Within this story, you will be playing an MC who has it rough. Working multiple jobs, barely time to rest. All MC's end up working at Mr. Everetts stable, the second job MC works at is either a cafe, grocers, or a library! In this story, per your choices, MC will grow and learn to live for themselves, learn to love themselfs and maybe find a lover along the way.
There shall be 4 RO's, all gender selectable (as soon as I figure out how to code it lol.) As their names are still being thought over, we shall call them, City Kid, Ex Champ, Rival Farmer, and Work Spouse.
The 4RO's
City Kid - Born and raised in the city jungle of New York, spoiled and a bit out of touch with reality, their father sent them to Mr. Everett's (Their Uncle's) to touch some grass and to hopefully grow up a little. They will be shadowing the MC as they work, definitely going to be whiny ha-ha, hopefully your MC will be a good influence on them.
Ex-Champ - Having decided to give up the mantle of being one of the foremost dressage champions, they settle down and rent a stall for their beloved horse. A surprisingly silly and goofy person for being a fancy ex-champ, just don't mess with their horse-they won't be so silly if you do. Going with the flow for now, wanting to settle, but maybe... with you too.
Rival Farmer- Friendly competition! From the neighboring orchard of Mr. Everett's (He also owns an Orange Orchard). They are known for teasing the MC "Need some help there? Looking a bit like a noodle tryna lift that ha-ha" Totally doesn't tease MC to distract from the blush on their face when the see MC. Often leaves little gifts for the MC, best from their harvests that day.
Work Spouse - MC's best work friend, covers for the MC whenever the MC is late, checks them in and such. Rather protective of the MC, after seeing what MC's sister had done. Get's MC their drink of choice and offers to make them lunch. Justs wants to be in MC's life, to see them happy and not exhausted.
MC'S Family!! (also do not have names for them yet lol)
Mom!! (bluey intro sounds) - Basically, mama is stressed tf out and tired as hell. As much as she loves her family she is to run down and tired to show it. often sleeping or working, no in between.
Big Brother!! - Just like your mom he is often out working employed as a truck driver (big rig), he is gone more often than he wishes. Tries to shield MC from their sister when he is in town and feels guilty when he is gone for long periods of time. But mom's job is not enough to keep food on the table, so he helps best he can for his family.
Big Sister!! - Not the best sister in the world, often angry and abusive toward the MC. Has bad habits and is strain on the family financials. Mother does not notice as they are to tired to even see the state of their home, won't go into too much detail as I am still refining them.
The one. The only...
Mr. Everett!!!!- *screams of adoring fans ensues*
Mr. Everett is the owner of both the towns equine stable and orange grove! Gives the MC a lot of responsibility as they trust MC intrinsically and gives MC a bit of leeway. He's abit gruff, socially awkward, and has never been the best at comforting anyone - he has made many children cry. But always willing to lend an ear to those he cares for. He and our friendly rival farmers' family have been in a 'war since MC learned to walk. (Will continue later).
"Other people’s preferences" and it's actually a mental illnesses. But for you, of course, it's about delusional fantasy. You don't know about poly anything. So let me tell you, it's a SHIT and people who support this is perverts. You're on the same level, so it's not surprising and I'm so glad I pissed you off, because you are a gross. Be mad, babygirl with all your minions tata
Okay @rinriya I know it’s you :) So let’s talk properly without hiding behind anon okay? This is going to be a long post and this will be the last time I’ll interact with you:
Let's talk about double standards. Since you really want to go there.
Yes, my game includes two poly routes. Yes, it also includes four mono routes. That's called giving players choices which, last I checked, is the entire point of interactive fiction. You pick your path. Someone else picks theirs. Not liking poly is okay and nobody's forcing anyone into anything.
And when I responded that love is love and different players have different preferences here you are now calling me a pervert. Telling me polyamory is a mental illness. Calling me gross. Signed off with "babygirl" to what…demean me?? Then posted about it here in a subreddit dedicated to framing polyamory as a psychological disorder to get some sympathy… wow. I think that says everything about you, so I won’t comment on that.
I agree that asking "will this be mono?" should carry the same weight as "will this be poly?" You have every right to know what you're walking into before investing time in a game. That's not trolling. That's a fair question. But that's not what this was and you know it.
You sent the exact same ask to multiple authors. If you had genuinely worded it in a direction like: Hey quick question how will the routes look like? Are the routes mono or poly? I would have given you a way different answer and you could have decided privately for yourself to play it or not instead of making me aware of your preferences. The I hope gives that sentence an entire different meaning and I know you know that.
I want to be really clear about something before I continue: I am monogamous. In real life. Not poly. I personally have zero interest in sharing a partner or being in a multi-person romantic dynamic. That's my preference and it's valid.
You know what else is valid? The fact that some players are poly in real life and do want that in their games. And as a developer who is comfortable with writing poly, it's not my job to gatekeep which romantic stories deserve to exist in fiction. It's my job to tell a good story and let players shape it the way that feels right for them. Mono players get their routes. Poly players get theirs. Everyone goes home happy. This is not a radical concept.
Now here's where it gets genuinely rich (not even talking about your pinned post which is hilarious tbh)
You, Rin, calling poly "a mental illness" and people "perverts" openly list on your blog that you’re into omegaverse. Male pregnancy etc.
Content that, let's be honest, a significant chunk of people find confusing, weird, or outright off-putting when they first encounter it. Would I ever judge that? Call you disgusting? No. Because that's completely fine. These are niche preferences but niche doesn't mean wrong. It means it's not for everyone, and that's okay.
The mask of "I'm just speaking for myself, no drama" while actively being mean isn’t a good look. And you literally wrote this in your pinned post:
"I don't impose anything, I don't prohibit anything, I hope for a calm reaction without disrespect in my words" but then coming to ME asking: Hello. Are all ROs mono? I hope there are no poly routes in your game? (that is imposing if you didn’t notice), calling me a pervert, calling poly a mental illness (basically forbidding it) and calling my players gross. That’s hypocrisy 101 so look in the mirror first :)
My game has something for everyone. If that bothers you, that's okay, not every game is for every player, and you're allowed to move on. But you don't get to demand authors reshape their creative work around your comfort while calling my players disgusting in the same breath because you have different opinions on a topic which you can literally avoid the entire game if you don’t feel comfortable lol.
Thanks for coming to my TED talk on why you're the problem. You can go back to your own minions now, tata~ 👋🏻
Y'all know I have more receipts. And while dream was being an absolute angel with her response. Trust in me, I will never be.
Just to make it clear beforehand. I don't give a fuck if you prefer mono, poly, LTs, or anything else. It's not my business what you get off to. It starts being my business when there's very clear hypocrisy and hate towards a marginalized group.
Also, just to add. This response was totally fine.
You enjoy LTs and want there to be a lot of tension, instead of a poly trigger being turned on. And that's okay. A lot of authors will state in the intro if the relationships include any poly or LT options. And it def can be frustrating if you go into a game expecting one thing, but get something else.
Now it is important to note the time span we're talking about here. The earliest receipts are from 3 ish years ago, and the newest are obviously from like. The past week.
I don't really know why you turned so bitter, but I understand that at some point you did. The first comment was totally okay and fine, but this one? Bestie why are we upset? People have different needs and preferences in relationships. We understand that you think it's cheating if any RO ever looks at someone else, but how do you think relationships work? Because a lot of partners will have previous experiences, is that cheating too? (And we both know the answer for you)
Oh yeah. Explains a lot.
So you call polyamory pedophilia and yet you seek out intense LTs where no RO is ever allowed to have any romantic feelings for anyone, and it would actually be better if the RO have been raised and groomed into loving you-- I mean your MC.
And let me just... Oops, what do we have here?
So you defend abusive relationships, grooming, violence, in DoL, the game with grooming, rape, sex trafficking, beastiality, underage drinking and sex. The game that lets you literally fuck everyone, and their pets. But it's okay to defend a character there because you like how obsessed they are with you.
And normally, I don't care. There's a reason why Masa is still a popular RO, why DoL is a game, why Omega verse, mpreg, all of that, exists. And personally, I would rather have you explore these things in game, or through art. Because at the end of the day, it's genuinely not that serious. Just enjoy whatever you want, explore taboos and whatever you want.
But you can't be for all of this ⬆️ and then call poly people pedophiles. Because you're throwing stones in a glass house, we all know that you're into these problematic things and that you have preferences. And there are authors who will provide these things. But just because they provide not only these things but also provide stuff that you're not personally into, you do not get to call everyone a pedophile. Because you're the one who wants to read the Masa route. You're the one who asks for games where you groom a child. You're the one who defends abusive relationships because "it's just a game", why do you lack the braincells to think "it's just a game" when people ask for poly routes. Why does it personally bother you that people have relationships all the time? That romance is not an obsession for most people.
You are free to explore those things in games and art. But you very clearly lack the experience, understanding and maturity to handle most of those things. And I hope all of this is a call out you take seriously and reflect on your own hypocrisy and become a better person. Or shut up.
Quick PSA: If you see any links in the comments of my Itch game page saying Update Here, do NOT click on them. It’s not me, it’s phishing and likely malware. They’re getting trickier now. The one I just deleted was actually called “Updates” in the profile name and had a link to itch, so it looked halfway legit.
I delete and ban these as I see them, but they pop up daily. I may not be as quick to delete them while I’m away, so I wanted to throw up a warning here on tumblr.
I will NEVER post updates in the comments section. All updates will always be announced in my devlog and come from my actual game page.
When you make character sheets for all your God Cursed MCs... This isn't an ask but I needed to show you how much I love your game!!! Each of the RO's have around 3 different MC! I honestly cannot tell you enough how much this story means to me, it helps me get out of my head sometimes and makes me feel happier during bad days and rough patches in my life. It never fails to make me laugh during a lot of parts and maybe cry a few times as well. I've been watching the story since chapter 2 was released and bookmarked your itch.io so I could find it easier. Hope this doesn't sound to stalkerish lol. 😅
Oh my gosh! So many MCs, I love it!
Thank you for loving my story enough to play through it with so many of your characters. It means a lot to me that it's a good place for you to lose yourself and have a little adventure.
(Side note: love the names you've picked too! Those timestamps though - hun, do you sleep? lol)
Okay, i gotta just say it. I been denying it for a WHILE..
We are on an official hiatus. I am SORRY!! I know how it feels when an author goes on hiatus or drops off the earth, and i am sorry to have been like that. Between a mix of chaos in my life, and just struggling to continue what i have on this IF, i have decided it would be more fair to announce an official hiatus. I am NOT, i repeat, i am NOT giving up on this if, i will swear on that. But i will be taking a step back to try and figure out how to get this if rolling again instead of staring at the twinery like a moth to a flame.
I again apologize, for how inactive and unreliable i have been, i will try to do better. This IF means a lot to me, even if my lack of content says the opposite. I WILL do better.
Until then, please forgive me, i wish you all the best. May we see one another soon, with actual content for Stable Minds.
"Hold fast, Child of Cassandra. Those who heed not your words will understand in time. What approaches cannot be contained."
You’ve been on the road your whole life. Orphaned at birth and failed by the systems meant to keep you in line, you’ve learned how to take care of yourself. After years of being haunted by strange visions that nobody believes, you stumble across the small town of Charity’s Cross - and everything begins to fall into place.
Play as a young wayward prophet, haunted by visions and cursed to never be believed. Inspired by mythology and ancient folklore, The Curse of Cassandra is an urban fantasy story about family, belonging, and the places we call home.
Explore the town of Charity's Cross, and uncover long-buried secrets that really should have been left untouched.
Run into a group of misfits, and become part of a family that accepts you flaws and all.
Queer joy! Just a whole lot of queer joy and celebration <3
No romance (sorry, not sorry). This is a game about love, but romance is not the focus. You're allowed to headcanon whatever you'd like about your prophet's sexuality, but your interactions with the cast will always be strictly platonic.
The Prophet - That's you! Human, but with a touch of bloodline magic that haunts your every step. In other words, you're cursed, and it's a real pain.
Daniel Weaver [he/him, 52yo] - Werewolf, kindergarten teacher, all around softie. Would do anything to protect his family, and that includes you.
Arthur "Art" Shields [he/him, 45yo] - Werewolf, caretaker, one of two people in the family who actually knows how to cook. The house is his happy place, and he makes sure it's welcoming and comforting for whoever may walk in the door.
Catrin Galanis [she/her, 49yo] - Gryphon, antiques dealer, gives hugs like handshakes. Once the guardian to a magic stash of treasure, she now guards her own treasure: her children.
Carmine Levesque [she/her, 137yo] - Vampire, fashion designer, the person that's always in the house despite not technically living there. That bat up in the rafters might not be her... but you'd better wave just in case.
Ari Galanis [he/him, 21yo] - Werewolf, college student, sunshine personified. He's earnest (perhaps a little too eager) to meet someone new and bring them into the family's dynamic.
James Weaver [they/them, 17yo] - Werewolf, high schooler, introvert extraordinaire. Getting them to participate in family game night is like trying to wrangle a cat into a bathtub.
Sadie Graves [she/her, 13yo] - Banshee, middle schooler, going through a bit of an angsty phase. She's not exactly the most pleasant to interact with sometimes, but her family supports her wholeheartedly.
Eleni Doran [she/???, 4yo] - Changeling, kindergartener, weird little girl. Nobody's quite sure anymore where she came from, or even what she is, but she's the one person that actually believes your visions.
Soooo loving this plot. I'm such a sucker for a troubled MC. It warms the hellfire in my soul. I often stick to stories with a thread of romance, but I do love me a good found family so much. ^_^
Celestial power thrums in your veins, Hell’s throne calls, and demons conspire. Will you ascend as savior, tyrant, or something in between?
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR HELP!! All the bug reports, all the feedback and encouragement helped me to push this game over the line. It's available to wishlist now on Steam.
So you can avoid them stealing things from you, the artist/writer, etc.
Pro GenAI websites/Programs:
Facebook
Instagram
X/Twitter (Remember, Grok gives people cancer)
Threads
Pro Writing Aid
Grammarly
Duolingo
Google Docs
Microsoft Word/all Microsoft products Takes from and will feed their machine.
Youtube (taking advantage of people who are hearing impaired. ==;;)
Adobe Products. All of them. If you HAVE to use them (Some businesses require it), save offline because there is a film of at least some privacy protections there, so if you have to sue, you can say it violates US privacy law. Remember, contracts do not circumvent US law.
Corel won't feed the machines, but still uses AI stolen from other artists. Which sucks since Corel Draw is the second best overall for vector programs. (Plus I love Painter, but I bought the offline version to avoid AI). (Canadian company)
Canva Takes and feeds their machine.
Deviant Art Not only supports AI, but put a tool in and said they are going to steal your work if you like it or not for their machine.
Sketchup went Pro-GenAI. The thing is that you can do the same thing in Blender these days with precise measurements.
Autodesk has stated they are Pro-Gen AI here. It is not clear if they will use your models to feed their machine. But be on guard. They make Maya and 3Dmax. You can replace it with Blender.
Neutral ground:
Tumblr (there is a way to opt out [Link] and they don't have an active AI machine.) https://www.tumblr.com/dookins/743519550598987776/heres-how-to-disable-third-parties-like-ai
Etsy allows GenAI, but still has some (minor) restrictions. I'd still be cautious. (Also be cautious of drop shippers). Complaints about too much AI and AI images+patterns made by Ai still exist on the website. They lean slightly more pro-AI, but still won't let it run completely amok, say like Facebook. They won't feed your work into a machine, but also don't ban it through robots.txt.
Bluesky They don't use an AI algorithm except for in the "Discover" section of their website, but while they are anti-GenAI strongly, they don't seem to block the Gen AI bots from entry, so you'd still have to use Nightshade or Glaze (links below). There is no opt-out because they don't need an opt out. (Leaning towards strong position on AI, but I wish they would block GenAI bots).
Searxng- If you super want to screw over Google, in general, and have some tech savvy, you can set up your own search engine through searxng. It's easier on Windows and Linux than it is on a Mac. (Mac you need Docker), but if you're determined on privacy, Searxng adds a layer of privacy. Some of it sometimes uses bits of AI, but most of it doesn't and you can fuss with the settings so it doesn't spit out AI results. At sheer minimum Google will stop spitting out weird videos on Youtube at you because in your private browsing, you searched for the origin of ball bearings while not logged in for a book and Google likes to break privacy laws.
Strong positions against AI:
Scrivener (Creator vowed against AI) Writing program. There is an active forum, and versions for Mac, Linux and PC. It is paid, but at ~60 USD, it's cheaper than most programs. There is usually a holiday sale around Christmas. It has a learning curve, but with an active forum with the programmer of it there to ask obscure questions it's not a dead zone. They often take suggestions and implement them over time. (Especially if you rank the importance, applications, etc) US company.
LibreOffice Open source and free Spreadsheet and Word processor program that can replace Microsoft Word. Some people might have seen older versions where it was called Neo Office (now extinct) and Open Office. LibreOffice is still populated, plus the forums are super helpful if you get stuck. The UX is pretty intuitive if you've used Microsoft Word. Scrivener, BTW, supports exporting to odt (the native file) as well as .doc, and this can open both. The slight thing is that sometimes it doesn't export to .doc smoothly. And I DO wish more magazines, and agent (big clue here) supported .odt files since it is free. Part of the reason .odt isn't as supported is because Microsoft and Adobe have a deal with the devil with each other, so Adobe's Book formatting program InDesign doesn't support ODT. (BTW, if you have a good open source replacement for InDesign that supports ODT, let me know.)
Dabble (as suggested by SF stories, see reblog) is a writing program. Similar to Scrivener. Has vowed against AI and to resist it. 108 dollars a year for Basic. It is almost twice the price of Scrivener who lets you update for fairly cheap. 29 dollars a month, v. 59 dollars for the whole program (Scrivener) for the same features of Premium. You choose.
yWriter is a free Writing program and like Scrivener, and has vowed against AI Last I looked it had some UX issues, but some people swear by it. The learning curve is higher than Scrivener which is saying something.
Ellipsus is an online writing program and vowed against AI. The main feature I like (which Scrivener doesn't have) is the ability to change spellcheck based on region/language. It is a requested feature of Scrivener, but lower priority. So if you have a Brit, you can get the spelling for the character. They are a British-based company.
Cara.app (The creator of the website sued GenAI there is no chance they'll convert) is an artist website. Cara is trying to institute an auto Glaze/Nightshade into the website if given enough funds. People see it as a soft replacement for deviant art. (which went fully AI) If you believe in human art, please donate if you can. Zhang Jingna, the Creator,is Chinese-Singporean. She lives in Singapore.
Clip Studio Paint added AI, but saw the light and decided to protect artists instead because of protest and removed it. There are tutorials and a good forum if you get super stuck. Based in Japan, so the UI and UX is really clean.
Davinci Resolve Pro is a film editing software that's super good. There is a free version and a paid version. The forums are responsive. The programmers aren't always present. There is a healthy group of tutorials. US company. Clean UX. It does take a little bit of time to remember the shortcuts.
Tahoma2D is anti-AI and open source animation program. Takes a little getting used to, but is good for animations and doesn't crash as often as Animate. Programmers are in the forums and some bugs are fixed within hours. The forums are super responsive and helpful.
Krita open source and free, no AI. I'd rank it secondary to Clip Studio Paint (which is paid) I haven't tried the forums, but it's pretty intuitive and can stand for a lower level replacement for Painter, and do a lot of the basics of Photoshop. It's usually ranked higher than the equally open source Gimp.
Writer P AKA Writer+ (app for when you're on the go) is a simple word processor app for your phone that doesn't use AI. The original programmer stopped updating, so Writer+ person took over and isn't out to make a profit since it's free in the spirit of the original app. It has subfolders you can use. Since it was programmed before GenAI it doesn't have AI. Intuitive, easy to use. Fairly easy to upload the files through three dots->share. The files can save to your card or phone with some settings fussing. Simple word processor.
Inkscape is a free vector program and no AI. It is harder to use than illustrator and has less features. But if you're doing smaller vectors for one-offs with less complexity, it'll do you after some learning curve. Best of the lot. I hate Affinity Designer which is the same thing, only paid. (Neither Affinity program was worth the money paid)
Affinity (Designer, etc) swore to be AI-free and does Vector and Photos. The UX is messy, I dislike the program and regret paying for it. Inkscape and Krita are better UX and do the same thing. The forums aren't as friendly since there has been an onslaught of people seeing it's supposed to be a replacement for Photoshop and Illustrator, but the programmers aren't present. The people on the forums are often on edge about this assertion. And the capabilities of the program don't outshine basically Krita or Inkscape capabilities (both free). What is usually intuitive is not. UK company. If you're going to pay for a program, go for Clip Studio Paint which rivals Corel Painter.
Blender is a 3D art program and does not use GenAI. It can do 2D animation, but Tahoma is easier to use in this regard. It's open source and free. Plus there are plenty of tutorials. The forums can be touch and go sometimes, but there are plenty of sub Blender communities that might be responsive. It can also do animation.
Handmade vowed against AI and promised to never sell itself for stock prices to prevent AI (as a replacement for Etsy.)
Discover a world of creativity and craftsmanship through Handmade, an innovative platform connecting passionate artisans with discerning buy
Proton (to replace Google Suite) as suggested by SF Stories (see reblog) Vowed against AI. They are missing a spreadsheet, but have online and offline capabilities, plus a built-in VPN.
But you need a pro website...
Look up robots.txt and AI bots: https://www.cyberciti.biz/web-developer/block-openai-bard-bing-ai-crawler-bots-using-robots-txt-file/
Use cloudflare:
Use Nightshade:
https://nightshade.cs.uchicago.edu/whatis.html
which will poison the algorithm
Use Glaze:
Take Away:
The thing is you think you doing it alone will do nothing, but the more AI feeds on itself, AI images, the worse they become, and the less detailed so, denying it the images, adding poison or not being able to read the human text is eventually going to lead to an AI collapse.
Analysis shows that indiscriminately training generative artificial intelligence on real and generated content, usually done by scrapi
And why not help that along?
I don't want to give cancer to poor people [Link] or make the planet burn faster [Link]. So GenAI collapse is everything I dream of. GenAI apocalypse is not.
New update to include chapter 2, now the total word count is 45k+.
Initially I was planning to do this mid-next week, but I ended up having more time to polish and test this weekend, so I could release it now. The game is now written in sugarcube, so you can save your progress.
In this update you will find:
Small changes to chapter 1: flirt dynamic for trigger happy MC, MC's reaction at seeing S
MC's inner circle is growing with the addition of a former pickpocket
MC has another mission
A fight scene
Flashback to the past
I hope you enjoy it! And if you have any feedback, don't hesitate to leave message via ask!
"Your life was perfectly ordinary… until a reality dating show calls you out of nowhere."
No application. No audition. Just a phone call, an email, and your mother casually admitting she signed you up.
Suddenly, $100,000 and a season of romance—and chaos—are on the table.
Follow a 25-year-old navigating awkward fame, messy love interests, and the absurdity of national TV, all while trying to figure out if this is the best—or worst—thing that’s ever happened to them.
Equal parts heart, humor, and eye-rolls, this is your favorite show… only the main character, is you.
-Choose your gender, appearance, sexuality, and personality.
-If you love shows like the bachelor series, this if it's for you :)
-Choose who will hold the key to you heart between 22 Contestants. They all here for you, you just have to follow your heart...or don't.
-Navigate chemistry, chaos, and competition among twenty-two unique love interests, each with their own secrets, motives, and emotional depth.
-Charm, rebel, or outsmart your way through the show.
-Fame Comes at a Price. Will you play for love or for the $100,000 prize?
-The cameras may stop rolling, but the drama never does.
-Choose who wins your heart and who gets left in the shadows.
Ya see, im a loser, aight, lol. I basically replay this game over and over, and i gotten so good at gaining stats, im stronk af in the game. And what im upset about, tho, is that because my character is so strong and competent and skilled, they dont really get hurt lmfao. Now, some might be saying, but that is a good thing?! Aint it?! And you would be correct! Except im delulu, and i love the scene where Blade gets all angry that MC got bit by that fish with acid blood lolololol. I gotta relearn how to not be such a strong character so i can live my delulu dream lmfaooooo.
MC when you consider their stats:
MC when there's a cute RO to play damsel in distress for nearby:
It starts with a slight misstep; a hygienist's quick clinical note that says, "#14 watch – possible fracture, sensitive to pressure."
The dentist reviews the chart, completes their periodic examination, and reassures the patient that everything appears to be in order. Two weeks later, the same patient calls back in pain.
What failed here wasn't clinical skill or data entry. It was the loop, or the space between what was written, what was read, and what was done.
"Closing the loop" in team communication means ensuring that every message, clinical or administrative, reaches the right person, is understood, and results in action.
The front desk verifies insurance codes before sending claims.
The hygienist flags an early lesion and follows up after the exam to confirm next steps.
The assistant who double-checks lab case details before the end of the day.
These aren't random acts; they're communication loops that have been intentionally closed. They transform care from a series of tasks into a single, coherent journey for the patient.
The Invisible Gaps
Breakdowns most often occur at the hand-off points:
Between the hygienist and the dentist when the chart notes lack detail.
Between the clinical and administrative teams, when treatment plans aren't coded clearly.
Between the provider and the lab when expectations or timelines aren't confirmed.
Each open loop leaves space for delays, rework, or frustration. Over time, this erodes trust within the team and with patients.
Building a Closed-Loop Culture
Strong internal communication depends on shared systems and habits:
Start with shared language. Every team member should know what information is most important and how to record it accurately. Whether that's a morning huddle code system or a single column in the chart. Whatever method you use, be consistent!
Make feedback routine, not reactive. Weekly team meetings can catch minor, isolated communication breakdowns before they become systemic, impacting the whole team. Instead of "Who missed this?" ask "Where did the loop break?"
Empower every role to close. A dental assistant who follows up on a lab delay is as essential to the loop as a dentist signing a treatment note. Closing communication loops is everyone's responsibility.
·End every interaction with confirmation. "Do you have what you need from me?" is one of the most powerful questions in a dental office.
The goal isn't perfection, it's function! It's a feedback-driven environment where information flows freely and accountability is mutual.
Strong internal communication depends on shared systems and habits.
Leadership's Role
Dentists and office managers set the tone for team communication. When leaders model transparent communication by clearly clarifying expectations, actively inviting input, and consistently acknowledging follow-through, they normalize two-way accountability. With effective leaders, closed-loop communication becomes part of the practice identity, not an extra step.
The Payoff
Team members know information won't vanish between operatories or inboxes. They know that other staff members will utilize the data they collect, and delivery of care is effective and efficient because someone closed the loop.
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Jessica is a clinically practicing Registered Dental Hygienist in the states of Florida, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania College of Technology in 2023 and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Communications at Johns Hopkins University. With a focus on Health Communications and Applied Research in Communications, she is passionate about leveraging evidence-based communication practices to improve oral health outcomes and dental practice effectiveness.
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Source: Part 1: Closing the Loop — Team Communication
The Bonewitch demo is launched with the prologue! This is my first IF story and I am excited to write something other than novels. I plan to post monthly updates and development timeline, as well as snippets.
For those who are new or recently followed me, The Bonewitch is a horror fantasy inspired by the German Baroque period. You play as a Bonewitch who returns home after exile, clinging onto sanity while the world remembers your sin.
Prologue features the following:
Customize your name, gender and origin. No worries, there will be more customizing options later on the story.
Select the gender of 3 of the 4 ROs.
Have a small taste on what's to come based on your selected origin.
Sort of like ripping off the bandaid, I present to you Chapter One of In Time.
I have a lot of reasons and a lot of things that have happened in essentially the last year. Things that lingered that happened before, and new things. But, we're still here and still working on this.
Chapter One isn't very long and is fairly linear, but it's the true beginning and I have forced myself to accept it because I need to move on. That's what editing is for and I can't just hyper focus on making this perfect.
That said, I do plan to go back and tweak some stat systems. Especially the personality system. I want to integrate a system where you choose 2 dominate traits that allow me to choose and build on, and then still general choices throughout. I think that'll be easier for me, but am going to figure out the options and such. If people have thoughts on ones they'd like, I'm happy to listen at least.
Otherwise, thank you for your interest and sticking around. This is proof I'm keeping at it. Hopefully, something worthwhile and fun comes from it all.
And for y'all, please drink some water, if you have a pet give them a kiss, and may something good happen to you this week!
♡
Stable Minds IF @stableminds-if - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
