Games by JimD Newsletter – More Game Updates

Welcome to my 73rd newsletter!

It's almost Halloween, which is my time of year. Most nights, I've been watching classic horror movies, such as Night of the Living Dead and Friday the 13th. I often wish I could write a slasher game in the style of Dead by Daylight, where you must survive against a supernatural killer and find a way to destroy it. Or even a game in the style of the Purge, in which you must stay alive through the night when laws are suspended. Of course, getting the rights to create a story within those settings would be challenging. I also have a lot invested in finishing Safe Haven and Deadbury Academy. Maybe I'll finish those in the next ten years and get to other stories…¶

In this newsletter, I will update you on my current games in development.

Let's get started.

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 4

Part 4 currently stands at 415,000 words, with an additional 15,000+ words this month. I still plan to add 20,000 words this month.

I'm finishing up the mission to the fictitious Central Colorado University so that I can focus on progressing the story. This mission has gotten more extensive than I ever expected, but I believe players will enjoy the dynamics of different factions on the campus. I plan to finish it this month or early next month and then start chapter 15.

Missions I started in chapter 14 will not be confined to that chapter. I will allow players to choose from a list of missions at the end of each chapter of Part 4. From polling and talking to players, they enjoy exploring the world, scavenging new locations, and meeting other characters. I don't want to stop writing missions, but I want to focus on the main plot of Part 4 for at least a little while.

Other missions I plan to write include:

• Training the nephew.
• Visiting a campground with Kelly and Parker.
• Looking for the Forest Rats with Lopez.

I may add more at some point. One of the strengths of this game is replayability, so I want to give numerous options to everyone.

Some players have also voiced concern over the number of characters in the game. They worry that the cast is too large and many of the characters you meet will never be met again. They see it as a waste of time to meet other characters. However, most characters you meet have a purpose in the much larger plot. I am toying with the idea of allowing the leader to plan outposts. These would act as satellite locations where members of the group can go to live and survive. There will be ways to trade back and forth while also giving safe havens for the main character to visit. I can't say this is definite, but it would add to the game's realism.

Deadbury Academy

I have worked on Deadbury Academy this past month but have focused mainly on Safe Haven and Stronghold. I plan to post a new public demo at the end of this month. The current beta version stands at 51,000 words, but I should be able to post another 40,000 words.

I have been trying to code an extensive section that all ties together. However, the entire scene is not ready, so I have been holding off on posting an update. That may not be the best plan since it has been a long time since I have posted any updates. I don't want people to think this game will be abandoned, so I will post an update soon.

If you haven't tried the public demo yet, here's the link:

https://moody.ink/play/jimd/deadbury-academy/mygame/

Zombie Exodus: Stronghold

I've been consistent with updates for Stronghold. Chapter 13 has just been released, and I plan to release a new chapter every Friday until the end of the year. I've worked out the schedule with StoryLoom, so it's set in stone.

I've been enjoying writing this game and have been trying to add more paths to take in recent chapters. It is nearly impossible to code significantly branching narratives like in a game like Safe Haven. You cannot add more than three options for a choice simultaneously. Because of this, I am spending more time on the interactions between characters and driving the plot forward. I'm also writing consistently, so there are no substantial wait times between chapter releases (thus, the chapter every Friday). I plan to continue the story until the end of the year and then develop another story, either as a sequel to Stronghold or a new story within the Zombie Exodus universe.

You can download the official StoryLoom app for iOS or Android (https://bio.site/GetStoryLoom) or play the game directly through your browser on PC or mobile at:

https://storyloom.com/stories/jimd-zombie-exodus-stronghold?id=dec44624-b3a3-0f8b-d7b9-b278fa380b91

That's all for this month.