Subject Zero - WIP (Updated 9/25/23, 56K Words)

You are subject zero, the rogue Psion. Are you ready to make a stand?

After all, the only thing they fear is you.

Genre: Sci-fi, cyberpunk, dystopia, action, and romance.

Content Warnings: violence, abuse, death, addiction, explicit language, sexual themes, substance use, morally questionable characters, and more.

Demo
Tumblr

Summary

The war has ended, leaving behind an empty canvas of debris.

You thought there’d be peace?

Think again, because this is the future, and it’s a nightmare.

In the sprawling megalopolis of Vox City, where towering skyscrapers pierce the sky and grimy slums brim with danger, you’re a Psion, a living experiment born from a devastating war.

While your fellow Psions are trapped by the AI echo, their powers silenced, and their minds enslaved, you roam Vox City’s streets, inhibiting your powers with neuron blockers.

That is until the day your profession as a mercenary brought you to the brink of death, and your secret was discovered.

With nowhere to hide and half the city on your tail, you find yourself thrust into the middle of turmoil.

What will you fight for? Who will you believe?

Are you ready to show the city what you’re made of?

Features
  • Experience life in a dystopian setting where high-tech and low-life merge to give you a futuristic atmosphere.
  • Develop your psionic powers, and decide your attitude towards your unique nature. (Positive, negative, or neutral)
  • Choose your desired Net-alias, and wage wars on the Net.
  • Develop your fighting style, and enhance your body through cybernetic implants.
  • Select your weapon from an arsenal of four distinctive options.
  • Define your goal: pursue freedom, seek vengeance, or strive for ultimate power.
  • Decide the fate of your kind, and ultimately the city’s.
  • Decipher the secrets of your past,
  • Form alliances with various factions, or become their enemy.
  • Customize your name, gender, and appearance, and choose how you interact with the world around you.
  • Romance or befriend a multitude of characters each with their own goals and desires. You will also have the chance to pursue various flings.
Characters
Robin Hayes - A member of a criminal group on a destructive path.

(he/him)
Robin is the younger brother of Blade, leader of the Chrome Syndicates. He is often rash and impulsive, all too eager to destroy everything in his path.

He likes to see himself as a rebel with a cause, while most see him as a criminal with no regard for the consequences.

Trapped in the Confines and under his brother’s shadow for all his life- the only thing he yearns for is to be free.

And to him, nothing is more liberating than burning the whole city to the ground.

Age: 26

Height: 5’11/180cm

Appearance: Robin has messy black hair that reaches his neck, honey-brown hooded eyes, and beige skin. He also has a scar that runs down the left side of his thin lips.

Robin prefers comfortable attire that won’t hinder his movements. He usually wears black cargo pants, sneakers, and a sleeveless black vest that serves the purpose of showcasing his cyber-enhanced arms

Tris Mun - A vigilante hacker trying to outrun her past.

(she/her)
rowing up in the Confines, Tris always found it difficult to feel safe. She retreated into the vast Net and immersed herself in the 3D Space environment that served as a refuge from reality.

To the outside world, she is Tris: a quiet girl who keeps to herself. But, on the Net, she is Spider: a skilled hacker often hired for odd jobs by clients who need someone with Net expertise.

Today, Tris spends her days working at the arcade. But when night falls, Spider begins her hunt, and no secret can stay hidden from her for too long.

For in the end, it will fall into the Spider’s web.

Age: 24

Height: 5’4/163cm

Appearance: Tris has shoulder-length hair dyed red with chipped ends that have faded into pinkish undertones. A messy fringe settles on her forehead that barely covers her black eyes. She has a small button nose accessorized with a ring on the left nostril, small lips, pale skin, and a round face.

Tris prefers clothes that keep her hidden and ward off unwanted attention. She mostly likes to wear oversized shirts, and baggy pants that hide her frame. Yet, she can always be seen wearing her trusty purple beanie that rests cozily on her head.

Ves Chernov - A government agent always on your tail.

(he/him) or (she/her)
Ves is the top agent of the Venators, an elite subunit of the VCPD. They mostly work alone and are often tasked with hunting high-ranked criminals. They also keep watch over the psions since their enhanced armor and their high-tech weapons are the only things that can match them in a fight.

Ves will rarely disobey orders. They follow a strict code. They see themselves as a tool meant to bring order to a world drowning in chaos.

Yet, beneath the stoic mannerism, there lies a heart that yearns for peace.

Age: 30

Height: 6’3/192cm - 6′1/187cm

Appearance: They have icy blue eyes, blonde hair, a pale complexion, and a strong angular face.

Ves prefer to keep their hair short as they don’t like anything getting in the way while they work. Male Ves keeps it neatly trimmed and slicked back, and Female Ves has hers in a pixie cut.

While they are not on duty, they prefer to wear polished clothes in neutral colors.

Jax/Jaz Vidal- A wastelander who lives outside the city border.

(he/him) or (she/her)
J is a Wastelander who lives outside the city’s border. As part of the Desert Rangers, they are responsible for smuggling drugs into the city’s black market and scouting for hidden routes that can help reach the city incognito.

They regard all city natives with contempt and prefer to stick to the quiet of the plains away from the madness that lurks within the city walls.

Age: 28

Height: 6’0/183cm - 5′8/173cm

Appearance: Male J has short brown hair styled in a fade-cut, and Female J has long hair styled in an undercut that blends with the color of their skin. They have small light brown eyes, prominent lips, and high cheekbones that accentuate their oval-shaped face. Most prominently, they have a tattoo of a snake warping around their right ear slithering to a stop at the base of their neck.

Their attire consists of dark trousers, ranger boots, a green bomber jacket adorned with various patches, and a pair of goggles that hang loosely around their neck.

Liam/Lilia Cain - The city mayor’s son/daughter with an agenda of their own.

(he/him) or (she/her)
As the Mayor’s only child, L is accustomed to a life of lavishness and comfort. They don’t shy away from the public’s eye and take any chance they get to flaunt their status and wealth. They enjoy the power that comes with it and how it makes them feel seen.

But greed has always been their downfall, and they want more. They want everything.

Because if they’re not at the top, do they even matter?

Age: 27

Height: 5’6/167cm - 5’1/155cm

Appearance: L likes to dress in vibrant colors that grab attention. Mostly red and purple, with the occasional blue if they are looking for a more subtle look.

Their vibrant green eyes are always accompanied by a charming smile. Male L has chocolate wavy brown hair that reaches beneath the ears, and female L has long hair that cascades to her back.

Both have curtain bangs that compliment their heart-shaped faces. They have light skin with golden undertones.

Progress

9/7/23- Chapter One released.
9/25/23- Chapter Two, Part 1 released.
Current Word Count: 56K words without code.

Any form of feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for playing!

369 Likes

I follow this IF on Tumblr! : o I’m glad that another of those I’m interested in has a demo.

5 Likes

WOW OMG this is such a great start so far i love it

6 Likes

@SleepDealer just starting the demo but looking forward to seeing what i find in it. :smiley: one thing of note the save system needs to be fixed currently its sharing previous games saves. I believe you need to give its own unique save string or something like that lol.

4 Likes

Ah, thank you for letting me know, I will make sure to fix it!

2 Likes

The demo isnt working for me. Cant access it

1 Like

Another awesome project, please keep it up!:smiling_face:

1 Like

@kizzygm Sorry, it was a problem with the save system. I fixed it, so the demo should be accessible to you now!

7 Likes

Thanks :sob::slightly_smiling_face:

2 Likes

Oh nice a cyberpunk setting, so far its very interesting so good job.

1 Like

image
The choices here don’t make any sense, are there a few lines missing?

1 Like

Yes, looks like it’s a bug. I just fixed it, it shouldn’t happen again (hopefully). Thanks for letting me know!

1 Like

I loved the demo! The cyberpunk setting is amazing and the way you write the story was very immersive. I really saw my character in a city with a gray sky, neon lights and violence everywhere.

And I already fell hard for Robin. He’s so captivating. I loved all his interactions with the MC. I can’t wait to raise some chaos with him

10 Likes

Sounds interesting

1 Like

Thank you, I’m glad you like it :slight_smile:. I thought Robin’s gonna be hated lol, but I’m glad you like his character!

2 Likes

So far I’ve read the synopsis and I would like to say that I absolutely love the idea! We don’t have too many games with people who are the result of such awful experiments and I for one think there’s always room for more! Best of luck to you in writing and coding and I can’t wait to see how the story develops!

3 Likes

No waaay, he bought me pizza, I let him sleep on my bed LOL. Since my MC’s main goal is freedom, I think they will get along nicely.

5 Likes

guess that means we get to rip and tear their guts. awesome

2 Likes

Ah, monowire my beloved…

2 Likes

More BBQ cricket pizza scenes!

4 Likes