Games by JimD Newsletter – Game Updates, Deadbury Academy

Welcome to my 82nd newsletter! Summer is almost over, and I have been working hard on my games. I’m also preparing to renovate my house, which I’m not looking forward to. I have to move out of my home for two weeks to do some renovations, so I’ll be writing next month from a hotel. It’s not ideal, but once the renovations are finished, it will improve my house.

I’m back to developing Deadbury Academy, at least in part. I will go over it more later in this newsletter, but I’ve been getting a lot of requests for this game and want to provide a demo again.

Otherwise, I am still on track for releasing Safe Haven Part 4 next year. In this newsletter, I will describe the process of submitting a release for publication. I will also go over my game updates and my timeline.

Let’s get started.

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 4

Part 4 is 625,000 words, with over 20,000 words added this month! My priority is to progress the overall plot for this part of the game. Part 4 will consist of five chapters plus several missions that can occur at any time during the first few chapters. Right now, you can test those missions in Chapter 14. Eventually, you will have the opportunity to choose any uncompleted mission at the end of a chapter. I will also allow you to perform leadership personal tasks, such as assigning people to chores and work duties, crafting, training, etc., between each chapter; you will also receive a report on how the group is doing.

Many people ask if the group will stay at the junkyard. In many ways, there are better alternatives than remaining there. I’m currently exploring ways to move to new havens, but I can’t guarantee it. However, there will be opportunities to have satellite destinations or secondary bases for your group to stay at. You may expand the group to include other survivors at these remote havens.

This month, I am also working on scenes that involve conflicts between romantic partners if the MC has multiple ones. Right now, I am writing the scene where Bailey confronts the other RO. I’m tailoring this to each other RO, and you may already realize how massive this will become. Each character will handle the news differently. You can probably imagine Madison being angry and aggressive, while Lopez may be more casual in his feelings. Jaime may be confused, while Kelly might be hurt. Handling this type of scene for so many romantic partners is quite an undertaking, but I believe it will be worth all the time and effort to write.

Next month, I plan to continue with this type of scene, as well as advance the plot, especially the trip to the River Dogs and the teenage storyline.

Zombie Exodus: Stronghold

Stronghold is up to 108,000 words so far. That means I have added 11,000 words this month. If you are interested in testing each new chapter, please check out the link below:

https://cogdemos.ink/play/jimd/zombie-exodus-stronghold-public-beta/mygame/ 

Chapter 4 is complete and now available at the link above. I have also updated the table of contents so you can start with any chapter you wish. I have also done lots of editing and bug fixes, which I hope improve the game.

Below, I will talk about a spoiler. If you have not played ZE: Stronghold and wish to remain spoiler-free, skip to the next section.

---

Some people are still concerned about the first chapter when the MC becomes infected. Many have asked how they can avoid the infection, but it is integral to the plot of the game. I like that people are surprised when they become infected, but I’m concerned that people feel it breaks their immersion, or they wish it were avoidable. I have polled everyone before, and most people think the game should remain as it is. However, I’m concerned that some people feel it’s unrealistic for their character. For example, a single soldier should easily defeat a zombie and avoid being bitten.

How do you feel about this? Should I change the start of the game or let everyone know in the description of the game that you are bitten and become infected?

Deadbury Academy

As I said at the start of this newsletter, I’ve been getting more and more messages about this game, especially since the old hosting platform went down and the demo is no longer available. People enjoyed the demo, and I have been slowly editing and improving the first few chapters. I plan to post a new demo soon and continue developing the game.

If you don’t know about Deadbury Academy, here is a blurb:

What happens when the zombie outbreak starts outside of an elite boarding school? Take the role of a student at the prestigious Steadbury Academy in an all-new survival horror choice game. Set in the chaos of the zombie-infested world, Deadbury Academy immerses you in the early days of the outbreak, where even the headmaster and staff of the school become antagonistic forces as they desperately strive to maintain order. Witness the crumbling society within the academy walls as the infection takes hold. Barricade classrooms, scavenge for essential supplies, encounter a diverse cast of characters, and navigate the perilous power struggles with the authoritarian headmaster and his loyal staff. Face the relentless undead, as well as the unpredictable actions of those in positions of authority, in your quest for survival. Explore various locations within the academy, employ your skills to craft vital items, and confront the challenges that arise in this apocalyptic setting.

That’s all for this month.