(WIP) Beyond the Gilded Veil (Grim Fantasy, Romance | 63.5k | v2.3 | Updated 2025/05/05)

Hosted Games Works In Progress
,
1

Hey yall! I’ve become addicted to interactive fiction over the past year, and after running through all the available games in the particular style I like, I’ve decided to write my own.

Introducing Beyond the Gilded Veil!

The game itself incorperates several elements that I’ve liked, or disliked the absence of, in other games such as:

  • An elaborate combat and magic system
  • Actual references to the player’s appearence throughout the game
  • Gender-choice romance options
  • Dialogue that dosen’t sound weird and unatural
Summary

Beyond the Gilded Veil is a grimdark fantasy interactive story where you take the role of an heir apparent to one of Aurivale’s most powerful noble houses. An anomaly of nature, in a world where every noble holds the One God’s gift, you are the only one to have somehow escaped His notice. Despite this, your claim to the pa(ma)triarchy holds strong, and your arranged marriage to the Prince(ss) even stronger. What could go wrong?

You can immerse yourself with a fully customizable protagonist and choose what path you will take. With a (mostly implemented) extensive magic and combat system, you can be assured that every fight and every encounter will push you to your limits. And what is war without love? You will have access to a total of 7+ love interests* with customizable genders.

*1 introduced and partially implemented, 6 possible varations of technically the same interest introduced and to be implemented, and more depending on popular demand.

Current Version (v2.3)

63.5k words, prologue and chapter 1 complete, chapter 2 begun.

Devlog

More detailed devlogs can be found on itch.

v2.2 → v2.3
Fixed an issue where certain scenes were missing when downloading the game off Itch.

✤✤✤

v2.1 → v2.2
Save functionality is now available in the itch version.

✤✤✤

v2 → v2.1
Minor bug and spelling fixes.

✤✤✤

v1.5 → v2
I reworked Pythia’s character, expanded chapter 1, did some balance changes, and a couple other things. Word count has gone from 48k to about 63.5k.

✤✤✤

v1.1 → v1.5
I’ve released a potential prologue to (obviously) add to the world-building before the first chapter. About 6k words total, link at the bottom.

✤✤✤

v1 → v1.1
Hey yall! Got cracking on starting chapter 2, and I’ve now realised how grossly ive been underestimating how long this’ll take. Anyways, word count has gone from 32k → 42k, and I’ve made a couple changes:

  • Fixed a bug during Pythia’s ambush where the combat focused “stand your ground” action was mistakenly checking intrigue.
  • Replaced skill checks with the required number (Low Speech → Speech 10).
  • Options that increase a skill will now indicate so.
  • Reworded some text and dialogue.
  • Chapter images will now display “Chapter X” if they fail to load.
  • Introduced a new opposed stat: Corruption/Control. Succumbing to corruption allows your gift to take hold, granting you immense power at a rapid pace, but are you ready to pay the price?
  • Introduced 6 new spells
  • Compiled loose downloadable file into a playable .exe.

I’d suggest waiting until I deploy more updates before going back into the game, for all those who’ve played before. There’s nothing more anyoing then playing the same chapter over and over again to get to the new part. But you am I to judge, y’all can go ahead and blow up my analytics for all I care. Toodles!

Planned Progress, and Spoilers (update every ~2 week)

Upcoming features

  • Chapter 2 progress. (Obviously.)

  • Romance list: I keep saying I’ll do this, and never get to it. Next version, trust me!

  • Companion/Party System: Essentially, you’ll be able to hire/befriend allies who can fight with you, acting on your turn. Each will have a different class, being Front Liners where they mostly tank damage, Mid Liners where they mostly deal damage, and Back Liners where they mostly do support actions. Each will have their own skillset and fighting style.

  • Companion list: Like the romance list, except for combat info on the avaiable companions.

  • Story type (Narrative/Balanced/Combat) : Narrative mode will bypass all combats for the story enthousiastes, Balance is like the game is right now, and Combat will have less forgiving combat, and remove the respawn mechanic. Once you die, it’s over.

  • Inventory/Equipment/Items: Pretty self-explanatory. You’ll be able to find different swords, armors, rings, and all the fun stuff with passive or active effects to mix and match. Items will just be consumables, so healing potions and the like. I’m aiming to add another layer of combat with this.

  • Combat AI types: Currently, the enemies just randomly select combat actions (The soldiers, Pythia). I’ve started to shift to more of a hybrid verision where at a base the action choices are random, but are supplemented with conditional statements styling the enemy into a particualr fighting style (Aldrich). In the future, as the enemies get stronger, so will their combat AI.

  • Combos/Mix-ups/Fake-outs: Piggy-backing off the point right above, enemies will begin comboing attacks, so essentially take the same stream of 3 or 4 attacks in a row that synergise into one another. Mix-ups are when the enemy randomly swaps out an attack in a combo string for a other, and Fake-outs will be where the enemy just straight-up lies to you about what attack they’re preparing. So the flavour text will present it as if they’re parrying, when they’re actually going for a cleave. There will be clues something isn’t right, however, so stay on your toes.

Potential features

  • Utility Theory: As the enemies become more complex and more features are added (not just as I implement them, but as the game progresses), simple hybrid combat AI wont cut it. So, I’ve begun to experiment with Utility Theory and its feasibility in a choicescript environment. With the limited data manipulation options, it’ll certainly be a challenge, but so far it looks possible. So get ready for some challenging bosses that don’t just go around randomly bashing bushes. Who cares if I have to create 16 thousand variables because choicescript doesn’t have god-damn dictionaries or classes, WE WANT SMART ENEMIES!

  • Damage types: Different spells will maybe have different damage types if I feel like implementing that.

  • Weaknesses/Resistances/Immunities: Arm and arm with damage types, different enemies will have different resistances or weaknesses, for you to find and exploit. Maybe. I feel like it.

Next Version Fixes (Bugs/Errors I know about)
  • Several spell’s texts appear incorrectly in the Spell book.
  • Pythia’s second lance may not execute flavour text on a miss.

This is my first game, so please go ahead and leave comments and suggestions. I’m learning as I go.

Demos:
Itch: Beyond the Gilded Veil by MightyBane
COGDemos: CoGDemos

174 Likes
2

Hello @Bob_Ross2
First of all yes it’s right category, and yes you are aloved.
Now plod looks interesting. I wil play when I found time and wil give ful feedback.

1 Like
3

Seems off to a good start but I think magic brought in too early with premise of the MC being different. You added options what we think about it but it’s pointless if we literally get magic a minute later. There should of been a bigger time frame before adding it to make it more impactful so we could more of a feel for non powered MC even if it’s just one day. The combat was awesome even if we get owned after beating the guards. I’m just a bit iffy on the stat checks. I had good combat skill but the option to try to block it was grey for some reason resulting in an early attack ambush which at the very we should of blocked before starting combat even if we’re meant to lose that fight. Maybe u should check the skill checks to make sure they are working properly.

14 Likes
4

Alright, thanks. I’ll check if there’s a bug involved with the stat check, but if there isint, do you think just giving the necessary number would be better?

As for building suspense, you raise a good point. I’ll make a blueprint to add an intrim “chapter” where the mc expores his role and relationships.

7 Likes
5

I think giving a number is probably better instead just low or high even if it not a bug. It becomes easier to understand that way.

For building suspense try maybe adding a flashback or memory from an earlier time. That interim chapter will make it easier to connect with the MC understanding them better with some backstory as well as meeting some people.

4 Likes
6

your link dosent work^^ edit works now

2 Likes
7

Yeah weird glitch happened to me as well.

1 Like
8

Can the MC become a monster after what happened to them

4 Likes
9

I’m planning on adding multiple ending based on your chosen “drive”, being revenge, love, knowledge, ect… As for the becoming a monster, the dialogue and actions will branch out significantly, so you can hold on to your humanity or let yourself be consumed by the rage and act in consequence, with your environement and npc’s reacting accordingly.

TLDR; Yeah.

4 Likes
10

Can you please make the game downloadable @Bob_Ross2?

1 Like
11

So how the father and the sister reaction to realizing their actions have created a monster if it isn’t spoileryif it isn’t spoilery

3 Likes
12

This is interesting I will try and play it tomorrow

3 Likes
13

I made the game file accessible. I don’t know how to execute it by itself, so you’re on your own from there.

2 Likes
14

Thank you so much!

1 Like
15

Obviously, I’ve only written chapter 1 and plan on reworking it, but here’s what I’m planning for later: Obviously, the Patriarch is dying, so by the time you reunite there’ll be some sort of scene where you interact with him on his deathbed. For the sister, I’m planning on making her one of the final bosses, once both the player and her get stronger.

8 Likes
16

Is it possible to get the download for android or is it just made/optimized for windows?

1 Like
17

I’ll enable it for android, but I dont know if it’ll work. Good luck though.

2 Likes
18

Yeah it became pretty obvious what role she would play. Shes too strong right now. I wasn’t planning on let her live anyway for obvious reasons. Her job is just to destroy us for now so we have a reason to venture out and build strength

6 Likes
19

so after reading it i like where it will go and the plot sounds good what put me a bit of was the fast pace on the begining when we get our magic a bit more lore or wolrd bulding would be nice there

are you planing to realse the wip on COG ?

1 Like
20

I didn’t know it was possible, I thought COG only accepted completed games. Regardless, I’d rather keep it in one place to have it easier to track. However, if enough people are interested in having my game on COG, I’ll take the necessary mesures. Anyways, thanks for the suggestion. I’m writing up some sort of prologue right now where the protag explores their role as hier before setting off into Chapter 1.

4 Likes