It sounds interesting! My favorite part about dystopias or apocalypse type stories is how relationships are affected by the circumstances. I’m talking any relationships: families, survival co-workers, friendships, romances. It feels like they’d all be so different but completely the same all at once.
So if you’re feeling a simple plot with a focus on characters, then I highly encourage it
So i just binged netflix series ‘Fast And Furious Spy Racers’ and was wondering if anyone makes a game with a somewhat similar storyline.
Lol i didn’t even know that was existed. Then I sat down and watched it. Then I watched redline to forget what i’ve seen. Then it got me thinking knight rider for some reason? Only thing i knew about that was some super car, so I’ve checked some videos and oh boy is it old as dirt…
Anyway, that got me thinking. Would anyone want to play as the car ?
You’re going to play as a human/AI hybrid sentient car, who will be customizable (of course), you get to choose the tone of your voice etc.
You’re also going to have a partner, a driver. Together you going to do some spy stuff. Catching some criminals, saving some pretty people etc.
I’ve recently started reading and watching ChoiceScript tutorials so, I might pull this off.
I haven’t slept about a day so idk if im making much sense rn.
THIS LOOKS SO INTERESTING! Have you planned out the ROs or is it just in its early stages?
For my next project I want to do something small and completely different. Since my last one was more serious and had a lot of gender-variable characters, I was thinking about doing something either really silly or without gender-variable characters next, as a personal challenge.
Whatever it is will be short and a hobby project, so profitably/popularity isn’t a concern. I’m indecisive when it comes to choosing projects — rolled dice last time, but I thought I’d try a poll this time.
For silly, I was thinking along the lines of something out there that isn’t meant to be taken seriously and is probably a bit more gamey (e.g., seagull RPG, furniture dating sim, customs thriller).
For the no gender-variable characters game, I think it’d be a good opportunity to make something that couldn’t be done as well or as easily with gender-variable characters. I’d probably try my hand at non-steamy/non-explicit romance, though I cannot attest to the quality of such an attempt.
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I know set genders aren’t popular, so I’m curious how much base interest there is for different kinds of gender fixing.
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I mean, I would personally prefer gender-locked female with male love interests. But realistically, a split of male and female ROs will do better.
But I will be selfish by recommending the MC be female 
Haha. I already have my own WIP with a gender-locked female MC with various ROs, and it’s also light-hearted, so I might have some competition.
I’ve been very casually planning an IF for a while now, since it seemed like a fun little project (if a little intimidating to tackle). I finally have enough of an outline that I’ve begun writing the actual story, so I figured I’d like to (shyly) share the broad strokes of it here. I’ve never tried making an IF before! So it’ll be an adventure. I’m very excited and fired up, though! Hopefully it sounds even a little interesting, heh.
Genres: High fantasy / Swashbuckling / Mermaids for Mermay (not the nice kind of mermaid though) / Monster Time / I Can Fix Him/Her/Them (or make them worse)
Floodhaven is a small, rocky island located at the center of the Fetters – a harsh inland sea that bisects the two war-torn halves of the Mornlands. Despite Northern Morn and Southern Morn having their own military powerhouses, Floodhaven has maintained its independence due, largely, in part to the rampant piracy that plagues the Fetters.
When the Empire of Morn was sundered in two, first by divine intervention and again by the crippling civil war that followed, its naval forces were torn apart by the wrath of the god of storms and the sea, Salubrian. Neither side of the empire has ever been able to recover from that, as the pirates of the Fetters filled that empty niche with the tenacity of opportunistic vermin.
Nowadays, Floodhaven boasts a unique reputation among the lawless, the lost, and those forsaken by everyone else. This is a place where anyone can survive, so long as they have the tenacity to carve their name into the flesh of the earth by hook or by crook. It is not an easy place to live, but those who make their home in Floodhaven often have nowhere else to go.
You were born elsewhere but, due to some… extenuating circumstances, ended up calling Floodhaven home. Yours is not an unusual story here, and in some ways, you found that fact liberating. It is not an easy life, but you have managed to carve out a meager existence in a place that all but wants to see you fail.
That is until one day, the sea claims its due.
Drowning drowning drowning pain pain pain, your last thought as the salt and the sea filled your lungs is the bitter recognition that you deserved better.
When you next wake, it’s face to face with a pair of curious slitted eyes and a sharp-fanged smile. Every instinct in your body screamed “predator” and “run”.
Which led you to your next chilling realization: you were no longer human. And you had no idea how the hell to use your new body.
Become one of four different types of creatures: a fierce siren, a shapeshifting sea serpent, a bewitching selkie, or find your soul bound to an ancient shipwreck (no, you don’t become a ship. You become a ghost. Sorry to disappoint. You get a ship though, which, in this economy, is really a huge win honestly, even if it is a fixer-upper).
Unravel the mystery of why you were changed and who was responsible for it. Try to regain your humanity, or think it is the coolest thing to happen to you and embrace your new form.
Get caught up in the whirlwind of a country torn apart by civil war and the aftermath of an angry god drowning and salting the earth (quite literally).
Form deeper relationships with four different characters, whether those be friendships, rivalries, or romance. No poly planned, because I’m trying to keep the scope manageable.
The MC’s gender is selectable, with a number of customization options for their human self and whatever creature they end up being. Still trying to figure out how to make these features relevant, but we’ll get there.
The Vengeful Siren - Mir (Gender Selectable M/F/NB): Mir is many things: prickly, viciously pragmatic, and unfriendly even on the best of days. Nothing about them suggests that they make a habit of charity, but they took you in without hesitation when you had nowhere else to go. No matter how you feel about them, there’s no denying that you likely would not have survived the first days of your change without them. You do not know what motives they have for saving you. Loneliness, perhaps? Sirens are not solitary creatures, yet they seem to hunt alone. They help and guide you, teaching you the ways of the deep and helping you navigate the complicated intricacies of your new reality. The longer you spend with them, the more you wonder if perhaps they are just as lost as you.
The Mysterious Pirate - Vonn (Male): The man known as The Centipede is practically an urban legend in Floodhaven, and not a good kind. Hundreds of rumors exist about him with one singular thread connecting all of them: the man has a reputation built on bloodshed and mercilessness. If the rumors are to be believed, he has more blood on his hands than any other pirate in the Fetters. Meeting the man in person surprises you, for he is nothing like what you expected. A charming rogue with a sparkle in his eye and a glib quip always at the tip of his tongue. He has a magnetic sort of charisma that tends to draw people in – a warm, disarming smile and an easygoing personality make him easy to like and get along with. You remind yourself that the most dangerous animals often sport the brightest colors, and this one may prove no different in the end.
The Ash Wraith - Misericorde (Female): The smell of ash and flame follows her like perfume, tickling the nose of those keen enough to perceive it. Decidedly inhuman, she does little to hide it. Her smiles are sharp and her words are sharper. Cruel and biting like her namesake; nothing about her suggests that you should trust her and if you had a choice, every instinct you have screams at you not to. Regardless of whether you wish to regain your humanity or if you simply wish to figure out what happened to you, she may be the only one who can help you. The question is what price you are willing to pay… and indeed, what price she will ask of you in return. The Ashborn Witch is not known for her charitable heart, something that likely burned away in the same fires she was born from.
The Knight Adrift - Sacha Belrose (Gender Selectable M/F/NB): A strange knight in a tattered suit of armor. They move with the stiffness of a marionette that had just escaped their strings. Their face is hidden behind a full-face visor and their massive form is nothing short of intimidating. They wander the rocky shores of Floodhaven, seeking something they don’t even know. No one has ever seen their face, and the broken armor they wear tells a story of many hard battles fought. It’s unknown whether or not the person beneath the armor is even human. There is something about them that draws you in, like the inescapable pull of the moon to the tides. Though they have given you no reason to distrust them, they are nothing short of an enigma to you.
I am trying to keep the project manageable since I’ve never done this before and may end up culling some characters as romance options, though their story relevance will remain. If I do have to cut some ROs, would people prefer the set gender characters to go or the gender-variable ones? I feel like gender variable romance options seem to be the popular option but I have no idea.
Whew, I’m actually kind of nervous so I’m just gonna post it and flee, hehe. That was a lot, so thanks for making it to the end!
This looks super interesting!
You currently have one female, one male, and two customizable. This is an even split, so everyone will have at least three choices. If you go down to three or even two ROs, there are a couple options I can see.
You can have one male, one female, and one customizable. This will give everyone at least two options
You can make all the ROs customizable. This gives everyone the same options. This is my personal favorite, but there are plenty of people who don’t feel as connected to the characters. (And as a writer, it’s kind of a pain. But worth it, I think)
You can leave the genders the way they were intended. There might not be an even split, and that will upset some players. But it will make things easier for you if you decide to cut a romance path down the line
I recommend the second one, but it’s not for everyone. The next best is the first one, as it keeps things even
Thanks! Yeah, the even split was by design, and I was thinking if I cut one or the other, it would probably be more “fair” to have an even amount regardless of what people like, so I am leaning toward either keeping one M, one F, and one variable, or just keeping the two variable characters.
We’ll see once I get going a little more whether or not I feel like I can expand the two static gender characters to gender variable. It’s definitely a possibility! I like when gender-variable characters have some text unique to them dependent on the gender they are, instead of just static pronoun swaps, which is why I didn’t come out the gate with 4 variable ones. I’ll have a more realistic idea of what I can and cannot do once I get there, though!
Thank you for taking the time!
Alright, so, I’ve been thinking about making an IF lately, and I’ve already done some writing/coding to make sure I can handle it, and I’m pretty confident I can. A little nervous, not gonna lie, but I figured I’d post my idea here and see what people think 
. Already have a list of ROs in my mind, just need to flesh out their backstories.
Current title is “City of Jade”. Genre is a ‘tropical fantasy / political conspiracy / mystery’ kind of thing.
Here’s the first-draft synopsis I wrote:
Welcome to Auresía, the City of Jade and Splendor…
…and capital of the Emerald Coast, a small maritime kingdom with a piratical past, renowned for its wealth and beauty. Countries and nations the world over run their naval routes through its bustling ports, ever astir and thick with commerce. A true realm of revelry and natural wonder, home to warm and sparkling seas of sapphire and cerulean, cliff-sides of black rock, with verdant and lush tropical greenery shading the boulevards and plazas, suffused with the aroma of spices and spirits. And when the sun sets, music rings throughout the streets bathed under the glow of lantern-fire.
And now, the city gears up for a month long masquerade, thrown for the betrothment of the heir to the Emerald Throne; a celebration leading up to a royal wedding.
But conspiracy comes for the City of Jade; plots and schemes are whispered behind closed doors, danger lurks in the shadows, daggers are grasped behind friendly smiles, and murder lurks in the masquerade.
Can you, walking scandal of the nobility and outcast in your own family, unveil the conspiracy before it’s too late?
And can you have a good time along the way? After all, everyone loves a good bash.
But do mind the party-crashers.
Seems interesting. Question: will the unveiling of the conspiracy be on-rails (like, say, the Wayhaven “investigations”) or will it be more free-form with you having to make deductions and actually have to figure out the culprit?
Thanks for the question 
, Currently my idea is that, as the story progresses, you’d have different leads and you’d choose which ones to investigate.
I don’t want it to be on-rails and I’d like it to be at least a little free-form (like “this person might be suspicious, go snoop around their home/office” or “the city’s underworld as been quiet lately, investigate the those rumors”).
And, ideally, the success of the MC’s investigation would influence how far the conspiracy gets in its plans.
edit: Might be a bit of an ambitious idea, but I think I could pull it off if I don’t unnecessarily over-complicate things.
Ooooh, it’s been a while since a CoG game needed me to actually engage my brain. Since, what, Relics 3?
Is it possible to miss clues (or whatever) by random chance? E.g., you have three places to investigate, only one of them has the actual clue (or whatever), but you have no indication as to which is the right one?
I got another story idea and I wanted y’all’s thoughts and feedback.
Here’s a short summary of “The Bounty”:
The year is 1888. Following the American Gold Rush, a strange new mineral called Racoda has been discovered across the States. One out of ten thousand people have gained strange abilities known as “Racoda Gifts”. The newly formed Federal Bounty Association (FBA) now hires bounty hunters to protect miners, hunt down new supernatural monsters, and bring in empowered criminals. You, along with two fellow FBA hunters, are on a hunt to bring in the Burning Man- a mysterious outlaw with a huge bounty of $88,000. Traverse through the wild west, hunt down dangerous cryptids, and claim that bounty for your own.
I’m pulling inspirations from Hunt: Showdown, Red Dead Redemption 2, S.T.A.L.K.E.R., and Darkest Dungeon.
Along the way, you’ll meet Teneca and Flechette Wells. Teneca is a half Native American and half white hunter who is always reserved, calm, and considerate, with a Racoda Gift that allows them to turn into smoke. Flechette is a masked bounty hunter with a hot-headed, fiery, outgoing personality. Flechette has a Racoda Gift that gives them an extra pair of arms. They’ll both be your companions, competitors, and potential RO’s.
Throughout the journey you’ll encounter plenty of wild creatures like werewolves and wendigos, get into plenty of standoffs and gun duels, and (unintentionally) raise havoc in saloons all across the west.
What are y’all’s thoughts on this?
This sounds really cool. I’m a big fan of political intrigue, and the vibes of a maritime Kingdom with a pirate based past really appel to me.
Would there by any chance be swashbuckling and hats with feathers in them?
Sorry for the late reply @JBento (had to go to work).
But, that’s a good question and touches on something I have varied ideas for. Ultimately, how difficult do I want the investigative side of the game to be? And how would I control the difficulty? Should it be an “all roads lead to Rome” situation where branching paths meet back at a common point? Should there be multiple routes to unveiling the plot?
How real should the risk of failure be? My current thoughts are that all leads would give you something to work with or ‘clues’ or something along those lines, but maybe some paths give more than others 
? And of course if that’s the case, I wouldn’t want to write any of these branches without giving hints as to which ones might be more fruitful. But ideally there wouldn’t necessarily be a ‘bad’ choice. Ideally.
Perhaps the first act of the IF could be a smaller self-contained aspect of the conspiracy which, once completed, opens the door to the rest of the plot at large. Sort of an “oh it goes deeper than we thought” thing.
Anyway I think I’m rambling here, but if you any thoughts on my rambles here, please do let me know 
.
And yes @Blunderbutts (excellent name btw), where would we be without big fancy hats? And I think duels and swordfighting would be a favourite past-time of the city. There should be plenty of opportunity for swashbuckling .
I’ve been working on a story idea for some time and wanted to know if anyone would be interested in it (i might end up writing it anyway regardless, but if it’s something that people would want to read, i would make it public)
The set is, of course, medieval fantasy, yes another one.
You as the heir of Ita, on your travel through your country to Riag, where you will be married off to a prince you have never met. It’s your first time seeing your country, as you have been locked away for most of your life in your palace, and you find your kingdom at chaos, plagues, famine, rebels, not to forget that for some reason, everyone born from your birthday on, is incapable of using magic.
You would travel your country for the first half of the book, the middle would focus on the marriage itself, and the second half would focus on finding out what happened to your kingdom and what to do about the whole “magic refuses to work” situation.
Even tho, yes, you will be married, there are a total of 7 Romance options, and 3 (might chance) poly options.
This might be medieval times, but you have the option to be trans and queer, BCS through magic and the ability to change ones body, transitioning is just a part of humanity.
The main focus is on character interactions and the state of world you find yourself in, meaning it will rely heavily on your connections to your companions and everyone around you. Ah, interpersonal drama, my favorite.
I do plan on giving the mc lots of sassy and gremlin like options, BCS i am the drama, although you can play as however you see fit, of course.
I do have already the prologue and chunk of the first chapter finished, but wanted to know if anyone would even be interested in the first place, before i might end up making it public.
I’m DEFINITELY interested. I love arranged marriage stories, magical mysteries, and character focused stories. And if you’re sure you can handle 7 ROs, then I’m definitely good with more options
I have pretty much most of the story already outlined, with all RO in mind.
I am an angst and horror writer so, you won’t be happy much, but you for sure will have conflict with everyone.