OFNA

ABOUT — FAQ — DEMO — FORUM Hi, I'm Heather and this is the dev blog for my interactive fiction WIP → OFNA: Birds of a Feather Last updated: August 9th, 2022

[ofna]

OFNA: Birds of a Feather, an interactive fiction WIP

genre(s): urban fantasy, romance, mystery, supernatural, dark

PLAY THE DEMO HERE

After a strange encounter, you start to have disturbing dreams and cannot shake the feeling that something is watching you. Plus, that stupid bird won’t leave you alone. How fortunate that the Ornithological Fellowship of North America is here to help, and they only require a few drops of blood.

It’s probably not a cult… right?

Gain psychic gifts, choose a familiar, and get to the bottom of your family history as you are inducted (willingly or not) into a secret society that may be more than it claims. Forge bonds and romances with other OFNA members, but remember that everyone has their secrets. Can you really trust anyone?

Features:

Customizable MC, including gender, sexuality, their familiar, and what gift they have

Learn about your mother’s disappearance, OFNA secrets, and how to control your newfound gifts

Control your attitude about joining OFNA (accepting vs resistant)

Five ROs available to all players (more info on them here). This will be a relatively large element, but there will be strictly platonic options for each

Join a cult probably

Story, choice, and character driven narrative

Sell your soul

Links: CoG Forum ‡ Navigation ‡ FAQ  

Updates on this blog! Currently at 7 chapters, 99k words total

[ofna]

hey i just wanted to ask if everything is okay, since there hasn’t been any updates recently (not the game but just general stuff) and the choice of games thread was closed, so i am wondering if everything is alright? no rush, i hope you are doing well. love the game :)

The CoG thread closes automatically after inactivity, but they will reopen it for me when I ask them to. No worries there!

I have unfortunately been busy with work and family obligations & I try not to update this page unless I have concrete news to share.

Everything is good with me, though! It’s just difficult for me to write on the road or in small chunks of time. I am hoping to get something out early this spring, but life has been getting in the way lately 😔

[ofna]

I just wanted to pop in and say this; I just started the demo and I just wanna say thank you for having one of the birds be a chickadee, they're so precious. I kinda went into it guessing most of them would be the cool birds so I was excitably surprised (not that cool birds are bad, I just love chickadees so seeing it just made my whole week.)—Secondly, I saw you're having a bit of a break so; I hope you're doing well, take all the time you need yeah. May spring be kind to you

I love that! A lot of people wanted ~cool~ birds, but I really liked the MC having a little side kick to bop around with. I like a bit of an underdog narrative at the beginning, I think

Chickadees are actually my dad’s favorite bird, and that’s why it got added as an option

[ofna]

i am so normal about this story and elliot and my familiar/starling/belovedangelbabycakes, jantis. (lying through my teeth)

Yes, I also feel very normal about OFNA and definitely do not work on the next book’s outline while I am stuck in boring work meetings

[ofna]

Hey everyone, sorry for the silence! I’m in consulting and have sadly been stuck working crazy hours since I got promoted in October

I also got married 2 weeks ago (!!) so I have not had much free time to write on the weekends either. It was 3 separate days of ceremonies and a lot of fun, but I’ll be happy to never do anything like that ever again

I actually just got back and started some edits for an additional branch in the last chapter (staying in alone instead of going out with everyone else). Chapter 8 is also about 30% done according to my outline, although it’s been a hot minute since I’ve been in there

Sorry for the lack of communication. For me, the longer I go without progress, the more pressure I feel to have ✨huge news✨ and a definite date for new content before I post anything at all again. I know it’s frustrating when authors drop off the face of the earth, apologies 💗

Tentatively, I hope to finish up the next chapter by the end of July 🤞

[ofna]

How have you been? I hope everything is okay.

I’ve gotten few concerned messages, sorry about the silence!

I got promoted in October, which is cool for me, but I now have 3 huge projects that absolutely have to be finished before I can go on vacation for Christmas

I keep thinking I’ll have a free weekend to finish up the chapter edits, but then I end up working instead or catching up on sleep or wedding planning stuff. I do have a week off for the holidays, though, and I should (🤞) be able to get some OFNA work done then!

Love you all 💕

[ofna]

heather pleaseee mitski songs as the ROs romance routes i BEG 🧎🏻‍♀️🧎🏻‍♀️

1) I love this 2) so many Mitski songs are beautifully sad, got me deep in my feelings on a weekday afternoon

Simon/Simone: Carry Me Out

Bea/Beau: I Will

Jeremy: Nobody

Natasha: Come Into the Water

Elliot: Geyser

[ofna]

Just replaying the demo and reminded of my favorite moment.

Elliot: Call the cops about it.

My MC:

Impressions from the first Elliot scene are my absolute favorite

[ofna]

please understand this is essential to divining the identity of the birdtrayer

who's the best at rhythm games

Simon(e) > Bea(u) > Jeremy > Elliot > Natasha

Now tell me who the birdtrayer is ✍️

[ofna]

Is... is the MC a Seer of some sorts...? 👀 👀 👀

Who could say?

[ofna]

Hello thank you for the story! I'm popping in real quick to say that Bea gives me Delores vibes from Encanto :)

Oh, cute! I can see that for sure

[ofna]

Found a hotel that’s a real-life version of the OFNA house🦉

[ofna]

OFNA Progress update: So, I got a little bit lost in the sauce in an attempt to implement some more branching in chapter 7. Essentially, I want to give an option for a player who is very much a loner and/or distrustful and is not going to the bonfire with everyone else

Anyway, I’m tabling that for now because 1) weaving it in while still hitting important plot points got a little complicated and 2) I would like to attempt to finish chapter 8 either this month or (more realistically) early November

I know it’s been a hot minute, just wanted to let you all know where I’m at. Also, a big sorry to all of the asks that are sitting in my inbox 😬

[ofna]

I am officially ride or die for Elliot 🥺 (also Simon(e) asking us about our family and job and then completely dodging telling us anything about their life outside? Suspicious 👀)

👀 👀 👀

[ofna]

Jeremy is the birdtrayer. He’s the only one not really gutted if MC forgets him and the tags mention someone being glad to have a second chance. You’ve bamboozled us for the last time.

Maybe my man is just an optimist

(Referring to this post)

[ofna]

me looking at your pinterest description: "🦉🔪🕊️🔎🦅" 👀👀👀 that may have confirmed some of my theories about Bea(u)

What are the theories tho 👀

[ofna]

Every time I go through Chapter 7 I choose to keep my strange visions a secret, not wanting the birdtrayer to find out. Of course, this may all be vain if my forest companion (making saves for all the ROs) happens to be the birdtrayer. I'm really interested in seeing how that all plays out.

It depends a little bit on who your bonfire buddy is & what you share later on, but this choice can have a relatively significant impact on the ending of this book

Most choices to keep secrets from your fellow OFNA members have the potential to snowball into a Big Thing™