Games by JimD Newsletter – Q&A and Writing Help

Hello to my friends and readers. This newsletter will be a slightly different format. It’s been a while since my last question and answer session, so I’ll spend some time going over a few. Before that I’ll give brief updates on my games in development along with news on some extra progress coming for Part 3. 

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven

Part 3 is up to 75,000 words of content (not including some extra parts of code). I’m not too happy with my progress but had to spend a lot of time this month on editing and code-fixing Parts 2 and 3. Choicescript, the software I use to code, has had some bugs preventing me from testing the code. Choice of Games fixed their software this week, but now I’m doing more testing.

So far I have been writing Part 3 myself. Mia, who wrote the farm mission and lake excursion for Part 2, has contributed part of the Research Facility mission of part 3. Otherwise, it has been all me. Until now. 

Recently, Ethan Underhill has agreed to write some scenes in Part 3. You may know Ethan as the writer of the pharmacy mission in Part 2. He’s also the lead writer on the spin-off, Zombie Exodus: Dead Zone. I realized at my current pace, I wouldn’t be able to publish Part 3 in 2020. So, Ethan will temporarily set aside Dead Zone to focus on Part 3 of Safe Haven.

For those interest in the process going forward for me and Ethan:

• I write an outline for the mission/scene.
• Ethan reviews it and adds notes, questions, and suggested changes.
• I approve the final outline.
• Ethan writes the scene, and I review it as he finishes major parts of it.
• When he finishes, I code it, making edits as I go, and adding more content to make the sections seamless with the larger story.

While Ethan writes these targeted scenes, I work on the central storyline, romantic scenes, and adding my own missions/secondary storylines. 

Ethan will only be writing for Part 3 through the summer, but this should provide content at a much faster rate.

Zombie Exodus: Dead Zone

Ethan is still writing Dead Zone, though he has spent the last few weeks writing his storyline for Safe Haven. His first contribution is nearly finished, and his focus will return to his project.

We are still considering a beta test of at least the prologue and chapter one. No release has been set.

Vampire Fiction

Episode 4 should be published in the app in the first week of August. I’m 50% finished writing Episode 5.

Q&A

I'm interested in knowing about the teen's parents since they are away from Colorado. What more is going to be done to contact them in the future?

Based on input from my patrons on Patreon, I am adding a storyline which will divulge the whereabouts of the teen’s parents and go into much more related to their experiences in the outbreak.

Since Rachel came clean, are we going to learn about government activity from her?

Back in April, I published a story on Patreon providing backstory on Rachel before the outbreak. This was a glimpse into her last few days as a spy. In Part 3, we will learn much more about her role with the government and how it affects your group. 

If you have it, what is the list of possible future safe havens?

This is hard to post without spoiling the game, but numerous locations throughout Part 3 are potential new Safe Havens in the future.

Is Rachel a true romance option or will she always be fake/emotionally locked down?

Rachel will be a true romance. While her relationship with the MC has started on shaky grounds, several outcomes are possible with her, many providing an honest romantic path and ending.

Parting Words

That’s all for now. Feel free to discuss this newsletter and offer your comments. I read them all!