Latest Posts by gildedgrimoires - Page 7

Twine Sugarcube 101

AKA, all you need to make a Twine game (I swear to god)

I’ve seen a lot of people go “Twine is too complicated for me :(” and give up before they’ve even started. And that makes me sad, partly because they’re giving up on a really cool hobby, and also because that’s false! It’s absolutely not too complicated for you!

I think the problem is that people look up Twine, see the documentation, and go “There’s way too much there! I can’t learn all that!” Well guess what- you shouldn’t learn all that, at least not yet. As a beginner you can skip pretty much all of this:

(Ignore <<linkappend>> too, forgot to crop that one out)

That’s a lot more manageable, right? Below the cut, I’ll let you know how to use all those remaining important things to make your story! Warning- it’s quite long! You might want to read it in sections! And while I’ll try to keep it entertaining, it’s also a coding tutorial, so… y’know. Might not be the most exciting read if you aren’t trying to learn Twine.

Keep reading

So the prologue is definitely not coming out by the end of this month, I am slow and this is a a lot longer than anticipated. But (fingers crossed), I will not be completely empty handed by month's end. I always have a million ideas in my head, it is actually a problem, so I'm doing a short and sweet twine thing to get one idea out of my head.

There will be vampires :)

Misplaced

Misplaced is a fantasy romance interactive fiction WIP, wherein your choices not only determine your own fate, but that of an entire kingdom. Let me take you an adventure filled with both whimsy and tragedy alike.

The current demo goes up to the end of Chapter 3, publicly available on itch.io soon.

The Story:

For decades, the human kingdom of Gaiapeia has been fighting against the fae living in the surrounding lands. How this conflict started depends entirely on who you ask.

You are the child of Lady and Sir Grahm, a noble familiy who has been serving the crown for generations. Eager to follow in your father's footsteps, you have been training for years to become a knight worthy of being Prince Az'Lean's Champion - his right hand, his closest confidant, the one who protects his life from the growing danger of the fae.

When the time finally comes and you are chosen for the position, it's a dream come true. You couldn't be happier. But just one day later, on your 21st birthday, a terrible truth is revealed to you.

You are a changeling - a fae child that was smuggled into a human family with only one purpose: to gain the prince's trust and use it against him.

A war between humans and fae is surely brewing and the outcome depends entirely on you.

Features:

Customize the appearance of your MC, play as non-binary, female, or male and romance whoever you like however you like, including the choice for asexual or queer-platonic relationships.

Enjoy the story without having to worry about stats - you will be a competent knight no matter what. There is no failure or success, only different choices and their outcomes.

Shape your personality, and your trustworthiness, with your actions. Other characters' disposition to you will change depending on how they perceive you.

Pick a side early on, play the long con, or refuse to make a choice at all. There are multiple split paths that will feature the same romancable characters - but their relationship to you might vary greatly (including villain romances).

Romance:

Vynn (nb):

Vynn is one of your fellow knights and a long-time friend. Unlike you they aren't a knight by choice and don't care much for fighting. You get the feeling they'd much rather be a bard if they could, seeing as they love playing the lute, spinning epic tales and generally being a source of levity. They are fiercely loyal and good-natured, though there is that bit of resentment that will never quite leave their heart.

Prince Az'Lean (m):

Az'Lean is your prince, the one you are sworn to protect. On first glance, he is the very picture of a fairytale prince: charming, chivalrous, and powerful. He is an excellent fighter, loves animals, and prefers to be treated like an equal. Anyone who cares to look will soon notice the darkness lurking beneath that shining exterior, festering ever since the death of his mother.

Lady Meave (f):

Maeve is a powerful dryad who was sent to educate you on the ways of the fae. She is usually playful and soft, though her patience tends to run short. As much as she cares about decorum and courtly things, she finds joy in the simplest things and easily turns into a giggly mess. For all her humour, you can never quite tell if she is being serious. Sometimes it feels like she's just playing with you.

Thianne (f):

Thianne is a sorceress and one of Az'Lean's most trusted advisors. She is intelligent and hard-working, though sometimes at the expense of her own well-being. Although she comes across as abrasive and rude, she is always willing to help those who need it. Her dry sense of humour and brutal honesty have endeared her to just as many people as they have made her enemies.

Lester (m):

Lester is a half-fae servant, working in the castle. As with most half-fae, his presence isn't entirely welcome and his reasons for being here seem complexer than he lets on. Lester is known for his mischief and his crude humour, often pulling pranks that border on malicious. Despite the way he presents himself as laid-back and uncaring, it's clear that there's a lot he isn't opeing up about.

Warnings:

This story contains potentially triggering content. There will be graphic depictions of violence, death, discrimination, body-image issues and mental illness (including panic attacks, suicidal thoughts and paranoia). Discretion is advised.

Support:

As soon as the game is publicly available, I am hoping for your support. Until then, thank you so much for showing any interest in this project at all!

Update #3

So I'm really getting into the swing of things on the writing front. The prologue will be a touch longer than planned, not insanely so but I'm padding stuff out.

Also revamping the lire of the setting, which doesn't matter too much but I thought I'd mention it.

Final thing: I have decided on the types of magic the mc can have. You have both a primary and secondary affinity, primary will be shadow magic no matter what and you can choose the secondary.

Secondary affinity choices will be ice, fire, and poison. Keeping it simple, but I'm definitely open to any suggestions you may have!

Description

You own a bakery at the heart of your home village, Berseras. Your older brother, Ryan, has been looking after you for the past nine years. Though in reality, he was always the one taking care of you. But at some point you’d have to move on, right? Start your own life so your brother can live out the rest of his. Well, that was always true but neither of you ever expected it to be so abrupt. 

Having never left Berseras, you find yourself navigating a world that you are definitely not prepared for. With a prophecy looming over your head, an assassin on your tale, a people-appointed ‘savior’ charge, and a tyrant Monarch, you are poorly prepared for this journey. 

Travel to different cities, make allies or enemies, befriend a Saint and/or an assassin, be a menace or a peacekeeper, no matter the choices, what you do will go down in history. What kind of Protector will you be?

The Edge of Yesterday  is a 18+ interactive fiction game, with a main focus on plot and lore. It is intended for mature audiences and will contain scenes of violence and vulgar language. Some themes might be distressing for some, so please understand your own limits. Here’s a list of themes: murder and attempted murder, gore, blood, slight torture and mentions of past torture, enslavement and mentions of past enslavement, explicit language/profanity, instances of harassment, severe character injury, emotional abuse/manipulation, fear, domestic violence, mentions of neglected childhood and child abuse, talk of arranged/forced marriage, religious topics (I’ve created a new religion, there will be no mentions of real life religions), scars, mentions of alcohol, fire, mentions of wars and past wars, guns, hospitalization, obssession and possession, jealousy, and forced to do something against your will.

 I will have an option for viewing warnings before each chapter.

Features

✮ Customize your character’s identity and appearance:  pronouns, color and style of hair, skin tone, scars, height, clothing style, and nickname. 

✮ Romance one of two characters, or both.

✮ Join the darkside or take the high road.

✮ Influence both ROs to join you on the darkside or on the high road.

✮ Flee from your home village.

✮ Deal with a prophecy that dictates the rest of your life.

✮ Build a relationship with a dragon!

✮ Take down the tyrant Monarch or join the Monarch in taking over Dunaria.

✮ Travel to different countries and cities!

✮ Navigate family drama as you meet different family members.

✮ Get lost in a forest.

✮Develop skills in stealth, strength, and strategy.* 

✮ And more!

* This is not a stat heavy game, so please do not worry too much about your statistics. While they do contribute to the game, they’re not the main focus. This interactive fiction is mainly based on lore and plot. 

Romance Options:

☀ The Savior

[ Finley Raith | He/She/They | Vi’ba | 22]

Overly cocky with a side of innuendos, Finley is the main star of a foretold prophecy dating back hundreds of years. With a big ego, sassy comebacks, and sleazy diplomacy, Finley doesn’t seem like the kind of person to ever doubt themselves or their abilities. They would rather inject poison into their own skin than admit they don’t know what they’re doing. Having grown up as the child of an extremely rich noble family, they find themselves in a whirlwind of shock as they try to navigate the world their family so desperately tried to shelter them from. Will they rise up and be the savior everyone has been dreaming about or will they be Dunaria’s worst nightmare?

“They’re all the same, but how much different am I?”

⚔ The Assassin

[ Elliot Lennox | He/She/Xey | Sho’ai  | 23]

Extremely mysterious with a side of snark, Elliot is the tyrant Monarch’s right hand, eyes, and ears. With an abundance of nonchalance, coldness, and disinterest, Elliot doesn’t appear like the kind of person to stray from orders or their supposed destiny. Though perhaps a part of xem, deep, deep, very deep down, aches for something more. Having grown up without parents, taken in by an assassin training academy, xey have known nothing but violence and strength. Will xey be able to find xemself after spending so long being someone else or will xey finally break free from the chains binding xem to a dark past?

“If I’m going down, you’re coming with me.”

Latest Update (public demo): 

Links:

Demo (TBD)

Report a Bug

Ask Guidelines

Pinterest

Soundtrack/Spotify

Technically I have one more week and should be workin on my last essay but I am excited. Anyways I’ve begun writin the prologue~ 

I still dunno how to code thought :), but that’s whatevs until later.

Clawing at the walls of my enclosure. The enclosure is the 2 week end of the semester period. It cannot end soon enough

I said ooh girl

Winter wolf howls by Wolf Conservation Center

DEMO TBA

Eighteen years.

You promised yourself as soon as the clock struck midnight, on your eighteenth birthday, you’d be on the first train headed far, far away from Sageville. Alas, it didn’t end up quite like this. 

You did find yourself at the train station numerous times, however, though you simply never purchased that getaway ticket.

You couldn’t… afford to that is.

Two years of picking up shift after shift later, and you’re finally on that train, turning the page to the desperately awaited chapter of your life.

Destination: Dahlia Hills.

The difference between Sageville and Dahlia Hills, some might ask? 

Clear as day. 

Not only riddled with some of the most influential and wealthy people, but also the haven of glamour, gossip and that never-ending nightlife.

Still, the reason a small townie like you has their eyes set on the city, is because of its university. While it may not be ranked number one, you’re aware of the life-altering connections a diploma from the Dahlia Hills College brings.

But you also always craved to experience the promised whispers of life and excitement that reached all the way to your very own ears.

The complete opposite of good ole Sageville.

Well, I guess it’s time for you to find out, meet and experience all the special things Dahlia Hills has in store...

Dahlia Hills takes inspiration from early 2000s shows, such as One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl. Personally, growing up a little after that time, I’ve absolutely loved discovering and watching those types of shows and have always imagined myself thrown into that kind of scene. And I’m sure there’s plenty of other people who have felt the same (right??) and so I present to you ‘Dahlia Hills’.

The book is a slice of life with a dash of nostalgia, set in the mid to late 2000s. 

Customise your MC from your name all the way to your personality and appearance.

Meet unique characters.

Live in the moment.

Explore different romances.

Experience that glamorous side Dahlia Hills is known for.

Get your name out there!

♦️ Carter Black, M/F, 21 [RO]

What Carter lacks in social skills, they make up in candour. Seriously, nothing against you or anyone for that matter, they just prefer probably anything else but people.

Avid smoker, who ironically works at one of the biggest nightclubs in the Dahlia Hills ‘The Tini’. Though, it is only because of their two favourite things: cigarettes and alcohol.

“For what it’s worth, if I really despised you, I wouldn’t be here. You’re not getting any more from me.”

♦️ Zach/Zoe Powell, M/F, 22 [RO]

Although gone most of the time, curious whispers follow wherever they go- or should I say appear?

Isn’t the saying: secrets are meant to be uncovered? Or maybe it's curiosity killed the cat?

At the end of the day, no one’s forced to do anything, and only you can stand in your very own way… so do with that as you may.

“Life gets boring fast, when you have everything, you’ve always wanted, handed to you like this.”

♦️ Jackson/Jordyn Whitlock, M/F, 21 [RO]

‘With great power comes great responsibility.'

Not for J though…

Some would say they are ‘set for fucking life’. Only thing standing in the way of them, and their multi-million pounds corporation inheritance is well… their parents, for one, and downright stupidity.

Apart from that, they have free range to do just about anything they please.

Born with a silver spoon doesn’t even begin to describe the mountain of wealth they are surrounded by.

Still, a spark of intrigue flashes across their hazel eyes, as they wander down the shape of your entirety, like the shiny new toy that you are. 

“Let’s make things clear, if I haven’t fucked somebody, it’s because they didn’t excite me enough.”

♦️ Valentine/Valerie Beaufort AKA Val, M/F, 21 [RO]

If there’s one thing you don’t want to miss, it’s Val’s frequent parties thrown in none other than one of their parents’, who seem to always have business overseas, mega mansions, located in the outskirts of the city, allegedly worth a staggering eight digits.

While they enjoy their more than occasional night of fun, don’t expect for them to go for just anyone, for even they have standards, contrary to popular belief.

Although they might appear frosty during the first few encounters, it’s best not to take it to heart, as they do tend to come around… 

At some point… 

Later rather than sooner...

Sooner, if the people they care about do.

“Seriously Carter, that cancer stick is gonna fucking age you like crazy.”

♦️ Bonnie Marlowe, F, 22 (she/her)

If Bonnie has any enemies, it means hell has frozen over and pigs can fly.

Seriously, she’s like a fluffy ball of cotton candy; sweet and cuddly… not kidding, that girl LOVES hugs. 

And yeah, she can be a little dim sometimes, but cross my heart she means well. Truthfully, it’s not really her fault there seems to be a disconnect between the thoughts in her head and the way they come out of her mouth.

Just know, if you ever feel offended, she’ll be waiting… lips quirked up, exposing the single dimple adorning her right cheek, along with her big black eyes… and then you’re in trouble. 

Because only a monster can still be mad then.

“I love you guys so much. I can’t wait for our babies to be best friends.”

♦️ Grace Watson, F, 22 (she/her)

Honestly, I can’t tell you much about the girl.

Yeah, she’s quiet and she seems friendly... and she attends some of Val’s parties... and surprisingly she hangs out with J, Bonnie and the bunch.

Hmm…

She is dating Alec, so I suppose that does make sense… (don't worry I'll tell you more about him next)

Anyway, not much to see here… yet, so I guess I’ll let you do the getting to know ;)

“Why I had to get along with you guys of all people, I don’t know.”

♦️ Alec Greene, M, 21 (he/him)

He is just a sweet one.

Seriously; charming, friendly, decently intelligent, outgoing AND handsome?

What the hell doesn’t he have?

Yup, Alec is the guy parents wish you’d bring home when you tell them you found a special boy.

That guy = Alec motherfucking Greene.

And what is the perfect guy without a weird obsession with repairing old fancy cars? Nuff said.

“No, seriously, if I can help, I wanna help.”  (see?)

Hope this peaked your interest!

Hugs <3

Clawing at the walls of my enclosure. The enclosure is the 2 week end of the semester period. It cannot end soon enough

Chapter 2 is almost done! I’m expecting to release it early May if everything goes without a hitch.

“Find me a house where no one can ever come. I like talking to you, but to no one else in the whole world.”

— Virginia Woolf, from a letter to Lytton Strachey wr. c. September 1925 

Oh yeah, for sure. Go right ahead dude!

update #2

I cannot for the life of me determine if I am over-planning or improvising too hard, but I feel like if I don’t get to the next stage now I’ll never get anything done.

So I wasn’t going to add in ‘Personality Stats’ at first to make things easy on my first try, but I like them and practice makes perfect if I want them in potential future projects. 

Most likely you will have: Charming v Reserved, Genuine v Insincere, Optimistic v Pessemestic, Warm v Cold (Kind vs crueler), Reckless v Careful, Teamworker v Solo Act.

I’ve been mulling over these for a while now, and will mull again. So as always, things are subject to change.

being in a completely normal nonthreatening scenario & environment and thinking “i have GOT to get the fuck out of here” with the intensity of some trapped neurotic prey animal

Hope to make the prologue and maybe chapter 1 of the demo out by the end of May? Once I can seriously sit down and bang out something.

But the overall story will be the prologue, and 7 chapters. Each chapter will take place over the course of a day, so the whole story is over the course of a week.

Bear Paw Armor Cuprum Arm Guard, Indo Persian Islamic Empire Dynasty

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A Poor Attempt lol

Hi guys!  Just wanted to share along a small library of Interactive Fiction titles that’re collected into a small simple place lol

There’s titles that use engines from all over the place! Here’s the link And here’s a small sneak peek

I’d really appreciate it if you guys would share the link around! I wanna see the list grow

Tintype of what appears to be a light-hearted spot of stabbing between friends, circa 1880

itch.io

Self-Creation Simulator by merrybot

Find yourself within the egg.

i made a little quiz game! it would make me so happy if you took a look ^-^

*opens word doc covered in blood* it doesn’t have to be good. it just has to be done.

Worldbuilding Snippet: How to Get Magic

In the world of Talea there are two main ways for humans to attain magic.

The most common way is to get bind your soul to an familiar. A familiar is an incomplete being of pure magic, their forms are unstable and will eventually fizzle out of existence like a spark of ember in the wind. You act as their host, anchoring them to you. In turn they become apart of you, and you are able to harness their magic. It is a great honor to be deemed worthy by an familiar, at least most people hope you and bound to one because it deemed you worthy. Regardless of the reason why you are bound to one, an familiar is a life long companion; aside from practice a large part of using this joint power is getting along with your familiar. The better the bond, the more stably you can use the magic. This is especially important if you are bound with a particularly powerful familiar.

The much rarer way is to be imbued with magic by a more powerful being. May it be dragons, nyms, the Aasha or perhaps even the Imowu themselves, magic acquired in this manner tends to be more wild and unpredictable and come with less than desirable side effects. It is also debated whether any human who acquires power in this way is still fully human after the fact.

There is a 'secret' third way though. A human carefully handcrafted by the gods themselves, birthed or torn apart and remade some time after; a human made in such a manner is something to be feared. As far as humanity knows this has happened only once, and the scars it had left on existence itself have still jot healed.

update #2

I cannot for the life of me determine if I am over-planning or improvising too hard, but I feel like if I don’t get to the next stage now I’ll never get anything done.

So I wasn’t going to add in ‘Personality Stats’ at first to make things easy on my first try, but I like them and practice makes perfect if I want them in potential future projects. 

Most likely you will have: Charming v Reserved, Genuine v Insincere, Optimistic v Pessemestic, Warm v Cold (Kind vs crueler), Reckless v Careful, Teamworker v Solo Act.

I’ve been mulling over these for a while now, and will mull again. So as always, things are subject to change.

:0 ... :|

I feel like I should share world lore, that feels like something that should happen.

Was just scrolling the IF tag and saw your art and went :000 they look so cool I love their design (clip on tail would be pretty cute)!!! I also am liking the premise of your game very excited to see where you take it. Much luck to you Author.

I'm so glad to hear that you like the art and the story premise! Thank you for the kind words

The Lupine Knight of Kysia

Knowing what my characters look like (and being able to draw them) really helps me get a feel of who they are. I figured I should show you guys as well, so you can get a lil bit of a sense of who they are while things progress in the background. Design is subject to change of course, but probably not too much.

But yeah, cool purple wolf knight! I kinda considered giving them a fake tail, like one of those clip on ones. I thought it'd be cute.

update #1

I don’t have anything huge to say on progress, these are mostly so I have a lil tracker on how things are going in the progress department.

I have finally retaught myself the basics of twine, and mapping out the prologue has been really fun. It was gonna be pretty small originally, but hey my first project is overall small scale so why not have fun with it!

Trying to figure out how variables work. Rocky waters but I think I’m starting to understand them, so hell yeah to that.

"Keep an eye on them."

This was supposed to be another mission like any other. The conflict between Drenea and its twin kingdom, Kysia, is broiling once again. Spies amongst the Drenean court once again becomes a growing concern. Tasked to keep track on a suspected spy and follow them back to their hideout, you instead find yourself in the frigid region of Kasal.

The snow continues to pile high and the winds rage on. The sudden blizzard shows no signs of relenting. Thrown off course, you are forced to take refuge in an abandoned manor in the mountains. Worse yet is the company, a soldier that hails from your kingdom's greatest enemy nation. But it's either them or the howling storm and whatever starving beasts lie in the woods beyond the manor.

You just hope the manor will be enough to stave off the cold.

Rating: 16+ (subject to change)

Customize your gender, pronouns, and appearance.

Choose from three backgrounds: Noble, Orphan, Performer.

Choose a combat style and how your magical companion manifests.

Determine how you navigate your forced partnership.

Survive the cold of Kasal, and perhaps find out what secrets it holds.

MC (Hey it’s you!)

Drenea's Shadow, the ever loyal and skilled spy and assassin of the kingdom. You are the blade hidden in plain sight by the royal family, a warning to all who may oppose them. A blight on scheming nobility and the boogeyman used to scare naughty children, your reputation far precedes you. Loved or hated, you are a tool for the royal family, a blood sniffing hound kept on a short leash.

The Lupine Knight (they/them)

There is so much to say about the Lupine Knight, yet at the same time there is so little. They are one half to the greatest military duo in Kysia, some may say in all the continent. Working side by side with the second prince of the enemy nation. Citizens of Kysia sing their praise to the divines, and the elite of Drenea cannot deny the skill they possess. But outside of martial might, there exists nothing but rumors and speculation. 

Demo: TBA 

Greetings and welcome to my Dev Blog, I figured a quick introduction is in order. 

I am Hik (they/them), and I am working on a interactive fiction project! This is technically not my first go at it, but this project is a bit more serious. I’m more of an artist than a writer, not that writing isn’t an art but my brain works in pictures. So this is my debatably first big writing heavy project, but I really love this medium and I’m running on 80% self indulgence here. Plus, you can’t improve if you never try after all. Succeed of fail it will never go to waste!

I do ask for patience, I’m a university student and still learning as I go here.

Current Project(s):

The Crowning North (no demo, hiatus?)

Affairs in Blood (complete)

A Hearth of Ice and Stone (no demo)

Ichor of the Last Lament (Demo)