Set yourself into the boots of a young footballer.
… Muddy, soggy boots in a slight state of disrepair.
The Fame. The Glory. The Money…
… You have none of these.
You aren’t a star. You aren’t famous.
You’re just you.
A young lad with a dream.
An impossible dream.
You’re 17, your chance has already gone. Kids get into academies way before secondary school, it just never happened for you.
But still… That man over there.
He’s different.
He’s a scout.
This could be the chance you’ve never had.
The chance to change everything.
Please see link below (Some of you have read the first chapter or two previously, so to save you having to read it all again, or if you just want to skip ahead, I have added a chapter selection at the start so you can quickly input the information needed and it will just generate the rest so you can just get into it.)
C1: The County Cup Final - Your big break
C2: The big call, which academy to join?
C3: Academy first day.
PLEASE let me know any thoughts. I think C3 is my favourite so far (especially for people less interested in the football side as it’s all character focused beside it being set in the academy.
UPDATE 23-11-25 - CHAPTER 3 ADDED
Hi there. Chapter 3 is now available. Link just above here.
Chapter 3 takes in your first day at the Academy, the wonder, the excitement, the challenges, the… cringe? Wait, what? Why is your dad and Sara the player Liaison looking at each other like that?… oh… oh no…
I’ve introduced a third party romance that you can have some influence on (I dont think I’ve seen this before), between your dad and Sara, the very lovely and wonderful player liaison. They hit it off when shes showing you around the academy.
You also meet new teammates, who have their very own fleshed out characters, Leo your new roommate who likes to tease, but is kind and has your back as the newbie, Reece, the boistrous larger than life character. Josh, the u18 captain who you dont want to get on the wrong side of! and soon (in C4), Ethan, your direct competitor, he plays in your position and currently is better than you in almost every way, except for the thing you excel in…
Developed Maya/Miles [M] as a character further, or at least if you choose to go have ice-cream with them at the end of the long first day! Or, do you choose to play Fifa with Leo and the guys, focusing on your new friends / career?
UPDATE 08/11/2025 - CHAPTER 2 ADDED plus FUTURE PLANS
Hi all!
Thanks so much for the kind comments and questions so far, they are all appreciated.
They sent me in a bit of a tailspin, to be honest! Your feedback sparked so many new ideas that the scale of the game almost doubled overnight. It was getting almost too large to wrap my head around, until I managed to streamline everything, keep all the new ideas, and (I think!) make it better in the process.
So, the big news: Chapter 2 is officially released!
It’s live now, with 5,600 new words (including code).
This is where you make “The Big Choice”—three offers are on the table. Will you join a T1 global giant, a solid T2 Premier League club, or a T3 Championship side where you might get to play quickest? (And yes, you might just get an offer from the club you support!). As a teaser, I’ve already written 9,500 words for Chapter 3, and I’m still only halfway through. Your first day at the academy is going to be… eventful.
But the biggest news is that I’ve revamped the entire game system around what I’m calling the “Three Paths.”
This is the new heart of the game. From Day One at the academy, your every action—in training, in conversation, on the pitch—will help define your “Core Philosophy” as a player. Every choice will shape you as one of three distinct archetypes:
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The Professional (The Grinder): The hard-working, team-first player. You’re first on the training pitch, last to leave. You earn the manager’s respect and win by being reliable.
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The Star (The “Fame” Path): The charismatic, high-flair player. You live for the spotlight and love proving people wrong. You earn the fans’ love and win by being spectacular.
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The Pragmatist (The Intellect): The cunning, high-vision “chess player.” You “train smart, not hard.” You earn your teammates’ respect and win by out-thinking the opposition.
The best part? Your Path determines how you succeed.
I’m rebuilding the in-match engine around this. Success isn’t just about hidden stats—it’s about role-playing.
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If you’re The Professional, trying a “simple, effective pass” will be a high-percentage, reliable choice that gets you a small, consistent reward (like +manager_approval).
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If you’re The Star, trying that same “simple” pass will actually be a bit riskier (it’s not your style!). But trying the “30-yard volley” is your “Jackpot” moment. It’s a low-percentage, high-risk play… but if you pull it off (think the “Michael Owen vs. Argentina” moment), the rewards will be massive (++fan_approval, ++fame).
And here’s the most important bit: YOU ARE NEVER LOCKED IN.
This isn’t a “choose your class at the start” system! It’s all about your actions.
If you start as a “Professional” but then decide you want to be a “Star,” you can absolutely start making those flashy plays. It’ll be harder at first—your “Star” stat will be low, so you’ll fail more, and the manager might get on your back for not playing the “simple” ball. But you can change your path. Your character is built by how you play, moment to moment, and you can always reinvent yourself.
This new system also introduces the core cast that will guide (or challenge) you. Your Path will determine your bond with your Mentors (Liam Moore, Aiden Riley, and Jamie Pierce) and will directly impact your relationships with the new major Romance Options (Ashley Hayes, Taylor Grey, and Charlie Monroe - but Maya/Miles is still an option!).
The new system is locked in, and I’m deep in the code for Chapter 3 (“The Arrival”) right now.
I’ve never been more excited about this story, and I can’t wait for you to play it!
Please give it a try and please let me know any comment you may have, I’ve really enjoyed them so far and they have been super helpful!
Thanks All
This may afffect some of the previous plans as per the below so please take this as the core, if they clash, what is above will be correct.
The Romance
The romance in this is a little bit different, at least to what I’ve read. Instead of multiple romance options, Book 1 provides a single romance option, Maya or Miles (M/F ROs available for a male MC).
The difference is that this single RO provides multiple paths and multiple-feeling romances.
Childhood Sweethearts: A crush hidden since you were in junior school. Years at their side as best friends, all the while a gentle simmer just beneath the surface. You have never dared to risk your friendship… Dare you admit your feelings?
Deep Caring Connection: The years of being right by their side, laughing at their jokes… all those feelings emerge to the surface, forged in a fire of vulnerability and closeness when you’re at your lowest, when you need them more than ever.
Passionate Explosion: Whether you’ve had feelings for years or not… somehow you still didn’t see it. That is until the finale. In a moment of ultimate joy, you lock eyes… The fireworks take over. The kiss a complete shock to you both, but in that moment you both know.
Platonic Partnership: This game forces nothing on you. If you don’t want romance, and instead want a deep, fulfilling, completely platonic best friend forever, this is absolutely cool.
I’m adamant that in this game you can let the romance happen when you’re ready, you can actively choose right to the end that you’re not interested… until maybe you suddenly realise that you are!
The Match System
To give you an idea that while this is a football game, it’s not really a standard game about football… In a football game you choose to shoot. Your shooting skill gets stat checked against a threshold set in the game that says whether you manage to score or not and ZZZzzzzzzzzzzz…
Sorry I dozed off myself there. This is not that. Instead every decision in-game has 4 different outcomes based on two checks:
Alignment Check: Does this choice match your established character? (e.g., a solo_focus player trying a team_focus pass).
Skill Check: How high is your relevant stat? (e.g., passing).
This system gives four unique results. Let’s say you choose to go on a solo dribble:
ALIGNMENT SUCCEED / SKILL SUCCEED (Scintillating Success)
You succeed, as a single-minded solo star! The game checks your dribbling… you’re a football God.
RESULT: you go on a scintillating, amazing, dribble ghosting past player after player, all they can do is get splattered by the mud from your boots. (You succeed, and the text makes it clear it’s because of your astonishing ability!)
ALIGNMENT SUCCEED / SKILL FAIL (Stumbling Success)
You still succeed on alignment, but this time you fail the dribbling check.
RESULT: you set off down the pitch, dragging the ball with you like it owes you money, somehow miraculously stumbling past player after player. (You succeed, but the text shows it’s less because of your skill and more blind luck!)
ALIGNMENT FAIL / SKILL SUCCEED (Brilliant Failure)
This time you fail the alignment (it’s out of character), but you pass the dribbling skill check.
RESULT: You set off on a scintillating run, you dribble past one defender, two defenders… Oof, their towering centre back slides in with a crunching tackle. (You fail, but with brilliant skill and bad luck).
ALIGNMENT FAIL / SKILL FAIL (Clumsy Failure)
You fail. Everything.
RESULT: you fall flat on your face. Please just get off the pitch to save yourself from further embarrassment.
Every match will be its own mini-story, a fully fleshed dramatic narrative all of its own.
The Demo
The WIP draft to the end of Chapter 1 is ready to play right here. I’d be so grateful for your feedback. Around 12,000 words so far.
LINK:
https://cogdemos.ink/play/inae_dirriman/the-beautiful-dream-the-prodigy-wip-upto-c1/mygame
Core Principles
- Player choice is king and honoured. The game will never undo your choice.
- You have 3 romance option paths. But you are never forced into this, and you will never be punished or miss out on anything for not choosing to have the romance (beside the benefits of enjoying the romance itself of course!)
- You are never punished for decisions. The game teaches you why something failed and gives you chances to change your approach.
- Randomisation, I don’t want you to be able to play the same game twice even if you tried.
- Stats are meaningful, an action doesn’t just change a number in a box, it has real (in-game) world impact.
- Flexibility. Start at a Tier 1, 2, or 3 club. Get no game time at a top club? Go on loan. Too big for a small pond? The big clubs will come sniffing in January.
- Immersion. All 92 English football league teams have been coded in, alongside their rivals, their nicknames, and their stadium names.
The 3 Book Story Arc (maybe 4)
If all goes well, this is planned to be a 3 (maybe 4) book series.
BOOK 1: The Prodigy
- ACT 1: From a youngster to your first academy offer. You take your boys team to cup final glory. What path do you take: the Tier 1 grind, the Tier 3 fast-track, or somewhere in between? (Romance entry point 1: Childhood Sweethearts)
- ACT 2: Establishing yourself… until a sudden injury lays you up. This act contains the massive January Transfer Window choice. You’ll also choose your senior team mentor:
- Liam: The rough and tough team captain. A professional grinder.
- Aiden: The youngster playboy winger. Flamboyant, flashy, and living in the moment.
- Jamie: The pragmatist. A master of the ‘dark arts’ who believes winning is all that matters.
The agent. Do you stay with your dad. Do you get taken in by the hotshot agent who promises the world? Or the solid agent who will do the job for you but knows all the contacts.
(Romance entry point 2: Deep Connection)
- ACT 3: The comeback. Culminates in winning the FA Cup (Tier 1/2 path), or winning the Play-Off Final (Tier 3 path). (Romance entry point 3: Passionate Fireworks.)
BOOK 2: The Star
Your life is changed. You’re an established first-team player and a new international. But can you handle the fame, the pressure, the tabloids, and the stunningly beautiful people trying to turn your head… or will Maya/Miles have their head turned first?
BOOK 3: The Legend
You’re a superstar, still only 19, and the world is at your feet. But can you take the next step? Can you become a legend? The Champions League? The World Cup? Can you achieve the ultimate goals?
BOOK 4 (Maybe): The Manager
A spin-off years down the line. You’ve retired, a leader on the pitch, and now you want to be a leader off it.
A personal note from me…
I have read over 30 of these games, having only discovered them a few months ago. It’s safe to say I’m a little obsessed. Hence why at 11pm one Monday night I suddenly decided I was going to write my own.
So far, this is about 12,000 words (to end of chapter 1). I’ve never written anything like this before, and I simply cannot fathom where these words have come from! I just hope you all think there are some good words mixed in there somewhere!
Transparency Note: This work, the ideas, full arc, and every single word of prose is my own. I have used AI to learn how to code, and have run my code through it to help check and learn. I have also used generative AI to create the placeholder imagery (cover, chapter transitions) which will be replaced with commissioned/original art if this project goes forward.
On a personal note, I want to give something back. These books have, no exaggeration, changed my life. I just hope I can contribute something worthwhile, so your feedback is really helpful.
I thank you all for any time you can allow to indulge me.
it’s also an excellent comment and some great things to think about.
a bunch of potential LI’s popped into my head when I read that they’d be around in the future if you want any ideas?
