I’m happy to share some more details of Warrior’s Shot, my upcoming Heart’s Choice game, with everyone! As I progress I’m also planning to share portions of the first couple of chapters, character info and such.
Here’s an excerpt from the outline:
You didn’t ask to be thrown into the Coritan Empire’s fighting pits; no one did. But you’re imprisoned behind magic and steel, and you’re forced to fight bloody, vicious fights with the other gladiators. Freedom is a distant promise: win enough fights and attract the attention of a patron, and perhaps you’ll be bought to join their personal guard. Will you win the trust of the other prisoners, or is it everyone for themselves?
How you choose to fight will give you the skills you need to survive the cells: through bold action, underhanded misdirection or shining charisma. But what kind of life will you seek: a patronage, or a desperate escape attempt? And who has grown close enough to you to be worth such risk to your life-or your heart?
It’s certainly a departure from Asteroid Run, but I’m really enjoying writing it at the moment, and I’m super excited to be doing a Heart’s Choice title.
Like it says in the HC Upcoming Titles thread, the game will allow you to choose your gender, and the gender of love interests (M/F/NB). Multireplace is definitely a close friend!
Remi Casales: an embittered fighter who’s been here much, much longer than you. What happened to them to crush their spirit so? Eryx Bessarion: this glory-seeking duelist tries to enjoy what small luxuries they can. Will you manage to get under their skin and admit their sentimentality? Petra Lanos: the healer for the Arena, and wielder of magic too. Will you help them balance their compassion with their duty to the Overseers? Illustrious Ferrado: an extravagant, intelligent aristocrat. Will you seek the safety of a contract with them, or challenge them to finally take a moral stand?
I know being a prisoner of war is different than being an ex soldier, but the backgrounds seem awfully similar, in that you could justify having roughly the same skills. I’m curious as to how you plan to differentiate them if you don’t mind my asking?
So far, it’s changed the flavor of text at various points; it gives you different options when deciding other parts of your background, and the characters respond to you in different ways depending on their own backgrounds.
I played the demo just because I saw it on DD; very excited that it is an in-development HC game!
Fighting games aren’t particularly my cup of tea, but I came to the forums to say how much I liked the demo in spite of that. It feels like the characters will be the focus and I like that.
I already like Remi, but I can tell from the description that I’m going to have a difficult time choosing.
Is there any specific feedback you’re looking for?
Fighting/battle-focused games aren’t really my cup of tea either…though I do enjoy writing action scenes and exploring the various consequences of violence, I definitely need to have characters driving the narrative.
There’s less actiony stuff later in chapter 1, so keep an eye out for that later!
Are you an Hannah like Choice’s power couple or something? Like both of you write some really good games.
Anyways, I’m a sucker for this type of games, so I’m looking forward to it. I got one suggestion: early on we get to choose our background/nationality, maybe we could get a little bit of information regarding both empires, a paragraph or two with some details. Could maybe make it an optional choice, or add a little codex, for those that don’t want the action to be interrupted. I’m a sucker for world building and little tidbits so I can’t help it. Can’t wait to read the rest!
