jimdattilo

Games by JimD Newsletter – Game Updates, Character Skills

Welcome to my 83rd newsletter! I am writing this newsletter from a hotel room. I’m not on vacation, but we are renovating the house and must be out while the contractor works. Working from a hotel room has been difficult, but I have done quite a bit of writing. As some of you know, due to my disability, I use speech-to-text software to dictate most of the game. The noises inside a hotel limit how well the software picks up my words. It’s frustrating because I find myself correcting half t...

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 4 Content Poll

The main group is preparing to head across the lake to meet the River Dogs. They are currently living in an abandoned factory/warehouse. Even though the River Dogs are a desperate group that is struggling to survive, I want to make it worthwhile for the group to work with them. I was thinking that they can have something unique that makes them valuable as allies or potentially for the group to take (for those doing a less moral approach).

Below are ideas for the types of items that the ...

Content poll

What types of content are you most looking forward to in Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 4?

Check all that apply

Rachel - Interactive Story - scene 17

Continued from scene 16

Rachel looks at Bailey and pinches the bridge of her nose. "I'm British intelligence. Think of me as James Bond's good-looking sister."

Bailey blinks with a frown. "Yeah, right." Her brow furrows, and she glances at the satellite phone. "Wait… you're serious?"

Rachel nods. "I work for the British government. It's why I know how to survive something like t...

Content Sneak Peek

The scene below occurs when you invite Sean to go with you to see the River Dogs.

---

Next on your list is Sean. He leans against the rusted gate, a cigarette dangling from his lips. His white tank top is slung over his shoulder, leaving his pot belly exposed under the heavy afternoon sun. His hair sticks out in clumps, wild and unruly, matching the patchy stubble across his chin. His blue jean shorts hang loose, just barely clinging to his waist.

He spots you approaching an...

Game updates

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 4

I continue working on chapter 15 and hope it will be done by next month. This is the first trip to meet the River Dogs across the lake, and it will give opportunities to learn more about them, see where they are living, forge alliances, or even take a more aggressive approach.

I'm also mixing in some chances to talk to key group members. You can find out more about certain characters. You can also resolve issues with your romantic partners if yo...

Story of the Month Poll

Here is the poll for the original story this month. Please feel free to make suggestions for new story subjects in the comments below.

Even though we have been doing the first person story, I wanted to give everyone an option to choose the story for this month.

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven Content Sneak Peek

Here's more of the scene with Kevin...

---

Kevin stiffens, his eyes narrowing. “It’s a photo of my father.”

You raise an eyebrow. “I’m pretty sure I saw blond hair.”

Kevin rolls his eyes, and his voice turns low like a growl. “Maybe you thought you saw blond hair, but it’s just a picture of my father, okay?” His voice sharpens. “Did you need something, or…?” He trails off.

Rachel - Interactive Story - scene 16

Continued from scene 15

Bailey paces the room, her footsteps quick and jittery. Every few moments, her eyes flick back to Daisy lying unconscious on the couch, and she winces when she catches a glimpse of the mangled leg. Her hands wring nervously. "Maybe... maybe the hospitals aren't overrun yet," Bailey mutters, her voice breaking. "Or urgent care? There's got to be someone still out there ...

Outbreak Scenario 14

You’re in your apartment on the eighth floor of a high-rise, trying to keep up with the crazy news about this virus that’s spreading like wildfire. The TV shows scenes of panic, and you can’t believe this is really happening.

Just as you’re trying to figure out what’s going on, you hear weird thumping from the apartment next door. It’s super strange because your neighbors are usually super quiet. Before you can even think about what it might be, there’s a sudden rush of fo...

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven, Part 4 Sneak Peak

This is a little scene that I'm writing for chapter 15…

First on your list is Kevin. You make your way through the junkyard and your path leads you toward the southwest corner. As you approach the gate where the Forest Rats had broken in just days ago, you spot Kevin sitting near the twisted metal fence.

He's staring at something in his hand. The closer you get, the more you notice the way his shoulders hunch slightly and the way his fingers grip the edges of whatever he’s hol...

Schedule for September, 2024

9/3 -- Outbreak scenario poll (Free tier)

9/4 -- Zombie Exodus: Side Stories (Rachel) scene 16. ($3+ tiers)

9/6 -- Content Sneak Peek ($3+ tiers)

9/8 -- Story of the Month Poll ($10+ tiers)

9/9 -- Game updates (Free tier)

9/12 -- Content Sneak Peek ($1+ tiers)

9/15 -- Zombie Exodus: Side Stories (Rachel) scene 17. ($3+ tiers)

9/17 -- Content poll (free tier)

9/18 -- Character or Content Poll ($10+ tiers)

9/20 -- Newsletter. ($1+ tiers)

Thelma & the RMBC find their Haven

Thelma revved her Harley's engine, the sound echoing through the empty highway. The gang had been riding hard for hours, and the roar of their bikes was their only distraction from the horror that had engulfed the world. A week into the outbreak, Nightfall was overrun by the undead, forcing them to leave or join the infected.

Drake Skelly pulled up beside Thelma, his bike rumbling to a stop. "Where to now, boss?" he asked, his voice gruff, eyes scanning the horizon.

"We need a pla...

New members and the Apple iOS store

Don't use Apple's app store (also called iTunes or the iOS store) to sign up for my Patreon! They will soon charge you 30% over the price of my support.

If you have already signed up in this way, don't worry. This is only for new members, not existing ones.

For more information, you can read the full story:

https://news.patreon.com/articles/unde...

Zombie Exodus:Safe Haven Content Sneak Peek

In chapter 15, you will be visiting the River Dogs across the lake. The choice below is the one I am coding now that allows you to take different members of the group. I went with characters that don't get much play time but also have a purpose in going. Please select all of the options you would choose below.

Games by JimD Newsletter – Game Updates, Deadbury Academy

Welcome to my 82nd newsletter! Summer is almost over, and I have been working hard on my games. I’m also preparing to renovate my house, which I’m not looking forward to. I have to move out of my home for two weeks to do some renovations, so I’ll be writing next month from a hotel. It’s not ideal, but once the renovations are finished, it will improve my house.

I’m back to developing Deadbury Academy, at least in part. I will go over it more later in this newsletter, but I’v...

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven Character/Content Poll

As many of you know, I'm currently writing scenes where the MC faces confrontations between their two romantic partners. Managing the dynamics for even one of these characters is a huge task, so I plan to add one scene per month to ensure I can continue bringing you other content in the beta. This month, I focused on Bailey.

In this poll, you get to decide which romantic partner will have the next confrontation with the MC's other love interest.

Note: I am adding four new ROs in P...

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven Content Poll

As you may have heard, I'm currently working on a huge scene for MCs involved with more than one romantic partner. There will be a confrontation between the two ROs. I started working on Bailey first and am customizing the interaction with each other character. As you can probably guess, this is going to be a huge part of the chapter.

Which of the following in the conflicts are you interested in see? Choose the ones that you would enjoy reading.

Rachel - Interactive Story - scene 15

Continued from scene 14

Rachel scoops Daisy into her arms and feels the limp weight of the girl as she struggles to maintain her balance. Daisy squirms and moans softly, but at least her pain is dulled by the drugs coursing through her system. "Easy, love," Rachel murmurs, but Daisy's eyes remain half-closed, her head lolling against Rachel's shoulder.

"Come on, Bailey," Rachel says. To...

Interactive Story

Today is the scheduled day for the fifteenth installment of the interactive story for Rachel. Before I write it, I want to make sure that we still want to continue with this character.

Please vote below for how you would like to continue. I can see a few different options:

• We continue with the Rachel interactive story.

• We vote on a different character from Safe Haven for an interactive story.

• We vote for a unique main character to play through...

  2024-08-15 19:58:15 +0000 UTC View Post

Zombie Exodus: Stronghold Content Sneak Peek

I recently updated Stronghold with an option to choose the name you want to call zombies. I think this is a really interesting customization that readers will enjoy.

---

Thinking back to those first few days of the outbreak, the news always called the infected people Zombies. You started referring to them as…

Game Updates

For Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven this month, I am working on the new chapter 15, which is the trip to meet the River Dogs at their warehouse across the lake. Prior to that is a scene that happens if you are romancing two different characters. A confrontation will start in the middle of the junkyard, and you will have to make some choices on how to handle it. Will you stay with your main romantic interest, your backup RO, try to stay with both, or end both relationships?

The trip to meet th...

New story poll

Here is the poll for the original story this month. Please feel free to make suggestions for new story subjects in the comments below.

Even though we have been doing the first person story, I wanted to give everyone an option to choose the story for this month.

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven Content Sneak Peek

As I continue the chapter in which the group visits the River Dogs, below is a short scene where they discuss their objectives.

This scene also assumes that the MC is running the group in a democratic fashion (as opposed to community-based, military base, scavengers, or raiders.)

---

Rachel pulls out a map of the area and points to an area near the lake she circled with a blue ink pen. "It looks like the factory was called Evergreen Engineering and Metalworks."

Jaime r...

Rachel - Interactive Story - scene 14

Continued from scene 13

Rachel's eyes lock onto Bailey's. "We need to go. We're going out the window, down to the awning." She moves quickly, slipping an arm under Daisy to lift her up. Rachel slips an arm under Daisy, feeling the dead weight as she hoists her. Daisy's head lolls, and her feet drag, but Rachel grits her teeth, muscles straining as she maneuvers them towards the window.

...

Outbreak Scenario 13

Six months into the zombie apocalypse, in the dead of winter, you lead your group southward, fleeing the cold weather. As a terrible snowstorm breaks out, your group of three vehicles moves slowly along the hazardous highway, and your fuel is dangerously low.

As the storm turns into a whiteout, a cabin appears in the distance. Smoke comes from the chimney, and you can see the cabin is large enough to support your group of 10.

As you pull into the driveway, an older man appears in...

Schedule for August, 2024

8/2 -- Outbreak scenario poll (Free tier)

8/4 -- Zombie Exodus: Side Stories (Rachel) scene 14. ($3+ tiers)

8/6 -- Content Sneak Peek ($3+ tiers)

8/8 -- Story of the Month Poll ($10+ tiers)

8/9 -- Game updates (Free tier)

8/12 -- Content Sneak Peek ($1+ tiers)

8/15 -- Zombie Exodus: Side Stories (Rachel) scene 15. ($3+ tiers)

8/17 -- Content poll (free tier)

8/18 -- Character or Content Poll ($10+ tiers)

8/20 -- Newsletter. ($1+ tiers)

Jillian and Rosie — To the lake

This story begins with several assumptions:

• Lyle was killed in Part 1 in the confrontation with Dylan, Driver, and Rosie.

• Rosie and Driver joined the group after the MC saved Jaime at Chipper Ridge High School.

• The story below occurs during Part 4, after Driver's death.

---

Jillian watched Rosie and Jaime near the main gate of the junkyard, the redhead talking animatedly with Jaime. The morning sun glinted off the metal scraps,...

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven Content Sneak Peek

I just started working on a new chapter in which you will finally go to visit the River Dogs. Before that visit, I am writing a confrontation between your two romantic partners, if your MC has more than one romantic interest.

Even though I am coding this to work with all ROs, I'm going to show you one for Bailey and Madison first. In case you see ${firstname} in the text below, is the code I use in place of the name of your MC.

---

Moments later, you step out of the main hou...

Character Poll

Next month, I am going to work on one of the random encounters that could happen in Part 4. A pair of survivors will come to the junkyard seeking medical help. In this poll, you will choose the pair of survivors that come to the junkyard. Please realize, these will not be permanent additions to the main group. Regardless of outcome, they will leave after the random event.

Molly is a former EMT in her mid-30s. Connor is her younger brother, a college student in ROTC. Molly is not hurt bu...