I Went To A Murder Trial And Everybody There Was In Love With Me

every day I beg people to learn how to read and analyze the text they're reading. pls the booktok pandemic cannot go over into the IF fandom too. please read and analyze and get excited instead of being annoying and irresponsible. DO NOT BE THE REASON AN AUTHOR LOSES LOVE FOR THEIR PROJECT OR FEELS TOO PRESSURED! especially if you're getting this craft for FREE.

I say this as someone who writes too.

don't tell the authors what to do. if you think you could do better than sit down and write yourself if you've got a stick up your ass like that.

let authors tell the story THEY want to tell, we're all passenger on their ships and you better have RESPECT for their storytelling and their craft. don't tell them to tone something down, don't tell them how to write their characters, don't fuck with their narrative. they have a PLAN and many IF writers already have a whole story outlined.

authors don't owe you answers to all questions, especially if it concerns the future plot developments. create theories but don't push them on authors.

SUPPORT authors, SEND POSITIVE WORDS, COMMENTS, CREATE FAN CONTENT PRAISING THE WORK!!!

be nice, just be fucking nice. many creators of IFs work a DAY JOB!!! they don't write 24/7 and you should respect their time/their life.

send authors support, always. don't rush them, don't trash them, don't be dipshits.

by being dipshits, you will make authors not love their work. this is what happened with AMR 2 where the fan behavior was atrocious. don't be the reason an author feels pressured to write their work to fit your wants.

support the creation, support the process, support the person who is sharing their craft with you.

this behavior is something I see extensively in several IFs I read and I don't read a lot tbh. but this has to be said.

edit: someone believed that this post asks for no constructive criticism, but constructive criticism vs being a dipshit are two different things. constructive criticism is helpful, esp when asked. so please proceed to this post additionally to understand that flattery is NOT equal support, and being an asshole and bash authors is NOT constructive criticism. please learn to understand the difference.

𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻𝙸𝚃𝙸𝙴𝚂 𝙸𝙽 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚂 ➥ The Logician ( INTP )

Sherlock Holmes is someone with introverted, intuitive, thinking, and prospecting personality traits. He is a flexible thinker, enjoying an unconventional approach to many aspects of life. He often seek out unlikely paths, mixing willingness to experiment with personal creativity. Holmes prides himself, on his unique perspectives and vigorous intellect. Sherlock can’t help but puzzle over the mysteries of the universe , which may explain how he became a private detective and consultant. His type of demeanour is fairly rare, but with his creativity and inventiveness, Sherlock isn't afraid to stand out from the crowd. From the outside, Sherlock Holmes may seem to live in a never-ending daydream.

Strengths:

߷ Analytical – Holmes analyses everything that he comes across, from research data to the behaviour of the surrounding people. This gives him a knack for spotting unexpected patterns and connections that other people might overlook.

߷ Open-Minded – Sherlock is driven by curiosity and an intense desire to learn everything that he can. He tends to be receptive to new ideas and ways of doing things as long as those ideas are supported by sound reasoning.

߷ Curious – Holmes is always casting about for new pursuits, hobbies, and areas of research. One week, he might be obsessed in a case with a serial killer, and the next, he might lose themselves the case of a missing aristocrat. When inspiration strikes, Sherlock goes all in on his newfound interest, learning everything that he can.

߷ Objective – Holmes cares about the truth. Rather than taking comfort in ideology or received ideas, he wants to understand what’s really going on beneath the surface of things. As a result, he can be relied upon to combat bias and misinformation, even when it isn’t easy to do so, and he expects other people to be honest with them in return.

Weaknesses:

߷ Disconnected – Sherlock can get lost in his own train of thought, even when he's with other people. When these Sherlock finally resurface with something to say, he may find that the conversation has moved on without him. This can cause Holmes to feel disconnected from other people, especially in large social gatherings.

߷ Impatient – Holmes takes pride in his knowledge and in sharing his ideas. When it comes to explaining his rationale, however, he isn’t always patient. If his conversation partner doesn’t follow along or seem sufficiently interested, Holmes may give up with a dismissive “never mind.”

߷ Perfectionists – Holmes want to get things done, but his quest for perfection can get in the way. At times, Sherlock may get so lost in analysing various options that he never reached a decision.

Conclusion :

What you have read so far is just an introduction to the many complexities of the Logician personality type. Along the way, you may have muttered to yourself, “Wow, this is so accurate, it’s a little creepy,” or “Finally, someone understands me!” You may have even asked, “How do they know more about me than the people I’m closest to do?”

If you feel understood right now, it’s because you are. Years of research have given us deep insights into the unique strengths and challenges of Logicians like you. And that includes the darker aspects of your personality type: the mystery of why other people just don’t seem to get you, the constant frustration at a world that seems tedious and superficial, and the nagging fear that all of your grand ideas might never amount to anything.

So...remember how I said in that update post how I might MAYBE do a TSS rewrite and post it for free?

"Maybe" quickly turned into "definitely happening". Instead of making it outside of COG, however, the finished product that's already published will be updated with the rewritten files. This means that if you've already purchased TSS through COG, you'll have the rewritten version available. That's how I originally intended to go about things with the old rewrite and is the better option here to avoid potential complications.

I've been in contact with COG and they've let me know that I'd be able to do what I have in mind even if this results in a different wordcount and very different scenes/plot points and a different kind of main story.

I realize that this announcement is probably pretty jarring since my last post stated that I wasn't sure about doing a rewrite but that I wanted to if I had enough time. After making that post, I started creating an outline for the rewrite mostly for fun...and one thing kind of led to another. I want you all to know that I wouldn't be making this post at all if I wasn't sure about this. It's because I've already begun the process and feel incredibly motivated and inspired that I can do this that I'm making this announcement.

This rewrite is not going to be like my old attempt at a rewrite, though. It's an entirely new one that I feel much more confident about.

So far I've written the outline for the rewrite and started reworking already existing scenes from chapter 1 as well some new ones. I'm happy to say that the difference between how the rewrite process felt years ago compared to now is like light and day. It seems like those years I've taken away from TSS were very healthy and helpful in giving me some distance and letting me figure out what kind of story I really want to tell.

My plan is to rewrite book 1 and then make 1 full continuation after that. Instead of a trilogy, it looks like this version of TSS will be 2 volumes, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it'll be shorter than originally intended. I think it's more doable for me to rewrite the first book (starting from scratch while also using some already written scenes, since I've been assured I'm allowed to do so) and then make 1 complete continuation of it rather than trying to fill stuff out over 3 different entries, and I think it'll serve the plot and story as a whole to do it that way.

That being said, I fully understand that some - or most of you - might have trouble trusting my word after me failing to do the rewrite I wanted to years ago and not delivering a second book. That's completely fair. This time I'm not rushing things and I don't feel any pressure to do this. It's not something I do out of dislike for the original, but rather out of love for what it could be and what I could make it into, if that makes sense. I'm taking as much time as I need to and am not putting any pressure on myself to do this.

My other project takes priority right now so I can't dedicate all of my time to the rewrite, but I'm working on it when I have time over or get stuck. It's actually pretty nice to alternate between two different stories that have different settings and has helped a bit in avoiding writer's block.

Here are some differences between TSS and the TSS rewrite (most of the changes I made to the old rewrite no longer apply):

The rewrite will be told in second-person point of view ("you" instead of "I"). The reason for this is that when I first started TSS I was really unused to the second-person POV, but after having spent years in the IF space it's now the other way around. It'll make writing much easier for for me, and I hope it won't feel too jarring for people who are used to the first person POV.

The Shadowman and Jealene (now "J") will both be genderselectable just like the main cast. The Shadowman will be genderselectable later on, though - it might sound strange but I think it makes sense when you have more context. J plays a bigger role than they did in the original and their personality is a bit different in this version.

Some side characters (such as most of the hideout) will be cut. This is because they felt really underdeveloped to me in the full game and didn't serve much of a purpose. Instead I'm focusing more on the main cast + a few key characters to ensure the story plot stays focused and you get more time to develop bonds of various kinds with the main cast instead.

The relationship system will look a bit different. Instead of bars showing a percentage of approval, I'll write a description of each character and what they think of you. The descriptions will shift when the character starts viewing you differently, whether that's due to rivalry, romance or friendship. My hope is that this will allow for a more nuanced relationship system/descriptions. I'll also adjust the options a bit to try and make choices more nuanced and am thinking of including the option of having ex. a heart next to a romantic choice for those who want to know for sure what they're getting into. The different responses (such as shy, flirty etc.) will stay but some of it will probably be reworked. Essentially what I want to do is allow for a wider range of MCs and how the characters respond to the MC.

The MC is going to have more agency in certain ways. I've included something plot-relevant to the main character that can potentially change the dynamic between them and the group a bit, but it all depends on how you play it.

The tone might be somewhat different. Not entirely, of course, but there are some parts of the old TSS where the characters sound a bit younger than they are supposed to be, where tension and seriousness has been sacrificed in favor of humor and where some of the interactions aren't the way I would prefer for them to be. I've gotten older since writing TSS (gasp) and my tastes have changed, as has my writing to some degree. In order to do a rewrite I'd have to write in a way that's most enjoyable for me and that I feel best fits the story I want to tell. That's not to say that there isn't going to be silliness etc., but I'm adjusting the tone somewhat and putting more time and effort into descriptions and the writing overall.

The narrative will be different, even though the overall story itself will mostly stay the same. I'm keeping a lot of elements and also aim to introduce new ones that I believe will strengthen the story and make it a more enjoyable game overall.

I think those are the main differences I can give away right now without spoiling anything. I'll make sure to post updates when I've got more to share! Once the demo for the rewrite is finished, I'll post it on the forums and link it in an intro post on here.

Thank you all for sticking by me throughout the years. I hope you'll find some comfort in returning to this world, as well as new things to ponder and excite you in this new upcoming version of the story <3

The Azuridia and Quaiel chibis are done by the amazing madebysalfi

Fantasy IF

THE LOST DIVINITY OF VIOLENCE is an 18+ fantasy IF game being written in Twine. It pulls inspiration from the famous works of Eragon, Game of Thrones, and The Poppy War.

Play the demo here!! (Prologue + demo of Chapter 1) wordcount: 8k without code

In the suffocating darkness of your cell, time has no meaning. The days stretch on endlessly, their passage forgotten as your mind struggles to grasp at fragments of what once was. Every moment feels indistinguishable from the next, and the bars of your prison seem less like a cage and more like an eternal part of your existence.

Then, one night, as you finally surrender to sleep, something shifts. A presence stirs in the darkness, strange and unknowable, an entity who speaks not with words but with a deep, resounding power that reaches into the very marrow of your bones.

You are gifted with a power — an ancient and volatile force that could change the course of the world. It is the flame that can set the world ablaze, but whether it will burn it to the ground or forge something new depends entirely on you.

Customize YOUR own MC! Play as female, male, non-binary; straight, biseuxal, panseuxal, gay; asexual, and even, touch-averse! What beliefs shape your (semi-set) personality, how do you see the world?

Shape the environment around you! Discover how powerful you really are, and how deep your bloodline falls into ancient lineage.

Build and train the bond you have with your dragon companion! Even customize their appearance! Certain colors and traits affect their power and battle techniques.

Enrich yourself in a story filled with a whole ton of flavor text (not shown in the demo)

Find love in a cast of three characters! Have your actions affect their personality in a super in-depth platonic and romantic tracker where these characters have their own set traits, beliefs, and hobbies!

A BUNCH MORE!!

THE GUARD

You see them nearly every day, one would assume he/she was your own personal guard. You don't know how it happened, how Vidalias/Vidalia came to fruition in front of your cell, but, you grew up together - albite on two different sides of wall. Whether it was out of your own violation, and rules that kept him/her quiet, conversation was kept to a minimum. You were left to study his/her bronze armor suit, olive skin with matching brown eyes scarred and torn with countless training methods. You've seen his/her hair only once, and it was cropped short and black to the nape of his/her neck - you maybe even caught the sight of ink trailing down his/her ear.

THE TWIN

A girl/boy who ran across yourself mid-adventure with her/his twin sister, Shavani. She/He was kind, welcoming, the sun that cast a shine across the darkening world. Solara/Sundra has white hair cascading down her/his back, kept tightly in a neat braid with bangs and layers crossing her/his face. Her/His heterochromatic eyes caught your attention first, after the blade, of course. They opened up their arms to you rather quickly, regardless of if you wanted them to or not.

THE TOWNIE

The last of who you've come across, when you were stuck in a sticky situation with the last of your honesty fading out. They have more secrets than hobbies, and there's not much you can describe about Alaric/Asura without mentioning the way they move - it's fluid yet dangerous, and his/her green eyes pierce deeply into the hearts of everyone surrounding him/her. You think it's almost funny, how hypocritical he/she can be - but don't let him/her hear you say that.

Undercurrent

Undercurrent is a sci-fi, mystery, surfing interactive fiction story that dives into the deepest parts of our minds. The game is rated 17+ for mature content.

Synopsis:

You return to the Cove after six years, older, quieter, and carrying a special kind of grief. Once a competitive surf prodigy, you vanished after the death of someone close to you, someone who died in these waters.

But the ocean hasn’t forgotten you. Neither has the Cove.

Now, in this small town, teetering between real and tech, strange phenomena ripple through the waters. Surfboards pulse with forgotten data. Tides shift too suddenly. Whispers drift through the mist. And your old board—silent for years—begins humming with signals that shouldn’t exist.

As you retrace old steps, you’ll uncover hidden secrets, rekindle, or avoid fractured relationships, and confront the truth of what happened the night everything changed. Someone—or something—knows you’re back. And the waves are calling for you.

Choose how you navigate the past:

Will you pursue the mystery beneath the sea, even if it means unraveling yourself?

Will you ride the tide toward truth, or let it pull you under?

Will you reconnect with the person you once loved—before they became someone else?

Because in the Cove, nothing stays buried forever. Not love. Not guilt. Not the dead.

Features:

Customize your Surfer's gender, sexuality, and more!

Romance one of four characters! Or romance the one that never made it out of the Cove.

Hone your surfing skills! Do you prefer the natural way, or will you let tech help you?

Uncover the mystery that is under the Cove.

Dynamic environment and choices!

Multiple endings!

Characters

Wren - Past friend or something more? F (22)

Wren always seemed a little too aware of things no one else noticed.

You remember Wren barefoot on the cliff’s edge, the salt spray catching in her hair, her eyes blazing with something fierce, something breakable all at once. She turned toward you, grinning like she knew a secret you hadn't earned yet, and said in a jovial voice: "One day, we’ll go so far out the waves can’t find us. Promise me you’ll come too." You never answered. You thought you had forever. "You used to be my anchor. Now you're the mystery pulling me under."

Ash Vega - M/F (29)

Runs a small surf repair and outfitting shop that's struggling to survive under the corporate tech expansions. Ash’s hands were steady even when the world wasn’t. You remember them pressing a hand over yours, guiding you to fix a cracked fin on your first board. "It’s not broken. Just needs someone who won’t give up on it." You didn’t realize until later that they weren't talking about the board at all. "You left. I stayed. Don’t expect it to be easy between us."

Kye Onari - M/F (26)

Kye came to the Cove, riding the strange waves without fear — and might know more about the ocean's changing patterns than they admit. You remember Kye laughing, reckless and wild, as they dove straight into a rip current like they could outrun death itself. "If you’re not scared, it’s not worth it." You stood frozen on the sand that day — and Kye never looked back. "You think you can keep secrets from the ocean? You're adorable."

Imani Reyes - F (30)

A researcher specializing in tech-oceanic anomalies. The first time you saw Imani, she was kneeling on the rocks, studying a tide pool like it was a portal to another world. She didn’t notice you watching until she said, softly: "Everything leaves traces if you know where to look." When your eyes met, you felt like you were the one being studied. "You make me want to believe in things I shouldn't."

Cassian "Cass" Rook - M (31)

Act like nothing matters, but every scar says otherwise. Cass stood alone by the firepit, one foot grinding lazy circles into the sand, a cigarette burning low between two fingers. He stared up at the stars — half the constellations smothered by the haze of the city beyond the cliffs — and let out a hollow laugh. "Doesn’t matter how good it feels out here. Everything good still finds a way to leave." He said it like a joke, but he didn’t smile. Neither did you. "I’m not here to be your hero. I’m barely here to save myself."

DEMO JUNE 1ST

@interact-if

Just want to say thank you to people that make interactive fiction games. Never stop

They really got me invested in this man getting his balls back

オカモモ kawaii… draft manga