I’m still snickering at my first-contact scene language barrier – the universal translator can only translate languages it knows, and it didn’t know space dragonese (two people on board did, but the bridge crew didn’t know they did, and at that point they were both in medbay in coma anyway) – was resolved, after the officers on both sides trying with several different languages, by everyone switching to Old Norse (and the MC going “WTF, who speaks Old Norse???”)
Sure, but it’s going to be a while. I was at the halfway point drafting the plot when I realized I need another act (I’m not actually following any number-act structure, I just like organizing chapters in larger acts because my brain can’t comprehend large chapters and I like the visuals of it) and something’s bugging me with what I’ve written so far, so I’ve left my subconscious chew on it while I’m more actively working on other ideas (all of which take place in the same world, so it helps with my worldbuilding too).
(I got in my hands the magazine with my latest illustrations, it’s always an awesome feeling to see my work printed. It looks so much better than on screen.)
You are my fucking hero at this point, man, unironically. I’m so happy that both of those games are able to be released with a little teamwork, and I admire you for taking on realizing the vision of projects that are not fully yours as it’s definitely not something all writers have skill wise or are willing to devote themselves to. May I ask how it came to be? Were you approached for assisting with these games for a particular reason?
I had gotten a habit of regularly producing (parser) interactive fiction games, so it was clear that I could finish things in a generally predictable timeframe, and in both cases my writing was eerily similar to the other author’s (for Star Crystal Warrior’s Go, no one was ever really able to tell the difference, and with Shadow of the Curse-Eater, I was writing one small scene as a test for something and realized the author had written a similar scene several chapters ago, and we wrote it almost exactly the same way.
Also, I don’t know if this was part of their considerations, but I had spent years writing games for other people (I used to offer a prize for IFComp where I’d make a game in their world, and I did it 3 different times).
I’m writing different paragraphs of text depending on which career the player chooses rn and low-key slightly regretting adding 10 but I shall percivier because having different dialogue depending on your background is a fun thing for me to read so I shall push through! (Speed running this thing cause I’m soooo close to finishing the demo sjshsjjsjs)
Today among other things (mostly sorting out the code for storefront screenshots), I’ve been writing little relationship summaries that go in the stats page and supplement the relationship score bars. Here’s an example, Raffi’s from Honor Bound:
*stat_chart
percent raf_rel Raffi Relationship
*if raf_romance
You've made a @{hb_aromantic particularly close|romantic} bond with Raffi.
*elseif raf_interest and raf_discuss_romance
You have a connection with Raffi that is something other than professional.
*elseif raf_interest and (raf_flirt > 0)
You and Raffi are perhaps in the early stages of something other than a professional relationship.
*elseif raf_interest
You are interested in Raffi, but have not expressed it directly.
*elseif raf_breakup > 0
You are no longer in a relationship with Raffi.
*comment empty
*if raf_gone
Raffi is no longer nearby.
*elseif (((raf_interest) and (raf_flirt > 0)) or (raf_romance))
*if raf_rel <= raf_rel_lo
Raffi [b]will set aside worries[/b] about you.
*elseif raf_rel <= raf_rel_mid
Raffi [b]happily ignores any concerns[/b] about you.
*elseif raf_rel <= raf_rel_hi
Raffi is [b]enthusiastic[/b] to know you.
*else
Raffi is [b]delighted[/b] to know you.
*elseif raf_breakup > 0
Raffi [b]regrets[/b] how things went with you.
*else
*if raf_rel <= raf_rel_lo
Raffi is [b]uninterested[/b] in you.
*elseif raf_rel <= raf_rel_mid
Raffi is [b]polite[/b] to you.
*elseif raf_rel <= raf_rel_hi
Raffi is [b]enthusiastic[/b] to know you.
*else
Raffi is [b]thrilled[/b] to know you.
And the ridiculously complex Korzha one:
*stat_chart
percent var_rel Varenn Relationship
*if mat_var_romance
You have made a @{hb_aromantic particularly close|romantic} bond with ${varenn} and Matia.
*elseif var_romance
You have made a @{hb_aromantic particularly close|romantic} bond with ${varenn}.
*elseif var_interest and var_discuss_romance
You have built a connection with ${varenn} that is something other than professional.
*elseif var_interest and (var_flirt > 0)
You and ${varenn} are perhaps in the early stages of something other than a professional relationship.
*elseif var_interest
You are interested in ${varenn} in a way that's something other than professional, but have not expressed it directly.
*elseif mat_var_breakup > 0
You are no longer in a relationship with Matia and
*if var_interest and var_discuss_romance
${varenn}, though you are still with ${varenn}.
*else
${varenn}.
*elseif var_breakup > 0
You are no longer in a relationship with ${varenn}.
*comment empty
*if var_romance
*if var_rel <= var_rel_lo
${varenn} [b]would like to trust you.[/b]
*elseif var_rel <= var_rel_mid
${varenn} is [b]conflicted[/b] about you.
*elseif var_rel <= var_rel_hi
${varenn} is [b]passionate[/b] about you.
*else
${varenn} [b]trusts[/b] you.
*elseif ((var_interest) and (var_flirt > 0))
*if var_rel <= var_rel_lo
${varenn} is [b]distrustful[/b] towards you.
*elseif var_rel <= var_rel_mid
${varenn} is [b]conflicted[/b] about you.
*elseif var_rel <= var_rel_hi
${varenn} is [b]ruffled[/b] by you.
*else
${varenn} [b]cares[/b] about you.
*elseif ((hb_chapter >= 11) and (var_good = false)) and ((var_agent) or ((var_path = false) and (fio_agent = false)))
${varenn} is [b]angry[/b] with you.
*else
*if var_rel <= var_rel_lo
${varenn} is [b]distrustful[/b] towards you.
*elseif var_rel <= var_rel_mid
${varenn} is [b]composed[/b] around you.
*elseif var_rel <= var_rel_hi
${varenn} is [b]cordial[/b] towards you.
*else
${varenn} [b]trusts[/b] you.
They take a while to do, and always need some tweaking over the course of the draft, but it gives me a nudge about how the characters might be behaving onscreen.
All of which to say, here’s one for a character no one knows yet that I enjoyed writing:
*if x_rel < x_rel_lo
X thinks you are [b]a waste of space.[/b]
*elseif x_rel < x_rel_mid
X thinks you are [b]throwing your potential away.[/b]
*elseif x_rel < x_rel_hi
X [b]hopes she's right about how smart you are.[/b]
*else
X is [b]desperate to believe you can co-exist.[/b]
I also am awaiting this haha, loving the sound of it so far!
Deciding how interactive to make a game is a surprisingly difficult task. Too much and you may never finish it, too little and the game becomes a book. For Arthurian Tale, I started with one major choice each chapter that would effect every following chapter and a handful of flavour customisations that would change smaller sections.
It’s evolved a bit since then in later chapters so that you have to make specific choices to open up certain opportunities, with the downside that is it possible to not trigger anything substantial. But I like that it does provide a different experience if you decide to play again you can see what other characters were up to while you pursed a very different path.
I am excited to change my formula in my next game, I really want to go all out in customisation lol. Not everyone’s cup of tea I am sure.
I also have 10 different professions in my WIP, which affects not only dialogue but even which characters you may meet, as well as your starting stats. While there is much about the core experience that is the same for all of them, there are many unique things about the different paths. I don’t think they’re perfectly balanced, though. I still need to add some more unique Professor content, which is the one that’s lacking the most, but I’m only in the mid-game, and there will be opportunities later.
I love it when games do this! I just implemented something similar for my WIP and it was a lot of fun, and also helpful for me to spend some time thinking about how all the characters might interact with the MC. Added like 1k words (excluding code) to the stats page but well worth it
I will certainly mention in the writers’ support thread when I get a WIP out!
I’m doing profession-specific things in some of my story ideas (not all ideas have that customizability– if you’re undersheriff, you’re undersheriff) but I don’t think I’ve reached ten in any of them! I’m probably at 8 max.
Oh my gosh that’s so lovely to hear, thank you! It’s very big and sprawling, but I was really proud to be able to have such variation in the relationship journeys and structures. I really appreciate it!
I’ve spent hours editing and fine-tuning specifics across my game versions. My brain is exhausted combing through 24 files and 45000 words per version.
However, I am very happy I have so many redundancies so I can make sure game versions are organized. The last thing I must do is to backup the game versions just in case. And also playtest to make sure I didn’t incorrectly edit the functional code.
I’ve accomplished my 10000 word count goal for this month as well. Small wins.
Today’s confusion: I’m playing this game that makes a huge deal of crops that can grow in the ashes of a wildfire. But it’s an ancient farming method! The ash is fertilizer! So now I’m sitting here scratching my head and wanting to write something with slash-and-burn farming in it.
Hey I wanted to ask y’all for your thoughts on this. I usually write an interlude after each chapter, I finished one for the prologue and I’m working on finishing chapter 0 right now. Do you think I should finish the chapter 0 interlude before uploading the demo or nah
Personally, I’d post it. I initially posted my demo with just the prologue, and it really whetted people’s appetites for more. I like the idea of interludes between chapters.
that’s so lovely to hear, thank you! It’s very big and sprawling, but I was really proud to be able to have such variation in the relationship journeys and structures. I really appreciate it!