jimdattilo

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven scenario poll

Chapter 12 will involve a trip from the Junkyard far enough to require travel by vehicle. This always gives the opportunity for players to use their Driving skill. I don't like to rely exclusively on the skill, so I often create situations where players must choose risk vs. reward. Do you want to damage your vehicle, move quickly past the obstacle, or show off your Driving skill? So in this poll you will help me devise an obstacle to present to the player on their trip outside the Junkyard. 2020-11-08 18:06:45 +0000 UTC View Post

November Short Story/Article Poll

This is a poll for you to choose the topic for November's original short story or article.

If you have story ideas for December, please list it in the comments.

Schedule for November

Here is a schedule of things you can expect to see this month.

11/4 -- Poll for article of the month. ($3+ tiers)

11/8 -- Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven  scenario poll. ($5+ tiers)

11/12-- Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven character poll. ($1+ tiers)

11/15 -- Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven scenario  poll.  ($5+ tiers)

11/20 -- Newsletter. ($1+ tiers) 

11/25 --  Updated Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 3, Alpha Test ($10+ tiers)

11/29 -- Article ...

Extended Preview of Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 3

After a year and a half of development time, many of the readers of Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven have been wondering where the story will take their characters in Part 3. In this article I will provide a general overview of each of the five chapters along with some of the major plot points and choices you will make. Anything included that reveals or spoils content will be labeled in case you want to skip that portion of the discussion.

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 begins with your group on ...

Poll for Article of the month — extended preview of ZE:SH Part 3

Tomorrow I will be releasing this month's article, an extended preview of Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 3. For this article I would like to know how deeply you would like me to go in providing information about Part 3. Do you want this article to be heavy on spoilers or just give an in-depth but spoiler-free overview of the game?

Games by JimD Newsletter #37 – Project Updates

Welcome to my 37th newsletter! I can’t believe how long I’ve been doing this and still have anything to say to you all. Then again these newsletters have mostly become updates on my game progress which I enjoy sharing with all of you. I’ll keep the introductions brief and get right into the discussion of my two games in active production. I also want to talk a bit about sex. That’s right, this newsletter will provide a very frank discussion on the topic of sexual content in my games. ...

Romantic Interactions and Sexually Explicit Content

I'm working on a new romantic interaction with an NPC in Safe Haven and would like your thoughts on how detailed to make this interaction. I realize some players may not want to see explicit or descriptive sexual content, while others may be extremely interested in this style of content. Of course those are the two extremes and most players fit somewhere in between. While I don't normally like to ask questions directly to the player (what some call, "breaking the fourth wall"), I feel incline...

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven scenario poll

Looking forward to Part 4, what do you feel should change about the romantic options/interactions, if you think they should change at all?

Please realize this content takes up a considerable amount of time to develop. More romantic options means the game takes longer to release or I have to cut other content.

Also note the term "playersexual" means a character takes on the orientation preferred by the MC. Therefore if the MC is a straight female, male NPCs will be straight as well...

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven Character Poll

This is the first of two polls to select a new romance option for adults only. Like the polls we did for teenagers, you will choose a female and a male RO. These new characters will be introduced in chapter 12. However they will not be available as ROs until Part 4--they will just be introduced in Part 3. 

This month we will do the female RO. The male RO will be selected in November. Also note the RO will be available for both straight and gay MCs.

These names below will chan...

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven scenario poll

I'm currently working on the military depot mission. As part of that mission, there needs to be some degree of risk associated with scavenging deeper throughout the depot. This poll will give you a chance to decide on the specific type of danger presented to the MC. Some of these will be callbacks to scenarios from the first game.

October Short Story/Article Poll

This is a poll for you to choose the topic for October's original short story or article. 

If you have story ideas for November, please list it in the comments.

Schedule for October

Here is a schedule of things you can expect to see this month.

10/4 -- Poll for article of the month. ($3+ tiers)

10/8 -- Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven  scenario poll. ($5+ tiers)

10/12-- Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven character poll. ($1+ tiers)

10/15 -- Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven scenario  poll.  ($5+ tiers)

10/20 -- Newsletter...

Preview of the main characters in Vampire: the Masquerade — Out for Blood

In Out for Blood, you are moving to Jericho Heights, Illinois after inheriting a house and adjoining store from your recently deceased .grandfather. Within a short time you learn of the existence of vampires in town and enlist the aid of other mortals in town to deal with this unexpected problem. Below are the characters you will meet and a bit of their backstories. I will keep this review spoiler-free so some major characters will be left out.

Vampires

2020-09-29 12:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post

Games by JimD Newsletter – Project Updates

It’s already September, so there’s only a few more months of 2020. As most people agree this has been an incredibly difficult year, from dealing with the pandemic to hurricanes to tragic deaths of important people.  If we subscribe to that level of superstition, we’ll all be happy to see 2021 usher in good events.

I, for one, will be releasing two games, at least, in 2021. I’m also committed to focusing on Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven until completion. I doubt it’s ...

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven Poll

As I work on the military depot mission for Part 3, I am adding a number of features that will remind you of this mission from the original Zombie Exodus. One of the decisions you make in the first game is to select a vehicle.

In this poll you will help me to determine new and unique vehicles for this mission in Safe Haven, Part 3. Vote for your top choice although several will show up in game.

All descriptions below come from Wikipedia or the manufacturer's website. 

<...

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven Weapon Poll

I will be adding new weapons to Part 3. I'm trying to make these weapons unique or giving bonuses not seen before in the game. Below is a list of nominated weapons. Please vote for 2 or 3 of those you would like to see in the game.

Vampire: the Masquerade - Out for Blood poll

I am finishing the last few chapters of Out for Blood and am interested in the types of endings in which you may be most interested. If you could only play the game once (obviously, you will be able to play many times), what type of ending would you want to see in a successful game in which you are a mortal who learns that vampires are real and living in your small town?

September Short Story/Article Poll

This is a poll for you to choose the topic for September's original short story or article. 

If you have story ideas for October, please list it in the comments.

Schedule for September

Here is a schedule of things you can expect to see this month.

9/4 -- Poll for article of the month. ($3+ tiers)

9/8 --  Vampire:the Masquerade -- Out for Blood scenario poll. ($5+ tiers)

9/12-- Poll for  Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven  scenario. ($1+ tiers)

9/15 -- New  Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven poll.  ($5+ tiers)

9/20 -- Newsletter. ($1+ tiers) 

...

September Teasers

Teasers for 2 things I'm writing next month:

1. Col. Goodman demands you send him codes blinking on a monitor in front of you. In the corner of the screen, a timer counts down from 1 hour, reading FIRETEAM ARRIVAL.

2. Who wins in a fistfight, Madison or Bailey? Reilly or Lopez?

Overview of the Major Factions in Safe Haven, Part 3

In Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 3, you will encounter several major factions throughout the story. Some you have met already while others will be introduced in Part 3. Depending on your introduction to them, you may be allies, neutral, or enemies. This article provides an overview of the major characteristics of each of these factions and how their stories have evolved in the outbreak so far.

Please note, this article contains major spoilers for Part 3. Many of the spoilers have alre...

Free Games!

Choice of Games has just made four of their sci-fi games available for free: Yeti’s Parole Officer, Ratings War, Reckless Space Pirates, and Choice of the Star Captain. These games are now free in the Choice of Games omnibus app for iOS and Android, and free on their website.

These games are written by other authors, but I wanted to make my patrons aware of their availability.

Games by JimD Newsletter – Project Updates

I’ve been home since the beginning of March when my job at the University went remote during the shutdown, and I’m finally getting used to the daily routine. During the week, I follow a typical 9-to-5 schedule for my primary job as a data manager. After work, I spend time with my wife, either watching TV (we’ve been binging old seasons of Survivor) or taking walks outside our neighborhood in the southern area of New Jersey. I usually then write from 7-11 PM. On the weekends, I check on ...

Zombie Exodus Poll

As I work on Part 3, I think about the different types of zombies portrayed in TV shows, books, video games, and movies. There are the fast zombies of World War Z, the slow ones of The Walking Dead, and the highly stylized versions in video games like Left 4 Dead and Resident Evil. In the Zombie Exodus universe, you have already been introduced to the slow zombies, gray zombies which are even slower, and in the first game the more vicious, fast type. Ethan is planning to explore some of this ...

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven scenario poll

This month I am putting some time into the Safe Haven Lancelot mission for the soldier storyline. Though I can't promise it will be done for the beta this month, I am working through it. If you played the original Zombie Exodus, you will remember the supply depot where you first learned of these safe havens set aside by the government in the event of an outbreak. Lancelot will have many features of the supply depot, but it will have different areas with different sets of supplies.

In th...

Vampire:the Masquerade -- Out for Blood scenario poll.

In this game, you play as a vampire hunter, and one of the tracks you can take to kill vampires is based on physical and ranged combat. I won't be creating as extensive a system as Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, but it will have some similar qualities. Weapons will have modifiers that increase the chance of a successful hit. In addition I have a separate value for damage, which is similar to the mechanics used in VtM.

For this poll I want you to choose the types of weapons you wish to use i...

August Short Story/Article Poll

This is a poll for you to choose the topic for August's original short story or article. 

If you have story ideas for September, please list it in the comments.

Schedule for August

Here is a schedule of things you can expect to see this month.

8/3 -- Poll for article of the month. ($3+ tiers)

8/8 --  Vampire:the Masquerade -- Out for Blood scenario poll. ($5+ tiers)

8/12-- Poll for  Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven  scenario. ($1+ tiers)

8/15 -- New  Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven poll.  ($5+ tiers)

8/20 -- Newsletter. ($1+ tiers) 

...

Planning a Choice-based Game

If you are planning a traditional novel, you can find countless books, articles, and blogs on writing that provide recipes for this task. Much less has been written for writing games though the industry has increased in the past two decades, bringing more instructional materials to the forefront. At the moment, you can find coursework on narrative design for video games or even receive a degree in game design. Not much has been written for planning a choice-based game. In this article, I will...

Games by JimD Newsletter – July Project Updates

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I will be home for a while due to the continuing shutdown in my area. As you may know, I work peripherally in healthcare at a university hospital in Philadelphia. Since I primarily work in IT, we are not required nor permitted to work on site. Luckily for me, I can do all of my work at home. Since my commute time was around two hours a day, I am finding my new schedule more suitable to writing. Though I still put in a solid eight hours or more for my ...