I think that sounds really neat! If the college setting concerns you/seems oversaturated, why not just a career journalist at a specific publication? I mean it sounds fun either way but just a thought since you mentioned it. It’s also always nice to have games where the age is more variable.
3 Likes
I’m not planning on writing more or less anything else about this project until I release the demo, which will be after finishing my zero draft and revising the first two chapters for a WIP release, but I wanted to gauge interest in the concept that I am currently working with so why not share it?
About Shengzhang: I’m completely changing my workflow from how I tried to work on Shengzhang. I ran into a lot of issues because I was doing the scripting/coding/elements first and the writing second and it really started to bite me in the ass once I needed to actually sit down and write material. I don’t know if I am returning to that project but for now I feel motivated to write this so here we are!
Setting: Vaguely inspired by Ancient Rome with healthy splattering of other places and times since I want to lean more fantastical here.
Genres: Historically-Inspired Fantasy, Romance, Mystery
You have always been someone to fade in the shadows, that’s honestly how you like it. People have never particularly been your thing, anyway. When your village attempts to burn down the surrounding forest you live within as a part of your desperation to save it you end up stumbling across a daemon who will change your life forever with one simple touch. Just what happened to you now that you bear its mark? What does it mean for you after?
Uncover the meaning of what has happened to you, your past, and the future for the nation which seeks to end you all while fleeing from those who would have you killed.
A small excerpt from ZERO DRAFT of the prologue
I’ll emphasise this is a literal zero draft so just flow of consciousness, going to be issues but I want to give an idea for the vibes.
Perhaps you only pay attention to his face now that you are attempting not to look upon the other half. The entire right side of his face and shoulder were crushed under a now smoldering tree and you are shocked he is alive at all as you move it. Where once would have been youthful, smooth skin instead is melted flesh, despite his beleaguered state he wails as you pull off some of the skin in your efforts to move the branch from him.
You rip a section of cloth [from your leg wraps / you rip a section of cloth from your tunic, lamenting all the effort you put into creating it] but you aren’t even sure what to do with it. You have a feeling if you were to attempt wrapping the wounds it would only make him suffer, and it’s likely to tear off the exposed skin… For some reason, you feel a desperate pull to do something, you can feel his agony not quite like anything before, it’s as if you yourself are the one in pain.
Something clicks and you suddenly feel as though there is something you can do to fix it…. To help him. There is no voice telling you, no great revelation, just a sudden understanding it is something within your capabilities. You lift your hands over his raw flesh after shoving the cloth into his lips to help stunt his wails, you would hate to draw the attention of the daemon again.
- GIVE ME!!
- Seems interesting.
- Need more info.
- Not Interested.
0
voters
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I’m a college student, so I’m laying it on thick on the whole ‘write what you know’ schtick. I’m unsure if I can do justice for characters older than me since context is everything, but I’ll see what I can do! I do like it better when characters / MCs are older because it’s more fleshed out and specific. Like there’s more at stake for a prolific journalist if they have their own family, or if they’re living from paycheck to paycheck.
Nevertheless, there’s also the slice-of-life that I’m concerned with if I do go the career route. I’d want to portray journalism as a relatively fun experience still—one that’s akin to competitively playing a sport for school, so and so.
3 Likes
You may want to write what you know (I’m also writing two wips set in my country, because I know that), but in any case also compare yourself with other people to see their experience.
It’s not a problem if a cliché or setting is used, the problem is when it has nothing that makes it unique, so you remember that it’s your wip and it has to be a part of you. You can inspiring to something, but it must have something of your own, such as your own style or experience
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I want to vote ofre both “GIVE ME!!” and “need more.”
Oh, all right, I guess I’ll actually include the “info” part in the “need more.” 
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As a reader, I find the idea of playing a new journalist more compelling than a student. The stakes are higher and it’s a more intriguing setting.
That said, I don’t believe there’s a problem with it being set on campus. It’s important that you actually enjoy writing this and have a connection with it. As I said earlier, colleges are inherently fun and something many readers can connect with. It also leaves the option to write a sequel down the road where you are a full fledged journalist.
3 Likes
I was deliberately being vague about it just because I don’t really want to spend too much time developing out the intro page for it atm with how much is subject to change but perhaps I could have given a bit more detail?
I’m really concerned about like, spoiling my intents here especially while the idea is very fresh and not fully developed, I’ll probably make another post here once I’m finished with the 0 draft with more information that I know is safe to share. I think I can safely say though that a lot of the story is going to be about you interacting with things, doing things, experiencing things as you are on the run as a now ‘fugitive’ thanks to your devilish deal and contextualizing those experiences with new information as you look/find answers on the daemon.
@Raphael_Dusk
If you expect any level of historical accuracy I will probably disappoint, since it’s fantasy and I’m deliberately not strictly adhering everywhere to one culture or setting, but perhaps you can find enjoyment in it nonetheless.
1 Like
Actually, it’s enough for me that you don’t do the usual stereotypes. And then oh, I’m also making some historical mistakes in writing, I would be hypocritical to complain about this, right?
Also… I had a new idea and since I want to see if you like it before working on it, I have to bother you for an opinion.
The story is set in Malaspina (for those who don’t know, it is a juvenile prison located in Palermo), where minors who are serving their sentences or are on trial go.
For some time strange things have been happening among the young occupants and staff members, such as strange visions, dreams like in another life and… Strange accidents.
The protagonist can be either a boy who was locked up there (the reason will determine the origin) or one of the prison masters (again, the why will determine the origin). It turns out that the protagonists and others are a kind of vessels for once existing beings (I’m torn between deities, fairy tale characters or ex-convicts who died in prison. Yes, I copied my other wip a bit) and that their personalities could be erased in favor of that of the things. I thought more about focusing on the the aspect of prison, but I’m afraid that someone might get angry if the topic, which can be associated with a mental illness, is treated badly I Ro and the possible paths/reincarnations vary based on being an inmate or prison employee. A little trashy, yes, but there’s no harm in trying.
What stereotypes do you mean, if you don’t mind me asking?
Honestly I think the idea of deities trying to take over mortal forms is by far the most compelling, why would they seek to take over the bodies of mortals? are they attempting to escape from a more gruesome fate? Merely curious and wanting to try to live the life of a mortal? Why children?
1 Like
Hey y’all. Im around 7k in on this WIP so it seems like its about high time to do an Interest check, lol.
A Sun Asunder: Post Apocalypse
When the sun went away, the creatures of the night came out to play. The hours between dusk and dawn are no longer safe.
Before you were born, the earth was overrun by behemoths; spindly, pale creatures with a loping gate.
In their tumultuous wake, areas of shadow were created. Nothing good roams the dark.
Decades after the initial apocalypse, you are now grown, trying to steer clear from the roving giants. This life of hiding, running, and fighting are all you know. Modern comforts have never been something familiar to you.
With the looming threat of a behemoth approaching your new, broken home, you’re forced to flee…again. But for how much longer can you continue running? And whatever happened to the sun?
Gameplay Summary
MC lives on an island – most things are overrun, in active disrepair, or have been abandoned due to people moving out during the apocalypse.
Gameplay will have you forced to scavenge, run, and fight to survive.
Due to the nature of the setting, your choices truly do matter. I hope to format the game in a way that only railroads you into a few ‘main plotlines’ but otherwise gives you freedom.
I’ve drawn a map that I’ll be adding to over the course of development, but i intend to make all areas of it explorable
Companions
I roughly plan on having 3 - 4 RO’s, 3 recruitable animal companions, and an optional little sibling to take care of
Little sibling and dog companions have been introduced in the WIP i have right now, but the other companions are under development
Let me know what y’all think! I hope to have a WIP thread out for this in a few weeks with the introductory chapter and more info
12 Likes
Definitely not something where the Romans only know how to cook and eat, that’s what I mean.
1 Like
I’ve literally never heard of that before. I thought that you would talk about finding it annoying that people only write characters to be directly related to the gods or something else like that 
The idea of only seeing romans as gluttons seems odd to me, like to my knowledge a lot of citizens didn’t even cook their own food and would buy their daily bread from taverns or the like.
Ah, there’s the more I needed. Thank you.
Hi guys,
I think it’s time to asks about this,
about management mechanics in Interactive Fictions
we have several titles with such mechanics, with Dragon of Steelthorne being the most recently released title
so, how do you guys like a game mechanics that lets you manage your day-to-day actions?
does it interests you?
or is it too much of management and makes you disconnected from the story?
or is it an okay-ish mechanics that further enriched and diversify our collection of games?
I’m asking this because I’m doing a Harvest Moon copy, and that means it’s gonna be a management-focused IF, mostly doing daily chores and other activities, exploring the areas, socializing, etc etc, just like the original harvest moon mechanics, but presented in text.
it would be great if the authors that have implemented management mechanics in their works would like to share what they’ve found after making those kind of games
thank you
2 Likes
I’m considering on maybe making my own IF game but Idk what kind of system to use for this stuff. I remember getting a link to some of them but I don’t remember where they are and I’m not that familiar with computer stuff so I would like some explanation and help on exactly how difficult they are since I’m very new to these kind of stuffs.
Other than that, I’m also having a problem trying to decide on what type of IF game I want to focus on since I don’t want to split myself trying to work on multiple games at the same time. There are 3 types I’m thinking of. Another problem is that I’m very lazy but it is something I’ve been thinking about sometimes.
Super Society
Basically a Superhero/Supervillain type of game. Considering some of the ideas I’ve been dishing out sometimes on IF games I played on here, I can most likely think of a bunch of creative type of powers that hopefully most people would like. Problem is would be that there’s too much power ideas and if I try to incorporate all or a bunch of them, it would take a long time to even set those up.
Dragon Fantasy
A monster fantasy game that would be somewhat similar to @Beastup Super System Monster Evolution but where it’s Dragon focused and would have some inspiration from another game called Defiler Wings that some people might be familiar with where you start off as a small draconic creature and pick evolutions that would determine what type of draconic monster you want to become.
Werewolves
A Supernatural game obviously focused on werewolves. I’m not sure if I can think of some big lore as compared to World of Darkness people or even close to it but it would be somewhat easier to establish in both this and the Super Society lorewise since they would be modern based.
4 Likes
I had a similar problem but i just incorporated multiple aspects of what i wanted into a single IF. It now feels like a whole universe i can dive in to pick & choose what stories to write.
And thats my first IF in progress. Id just pick 1 & roll it
I’m considering on maybe making my own IF game but Idk what kind of system to use for this stuff. I remember getting a link to some of them but I’m not that familiar with computer stuff so I would like some explanation and help on exactly how difficult they are since I’m very new to these kind of stuffs.
Other than that, I’m also having a problem trying to decide on what type of IF game I want to focus on since I don’t want to split myself trying to work on multiple games at the same time. There are 3 types I’m thinking of. Another problem is that I’m very lazing but it is something I’ve been thinking about sometimes.
Super Society
Basically a Superhero/Supervillain type of game. Considering some of the ideas I’ve been dishing out sometimes on IF games I played on here, I can most likely think of a bunch of creative type of powers that hopefully most people would like. Problem is would be that there’s too much power ideas and if I try to incorporate all or a bunch of them, it would take a long time to even set those up.
Dragon Fantasy
A monster fantasy game that would be somewhat similar to @Beastup Super System Monster Evolution but where it’s Dragon focused and would have some inspiration from another game called Defiler Wings that some people might be familiar with where you start off as a small draconic creature and pick evolutions that would determine what type of draconic monster you want to become.
Werewolves
A Supernatural game obviously focused on werewolves. I’m not sure if I can think of some big lore as compared to World of Darkness people or even close to it but it would be somewhat easier to establish both this and the Super Society lorewise since they would be modern based.
Edit: Just so people know in the future, these ideas are very likely to not come to fruition because of how lazy I am so if anyone is only liking this because they expect to see them in the future, unlike it so y’all don’t waste your time. These ideas were only something I was considering anyway.
4 Likes
Just a heads up, but you might get more engagement on the interest check thread here:
1 Like
Tnx.