Games by JimD Newsletter – Safe Haven Timeline

Welcome to my 67th newsletter! After sharing my journey as a fiction writer in the previous issue, I was thrilled to receive numerous positive responses. It was intriguing to witness the reactions and discuss the extensive effort involved in crafting these games. If you haven't read that newsletter, I highly recommend you do, especially if you aspire to be a writer.

With Safe Haven as my top priority, I'm currently managing several key tasks that I'll outline below. Lately, it's been quite challenging to keep up with the workload. As ideas flood my mind while writing, I increasingly find myself jotting down notes. I draw inspiration from other games, movies, and TV shows, which makes the process even more enjoyable. Part of the excitement in playing these games lies in experiencing familiar scenarios. For instance, how would you react if you entered a grocery store and encountered a group of survivors already scavenging? Would you approach them? Leave them be and hope for the same in return? Initiate a conversation? Or would you shoot first without provocation? Crafting and sharing these scenarios with all of you is truly a delight.

Although I relish creating these situations and their potential outcomes, it's a time-consuming process. At some point, I have to cease writing, or the game will never see the light of day. This segues nicely into another topic I'll discuss below — timelines.

Let's get started.

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 4

Part 4 currently stands at 301,000 words, with an addition of about 20,000 words this month. If you've been keeping track, my monthly word count never dips below 20,000 words. Recently, I've received criticism from those who believe I'm not dedicating enough time to Safe Haven. However, I've consistently written 20,000 words per month for as long as I can remember. While I hoped to increase that number, maintaining focus beyond a certain point becomes challenging. It's not writer's block, but I've noticed that the quality of my writing tends to decline.

This brings us to the timeline for Part 4. Considering all the elements I wish to incorporate, I don't foresee its publication before 2025. Although this may sound extreme, here's the reality:

I need to create a part that exceeds 500,000 words. Most top games released recently surpass 1,000,000 words, which is why they take 5-6 years to develop.

My aim is to complete this game by the end of next year, ideally finishing Chapter 16 by December 2024.

Part 4 is projected to be around 750,000 words, which will take Hosted Games approximately three months to proofread and edit.

It typically takes about six months for a game to navigate through the backlog of other titles before reaching publication. This timeline could potentially extend further by 2025.

As a result, my goal is to publish this game around Halloween 2025.

I understand that some of you may be disappointed by this news, but I trust that most of you comprehend the reasons behind the timeline. By providing public betas and Patreon closed betas, I hope to make this wait feel more bearable.

The criticism that these games take too long to produce no longer upsets me. During the development of the original ZE, such critiques kept me awake at night, as I constantly sought ways to write faster and release the games sooner. I no longer feel that pressure. I recognize what it takes to craft a high-quality game, and rushing the process is not an option.

Next Month

For the first time in five years, I'm treating myself to a vacation! Although it's only a short four-day trip to New York City, I'm thrilled to experience Central Park, Times Square, and my very first Broadway play. This will be my inaugural visit to the Big Apple, and I can't wait to explore it.

May promises to be a productive month as well, as I intend to maintain my usual content output. I've been working on coding a trading system between groups, and once it's live, you'll be able to test trading supplies with allied groups such as the Silverthornes and River Dogs. Additionally, May will serve as a prime opportunity for me to implement major updates to chapters 13 and 14. I plan to incorporate new developments in Jillian's pregnancy storyline and enhance the Wendigo battles in chapter 13. Plus, I aim to weave more romantic interactions throughout these chapters.

Rest assured, despite these modifications, I remain fully committed to delivering all the planned content for both Patreon and my StoryLoom games.

StoryLoom Projects

As you may be aware, I began writing for StoryLoom in December 2022 and am currently working on two distinct games (outlined below). I recognize that these games may not cater to everyone's tastes, particularly since many of my followers are fans of horror fiction and zombies. However, I encourage you to give these stories a chance. They're entirely free, and even trying them out benefits me greatly. The company monitors readership, so simply opening the app and running the game once is helpful. I often receive messages from ZE:SH readers who wish to support me without spending money, and I now suggest they try out these games – they might find them enjoyable.

Revenge Magic: Early in his mage training, Josiah's life takes a turn after a fateful day that sends him on a path of vengeance. Will he bring those who wronged him to justice, or will his need for revenge take over?

https://storyloom.com/stories/c8c34a67-2865-1223-6bce-cf9186a45fff

Your Trial: Alex awakens in a jail cell with no memory of his past. He soon learns he's on trial for murder and will need to defend himself or be imprisoned for the rest of his life. This sets him on a journey of twists and turns and self-discovery.

https://storyloom.com/stories/72c2986c-7bad-404b-6d54-ca41d6d5e5e3

That's all for this month.