Icarus Sun (WIP - Update December 27, 2016)

[RenaB]

@OScott

…is it bad the the only dealings I’ve had with the MCU are the first two Iron Man flicks and The Avengers? I’ve not yet met Bucky outside of Tumblr gifsets…

Shame, you must be bannishéd from this forum. (I’m kidding of course, it’s fine. I barely know anything outside of MCU movies and those are just 'cause action movies -especially superhero movies- are extremely fun.)

@OScott

I chose the arm 'cause my main Shepard definitely lost his left arm to the ending dealings of Mass Effect 3 (and he is not dead)

I mean knowing Dragon Age Inquisition it looks like Bioware has a thing for arm-losing protagonists so that’s a highly plausible outcome. (Or denial… but I’m with you in that Shepard shouldn’t die after all that.)

@OScott

Ooh… I’m intrigued. Is there anywhere this story can be found online?

Ahaha, sadly not. It was a project I did during a writing exercise in which we had to write a character that was, in some ways, outside of the niche. It occurred to me that there’s a severe lack of protagonists that have physical disabilities from the get-go (and not losing a limb at the end of an epic adventure) who are still pretty darn amazing at what they do despite their physical limitations.

Since it was just a writing exercise it never really… got past the first chapter. Most of my time was spent researching how to work a prosthetic.

@OScott

I can’t recall if you’ve already said as much (it’s likely you have), but in terms of our world, in what era would you place (or approximate, I guess) the current state of medical tech for the City and its denizens?

I haven’t said already, don’t worry!

Mmm… the original version of this story took place in a kind of parallel 1920s-America universe (although the original idea was essentially scrapped save for few key points regarding the book-MC, and didn’t even include The City.)

So medically I’d say late 1910s? Right around when vaccines, anti-bacterial drugs, vitamins, etc. are starting to come into play and such, but there’s still a lot of illness that can’t be cured (a la Influenza Pandemic of 1918), which would also make a lot of sense for the prosthetics, which while slightly more advanced than common medicine (as evident by the existence of the torso, faulty as that existence is) but they’d probably look and act similarly to ye ole prosthetics, albeit made of metal instead of wood and leather because wood and leather don’t exactly exist in abundance.

@OScott

How rapid is advancement?

Pretty slow, to be honest. Most people, including kids, won’t see a major medical breakthrough in their lifetime. They might see a technological breakthrough, and some minor improvements in prosthetics, but most of The City’s resources go towards… well, The City. Repairs and such rather than medicine. Not to mention the lack of resources makes it even harder. It’s not like an herbologist can just up and grow a control group of one drug compared to this other drug, where would it grow? The Farm? The City wouldn’t allow that.

@OScott

The City gives the metal limbs to those Children given up to it, but is someone grown able to make that pact if the situation warrants?

Most likely? No. The City doesn’t like taking in those who have already developed their own… ideas… about the way of life under its wings. Besides, they haven’t had training or mentorship or any of that. Is it impossible? …Eh, no? I mean it’s unlikely, highly unlikely, but if you’re in The City’s good graces it might make an exception.

@OScott

Would the City make Children of infants who are perfectly healthy but unwanted?

Those would go to orphanages. Probably never adopted, but unless they get life-threateningly sick and/or end up half-crushed under a collapsed building The City won’t take in healthy children.

@OScott

Eh… maybe I’m much too suspicious of the City… and it’s actually more benevolent than/not quite as sneaky as I’m giving it credit for… Then again, those spoiler tags, tho. It’s probably just super comfortable in its position.

Well, why do you think it’s hard to get on The City’s bad side? What could you do that could possibly make you some kind of rabbel rouser that wouldn’t essentially kill you and the people in The City as well? Then again you could also say that The City is the only reason you’re able to live, that without The City you’d all be dead in The Underground and wouldn’t be able to live. The City could have saved you… but it also could be trapping you. You never know, do you?

@OScott

Another “likely has been mentioned already, I’m just spacey” thing (you can just go ahead and apply this to any question I ask, honestly)…

You’re all good, I don’t think it’s been asked before? Not sure.

@OScott

Is there anything in that darkness? There’re rocks and ravines and stuff, I’m sure, but anything living that isn’t a mushroom?

In an effort to be enigmatic, vague, and spoiler-free I’m going to have to reply with the usual parenthetical that I add to any prior statement:

So far as anyone knows.

@OScott

Also, what would you say is the ratio of Children to… not Children in the City?

There’s less Children than normal citizens, since most kids don’t make it through the procedure, die before The City can save them, or are just healthy enough to grow up with a normal human family.

So… maybe 3:10? Not exactly rare but still pretty uncommon.

[bomsasa]

Right, got some questions, hope none of them have been asked before.

What do non-City Child people do? Do they have jobs? Do people have to work for food, or does the City just distribute it?

Is there any kind of monetary system in the City?

Are there any kind of non-City authorities in the City?

Are there any laws in the city? If so, who enforces them, and what are the punishments?

What would happen if a City Child stopped working?

[alliebee]

Ah- love your game! I had a whole bunch of comments and questions that I typed up in a word document but now I can’t find it Oh well. Still, just had to comment to tell you I am really looking forward to the rest of your game and giving you helpful feedback (and all the feedback I’ve already written if I can find the damn document…)

[RenaB]

@bomsasa

Right, got some questions, hope none of them have been asked before.

Lucky for you I think these are all new questions!

@bomsasa

What do non-City Child people do? Do they have jobs? Do people have to work for food, or does the City just distribute it?

They do have jobs- just jobs that don’t pertain to repairs or care of The City. If go and meet Rosie you also meet a minor character of a welder, he’s not a City Child, and his job is actually a little unique since welders are more intertwined with City Children (since they repair scraps and make prosthetics when The City can’t).

But most people work what we might think of as a “regular job”. Like a tailor, a baker, an accountant in the bank, a waiter/waitress, etc.

The City functions much like… well, a city.

@bomsasa

Is there any kind of monetary system in the City?

So, yes, there is a currency. Normal citizens use this currency and live in a way similar to how we do today, unaffected by most workings of The City save for the occasional movement of their favorite store to the other side of The City which makes for a horrible disappointment on a Sunday shopping trip. (Lest they be willing to trek the way across The City).

The currency itself is some of the more common metals, namely- aluminium. Which is relatively useless since it’s not good for building, but good because it’s so common that you can make coins out of it. As for coins pertaining to a dollar vs. a penny, that depends on what’s inscribed within the coin.

A coin inscribed with a gear has the least amount of worth, if you’re speaking in U.S. dollar terms it’d basically be a penny.

Meanwhile a coin inscribed with the silhouette of The City would be worth the most, equivalent to 100 gear coins (since 100 is an easy number to remember and work with, mainly.)

@bomsasa

Are there any kind of non-City authorities in the City?

No. All City authorities are City Watchers, that’s the one thing non-City Children citizens can’t ever become a part of.

This includes the judicial system, all City Watchers.

And there’s no mayoral system since that’s… well, The City itself.

@bomsasa

Are there any laws in the city?

There are laws, in fact! Most of them are pretty basic (murder is illegal, theft is illegal, etc.) So most of the laws are common sense laws. Those that aren’t usually pertain to The City (don’t steal gears from The City, citizens are not allowed inside The Farm without a permit, if you are caught dismantling The City you will be punished, etc.)

The only laws outside of these bounds are “Do not attempt to scale the wall by The Farm” and “Do not venture into the Underground without a City Watcher escort”.

These are (as The City decrees) laws that are put in place to prevent someone from falling into a ravine/off of the side of The Farm and breaking their neck.

@bomsasa

If so, who enforces them, and what are the punishments?

Punishments vary depending on what the crime is (stealing a loaf of bread would be punished more leniently than killing a man, for example).

All punishments are carried out and assigned by City Watchers.

There is no death penalty in The City, however there is a lifetime of community service sentence, and that’s usually the one everyone dreads (since community service is usually venturing into the abysmal Underground with several City Watcher escorts to mine for metals and harvest cave mushrooms. The darkness drives some insane, others paranoid.)

@bomsasa

What would happen if a City Child stopped working?

Most likely they’d be first interrogated as to why, if it’s a viable reason such as emotional distress (say their mentor died and they can’t find it in them to work) they’d be given time off or whatever help The City deems necessary.

If it’s not a viable reason (or The City deems it so) then they’d be put into community service for however long The City decrees, most likely.

@alliebee

Ah- love your game! I had a whole bunch of comments and questions that I typed up in a word document but now I can’t find it Oh well. Still, just had to comment to tell you I am really looking forward to the rest of your game and giving you helpful feedback (and all the feedback I’ve already written if I can find the damn document…)

Thank you so much! If you ever find the document I’d be happy to answer your questions (and now you’ve got me curious as to what they are!)

[bomsasa]

gah, got some more questions now.

How many City Watchers are there?

Do the bodies of the City Watchers grow old and die?

Do the City watchers have any weapons/any advantages that’d make them capable of beating criminals?

For that matter, what kind of weapons (if any) do people have?

What is grown in the Farm? Crops?

Do people have to buy food from the City, do they buy it from bakers and the like who buy stuff such as wheat from the City or does the City just hand food out to people?

[RenaB]

@bomsasa

gah, got some more questions now.

More questions are good questions.

@bomsasa

How many City Watchers are there?

It’s a hard number to pin down, because the number is always changing. A City Watcher dies, a City Watcher is appointed, trying to track down how many City Watchers there are is a lot like watching the world population clock, but on an extremely tiny scale in comparison.

@bomsasa

Do the bodies of the City Watchers grow old and die?

Yes. The mind may be taken by The City but the body is still (mostly) human, and will grow old and die eventually.

@bomsasa

Do the City watchers have any weapons/any advantages that’d make them capable of beating criminals?

I mean a metal arm might count as a weapon in and of itself…

But most of the times they don’t need “weapons” per say. They might carry a scrap-metal pipe or so in the same way actual policemen carry clubs- for safety and extreme cases and such.

@bomsasa

For that matter, what kind of weapons (if any) do people have?

Weapons are illegal. If someone wanted to make a makeshift weapon they could fashion a scythe out of metal or maybe create a club, perhaps if they actually got their hands on some wood they could fashion a torch to burn someone with. Other than that weapons are illegal.

@bomsasa

What is grown in the Farm? Crops?

Crops and trees. Things that can be grown in bulk and/or provide a high amount of carbs therein lessening the demand for food are favored. (For example: wheat and potatoes) But because things like scurvy exist there are your spoil-easy vegetables as well. (Like carrots and lettuce, which are extremely expensive). There can also be the occasional berry-bush to provide a natural sweetener to things, but fruit is even more expensive than vegetables.

@bomsasa

Do people have to buy food from the City, do they buy it from bakers and the like who buy stuff such as wheat from the City or does the City just hand food out to people?

Bakers buy ingredients from The City and make food, they then sell that food to people who want to eat out.

Or people buy food directly from The City and make food themselves.

Pretty much identical to how we buy and eat food today. Just a lot less variety. (Soup is common. Potato soup with bread is probably what most people eat, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with mushrooms for added flavor.)

[RenaB]

So! I have good news, bad news, worse news, and neutral news.

The good news is that I finished coding and typing up the next demo update.

The bad news is that dashingdon is doing the weird thing it did last time I tried to update the demo where it tells me I’m not uploading anything when I assure you that I am (I even ran through the demo myself as well as did several randomtest run-throughs to make sure everything is running smoothly)…

The even worse news is that I don’t remember what I did to fix it.

The neutral news is that I refuse to give up and will eventually figure it out… eventually.

Hopefully by the end of today.

So… yep. Stay tuned for more, I suppose.

[Eiwynn]

You compiled the files again, right?

[RenaB]

It’s dashingdon, not dropbox, so I’m fairy certain that with dashingdon you don’t compile them but upload them as .txt files (which is what it says to do on the website). I did try compiling the files and uploading that but it didn’t work either, sadly.

[OScott]

@RenaB

The neutral news is that I refuse to give up and will eventually figure it out… eventually.

Pssh, that’s not neutral news. That’s fantastic news because that shows dedication, holmes.

I believe in you. And, also, I look forward to the update, whenever you’re able to bodyslam it triumphantly onto the web.

[moonwalkerdragon]

that’s right, I’m going to quote from one of my books now:
“determination is like a song sung by the victorious men and women of earth, it is like a never ending fire of passion which is only extinguished by the water of giving up which is why I set out to dry up the lakes of this such water to lead humanity to a better future.”
this is from the book which is ironically called Failure .

[RenaB]

@OScott

Pssh, that’s not neutral news. That’s fantastic news because that shows dedication, holmes.

Apparently I need to rework my news namings. (Dedication is one word for it- I usually end up stuck in the “hard-headed stubbornness” category but I appreciate the flattery.)

@OScott

I believe in you.

Thank you, I shall try to be worthy of your belief (but, hoo boy, am I stuck with whatever this problem is.)

@OScott

And, also, I look forward to the update, whenever you’re able to bodyslam it triumphantly onto the web.

Time to sign up for professional web-wrestler training then. (Also something about this image… I love it.)

@moonwalkerdragon

that’s right, I’m going to quote from one of my books now:"determination is like a song sung by the victorious men and women of earth, it is like a never ending fire of passion which is only extinguished by the water of giving up which is why I set out to dry up the lakes of this such water to lead humanity to a better future."this is from the book which is ironically called Failure

I… I want to read this book now. Especially for the title.

---

On the non-reply side of things: I’m stumped. Officially and utterly stumped.

It’s weird, it works up to a point. Past that point it says I’m uploading 0 files? And I can’t see any difference in the coding between point A and point B. I mean I tried rearranging the code, trying a different coding style, everything that I could think of but nope.

I even took a break to go to the barn I volunteer at and clean stalls, thinking maybe doing a mundane repetitive task might allow my brain to relax and come up with some mystical epiphany (it’s… worked before.) But nope. All I succeeded in doing was cutting up my heel (somehow? I think I need new boots.)

So instead of gaining a solution I gained a bloody, injured heel. Not exactly a fair trade off in my opinion but I’m going to work with it and keep bartering for the solution.

Sadly this means the update is going to be… delayed… for some time…

I’m going to try for help on the forums (I did some searching and all I’ve found is that “it’ll work eventually”?) And if all else fails I’ll start searching for other options (dropbox still refuses to work as well, which was why I turned to dashingdon originally).

Until then… do you guys want part of an update? Like I said it works… to a point. The story doesn’t get anywhere at that point… but I mean it’s something? It’d be 1/10 of what’s written, but it’d still be something until my heel scabs over and this mess is fixed.

[RenaB]

I am very happy to announce that I have finally figured it out and got the demo updated.

This was an experience, lemme tell you, but I had a weird idea, thinking maybe the file was just too big to upload (because admittedly I’d only really been using one file since that helped me keep track of everything). So by splitting it up I actually got it to work!

So, I’m extremely relieved to announce that the new demo is up!

[moonwalkerdragon]

WOOH, update time!!! Cannot wait to see what’s new!!!

[Rakkun]

I enjoyed the new update…
By the way…can you romance Copper if you side with Icarus?and is Lottie the City MC mother?

Good Luck with the writing

[RenaB]

@Rakkun

I enjoyed the new update…

I’m glad you did!

@Rakkun

By the way… can you romance Copper if you side with Icarus?and is Lottie the City MC mother?

((Since there’s no real spoilers for this answer I’m just going to leave it out))

So I’ve been going back and forth on this. I don’t want to lock people into just two romance options if they pick one side or the other, but I also think for some people (Cynthia, for example) it wouldn’t be within their character to date someone who’s on the other side? Copper is someone who I could see falling for someone on the “other side” if you will. Lorraine and Icarus might but you’d have to make a very strong case as to why they should date you. Cynthia I just could not see bending her morals for anyone…

So I think Copper, Icarus, and Lorraine will be romanceable no matter what side you pick, albeit it’d be tougher to romance them. Cynthia will probably be the one person who you can’t romance if you’re on the opposite side, but if you’re neutral then she’ll still be romanceable.

As for your other question… I can’t really answer it directly due to spoilers… but it does seem to be going that way doesn’t it?[quote=“Rakkun, post:96, topic:17799”]
Good Luck with the writing
[/quote]

Thank you!

[OScott]

@RenaB

I am very happy to announce that I have finally figured it out and got the demo updated.

After a bloody battle of wits and wiles, a victor emerges…
@RenaB: 1, Finicky Game File: 0

Like I said. Virtual bodyslam. Nice job on wrangling the Internet and making things work, congrats on finding the solution. Definitely looking forward to exploring the new content!

(also, how’s your heel doing? Is it still injured? Hope it wasn’t/isn’t anything too serious…)

[RenaB]

@OScott

After a bloody battle of wits and wiles, a victor emerges…@RenaB: 1, Finicky Game File: 0

(I was going to use a more serious picture but this captured my feelings on the matter more, the pain in his eyes really makes it work well.)

@OScott

Like I said. Virtual bodyslam. Nice job on wrangling the Internet and making things work, congrats on finding the solution. Definitely looking forward to exploring the new content!

Thank you! I can now add ‘virtual wrestler - special move being the bodyslam’ to my repertoire.

@OScott

(also, how’s your heel doing? Is it still injured? Hope it wasn’t/isn’t anything too serious…)

Thank you for asking! It’s fine, it wasn’t anything especially bad. Now the goal is to not tear it open again today when I go back to the barn. (Wearing a bandaid- and different shoes this time around- will most likely help in this endeavor.)

[Rakkun]

Yeah i guess,i just noticed something about her in my second playthrough…thanks for answering my question…i didn’t know you were injured haven’t seen this WIP for a while hope you will get well soon…

[RenaB]

@Rakkun

Yeah i guess,i just noticed something about her in my second playthrough…thanks for answering my question…i didn’t know you were injured haven’t seen this WIP for a while hope you will get well soon…

I mean what you noticed wasn’t an accident if it is what I think it is.

Also, don’t worry! “Injured” is a stretch, it’s just my heel got a little cut up from my boot. Nothing to worry about! (Easily fixed, and will most likely just heal on its own.) Thank you very much though!