Megan seems shaky and reluctant as a member of the West Pointers. If you can gain her trust, maybe you can persuade her enough to help you in creating a distraction or helping you rescue the prisoners.
You slide on your belly under the tent flap and stand. She stands only ten feet ahead of you and draws a canteen hidden in the back of her pants under her sh...
2022-08-29 15:19:47 +0000 UTC View PostWelcome to my 59th newsletter! I’m not going to lie, August has been a rough month. My regular 9-to-5 job has been giving me more projects, so I have had to work overtime. I’m still making progress on Safe Haven, Part 4, but the schedule for my “day job” is grueling. Times like this happen once in a while. I don’t complain about them. These times sparks my interest in quitting my normal job and going full-time into writing. Even though sales of my games are doing well, and I am rece...
2022-08-20 15:33:46 +0000 UTC View PostKnowing you only have moments to act before they start torturing Jesse or one of the other prisoners, you look outside the tent again to plot a path towards the pile of coal. Felder, the young soldier, walks away from the front of your tent to a point outside your field of vision. With little time to waste, you crouch and step through the tent flap, keeping low a...
2022-08-15 16:27:26 +0000 UTC View PostI have talked about the future of this series before in newsletters and other polls, but recently I thought about how far we should take Safe Haven and ideas on where things can go. In this poll, I am interested in what you may find interesting. Choose all options that you would like to see. I'm also happy to take comments with your top choice or other options.
2022-08-12 15:23:24 +0000 UTC View PostIn action-oriented interactive games, you can play a variety of roles. You can be a moral fighter that aids others, the evil manipulator, a psychopath, a leader, or many other types of roles. You may even be a hybrid or a jack of all trades. In this poll, I would like you to tell me the character type you enjoy the most.
2022-08-08 13:55:17 +0000 UTC View Post“They’re going to interrogate or kill her,” you say. “I’m going to sneak into camp and create a distraction. I want the two of you to free the prisoners.”
Both women stare at you wide-eyed with fear. Serena checks her pistol once more while Portland stretches her legs and takes a series of deep breaths. You leave them and move low on the hill leading up to the p...
2022-08-03 19:19:03 +0000 UTC View PostAs you move closer to the couple, still bickering, you raise your hands to appear non-threatening and call out to them.
"Hello there. I'm coming over to talk to you two."
The couple stops talking and looks up at you. Steven's head falls to his belt, and he feels for a gun or weapon that isn't there. His eyes never leave you. Serena adopts a more friendly expression a...
2022-08-02 15:55:20 +0000 UTC View Post"What do we do now?" Portland asks. "Should we keep moving? It's getting dark, but I feel like we've been here too long."
"I hate to be the realist here, but what if we all go to sleep, and Cameron changes? Who's to say we stopped the infection by cutting off his hand?" Jesse asks.
So far, you see no signs of Cameron changing. If it were a variant tha...
2022-08-02 15:35:06 +0000 UTC View Post8/3 -- Zombie Exodus: Aftermath scene 25. ($3+ tiers)
8/7-- General content poll. ($1+ tiers)
8/12 -- Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven scenario poll. ($5+ tiers)
8/15 -- Zombie Exodus: Aftermath scene 26. ($3+ tiers)
8/20 -- Newsletter. ($1+ tiers)
8/25 -- Monthly Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 4, Monthly Alpha Test ($10+ tiers)
8/29 -- Zombie Exodus: Aftermath scene 27. ($3+ tiers)
For those of you at the Creator level for 6 months or mor...
2022-08-02 01:33:58 +0000 UTC View PostThe group sails for several hours along the stream in quiet comfort. A stiff breeze keeps you moving at a constant pace. With the sewing kit, Jesse creates a fishing line with tackle and somehow catches a small bass. She keeps it dragging through the water, so it stays fresh until you can reach the shore to cook it. The small amount of food you have goes quickly, but you make co...
2022-08-02 00:01:17 +0000 UTC View PostYour group follows after her through a flat forest for the first hour until the woods grow denser. The terrain becomes uneven, causing you all to struggle to find footing. Portland groans as she twists an ankle, but you bind it with a strip of clothing you see on your path. None of your group complains. They've all lived according to one rule for so long. Expect no comfort; enjo...
2022-08-01 23:35:06 +0000 UTC View PostYou rush towards the side gate and duck under a wooden pole that fell over and formed a triangle with a trailer. Skirting around a dumpster, you hear the light patter of rain hitting the metal top. Ahead of you stands a defender with a rifle poised on his shoulder, blocking the way out. As you move closer, he points the barrel towards you and then swings it away....
2022-08-01 23:25:24 +0000 UTC View PostAuthor's note: This story has been created as an interactive tale with options chosen by patrons. They guide the story by voting from a list of multiple choices at the end of each scene of roughly 500 words. In the first chapter, patrons selected a female protagonist named Violet.
***
You roll out of your cot and listen to the sounds of the air horn blaring through Tempest Point. You have only been here for six weeks, longer than some havens, but this is the firs...
2022-08-01 22:57:37 +0000 UTC View PostI have been pleasantly surprised with the reception this story has received. Interest remains high, and people seem to be enjoying the interactive nature of the story.
In an effort to bring ZE: Aftermath to more people, I have decided to make a public version. I will begin posting links to this version tonight.
Patrons will continue to receive several benefits for their support:
“I doubt they will kill Cameron. They would have already done it. I have a feeling they’re going to take him back to their camp. Let’s follow them.”
Portland shakes her head. Still whispering, she says, “What’s the point of that? If we follow them back to their camp, we will have to deal with more of them to be able to save Cameron.”
“...
2022-07-29 19:16:35 +0000 UTC View PostWelcome to my 58th newsletter! It’s hot in New Jersey today, and it will be for the next week or so. We’re in the middle of a heat wave, and I’m actually going to write a serious heat wave into Safe Haven, Part 4. Weather always presents an extra challenge in an apocalyptic setting. I’m looking forward to changing seasons that bring heavy rains, snowstorms, and hurricanes and tornadoes, just to see how your group handles them.
It’s been a productive month, though I haven’t h...
2022-07-20 17:42:05 +0000 UTC View PostRushing through his woods, you lower your body and tackle the zombie holding Serena to the ground. Your arms wrap around its waist, and you roll across your back, dragging it with you. The world spins, and you hear the anxious moan of the zombie above you. The momentum carries you, and you release your arms, tossing the infected. It tumbles into the trunk of a tree and scrambles ...
2022-07-15 20:12:11 +0000 UTC View PostThroughout ZE: Safe Haven, I have used a few types of structures for chapters:
1. Group missions that take you away from the junkyard. Example: chapter 10 - trip to the museum.
2. Open-ended chapters where you can do a variety of tasks that each take up time. Example: chapter 8.
3. A mix of activities at the junkyard along with smaller excursions to places in the area around the junkyard. Example: chapter 9.
4. Solo missions away from the junkyard. Example: chapter 11....
2022-07-12 14:18:36 +0000 UTC View PostBased on what you know so far from the story, who do you think is the major antagonist/villain of Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven?
2022-07-07 15:37:42 +0000 UTC View Post“We need those West Pointer uniforms and can’t wait for them to pass,” you say. “We have no choice but to kill them.”
Cameron shakes his head at you. “Why are you always voting against me? I’ve been your friend a long time, and you just—“He stops himself with a wince and grips his arm. “Fine. Let’s do this. No sense arguing.”
You, Cameron, and ...
2022-07-03 20:00:33 +0000 UTC View Post7/3 -- Zombie Exodus: Aftermath scene 22. ($3+ tiers)
7/7-- General content poll. ($1+ tiers)
7/12 -- Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven scenario poll. ($5+ tiers)
7/15 -- Zombie Exodus: Aftermath scene 23. ($3+ tiers)
7/20 -- Newsletter. ($1+ tiers)
7/25 -- Monthly Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 4, Monthly Alpha Test ($10+ tiers)
7/29 -- Zombie Exodus: Aftermath scene 24. ($3+ tiers)
For those of you at the Creator level for 6 months or mor...
2022-07-01 15:13:45 +0000 UTC View PostYou breathe a heavy sigh. “We did lie to Steven and Serena. Cameron is fine for now, so we should all catch up to Steven and Jesse and warn them about the West Pointers.”
“Thank you,” Serena says, giving you a slight bow. “I appreciate you doing the right thing.”
You, Cameron, and Portland pack your few belongings and set out on the trail away from the thr...
2022-06-29 19:16:25 +0000 UTC View PostWelcome to my 57th newsletter! It’s already nearly July, and the summer is in full swing. I haven’t taken any vacations but am planning one for the end of August. My writing has been consistent, so I’ve made significant progress on Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 4. I’ll talk about that below and also discuss VTM—Out for Blood and the new game I have in the planning stages, Deadbury Academy. There’s so much to discuss that I’m cutting my intro short.
You look at Serena and say, “He doesn’t have pneumonia. He got bit by a zombie, so we cut off his hand. The antibiotics are for the wound.”
Her eyes widen in fear and shock. She runs her hands through her black hair and paces in a short line. “I can’t believe you lied to Steven and me. All we wanted to do was help you, but you lied to us. I need t...
2022-06-15 18:57:50 +0000 UTC View PostHow do you feel about scripted vs. non-scripted deaths for minor characters, especially antagonists/villains?
Let's take the Makarovs for example. Everyone should know their history. In Part 1, they robbed Kelly and tried to/successfully broke into your home. They may have even tied up Woody. They've done other horrible things throughout the outbreak and have been a minor threat to the main group of survivors. They have been a lingering issue since Part 1.
In chapter 13 of Part 4,...
2022-06-13 15:01:53 +0000 UTC View PostIf you have played through the Part 4 public beta or any of the private Patreon betas, you will know that a fight occurs between two members of the main group. As the group continues to grow and tensions flare when exhaustion sets in and differences of opinions arise, which of the following fights would you be interested in seeing? These may be physical fights or heated arguments.
Vote for 2 or 3.
2022-06-07 20:05:10 +0000 UTC View Post"Why don’t Jesse and Steven stick together to search for your friends. I’ll go with Serena to pick up our two friends, so she can take us to the farming community.”
“Wait, you have two friends? I thought it was just the injured one,” Steven says, hands on his hips, voice raised.
“Cameron is the sick one. Portland is our other friend. You don’t have to be...
2022-06-04 15:58:31 +0000 UTC View Post6/4 -- Zombie Exodus: Aftermath scene 19. ($3+ tiers)
6/7-- General content poll. ($1+ tiers)
6/12 -- Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven scenario poll. ($5+ tiers)
6/15 -- Zombie Exodus: Aftermath scene 20. ($3+ tiers)
6/20 -- Newsletter. ($1+ tiers)
6/25 -- Monthly Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 4, Quarterly Alpha Test ($5+ tiers)
6/25 -- Monthly Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 4, Monthly Alpha Test ($10+ tiers)
6/29 -- Zombie Exodus:...
2022-06-02 13:10:18 +0000 UTC View Post“We think it’s pneumonia. He’s back at our camp so he doesn’t infect anyone else,” you say.
Steven scratches his beard, while Serena picks up the plates and scrapes any leftovers and crumbs into a small plastic bag. “Pneumonia can be tricky. If it’s bad enough, he may not be able to survive on just antibiotics. He needs medical attention and t...
2022-05-29 15:24:59 +0000 UTC View PostI have already done 17 scenes on this story with one more planned for Sunday. It looks like things are going strong with it, and people seem very interested in the story. I still would like to ask if we should continue or switch things up?
How do you feel about the story so far and moving forward?