Hey fellow interactive fiction lovers. Just wondering if there are any completed or WIP games out there that allow you to play as a literal god? As in the main purpose is that you are a god. I’ve already played Divine Ascension and The Aether. If not then never mind. I just thought it would be really cool to play as a god and have kids with mortals Zeus style if you catch my drift. The loint im trying to make is in the two games I menstioned before, you don’t really get personal with you mortals or even the other gods. I know the creators are trying to create the feeling of the player being a god and therefore above it all, but even gods irl and even God himself (if you believe he exists) has some form of so called “human emotions” to a certain extent. It would be really cool to play a god sim where it’s not a one time thing. I’d love to be able to get attached to my mortals and other gods. Let me know if one exists, either completed or WIP. Thanks guys.
Hey! I didn’t unfortunately. Life got in the way, and I ended up focusing on my studies and working on non Choice of Games related projects.
I had completely forgotten about this idea until your reply, but it’s nice to know there’s still interest in it. Perhaps I’ll pick it back up now I’ve got some more bandwidth!
Thanks for the message!
P.S regarding your question about God games, I think maybe Fate of the Storm Gods could be a good shout, but not sure if it’s exactly what you’re looking for.
Thanks for the reply 
So, first off, hello to everybody who’s reading this.
I’ve been working on an idea of mine for a week or so, and now I figured that it wouldn’t hurt to post the idea in this thread and get your thoughts on it.
Tags: Modern-day urban fantasy, magic, special forces, detective, occasional slice of life, romance.
Setting
Some people still remember how their parents used to read stories to them, either to instill a love for reading in them or to make them fall asleep faster. Many of those stories featured valiant knights who fought against wild beasts and wise wizards who were capable of powerful magic.
And none of them were fairy tales.
There was always a place for exaggeration, of course, but magic was an integral part of life back then. Some races — elves, for example — were much more proficient in it on average, and some rejected it almost completely, like dwarves.
But that was a long time ago.
Humans, with their unmatched pace of reproduction, quickly spread across the land and built their cities wherever they could. With time, those cities grew larger and larger until they became gargantuan structures that stretched as far as an eye could see.
As science progressed and technology evolved, humans soon started to heavily regulate magic: it was difficult to trace, hard to control, and, most importantly, dangerously unpredictable. With strict limitations, which bordered on a complete ban, set in place, the usage of magic began to rapidly decline until it became a shadow of its former self.
While a few races tried to retain their magical roots, most decided to settle in the comfort of human cities, thus leading to their assimilation.
As such, nowadays, magic is seldom used, and it is somewhat rare to see an elf, dwarf, or orc roaming among the human populace.
Premise
You lived a relatively happy life.
After all, you had your family, some people you considered friends, and a passable job. To add to that, you also had a hobby, and it brought you enjoyment. That is already something many would kill to have.
But almost all that happiness was stripped from you in just one day.
And, like dominoes, everything began to fall apart since then as if that day wasn’t enough. Your job turned into a slog, and the memories your hobby evoked only made your mood worse. Earning just enough to get by, you spent most of your time trying to cope with your situation.
However, on just another miserable day, a man approached you. He offered you a place in an organization of sorts. You didn’t know what he was expecting of you, so you readied yourself to reject his offer…
Until he told you the truth about that day.
A bit of plot overview
You will be a member of an organization that tracks down those who unlawfully use magic.
Therefore, your tasks will often involve:
— detective work, during which you’ll be investigating crime scenes that were presumably committed by someone who used magic;
— enforcer work, during which you’ll be deployed on a location to forcefully apprehend the suspect(s).
Sometimes, the objective of your mission will require different approaches from the two listed above, so you will have to be flexible in your skillset.
To aid you in your work, you have been taught how to effectively utilize the magic of your own, so that you are capable of using it as either offensive or defensive means. Of course, you are also granted access to an armory and an arsenal of modern guns, which will be your primary weapons.
In between your missions, you are free to spend your time however and with whomever you please.
MC's powers (ways to apply magic)
As of now, four or five ways for your MC to use magic are planned:
- Enhanced physical attributes through magic.
- Telekinesis
- Time Control
- ??? (haven’t yet decided)
- ??? (haven’t yet decided)
Romance options
There will be three to four romance options, all of which will be gender selectable + playersexual.
You may think that means that I’m not interested in writing romance, but that’s not it. The thing is, I’d much rather focus on quality rather than quantity, so I think having a small number of ROs really helps with fleshing them out and making each of them unique.
Overall, the game will have a dark tone with a lot of mature themes included in it, ranging from topics of depression and loss to overly violent and gory scenes and explicit sexual content (a fade-to-black option is included for sex scenes). Because of this, the demo and the thread will only be posted in the Adult category.
So, I guess that’s all I wanted to share at the moment. Keep in mind that some of the stuff is subject to change. Let me know if you’re interested in something like that.
You’ve had me on this ever since I read the word “detective” at the top.
Cliché Cat Café.
Genre: Romance, Slice of life, Contemporary Low-Fantasy.
Play as a scholar, an office workaholic, or a wealthy member of an influential family, and visit the nearest Cat Cafe.
In a place full of Nekomimis, choose whether to date them or annoy them. What could go wrong?
Synopsis
The City of Refugees has become a mere joke in recent decades. The stray Kemonomimis once sheltered by its inhabitants in times past are now reduced to mere pets or slaves. Even those at the bottom of the human hierarchy struggle among themselves, vying to avoid being the lowest rung of the ladder.
At the Cat Café in the Grapes District, the Nekomimi fulfill their role as companion cats for each customer. However, in Lunaris, most middle-class families find it difficult to afford a Kemonomimi, despite the availability of some strays. Consequently, the younger population finds them fascinating. For many, paying for a coffee to enjoy the company of these well-dressed, trained creatures offers a delightful, albeit brief, escape.
As a new customer, you will have the opportunity to relax and enjoy friendly service, or even play with the catboys/catgirls and unravel the intrigues that surround them. Why not take the chance to steal a kiss or two from your favorite companion?
Features
— Play as a scholar in the bloom of youth, a tired office workaholic, or use the cheat mode to be someone from a wealthy family and dabble in some things more easily.
— Customize your character in name, gender, physique, personality and background.
— Flirt indiscriminately with all the Nekomimi or fight for a permanent romance with one of them.
— Focus on the romance or stick your nose in the dirt that goes on behind the scenes at the Cat Cafe.
— Experience the possibility of in-game death as a result of a bad ending.
— Every aspect of your character, from your physical appearance, gender, personality, and background to your clothing, will affect how easy or difficult it is for a RO to fall in love with you.
— Move from room to room in the cat cafe until you find a Nekomimi to your liking.
— Once you have established a romance route with one of the ROs, you will be able to experience a variety of different endings for each RO, with choices that affect their lives and yours in a negative or positive way.
— More than 20 endings in the game (it’s recommended to save games to not lose too much progress if you go to a bad ending early).
ROs
Nao:
19yrs | Boy | Bisexual.
“Cold and aloof black cat with emotional wounds, yet soft on the inside.”
As the newest member of the Cat Cafe, he was rescued from the streets, escaping both hunger and the cold. Despite being assigned to this location, he is still adjusting to his new surroundings and hasn’t taken on any significant role at the cafe. Maintaining his distance from everyone, he rarely speaks and hisses if anyone attempts to touch him.
Romance type: Slowburn and fluff with a hint of hurt/comfort. Man, he literally just needs affection but the things aren’t easy and fast for MC.
Amor:
26yrs | Gender-Selectable (F/M) | Bisexual.
"The prettiest cat in the world—at least, that's what the customers say, along with many other compliments like charming, lovely, and beautiful.”
The most devoted lover of pink. They may not be the most popular Nekomimi in the Cat Cafe, but those who have chosen Amor as their Companion Cat speak very highly of them. It’s unclear how long they’ve been here, as the only one who could answer that question spends the day sleeping.
Romance Type: Welcome to your toxic romance where you will probably end up dead if you choose the wrong option.
Amis/Amice:
31yrs | Gender-selectable (F/M) | ???
“Big sleepy cat.”
As the oldest member of this particular Cat Cafe, they have witnessed the business thrive and grow, along with several Nekomimi coming and going, either transferred to other branches or for less pleasant reasons. They may have stories to share—personal ones and those of others—but lack the energy to talk much. They certainly don’t intend to be an active Companion Cat, a reliable listener, or a comforting presence for the other Nekomimi at the Cat Cafe. Much less do they wish to take on the role of a server in this establishment.
Romance Type: A LOT of sexual tension. AHEM. And romantic too, of course.
Alannah:
22yrs | Girl | Lesbian.
“Prototype of the Ideal Companion Cat.”
Extremely popular with customers. When the Cat Cafe opens its doors, Alannah knows it’s going to be a long day filled with giving her best tirelessly. Her only breaks come during her sleep; for the rest of the day, she strives to please the humans. She always remembers their names, concerns, preferences, dislikes, and little details. A sociable girl, she has a way with words and is an attentive listener.
Romance Type: Ah… Actually this is a healthy relationship unless you pull some strings.
Elysian:
28yrs | Boy | Antrosexual.
"A cat with origins in selective breeding, the humans around him attribute his outstanding work to it.”
The only one in the Cat Cafe who was not adopted but purchased. A great investment, according to the owners. Elysian is the most skilled waiter, with an excellent memory for large orders and a friendly service that adapts to customers’ needs. He walks a fine line between professional and personal with most of the ladies at the tables he serves. He is also the most popular Nekomimi in the Monopolize Time system.
Romance Type: Slowburn and hurt/comfort.
Inmaculada Concepción:
24yrs | Girl | Pansexual.
“A noisy, affectionate and clingy kitten. An ideal pet for some, a perfect nuisance for others.”
The Nekomimi most desperate to get out of this place. She would throw herself into anyone’s arms to escape, but she is a terrible complainer. The fantasy of walking into a cat cafe and having a beautiful Nekomimi sigh and beg you to take her out sounds charming, as she promises to be at your feet, ready to give herself body and soul. But she longs for a life filled with luxury and comfort that only a wealthy person can provide. Inmaculada Concepción is transparent about her desires; she will not settle for a loser and will tactfully make this clear.
Romance Type: Romantic Comedy.
Winter:
29yrs | Gender-selectable (F/M) | Demisexual.
“A boring cat as a companion, but a great help for students who are struggling with their schoolwork by simplifying complex problems.”
They were privileged to receive a proper academic education, unlike many other Kemonomimis and some humans from middle and lower classes. Winter is a favorite among high school and college students, often found at the Cat Cafe’s large table. Thanks to their recommendations, the most popular desserts are what they are today, as the students trust their judgment when suggesting what to order.
Romance Type: Slowburn with many unhappy endings.
This thing is influenced by Otome games, it’s still in development, but I have the stable plot basics, a map of developing romance routes and MC influence on it, also a lot of ideas for different endings. The WIP will go into the adult category once the first demo is done. I don’t know if this needs to be clarified, but the game is focused on romance.
Edit: I just discovered the Hobby Project subcategorie, so I will post the WIP there, as I don’t intend to publish it with HG or profit from it. The WIP thread should be created by the end of December or mid-January.
yesssssssss! send me the link please when created
So after much thought, I am excited to be starting out on my first big IF project! I would very much love to hear any thoughts/critique the wonderful folk here might have on it as I myself are far from flawless. I hope that you will like it!
Tags: Modern Day, Low Fantasy, Mystery, Romance. M/F/NB inclusive (basically name is set, but you choose your gender, appearance, etc).
*Trigger Warnings: Crude lanuage, alcohol and drug abuse, discussion of addiction, NSFW elements (optional), death, violence, discussion of religion, toxic dynamics.
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, child of the morning!”
Morningstar
What harm can a few questions do anyway?
Premise
A lot. The answer is a lot of fucking harm. Curiosity drove Eve to take a bite off that forbidden fruit. Curiosity drove you to question your Mother’s ineffable will. It got the first ever mortals exiled from the heaven on earth that was the Garden of Eden and it got you exiled from actual heaven.
Or perhaps the flaming sword you tried to plunge into her heart was the final straw that broke the camel’s back. It’s a little difficult to ask Her what in particular ticked Her off when She has not answered your damn calls in literal millenia.
But oh well. What is done is done.
You are Lucifer Morningstar. Lightbringer. God’s most beloved child, supposedly. Satan. Ruler of Hell. The Antichrist. Your titles go on and on, but mainly you are everything that is bad and rotten and sinful about humanity itself.
Most humans denounce you as a trickster, a deceiver, a seducer. Just as many seem to think blood sacrifices are your bread and butter. Your own kin and friends in Heaven revile you as the traitor, the great enemy. All of those assertions are correct to varying degrees, albeit not in how most people would envision them.
In truth, you are temptation and executioner alike. As punishment for your little stunt, your Mother has condemned you to the singular most dreadful duty in the Earth, Heaven and Hell. The punishment of sinners and wayward souls.
A rather stressful job in all honesty. Being conscious of every messed up thing humanity has ever put its mind to is not pleasant. Plus the paperwork is horrendous.
And so you have chosen simply not to do it for a while. You have left the fiery depths of hell and exchanged them for the only slightly less suffocating heat of Los Angeles, USA. For a brief moment, you can close your mind off and merely bask in all the luxuries miracles can provide you.
…that is until Archangel Gabriel appears on your doorstep, white suit stained with golden blood, declaring someone has killed God’s youngest child, Uriel. A child that should be impossible.
Asking questions did not get you very far the first time.
And yet you cannot resist repeating the same mistakes again.
Features
- Play as literal Satan!
- Customize your Lucifer. Gender, appearance, how you feel regarding your fall from grace and your reign over hell.
- Put your detective hat on and solve a murder mystery of supernatural proportions.
- Redeem yourself or seek vengeave for all Heaven has put you through.
- Maintain balance within your own realm in Hell while archdevils plot in your absence or shoulder that responsibility off to someone else.
- Tempt a folk or two into selling their soul. (what kind of devil would you be if you did not even think of it?
Romantic Options
- Archangel Gabriel/Gabrielle (gender flexible)
Where you failed, they succeeded. Where you fell, they flourished. It is fair to say that nowadays they are Mommy’s favourite little angel, incapable of doing anything wrong.
You might have been close friends once or maybe not. Then again, just perhaps you might have been even more. It matters not now. You have not so much as seen their face in centuries and you doubt they would have any interest in wasting their pracious time on a traitor.
And yet when their eyes meet yours, you only see affection reflected in them. You wonder perhaps if you are misinformed. Or maybe they are just better actors than you though.
They are just so… soft. Kind and unblemished by the cruelty of the world, protected by the pearly gates of heaven. It makes you want to protect them.
Or does it make you want to corrupt them yourself instead?
- Lillith (female)
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. You are quite certain that quote was intended for Lillith, if not created directly by her as some strange inside joke. Lillith was one of the first to join your side and perhaps the only one to have done so as a partner rather than a subordinate. A demonic sorceress of incredible power whose wits and wiles sent shivers down your spine even.
During your holiday, she has been acting as second in command, ensuring that order is maintained in Hell. Apparently, she has not been doing too good of a job at it…
Though you have spent long aeons with Lillith by your side, you have never managed to pin her down and you doubt that you ever will. Lillith wants to be a mystery with no answer. You know only two things about her for certain: she wants to see Heaven burn and she might just be the one person who can threaten your hold over Hell.
She will either be the end of you or you will be the end of her. Maybe both.
- Caine (male)
You do wonder sometimes if this fucker’s face is really just permanently stuck in that sneer. Perhaps killing your brother does that to you.
Caine wears his heart on his sleeve and his heart is a minefields of toxins and venoms and sarcastic remarks so you are not certain that is a good thing. He has been an ever consistent presence during your vacation, a loyal guard dog and a much appreciated vallet, and he shall remain that for as long as you possess his very soul.
Caine believes he is good liar, but indeed he is not. The desire glowing in his eyes when he gazes up at the open sky is clear. So is the way his heart thuds painfully when he deludes himself into believing he has seen familiar features amongst crowded rooms. In the darkness of the night, you hear him calling out for the sheep-keeper sometimes, frantically searching for his twin brother.
Some small part of Caine that he has pushed deep deep inside wishes for absolution.
Shame neither of you will ever be granted that.
- Detective Dakota (gender flexible)
The stoic, skeptic detective that does not even believe in God is frankly the last person that should be getting involved in any of this business involving Heaven or Hell. Alas, after baring witness to Uriel’s murder and its peculiar circumstances, Dakota has taken on the case and you are not certain how you would get rid of them even if you wanted to.
Dakote has been presenting themselves as the picture perfect image of cold professionalism, but the needlemarks on their arms imply a more complicated story than that. You know a troubled soul when you see it and you suspect they are more of a sinner than they let on.
Despite it all, their experience and attention to detail might prove helpful in your search. As long as you manage to distract them from the supernatural elements all around them, it should be fine…
It is pleasant in a way to have someone look upon you and see merely a blank slate.
If you all find this at all interesting, I would love to hear any thoughts you might have! Particularly if there are any mechanics/features you would like to see or any other romantic tropes that could be intesting to explore through the story.
Thank you for your time!
I am creating a new type of Choice Game. Although, there is a very large story here, there is also artwork provided to enhance the story telling. I don’t know how this will go over in a community of writers who want to read and choose vs. having the artwork too. I am providing some screenshots below.
Follow them from top to bottom to see what the current flow is like. The last three screenshots are from the game so you can see it will have different results based on outcomes that are using the random number generator to make selections for both results; Win or Lose and Images.
I am using the ChoiceScript IDE to develop all of this. Let me know if this might appeal to you so I know whether to continue on with the idea or do something else.
“May you live your life in moments, may those moments find you treasures, may those treasures sustain you all the days of you life in happiness!”
Three Possible Outcomes for Puzzle Game
You Won - Next Round - Dark Master
It looks nice, but it is a unique challenge to pull off these features without damaging what makes these sorts of games special.
Random results, have the potential to damage the player’s belief that their choices matter. Likewise one of the strengths of a text based system is that you have a lot of flexibility as to what text to display. That flexibility generally doesn’t stretch itself to images in the same way. For instance, describing the PC at dinner with their friend is much more workable compared to drawing it—especially since you may not know who either of those characters are at the time.
Avoiding these sorts of issues can encourage making the choices have less impact. Player choice having impact however, is whcih distinguishes story in Choice of Games style titles from everything else.
If you keep those challenges in mind, I’m sure you’ll find a good way to integrate these elements into your story without damaging the impact of player choice.
Good luck!
I quite like the premise, it sounds well suited to a time system, where you can focus your efforts on, or neglect different areas that are drawing your attention, and reap the related rewards and consequences. Metahuman Inc. comes to mind as a choice title where your attention was being stretched between various goals in the face of time pressure.
I have two concerns about this game. The first, is that the temptation aspect is likely to be especially divisive, needs careful handling, and a clear purpose in the story, such as empowering investigative abilities. The second, is hearing the words supernatural and mystery together is always dangerous. Using logic to investigate something where magic is likely involved must be quite difficult. Magic needs hard rules you can learn to work in a mystery setting, so watch out for that.
I quite like mysteries, and settings that explore a wide range of interactions, so I feel like it could be a fun experience. Good luck!
As long as images don’t pop up every few sentences I’m okay with it. It shouldn’t disrupt the flow of reading. I chose to read a text based game after all, not a visual novel.
Also a heads up. CoG will not publish any games with AI generated images. Not that long a go a game got pulled back from sales, because of this exact issue. Something to keep in mind going forwards with this project.
I don’t think the artwork in your examples actually enhances the storytelling on the pages shown. Also, the different styles between the images kind of grates me.
As others have said, this will feels like it’d be hard to do in a way that doesn’t break immersion. And it adds a layer of polish to your project that you should not underestimate. I’m not saying don’t do it, but I would suggest making sure the story stands on its own and then going back and working with a dedicated artist on enhancing that.
I appreciate the input as each of you have provided me with valuable input and perspectives. This was simply a concept on my part. More than anything I am a creator. A creator of what you might be curious to know: Across my almost seventy two years of living and in my current moment a creator of: Stories, Lore, Poetry, Philosophy, Artwork, Lyrics, Composer, and Applications.
I am okay with leaving this concept behind, it was a seed to plant, grow a little, and see whether it could take root. It did not so I am off to my next idea. I will say, and I say this with all sincerity that if you want to reference player agency, choices, and the power of the written word then whoever owns the code base for ChoiceScripts should consider modernizing it to better support what you propose you are.
My perspective is that in its current form, it does not provide for true player agency where I can immediately see the results of my choices. Providing one or two side panels where variables such as your character stats could be seen as you make your way through a story would add immeasurable value for the person playing the game.
Yes, I understand you have a Stats and Achievements button that can be pressed at any time but I propose that is not the same. It takes you out of immersion as I transition from story screen to state screens that show this is where you are. Having the ability to post updates to a couple of panels or even a single panel so I can see results as I transition through the storytelling then I am all in.
I have read the responses that everyone has given to people who propose changes such as these. "We have a large community of writers who understand the current tools and ways to create, we don’t want to break anything, what about backward compatibility, and so on. "
With over thirty years in Information Technology having achieved impossible results that produce outstanding outcomes for user communities I say to you “Pure Political Politeness”. In other words, your using vague politeness to state that we are not planning on changing the code base because it works for us."
I would say in response, “As a company, I can understand that position, but as a creator and technologist I would say to you. But have you considered how it works for us, the consumers, the writers, the creators”
I wish all of you the best with ChoiceScripts but I am off like to create my own to better flush out this idea of dynamic player agency and interactive fiction where the results of my choices can be seen in near real-time, and future decisions can be based on something that is much closer to life and less fiction."
Twine supports more flexible formatting, like stats on the same page as story text. Maybe you’d be interested in that. Not totally sure how well it handles images though.
Good luck?
I am glad that you like my premise! I will give some thought to the time system. Perhaps you have a set amount of time to figure everything about? 6 months maybe, a constant countdown to when a final judgement is made and if you fail, you are convicted or overthrow? It has potetial.
The temptation aspect in practice is more of a title that you are given more than anything else. Lucifer is aknowledged as someone who is (or at least was) good at getting others to do their bidding. It is not an actual power that you have.
The supernatural elements are relatively limited all in all. The basics are these:
- Angels and devils exist.
- Angels and devils do not age. Angels cannot be killed (or at least that is what everyone thought until Uriel die).
- Angels and devils assume human disguises to weave in and out of human societies. They each take on the roles of guardian angels and shoulder devils.
- Angels and devils have powers. The kind of powers vary on rank + age. Baseline for angels is having wings/being able to fly.
Magic is not necessarily a factor because it does not exist exactly? There are psychics, people who are more attuned with the otherworldly/aware of it, but overall what even these beings can manage is limited. I will give it some thought to make sure it does not collide with the mystery aspect.
Thank you for your interest! I am working on a demo rn and I hope you will enjoy it when it comes out.
Would anyone besides myself be interested in ballet dancer if story? I like the idea and am considering doing research for it, but I’m wondering if anyone besides myself would enjoy it.
Oh my god, I love the idea and the cat ros had me in a chokehold from the first one!! Please create this!
I think a ballet IF would be fun! I love ballet, even if I wasn’t able to keep doing classes
More into orchestra musicians but ballet dancer would be great too!
As for me, any new IF where MC does something artistic or scientific instead of being a warrior/soldier is welcome…