She/her. Video game developer, writer, and court jester. Currently working on Pages of Tomorrow, a psychological visual novel set in a juvenile psych ward.
It's official – you can now get to know Pages of Tomorrow's characters and setting for free! This little sneak peek into the story lets players get a feel of what the full visual novel will be like. Step into the unusual world of hospitalized teenagers and see for yourself what kind of mystery Alex will be forced to solve.
And remember – not everything is as it seems.
Challenge fate in this psychological visual novel about a juvenile psych ward patient who discovers a book that can predict the future.
While waiting for Pages of Tomorrow to come out, why don't you play a weird little 5-minute-long visual novel I made about being buried alive? It has full voice acting and everything so... You know. Also it's free and runs in browser!
To give hope in a hopeless world. Why Pages of Tomorrow is being made
When creating something, whether it's a book, a game, or something else entirely, I like to have a purpose for it. Something I want to say with it, something more than just "once upon a time..." – it's not the law, but it is my preference. With Pages of Tomorrow, this purpose is very apparent. I thought I'd talk about it in more detail, as it is crucial to the game; perhaps overshadowing most, if not all, other aspects.
When consuming media dealing with mental illness in a more serious manner, I noticed it often falls into extremes in its portrayal. On the one hand, sometimes it shows mentally ill people as so broken, so fundamentally unhappy, tragedy is the only possible outcome of their sorry lives. On the other, when attempting to give strength, it's not uncommon that it trivializes the struggles that come with this kind of illness, and the advice it gives feels shallow and naive. Pages of Tomorrow wants to fall into neither of those extremes.
Put simply, I'm making this game because I want to give hope to those struggling, but in a way that is very aware of how difficult life is for them. Spreading awareness aside (although that is also a goal), my wish is to comfort the people who need it, to tell them change is possible, even if it doesn't feel like it. And if someone asked me, right here and now, why even make Pages of Tomorrow, that would be my answer.
Of course, I am not claiming this game can act as a cure. Frankly, I don't believe there can be one "cure" – there are multiple variables to mental health, and their correct alignment, which varies from person to person, is what brings relief. No game can replace a professional working to find said alignment, especially since I myself am not, and don't claim to be, a doctor or a therapist. However, my own experience tells me works of fiction are at least capable of bringing a sliver or comfort, and to do so is what I consider my goal.
Thank you so much for reading. As always, I invite you to wishlist Pages of Tomorrow as well as play the free demo, in which you can see for yourself how the game prepares for providing this comfort.
Challenge fate in this psychological visual novel about a juvenile psych ward patient who discovers a book that can predict the future.
Thank you everyone for 500+ downloads on Bounty or Booty!!
Done for last year's Otome Jam, this silly pirate otome game has gotten an absolutely amazing response from players, and I'd like to thank everyone for that 🙏🏻
You guys are lovely, and I will never stop making games for you 💕
The literary and game inspirations behind Pages of Tomorrow – short a list
Every work of art (and I think of games as works of art) has its inspirations. Obviously, I do not mean outright imitation, as that can kill creative processes before they even begin. Instead, to me, inspiration is like a work you have in the back of your mind while creating, one you maybe use as a reference, and even one that made you think you could make something better than that.
I do not intend to tear fellow creators down, so I will not be using any sources of the last type of inspiration as my examples. Instead, enjoy a list of literary and game works that I deeply admire and – loosely speaking – use in my creative process, in various ways.
Milk Inside A Bag Of Milk Inside A Bag Of Milk as well as its sequel, Milk Outside a Bag of Milk Outside a Bag of Milk, are what I consider some of the best representations of mental illness this world has to offer, even outside of games and, more specifically, visual novels. As those of you familiar with it may notice, I take a wildly different approach for Pages of Tomorrow than these games, crafting a more down-to-earth story. Still, I often find myself studying what worked for Milk and modifying it to my needs.
The Mighty Angel by Jerzy Pilch is a Polish autobiographical novel about an alcoholic who keeps coming back to rehab. This is probably the most direct inspiration you will find in Pages of Tomorrow, as that is what I was reading during my stay in the hospital that inspired the game. In it, the author describes the main character's encounters with various patients and his confrontations with his illness. A very well-known book in Poland, it is sadly not as successful abroad (it should be!).
Needy Streamer Overload, AKA Needy Girl Overdose, is another game about mental illness, specifically relating to internet culture. You won't find much of it in Pages, really, but it had a major impact on me overall. Its cutesy aesthetic mixed with absolutely heartbreaking themes of descent into what we colloquially know as "madness" make it an absolute classic for anyone interested in how games portray things of similar nature.
Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is a story that many people all over the world have read, but nobody can be sure they truly understood. There are as many interpretations of this work as there are readers who engage with it, but I will stand my ground as a believer in theories placing the "becoming vermin" metaphor somewhere in the realm of illness or disability-related ones. It perfectly explores how useless to society a person inflicted by debilitating illness feels (whether it's physical or mental), and how said society treats them. A timeless classic by a timeless author.
Pathologic, a series of games lately blessed by a third entry, doesn't have that much to do with mental illness, as opposed to many (if not all) of the other items on this list. Still, it would feel unfair to skip it for this reason. It is a story about plague hitting a small town in an area inspired by the Russian steppe, and the doctors who have to deal with it. The writing in these games is spectacular in its quality, and the way it uses symbolism remains a great inspiration for all of my literary and game endeavors.
This list is in no way comprehensive. I believe we all carry huge banks of inspiration in our heads, and listing them all is impossible – even briefly mentioning the most important ones made me produce a post twice the size of the others. Still, I believe it is good to talk about works we love and that had an impact on us in a world that focuses so much on talking about things we hate.
Thank you so much for reading. As always, I invite you to wishlist Pages of Tomorrow as well as play the free demo, in which you can see for yourself the way I use all of these inspirations.
Challenge fate in this psychological visual novel about a juvenile psych ward patient who discovers a book that can predict the future.
Pages of Tomorrow and the numerous faces of diversity. A word on creating characters
Diversity is important. Creating all characters in a story to be the same wastes the potential of having them be different people, when showcasing different perspectives and outlooks on life is one of the things art does best. Pages of Tomorrow's characters are definitely a diverse bunch, and I'd like to explain why I think that.
When we hear the word "diversity", we may, depending on our personal beliefs, associate it with sexuality, race, gender, and so on. That is undoubtedly part of the story. Historically, many previously heavily marginalized groups are now appearing in art of all kinds, as well as making their own. Pages of Tomorrow's characters are diverse in some of those regards, too, and to say that's not important would be, in my opinion, untrue. But to limit diversity to those labels wouldn't be fair, either.
Humanity is diverse, and not just culturally or ethnically. While I believe we, as people, have a lot in common overall, it is correct (even if saying that feels a bit childish) that we are all unique. My personality, upbringing, interests, and taste may be drastically different than yours. That is diversity, and it's something that should be present in every story.
Creating characters is, for the most part, establishing what makes one different from the other. Optionally, one can also dive into why, which for a psychological story is absolutely essential. In Pages of Tomorrow, an important difference between the characters is how they cope – all of them have diverse ways of handling emotional pain of various kinds. It might even be appropriate to say that inside, they all feel the same thing, yet have vastly differing ways of dealing with it.
Thank you so much for reading. As always, I invite you to wishlist Pages of Tomorrow as well as play the free demo, in which you can get a taste of said diversity and get to know the characters.
Challenge fate in this psychological visual novel about a juvenile psych ward patient who discovers a book that can predict the future.
Relationships in Pages of Tomorrow. Why no romance?
Social relationships are inherent to the human experience. Whether one wants it or not, true lone wolves do not exist – from the day we are born, we are all shaped by other people. At first, familial relations are most important (as well as most influential for our development). But as we grow, parents are replaced by peers, who we begin to excitedly call our friends. Friendships, massively important as they are, tend to be put aside in visual novels, replaced by romance. Pages of Tomorrow questions that.
In the game, the player has three characters to choose from. The companion of their choice is not meant to be seduced, but befriended. Many would call this decision strange when viewed in context with what visual novels often are. And while romance-focused titles certainly do not deserve the eye rolls they often get, for Pages of Tomorrow, I wanted to do something different and highlight the importance of purely platonic relationships.
Romance comes and goes. It is not unusual for partners to break up, no matter how perfect for each other they may initially seem. And although not all friendships stand the test of time, their nature is inherently more steady, allowing friends to lean on each other in difficult times. There's beauty to friendship that's found only in the most successful romantic relationships.
So to conclude, while I am not opposed to romance or romance in visual novels in the slightest, Pages of Tomorrow felt like a game that would work best without a dating mechanic. Instead, I intend for it to explore the complexities and beauty of platonic connections, despite it being way less fortunate marketing-wise.
Thank you for reading. As always, I invite you to wishlist Pages of Tomorrow and play the demo, which allows for the player to get to know the characters and the unique setting.
Challenge fate in this psychological visual novel about a juvenile psych ward patient who discovers a book that can predict the future.
All stories need characters. In Pages of Tomorrow, the player meets an array of them – but some, obviously, are more important than others. The three that I will very briefly introduce here are arguably the most crucial, as the player is constantly choosing between them, deciding on their companion for the playthrough. So, without further ado, here are the three people Alex can choose to befriend on her journey.
Jolene
Jolene is a kind, cheerful girl whom Alex – the game's protagonist – shares a room with. Her smile never seems to fade, much like her positive attitude. In fact, her positivity can get overwhelming in an environment mostly made up of depressed teens. Something must be hiding beneath that smile of hers… Just what could she be doing in a place like this?
Nigel
Nigel's demeanor is relaxed and jovial; he's always looking for ways to make people laugh. With his charisma and quick wit, Nigel could have it all – and yet, he's stuck in the ward with the other patients. His carefree act won't make it easy to get his true feelings out of him, but some things are worth the hassle.
Cole
Despite being the youngest of the cast, Cole likes to behave like he's the toughest. His teenage angst gives him a rebellious, blunt personality; he isn't concerned with being polite or empathetic. Cole was sent to the ward against his will, but perhaps it was for the best… What issues lie underneath the tough guy act?
You will meet all of these characters and more very soon when the demo arrives this December. Wishlist Pages of Tomorrow to get a notification when that happens!
Challenge fate in this psychological visual novel about a juvenile psych ward patient who discovers a book that can predict the future.
🇬🇧: It is my pleasure to announce that Pages of Tomorrow, my psychological VN set in a psych ward, will be available in Polish!
🇵🇱: Z przyjemnością informuję, że Pages of Tomorrow, moja psychologiczna powieść wizualna osadzona w szpitalu psychiatrycznym, będzie dostępna po polsku!
Challenge fate in this psychological visual novel about a juvenile psych ward patient who discovers a book that can predict the future.
Why I call Pages of Tomorrow a "psychological" visual novel. On genre
Genre, helpful as it can be for self-identification, is a commitment and a promise. With genre come certain expectations, tropes, and other things the writer must be aware of. Keeping that in mind, calling Pages of Tomorrow a "mystery" visual novel doesn't quite do it for me. I will try, to the best of my ability, to explain why that is – and why I settled on "psychological" instead.
Pages of Tomorrow isn't a thriller. It's not a visual novel that has fight scenes or chase sequences; while it has its exciting moments, and the mystery itself is gripping, moments of superficial relaxation are just as important. In Pages of Tomorrow, showing the daily lives of the patients isn't just buildup for showing something out of the ordinary, but something that's valuable in itself.
A psychological visual novel is one that gets deep into the characters' psyche; how they act, and especially how they think. Seemingly unexciting scenes become interesting and unique when approached from this angle. An ordinary conversation can become a vessel for symbolism, giving the audience a look into the characters' heads – and that's precisely what I want for Pages of Tomorrow.
Focusing on characters who are by definition out of the ordinary, as mentally ill people, ensures their reality isn't boring to the general audience. After all, it is very different to what most people are accustomed to in their lives. I believe the term "psychological" describes Pages of Tomorrow perfectly, as it literally is a story focused on the complexities of human psychology, or perhaps even psychiatry.
Thank you for making it to the end. As always, I invite you to wishlist Pages of Tomorrow – those who do will be notified immediately when the demo becomes available.
Challenge fate in this psychological visual novel about a juvenile psych ward patient who discovers a book that can predict the future.
Hi there! I hope your Halloween is exciting and spooky – or, if you prefer, relaxing and cozy! Hopefully your days are full of treats more than tricks. May a nice visual novel keep you company today!
The development for Pages of Tomorrow is going rather smoothly, so expect some news on the demo in the near future. If you haven't wishlisted the game yet, I invite you to do so! It's a psychological visual novel set in a juvenile psych ward, focused on representation as well as a message of hope!
Challenge fate in this psychological visual novel about a juvenile psych ward patient who discovers a book that can predict the future.
To lie or not to lie. How Pages of Tomorrow approaches portraying a psych ward
As some of you may already know, Pages of Tomorrow aims to portray mental illness and psychiatric care as accurately as possible. The ward where the story takes place is the beating heart of the plot – it dictates what the characters can or cannot do, what they are like, and even how they think. Here's a little deep dive where I explain my process for portraying it the way I do.
Any artist, upon choosing to show something that exists in real life in their work, has to answer a simple, but difficult question. How much do I lie? Whether it's because they are unable to show reality as it is or reluctant to do so (for various reasons), artists – and that includes writers – often rely on the audience's lack of knowledge to push something that just isn't factual. And it's a good thing they do – art isn't about imitating reality in all possible aspects. Pages of Tomorrow lies, too. But at the same time, it tells the truth exactly as much as possible without sacrificing certain parts of the experience.
Ultimately, Pages of Tomorrow aims to deliver an accurate experience of what it's like being in a psych ward (specifically one for juveniles), and many parts of how it does that are taken directly from real-life scenarios. Life itself often writes the best fiction. Although research was necessary, and it certainly taught me a lot, the way I portray the psych ward will always be most influenced by the way I experienced the psych ward. But even then, selecting the memories I share is also a way of fictionalizing, and when a serious topic is fictionalized, care is needed.
The thing I'm most cautious about is the balance between demonizing and romanticizing this form of psychiatric care, both of which are a bad way of talking about it. On the one hand, the experience is indeed traumatizing for many, but on the other, psych wards and hospitals (or "asylums") have been demonized to hell and back through stories and portrayals coming from people who didn't know much about them.
I sincerely hope – and I'm pretty confident the hope is not foolish – that Pages of Tomorrow can portray the psych ward in a way that both acknowledges the trauma of the experience and doesn't discourage from seeking help when it is needed.
If you haven't wishlisted Pages of Tomorrow yet, I invite you to do so. It is a psychological visual novel I'm making set in a juvenile psych ward, with supernatural mystery sprinkled on top. Wishlist to be the first one to know when the demo drops!
Challenge fate in this psychological visual novel about a juvenile psych ward patient who discovers a book that can predict the future.
hehehe i'm not doing developing, the dev ( @doksagames ) is my client and i only do the art!!! ^^ but since i'm/i will be there for the most part of the project, even if i'm not the dev, it's something i care a lot about!
Challenge fate in this psychological visual novel about a juvenile psych ward patient who discovers a book that can predict the future.
Take on the role of Alex, a teenager struggling with mental health, as she finds herself in the middle of a supernatural mystery. There are secrets to uncover in this ward, but putting the pieces together will not be easy. Forge your own destiny in this tale of recovery and finding happiness – is it true that fate cannot be changed?
Wishlist Pages of Tomorrow right now on Steam!
Challenge fate in this psychological visual novel about a juvenile psych ward patient who discovers a book that can predict the future.
