Can I test the game including chapter 4?
I’m holding off on uploading more of the playable game at least for now, but do keep an eye out for the beta test request thread when it’s posted (which will be sometime next year) if you want to get involved with testing later on. There will be the monthly teasers if you’re extra keen!
11 Likes
Will we get to decide our character’s looks?
Also, what kind of choices would boost flair?
2 Likes
Not in detail. What you can choose is your character’s manner, attitude and, at certain points, outfit.
Being loud or dramatic, causing a scene on purpose, or generally choosing to be the centre of attention. Where Poise and Intrigue are subtler skills and may involve more restraint, Flair is a bigger, bolder action.
4 Likes
Oh my god this is just as fantastic as I imagined It would be. Can our character go to college? Or get a job in certain professions at the end?
1 Like
So glad you like the look of it! Yes, getting accepted to university or getting your foot in the door for a profession are goals you can pursue. 
4 Likes
Depending on whether Ghosts are real, and whether supernaturals is also a theme here… and since i notice one of the background is Religious school…
Perhaps becoming a hunter of supernatural by allying with the priesthood is possible too ? Well… if this is dungeons & dragons , Cleric is actually a profession too :-)
It’s less Supernatural and more drawing-room spiritualism ala Victorian seances, but there are certainly paths you can take that develop the main character’s occult interests!
4 Likes
So this is like a high school? I thought it was an university with uniforms lol. How old are the characters?
It seems to be a reflection of the British Culture. Britain has a different name for high school, reminds me of that.
I believe it was mentioned the characters are between 18 to 19
1 Like
It’s like an extended high school - the final-years are 18/19, so age-comparable first-years at university. Gallatin College has younger students of high school age, but in Chapter One you don’t have much interaction with them - the dormmate characters except Freddie and Gonzalez will have attended since they were 11/12 or so.
8 Likes
One thing that I have been thinking about: NPC character gender selection - there is a choice to randomize and to chose yourself.
The issue of overpopulating the story with one sex or the next is shown by feedback already. The reader might end up being surrounded by a harem whether they realize it or not. This result just doesn’t mesh with me from the immersion stand-point. Being the only girl in a all guy dorm is otome(sp) kink territory as is its opposite - this does not seem to be the focus of the game and thus the 4th wall of believability gets broken at this point for me.
The issue with random character generation is that at times the random result can be overpopulating the NPC with one gender or the other as well. In my first play-session, the random choice gave me mostly nonbinary characters. The use of they and them became very confusing at times because there were multiple theys and thems and I’m not as practiced in reading such, so I found myself pausing and rereading passages to keep things straight in my mind and interrupting the flow and cohesion of the story.
I would almost prefer a third choice: author’s canon or “balanced” so that overall the story has a good mix of all genders and will provide the richness and flavor I am looking for.
I commend giving people the choice to mix the genders up however they wish and I believe it is a great way to give representation however the reader feels representation should be. If they believe the school should be all girls or all non-binary, you allow that.
I just think this choice you provide is more effective and more purposeful in second or later play-sessions where the reader can make an informed choice and not guess what will or will not work.
This can be alleviated with an author’s note or explanation in the choice body or a suggested ratio to be included but I still feel most readers will fail to understand the significance involved and not be happy once the consequences of their choice manifests.
9 Likes
That’s interesting, thank you! I don’t really have a set idea of the genders of the variable characters, and wouldn’t want to seem like I was elevating one interpretation over another, but I will have a think. Happily, the way I’ve implemented it makes it easy to shuffle around if I end up wanting to!
4 Likes
It’s a interesting point for sure, personally I enjoy the way it is, I like to be able to pick their genders or have a lot of nb with the random option since it’s rare, also for those playing with a male mc and all female dorm or the other way, it gives an ironic twist idk I kinda like it
4 Likes
First The atmosphere and style of the time is very well done. Even if I miss more peticoatts and Victorian or similar clothing. I like stats design and plot is engaging. However, I miss a chance of flavor choices as hate or despite our parents, and be there for personal ambitious plans. My character could give more a damn their parents who are stupid gamblers at her eyes.
Another big issue is The fact I want my defect be spirit. However I am absolutely abstemious so The choice be getting drunken make that choicein role-playing impossible of choose .
A nick pick Is my character is bold however that is tied to spirit. I wanted be Physically weak no mentally. So I have to supposed be a scary rat or hulk hogan. So I end with a mixture of skills that probably will make me fail all checks. Still amazing started I am dying to read more and destroy the life of my colleagues
3 Likes
Thank you for playing, I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Good point about the parent relationship - I’ll look into adding a bit more opportunities to express being angry or contemptuous towards them (I’ve got a few at later points but you’re right, it’s good to be able to establish that early).
I’ll have a look at that low Spirit option - good catch, especially as you can state that you’re teetotal at dinner. I’ll have a think about boldness vs physical aptitude - high Domineering may be suited to that type of character who is physically weak but strong-willed, but there’s probably a better way of wording it in-game. Thanks again!
3 Likes
Also a minor thing I want a traditional character so I miss options to bows and offer a hand to be kissed and use gloves . You know the entire pack. I see my character as a ruthless posh noble
4 Likes
I recall it was mentioned we are going to spend the holidays with our parents, is this in the middle of the game? Or before the middle? So far I feel like there is not enough motive to indulge our parents wishes, maybe expand a bit more their scandal with it being the starter scene, and we can see Blaise and their parents in the courtroom and they look at us with hate or something, more fuel and background to the rivalry, but that may be to much since there are 3 variables
1 Like
I’ll have a think about expanding on the scandals! It may be later than the first chapter, as there’s quite a lot to get to grips with early on, but I could probably get it in somewhere.
The parents will make an appearance about a third of the way through during the winter holidays, and then again during the spring holidays and at graduation. I may add more depending how things go - you’ll be able to write to them and get updates about what they’re up to, certainly.
@poison_mara, agreed on the clothing and traditional mannerisms - I’ve been slightly evasive about clothing at times for gender-neutrality reasons, but both are things I’d like to expand on.
5 Likes