What a ride so far! I just came across this vn and I’m SO glad that I did! I can’t wait to see where the story goes in the future! Thanks to all of you for you’re hard work! WONDERFUL vn so far! 5 stars ALL the way! Also I was wondering how often updates are posted? I couldn’t find reference to this anywhere and it was just a thought. Have a great day!
You can check devlog for info on pretty much every major update. But to save you the trouble, updates are slow and inconsistent (worth all the wait tho).
Hi! As the other person stated it's been a long time between updates so far. Approaching the end of Mike's route within development at the moment. While I wanted to have it finished this month, I've decided to add a few more CGs and two more character sprites while polishing the story just a little bit more. Looking to release Mike's route fully this year, and then likely 2-3 months each for John and Charles.
Hey! So I finished playing the recent build of Distant Travels recently, and I really liked it—definitely a solid 5 out of 5! It’s a sci-fi story about human emotions and quantum entanglement. The beginning is a bit slow, but it's worth it for the character development and world-building.
So, Alex, the main character, is like, super relatable, and each romantic route has its own unique dynamics, which is pretty cool.
Mike, the "bear" route, might seem like your typical love interest at first, but he's more than just a pretty face. He's respectful and strong, and his character arc is one of the most interesting in the game, in my opinion.💙🐻
But John really stands out as the exceptional character. His charm and depth are just amazing—and he loves to take naps! 😝
The artwork is stunning—the character designs are breathtaking, and the backgrounds are immersive. The soundtrack fits perfectly, and the user interface is sleek and easy to use. All these elements create an incredible atmosphere that pulls you in.
Yo, as you keep working on the game, I'd love to see even more of those special moments that make each character unique. Maybe if you explored deeper interactions or added some fun side stories, it could make the whole thing even richer and more enjoyable, but you do you, Grunt Steel. 🔥
It's clear that a lot of thought and passion has gone into this project, and I can't wait to see where you take it next. Definitely a game to keep an eye on!
Hi there, thanks for the review and the kind words!
I'd like to try and visit the characters more deeply, and there are side stories to be told in the coming update (It'll be known as "Memories" and feature a deeper look into the backstory of each character). So keep an eye out!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I BEG OF YOU MAKE A ROUTE FOR GERALT PLEASE I’M JUST ASKING FOR HIS ROUTE PLEASE PLEASE I’LL GIVE YOU MY SOUL AND FIRSTBORN IF NEEDED PLEASE 🥺🥺🥺🥺 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
No firstborn required, but I'll consider it once the other routes are done. (Those are getting closer and closer to being done, btw). It'd be fun with a Bruce route and a Geralt route. Thanks for the feedback and appreciation! /G
Sci-Fi FVNs are very rare and far between but they are pretty neat, Distant Travels however is amazing, it really tells a more grounded story, it has a slow start almost boring but it's very important for character and setting building, as the "About the Story" goes you play as your average Joe but compared to many other easy to project into protagonist (Self-Insert if you will) Alex (The default name for the MC) has a more relatable story and life situation, one many people can resonate with it even if they didn't went thru it. This and with a amazing supporting cast of characters really makes you feel at home, at a familiar place and it does in one the most natural ways possible.
That coupled with the amazing presentation this game have, with a whole soundtrack made by Camazule which really hits the Sci-Fi vibe and the romantic tensions in the musics pretty well and one of the best UIs and transitions in the VN space, it might seem odd to praise those things but it really helps immerse yourself and those little extra touches add on, it really shows how much passion was put on this project alone.
With that out of the way let's talk about the actual VN story, warning for some minor spoilers and a big one I will leave for John's part.
The main plot is not that uncommon, aliens seeking help for a human to deal with a problem is not exactly new but not too cliche, I will say it's niche and nice. If you played like the SNES JRPG Star Ocean then you might feel some similarities, well minus the time travel... for now, maybe (?). The MC, you, is not that special and to be honest your job is crucial but not "Oh you are the chosen one and only can save us" kinda of story which is very nice, is very easy to make Player and Character driven stories focus on much much the Player is important so seeing one where you are somewhat special but also not the selected one it's very nice.
The game gives a lot of choices to mold the personality of the MC so that helps a lot of exploring choices and knowing more about the world and the characters. The game really let's you feel more in control of your choices with a lot of moments taking input from the player. The story is fairly grounded as I mentioned before and there is a logical line you can follow easily on how things start, are right now and where they are going.
Now about the 3 route characters, Mike, Charles and... John. I will be honest here and say 3 routes is a lot of less then you would expect from a VN, I would say 5 is the average route numbers usually in those game, said that I don't mind it, sure is less characters to pursue however I feel like the intensity of the routes are higher, like the author made less options so they feel more meaningful and unique so here is my overview of each one:
Charles (The Tiger one): Charles route sadly at this writing has not really started, it ends right bit after of the route selection which is a bummer but from what is in the game so far I have high expectations from him, he has this more romantic and philosophic air but also very into more of this specific VN world building and technology, so tho I can't say much about him now I really hope we get to see more him.
Mike (The Bear one): Mike you typical main love interest of many VNs, he is good overall, not any bad or concerning quality that makes him undesirable and he is pretty respectful to the player, some might see him as a bland guy at first but I really cannot stress how much there is to unpack with him, the water is deep with this one but it's worth the dive.
Now... John (The Badger one): I will not beat around the bush here and say John is my by far one my favorite characters of all times and number one for this story, I will not try to give a unbiased opinion about him, everything you read here is how I feel about him, also I might delve into some spoilers so If you are reading this part I recommend skipping and I meant it because it's really good to go blind with him.
That being said John is a flirty character which to some might be a red flag in this genre of story but please give him a chance, he might sound a bit dirty and lewd but John is just way more forward with his feelings which can be a bit overwhelming at times and sometimes feels like being loved bombed but I assure you John does respect everyone around him specially the MC and unlike many other characters who can get touchy and inappropriate John never crosses the line, some jokes might be a tad too much but he never lays a finger on the MC without it's explicit consent and I really love that for a character who is could just be another horny ball. Another point I want to talk about John is how much he takes your opinions and word in consideration, he never dismisses your feelings or tell you how to act, he really is trying to be there for you and it's very sweet, John also has more then just good flirty and come backs, this is a bit of a personal view of him but he might have some hard time actually connecting with people and he pushes people away because he does not know how to act besides being flirty, he seeks companionship but I don't think he can a companion for now, maybe with your help he can find exactly what both of you are looking for. On another note there is sex on his route and I will say is the best sex scene I seen written, it's not a romantic "consummating" sex or just a fling controlled by lustful impulses, it felt like 2 friends having a nice sex, a fun sex, not a meaningless one but also not one that demands answers, it's natural and fun, it really changed me how to see sex in VNs are more then just either an act of intense love or lust, it showed it can be bit of both, a sex that you remember but does not bind you.
With all that said I am very excited to see what more this story has in store. It's on my favorite FVNs and I know the project development is slow and I will say this, I hope Grunt takes his time, it's a passion project and it really shows, the fact the whole thing is for free it's a steal and I hope the whole DT team can put their dreams into reality.
In all that I really recommend giving it a try.
"It is! My goal is to have the entire Mike route out before summer is over. Hopefully I'll make it, if not, I'll just keep working. /G" — dev comment from a little bit lower.
You may not resell or host any version of the game behind a paywall - as long as you release it for free and don't change any of the credits you may translate it and host it somewhere for redownload.
Thank you! I appreciate it. If you wish to help donate for more CG art in the game you can do so through ko-fi Although just the encouragement is enough, I read and appreciate every comment.
I'm very new to it, am only on chapter 3 rn, but I am just absolutely in love with the characters and story so far! There's so much to love here, and I really hope you're doing ok Mr. GruntSteel. I know the making of these fine novels can be exhausting, not to mention having to maintain a full-time job and all the other things that come w/ adulthood. But I just wanted to thank you for creating such a fine piece of artwork! Keep up the great work sir, you're doing amazing! I'll be sure to donate some money ^^
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Hey gruntsteel checking one of my fav vn hope it's almost done can't wait
What a ride so far! I just came across this vn and I’m SO glad that I did! I can’t wait to see where the story goes in the future! Thanks to all of you for you’re hard work! WONDERFUL vn so far! 5 stars ALL the way! Also I was wondering how often updates are posted? I couldn’t find reference to this anywhere and it was just a thought. Have a great day!
You can check devlog for info on pretty much every major update. But to save you the trouble, updates are slow and inconsistent (worth all the wait tho).
Hi! As the other person stated it's been a long time between updates so far. Approaching the end of Mike's route within development at the moment. While I wanted to have it finished this month, I've decided to add a few more CGs and two more character sprites while polishing the story just a little bit more. Looking to release Mike's route fully this year, and then likely 2-3 months each for John and Charles.
Thank you for the kind words, truly!
/G
Awesome! Thanks for the info! I Can’t wait! Take all the time you need! Again thanks for this wonderful experience! Take care!
Hey! So I finished playing the recent build of Distant Travels recently, and I really liked it—definitely a solid 5 out of 5! It’s a sci-fi story about human emotions and quantum entanglement. The beginning is a bit slow, but it's worth it for the character development and world-building.
So, Alex, the main character, is like, super relatable, and each romantic route has its own unique dynamics, which is pretty cool.
Mike, the "bear" route, might seem like your typical love interest at first, but he's more than just a pretty face. He's respectful and strong, and his character arc is one of the most interesting in the game, in my opinion.💙🐻
But John really stands out as the exceptional character. His charm and depth are just amazing—and he loves to take naps! 😝
The artwork is stunning—the character designs are breathtaking, and the backgrounds are immersive. The soundtrack fits perfectly, and the user interface is sleek and easy to use. All these elements create an incredible atmosphere that pulls you in.
Yo, as you keep working on the game, I'd love to see even more of those special moments that make each character unique. Maybe if you explored deeper interactions or added some fun side stories, it could make the whole thing even richer and more enjoyable, but you do you, Grunt Steel. 🔥
It's clear that a lot of thought and passion has gone into this project, and I can't wait to see where you take it next. Definitely a game to keep an eye on!
Hi there, thanks for the review and the kind words!
I'd like to try and visit the characters more deeply, and there are side stories to be told in the coming update (It'll be known as "Memories" and feature a deeper look into the backstory of each character). So keep an eye out!
Again, thank you for the kind words.
Take care! /G
Always ✌🏻🔥
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I BEG OF YOU MAKE A ROUTE FOR GERALT PLEASE I’M JUST ASKING FOR HIS ROUTE PLEASE PLEASE I’LL GIVE YOU MY SOUL AND FIRSTBORN IF NEEDED PLEASE 🥺🥺🥺🥺 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
No firstborn required, but I'll consider it once the other routes are done. (Those are getting closer and closer to being done, btw).
It'd be fun with a Bruce route and a Geralt route.
Thanks for the feedback and appreciation! /G
THANKS YOU RAHHHHHHHHHH I LOVE BOARS
Fr
"No firstborn required", but you'll consider taking the soul?
Innocent until proven guilty
So, Distant Travels.
Sci-Fi FVNs are very rare and far between but they are pretty neat, Distant Travels however is amazing, it really tells a more grounded story, it has a slow start almost boring but it's very important for character and setting building, as the "About the Story" goes you play as your average Joe but compared to many other easy to project into protagonist (Self-Insert if you will) Alex (The default name for the MC) has a more relatable story and life situation, one many people can resonate with it even if they didn't went thru it. This and with a amazing supporting cast of characters really makes you feel at home, at a familiar place and it does in one the most natural ways possible.
That coupled with the amazing presentation this game have, with a whole soundtrack made by Camazule which really hits the Sci-Fi vibe and the romantic tensions in the musics pretty well and one of the best UIs and transitions in the VN space, it might seem odd to praise those things but it really helps immerse yourself and those little extra touches add on, it really shows how much passion was put on this project alone.
With that out of the way let's talk about the actual VN story, warning for some minor spoilers and a big one I will leave for John's part.
The main plot is not that uncommon, aliens seeking help for a human to deal with a problem is not exactly new but not too cliche, I will say it's niche and nice. If you played like the SNES JRPG Star Ocean then you might feel some similarities, well minus the time travel...
for now, maybe (?). The MC, you, is not that special and to be honest your job is crucial but not "Oh you are the chosen one and only can save us" kinda of story which is very nice, is very easy to make Player and Character driven stories focus on much much the Player is important so seeing one where you are somewhat special but also not the selected one it's very nice.The game gives a lot of choices to mold the personality of the MC so that helps a lot of exploring choices and knowing more about the world and the characters. The game really let's you feel more in control of your choices with a lot of moments taking input from the player. The story is fairly grounded as I mentioned before and there is a logical line you can follow easily on how things start, are right now and where they are going.
Now about the 3 route characters, Mike, Charles and... John. I will be honest here and say 3 routes is a lot of less then you would expect from a VN, I would say 5 is the average route numbers usually in those game, said that I don't mind it, sure is less characters to pursue however I feel like the intensity of the routes are higher, like the author made less options so they feel more meaningful and unique so here is my overview of each one:
Charles (The Tiger one): Charles route sadly at this writing has not really started, it ends right bit after of the route selection which is a bummer but from what is in the game so far I have high expectations from him, he has this more romantic and philosophic air but also very into more of this specific VN world building and technology, so tho I can't say much about him now I really hope we get to see more him.
Mike (The Bear one): Mike you typical main love interest of many VNs, he is good overall, not any bad or concerning quality that makes him undesirable and he is pretty respectful to the player, some might see him as a bland guy at first but I really cannot stress how much there is to unpack with him, the water is deep with this one but it's worth the dive.
Now... John (The Badger one): I will not beat around the bush here and say John is my by far one my favorite characters of all times and number one for this story, I will not try to give a unbiased opinion about him, everything you read here is how I feel about him, also I might delve into some spoilers so If you are reading this part I recommend skipping and I meant it because it's really good to go blind with him. That being said John is a flirty character which to some might be a red flag in this genre of story but please give him a chance, he might sound a bit dirty and lewd but John is just way more forward with his feelings which can be a bit overwhelming at times and sometimes feels like being loved bombed but I assure you John does respect everyone around him specially the MC and unlike many other characters who can get touchy and inappropriate John never crosses the line, some jokes might be a tad too much but he never lays a finger on the MC without it's explicit consent and I really love that for a character who is could just be another horny ball. Another point I want to talk about John is how much he takes your opinions and word in consideration, he never dismisses your feelings or tell you how to act, he really is trying to be there for you and it's very sweet, John also has more then just good flirty and come backs, this is a bit of a personal view of him but he might have some hard time actually connecting with people and he pushes people away because he does not know how to act besides being flirty, he seeks companionship but I don't think he can a companion for now, maybe with your help he can find exactly what both of you are looking for. On another note there is sex on his route and I will say is the best sex scene I seen written, it's not a romantic "consummating" sex or just a fling controlled by lustful impulses, it felt like 2 friends having a nice sex, a fun sex, not a meaningless one but also not one that demands answers, it's natural and fun, it really changed me how to see sex in VNs are more then just either an act of intense love or lust, it showed it can be bit of both, a sex that you remember but does not bind you.
With all that said I am very excited to see what more this story has in store. It's on my favorite FVNs and I know the project development is slow and I will say this, I hope Grunt takes his time, it's a passion project and it really shows, the fact the whole thing is for free it's a steal and I hope the whole DT team can put their dreams into reality. In all that I really recommend giving it a try.
I'm sorry for not responding to this sooner, wanted to take my time to read it when I had a moment.
That said, thanks for the awesome review! I appreciate the insight and I'm happy you enjoy the story.
Take care!
/G
Keep up the great work! Was so connected to the Commander I got a huge crush can't wait to see his story more! :)
I just know an Update is cooking, the Sacrifices will not have been in vain
I want to keep traveling so badly! I miss all of them, mainly that naked bear 😢
When is the next update?
"It is! My goal is to have the entire Mike route out before summer is over. Hopefully I'll make it, if not, I'll just keep working.
/G" — dev comment from a little bit lower.
It would be pretty interesting if the Endless White left behind the clothes of the people it devours.
Hi,
You may not resell or host any version of the game behind a paywall - as long as you release it for free and don't change any of the credits you may translate it and host it somewhere for redownload.
/Grunt
Great story! Waiting to read more of it! Awesome work!
Holy fuck I'm in love with this VN. Without too much given away, my heart absolutely broke. You know what you did. 😑
Still such an amazing story so far! I absolutely need more! 💖
Thank you! I appreciate it. If you wish to help donate for more CG art in the game you can do so through ko-fi
Although just the encouragement is enough, I read and appreciate every comment.
Any news on the next update? There hasn't been an update since February 2023...
Still a while out, life's been... life-y. Sorry.
But it's still in the works, right? Then it's okay! :)
It is! My goal is to have the entire Mike route out before summer is over. Hopefully I'll make it, if not, I'll just keep working.
/G
I am very much looking forward to it!
The entire route from start to finish? You've been cooking, Grunt
Love it Love it Love !! Great writing, cool characters, nice music and an exciting story ! 10/10 <3
Thank you !!
Give us a peek sometime.
I love how theres a song called "bear naked"
funny
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS VN!! <3 ^^
I'm very new to it, am only on chapter 3 rn, but I am just absolutely in love with the characters and story so far! There's so much to love here, and I really hope you're doing ok Mr. GruntSteel. I know the making of these fine novels can be exhausting, not to mention having to maintain a full-time job and all the other things that come w/ adulthood. But I just wanted to thank you for creating such a fine piece of artwork! Keep up the great work sir, you're doing amazing! I'll be sure to donate some money ^^![Emoji Heart Sticker Love Emoticon PNG - art emoji, desktop wallpaper, emoji, emoticon, face | Heart emoji stickers, Pink heart emoji, Emoticon love]()
I just started playing this and immediately Charles caught my attention I can't wait for his route!!
Although I will say John is a sweetheart and definitely a close second but Charles definitely has a way of words.