Please don’t let that be your sole deciding factor. I also mostly play CoG for the romance, but this is one of the most fully realised, lore packed world’s I’ve ever seen on CoG. It’s not going to be for everyone, I get that, but it is definitely worth a try.
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I will echo the same thing, Absolutely a game I wasnt expecting to like so much, But its an IF I immediately rush over to when it gets updated
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TEAM ORC! 
(arm should be green)
Cheers for the support. I can only ask that people give the game a try. It might, or might not, be your thing, but it is made with dedication and a wish to transport you to another world for a brief time.
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Is it possible to help the dark elves and still do diplomacy with the elves later?
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Hi Adam,
If you have gifted the Dark Elves their own tributary nation in your lands, you can plot with them to pretend to permanently leave their gifted lands. If they do this, it will appease the forest elves during the peace negotiations. This will make the elves more likely to reach a peaceful accord with your lands.
You cannot make these ancient enemies heal their rift. Indeed, the Dark Elves define themselves by their enmity for their cousins. However, during the final battle to save the world, they might possibly fight together in your army, since their very survival is at stake.
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Forced Teamwork between the Elves and their Dark Counterpart for the Battle Against the Cyclopes with the Orcs?
P.S: If the Elves have allied themselves with the Orcs
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Hi Patrick,
If I remember correctly, you can cajole elves in the imperial provinces to fight in your armies, which may also contain Dark Elves. However, the Dark Elves and Netherwood Elves will never work together and support each other as a team. Their mutual hatred runs far too deep.
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@NumberedEntity Playing the Dark Path and i cant notice that most of the time its focused on Imperials. Honestly i got feeling both The good and dark path need some expansion regarding non-human content. Light path could use a some more events but Dark path is a bit missed opportunity, the whole subvertion of Empire is well done and then you just do away with other races in paragraph. Imho it should be expanded to Imperial level, its kinda missed opportunity to not be able to amplify dwarwes greed or to not have opportunity to get Elves and Empire into War.
Dont take it wrongly the game stands above many of Cog Authors even, but when its amazing you cant just notice what its missing to perfection all the more 
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Hi Caesar,
Good to have you back here!
Some interesting points you raise. It is true, that the later game does focus far more on the imperials, although less so for the early sections.
The idea is that the imperials are the greatest power in the land, with the most powerful anti-demonic organisation. Whereas dwarves rely on the rock and elves on the forest, humans rely on bureaucracy. When you start the dark path, the emperor is dead, which gives the Powers Beyond and Below a real chance to shatter the world.
Most of the continent is already in decline (which allows your orcs to rise if you choose that path.) The imperial provinces are also the most susceptible to corruption, though being a shield against it (perfidious humanity and all!) The imperial provinces, though mostly human, also contain populations of all of the other races.
By the time you have chipped away at imperial defences, your demonic powers have swelled. To show this, I felt obliged to unleash devastating powers (nuke-like) on the less powerful nations, where you get a sort of ‘god’s eye’ view. By this time, you are virtually unstoppable- unless you misplay your hand with the Powers.
I will certainly give it all another pass and look into fleshing out the corruption of the non-imperials. Really good insights here. Right now I want to get the game completed, with all the content out. Then, I feel I can add polish to sections along the lines of your suggestions.
Always happy to hear from you and appreciate your interest in this project.
Cheers Caesar!
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UPDATE 7 (5th October 2023): 126k words added, totalling 803k)
-I have added an option on the starting screen where a playtester can skip straight to the mature orc hub. Here, decline to become a shaman and choose to adventure away from the tribe to become an arena fighter.
-Added a fighting-heavy arena path, complete with a fighter system which gradually increases in difficulty.
-Fight across Arbit, winning and losing bouts against the best, and worst, the continent has to offer on your road to becoming the Grand Champion
-If you choose to become an arena fighter, the stat screen will change to record your victories and defeats and fame level, as well as the current champion.
- Train your skills to maintain your competitiveness.
-Follow the rise of your rival, the notorious Bloody Bhlatair.
- This was tricky for me, any help finding logic errors and typos, always much appreciated.
For you battling orcs, here is one of the non-epic, later-life paths. In the full game, you will be able to have fights but also take part in other adventures. These are yet to be implemented.
Lots of the word count has been used to make a basic fighting system. It does increase in difficulty, but if you train your orc, focusing on strength and presence or cunning and presence, you can make it all the way to the Grand Arena and fight in front of Emperor Callistus V.
This will not end the game, if you survive, merely place you into the old orc events, yet to be implemented.
I found it difficult this time, having to play with code to set up systems. As far as I know, things work well, but errors could have slipped in.
I am increasingly rubbish at guessing word counts. When I started this project and posted it here, it was 220k words and I said it was half done. It might well be around the million mark when I get everything down. I thought I could get all the mature orc paths and jobs done within 100k words!!!
Next, I will work on the adventuring path, which will see greater branching than the somewhat linear arena path.
I hope you all enjoy the update, feedback always welcome.
EDIT: My inspiration was ROCKY with a bit of Gladiator thrown in. 
17 Likes
Yay‼️Update. Nothing to complain here, I’m enjoying the story. I think I was promised a cheat mode/menu tho🙂
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Hi dp54,
Haha! Yes, I will get around to adding cheat options for testers once the game is, more or less, whole. Right now, it might complicate testing as I need to know if any sections are adversely affected by the ‘vanilla’ stats.
Although, the extra starting option gives you a pretty handy orc who, with training in the arena camps, can beat the arena path.
The cheat option will be on its way, but not before I have planned out and written all the ‘mature orc’ paths.
Once that is done, I’ll slip some cheats into the stats menu to adjust your main stats. EDIT: That will probably be in 2-3 update’s time.
6 Likes
I’m not sure how to feel about this being one of the best choicescript games to ever be made; nonetheless I shall being watching your career with great interest
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Tested the new route, the only flaw I could find was the elven fighter named Rat was unkillable. No matter how many times you killed rat he was always an option to fight.
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Thanks for giving my WIP a go. Above all else, I can only hope to make something that players find fun and immersive. I am always glad to convert humies into orcs! I hope you enjoy future updates too.
I have caught that error with that nasty git, Rat. He will now die before your axe, as he should! THE GIT!
Cheers to both of you!
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I saw the new update, Is it possible to add the possibility of upgrading the MC’s Arena Armor and Weapon?
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Hi Patrick,
This is something I will consider. I standardised the gear here to make it easier to run the fights but it was something I thought about. I might add some embellishments when the game’s content is complete.
At present, if you train strength in the arena camps, after a certain level you get a buff to damage. Training cunning and presence in the same way protects you a bit from more damaging attacks.
If you are corrupted by demonic influence, you are offered a buff to your weapon, which extends the weapon’s description to say it glows faintly red. This will buff damage too, although it takes you to a game end, rather than old age, if you complete the arena path.
Cheers for your continual interest and good idea!
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Discovered this a couple days ago and blitzed through the first part of the demo because it was just so fun! 
I love how open-world, old-school RPG it is.
Can’t wait to play the latest update! All the best on the adventuring path
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I think the demon ending in the arena path should be branched between the ending itself and the potential to overthrow Slappa and become chieftain since demonic power makes the orc powerful (Or maybe the orc MC can have a chance to make his own clan). After all, the Powers of Beyond and Below want entities who rise in power for their own ends, right? (Is this the right name of the Pantheon of Dark Gods and Goddeses?)
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Hi Burninglights,
I love that you enjoyed my game. I have an old-school soul, so your comments are greatly appreciated!
I just realised that you and @Basketball_Fanatic are already authors of choice script games! I will definitely take a look at your books when I have one of those few free moments. An extra big thanks to you both for taking the time to give my project a look. I know how all-consuming making one of these games can be, even with my limited experience.
Hi again, Patrick,
You have so many fantastic ideas! I must admit, I did consider tying the demon arena path to the Dark Path. However, in my thinking, once your orc has been exposed as a tool for the Powers in the arena, in sight of thousands, they wouldn’t; be able to rejoin the clan.
With your orc taking the arena path, I considered that the demonic powers no longer consider you as a potential ruler for a demonic future, but a tool to get there. They choose, instead, to court the dark desires of others in the world.
This doesn’t mean that I might not modify it later. I will add your ideas to my list, things I can add and embellish on the final phase of development, before testing.
Please let me know if you think of anything else.
Cheers to all of you!
4 Likes