The Archive (demo, update 15/7/21)

Hosted Games Works In Progress
, ,
1
Updates

I plan to update every two weeks

  1. = MAJOR CHANGES
  2. = MINOR CHANGES
15/7/21
    • the loop error has been solved. There is no risk of getting stuck mid-game now.
What I plan to do next
    • rewrite the game and slow the pace down a little.
    • work on the Tales of Aurum

— — —

Synopsis

There’s a new library in town, hidden deep between the alleys, where people are likely to miss it, were they to pass by.

The Archive is an odd place; you knew it the moment you first heard of it. For a reason or another, you have never set foot inside it. Until this day.

Rumors say that, you will not leave empty-handed once you’ve entered.

People speak of magic when they talk about it, wondering how a small collection such as theirs could offer everyone the right book, no matter the request.

Curiosity has taken the better of you, and so here you are, stepping through their entrance and making the tiny bell jingle as you push the door open.

When you enter the place has cozy tone to it, and the librarian smiles at you, so warm and eager. There’s the soft click of the door closing behind you, but it goes unnoticed as you near the counter like a moth to the flame.

Truth is, once the door shuts behind you, there is no chance for you to leave the same as when you entered. Though, only you can decide if that good or bad.

If you come from my other story, then I’m sure you know I love mixing different stories together.

In The Archive you will either choose to uncover the mystery surrounding the library, or accept the book that the librarian offers you and find the story that you have come searching for.
— — —

Must Know

  • this game is a side project and a learning tool for me. So don’t be surprised if you find is ‘lacking’. I wrote this without a plan, simply opened CS and started typing, stopping only to check the list of commands.

  • There is romance in the game already but the RO are all male for now, since I used some old drafts I had laying around.

  • This game includes: high and low medieval fantasy, and romance. But this list may vary depending on the book that the librarian will offer you.

With that being said, I had a blast writing this and I’m looking forward to working on it properly :slight_smile:
— — —
| DEMO | new DEMO (TBA) |
— — —
Feedback? You can find me either here or on tumblr! :slight_smile:

68 Likes
2

This is a truly fascinating storytelling method - one I, in my admittedly short-ish time around the forum, have not seen explored before. I believe this story within a story within a story, so explicitly presented as such, could become something really unique. I will stick around to see : )

3 Likes
3

I’m pretty much obsessed with this ‘story ception’ thing (you can easily see that I’m doing almost the same thing with my other story). I’ve been thinking about doing something like this for years :joy: I’m so glad you’re liking it :laughing:

4

Screenshot_20210802-144847_Chrome
Screenshot_20210802-144847_Chrome1078×2194 286 KB

I’m assuming that’s meant to say “I’m a charming soul”, “gretest” to “greatest”, and “secrret” to “secret”

Also when talking to the bartender, can you remove the flirting scene if you pick the third option cause I specifically picked the third option about food to avoid anything flirting with him and such or can you add an option in the beginning where it removes any flirting or romantic option with any gender your not attracted to or if your not interested in romance at all

5

Yes, I’m sorry for the cringe. I’m aware of all the misspelling and grammatical error. I focused on the coding side and stole an old draft I have laying around. I’ll fix it all up as soon as I can.

Absolutely, I’m planning to add and change a few things already. I only ask some patience, I can’t do much at the moment. My computer has gone on strike after I’ve tried to test the game with Randomest. I got mixed up and thought I wrote about this here too. Sorry!

1 Like
6

Ya don’t worry, take your time, I was just wanted to put the idea out there just in case

1 Like
7

Interesting. I am impressed with the concept (it has the potential to grow quiet overwhelming if you are not careful)

I found the first story to be most interesting. In the second the MC seems to have a very set skill sett which sadly does not play into the kind of mc I normally play but it was a fun read anyway. The third does not start (guess you did not work on that one yet?)

You gender variable does not work (I was playing a female mc and in the first story it kept on referring to the mc as Prince and he)

8

Thanks for reminding me actually. I was so focus about being able to choose the gender of both the MC and the ROs (which I still haven’t done because after doing it for the MC I started seeing double lol) that I forgot that people might not care about romance.

9

Doesn’t it really? I think you’ll need to be more persistent. Hehe.

Ah, my enemy has defeated me… On the serious note, does it do it for every variable in the first story? Or just some? The prince one is understandable but does it do it for all the he and him and all those in between?

Nevermind, I found the problem.

10

Does it work now?

Oh, I just realized you’d have to start over again just to answer me XD

Anyone else with the same problem who can answer me?

11

Hey, ah it’s working for the first story (it’s your grace now)
I did a quick replay if you need anything else tested I will be back tomorrow (it’s like 330 am and I should be sleeping;P)

1 Like
12

Now, now, don’t be afraid, we all start somewhere, eventually you’ll find your path with this idea and will flourish with your effort and creativity, so take easy good fella. :wink: aaand bookmark it. :grin:

Is weird if is the other way around. :tongue:

1 Like
13

Very good, since the first story is the only one I edited XD it was 2 am so yeah. I know the feeling lol

If your still waiting for the third story (and if I didn’t the coding correctly lo) l you should still be able to play a route with it, though you need to be insistent to want to read it.

I know, but the thrill of showing the world something for the first time! It’s not even my first game and I still buz with excitement whenever people as much as glance at it XD

14

Tried it now and it works :slight_smile:

15

It doesn’t end like that of course, there is an actually story to that very route. I’m sorry if it’s short at the moment (even if you found all the right choices) but I have more than one version of it and I still have to choose which to add to the game.

1 Like
16

No need to apologise:) I am looking forward to more

1 Like
17

I forgot to ask this earlier, but…

I’m sure you’ve all noticed that there is nothing for you in the library except for the dialogue between you and its librarian. I made it that way to make it easier for the coding part. But my question now is…

Should I keep it like this?

Because...

If I don’t, then I’d add descriptions and show you things.

And just like that, it is not only you and the librarian in scene anymore. The close-up on your persons zooms out, and you feel hard, polished wood under your fingers as you rest your hands atop the counter. There is a clock hidden somewhere deep inside the room, you can’t see it, but it makes its presence know with its constant, muffled ticking. You let in a slow breath, blinking as you try to be subtle at it, and the smell of wood and paper and… — Is that chocolate? — tickles at your nose. The librarian smiles at you, and now you can see how bright and warm and friendly it is; they have a small dimple on their left cheek, which serves only to make their expression that much softer and gentler. But this picture puts a distance between you and the librarian, like seeing the scene through the eyes of someone standing just some steps away.

The close-up is back now, and your attention is on the librarian once more. They smile at you; you can’t see it, but you know they do. That smile has been there since the moment they first spoke to you, somehow you felt it; like the relief that a weekend brings after a long, stressful week. When you dive inside the book to seek your story, the warmth of the smile you haven’t seen lingers around you like a warm embrace; though, it’s muffled by the colors, sounds, and smells of the tale that you chose to play. And when you step out of the book, the librarian is there again, eager, curious smile on their pretty face. Your imagination runs wild, wondering what they look like, how their voice sounds like, how their lips move around the words they speak and how their eyebrows draw together as they huff at themselves for misplacing their pen yet again. The world around you has stepped back and out of the picture, still there but only as a blurry background that stops the void of the unknown that would otherwise swallow. It’s just you and the librarian again.

I’m sorry, I’m having a ton of fun with this game XD The question remains though, should I keep it like this and only add more dialogue options, or should I add all the descriptive part as well, and make it like a ‘normal’ book?

1 Like
18

I think your prose is rather mysterious, and very well suited to the confusing sort of narrative maze which you’re building. I would suggest you include as much description as you want!

19

And this happened

Screenshot_20210805-015632_Chrome
Screenshot_20210805-015632_Chrome720×1280 149 KB

1 Like
20

Have you tried doing what it said or even pressing the ‘next’ button again? Don’t worry, I’m sure it’ll be fine! :slight_smile:

1 Like