P A R A D I G M
Paradigm is a one hundred and eight thousand plus word interactive novel about the rise and fall of superheroes and the effects they have on the world. Set on a near-future Earth that has been irrevocably altered by the arrival of superhumans, the world has been dealing with a radical shift in the nature of humanity. For thirty years, those with powers - referred to as capes - have been at the forefront of the world’s media. There’s been heroes, there’s been villains, and there’s been world-shattering confrontations when those two groups came into contact. For a time, those individuals walked the world like modern deities. For a time, it was good.
But things change. Given time, all things resolve to entropy.
The Golden Age is over. The player, a member of the newest graduating class of an international academy for superpowered individuals, needs to find their place in this new world, and whether that place will be determined by their own hand - or by the machinations of others. Assigned to the troubled Paradigm City, it’ll be up to the player to determine whether their name becomes a byword for fame or infamy, idealism or pragmatism, and loyalty or ambition.
FEATURES
- Experience your life from youth to the end of your first big mission! Time moves forward and one must live with their decisions.
- Multiple endings, with differences both big and small! How will your actions affect the future of the world?
- Utilise the three precepts of superheroism - brawn, bravado and brains - to solve challenges!
- Increase the potency of your electrokinetic superpower to conquer dangerous threats!
- Work with a team of elite superheroes to solve a mystery - your relationships with them will determine their fates, and whether you’ll learn their stories.
- Uncover and unveil a conspiracy, or work to use it for your own ends!
- Embrace the traditional values of the caped crusader, or embody the cutting-edge pragmatics of modern superheroism!
- Three romance options to choose from - or don’t, and keep things strictly professional!
- Sixty achievements!
- Be male or female, straight, gay or bi!
- Wear a tactically-inadvisable-but-really-stylish cape - if you want!
- In fact, customise the rest of your outfit!
- Dispense justice!
Note: Features have been collated by the author-programmer.
Interested in testing?
~Beta is now closed.~
From the Author
Hi everyone,
After five months of work, Paradigm is through my own private testing groups and I’m finding myself satisfied enough to show it to the world (despite the bubbling anxiety in my gut), so, I’m putting it open to the good people on this forum for testing and feedback. While I’ve long been a fan of Choicescript games and, before them, interactive fiction in general, Paradigm is my first experience with both writing outside of for my own enjoyment (or academic fields or directly related to my profession) and of serious programming in general. Despite this, at this point, I do not anticipate any major errors or bugs and everything seems like it should work as it should.
Any and all feedback is welcome. While I don’t anticipate adding anything major to Paradigm as it stands (I found myself getting into that worrisome business of feature creeping and making things a bit too complex than I can handle), I’d rather not see flaws remain. Ultimately, I’d rather push through to a release and get feedback on my first project then let it linger in the void of never being perfect enough to fulfill my standards! However, if you don’t like something, if you think something should be expanded on, if you’re left with burning questions that you feel should be answered, if you think I’ve made some serious missteps, let me know because, ultimately, you may just be right.
Whatever questions you might have, feel free to ask.
EDIT: I forgot to add - send feedback to: rhodeworkscog@gmail.com (this ensures that I have it no matter where I’m working)
sorry I can’t read it now, but can when it’s released.