Frfr appreciated.
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I am toying with a hobby project (or rather just a creative project for my eyes only) and I am going back and forth on doing something with it that I would not consider before.
I am thinking of locking the protagonist to a set of predetermined background characteristics and attributes based on the readerās choice of gender. One set that will be exclusive for the chosen gender.
The dilemma for me is not locking each to the different sets of attributes, but knowing in doing so, I might ālockā certain routes to those who may, for whatever reason, only play one route.
Currently, this means writing three different versions of the narrative, something I do in Patchwerks often enough in different scenes, but in this project it would mean three different complete scenes for every scene I write.
Present me is punting this to far future me to deal with, and I am going to enjoy developing the introductory scenes because I love world building and weaving a narrative that draws my reader into it.
This upcoming week, I will be asking those authors that want me to list their WiP threads as āWanting Readers/Testersā in the opening post of next monthās Support thread to contact me and tell me so.
I am trying this because making a separate Feedback thread did not work out the way I wanted it to, and I am hoping this third time is a charm.
If you know an author that needs testers/readers but who does not read the support threads, I also ask you pass this info onto them
Thanks, everyone!
. 
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You gave me a idea for a expression jam a game with three different protagonist that have to team and swap during games with emphasis on different types teaming together.
Would have made a rad jam. But probably nobody would want a jam like that
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What are peopleās thoughts on starting a story with a flash forward?
Iāve had an idea of a scene in my head for the opening of Season Threeās story (not the recap/character creation); however, the timeline would place it after the first chapter.
So you play the opening scene up to a point, but then the story jumps back a month, and the story continues until the player reaches the scene again and goes past it
For example, letās say a story starts with the MC slumped against a car clutching a pistol. They have been shot and are bleeding out. They deal with a few attackers, and then the story jumps back a couple of days, where the MC puts together a group of thieves and progresses the story until the job goes wrong. They are shot and end up slumped against their car, defending themselves from their attackers until someone comes to save them, and the story continues from there. [Itās not the actual opening; itās just something made up to provide an example.]
And a different cooler note I stumbled across the old artwork that Pale_Strider did for the goldielocks and little red riding hood game I was doing for him in exchange for the original cover of UnNatural before he sadly vanished from the forum.
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I tried that once.
Unfortunately that was Cryptkeepers of Hallowford.
So my advice would range between āYou might be able to pull it off if youāre better at it than I wasā and ādonātā.
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My worry about this would be: āWould the readers feel the event has already happened and thus the choices leading up to the event are either illusionary, or even nonexistent.ā
Iāve seen the approach work in other media, but I do not remember how I felt with Cataās Cryptkeepers of Hallowford version.
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I remember Zombie Exodus doing something like that and me along with others being very confused. Even more so when it turn out what happened in that flashforward was optional
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I donāt intend to make people have to redo the old choices but instead was thinking of something similar to how I handled the dream in Season One with your original choices remembered.
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How long is it to the flashfoward? If it takes a while to get there readers might be confused on why the mc is suddenly making choices by themselve
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Community College Hero and Unsupervised both open with a flash forward.
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I remember people complaining about Unsupervised though only after the game came out. Before then most enjoyed the mystery it brought
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Mara honesty very very few games do it well. In most cases, It is a game I will out since the beginning. Because can I role-playing something seriously if I know as player the outcome?
There are of course several plot devices that erase that. A pc with prophecy gift a time traveler someone that stumbling with a other being pact.
But even those, need lots of care and being foggy. As player, if You tell me You will die or even worse you will be saint and goodie goodie The story ends in that moment because I would not care as I donāt play fixed morality
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It isnāt about āredoingā or replaying the shoot-out.
What I mean is: Will the reader feel like their choices do not matter during the flashback?
If, in your example, the protagonist is going to end up bleeding out behind the caddy, does it matter if they chose a shotgun or an assault rifle to take into the jewelry store being robbed?
If you give agency during the flashback, how will this impact the āgo-forward end-stateā that they arrive back at, no matter what?
I hope this clears up my thoughts, but if not, I will try again.
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I think Iām making it sound more complex than I mean so Iāll actually use the idea that I had. I hope this will explain it better.
The MC comes crashing through a window and the player gets a choice of three reasons they did [jumping to escape monster A, tackling monster B through it or monster C threw you through it] then there is a reveal of the MC not having access to their power which is when the story jumps back to before that. Then they play through the rest of episode one and episode two until it ends with them going through the window and the story progresses from the opening from episode three.
(Hopefully this will explain what Iām thinking better than my example)
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You will need to ask yourself: will the reader think that the choices and agency in two full acts (act one and act 2) matter? What does matter in the choices presented in these two acts, if everything leads to going through the window? Would the reader feel ānothing elseā matters except going through the window? Would the reader feel the āreal storyā starts only with act 3?
And my biggest concern now is that 2/3 of your narrative will be concerned with a predetermined event that is railroadedā¦
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With all respects, That for me is a hard pass. It spoilers that I have not powers suddenly and make the oddly emphasis is in that window scene. It kills the relationship I have with my player after years.
It can be a good scene for a player that starts a brand new story with no plays from old games.
For a origin two games in playing it will feel like a stabbing in the back. At least is my visceral gut feeling know for my Mara girl.
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It is something Ive been considering but itās not set in stone. I have posted elsewhere about what people thought of losing their power temporarily and Iāll add your thoughts to the other comments when I make a decision about it 
I understand your point and your concern. I didnāt consider that but luckily itās just an idea at the moment that Iām not sold on myself so getting differing opinions is always helpful.
For now Iāll focus on finishing the recap before I decide on how to actually start it. Iām just getting a bit nervous since Iāve decided to make Season Three the final one so I want it to be good enough to complete the trilogy
Thanks for all the comments so far.
Edit: just realised the time (itās 2:11am here) and Iāve got work tomorrow so Iām heading offline now. Thanks again for the opinions itās definitely given me something to think about. Take care all!
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Just wrote another snippet for Lily Adventuresses! Episode 1, and itās another flashback ā specifically, how the MC (Jada) and her friend (and fellow MC) Kathleen first met. I believe I knocked it out of the park with this one.
When Jada and Kathleen first met
Three years agoā¦
I was a senior back in Mabaya Royal Academy alongside Emily, and I barely knew Nancy.
One day, Emily was busy with her own school projects, so I had to fend for myself temporarily.
I just had my lunch, and I had time to spare before classes resumed, when I chanced upon something that was launched at that time.
An āemotional baggage counterā.
This was an initiative by the schoolās guidance counselor to help students deal withā¦ what else? Emotional baggage.
And on that corner, I first saw her and her visage.
At first glance, I perceived her to be cute. Or hot. Or cute AND hot.
Every guy Iāve brushed with before kept on mentioning how great her rack was ā not too small, not too big.
But my gosh, I was more focused on how kissable those lips of hers were.
Gosh freaking darn.
I tried shaking my head in disbelief, but I was instead overpowered by her unique beauty.
Twin-Tailed Girl:
Hey! Something on my face, perhaps?
Yes, my glances were enough for her to notice.
And thus, I had no choice but to approach her like any other decent person should.
Jada:
I-I got distracted by your looks. What else?
Twin-Tailed Girl:
Wow. Thatās the first time a fellow girl noticed me.
Jada:
Whyās that?
Twin-Tailed Girl:
You know the drill. Guys trying to hit on me, I get turned off by their creepy stares and cliched pick-up linesā¦
But youā¦ youāre the first ever girl who has noticed me.
And the first ever person who never has any ulterior motives behind those stares.
Jada:
Well, to be honest, I was attracted by your face, your lips, and yourā¦
Twin-Tailed Girl:
Yup. My chest.
Dunno why, but most guys prefer huge racks.
Iām not really that gifted in that department, so I was hopeless in attracting attention.
But you already know why Iām here in the first place, right?
Jada:
Yeah, youāre having a fair share of emotional baggage.
Twin-Tailed Girl:
Right on the mark.
And before I forget, Iām Kathleen Marbet Hopper.
Jada:
Jada Roberta Cockrum.
Kathleen:
Nice to meet you, Jada.
As you must know, I come from a family of inventors, and they encouraged me to study magic, since it can be combined with science to create something new.
Right now, Iām studying powerful exorcist magic, because those demons are freaking eyesores.
But you know what, Jada?
I do consider myself a strong womanā¦ with all the talents and skills I have to succeed in lifeā¦
But deep down, I want someone stronger than me.
Someone who will value, appreciate, and love me.
Someone who will protect me and make me a priority.
Iām an independent woman, thatās for sure, but I want someone to grow with.
Jada:
Well, to be honestā¦
Iām an only child, and a supposed-to-he heiress of a business at that.
But I donāt want to follow my fatherās footsteps, and instead become a hero.
But heroes of yoreā¦ were never alone in their quests.
They needed someone to support themā¦ in combat and in everything else.
I do have a childhood friend, and someone whom Iāve just met, but I needed another friend whom I feel will stick with me for all time.
Kathleen:
Well, if thatās what youāre looking for, Iām your woman.
Iām cute, Iām hot, I can have a way with words, I have a particular set of skillsā¦
And most importantlyā¦
Iām an independent woman who also needs to bond with another one.
Jada:
ā¦
Iām so glad to have just met you.
Letās be friends, alright?
Kathleen:
Yeah, letās.
And just like thatā¦
I made fast friends with Kathleen.
I also never hesitated to introduce her to Emily and later Nancyā¦
ā¦and they were just as enraptured with her as much as I did.
Together, we four formed a team that would later bring down an oppressive rule.
Itās those little coincidences in life that would coalesce into something grand.
And for these, Iām thankful to the Goddess, and to everyone else.
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So Iām writing my IF and I wrote about 1K for it, butā¦ like I underestimated how tough writing as IF is. Iām trying to write a blank slate character, but what Iām realizing is that the smallest action, the smallest dialogue is telling of a personās character.
Like in this scene, the mc is with his female personal attendant. He asks her about the coming preparations for the arrival of mcās father, but its hard to resist giving options for every little thing. Do I give the reader the option of mc flirting with the personal attendant? And what about later, when he notices his brother is drunk and has a male servant escort him back to his room. Even that little detail says alot about his characterā¦
How do people even make blank-slate characters? Is blank-slate even the ideal I should try to strive for?
I just dont want to assume too much of what the mcās morality and personality is like.
Iām having a bit of a crisis as I write lol. But its okay. I think Iāll figure it out. Eventually. Hopefully.
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This depends more on your specific story. Many games have been extremely popular with MCs that are not blank slates. That being said, if you do go the route of having an MC with some set traits or characteristics they have to make sense.
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