February is a short month, but I’ve made great progress on my games in development. In this newsletter, I’ll share news on Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Vampire Fiction, and another potential project for the future.
Game Updates
Part 2-2 is finished! I completed Part 2-2 in mid-February and submitted the files to my editor at Hosted Games this past week. Here are all of the updates you will find:
- Chapter 6 – conversations with NPCs at cam...
2019-02-25 22:09:03 +0000 UTC
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Ask your questions of Gina and Jillian here. The Q&A will start at noon EST.
2019-02-24 14:51:45 +0000 UTC
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I will be taking down the Part 2-2 beta on Monday, February 18 at 9pm in preparation for the intro of chapter 8 (Part 3) later this month. I have recently updated the Part 2-2 beta with lots of fixes.
So far, I have written 4,500 words in Part 3. I also started a new mission but will hold off on it for now. My goal is to post at least 10,000 words on February 27th for review by my Contributor-level patrons.
Thanks again for all who have tested for me!
2019-02-16 21:35:34 +0000 UTC
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In our last poll, we decided on group members who were at risk for dying or being left behind.
For this poll, I want to explore an event occurring back at the Junkyard for those players who choose not to go on the scavenging mission.
2019-02-16 03:56:31 +0000 UTC
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I am finishing up edits for Part 2-2 and am preparing credits. Please let me know if you would like to be listed. I just need your name and/or alias. Feel free to post here or message me. The deadline for inclusion is 2/17 at 9pm.
For example, all of the below are acceptable.
Jim "JimD" Dattilo
JimD
Jim Dattilo
Note: any names containing profanity or insensitive terms are not allowed.
2019-02-14 00:51:10 +0000 UTC
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In our last poll, we decided that the teenager's parents will take an aggressive stance toward the player's group.
In this poll, we will discuss how that aggression plays out. The parents want the teenager to live with them back at the Silverthorne camp. Since the ultimate path will be dictated by other choices in the game, I will choose from the top vote-getters to implement.
A. Hosta...
2019-02-11 17:49:20 +0000 UTC
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The Q&A will occur on February 24 and last 24 hours. Questions can be asked at anytime on the 24th for the character(s).
Vote now for the guest(s) of honor.
2019-02-09 02:18:26 +0000 UTC
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I have had interest in Q&A sessions with specific characters from my games. For example, I did one with Keith of the Silverthorne militia through my Facebook group. I would like to make this a new feature exclusive to my $3+ patrons.
Once a month, I will run polls for the character of your choice for the Q&A. It will last 24 hours on a specific day toward the end of the month.
I'm hoping this adds content my patrons wish to see and will be a lot of fun.
2019-02-06 00:23:13 +0000 UTC
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This is a poll for you to choose the topic for February's original short story or article.
I am also adding some What-if stories that are alternate realities based on choices made. Now that Vampire Fiction is released, I have one for that too.
If you have story ideas for March, please list it in the comments.
2019-02-06 00:12:00 +0000 UTC
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Abigail hit the elevator button, but the unlit panel told her the stairs were in her future. She realized this was a metaphor for her experience in the apocalypse so far—every turn presented a detour. As the fog of her hangover lifted, she recalled the stairs below the third floor were under repair, something about falling patches of ceiling. At least the maintenance office lived on the third floor.
She opened the stairwell door and entered the dark. A wave of cold air swallowed her. ...
2019-02-04 02:23:29 +0000 UTC
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Here is a schedule of things you can expect to see this month.
2/3 -- Chapter 5 of Zombie Exodus novel.
2/4 -- Poll for article of the month. ($3+ tiers)
2/4 -- Updated Part 2-2 Beta ($10+ tiers)
2/8 -- Polls to choose first Q&A character
2/11 -- New poll for teenager mission. ($5+ tiers)
2/15 -- New poll for Safe Haven Chapter 9 scenario (Missed Rally Time/Helping Hands). ($5+ tiers)
2/24 - February Q&a...
2019-02-01 22:22:31 +0000 UTC
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Writing a choice-based game from concept to final draft is accomplished by following an outline. This statement is truer for interactive fiction more than traditional stories, because of a need to map out how choices impact the progress a reader makes. In this article, I will discuss key elements of designing and outlining your game, including developing plot, characters, and stats.
This article is written with the basics in mind. Much has been written about outlines and design of games...
2019-01-28 19:20:05 +0000 UTC
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January was a big month for me as my first game from FableLabs was released. This project has changed titles a few times and met with some delays but finally is available. Besides that, I’ve made good progress on Safe Haven and can discuss some scheduling news.
Vampire Fiction
My new choice-based vampire game was finally released with the name, Vampire Fiction. To play the game, you will need to download the 2019-01-26 20:56:39 +0000 UTC
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In our last poll, we decided that two groups (Thelma's group and an unknown military group) were under attack by zombies as your team came upon them.
In the next phase, two members of the group are at risk of dying or going missing. Please choose one name below. I will use the top vote-getters to code this scene. There will some randomness to the actual scene, so you will not know absolutely wh...
2019-01-18 01:47:23 +0000 UTC
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My new interactive game, Vampire Fiction, is live in the Tales app. This is a beta release, and you can try Episodes 1-3 for free. Download Tales for iOS and look for Vampire Fiction under the Horror category.
This is a beta release, so there are some bugs. Also more graphics are being added.
Since the beta is being done in the app, I'm not going run one here...
2019-01-16 01:31:22 +0000 UTC
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In our last poll, we decided that the teenager's parents are in a leadership position with the Silverthornes. In this poll, we will decide on how the parents react when learning the teenager is alive and a member of another group. Of course, whether the teenage MC joins or not is ultimately the player's decision and will lead to certain paths in the game I cannot divulge.
A. Aggressive Stanc...
2019-01-12 21:14:40 +0000 UTC
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This is a poll for you to choose the topic for January's original short story or article.
I am also adding some What-if stories that are alternate realities based on choices made.
If you have story ideas for February, please list it in the comments.
2019-01-07 01:20:46 +0000 UTC
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2019-01-05 01:56:32 +0000 UTC
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Mindy stared into her reflection in the mirror and cursed the apocalypse. She was never one to wear a sports bra and yoga pants, let alone a purple sports bra and yellow, form-fitting yoga pants. Her long legs looked spindly and her thin physique appeared boyish, especially compared to Candace’s curvy figure. Had she been allowed to go home, she would change into more appropriate clothes, but the curfew forced everyone off the streets.
“You look fine,” Candace said as she leaned o...
2019-01-05 01:55:01 +0000 UTC
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Happy New Year! Here is a schedule of things you can expect to see this month.
1/4 -- Chapter 4 of Zombie Exodus novel. ($3+ tiers)
1/6 -- Poll for article of the month. ($3+ tiers)
1/12 -- New poll for teenager mission. ($5+ tiers)
1/17 -- New poll for Safe Haven Chapter 9 scenario (Missed Rally Time/Helping Hands). ($5+ tiers)
1/21 -- New Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 2-2 Beta update, 100% of Pharmacy missi...
2019-01-02 02:35:22 +0000 UTC
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Brody and Madison stepped into the lobby of Chipper Ridge High School and stopped before rows of corpses and a pile of burnt bodies. They stood for several moments, equally horrified and captivated by the scene of death. The twins stood close together holding hands to comfort one another.
“I don’t…I…I,” Brody stammered. He was breathing fast like he had just stepped off the field after a hard practice.
Madison grabbed his chin and turned his head. “Don’t look at it. ...
2018-12-28 20:15:23 +0000 UTC
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Happy Holidays! I am off from my normal job this week, so I’ve been putting in solid days of writing. I’ve made consistent progress on all of my titles and plan to keep the momentum going into 2019. In this newsletter, I’ll share my progress and my plans for the next year.
Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven
Part 2-2: I finished 90% of the Pharmacy Mission this month and am now working on the feedback from my testers. For those of y...
2018-12-26 21:02:55 +0000 UTC
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In our last poll, we decided that while scouting a Silverthorne Militia outpost, the MC overhears their parents' names mentioned as new members.
In this mission, we will choose how the MC's parents are incorporated in the Silverthorne Militia.
2018-12-19 21:03:20 +0000 UTC
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In the last poll for our combined event, you selected 5 survivors to join the mission to scavenge a small residential community. The top vote-getters are Woody, Rachel, Driver, Bailey, and Brody.
The mission will have 3 parts:
- arrive at community and scavenge for a short time.
- encounter another group of survivors under attack by zombies.
- two members of the group miss ...
2018-12-16 18:13:12 +0000 UTC
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Tomorrow night, around 9pm EST, I will post the new Part 2-2 beta for Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven. I got called into work tomorrow or it would have been posted earlier.
I have 400 more lines to code. Right now, it sits just over 70,000 new words of content. It's a tense new mission with lots of rewards, new NPCs, and a ton of opportunities to use your skills.
2018-12-10 00:58:04 +0000 UTC
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This is a poll for you to choose the topic for December's original short story or article.
I have some older options from previous polls and new ones. I'm also adding in some articles for those interested in game design.
2018-12-09 01:19:06 +0000 UTC
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Abigail realized civilization would soon run out of graves. She wore her tool belt now and used a screwdriver to jimmy open the lock of a maintenance closet. She dragged the infected body inside. He barely fit, and she bent his legs up and shoved him between a shelf and cardboard boxes. On the top shelf sat a plastic tarp, which she stretched out to cover him. She made the sign of the cross and closed the door.
There has to be a phone around here somewhere. She walk...
2018-12-08 02:32:28 +0000 UTC
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Lou pulled his sedan off the expressway and made a right to avoid a military transport offloading marines to a blockade. He cut through a back lot behind Juniper Hall, and underclassmen dorms, and idled the small car toward the science building. He feared the sound of the motor would draw unwanted attention. Past the fenced-in area, behind a row of well-maintained spruce trees stood the alley where Uncle Lou had parked his food truck for the past seventeen years. Originally Lou’...
2018-12-08 02:31:26 +0000 UTC
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Abigail awoke in the apartment bedroom, news blaring on the television and the sound of a helicopter soaring outside. The party ended late last night from what she could remember in flashes of moments: drinking games, too-loud music, wild dancing. Her mouth tasted like mud and the Jameson whiskey hangover kicked the back of her head.
She stood up and had to sit back down. The room spun on a rollercoaster ride. Images of last night flashed in her mind like a slow-moving reel: chaos in the stree...
2018-12-08 02:29:44 +0000 UTC
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I spoke with CoG about adding IAP and here's what we agreed upon:
- Another 25 Skill Points will be added for purchase at $1.
- Purchase of 20 Attribute Points for $1 will be added.
I'm still on track for release of the next Part 2-2 beta for 12/10. For January's beta, I will code the above as free options for beta testing.
2018-12-05 17:39:45 +0000 UTC
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