Personally I think there aren’t enough proper horror experiences hosted here, but mainly that can be seen as an issue of the gameplay style not suiting the format well.
I think a good politics based game would do well. There was a post recently about a poll COG did after the release of Broadsides 2, asking what COG game should come next. Two of the options were politics based games, one on being a congressman and the other on being the president. It’s a niche area, but a west wing like game would be cool. Also, I really like urban fantasy politics so more stuff like the Vampire: The Masquerade games that are coming out would also be cool.
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Honestly, I kinda agree with you… but the fact, for me, horror and comedy are one of the hardest or let say, hard to write and need a proper execution or else, a reader will read it as plain as it is. But actually, as of now, I can’t remember I read any horror-based stories or even comedy, I think they are rare and mostly, fantasy and romance are one of the popular ones here. And also, drama that can make you cry is also hard. Anyway, if anyone have something to suggest a horror or drama wip here, I will definitely read it, before taking my Taxation class later. Have a nice day :>
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I’m surprised there aren’t more fairytale retellings, there is a Cinderella WIP floating around and a dead (to my dismay) Beauty and the Beast WIP.
Books in the public domain seem like a goldmine of material, I know there is a Dracula and a Hamlet WIP, and a published Oedipus Rex, and Pride and Prejudice, but I’ve always thought an interactive Sherlock Holmes would be fun, I would love to see a Peter Pan from Wendy’s perspective, The Great Gatsby would be interesting, ooh and the Three Musketeers.
Finally, stories focusing on or from the POV of historical figures. I think it would be fun to be able to change Napoleons fate, Cleopatra, etc. Or even just invent things with Ben Franklin.
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History-fiction, sports, science-fantasy, super-powers.
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There’s only a few horror games, so definitely that. I can’t think of a single sports game (though I don’t know if that’d even be possible given the medium) so that’s also quite underrepresented. Mostly what I’d like to see more of though, is more flintlock fantasy, stuff like Sabres/Guns of Infinity. Magic, but also powder based weapons. Always a fun time when those two mix.
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Yes for horror/occult stories. And a proper whodunnit detective stories. I know there are many stories with detective/murder mysteries in it but surprisingly lack in good ol whodunnit. Probably because it’s kinda hard to execute in IF format.
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@lynossa I think the reason for the lack of whodunit mysteries is because readers somehow feel obligated to take note of everything that happens in the story. Sometimes, it’s hard to track all the details, and it can be frustrating.
My WIP Hollowed Minds has a whodunit aspect in it, but it’s not the only focus, either, and I still plan to reveal the perpetrator in the end while letting the readers feel like they found out the truth by going through the main character’s journey. The methods will be different, although the ones responsible would be revealed anyway. So while there will be variations in the endings of that first book, that one revelation would stay no matter what.
Also, I’ve seen some people in this forum say before that making the reader guess the correct answer is like passing off a chore that should have been handled by the character themself, and that’s why some folks hate such mechanic.
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That’s funny because I was just thinking that a classic Clue (known as Cluedo in some parts) game where the set-up never changes, but the perp/murder location/murder weapon does for every new playthrough, would be ideal for a ChoiceScript treatment!
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These are all great ideas 
Especially Peter Pan, though it wouldn’t be a classic love story (unless you erase the canon story entirely and leave only the aesthetic), which doesn’t mean romance fans wouldn’t be fed… but it’s much more complicated to have a love interest who refuses to grow up and expects to be catered to like a child (which is how Peter and the Lost Boys treated Wendy) - which will hit readers who dated a manchild before rather heavily. If it’s approached with maturity I think it would be a great IF game. It won’t cater to any popular fantasy but it might be something to reflect on.
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Forgive me for going off-topic, but have you heard of A Study in Steampunk? It’s not completely based off of Sherlock Holmes (notably there are a lot of Jack the Ripper vibes), but you do play as the “Watson” character and live with the “Sherlock” character. (It’s also probably my favorite HG of all time.)
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I cannot agree any harder. The Infinity series are by far my favorite games, and honestly I adore nearly anything by Paul Wang. Just…not Crypt Keepers.
We do need more Flintlock Fantasy in general though.
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Agreeing with the horror or occult aspect. Personally, I feel we need more tyrant/evil overlord/villainous MC protraying stories. An excellent example is Fallen Hero.The Wight King WIP is also a beauty. Too bad A Hag Called Fate(the redux needs a lot of work to get back to its former glory) and Mass Mother Murderer got taken down.
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So, I’m definitely biased here since I’m writing one… but I’m a little disappointed at the lack of portal fantasy/multi-genre stories. Just good 'ol adventuring through different worlds and settings. I mean, come on, it’s interactive fiction. I wanna have magic and ride a spaceship and solve time-traveling mysteries while running away from creepy monsters (and then go to school tomorrow)!
On a more serious note, I wanna see more light-hearted and whimsical stories. I know it’s not really a genre, but it feels like a lot of the WIPs tend to be more on the “darker” side of things. I want to see more fun stories which also give a sense of awe and wonder rather than just angst and dread where it feels like everything is wrong with the world. We already have enough of that in real life.
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Its been years since I’ve read the source material (I really need to dig out my copy and rectify that) but I think you could work out a flirtation with more than just Peter, James Hook and Tiger Lily would be interesting dynamics to explore. I believe in the book it is mentioned that Wendy is entranced by Hook’s distinguished manners.
The story would lend itself to some interesting variables, such as how much Wendy/brothers remember the parents or how much Wendy is “growing up”. I remember in the novel she used to quiz her brothers on things such as the parents heights and eye colors, if she has high stats for memory the quizzes could be in the present tense ie. “who is taller, mother or father?” vs low memory could be past tense ie. “who was taller, mother or father?”
There are some rather overlooked points in the novel that would be interesting to explore as well, such as the darker implication of Peter “thinning out” the lost boys when they seem to be growing up.
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It might just be my bias for the genre, but I think historical fiction (at least, for Hosted Games). Tin Star by Allen Gies is by far my favorite Hosted Game. You can tell he put in a lot of effort to create a historically accurate landscape for his story without making it completely alien for contemporary audiences to relate to.
I get the feeling that lots of stories are set in a certain historical context but it’s not necessarily historical fiction. If that makes any sense. What I mean is, the historical setting doesn’t significantly impact the story or shape the characters but instead acts more as flavor text. Maybe I’m just a stickler.
And another: this one doesn’t really count as a genre, but I’d love to see more games set in non-Western cultures or mythologies. A lot of games here are set in the West or Japan (or their fantasy equivalents), incorporating their culture, mythology, and language. And that’s awesome! But there are also many other amazing cultures and mythologies to explore! Imagine playing an intrepid Polynesian explorer calling upon the stars as you navigate the seas or a beautiful concubine in the Imperial Chinese harem system. And…This counts as Western mythology, but imagine a game where you can choose to side with Æsir or Jötnar at the battle of Ragnarök.
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I’ve noticed that most historical genres lack a lot of that. Mostly cause of the obvious
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What’s the Dracula wip?
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Ni que decir de La leyenda de la ley del amor en África o del Buen dios tiburón Maorí Dakuwakqa que salva a todos incluso un misionero aseguró verlo y salvarlo
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I can only recall Slammed and a Fielder’s choice.
Even then, Slammed is pro wrestling, it’s more dramatic and “scripted” and all that jazz, and allows for a lot more creative angles.
A Fielder’s choice was…in my opinion, kind of dull. Things were just happening in it without a kind of plot.
In the end, sports can probably only be done if they’re combat based sports. If not, then games of field/court sports and the like would probably have to focus on everything but the sport itself to be good.
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