This month, on this blog-site, I’ll address the question of the identity of “J” in the “shared diary of J and W”.
I’ll also return to uploading YouTube videos, starting with Part 2 of my video explaining “The Clover Field” storybook.
As I write this post, it appears that my YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/RuleOfRoseMysteries ) is on the verge, at 197 subscribers, of surpassing the 200 subscribers level. Yay! 
As always, the comment-thread of the most recent Month-iversary blog-post is a good place for off-topic discussions, or comments and questions about Rule of Rose of which one may not know where to place them to match the topic of a pre-existing post.
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I have purchased the Italian version of Rule of Rose so as to have a compatible game to play, while keeping the original version from California. I may start up a few game play videos myself once I find the right equipment. Do you have any suggestions about that, Poker?
I’ve thought about it, Mokgrok, and here’s my idea. As you will no doubt be doing a complete play-through, I suggest you do a video on how “The Little Princess” storybook grows throughout the game. I know that the storybook is much larger in the final chapter than it is at the end of the first chapter, and that it grows in steps, but I don’t know exactly when it grows. What connection is there between the progression of the game and the growth of the storybook? To study this, you will need to check the storybook regularly as you play.
Another project that would require a complete play-through (although it probably isn’t a video project) would be to check to see if the list of BucketKnight clues found in the Rule of Rose Gamescript FAQ (of TheSinnerChrono) is complete. There is sometimes information in these clues that can be found nowhere else. Discovering a BucketKnight clue that has been overlooked might provide important new information. The same Bucketknight will offer a different clue at one time in a chapter than it does at another time in the same chapter, so it might be easy to miss a clue.
Thank you for those ideas, I will definitely be doing those. I also had an idea of doing a video on how the Grimm fairy tale “The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids” links in with “The Goat Sisters” fairy tale and chapter of the game. It’s sort of an add-on to your blog post, so I will give you full credit for the idea and theory. I just need to find some sort of recording device that will allow me to be heard throughout the game while I’m playing, rather than adding my voice later on in editing.
Ahh I love this website and I finally opened that secret door near the VIP room. I was a little disappointed when all I got was a gun. I was hoping for something epic and shocking (like maybe a special cutscene or something?) But yeah I guess I’ll live with it hehe.
I Love Alex Shepherd said:
A gun is a good defence. Did it come with bullets? Or do you seem to have an ‘endless’ supply.
Mokgrok,
One needs to search for the bullets. According to the Item FAQ, 5 bullets can be found during the Rag Princess Sews chapter and 12 bullets during The Funeral chapter.
In my opinion, the best enemy to use the gun on is the bird imp in the Classroom during The Funeral chapter. That bird imp is extremely difficult to beat, even using the Knight Rapier. You don’t want to have to get close to that awful bird imp, but you must get close with every weapon except the gun. So the gun is the perfect weapon to use, in my opinion. Note: There is no need to go to the Classroom and fight the bird imp unless you want the TUESDAY phonograph record.
You can find twenty three bullets at all, plus the one already in the revolver makes four full loads.
During the rag princess :
One in Central stairway B,
two in Central stairway C;
three in Central stairway D ; (i forgot to draw one on my map, PUNISH ME)
two in the sector 13 lift.
Makes eight bullets.
During the funeral :
one in closet room,
one in headmaster room,
one in classroom,
one in inner court,
one in sick bay,
one in play area,
one in sewing room,
one in basement,
one in cell of repentance,
one in cell of bliss,
one in cell of solitude.
(during night for the following)
one in bathroom,
one in sick room,
one in martha’s room,
one in cafeteria,
Makes fiveteen bullets.
Thanks for the more complete information about finding bullets, Lussh!
You are welcome : )
Poker, my copy of Rule of Rose arrived today. *hyperventilates in a happy fit* I’m going to try to record my progress of the game when I first start playing. If not, I’ll finish the game and record it the second time through once I’ve unlocked the costumes and such.
I was watching a k-horror movie called “Whispering Corridors: Memento Mori” and couldn’t help but noticed some similarities it has with RoR. The relationship between the two main characters in the movie gives off the same feeling as the relationship between Wendy & Jennifer. It’s not just because they have the same hairstyles or that they also have a shared diary, but because the film also have themes of bullying and betrayal.
Like Wendy, Hyo-Shin is very possessive of her “lover”. She also reacts poorly to Shi-Eun’s decision to distance herself from her, viewing it as a betrayal. Another scene that reminded me of RoR was when Shi-Eun was walking in a hallway(?) then we suddenly see a flashback of Hyo-Shin and Shi-Eun running on the same hallway, one leading the other. Just like in the opening of RoR when Jennifer woke up in a park bench and sees two girls (Wendy and her younger self) running in the garden.
Welcome, aprilmoon!
I’ve watched “Whispering Corridors: Wishing Stairs”, but haven’t yet watched “Whispering Corridors: Memento Mori”. Thanks for bringing my attention to its similarity (in some respects) to RoR. I want to check that out.
Unfortunately, the movie, although listed at Netflix, has the notation “availability unknown” given with it when I put it in my queue (I suspect that means they can’t find any of their dvd’s of it), so I’ll have to look for it elsewhere.
Well, you can view it online for free at http://www.asian-horror-movies.com
Hey, I’m very very new to the site but the fascinating theories and info has me hooked. I recently played Rule of Rose for the second time and was really interested in understanding the symbolism in the game, which brought me here. And wow, I’m hearing things I’d never suspected!
Now, I haven’t had time to go through all the posts (understandably, I’ve only been visiting for three days), but I wanted to ask some questions that, hopefully, have not already been answered (or, at least, hypothesized at).
First of all, in the chapter “Once Upon A Time,” I noticed two things. First, I was interested if anybody’s noted the fact that you can hear the other orphans calling to Jennifer in that chapter. Is this just her memories playing games with her, or is there perhaps a deeper meaning to it?
Second, I find it interesting how Jennifer interacts with Wendy and Brown in this chapter. Wendy is left behind, despite her pleading, to be locked away in the orphanage. At the same time, brown is locked away in the shed on the Strange Hill. In fact, though I can’t confirm it, it almost sounds as if she’s locking the shed right whenever she closes it. My immediate thoughts are twofold:
A) Jennifer must leave Wendy behind subconsciously – ‘let her go,’ if you will – in order to move on with her own life.
B) Jennifer is sealing Brown away in a special place within her mind, perhaps so that she’ll never forget him and always be able to ‘revisit’ his memory.
These are just the ideas that popped into my head on the spot. I was wondering about what other thought.
I also had a question regarding the origins of Jennifer. Specifically: could it be that Jennifer was born an aristocrat or, at the very least, of an elite family?
This is possible by her very presence on the blimp: as the maiden voyage of Britain’s greatest airship, there’s no question that powerful or wealthy people would be the first to get on board. This leaves a potential opening for Jennifer’s family to have been highborn.
My second reason for suspecting this is due to the repeated references throughout the game of Jennifer skipping her duties. Jennifer openly admitted that she did laundry on a daily basis at the orphanage, and didn’t mind doing so because she liked the results of her work. In every other chore, however, it seems she was the slowpoke, the one who didn’t do much. She’s directly ridiculed in “The Funeral” by Mr. Hoffman for not doing chores ‘like the other children.’
The reason this seems so important to me is thus: if Jennifer was born of a wealthy family, she would potentially have a childhood free of personal responsibility. She certainly wouldn’t have any of the household chores that are required at the orphanage. Then, when she was taken in by Gregory, she was essentially locked away in his basement. She certainly wouldn’t have had much to do in the way of chores and responsibilities when she can’t even get out of her own room. All of this means that when she gets to the orphanage, she has no experience doing such things, for she’s never been required to do them. This would explain why she would skip her duties prior to finding Brown; she’d not really have a clue what she’s doing, and perhaps she avoided the work because of a personal fear that she couldn’t do it. She is a fairly weak-willed girl prior to Wendy’s ousting, after all. Brown himself only perpetuates the issue by giving her something interesting to distract her.
This might also help to explain a little of why the other orphans were so mean to her. Certainly one who skips chores while they’re doing the required work would be worthy of scorn.
I also point to Jennifer’s timid nature throughout most of the game. It could just be her personality, but I look at it from the perspective of one raised in luxury. If Jennifer, as a little girl prior to the crash, was in a wealthy family, there would probably be servants who would be required to obey her (in theory, at least). Suddenly being thrust into an orphanage setting, where she’s suddenly at the bottom of the food chain, could have had a dramatic effect: at this point, she’d have never had anyone say ‘no’ to her, much less give her orders. Perhaps her reaction to this was to simply obey and follow along.
Having the Red Rose Aristocrats already present at the orphanage could facilitate this transition, as well. If Jennifer were from a wealthy family, she’d be very aware of the difference of ‘class,’ and thus being set at the bottom of the Aristocrats chain could have had a very strong impact upon her.
These are all just my thoughts, developed over the past couple of days. If someone else has already brought this up, here’s just a little more for them to use in their defense. For my part, I’m just trying to piece the puzzle together and wanted input.
Wow, this was long. Sorry folks, I’m a long-winded writer. I do hope I’m not overshooting this.
Hello
You’re not overshooting this (whatever it may mean).
And i like when it’s long when it has an interesting meaning.
Your idea is brilliant, i admit i never thought about the social rank of Jennifer before her flight, and what you said seems so logical to me. Thanks and congrats.
Welcome, PaulAsaran!
I’ll reply in stages, as there is so much in your comment.
PaulAsaran wrote:
This has been noted before. See my blog-posts:
The Sounds and Voices of the “Once Upon A Time” Chapter (Part 1): Description
The Sounds and Voices of the “Once Upon A Time” Chapter (Part 2): Analysis
“The Once Upon A Time” Chapter: Happy Sounds, But Disturbing Sights
It is not only orphans that can be heard, but also Mr. Hoffman. And he sounds happy and genuinely affectionate. The orphans sound playful (in a good way) and inclusive of Jennifer (calling out her name in an inviting way). It seems to me that these are either Jennifer’s happiest memories of the orphanage, or these “memories” are wishful thinking on her part.
It might, or might not, be significant that we don’t hear Martha. Why isn’t Martha included?
Nothing wrong with having brought up this topic up here (there are so many of my blog-posts that it isn’t easy to find the most suitable ones), but let’s move further discussion of this part of your (PaulAsaran’s) comment to the comment threads of the above links. In this way, we’ll keep related discussions grouped together (people won’t easily find this discussion if we continue it here, in a Month-iversary post , once the “recent comments” feature doesn’t list it any more).
Just now added a third link to the comment above.
PaulAsaran wrote:
I think I dealt with this topic most directly in my blog-post:
Comparing Endings: “El Orfanato” (“The Orphanage”) and “Rule of Rose” (warning, movie spoilers!)
Unfortunately, that blog-post has some big spoilers about the film “The Orphanage” (“El Orfanato”) that you might want to avoid if you haven’t seen that movie yet.