our heads as kids.

Like, did you know the Slippery Seven were actually based off of the seven deadly sins?

Yeah, you can't convince me to rewatch that shit. It's never gonna hit the same as when we were younger.

Hi, Nil!

...Hi.

What are you guys even doing here?

Freestylin'!

...Okay.

Dimitri told us you were working with him now. How's it feel to be part of the dead-end job club?

Feels great.

Can I go now?

WAIT!

I JUST REALIZED SOMETHING...!

You look like shit!

Thanks.

Yeah, I know that look. That's the insomnia look.

You been out canoodling? Getting all up in kerfuffles in the AM?

Nah, just thinking about...

What happens next.

What, like, after dying?

You could say that.

It's good that you're here, then.

Gimme yer hand.

Pop two of these an hour before bed and you'll be out like a light.

Something tells me I shouldn't trust these.

Or you.

This better not be fuckin' acid.

It's just melatonin. You're not the only one who's losing sleep freaking out about the future.

Not saying that I freak out about the future, it's just I'm sure someone out there is.

That's why I carry melatonin. So I can sell it to the people who are freaking out.

For you, it's free of charge, but! Only if you're on time for band practice on Friday.

Otherwise it's gonna run ya your firstborn and a pack of Cheetos.

You're barely on time yourself...

I'm the bassist, I can do whatever I want!

Okay, okay, whatever. My 15's almost up. I'll see ya Friday.

Bye, Nil!

Ugh, what a day.

There's a reason why Momo and Journey are Dimitri's friends and not yours.

Wait, dammit. You never got your soda.

But at least Momo hooked you up with some melatonin, which couuuuld be good for you.

You take the pills out of your pocket and stare at them for a while.

Sleeping alone in the woods is how you cured your insomnia in the first place.

You discovered this when you got locked out of the house one day and decided to spend the night at Lost Lake.

You had the best sleep of your life, and now, the woods are your haven.

On most nights, the harmony of the frogs croaking and rustle of the breeze lull you to sleep - but again, your survival instincts have been forcing you to be on guard for the past couple of days.

...You imagine another restless night and lugging your sleep-deprived body to work again the next day and...

Yeah, no. You gotta take the melatonin, or else you're gonna be deliriously chucking shittily-made pizzas at Dimitri's head again.

You pop the pills and wait for the wave of sleep to wash over you.

Finally.

...

That was NOT melatonin.

Momoooo you bitch.

Is that...

...Snailman and Slime Frog?

They look... different.

Nil!

Dimitri?

Good luck.

Wait!

Do you have...

...a pair of scissors?

This costume's...

...too small...

"splip."

"goodnight"

"Ending (2/3): It wasn't melatonin"

Nah.

Okay, well, how about you stay over at my place tonight? It's about time you tried sleeping in a normal bed again.

We can play pong. Or I can show you some shit I wrote for the band. C'mon, you haven't been over in forever.

You do kind of miss hanging out in Dimitri's room.

You didn't like interacting with his family so you'd always climb up and get in through his window on the second floor.

He hated it.

Fine, I'll stay over.

Right on.

Ugh, that sucked.

I can't believe we ate the wall pizza too.

I can't stand the sight of wasting food! I hate when my siblings do it.

There were DEAD FLIES on the wall, dude.
Stuck there with thousand-year-old grease.

You practically live in the woods;
I'm sure you've eaten worse.

You're right.

I've had Momo's food.

I swear the only things
she knows how to make are pregnancy cravings.

You're not wrong on that front.

Here, listen to this song I wrote about Juno.

I'm gonna pitch it to the band this Friday.
Tell me if it sucks ass.

Dimitri's room is where you fell in love with music.

The days spent listening to whiny vocalists and shitty distorted guitar while doing homework. It was a miracle you even got any assignments done.

Eventually, you and a couple of Dimitri's other friends formed a crappy little garage band called 'My Life is a Shitshow and I Can't Wipe Away the Stains', and now you're playing at some guy's basement in a couple of weeks.

They all roped you into doing vocals because you were good at yelling or whatever, which is apparently good for punk.

You were reluctant at first, claiming that you were only there for the free sodas, but now this shitty little garage band is the only time you ever feel like you're wanted.

If only summer didn't end. Then things could remain exactly how they are, and how they used to be.

Thankfully, Dimitri's room hasn't changed one bit.

You look around the room and your eyes land on Dimitri's Snailman and Slime Frog poster.

That nerd.

That poster is probably at least 11 years old.

Dimitri was the one who introduced you to the show, and you remember following him home every day after school to watch the new episode.

There's the lighter you gave him in tenth grade.

The stop sign you toppled over when Dimitri let you take Juno for a spin.

Never again.

He even kept the cool stick you found in the woods.

Why did he tape it up like that...

Oh.

Man, your head WAS big.

When are you leaving?

For uni? The 27th.

I see.

Dude, don't worry 'bout that right now. We still have plenty of summer left.

...

Tell you what. I don't know what the future's gonna look like, but let's make this the best summer of our lives.

You wanna go fishing at Lost Lake?

I'll grab my finest tackle.

Wanna grab 2AM slushies?

I'll meet you at the Junkie's parking lot 5, even 10 minutes early.

Wanna get high and play Pong at my house?

I'll be here. Just call me.

But for now- please, just shut the fuck up and get some sleep.

Okay, okay, jeez.

Your last summer together, before everything changes.

You take in the droning sound of Dimitri's guitar playing, this precious snapshot that you know will be no more in a couple months' time.

However, at this exact moment, things are exactly how they used to be.

And for the first time in about a week, the sense of dread that's been following you around is not there.

Slowly, you finally drift to sleep.

"Ending (3/3): Good night"

well that's that

if you guys want to support more content from me

whether it be ramshackle or pinepoint

um be sure to either support the patreon or grab some merch on your way out

uh special thanks to my current patron and current supporters

as well as my programmer sweets

Um, we worked really hard on it together

and I hope you guys enjoyed it

if you guys end up really liking pinepoint
I'll consider doing something more with it in the future

but for now have this

humble little visual novel

um again hope you guys liked it

and I'll see you when I see you