When In Rome (WIP)

Hosted Games Works In Progress
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@SpiderGirl: You meet him if you become a poet. I’ll make a list of all the characters and where you encounter them, and post a link to it.

@BatGirl916: The rooftop scene is still a first draft–it assumes you don’t get yourself tossed off the roof or dropped down the light well and skips to the aftermath where you’ve won the fight–but you can get to it as a poet if you insult Nasidienus (the host of the party) with some improv poetry.

@zolo999: Oh, yes, there has to be poison.

@heyyoungblood: It’s trysts and flirting right now, but his role is still “under development” :wink:

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@Carolyne
do you intend to add the job of legionary to the list. It would sure make for an interesting career

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Thank u I was wondering how I missed it

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Hi, @TheCourier. In this game I’m sticking to life in the city of Rome. The scribe gets to take a field trip out of town, but I’ve been mulling over changing that and committing to having all the main action happen in the city.

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Hmm, I definitely see your point wanting to keep things in Rome, but it’s also worth recognizing that the military was such an important aspect of Roman society.

Perhaps you could have your cake and eat it too by describing one’s military life in broad strokes and leave the things the player can influence to any career-affecting actions they do whenever they’re back in Rome? And eventually, they could probably get some sort of administrative job that seldom requires them out on the field.

This makes me wonder something else; are you writing any political paths? Becoming a senator or something like that?

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I REALLY enjoyed the scene with Hedylus! I’m glad you’re including him as an RO.

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I’ve played all the paths, and have enjoyed them all. I love this, and cannot wait to see how it develops!

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In the first outline of the game, Hedylus didn’t even get a name :slight_smile: He’s evolving!

@dreamshell: Alas, a military path is also a males-only option (with some really, really unusual exceptions). For the political path, the first thing you’ll need is a whole lot of money, and that’s worked into the game, along with collecting patrons. There’s a little bit of an aspect of making yourself known/popular among the people that I could increase; by the end you might be poised for the political course (or for putting a figurehead on that course).

Pursuing the political path would have to be for a part II of the game. I’ll never say never, though.

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Maybe you could balance a males-only option with a females-only one? Say, perhaps, becoming a Vestal Virgin or something. *shrugs*

Anyway, I’m sure your new stuff will be great. :wink:

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@Carolyne Oh, you’re killing me! Any idea when it’ll be up? :slight_smile: Not to rush you of course! And would you tell me which path s/he’s in so I can just swoop right in? I am (secretly) hoping that it’s the prostitute path since I somehow have a soft spot for it. :smiley:

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@ceecrab: In the prostitute path :slight_smile: But with an alternative way to meet him, the way you can meet the poet at several different junctures when you’re down on your luck. I’ll give the ideas time to brew…to ferment like fine fish sauce…

@dreamshell: I have a Vestals idea kicking around that doesn’t fit into the “arrive in Rome as a poor outsider” premise, but might have potential in a game that also has a military path–I really like your idea of handling that with broad strokes and back-in-Rome actions.

I could happily spend my entire life writing about Rome, but I ought to work on a project with a different setting in between, just to keep myself marginally sane!

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One thing, though…stuff like “a mother pig stuffed with her own children” and “arteries like blood pulsing from the throat of a newly slaughtered sheep” is kind of disgusting :-<

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Maybe “stuffed with its own piglets” or “stuffed with suckling pig stuffed with figs” would be less disgusting (not referencing where those little piggies came from)?

And that’s not even the nastiest thing Roman cooks did with pigs.

I’m going to let the newly slaughtered sheep stand, though. Mutton has to come from somewhere…

(I may be a little bit too immersed in the whole Roman mindset at the moment…)

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@Carolyne currently are there any romance options for straight males ( that are the same age as MC or close) and if not might I suggest adding a female slave for the MC to have as romance option. Oh and is there anyway to earn money using your athleticism, cause right now my MC just kinda wants to murder Valerniaus and Hedylus. Also becoming a prostitute doesn’t seem like the best way to kick start your manly Rome Adventure for a guy js lol.

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Hi, @ChoiceofManning:

your slave: The game assumes your slave will be the same sex as you so s/he can go to (or be barred from) all the same places you go. So, that leaves that out.

scribe/scholar: There are two eligible ladies in this path, one eligible gent, and someone I wouldn’t get anywhere near but, de gustibus. This path should be ready for playing by the weekend.

tutor: If your character’s primary interest is in women, you’ll meet an eligible lass. If you don’t like her, though, right now you’re stuck with just turning her down. The updated version this weekend will offer a few more adventures in the city, chances to build your reputation and/or make enemies.

poet: Since I added Hedylus as a romance option, I’m also adding Amaryllis (one of the poets Valerianus introduces you to). Licina is currently the only other female option, and she’s more an opportunist/hedonist than a romance. You could “accidentally” push your roommates off the roof, though I personally wouldn’t recommend it :wink:

prostitute: You can have a romance with one of two nice rich ladies, but you’d still be a kept man. On the other hand, maybe you can take advantage of their wealth to work your way into your own influence in the imperial court and impress someone else.

slave dealer: The role of the slave Scaurus offers you is going to be expanded. You might meet Flora, but she’s a patrician and would tend to think of you as her possession.

athleticism: I expect to be able to open a path that uses this goal at the end of the month.

ETA: When I say “one lady” here and “two ladies there,” some of these are the same people, only meeting them under different circumstances. For example, you might meet one when she hires you, or when you’ve been sent to threaten her.

I’m really appreciating the feedback on this version and what people would like to see, so everyone please throw in anything you have :slight_smile:

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Will their be an male romance in the prostitute path.

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@vampierkid222: You can choose your preference for male or female patrons. There will be more than one who’ll be quite interested in you, but if you turn them all down, your boss is going to wonder about your commitment to your job.

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Thanks a lot whenever I play I usually focus on being athletic next time I’ll focus on the studies so u can be a tutor then thanks. :slight_smile:

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I haven’t played the full game yet but what about being a gladiator to fight in the arena or maybe oracle the elders the one who supposedly talk to the gods and give feedbacks to the people who prayed.

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Hi, @jcsunshine_3. My challenge to myself for this game is to make a more ordinary ancient life interesting, and to have it be about how a regular Roman will cope when things suddenly get extraordinary around them. I think some of the paths do it better and others will need fine-tuning. Working for a gladiator trainer would be an unusual but still ordinary-person life.

Speaking of fine-tuning…

Slave dealer path: your behavior has deeper consequences (not just in romance), and romance options are calibrated a little more closely on player preferences and previous actions. For example, if you start out saying you’re looking for a girlfriend but consistently flirt with males (even slaves), you’ll be offered mostly male ROs. You can see some of this now, but I’ll post on the weekend to let folks know when you’d see a major change if you replay.