Games by JimD Newsletter – Safe Haven and gene therapy updates

Hello again, everyone! As of the time of this newsletter, I am currently wrapping up chapter 8 of Part 3 and will be moving on to chapter 9. I will describe more of the game’s development and my timeline for release in the section below. I’ll also discuss other games that I’m working on.

First a bit of personal news. I have started gene therapy treatments for my condition, Spinal Muscular Atrophy. These are all being done on an outpatient basis and consist of a drug delivered directly to my spine by a needle injection. If that sounds painful to you, well it kind of is. I do get some numbing to my back which really cuts down the pain, but when the needle goes in, it’s like an electric shock. Still, it’s worth it if it helps.

Which leads to a very simple question — what will this therapy do for me? Over the last 10 years, my breathing and swallowing strength have diminished over time. Though I can still breathe on my own, I only have about 30% of the strength of a “normal” person. I don’t eat much food by mouth. My arms and legs are extremely weak, but I still work a full-time job and work on my writing 3 to 4 hours a night. If this gene therapy works, it will improve my breathing, swallowing, and energy levels. I have heard some miraculous stories online but am always cautiously optimistic. If you are interested in knowing more, let me know and I will share as much as you would like in future newsletters or even just a post here and there.

With that said, in this newsletter I’ll update you on my progress and share news on my other project in development for Choice of Games.

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven

Part 3 is already up to 200,000 words written. I am consistently writing 20 to 25,000 words per month, which means this part will likely be in the 350,000 word area. My goal with the beta versions is to continue writing the main storyline and then go back and fill in some of the details, like romantic options and challenges and conversations.

Ethan Underhill, who wrote several sections of Part 2, has also written a large scene of Part 3 which will amount to be around 30,000 words. I will most likely offer this in a beta in the next few months. Though he wrote this large scene, I still have to code it and edit portions which I usually tackle a little each night after I have met my writing goals for the day. 

Zombie Exodus: Dead Zone

As you may recall, Ethan Underhill is the primary writer of Dead Zone. He has already written well over 25,000 words, and I have coded around 5,000 words so far. Ethan took a break to focus on schoolwork and to also help with that large scene in Safe Haven described above. However he will be devoting much more time starting in the spring to finish part 1 of this new project which focuses on a new area of the United States affected by the Zeta virus. Dead Zone will also be set 5 years after the outbreak, so you will get to see the impact of the infection as it has spread. Though civilization has fallen, new colonies have risen to promote survival of those remaining.

In the summer, I am planning on offering Dead Zone as a beta opportunity, though I am not sure all the details of that beta test.

New Choice of Games Project

I have been begun writing this game and hope to make consistent progress throughout the year. It finally has a title, though I am not allowed to share it just yet. Part of the reason I have to be so mysterious about this game relates to licensed content from another publisher. Thankfully, Choice of Games will be making an announcement in the next few months about this new partnership with the other publisher, and I can begin speaking about it in more detail.

Be assured, while I am working on this project, I am not slowing down my writing on Safe Haven. In fact, now that I am not writing Vampire Fiction for the Tales company, my effort on Safe Haven has greatly increased.

At this time I am not sure how beta testing will go for this new project. I have asked Choice of Games for permission to conduct a beta test, but they won’t be able to give me an answer until they announce the collaboration with the other company. That other company will also have a say on the matter, and my impression is that they will only allow private and closed betas for their staff alone. I will let you know if that changes. However, the majority of development news will be shared with my patrons first.

In Conclusion

That’s all for now. I want to thank all of you for supporting me in Patreon. Your support keeps me writing. Without this funding, I doubt I would still be in the position to write the games I love. I wish you all happy holidays and a wonderful new year.