After a (very) long hiatus I return, bearing gifts! The prologue for Amygdala is now complete, and has undergone a rewrite. I’ve also made MANY changes to the world state, and as a result the characters have along with their environment. So, I hope that everyone who was kind enough to give the first demo a try will give this new one a try as well
A short summary:
Summary
You awaken in a world that you recognize, yet is foreign to you. You have no memories of your name, your past, or how you came to be asleep. After you are rescued by a group of strangers, it becomes increasingly clear that your body, and mind, has been modified.
Attempt to make your way in the world once again and redefine your purpose for existing, or chase after a past currently lost to you. This is a new beginning. It’s up to you how you use it.
*Note: this story is written in first person, but you play as the player character.
5 available ROs with a 6th soon to be added
-2 female, 3 male, 1 afab nb
Tad
Summary
The young man who helped rescued you. He’s friendly and kind—more than Maria, anyway. He’s quite tall and muscular—it’s clear that he stays active. His full name is Thaddeus, but he doesn’t seem to like being called by his full name.
He has rich dark skin and long coily hair that’s currently styled in dreads. He’s clearly of mostly African descent, but given his unique features you suspect he might be mixed. He dresses mainly in work clothes: thick boots, jeans, and flannels, but always manages to look put together, even when covered in dust or dirt.
His eyes are bright and he already has the beginnings of laugh lines near his eyes, despite not being 30 yet. He also has deep dimples on both cheeks, full lips, and high cheekbones.
Maria
Summary
The young woman who helped rescued you. She’s a bit colder than Tad, but it’s clear she’s more than willing to help you and others in need. She’s a bit taller than the average woman and is quite curvy. She seems to be quite close with Tad.
She’s deeply tanned and has thick curly hair. Most of it is bleached into an ombred honey-blonde, but her roots have are dark enough that they look black in unnatural light. When she speaks she has a very slight accent, which makes you think she’s probably Latina. Her clothes are stylish and mostly fitted.
She has a very strong jaw and plump lips. Her eyes are large and chocolate-brown, emphasized by mascara and eye liner.
Greer
Summary
Amy’s quiet housemate. They keep to themselves and seem less interested in your predicament than the others. Still, they tolerate you living with them. You’re not sure what to make of them, but clearly they’re very close with Amy. They’re very tall and gaunt.
They have thick black hair, an angled face, and dark skin. Probably Middle Eastern or West Asian. Their eyes are downturned and dark enough that they appear black, and their eyebrows and eyelashes are long and thick. They have dark cricles under their eyes most days, but it’s not clear whether thats from a lack of sleep or is just their natural complexion.
They wear almost exclusively too-big athletic or streetwear, clearly more concerned with comfort than style, but somehow always manage to not look frumpy.
Amy
Summary
The woman whose house you’re staying in for now. She’s as friendly as Tad with a motherly streak wide enough that you suspect it will become smothering soon. For now, though, it’s helping you feel more at-ease. It’s clear she’s interested in discovering what happened to you, but she doesn’t seem inclined to push anything just yet. She’s the shortest in the group and chubby.
She’s clearly East Asian—her hair is in a short messy bob, not quite long enough to be put up, but close. Her eyes aren’t hooded and her cheeks are full and rosy. Her bangs cover most of her forehead. She has some freckles on her face, focused around her eyes and nose.
She prefers flowy clothing and layering, usually wearing a cardigan and jacket over her dresses and skirts. Her wrists are always framed by delicate bracelets and her ears normally sport a multitude of dangly earrings.
Darwin
Summary
A young man who puts you on edge. You can’t yet tell whether his social faux pas are intentional or if he’s just bad at reading a room. Still, the others seem to like him well enough, which means you’ll probably not be rid of him any time soon. It’s still unclear how he knows any of them.
He’s shorter than both Tad and Greer, though he’s still safely in average territory. He’s quite thin and pale, and is visibly not one for physical activity. His hair is dark and wavy and he has piercing light blue eyes.
His sense of style is rather nondescript. He’s able to dress up when necessary, but by-and-large he prefers to keep things casual.
The prologue is at about 35k words, not including code. There is a complete character creator and the next update will probably be chapter one, or part of it, depending on its size. There is also a skip option that JUST includes stat picker and character creator, for later updates to streamline testing. It is usable, but not relevant at this time
To play the demo, go here: https://dashingdon.com/play/squidink/amygdala-encode/mygame/
I’m looking for: Any odd transitions or spots that lack good flow, especially, but all feedback is welcome.
You can also comment about it here on tumblr to follow for updates: https://amygdalagame.tumblr.com/
There’s also a Discord server for the game now: https://discord.gg/dy6wq3X