Welcome to Ace of Spades!
Genres: Fiction, New Adult Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Romance, Bromance
(25/Jan/2021) Demo version 2.0 is live! (Old saves won’t work because of a stat change, so please start a fresh game for this update!)
Chapter Two (part one), 61k words.
- Muscle specialization changes (the charges are now extortion instead of assault)
- Smoother flashback transitions
- Longer scene with J at the end of Chapter One
- MC’s past is revealed
- GREAT traits included: conspiracy nut and pop culture connoisseur
- Meet L and R, the final two ROs
- A thought keeping bees at their apartment would be a good idea
- Time to crime!
- Mafia? Shiny stones!
Next update?
- February 28 if all goes well!
- More crime, but hands on this time
- Who’s that suit who keeps chasing you? Hint: it’s J
- Time to really crime
- Time to get arrested
- Time to close a deal
Please let me know any high level feedback you have! Say, if you find any parts too long or too lame or too confusing, if a reaction you got didn’t match your MC’s personality stats, if there were any bits that you felt could be part of a choice menu but weren’t (some parts I can’t turn into choices for plot reasons, but I’m open to hear you all out!), etc etc.
I’d also like to know of any typos, coding issues, and what parts you liked the most and which ones were kinda meh so I can know which way to go with it.
What is this game about?
You’re an art thief.
Or rather, were. You were recently arrested and are now forced to work as a criminal informant for the Bureau, helping them solve cases you would have very much liked to commit yourself. Or not.
Juggle your day job on the right side of the law and your inner conman streak while treading through the treacherous world of the suits, all while trying to figure out who betrayed you and got you arrested. Forge your own story as you work with your handler solving white collar crimes, plan your final (or is it?) con, and uncover a conspiracy that goes way beyond your wildest dreams… one that hits a bit too close to home for comfort.
Highlights
- Choose your gender
- Fancy clothes for a fancy party with fancy dancing
- 4 criminal specializations to choose from (thief, forger, hacker, or muscle)
- Leave the life of crime behind! Or dive right back in because your only regret is being arrested in the first place
- Fall for one of seven ROs… or get caught in a love triangle, which is going to hurt. A lot. Everyone.
ROs
Alexander/Alexandra Smith, The Middle Man
Joshua/Jessica Kim, The Agent
Lucas/Leila Ahern, The Fence
Matthew/Melissa O’Connor, The Forger
Nicholas/Nicole Hunter, The Thief
Peter/Petra Green, The Insurance Investigator
Rodrigo/Rachel Bracken, The Hacker
*Please note that the ROs are gender locked in groups for plot and coding reasons. A (first option to lock the gender) locks J, L and N. And P (second option to lock the gender) locks M and R.
Ace of Spades is already plotted out, all I need to do is write it and code it. Which I do at the same time, it’s just easier to me to be honest. I plan on updating the demo as soon as I reach good stopping points, and I’ll try to give dates for each update as soon as possible.
To play the demo, go here: https://dashingdon.com/play/leyendecker7/ace-of-spades/mygame/
For weekly updates and any asks, I’ll be using my tumblr: https://steph-writing.tumblr.com
To support my current addiction of Genshin Impact (honestly, Xiao is coming y’all, I need to whale for him) and enjoy sneak peeks of AOS (which I’ll start sharing) and short stories I write, please visit my Patreon: Stephanie Leyendecker is creating Interactive Fiction | Patreon
If you just want to support my addictions without sneak peeks, feel free to buy me a Ko-Fi: Buy Stephanie Leyendecker a Coffee. ko-fi.com/stephanie_ - Ko-fi ❤️ Where creators get donations from fans, with a 'Buy Me a Coffee' Page.
Now if you want to know more before getting to the game, or after, or if you’re just bored:
RO details
No, you don’t have to romance someone to enjoy the story. But this is, first and foremost, a romance (a criminal one, but a romance all the same), which means that while you don’t have to romance anyone, your story will turn out much shorter than it would in a romance route, but I will still do my utmost to make it just as enjoyable for the reader!
All ROs are romanceable by all MCs.
Alexander/Alexandra Smith, The Middle Man
General: 33 years old, 178(m)/168(f) cm (5’8/5’5), honey eyes, golden skin, wavy, back hair kept just over his shoulder(m)/that hangs down her shoulders(f). Beauty mark under the left eye, wears glasses, lean build.
More details: Poor people skills and considered quirky by most, A makes up for it with their underworld connections and know-how on a multitude of subjects. Has a soft spot for the less privileged people and good criminals, as well as a penchant for conspiracy theories. Is MC’s oldest acquaintance. Is an orphan and grew up in the system. Has an eidetic memory and loves puzzles.
Joshua/Jessica Kim, The Agent
General: 33 years old, Korean-American, 186(m)/176(f) cm (6’1/5’9), dark brown eyes, olive skin, athletic build, straight, dark brown hair kept short(m)/medium length(f).
More details: Harvard Law degree; FBI Academy at Quantico ranked 1 of 45; One of the Bureau’s fastest rising agents, they oversee a small division in White Collar Crimes. High moral and ethical standards, Special Agent Kim is not one to adhere to nonsense approaches to their cases. Perseverant and hard-working, they were determined to catch the elusive MC – a con artist who had been taunting them for years.
Lucas/Leila Ahern, The Fence
General: 32 years old, 183(m)/173(f) cm (6’/5’7), light brown eyes, deep brown skin, coiled, dark brown hair kept short. Muscular build, one thin scar over their top lip on the right side of their face, one bullet scar on their left shoulder, and dimples on their cheeks.
More details: Their charming personality gave them a chance to foster several contacts all over the world, and they are now known as one of the best international smugglers, with vast fencing experience in the black market – but only within the realms of their own set of morals. A fast cars enthusiast, is also known for appreciating naval transports. Not a fan of flying or heights in general.
Matthew/Melissa O’Connor, The Forger
General: 28 years old, 190(m)/180(f) cm (6’3/5’11), hazel eyes, fair skin, messy, blonde hair kept on the chin(m)/chest length(f). Lean build, with light freckles all over their face, shoulders, and arms, one long scar on their left hand.
More details: Quiet yet confident, they come from a very wealthy family. A lover of art, they hold a Master’s in fine arts from one of the top institutions in the world, and their favorite art periods are the Renaissance and Impressionism. Despite being perfectly capable of carrying themselves in all sorts of social events, they tend to prefer solitude, often turning to raw sarcasm and plain old rudeness as a way of getting people to leave them alone. Only ever seen drinking water.
Nicholas/Nicole Hunter, The Thief
General: 30 years old, 180(m)/170(f) cm (5’11/5’7), dark blue eyes, fair skin, straight, brown hair kept short(m)/on the middle of her back(f). Classic model-like build and features.
More details: Charming, intelligent, and devious. N has no shortage of contacts and is unmatched in their people reading skills, using whatever they can to their own benefit. Incredibly confident, they are vehemently against the use of disguises, believing (and being living proof) that a great smile and the proper outfit are more than enough to get you in or out of anything. As a renowned thief, they have no problem blending in the shadows to get their hands on their target. An avid chess player and a highly skilled escape and con artist. No one has ever seen them use firearms, ever. Plays the piano.
Peter/Petra Green, The Insurance Investigator
General: 31 years old, 192(m)/182(f) cm (6’3/6’), green eyes, tanned skin, wavy, light brown hair styled back(m)/on her shoulders(f). Muscular build, with a beauty mark over their right eyebrow.
More details: An insurance investigator with Liberty Weiss, always in pursuit of stolen goods insured by the company they work for. Their good humor doesn’t outweigh their driven personality, and they are known for often threading the gray zone between legal and illegal while on the job. Adrenaline junkie.
Rodrigo/Rachel Bracken, The Hacker
General: 26 years old, 175(m)/165(f) cm (5’7/5’4), gray eyes, very fair skin, unruly, red hair kept just over his eyes(m)/under her shoulders(f). Slender build, has two 1UP Mario Mushroom tattoos on their inner wrists, green on the left, red on the right.
More details: Some find hard to believe a party animal like them would be so skilled with technology. Comes from a large, middle class family, and is hardly ever serious in person, resorting to all sorts of jokes and small talk to deflect personal or serious discussions. Collects sneakers, tries to write poetry and often donates to animal shelters.
Stats
Personality
Charming/Intimidating shows how you prefer to handle people. Do you charm people into indulging in your every whim or do you prefer glowering at them until they crumble to dust?
Sarcastic/Genuine shows what’s your instinctual reaction to what life throws your way. Bat it away with crude humor or let your true colors show, regardless of how good or bad they turn out to be?
Friendly/Stoic shows how you act with others. Are you someone who shows interest in others and appear easy to approach or is your usual stance a solid and reliable nod?
Emotional/Impassive shows how your feelings run through you. Do you wear your heart on your sleeve or do you keep your feelings in a jar, hidden inside of you until the day you die?
Daredevil/Calculating shows how you face challenges and unexpected situations. Do you blindly run into trouble and wing your way out of it, or do you take a moment to plan your next steps, considering every possible risk and outcome?
Traits
Confident/Insecure shows how you feel about your job. Do you take on projects with no shadow of a doubt or do you always assume the worst will happen?
Leader/Follower shows how you act in a group. Are you the one in charge, or do you prefer to take the backseat and let someone else make the tough decisions?
Team Player/Independent shows how you work with others. Do you enjoy being part of a team or do you prefer to handle things on your own?
Criminal/Reformed shows how you feel about your criminal activities. Do you see crime as a thing of the past that you have no intention to get involved in again if you can help it, or do you feel it’s your calling in life, unable to let go of the thrill of pulling that job everyone will be talking about for years to come?
Criminal Specializations
- Forger: if your MC excels in art related subjects, they’re a forger. They’ll forge famous art works, money bills, bonds, signatures, jewelry… all of it! And they’ll have a good eye for colors, as well as being good artists in general.
- Hacker: if your MC excels in technology, they’re a hacker. They’ll crack any password, hack their way into any system with an internet connection, forge financial transactions, create viruses to destroy data… anything you can think of! And they’ll be good at solving puzzles.
- Muscle: if your MC likes to solve their problems with their own hands, they’re a muscle. They’ll punch their way through issues, knock people out with one hand, smash windows with their elbows… all of that! And they’ll be strong, very strong.
- Thief: if your MC has a penchant for lying and sticky fingers, they’re a thief. They’ll pickpocket any sucker, sneak in and out of places unnoticed, charm people into doing whatever they want them to do… all the nines! And they’ll be great at dodging security systems.
Random Questions
Q: Who is the Love Triangle route?
A: A and J.
Q: Can I romance X while being criminal/lawful!MC?
A: All ROs can be romanced by all MCs! Some dynamics and interactions will change, so you should try them all out.
Q: Is this story set in New York?
A: Yes, and also no. It’s inspired in NYC and I’ll likely refer to it as NYC, but I won’t adhere to geographical specificities or anything. It’s more of a vibe than a map.
Q: Is there magic in this world?
A: Is there magic in ours? I’ve never seen it, but who knows maybe I just wasn’t chosen to be in on the secret… and neither was MC nor the characters portrayed in AOS. I’m saving my fantasy urges for other COG projects.
Q: Can I give up being a criminal?
A: Yes, but it won’t be easy. You can also fully commit to being a criminal and cross that 100% stat bar.
Q: Is there a bad ending?
A: No. I personally don’t enjoy stories where the ending is just plain bad, so I’ll be writing different endings according to your choices, but none of them will be bad (as in, no ROs die and MC doesn’t die), they’ll simply be different to fit each MC’s journey.
Q: When do you plan on finishing AOS?
A: Hopefully, late 2021/early 2022.
Q: How many books will AOS have?
A: One. Unless it gets super big and out of hand (which I don’t think will happen), then I’ll end up splitting it into two books (but really, highly unlikely).
Q: Can we smash the ROs?
A: Yes, but it won’t be explicit. More of fade to black scenes.
Q: Can I not get arrested?
A: No, that’s the catalyst event of the plot and you were caught for a reason.
Q: Can I not become a C.I.?
A: No, that’s the essence of the whole story 
Q: Can I send you asks about AOS and the characters?
A: Absolutely! 
Q: Is this the only thing you do for a living?
A: I wish lol I have a full time Monday-Friday day job to make ends meet, and I also write for a visual novel, Andromeda Six. My dream and goal on the long term is to make a living fully out of writing, and I hope this is a good, solid step towards that goal!
Update log
(18/Dec/2020) Demo version 1.0 is live! (minor patch update to fix typos as of 20/Dec!)
Prologue + Chapter One, 40k words."
- Get arrested! Yes, already.
- Choose your criminal specialization (out of four)
- Old friends! Or… not?
- New friends! Or not.
- How does the crime life suit you?
- Con someone! Or try. And fail.
- Meet 5 out of 7 ROs, and hear about the other 2
