Fields of Asphodel [A Greek Mythology WIP] [Updated 30 November 2023 - Now Editing for Publication!]

Important question: can we turn people into dolphins?

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Good to know, thank you)
I was mostly conserned about the mechanics. It is possible to roleplay the tentative interest on the stoic MC’s part using the options provided by the update, but I know that the game has hidden counters, so it’s necessary to make sure the nature of our feelings towards him is properly registered.

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Aaah, the new content was so great. I’m so SO in love with this game. I think I like it just as much as my previous top3 WIPs on site! I couldn’t say so for sure with the prologue and first chapter only, but now it seems pretty obvious to me! :two_hearts:

I have to say I’m glad for the new methods of dealing / reacting to stress the update has introduced. It’s such a small thing, but it adds a lot to the MC.
One thing I would like to see added would be an eye color selection for MC, but maybe that will come later?

Yes, I second that one! Couldn’t really select flirt options in this chapter because of that!

I would have liked to have more opportunities to talk with people one to one after the group meal if MC is not drunk, or well, not accompanying one of the drunk people I guess, but maybe we’ll get the opportunity in the morning, while a MC who was drunk the night before would wake up later and not have time?

I also wanted to ask a question about the orchard. Considering my MC is rather social, he didn’t have the opportunity to go there so far. Maybe we could go there after dinner if MC is not drunk nor staying there / accompanying someone?
But just in case, will we have other opportunities later? It would be strange for my MC not to go, but I just don’t have time :rofl:

Also, typos and errors:

If the MC says the Underworld is surprisingly beautiful:

Didn’t notice before, but on the follow up page there’s that description: “Both sets of eyes turn to regard you with evident surprise. Hermes’s quickly becomes a grin.”
It’s a bit strange sounding. Shouldn’t it be “Hermes’s expression quickly becomes a grin.”? Or even “morphs to a grin” or something?

Kerberos affinity:

Shouldn’t petting Kerberos add +1 to his affinity? I believe nothing does so at this point, unless you can meet him in a different way than with Makaria, but even then, I’ve run a search for “kerberos +1” in the code for chapter 1, and didn’t find anything.
I know there’s different flavor text in chapter 2 for him if there’s affinity, but I don’t think it’s possible? Or well, at least I didn’t find a way.

I guess same could be said for feeding him in chapter 2, since it doesn’t seem to change anything.

Charon's hair:

Charon is described as having ash-blonde hair in the text, when he appears, but it’s described as platinum-blonde in the character dossiers, which isn’t exactly the same color, no?

When talking with Hades:

After he told the MC about their general freedom, there’s that line: “he gestures with his free and to indicate you and the surroundings”
With his free hand, I guess?

When talking to Pyri after the duel:

The dialogue options don’t disappear or become greyed out after being selected (so they can be reselected).

During the group meal:

It would be nice to have a list of options to choose from for the favorite color, and then one option that would say “something else” and allow people to input whatever they want if it’s not on the list. Way more convenient when replaying.
Also, I found it funny that I selected green for my MC considering it’s the same as Hades… Maybe some custom dialogue for that would be nice? Hekate has specific dialogue, from what I’ve seen in the code, so why not him - or well, someone else could comment on the fact is the same as his. Would be cute if Makaria did.

Also during the meal:

When the gods ask MC the third question, not wanting to answer Alekto leads to that line: “Sharon sighs quietly”
Should be Charon. I’ve checked this one in the code only, so I’m not sure if I described it well though! :sweat_smile:

After the meal:

One of the options is “Take your leave”, but it should be “Take my leave” considering the options are in first person usually.

And I think that’s it… It was really fun!

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I absolutely loved the update! I really enjoyed being able to interact with Hades more, because he’s already captured my heart. Can’t wait to go through his character growth so he believes us when we call him handsome!

The only comment I have is that I would’ve have enjoyed to maybe have more options when Hades introduces Makaria to us, especially if we met her and acted nicely/had a favourable impression. I feel like none of the options really reflect a MC that liked Makaria, because telling Hades we already met just seems like we’re chastising him for the introduction. Maybe just a “Nice to see you again, Makaria!” or something.

Other than that, I really enjoyed talking to everyone and being able to surprise Hades by being positive about our arrival in the Underworld <3

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Hi Yeshua, welcome to the CoG forums! The answer to this one is not yet. I’m not sure exactly what’s coming down the pipe, but I do intend to weave in fun myth references when I can!

This is definitely fair. In general there is a more reserved option that will register mechanically almost every time there is a more forward one, but I ma have to bite the bullet and just start labeling things, both so those are more obvious and so I can include more of them without having to think of how to make them clear indicators of very reserved beginnings of romantic interest. I’ll have a think on the best route to go here.

Thank you! I really appreciate all your suggestions and typographical notes here; I’ll work on implementing these. :slight_smile:

Can do, definitely!

Thanks so much for the feedback, everybody. It’s super helpful, and most of the time easily doable. Even the stuff that’s a bit more challenging to implement is absolutely worth knowing you’re thinking about. Cheers.

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Perhaps I am doing it wrong, but the tumblr Link does Not Bring me to your Site, just to tumblr in General?

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It works for me, but it’s like on the tumblr dashboard, and then a link to the actual blog on the right?
Check this one out:

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Thank you very much, your Link worked, strange but thanks a lot :kissing_heart:

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do you plays as actual god or just demigod

Technically the PC is a demigod, but they’re not like… an earthbound one. They have a place in the pantheon, and proper deific domains and all that. :slight_smile:

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Ah I love a retelling of this myth. One of the few stable couples in the greek pantheon, despite the rocky beginning with the whole kidnapping stuff.

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Hm. I would love options to ask Hades more questions about this whole “I have a kid” situation. Pre-existing children are a potential… challenge… irl, depending on the circumstances, so I feel like that could still happen here too. Like, it’s one thing to end up in an arranged marriage, it’s another thing to end up in an arranged marriage with someone who has a child with another woman.

I also wish there were more opportunities to bond with Hades, but I suppose that can’t be helped. He’s a busy god, it seems lol.

Love the update though, as usual.

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Since Hermes visits pretty regularly, we could probably send a letter, or two, back with him to Olympus. Mine would want to tell Demeter that Hades has been a perfect gentleman despite Zeus’ vicious nonsense. (Even asshole MC’s have to admit that Hades doesn’t deserve Demeter’s wrath. Not really.)
Sending letters to all the MC’s tutors–even the ones they disappointed by being a poor student–would be a nice sort of thing to do, as well. It shows that even if they reassure that they’re doing alright, and dare they say “happy”, that they care about letting those who were close to them know that they’re going to be okay. :slightly_smiling_face:

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One thing though, since you use many names from Greek’s mythology it would be best to put an *if check when you choose your name, so if you input one already used you get a text warning you there is already a character with the same name in the story.

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The update was so good!! I was really happy when I saw the topic was re-opened, and instantly played it the moment I saw an update. (Sorry I just find the time for a proper review, though there’s not much I could say besides how much I really love this.) I had a lot of fun playing it! As usual, your writing is super lovely ;__; I really, really love your writing style.

The dinner scene was really nice; it’s absolutely wonderful being able to get to know everyone. The individual bonding time with Pyri and Hekate was also super great! I totally enjoy them ;; Pyri my beloved… They change the fire colour to my favourite one, that’s super sweet;;; I am wondering though, would we get a moment with Alekto later in the game to mend our relationship? I know that she would apologise if she were the one to send drunk MC back to their room, but if we didn’t choose that path, would the scene still be available? She’s not my chosen RO but I love her so much and I wish to have a good relationship with her;;

Also somehow I missed meeting Makaria in my previous playthrough. Finding out that Hades here is a dad absolutely blows my mind. First of all, that’s really hot T_____T I hope we have more time to bond with Makaria!

Thank you so much for the wonderful work!!

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This is definitely a fair point; thanks for making it. It will certainly be something you can bring up, potentially as soon as next chapter. (It sort of depends on where I cut it for length is all.)

There is actually a letter-writing scene outlined in the code right now, where you can choose your addressee. I will likely include more later!

Oof, heh. That is a lot of names. I’ll see if I can find a decent way to code this, though.

Yes! This will definitely happen later. If it doesn’t come up in the one spot, a variation will occur at a later point. It’s important I think for the consistency with Alekto having realized she was in the wrong and Hades having urged her to use her words to express that to the PC. So it will certainly be occurring in the future.

Thanks for the feedback, all! It’s super motivating. :slight_smile:

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Since the main character is based upon 2 very terrifying gods, maybe we should have moments were we could…uh…show our true colors, like how Dionysus can be eye-opening and Persephone being a bit too-caring.

When will those 2 stupid mortals try to go to the underworld.

Also Hermes is also a psychopomp (don’t know if I spelled that correctly) right, maybe you can add a scene were we can see him guiding someone to/through the underworld.

Some say that Persephone sometimes doles out worst punishments than even hades so…that’s an idea.

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But isn’t that too subjective and player dependent? :thinking:
I mean, the “showing our true colors”. Some players will play their MC as showing little of what they truly feel and thus being more likely to hide things from other characters, while others will play very honest MCs who always say what they think or feel. Not to mention, the very nature and personality of the MC depends on the player.
I mean, my Dionysus doesn’t even LIKE wine :rofl:

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Impeccable as always! I love sinking my teeth into this story. Ugh. I am a sucker for romantic mythology, and you narrate it so well! I wish to contract momentary amnesia so that I can enjoy it all over again.

Hades is so… awkward. I love it. I love him!

I cannot wait to be tricked into eating Underworld food and being stuck down there forever with the big puppy, cute kid and her clueless Dad— I hope it’s Hades who does it.

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As someone who love Greek mythology but was kinda burnt out by the retelling of the classic Olympian pantheon this concept feels refreshing. I always felt that although traditional media would always depict Olympian gods as the good guys and Cthonic gods as evil, there’s just a lot more myths that showed the Olympians are much more conniving. This is so well-written and the character options certainly gave the players a lot of opportunity to shape their MC. All the best in your writing!

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