The weather’s going to be a lot better for me and my computer this season. But at the same time I gotta watch out for thunderstorms though. I still prefer the cooler air. For this month, my goal is to release a small update for Interstellar Hunters which is gonna have a lore page for the major races in the setting. I don’t want to overshoot for the skies here, so I think a small update won’t be too demanding for myself.
I love suspense. I like to feel like there’s this uncomfortable feeling that’s going to happen, but you’re not sure what’s gonna happen next. The uncertainty. For movies or reading a book, you’re don’t really have a say in what will happen. Only the characters do. Fate is in their hands. For Interactive Fiction it’s a little different. A player can easily reset and go back to do something they haven’t done before, which can make stories based on horror or thrillers a bit tricky to do.
I think one of the important things about creating suspense is being aware of something that could be a problem, but being unable to deal with it because you either don’t have the skills, the info, or the tools yet. It’s a situation you can’t control at that moment. So it’s important to add choices about how a player is feeling about it, or what are some things they can plan in the future so it can come up later. Imagery and slow build-up are also factors writers can take advantage of so that the suspense becomes realized.
I just fly by the seat of my pants and write whatever comes to mind.
But if you’re trying to use the ‘plotter’ approach, take a large blank piece of paper and draw a flowchart with a pencil. Lined paper and spreadsheets tend to shut down the creative side of my brain. I drew the plot outlines and sketched the maps on a large piece of paper for my first game at a McDonald’s somewhere.
Focus on cutting the firewood, please.
By the way, I have some extra bandwidth. Does anyone want me to review their WIP?
I’ve had so much fun writing today! Feels like forever since I’ve had an almost-uninterrupted day or writing without having to stress about work or life, and a scene that I’ve been dreading writing feels like it’s absolutely jumping onto the page.
Interestingly, the chapter feels like it’s coming out shorter than anticipated, too, despite me actually adding some content compared to the initial outline. I still have a decent chunk of it to go, but this was one chapter in particular that I was not looking forward to attaching a massive amount of words to (it’s a set-up chapter, and I don’t like them getting too long in IF).
I’m relieved that it might end up leaner than I initially feared. And the quicker I get through the chapter, the faster I can move on to the open world segments, which were the part of the release I was most excited for…
For September I’d like to write 10,000 words and potentially finish this large chat scene section. Actually I think 10,000 words might not cover the whole section, but I can lie to myself and face the disappointment later this month. Why suffer today when I can do it tomorrow?
Who said this? Who thought they could finish this big dumb scene in September? What a clown. Honk honk.
This month I’m totally gunna finish this section though. I say that with the confidence of a toddler who proudly climbs the stairs to the big slide only to face their undoing once they plant their little booty at the top. I’m hoping with enough peer pressure I’ll finally crack down and [Shia LaBeouf voice] just do it. Please pressure me, peers.
In regards to @raywilson’s question about suspense: While I know how suspense writing works in theory, I don’t think I’m adept at it at all when it comes to execution, and if it seems like I am, it’s entirely unintentional on my part. I do like dropping little lore tidbits or foreshadowing here and there, but I like to think they’re more like titillating “hehe look at that”'s than me seriously trying to create tension. BUT I do like choice suspense when reading IF — usually those choices where there is no objectively correct answer and you have to just go with your roleplay/gut and hope for the best.
As for @HarrisPS’s question aboutthemes: I tend to stray towards some of the same themes: the dubious intentions of higher powers, the compounding effect of small sacrifices, and one person’s struggle against an organization of some kind — usually the church because I have beef. Then hide it all behind a fart joke or something because heaven forbid I’m taken seriously.
I do what I think you’re attempting to do. I come up with the endings first then work backwards to find the major story beats. As long as I know where I’m going, I can only mess up so much before I get where I need to be lol — then I can just delete the mess and keep the good bits. But, I do prefer having a leaner outline since things tend to change/evolve as I write, but all those first plotlines/beats/endings are still the same.
I don’t know how people do that, I wish I could . I need to have a solid idea of what it is I want to write and where the story at least roughly needs to go and why. If the inspiration isn’t there, I have a lot of trouble putting words down. If it is, they often almost seem to write themselves. But that also means they kind of go where they want to go, rather than easily being able to plan out that I want a game to a specific length, specification, including certain plot elements etc. which isn’t great.
I end up with some pretty odd stuff though. I mean I sat down planning to write a story about a mermaid’s nightmare, and ended up instead with a predatory unicorn who hunts parasitic creatures for food, within nightmare-scapes caused when human fears solidify into pockets within the astral plane.
I realized all except one of the named people from the sheriff’s office in my apocalyptic noir story are secretly magical creatures. I’d be very sorry for the one who’s not, if they were someone who deserved my sympathy.
I haven’t read too much about your work except what has been posted in the Writing Support Thread, so my impression is that this will be a humorous fighting game, which does actually appeal to me, but I just wanted to check this was the vibe you were going for.
Maybe some romance, maybe not. This feels too subtle. Remove the ‘maybe’ for a slightly more suggestive feel. Or go for ‘Turn enemies into lovers’ for an outright blatant romance hook.
Might be a good one? Depends on what the tone of your game is. If the pacing is like, Action, Action, water cooler talk, walk your dog, More Action, then yes, it could work.
Probably need a rewrite. These sentences don’t flow quite right.
Ok- again grain of salt time because I haven’t had a chance to read your game. But that does mean I’m coming at it like a prospective app store buyer.
Impressions- This makes me thing this game is going to be a bit quirky and silly. Like:
Silly, inconsequential choice.
Complete tone change to fight with magic and stuff!
!!!
Ah… ok, now we’re kind of back to the office type thing but quirkier. I mean why? This makes it feel like a “I’m trying to make sure you know this game is silly and quirky guys!”
Honestly? Kinda generic. Needs to be punchier. Like: Make friends, enemies or lovers of your sparring partners (or something, something, something. Quick rough idea only.)
If I may - I think the ordering of the options may be to blame here rather than the content. I think there’s a bit of whiplash as you go down the list that makes it harder to get the intended vibe.
I think you have the bones of a really good comedic beat here if you start with the action and the romance (maybe include a bullet point about how you can shape your character’s fighting style and learn techniques, as that’s a big part of the gameplay loop), then close with the ‘Help your office make the most important decision of all: mineral water or distilled?’
I think the orange thing can go - ending on the above note I think is enough to signal that mundanity is a big part of the experience?
Agree. I think it almost needs to kinda jump into the action, then dive back into a quirky option for the final one if going with that. At the moment I’m kind of getting a bit of whiplash from- mundane, crazy magic fights, wierd quirky option x 2, insert friendship/romance options to round it off. I’d have more action, relationships, quirky personally. But would have to see how the choices look
That’s good to know — it’s not exactly what I’m going for, so I’ll revise it!
Yes, I liked the orange, but I just realised that it makes no sense unless you’ve played the game. And if you’ve played the game, you don’t need these bullet points!
So now I’m going with something closer to this:
Play as male, female, or nonbinary; gay, straight, bi, asexual, or poly.
Learn boxing techniques and tailor your fighting style.
Survive flaming uppercuts.
Land a jab-cross on a fighting mime.
Befriend your opponents and change the course of their lives. Maybe fall in love.
Make an important office decision: distilled water or mineral water?
Just on this, I mean can we only friendzone or RO them? I mean if there’s a way to have a rivalry/frienemy/full blown enemy arc, lean into that too! I mean I know the “love” thing has to be there, its just the friend/lover thing still feels out of place to me. Because you’ve got:
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Live in harmony, harmony always
Quirky end choice showing you need to keep a day job.
(By the way I hope I’m not coming off as insulting here. Totally not my intention.)
