Provided you can access all of it in the stats screen, the problem I see with this (besides the huge coding work) would be a certain clunkiness regarding the interface - there’d be a lot of clicks involved in changing the gear of your team, for example.
You’ve used the word “expect”, but I think you meant “would like”: I don’t EXPECT a CoG game to give me lots of micromanaging, but if you can make one (again, beware of the huge coding work required to make this happen) I’d certainly try it - I like management games.
Would I expect micro-management in text-based IF games? No.
Would I like micro-management in text-based IF games? Also no. This medium’s greatest strength and weakness is the fact it’s text-based, which means any sort of traditional menus or management screens would also be much more difficult to manage than those found in traditional video games. Also from a personal standpoint, I hate micro-management even in other games; if there’s a way to shortcut or avoid it, I’ll try and find it.
Hi everyone, I recently had an idea for a story: a re-telling of The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by HP Lovecraft.
The original story follows the protagonist on a journey through the Dream Lands - a vast land with strange creatures and places that vary from beautiful to terrifying. It lacks some Lovecraftian tropes (no cultists & summoning rituals, more fantasy-leaning than pure horror).
I’m thinking, what if MC could go through that journey, but with multiple other branching possibilities. End up in other parts of Dream Lands, face other dangers, get other endings (some good, some horrible).
The big downside is that this story has no place for romance, at least that I’ve been able to figure out. Maybe a fellow dreamer or someone communicating from the waking world? But that takes away from the weird, lonely atmosphere that is in the original book.
What do you guys think? Would you read a story like this? Would an RO be important to include? Thanks!
I’m not familiar with Lovecraft, but it seems like an interesting concept! While I do love romance, and if you figure out a romance I will be happy, not all stories need romance. If you don’t think romance will fit, don’t worry about it.
Also, this reminds me of a level of Dragon Age: Origin. The MC and companions get trapped in a dream world. You need to solve puzzles and fight demon things to get into different parts of the dream world, find all your companions, and escape. It would have been fun if it wasn’t impossible to play!
Ugh, don’t remind me. I still remember when the game would sometimes bug out after killing all the demons, so I’d spam the interact button on an NPC that’s shouting, “HELP ME PLEASE!” until the game caught up.
Christ, that quest takes forever, even when you know what you’re doing.
@AmawynOakleaf That sounds like it would be fun to read, especially if the parts of the Dream Lands are different. And doubly especially if you do add in the weird and terrifying creatures that HP Lovecraft came up with. I have the feeling a “horrible” ending would probably involve Nyarlathotep and insanity?
And not every story needs a romance. I mean, someone did successfully make a Cthulhu dating sim but don’t feel like you need to force a romance into your story.
The Fade questline! God, that was so terrible to play through. I was so glad there was a mod to skip that entire thing. It’s also a good example of a level/quest that was designed without thinking of the lore the game created.
Yes, Nyarlathotep would be the major threat to MC, of waking up insane or not waking at all. Other, more minor, creatures and phenomena encounters would add to the insanity. Petting the Cats of Ulthar, meanwhile, would make MC more sane.
I might use Sanity/Insanity and Asleep/Awake stats to help determine the epilogues. Sane + awake = waking up more or less normal. Sane + asleep = living in the Dream Lands (happy but unaware of reality anymore). Insane + awake = ending up at an asylum. Insane + sleep = dying or falling to the Outer Gods in some way.
Hey all,
so I’ve finished writing the first chapter of a story the idea for which has been stuck in my mind for a year by now. It’s a fantasy story (yep, another one), set in a world populated by various elemental clans (though the word “elemental” is used loosely as say “sun” or “flower” is an element as well…). The MC is of mixed ancestry, so can use abilities of both clans (to a degree). But, this has also resulted in them being taken from their family…
-Ch1 covers MC’s childhood (and was initially supposed to be just a prologue and a quick recap because I didn’t want to do it via flashbacks)
-It is written as more of an “interactive story” than a choice “game”, and the MC is not a completely blank slate.
Basically, I was wondering if it’s something people would be interested in reading (though I’m pretty sure I’ll keep writing it regardless). You can find the ch1 here: https://dashingdon.com/go/9251
@lliiraanna Love the original worldbuilding and your writing in general. My favourite moments were between MC and his mentor/s, but Ember was just so suspicious that I couldn’t bring myself to make MC befriend him. The most I could do, was being polite and civil with him. One moment I found funny, which also reminded me of Aang in ATLA during earthbending training with Toph is MC’s POV:
Dunno if this is a bug or not, but when the flashback of lord Nebra and the mentor is shown, lord Nebra refers to MC as “they” instead of my chosen pronoun.
I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for catching the bugs. Also, this story now has its own thread here in case you stumble upon more issues.
Funny how the setting was initially inspired by Naruto, but ended up kinda similar to ATLA anyway (well, Naruto and DnD. Sun abilities are basically Abjuration+Force magic).
Probably a remnant of the old draft, which was written in a gender-neutral manner. I’ll look into it.
Hello, I’m working on my IF: The Lost Children of Iona
Many run to Iona’s Temple. Perhaps to escape hunger or the touch of death. You aren’t sure why. No one is. All you know is that you’re among them.
You knew it was wrong. When your father let you attend the Feast of Xihnir, you knew something would happen. And it was a night you will never forget after witnessing the Divine Lord slaughter your father like a lamb. Since then, you’ve learned how deep Xihnir’s murderous and twisted fascination with you goes.
Fleeing to the neighboring kingdom, Gilhanna, you find a place to escape the pursuits of your father’s killer. You were hoping to find peace while masked as a Child of Iona. So far, you’ve enjoyed seven years of peace now. You’re sure more is still to come.
Yet, the sudden appearance of a wounded stranger threatens to uncover your secret while talk of encroaching armies praying upon Gilhannian borders grows rapid.
You can’t let yourself be reduced to running, hiding — surviving. Nor will you allow yourself to be caught in Xihnir’s crooked grasp. Will you give up the identity of this mysterious stranger to protect your own?
FEATURES
Customizable appearance, personality, and gender/sexual identity.
Choose a given trade/skill to influence your character’s nature and story! (i.e., swordsman, musician, scholar, weaver, dancer, or merchant.)
Make meaningful choices that can affect the people around you and your future.
Forge strong allies or begrudging enemies.
Eight ROs total— two secret romances. (one minor, one major)
Hi friends! I’ve been working on an IF that’s nearing the demo posting stage called Folksaga & wanted to share it with you all / gather some feedback on the idea Here’s a quick synopsis:
You are a human. A totally normal one.
Honestly.
You’re a human. You’re a bartender, which is a very normal job for a human to have, and when you walk down the winding streets of Akureyri you can blend seamlessly into any crowd of people which is, without question, only something that a human could do.
The fact that you came here two years ago with nothing but the clothing on your back doesn’t mean anything; you’re hardly northern Iceland’s first wayfaring soul. That you had no money to your name, no friends or family to speak of — that’s a fairly average human thing, too. And that little craving you have, that quiet urge to dig your teeth into any passing stranger’s throat? It’s completely, entirely mundane.
It’s manageable. You’re managing.
Or you were, until someone — someone who’s decidedly not as good at this human thing as you are — begins leaving a trail of dead bodies at your doorstep, and a trio of god-like siblings take a seat at your bar.
(Ragnarök might have marked the end of the Norns, but that doesn’t mean your fate died along with them.)
Features:
Customize MC’s name, appearance, and gender identity.
Three mythical creatures from Scandinavian folklore to choose from for the MCs background. The different origins have unique appearance quirks (eg. a forest warden with a hollowed-out tree trunk for a back), different bonuses to stats, and will have significant differences in certain dialogues/scenes throughout the story.
Five romance options - 2 male, 2 female, 1 non-binary - available to all MCs. ROs include the three children of Thor, your also-super-normal-human-definitely-not-anything-weird coworker, and the shadow you keep seeing in your nightmares.
Multiple paths & endings, some significantly happier than others. Oops.
More info is on my Tumblr for anyone curious! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts xx
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