Divided We Fall aims to tell the story of 4 young Spaniards’ experience of one of the bloodiest civil wars in history. My basic concept is that you will take on the role of all 4 of these characters however all of them will also appear as NPCs. Your decisions will profoundly effect how these characters act as NPCs.
The story dips in and out of the lives of these characters over the course of the war from 1936-39. In this first chapter we meet them at the outbreak of the war. Many of the decisions are about what sort of a person you want to make them. I have done very little description of the characters because without character customisation it seems best to try and allow the reader to create their own image of each character. Maybe that’s not a good idea?
Anyway, please do tell me what you think, feedback of all kinds is, as ever, much appreciated.
I only read part of introduction and all my fears were true, the typical foreigner who don’t understand anything of what happen of what our people feel. It’s like a Martian talk about the feelings . You do a boring more or less accurate list of what happen. But you don’t understand how it was. CEDA was crushed banished by fascists . Communists kill socialist in Paracuellos. My grandma with six years show how her schoolmaster was captured to being shot and drop in a side of a road accused to be A rojo a commie. The famine, the bombs the fear. … If you need help to know how people feel or how people kill each other, the guerrilleros . How Franco killed all their comrades. He was not a main character at first Sanjurjo was. How Azaña knew the job, but believe was a weak attempt and better let happen and then strike once for all.
If you want help with time period and how we Spaniards suffer and felt that way I could help you. But I feel the way you planed with 4 mc killed all dramatism, fear and the story behind The civil war as we called it . I did essays about it so I’m knowledge of it not an expert of course.
Also, meant to write this at start, don’t worry if you don’t know anything about the Spanish Civil War, the game starts with a brief introduction which I think covers it well. Feel free to ask further questions and tell me if the intro isn’t clear/helpful
I’m Spanish and definitively I tell you our civil war wasn’t at all the bloodiest in story look to middle east now or Africa. I really don’t know if read your game foreign people has the horrible tendency to don’t understand sides and put one side as stupid demons, and other as saints that lost for a strange reason. Im a history student if i read it i would send you my feedback for sure.
I’m also a history student and am well aware of the demonization of both sides by the other, to this day. I am also painfully aware that for Spaniards it cans still be a contentious topic. In this story I try and get across that there are no “goodies and baddies” in the conflict, by portraying it from both sides.
In terms of the number of people killed, its in fact bloody than any modern middle eastern or African conflict with a death toll of over 500,000. Whether the bloodiest in history is up for debate I guess, but its certainly up there. I’ll change it to “one of the bloodiest”.
Just starting to check it out, but noticed a duplication of several sentences on the first page:
However, despite initial enthusiasm, the Republic soon began to divide Spaniards. Many were horrified by the assault on the Church’s dominant position in Spanish life and state. Both large and small landowners felt threatened by land reform aimed at helping Spain’s desperately poor landless peasantry. The Army, which sees itself as the guardian of Spain and Spanishness, felt under attack when the government made attempts to reduce it’s size and power.Many were horrified by the assault on the Church’s dominant position in Spainish life and state. Both large and small landowners felt threatened by land reform aimed at helping Spain’s desperately poor landless peasantry. The Army, which sees itself as the guardian of Spain and Spanishness, felt under attack when the government made attempts to reduce is size and power. Nationalists and patriots were outraged at promises of autonomy for the Catalan and Basque provinces.
I don’t know much about the Spanish Civil War. Mostly just stuff related to George Orwell, who went to fight for the communists and left when he realized that both sides were basically just as bad as the other in practice.
Quite interesting so far, tried a few different approaches. Will be interesting to see where you take it, and for me, educational. War, war never changes…
I think it works well with the fairly “blank slates” when it comes to the characters, as we jump between them – it is not like games where we create our own “persona”, so I feel it is OK.
Third person perspective…this is new. I guess it doesn’t hurt trying something different from the rest.
The game itself is interesting and the continuous change of P.O.V character gives it a feel I can’t describe in words, but nevertheless I did pick up a few “issues” (so to say).
In my opinion there should be more paragraphs in the pages, to make it easier to read especially for when the characters make direct speeches. Also there isn’t enough emotional connection between the MCs and the reader because I think when we start to connect with the MCs, we are than given a different MC to play, leaving very little time to immerse ourselves in that character.
I know very little about the Spanish war, so I guess this a fun interactive way of learning about it.
I think the third person perspective is as refreshing as the use of four pre-created MCs. I like how it’s still possible for the player to define their personalities by the choices s/he makes. It definitely makes your game stand out.
Funnily, I liked each next character more then the previous. Alba is just awesome! :x
I don’t know much about the Spanish civil war too, I’ve come across it when playing Hearts of Iron series and I’ve seen Pan’s Labyrinth and For Whom the Bell Tolls. Therefore I find the introduction very helpful.
here are my headscratches and suggestions so far:
Morales can be killed in the very first chapter as result of many choices, but none of the others, even Alba survives her battle scenes (I think I’ve tried out all choices and none got her killed.) Will there be an early death option for the others as well?
Is the song the volonteers sing real or did you write it? Anyway, I think you should provide the spanish lyrics in the game.
what does “Carlist” mean?
Vidal tells Maria that she will be employed as nurse only, but previous choices can make her quite bloodthirsty, I think there should be an option for her to be disappointed of that or even demanding to be given a position where she’s able to shoot some reds.
Why is Colonel Lopez always killed, even if De La Rosa informs him and he chooses not to resist? And why is Vasquez never killed by the soldiers but only if De La Rosa kills him?
Does choosing Isabel or Jorge determine Alba’s sexual preferences?
@WulfyK thanks for the detailed feedback and the enthusiasm! I loved Hearts of Iron too! In response to your questions:
-I intend that all the characters can at various points be killed (probably 1 per chapter). For me its really important that the MCs aren’t somehow impervious to the chaos around them
-The song is real, sung that day in Pamplona town square which I read about in Anthony Beevor’s history of the war. I don’t know the Spanish lyrics and a google translate will probably not be accurate
-Carlism is a complex topic which I decided not to delve into. Basically, it was a 19th century ideology in the various wars in Spain at that time. Northern and rural provinces supported the conservative candidate for the throne, Juan Carlos. The conservative and catholic beliefs of these groups hung over well into the 20th century
-Although the left didn’t have too many problems with women fighting, conservatives weren’t so pro so it would be out of the question for Maria to take on a combat role. However, fate may intervene and put Maria in a situation where killing may or may not be necessary
-Colonel Lopez has to die because he is a known Red who the army are looking for. Vasquez on the other hand is relative small fry and if he keeps his head down, can slip under the radar
"The Alliance of the Right, with CEDA at the fore, opposed them. In the end, it was extremaly close, but the Popular Front won a narrow victory. The Right did not accept the result and immediately began planning a military coup. CEDA members moved in their droves to the Falange, Spain’s Fascist party, which took to violence to oppose the Popular Front government. Elements on the Left also began talking the language of revolution and the situation quickly deteriorated. "
Extremely is spelled wrong here, as is the word army soonish afterwards. There are other mistakes in spelling here and there, but it’s great to have a perspective on a war that most know nothing about at all.
@AlexClifford1994
But Lopez seems to be not too radical, De La Rosa can talk him into accepting the surrender, and if the latter is an officer and gentleman with a certain sense of honor, couldn’t he convince the army soldiers that Lopez is not a thread anymore and deserves a proper trial? Perhaps you could add some sadistic choice here, like make it possible to save Lopez only if De La Rosa kills the mechanics personaly to prove his own loyalty.
Since the characters aren’t save, will the early deaths influence the storylines of the other MCs? And will it be possible to influence historical events?
@WulfyK the point is that Lopez is the known commander of the air base and a known red, who the army is out to get once it is clear the air force is hostile. I could have a look at another option but ultimately I didn’t want lopez to survive the scene.
As I have mentioned, all the MCs can die, but also the paths of multiple MCs will cross. If a MC has died, when it comes to a crossover, an NPC from that story line will replace the MC, e.g. if De La Rosa has died then Joaquin may take his place in a scene of crossing paths.
I don’t intend that it will be possible to influence historical events, rather the stories will reflect what actually happened, and what happens to our characters as a result
