tales from valaan

queer fantasy interactive fiction. current project: Entropy

[talesfromvalaan]

Update 07.21.21

Small update this week -- work emergencies combined with school have taken up the majority of my time lately. But I have started moving the prologue over to twine!

Have a sneak peek:

I'm curious: would everyone rather I post the updated demo when the first route is completed and moved to twine, and update as I finish each routes, or wait until I have the entire prologue finished to post?

[talesfromvalaan]

Can we play the update now? Or was the earlier post a progress report on what's gonna be new when you update the game later?

It’s just an update on what I’ve been working on! I’ve only just started moving the new prologue over to twine, so it’ll likely be a couple weeks before there’s a playable version of the new prologue

[talesfromvalaan]

Update 07.07.21

Hi everyone! Lots of fun details in this update! I'm wrapping up one route of the prologue this evening, so I can share a bit more about the changes and what you can expect in the next/new demo.

To start, the first route of the prologue is at about 10,400 words. I'd say I'm about 75% finished, if I had to guess. I've only just started working in Twine for this version of Entropy, so all I have is some basic formatting and coding.

Now, the fun bits, along with a sneak peek! It's Des!

General Changes:

Poly routes! More details to come as I get the routes further outlined, but there are three poly routes planned

UI tweaks! I simplified things quite a bit, but also went ahead and added in some themes/settings for customizability.  As much as I do love playing around with code, I'm trying to minimize the amount of time I spend fiddling with little details.

Cool new Acolyte customizability! Who wants a touch averse, aroace Acolyte in a platonic poly relationship? It's me. I do. It's in the game now.

100% more Pining! You can now choose one of your companions as a long time friend. And maybe the Acolyte has been pining for them over the years. Maybe it's mutual. Maybe there were some almosts. Maybe there was a "we'll never speak of this" night they never stopped thinking about. Or maybe there's just a sudden mutual ...oh moment! Or forgo romance and just enjoy a friend who gives the Acolyte shit about all the things they've been through over the years!

More allies and contacts! This wasn't actually in the old demo, but I've been adding to the people and factions the Acolyte can visit/recruit/work with throughout the later chapters. The main three factions haven't changed, but I've already doubled the number of allies. More details as we get closer to there in the plot!

Prologue Changes:

Occupation-based routes! This is easily the biggest change in the prologue (other than, of course, the entire thing being different). Each occupation (explorer, initiate, merchant, mage) will have its own version of the prologue. While the plot is the same, you will start with a different companion for each occupation. During the prologue, you will meet a second companion -- again, dependent on the chosen occupation. You will meet the remainder of your companions at the beginning of chapter one.

A touch averse option! I mentioned it already but in the first scene you'll be able to decide if your Acolyte is touch averse! Sometimes this will lead to minor changes (such as a companion not propping an elbow up on the Acolyte's shoulder), and sometimes an entirely different branch in a scene (such as romance scenes!) where the Acolyte can choose to initiate varying degrees of physical touch, if any.

An entirely different premise! Details to come in next week's update!

[talesfromvalaan]

Update 06.25.21

Hi everyone! First off, I have some very exciting news: I accidentally stumbled on an old handwritten outline for Entropy, so I was finally able to finish re-outlining everything this week! (In case you missed it, I lost every single file I had for Entropy a while back so I'm having to start fresh)

Now that I feel like I can finally make progress again, I'm going to try and get back to weekly updates each Wednesday to keep you all updated. For today, I want to go over some of the changes you can expect from the new demo:

A vastly changed prologue. While the majority of the plot will be staying the same, the Acolyte's introduction to the plot will be very different. I never really liked the temple introduction anyway, but the new prologue is actually based on a scene I had to cut way back when Entropy was a novel focused on Ryna.

More streamlined character creation. Rather than the "choose your class" version in the old prologue, the current version is less rpg and more IF. The choices will come up naturally during conversation and exposition, and you can shape your Acolyte throughout the prologue. All the choices are still there, just a bit more subtle in some cases

A codex right from the start!

A different writing style. This may be off-putting for some, especially if you liked the old demo, but honestly: I hate writing in first person. It just doesn't work for me. The new demo is in second person and is flowing much more easily for me and works so much better for my writing style. Have a sneak peek:

Possibly: changes to companions/romance. The romance options aren't changing, don't worry, but I'd like to make some additions to how the romances go. No details until it's set in stone, but I'm playing around with options that would make it easier to have an explicitly ace and/or aro Acolyte.

I'll be visiting family next week, so there likely won't be a full update but I will try to post another little sneak peek before I leave Tuesday. As always, the ask box is open!

[talesfromvalaan]

Update 06.06.21

Hi everyone! There's been quite a few new followers over the past few days and I wanted to give you all an update on Entropy.

As anyone who follows me on my personal blog already knows, a little while ago I lost a large chunk of writing that I've done over the past two years. That includes almost everything for the current version of Entropy.

I will absolutely still be working on Entropy, but I'm also going to take the opportunity to rework it a bit. I don't have a timeline for an updated demo release, in part because I have yet to decide just how much I'm going to expand on the current demo, and in part because I have a lot going on in my personal life at the moment. I am tentatively hoping to have something out by the end of the summer.

The basic premise of Entropy will stay the same, though the circumstances of the prologue will likely be changing to allow for greater customization and reactivity right off the bat. The characters and romances will also be staying the same.

That said, the ask box is always open!

[talesfromvalaan]

Update 01.14.21

Hello new followers! There’s been an influx of you over the past week or so and I’ve had an unfortunate bout of radio silence on this blog. I’ve got an update of sorts today, and hopefully I’ll have something a little more substantial this evening.

To start, the Entropy files are a complete mess right now. I’m essentially re-coding it from the ground up, since I’ve discovered a few things about Twine that will make things easier on my end going forward. 

To anyone who has submitted a beta testing application: I should be reaching out within the next couple of weeks once I finish up my own testing.

As far as accessibility features, which is the snag I’m caught on at the moment, I’m still having mixed luck. It looks like it’s coming down to needing to download the game, rather than play in the itch.io window. I’m also fairly certain I’ve worked out how to handle the keyboard navigation, but I’m still playing around with it. 

That said, writing is going well! Things should move along much more smoothly once I’ve got the code sorted again!

I also have some short stories/background snippets to share over the next few weeks. Which companions do you want to read about first?

[talesfromvalaan]

What made you decide to do twine over choicescript?

The short answer is that I found twine first.

The long answer is that I’ve been playing around with twine for several years at this point, and I really enjoy the flexibility and customizability it offers. When I found out about choicescript... two or three years ago, maybe, it just seemed limited in comparison (full disclosure: I never went and played around with it, so I’m well aware there’s likely features and options I don’t know of!).

I can see how it could be more user friendly for writers, especially those without any coding experience, but I really enjoy being able to really mess with the system and have the ability to just... do stuff, like adding in a codex system or other things that are a bit more coding-heavy.

I also like being able to customize the ui even though my design skills are slightly better than the ~graphic design is my passion~ meme.

[talesfromvalaan]

Hello!! Which version of twine do you use? It's so lovely

Thank you! I’m using Sugarcube 2.33.2 and Twine 2.2.1!

[talesfromvalaan]

update 12.16.20

Unfortunately, I’m going to have to push back the demo update. I ran into a coding issue while finishing up the keyboard controls, and while I could make most of the demo work, the current method I’m using is going to cause problems down the line. I did find a workaround last night that seems to work okay, but it does mean completely re-coding everything, as well as an entire overhaul of how I’ve organized things so far.

It may seem like a little thing, but accessibility controls are something I really want to have well-integrated. Full screen reader compatibility and a more “plain text” option will also be included.

Also, full disclosure: I’m absolutely taking this as a learning opportunity and it’s almost certainly slowing me down. I’ve been coding for close to ten years and when I first took classes seven or eight years ago, there wasn’t ever any mention of accessibility features that I can remember. Now that I’m back in school, that’s absolutely a focus in my classes! It makes me look very differently at the things I’m working with and I’m enjoying being able to have experience that’s more than just a multiple choice test.

In a perfect world, I could have the update ready by this weekend. More realistically, though, I think a full 2.0 update will probably happen on the 30th. Even if I can’t get everything working by this weekend, I’ll at least post the expanded introductory conversations that really should’ve been in the initial release anyway.

[talesfromvalaan]

update 12.11.20

Another small update this week! 

A demo update will tentatively be released next Wednesday, December 16. At minimum it will have the updated mobile layout and a handful of accessibility features, as well as the expanded introduction conversation that I had to cut partially for the initial release due to some coding issues.

At most, it will also have the sneak preview scene for the romances. However, I’ve been extremely busy with school this past week so I’m not confident I’ll be able to get everything coded and tested.

I will say that version 2 of the demo will be released before the end of the year! I haven’t yet decided on a release schedule for the actual game -- I originally wanted to do the prologue through ch. 5, and release the rest of the chapters episodically, but now I’m considering releasing everything episodically. 

Thoughts?

[talesfromvalaan]

You’re welcome haha. Des is a lot of fun to write and I’m glad you like her!

[talesfromvalaan]

companions and romance;

Romance in Entropy is entirely optional, and choosing not to pursue any of the romance options will have little effect on the game. There are a handful of romance-specific scenes a non-romanced Acolyte will not have, but the majority of the content will have friendship versions!

Even within the romance routes, you can choose to pursue an explicitly non-sexual or even entirely non-physical romance. There is no option to state your Acolyte’s orientation, and every companion is available to romance Acolytes of every gender – however, companions will only flirt with the Acolyte once you have chosen a flirt option with that companion! Additionally, you will have opportunities to ask a companion to stop flirting with you, if you wish. 

There will not be explicit sexual scenes, though depending on player choice it will certainly be suggested, likely through fade-to-black scenes (I myself am ace and neither comfortable nor interested in writing explicit content!). 

There are also no poly routes currently planned, though I am not against adding them in for a sequel.

As for the romance options themselves:

Des’ route is lighthearted and soft. The otherwise unwavering detective finds herself nervous and speechless around a romanced Acolyte, despite her initial concerns that a relationship will get in the way of their investigation. However, should the Acolyte begin to waiver in their dedication to stopping the murders, Des won’t hesitate to stand against them.

Errol’s route is a passionate whirlwind, a sweep-you-off-your-feet love-at-first-sight romance. He believes in decadence and elegance in all things – including courting the Acolyte. He also thinks it’d be cool if you joined his cult, so there’s that.

Kellin’s route is a slow, careful burn. Though they’re among the first to admit they’re drawn to the Acolyte, they do their absolute best to deny how strongly they’re drawn in. Under the right circumstances, Kellin will bend the rules of magic itself to save the Acolyte.

Rian’s route is sincere and eager. He’s missed too many chances in the past, but takes every opportunity to impress the Acolyte. He’s a relentless flirt and a well-practiced smooth talker, but there isn’t much that would turn him against the Acolyte.

Yrei’s route hits the ground running, so to speak. It’s playful and passionate, and Yrei makes no secret of her (physical) attraction to the Acolyte. She sees no reason to get emotions tangled up in things, but eventually – even with an Acolyte who chooses not to get physically involved with her – absolutely has a fanfic “…oh” moment.

[talesfromvalaan]

companions and romance;

Romance in Entropy is entirely optional, and choosing not to pursue any of the romance options will have little effect on the game. There are a handful of romance-specific scenes a non-romanced Acolyte will not have, but the majority of the content will have friendship versions!

Even within the romance routes, you can choose to pursue an explicitly non-sexual or even entirely non-physical romance. There is no option to state your Acolyte’s orientation, and every companion is available to romance Acolytes of every gender -- however, companions will only flirt with the Acolyte once you have chosen a flirt option with that companion! Additionally, you will have opportunities to ask a companion to stop flirting with you, if you wish. 

There will not be explicit sexual scenes, though depending on player choice it will certainly be suggested, likely through fade-to-black scenes (I myself am ace and neither comfortable nor interested in writing explicit content!). 

There are also no poly routes currently planned, though I am not against adding them in for a sequel.

As for the romance options themselves:

Des’ route is lighthearted and soft. The otherwise unwavering detective finds herself nervous and speechless around a romanced Acolyte, despite her initial concerns that a relationship will get in the way of their investigation. However, should the Acolyte begin to waiver in their dedication to stopping the murders, Des won’t hesitate to stand against them.

Errol’s route is a passionate whirlwind, a sweep-you-off-your-feet love-at-first-sight romance. He believes in decadence and elegance in all things -- including courting the Acolyte. He also thinks it’d be cool if you joined his cult, so there’s that.

Kellin’s route is a slow, careful burn. Though they’re among the first to admit they’re drawn to the Acolyte, they do their absolute best to deny how strongly they’re drawn in. Under the right circumstances, Kellin will bend the rules of magic itself to save the Acolyte.

Rian’s route is sincere and eager. He’s missed too many chances in the past, but takes every opportunity to impress the Acolyte. He’s a relentless flirt and a well-practiced smooth talker, but there isn’t much that would turn him against the Acolyte.

Yrei’s route hits the ground running, so to speak. It’s playful and passionate, and Yrei makes no secret of her (physical) attraction to the Acolyte. She sees no reason to get emotions tangled up in things, but eventually -- even with an Acolyte who chooses not to get physically involved with her -- absolutely has a fanfic “...oh” moment.

[talesfromvalaan]

entropy update 11.25.20

Just a small update today, and a day early with the holiday tomorrow. In case you missed it, the demo launched on itch.io! 

I’m already well into version 2 of the demo, as well! There are a few things I had really wanted to implement, and so far things have gone very smoothly. The mobile layout is... passable, for the time being. It will definitely need some tweaking in the future, but the game is actually playable on a phone/tablet now!

The other big technical thing I wanted to work on is keyboard control and screen reader accessibility. I’ve gotten keyboard controls working, though the process of going back and updating the entire demo is going to take a while. Screen reader compatibility/accessibility features is something I’m planning to tackle over the next few days.

On the writing side of things, I’ve given myself a bit of a break while I work on coding. I’ve done a bit more work on the second half of the prologue, as well as outlined the “sneak peek” bits I’ll be adding to the end of the demo. It’s going to be a tweaked version of a scene from chapter six, with minimal spoilers which, admittedly, may throw off the scene a bit (such as everyone referencing a big shocking event, without ever saying what that event is).

Also! Keep an eye out -- I’ve typed up a romance/companion faq of sorts that I’ll be posting later today! We’ve met 3 of the 5 romance options in the demo, and 5 of the 6 companions, but I wanted to introduce them all in one place!

[talesfromvalaan]

I hope you’ve all enjoyed the demo!

Going forward, I’d like to open up the opportunity for beta testers to help ensure the quality of the game. I do as much play-testing as I can, but without going into detail it’s superficial and while it works for now, I won’t be able to catch every possibility and outcome later on.

I’m still working out how exactly I want the testing to work, but I want to try out a round of beta testing before releasing version two of the demo (likely at the end of the month, possibly early December). I’m working out some other features as well, like the mobile layout and accessibility features, that I hope to have fully added in for version two.

If you’re interested, just fill out the form and I’ll get back to you, either through tumblr or the talesfromvalaan email.

[talesfromvalaan]

I hope you’ve all enjoyed the demo!

Going forward, I’d like to open up the opportunity for beta testers to help ensure the quality of the game. I do as much play-testing as I can, but without going into detail it’s superficial and while it works for now, I won’t be able to catch every possibility and outcome later on.

I’m still working out how exactly I want the testing to work, but I want to try out a round of beta testing before releasing version two of the demo (likely at the end of the month, possibly early December). I’m working out some other features as well, like the mobile layout and accessibility features, that I hope to have fully added in for version two.

If you’re interested, just fill out the form and I’ll get back to you, either through tumblr or the talesfromvalaan email.

[talesfromvalaan]

Queer fantasy interactive novel

The Entropy demo is now live on itch.io!

Currently included in the demo:

Character creation: Create your Acolyte! Choose from a variety of backgrounds, ancestries, and even your motivation for joining the Temple of Yda

Prologue (first half): Get the first look at the strange investigation you’ve joined, and choose whether or not to be sworn in as a full member of a failing temple

Meet your companions: Enjoy a bit of wining and dining with 5 of 6 companions and 3 of 5 romance options

entropy is an upcoming work of queer fantasy interactive fiction, set in the fictional land of Valaan. The Acolyte is fully customizable, with options for name, pronoun preference, ancestry, occupation, and more. There are six companions, four of whom are romance options for all genders, with an additional non-companion romance option. Romance routes are optional.

Your choices will shape your investigation; the Acolyte’s skills and background may open up new possibilities and choices – not all of them good – and the organizations and people you choose to support will help or hinder your investigation. Each companion also has an arc of their own, which the Acolyte can directly influence.

V2 of the demo is coming soon! The update will include: expanded conversations during companion introductions, the full talent system, spoiler-lite previews of each of the romance paths. I am also working on accessibility features, as well as keyboard controls and a mobile-friendly layout.