It’s hard for me to say considering I haven’t really played a Choicescript game like this before. I’m interested to see where this goes though. I like having lots of choices, but I think it’d probably be good to not let it get too sandboxy or else it may get a little too difficult to handle all the variables.
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@JimD Well, last I played maybe four or five months back- at that point in time, I remember things like heading into the house with the old couple who were dead (with the upstairs safe) and it being described as though they had been dead a long while… two days after the story started. And getting robbed by the blind guy and his daughter the very first night, while having the impression the zombie infection had only just started. It felt strange, things progressed with the apocalypse too quickly, skipping any kind of zombies-in-the-streets phase to ‘most people are dead’. I’ll have to have another look to find out what my impressions are on the pacing now.
@Zolataya sorry, I meant to reply about your feedback. If it’s long, PM me (and by long, I mean >10 paragraphs).
@Shawn_Patrick_Reed a lot has changed. I know you’re busy so no rush to provide feedback, though it’s always appreciated.
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I like your new game but really prefer a more linear approach. The story would certainly suffering from the opening world, and I am here for yhe story. This is like the old discussion in videogames about open world rpgs and if the story deep. Also i don’t like jumping timeline data too much, would certainly affect my connection with the characters.
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@JimD
Regarding the bug at Fred’s house where I chose to shoot the zombies, I did have the Colt Python, Shotgun and Glock in my inventory.
I prefer the open world, day to day style but with missions at certain points in the story.
I found another ZE1 spelling mistake.
In part 5, at the end of talking with Crone.
I selected:
“We are living in a survivor situation. Emma has other things to worry about than a relationship that may not last.”
“Let’s discuss something else”
Add a full stop after ‘else’.
I found a spelling mistake in part 5, I chose to stay at the cathedral and River tried to kill Tom.
“I do nothing”
Add a full stop after ‘nothing’.
I found this error after Tom killed River.
It said that the knife sails over Tom’s head but in the next sentence it says that the knife slips from River’s fingers.
“The blade flashes through the air but sails over Tom’s head,”
“His arms drop to his side, and the knife slips from his fingers.”
I found this spelling mistake in the Zombie epilogue.
“You open your mouth to call him. Your lips part but no sounds emanate, not even a feint whisper.”
faint whisper.
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hard for me to say as think I view z1 through nostalgia goggles as it was one of the first COGs I played and is also one of the longest and when I played through was complete, but think it’s like comparing which is better a chair or a table in the sense it’s not a case of one being better than another just different as think yeah story can suffer will have to wait and see, but open world requires more time and effort but would probs definatley prefer this open world if it’s as long as z1 in one playthrough(so same wordcount only counting the words in one playthrough) maybe this could finally knock tinstar off it’s podium? lol but maybe a mix…idk loved tinstar and think that’s a mix…
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Oh gosh. I can’t believe I forgot about the update! I’m going to try making a custom profession this time around. We need a masseuse roughing it up in the zombie apocalypse.
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I’m going to do my best to make dean winchester from supernatural
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My only real concern about the new style is that it runs the risk of starting to feel more like a simulation than an interactive story. I mean, there’s room for that kind of game in the genre, too, but it’s not really my primary area of interest. I have State of Decay for that. When it comes to interactive fiction, I’m more interested in the people, the relationships, and the mysteries than I am in going house-to-house trying to decide whether I’m going to take antibiotics, 5 mechanical parts or a pack of batteries. So, as far as that goes, I liked the story approach of ZE1 because it seemed to be more about the people than the stuff.
Even so, I have to admit that I really, really like the character customization (especially the backgrounds) of Safe Haven and the choice of starting locations. It’s currently possible in Safe Haven to not only make characters that look differently on the stat screen, but actually play differently in meaningful ways. Being an antisocial Hacker and a charismatic Mixed Martial Artist couldn’t be any more different, and I love that.
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@JimD, there’s another problem that I ran into while playing through the demo. In Chapter 2, after you complete all the options and interact with all the characters, the game seems to send me into an endless loop of crafting and checking my weapons. I can’t seem to get past that point at all. I was playing as a Medic/Paramedic soldier.
Anyways, I’m truly amazed at the work that you’ve accomplished so far. Getting this amount of coding to work is no small feat.
I like both styles but i think I like the open style just a little bit more. Feels better for me. And i love that the teen will become a adult, I love the character evolving and growing through these games.
This is an age-old debate (at least a decade 
) in gaming, sand boxes vs railroads. Sand boxes give the player more freedom and more choice, make the world feel more real, and are considerably more replayable. Their biggest downside from the player perspective is that lack of pacing or direction often leaves many fans bored and causes them to quit before getting far. From a game-writer’s perspective, sand boxes are also a lot more work, but do not necessarily net you a better pay-off. So designers often conclude that they’re just not worth the extra effort (although skyrim proved that rules are made to be broken…)
On the other hand railroads have plenty of direction and focus, are faster to write, easier to pace, and often allow for a story that is both tighter and longer since there are fewer variables for the author to juggle. The downside of railroads on the other hand are less free agency, and less replayability . You go where the story makes you go, and if you don’t like it, either get used to it or play something else.
That said, it’s certainly possible to make a hybrid as lots of games are actually a hybrid of the two to one extent or another. It’s possible to maximize the strengths of both, especially if you’re willing to invest the time. And that’s what it all comes down to, the author’s blood, sweat and tears, and how much they’re willing to invest into a single game. 
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Anyone figure out how to not get stuck with nothing to do on day 2?
I myself enjoy the open world style. It makes me feel more in control of the story. Most of what publishers post are a direct path with small variations. But this gives me the decision whenever or not I need to take one of the many paths and how to handle what’s down it.
So yes. I like open world
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Since I love to play games over and over, open world is preferable to me. That said, wide branching on a liner path is equally enjoyable (Tin Star, Choice of the Vampire - I still play those today and find new stuff) and probably easier on the author than a fully open world.
In the end, I would play anything you made, I suspect, but if you give me a surprise push to see which side of the fence I fall then I hope you put a nice cushioning mattress on the open world side. 
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@JimD
I found this error in chapter in the city with a dependent.
[quote] “I’m heading outside to get something.”
“The bag Fred dropped?”
“How’d you know about that?”
“I’m keepin’ track of things,” Johnny says, matter-of-factly.
“Stay here and make sure the door stays locked until I come back.”
“Got it.”
You close the door on the way out and hear the sound of the door locking. As you head to the door, your nephew walks next to you.
“I’m heading next door to Fred’s for a moment. Keep a watch out for me and yell if you need me.”
Johnny nods and runs to the window to peek outside. [/quote]
Delete the rest of the sentence from ‘As’.
I found an error in the boarded up house in chapter 2 with a dependent child.
I selected:
“Start a conversation. I’m curious how she wound up here.”
And “I was scavenging the house and when I came into the kitchen, the floor broke open. There’s no reason to lie.”
Then “Do you need anything?”
There is no option to say my sister is dead.
I found a spelling mistake in chapter 2 after I killed Dante after he was infected by the zombies.
I had a dependent child.
I selected “I had no choice,” you say and explain that you stopped the man from becoming a zombie."
[quote] our nephew stops hitting you but his face remains reddened in anger.
[/quote]
Your nephew.
@Jenna_V I don’t want it to be a simulation but do want to give more freedom than normal CS games. I guess a story-driven simulation of sorts. I tried State of Decay and Dead State, and both are light on story.
I also want to write a game I’ve wanted to play, where relationships matter AND resource management is necessary. Deciding on antibiotics vs batteries may not be interesting but it will be when someone is dying of an infection, and you are forced into a bad situation to find life-saving items.
I’m really trying for this one
@Silhuetta @jables94 I need to fix some big issues and hope to do it today. I had a long work week at my primary job, so my brain is zombie-like.
Amen.
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The true inspiration for your story is revealed 
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I tried the wrestling background and there is a POISON NAME I LOVE YOU But i found weird couldn’t choose between being a heel or not . My knowledge of wrestling is based only in the Cog game. But it was so Fun… Not like the boring cop one. I ended killing a lot of people. Could someone interesting appear soon? All are goodie goodies with puppy sad eyes .I like the girl in leather Cat woman. I wanna flirt with her I don’t care half questions about boring stuff. Also if I have a dog I want give him a little walk poor dog.