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my name's okomo and i'm writing a high school hit man game, get into it 🔪

[emersonfreepress]

Conspiracy in Emerson: an interactive fiction WIP

Synopsis

Emerson, an ultra-wealthy New England coastal town, has held a strong religious belief in self-preservation and personal success for just about three centuries. This way of life is so deeply ingrained in the town’s history, politics, and culture that now things are reaching an untenable state.

The year is 1997 and the older methods of subtleties and negotiation have deteriorated as the stakes have risen, the egos have multiplied, and the competition has stiffened. People are resorting to sabotage. Slander. Smear campaigns. Shaming. Framing. Arson.

Murder.

A month before your senior year at Emerson Prep starts, you get caught up in the violent crimes of two of your classmates. The course of your life takes a sharp turn into the macabre as you get your first peek behind the curtain of your Machiavellian hometown. Quickly swept up in a series of sabotage missions and contract killings that take Emerson by storm, are you a victim of circumstance? Just along for the ride?

Or a willing accomplice?

Demo | CoG thread

approx. 70k words total | 2/? chapters playable | last updated Apr 14, 2023

tags i follow: #conspiracy in emerson, #if cie

or you can @ this Tumblr!

Commission status: Closed, permanently!

Before you send an ask:

*I keep spicy prompts TV-14 because the characters are mostly in the age range of 17-18

**I generally delete these prompts (if i like it enough, i'll bite but...): jealousy; hurt/comfort x; overly detailed scenarios x; alternate universe settings

***Yes, I am still working on this game lol

FAQs

Is this a series? / Wait, how many love interests?

Who are the love interests? | Profile posts under construction!

the Emersons as side romances | Post 1 Post 2 Post 3 Post 4

Can I write fanfic?

Highlighted Topics

🌟 March 2022 1K Follower Character Q&A!

Is everyone Bi tm? | Post 1 Post 2 Post 3

About the violence | Post 1 Post 2 Post 3 Post 4

MC Skills: Conviction, Magnetism, Persuasion

What is the setting like?

How tall is the MC?

Does the MC have to be Catholic?

How will the game handle trans MCs?

How will the game handle race?

Is asexuality a dealbreaker for any ROs?

Are any characters ace or on the ace spectrum?

Can the MC be ace?

Will it be relatively easy to have a good relationship with all the characters?

So are all the ROs going to be friends?

General

Emerson Prep dress code | Speculation | Teases

Main Cast/Love Interest stuff

Ages | Appearances | Skin tones | Artbreeder | Birthdays | Fashion sense | Full names | School uniforms | Zodiac signs | Their flowers

RO Frequently Asked Questions

Facts | Flirty asks | Likes/Dislikes | Reactions | “What if...” | Scenarios

Pinterest Boards (including hair and body refs)

Gabe's Pinterest | Kile's | Jack's | Jessie's | Rain's | Rupan/Rohan's | Vivian/Vincent's | Heidi's | Curt's | ??'s | MC inspiration | Classmates | Team Murder vibes

Big Hope

Some Tags

cie snippets | ROs | cie uquiz | 1000 follower character Q&A

big hope | e prep | mechanics | mom + dad | new kid | romance | team murder | writing

cool fan art! | cool fan edits! | playlists and music recs | commissioned art

[emersonfreepress]

What happened?

life 😭 guess i might as well make this an update

main explanation: executive dysfunction is my worst enemy and this game won't be a realistic endeavor until i can actually get a handle on it. My depression is better managed than it ever has been in my whole life -- which is incredible! but my ADHD symptoms are still very bad. i haven't stopped working on this game (plot, mechanics, characters, etc.), but the transition to Twine has ground to a halt.

feeling motivated to do something ≠ being mentally capable of doing the thing. i think i wasn't allowing myself to say this out loud because it used to feel like giving up? but i'm well enough now to know it's just stating a reality I have to continue working on.

sorry it's shitty news, y'all. I'm gonna stop giving dates and time estimates and just return when I actually have something to deliver. at least that'll be exciting 😅

extra explanation: my day job is helping people apply for medical assistance at a public hospital, which is both incredibly rewarding and deeply depressing. insurance bullshit kept me out of therapy until very very recently, so compulsions and inattention have been real bad. (and i did just get an e-mail from my new therapist today that federal bullshit is going to make therapy harder to access in 2026 if the state decides it isn't medically necessary for me lolololololol 🙃🙃🙃)

on a brighter note, improv comedy is a cult and has officially taken over my life 😅 while executive dysfunction continues to fuck up my video-making and stand-up comedy plans, ADHD is almost a superpower in improv. it's the only creative thing that i get better at by just showing up and playing. a lot of free time has been dedicated to rehearsals and live shows, especially this past summer (i performed at a comedy festival in ny!), which is something that took a lot of adaptation.

life has mostly evened out over the last month or so, though. and with depression not being my main thing to address in therapy anymore... idk. i'm feeling hopeful. it also helps having so many offline friends who are fellow creatives and neurodivergents.

[emersonfreepress]

May update? Impossible.

June update? Imminent.

I wish I could share what I've been working on so far, but it's not in a shareable state, I don't think. And I guess despite what I might want to do, I've always sort of been a plop an update into folks' laps kind of writer anyway.

Unfortunately, my job has gotten way busier 😅 most of the downtime I mentioned in the last post I made has evaporated as my role has expanded. Which is fine, but it did slow me down.

On a separate but relevant note, comedy is both taking up more of my life and less of my time lately. I'll be wearing a few different creative hats this summer in addition to interactive fiction writer, so yeah... idk where writing and coding time will necessarily fit into all of that. But that's still future talk for now. can you believe im performing at comedy festivals this summer wtaf

[emersonfreepress]

Hey! Not sure if this is a bug or anything, but I'm curious to know what exactly the dirt thing is.

Oooh, that's a leftover from when I was still working on a CS demo update. Dirt is where Rumors, Intel, and Secrets will be on the stat page!

But yeah, that was supposed to be gone for this upload. I'll get rid of it later 😅

[emersonfreepress]

hey not to be “THAT” person 😭 but i think there might be another bug when choosing the type of uniform (messy, pristine..etc) as the screen freezes. Love the demo btw!

Ok, I'm pretty sure that was because I forgot an entire file for the game 😆 Should be fixed now! If I haven't broken it again!

[emersonfreepress]

!! hey! so glad this is up (even though the demo will be moving anyway lmao), but i ran into an issue where i can't get past this point.

i tried clicking both options, but it results in the same thing happening.

😭😭 here comes the part where I'm reminded of all the tiny changes i made who knows when omfg

I'll fix it in a bit! thank you!

[emersonfreepress]

fixed!

[emersonfreepress]

!! hey! so glad this is up (even though the demo will be moving anyway lmao), but i ran into an issue where i can't get past this point.

i tried clicking both options, but it results in the same thing happening.

😭😭 here comes the part where I'm reminded of all the tiny changes i made who knows when omfg

I'll fix it in a bit! thank you!

[emersonfreepress]

hey! So excited for the demo tho i couldnt get past the “end prologue” scene, is it a bug or does it stop there? Tnx again!

oop — that is a bug. I'll fix it in a bit!

[emersonfreepress]

should be fixed now!

[emersonfreepress]

hey! So excited for the demo tho i couldnt get past the “end prologue” scene, is it a bug or does it stop there? Tnx again!

oop — that is a bug. I'll fix it in a bit!

[emersonfreepress]

hey so here's that old demo link back:

https://cogdemos.ink/play/emersonfreepress/conspiracy-in-emerson/mygame

[emersonfreepress]

question: does anyone have recommendations for screen readers that work well on Choicescript?

I've FINALLY started a Fallen Hero playthrough with my queer platonic partner and we've been using the one that comes with my Android. A better one would be amazing.

[emersonfreepress]

this isn't an update so much as me checking in with everyone (who sees this, that is)

I'll be uploading the Choicescript demo to COGdemos some time this week. There won't be any changes, same stuff y'all read on Dashingdon.

I've rearranged my schedule a bit to allow more time to work on the game. The new job I have luckily gives me some space to write throughout the day — some days none, but some days I have literal hours. I'm also taking a hiatus from one of my improv troupes for the next month or so — that I specifically did to free up energy for writing.

The plan is a playable Twine demo in May. I think most people know I'm awful at making my own deadlines, though, so take that with a grain of salt.

I am still making a video with a summary of what's changing and why, but tbqh the State of The World has definitely made me shrink into myself. Talking in front of a camera or even writing out plans I'm excited about haven't been things I've been in a headspace to do. but apparently I can get on a stage unscripted look idfk lol

Talk soon!

[shepherds-of-haven]

The End of an Era, and the Road Ahead

Hi everybody, the recent news about Dashingdon shutting down feels like it's a bittersweet turning point for many in the ChoiceScript community. Before Don stepped up and took things into his own hands, volunteering his own money, manpower, and time to create and maintain the site, there was no good way for people to host ChoiceScript demos and games in one place: I think the previous solution had been different Dropbox links (which was eventually nuked by security changes in how they hosted files) and possibly separate Neocities sites? Without the Dashingdon site, none of us would have had such an incredible space to gather, share and explore and experience games together, or--for some--even feel motivated to write a ChoiceScript game in the first place, not without an easy and intuitive way of sharing it with others in a playable format. The Dashingdon site significantly lowered the barrier of entry for anyone wanting to make or play or share games; more than that, it was a place of memories, creativity, and connection, and I fully believe that it served as a vital backbone of the ChoiceScript community for many years. A lot of that community relies on the efforts of volunteers--including the creator of CSIDE and the moderators on the forums--and, as with them, I can only thank Don wholeheartedly for his generosity and his 10 years of tireless, selfless, and often thankless work. The fact that a lot of people didn't even know he was a volunteer shows his altruism!

However, all of that work could have only fallen on the shoulders of one person for so long. It's a sad loss to see, though, and I'm very sorry to everyone mourning the loss of the community space, old or inactive WIPs, and save files that will be lost when Dashingdon goes dark at the end of the month. I do wish that there could be an official, stable, company-supported place for authors to host their games in one place, but at least there are alternatives for people to migrate to! (Thank you too to @hpowellsmith and everyone in the community who's taken it upon themselves to spread the news and try to make this transition as smooth as possible for everyone surprised by this announcement. And thank you to the volunteer who's taken up the banner at cogdemos.ink!) I don't know if cogdemos.ink has a page set up to help defray costs, but Dashingdon himself has a ko-fi if you want to leave a tip or thanks for his years of service to the community!

To that end, I want to reassure you all that Shepherds of Haven is safe and isn't going anywhere, and that this change won't affect the game's future. The news has, however, sped up my announcement of something I've been working on for a long time: transitioning away from ChoiceScript and moving Shepherds of Haven to Twine.

Granted, this wasn't how I originally planned on sharing this news. Patrons have known about this move since I decided on it, but I'm a dogged perfectionist, possibly to a fault. I wanted everything to be absolutely polished before unveiling the Twine build, but this unexpected news has been the nudge I needed to take the leap sooner. It's always been my habit to polish my work to an extreme degree: I will rewrite entire novels five, seven, however many times it takes before I send it to my agent or editor... or even before I show it to my own fiance! I still haven't let him read Shepherds, or the novel that I've been talking to him about since 2019, because it "isn't ready" yet, not in my own mind. A common refrain I've always heard from career associates is that my work is "unusually impeccable" by the time it hits their desk. When I do share something, it's usually done. But if I'm learning anything as I grow as a writer, it's that progress matters over perfection. The sudden closure of Dashingdon has made me realize that no one moment will ever feel perfect--and that’s okay. I have to accept that things will never be as perfect as I want to make them before I let them out into the world. Instead of holding myself to an impossible standard, I’m embracing this opportunity to push forward and bring you something I'm truly proud of. (However nerve-wracking that may be!) So, instead of reuploading the ChoiceScript demo somewhere else, only to take it down again later, my efforts are going to shift entirely to getting the Twine version ready for release. It’s a huge task, but it ensures I’ll have complete control over Shepherds of Haven and its future. If I drop everything and focus entirely on this for the next several weeks, my best estimate is that it will take 3-5 weeks of full-time work to make that final push and finally get everything caught up and ready.

Why Twine? There were a lot of reasons behind my decision to move. The biggest of all was that, as the game's wordcount grew, so too did my creative vision for it, and I found myself longing for a version of ShoH that could be just as visually rich and mechanically engaging as I was imagining. Codex entries, interactive maps, infinite saves that can be downloaded directly to your device! Moving to Twine removes the limitations of ChoiceScript's simpler engine, and allows me to honor the game's creative potential and deliver on it in a way that feels true to the journey we've shared so far. It's also a platform that offers greater flexibility and independence for both me and the game: I've put so much work into this project that I'd prefer for its success to rest more in my hands, even if that means taking on the monumental task of publishing it myself, rather than anyone else's.

So. Both the public demo and the alpha build will be released in Twine as soon as I can make that happen. The majority of the work's already done--I just need to get the alpha build caught up with some lingering day off interludes and Chapters 8.5 and 9, and I need to address a queue of lingering quality-of-life questions and tweaks. I want to also note that, while there are very exciting additions to unveil, everything foundational to ShoH remains exactly the same. The story, text, and original functions have been ported in their entirety to Twine, outside of basic edits and refinements that would have happened in the normal course of revision, anyway. I have even taken pains to implement a visual "classic" setting that will replicate the font, colors, and general simplified look of the original version, if players want to use that instead. :) But otherwise, this thing is stuffed to the gills with awesome new features. Custom music soundtrack! Clickable maps! Actual trading card collectibles! Stunning new art! Revamped codex and store and inventory systems! Helpful tutorials and autosave points! Important quality of life improvements, like being able to select pronouns separately from gender and change them any time! This doesn't even touch the surface of it, but needless to say, I think we're going to have a lot of fun. Thank you all for your patience, encouragement, and support so far, and please give me some time to get my ducks in a row. A new version of Shepherds of Haven will be ready for you to play soon!

[shepherds-of-haven]

Also, I'm getting some messages about this so I suppose I might as well say, but for anyone considering or who is already rescuing/scraping WIP files from Dashingdon for archival purposes--including, seemingly, those that were kept private or hidden from public access--please consider this my notice that I have all of my files and do not need them to be rescued, and especially not posted elsewhere on my behalf! I appreciate the efforts for preservation, but here's my statement that I personally do not need that and do not want any of my game files posted or shared anywhere, inactive or not--especially with all of the AI/security/privacy/ownership concerns in our atmosphere right now. Thank you!

[when-life-gives-you-lemons-if]

Hi, I'm C.C-she/her, and I make IF text-based games and Visual Novels. My favorite genres to write are horror, romance, and fantasy.

If you're into all that... below are my games and socials:

Ongoing Projects!

When Life Gives You Lemons-Demo | Steam (This game is near completion. Currently writing chapter 11/12. I do not know when the game will be released, but I will make a post when I complete it and submit it to Hosted Games.)

Fiffer and MC getting married snippet Here

Laws of Passion-Demo (This game is about being a lawyer and it's full of smut.)

Spices of the Heart-Demo (This game is about being a chef. It will be a Heart of Choice game.) Celine is a fling, not a RO. She will not have a DLC, but once the game is completed, I will write side stories for her as a RO (Patreon mostly). 💕 She is also only available to wlw.

SOTH Christmas special Here

The Wedding-Demo | Steam (This game is a Visual novel. There will be 10 episodes in total, public demo is up to episode 6. Patreon Demo is up to episode 7.)

Completed & Published Projects!

The Midnight Saga-Demo | Steam | Google | Apple

Insert-Rich-Family-Name-Demo | Google Play |Apple Store| Steam

It Takes Three to Tango (Submitted to Hosted Game no links yet.)

Hiatus!

The Midnight Saga book 2-Demo (This game is on hiatus because I need to revamp book 1 first before I can continue with book 2. No, it's not dead. I will revamp book 1 once I'm done with the ongoing projects.)

Another-Rich-Family-Demo (This is the sequel to Insert-Rich-Family-Name, and I will pick it up once I am done with the ongoing projects.)

The Burning Sun-Demo (This was my very first game. Grammar is bad, stay away from it. Will revamp and pick it back up once I'm done with the ongoing projects.)

Other Projects I'm working on the side

Pillow Talk-Visual Novel Demo

Seduction-(text based mostly on Patreon)

To Support me!

Ko-Fi | Patreon

Other Things I've done!

Kickstarter for The Wedding Here!

Kickstarter for The When Life Gives You Lemons Here

[when-life-gives-you-lemons-if]

All Public links moved, I'm going to work on Patreon links.

Try the link for When Life Gives You Lemons. It's the latest Patreon update from December 2024. 💕

[emersonfreepress]

anyyyway, i think it's well past time for the blog to have a new theme. so if you try to access the desktop version of this Tumblr in the next few days and it's a hot mess -- that's what's up!

[emersonfreepress]

what's weird is that it's pretty easy to see on the blog feed that it's an active WIP - it seems to be someone just started archiving demos, even ones they weren't personally invested in the status of, and only had the foresight to check afterwards for activity... unfortunate! completely understandable if you don't want the cscript demo public anymore, and i hope i can speak for most of us here when i say we're all happy to patiently await the twine demo on your own terms ❤️

Aw, don't worry about that whatsoever. I'm permanently flattered that my demo got recommended at all anytime recently 😆😅 It's so old and dusty to my eyes at this point. You've got nothing to apologize for on the behalf of others doing their own thing. If anything, I'll thank you for that boost -- I'd noticed some more followers in the last week or so ✌🏾