Apocalyptic Fiction - Tumblr Posts

Hi lovelies! ♥

I'm an author of traditional and interactive fiction, and I'm currently working on two projects in ChoiceScript. One is a science-based apocalyptic horror, while the other is a romantic drama set in Naples, Italy. This blog will mostly be about my works in progress!

I have, however, already published a short introspective drama in ChoiceScript, which can be found here.

I will soon set up a page for each of them on here, but in the meantime, here is a brief introduction:

After Dark

While the heavy industry is more active than ever, the effects of global warming are evident, with higher temperatures, dying bees, and animals acting weird. After Dark is a scientifically accurate apocalyptic horror. You’re tired of zombies rising from the ground for no reason? You don’t believe in ghosts? Glittering vampires aren’t for you? Then you have to try one of the three different stories that unfold in After Dark. When a global pandemic starts to transform people into dangerous monsters, which path will you choose? Will you fight for humanity? Will you stay for your family? Or will you run away in search of a better future?

The In-Between

You’re an introverted college student, studying modern languages at a famous university based in Naples. You live a seemingly ordinary life with your parent and younger sibling, as no one knows the truth about your past side business—a dark, illegal one. You thought you had finally escaped that world, but when your younger sibling falls seriously ill, your only hope is your wealthy ex-lover: an attractive mobster, charming and dangerous in equal parts...

Tell me, which one appeals to you most? 😁

I just have one question...... On the scale of a baseball bat with a nail in it to a 50 cal rifle, how hard are these monsters to kill?

Interesting question but tricky to answer. Being an interactive story, I'm forced to answer: it depends.

Let me start by saying that it isn't even mandatory to fight them, at least most of the time. For instance, if your main priority is to just survive, then you may prefer to hide and avoid any direct confrontation.

However, back to the point. If you get on the verge of a fight, and you do decide to fight, it depends on a few factors:

Your physique. The customization of the main character isn't just flavor text, but has real impacts on the whole game, from the weight of your backpack to the noise you make when you walk.

Your behavior up to that point. If your character behaved cowardly until the end of the game, it's unlikely that they will suddenly prove fearless!

Your secondary skills. These are traits you can earn through exploration or certain choices.

Your relationship with others. Needless to say, there is strength in numbers!

Your insight into what is going on. Understanding the enemy (who, what, how, why…) gives you an obvious advantage over it.

Last but not least, your choices! Choosing the most appropriate behavior for the character will make your life much easier, as will maintaining consistency throughout the game, and (of course) making sensible choices during combats ☺

I know it may not have been the answer you wanted, but I hope you can find it interesting nonetheless!

Oh hey! Your the guy that made After Dark? I played that one while browsing dashingdon and I really liked what u offered so far!

I've been checking occasionally if it would be updated since the last time I played it but it's definitely a nice surprise to see u make a blog for this stuff :)

I haven't played your other story so I have a bias for AD myself, but personally I'm excited to be more up to date with ur projects in general so, thanks for coming 👍

Yes, that's me. Thank you, I'm glad you like it so far!

Unfortunately, After Dark is really complex and time-consuming (it has a lot of side things to do aside from the main story, waaay too many variables, and even just working on the built-in smartphone is... a lot), so it fits poorly with real-life obligations 😂

I plan to release the next update within a few weeks, though!

Roadmap: Next Updates

Here are the dates of the upcoming updates for After Dark and The In-Between! Plus... a little surprise coming soon... 👀

(P.s.: If you already know my WIPs, I'm sorry if updates are less frequent than you would like—I get it, really. Unfortunately, I work two jobs and it's tough to juggle everything. Patrons support is indispensable, so if you can afford it, please consider supporting my literary projects. Thank you! ♥)

[Image description: table with next updates dates. After Dark, chapter 3 day 5, patrons only: 30-31 August, free: 29-30 September. The In-Between, chapters 7 and 8, patrons only: 11 August, free: 24 August. Prologue of unnamed project, patrons only, mid-september/mid-october.]

Progress check - After Dark

The code was a mess, past 40k characters (text excluded: just 40k chars of plain code!) the bugs multiply and if not fixed on time, it becomes progressively more difficult to sort everything out.

In short, I've spent the last three hours just fixing old bugs and fine-tuning the code (ok, actually I could spend days just tweaking it further, but that would be overkilling it…)

It was honestly not much fun, but this means that I can now start writing again! 🥳

You're updating After Dark soon?? Any chance there's gonna be some new ROs?? 👀👀

Max and Divya are the latest additions to the group, and we have yet to get to know them better! The next few days in After Dark will be tougher, as a more horror part is coming… but this also means we can bond more with those around us.

We have officially met all the four main ROs of this route, by the way, so have fun romancing them! ♥

In the current route of After Dark there are four ROs, two with fixed gender, and two with variable m/f gender. However, I'm thinking of changing one of them so that they could be nonbinary. So...

I've read the After Dark thread on the forum and I saw that you talk about the 'autonomy' of the characters...wdym with autonomy? can you give an example please

Man, this is a tough question to answer!

First thing, I want to point out that autonomy can be turned off. When it's on, characters (especially the ROs) behave a bit differently, potentially developing feelings that are different from MC's and taking the initiative in certain situations. Let me give you a couple of examples.

MC can be straight, gay, bi, pan, or asexual. However, if autonomy is on, depending on how MC acts around others, the ROs can still develop a crush on them (even if MC doesn't do anything romantic to encourage it but is just really kind, protective, or things like that). Once MC notices, they can then choose to encourage or discourage this crush. If the RO isn't dissuaded, MC can set clear boundaries later on (even, for example, by declaring a sexual orientation that isn't compatible with the other character's). In any case, if a character is infatuated enough (reciprocated or not), with autonomy on they might even confess their feelings before the MC does!

Another practical example is jealousy. Basically, characters can be jealous of MC if they're developing a crush on them and MC's attention is elsewhere. If autonomy is on, they might voice this jealousy beyond a certain level of infatuation.

So, basically you have a bit less control over the other characters, and their relations feel a bit more alive and realistic :-)

I would have liked to sleep, but at 3:37 a.m. my brain decided to wake me up to implement some restrictions to the encounters in relation to MC malus, and who am I to resist it?

I'm studying the geography of Michigan in order to complete the next After Dark update... Thank you Google Earth and Wikipedia, without you I would be so lost...

Could we have the option of selecting different difficulty levels on After Dark please?

That's actually not a bad idea, but I'll have to think about how to implement it and it will require some development time, so it might take a few updates ☺

Hey friends, I've finally updated After Dark!

It's currently available in early access on Patreon. If you're a patron, you can play it immediately!

I know it’s been a while since the last update, and I want to thank each one of you for your patience and support. This update is a big one, and I’m so excited for you all to experience it!

Here's what awaits you:

A ton of new content — this update brings more than 50,000 words!

New features and enhancements to make the game more dynamic and inclusive.

Improvements and bug fixes to make your experience smoother and more enjoyable.

I'll post a devlog in half an hour, so you can read everything in more detail on there! ♥

About the future: As previously said, moving forward you can expect more frequent updates, with fresh content and improvements rolling out monthly. I'm committed to making this game the best it can be!

[ Patreon ][ Discord ][ Public Demo ]

After Dark's Update DevLog

Hey there! As promised, this update brings new features, some enhancements, and a few bug fixes that I believe will improve your read-gaming experience.

Features & Enhancements

Persistent Memory for Characters: your party's characters will now remember your past conversation topics and answers, making interactions feel more realistic.

Pansexual Main Character: Your main character can now be pansexual, and can now date...

Nonbinary Option for Max: ...nonbinary Max, adding more representation and customization to your gameplay.

Expanded Special Abilities: I've added seven new special abilities, bringing the total to ten. Can you find all of them?

Updated Geographical Details: I've changed some geographical data, including the pandemic's starting location. Additionally, I've revised geographical distances and character speeds for a more authentic experience. You’ll also notice new geographical and environmental details based on real-world U.S. locations!

Improved Conversations: Certain message exchanges with Rain and some conversations with Michael have been revised—now they should sound more natural and relatable.

Enhanced Gameplay Mechanics:

Collectible Card Game (Beta): I've completely revised the collectible card game. It is now in beta! While it's not fully functional yet, you can already...

Card Game with Michael: ...play with Michael, and you'll be able to fight more characters in future updates!

Revised Sun Damage and Sunscreen Mechanics: The sun damage system has been updated, and there’s now a higher skin tone level requiring sunscreen (I'm also working on modifying the sunscreen system to operate on a usage basis rather than by bottles, but this is still TBA).

New and Expanded Mobile Games: The existing mobile game has been expanded, and I’ve added a new one for you to enjoy!

Flavor Text for Name Choices: When choosing certain names, you’ll now see new flavor text to add a bit of fun and more personality to the characters.

Relationship Revisions: I've adjusted the relationship system to enhance characters' interactions and narrative flow.

Optimized Cell Phone Battery Usage: I've also revised the smartphone battery usage, to make it more realistic (and challenging, obviously!).

Bug Fixes

Various Typo Corrections: You know, things like tohse.

Portable Charger Bug: Fixed a bug where the portable charger from Abby's house would not charge at all. Your smartphone should now be powered!

Friendbook Search Bug: Resolved an issue where players could tell Michael he had been searched on Friendbook, even if he hadn't been searched. Now you actually need to search him.

Other Bug Fixes: I've fixed other minor bugs to improve the overall gameplay experience.

Known Issues

Weapon System Bugs: There are still some known bugs in the weapon system that I'm actively working on. I appreciate your patience (please don't use them on me!)

Sunscreen System Update: As mentioned above, I'm still modifying the sunscreen system to function based on uses rather than bottles. Right now it's a bit unrealistic, but I'm working on it!

Thank you for your support and feedback. Whether you have already received it (as patrons) or are waiting for it next month (as free users), I hope you enjoy this update! ♥

[ Patreon ][ Discord ][ Public Demo ]

Roadmap: September-October Updates

So, this schedule probably sounds a little bit crazy, but I'm sure I can handle it! However, always take these dates as flexible, and if there are any hiccups I will let you know via Patreon/Discord/Tumblr as usual. ☺ Patrons support is indispensable, so if you can afford it, please consider supporting my literary projects on here. Thank you! ♥

[Image description: Next Updates. The In-Between Chapter 9: patrons only 10 September, free 24 September; Chapter 10: patrons only 10 October, free 25 October. After Dark Chapter 3 Day 5 Part 1: free 28 September; Chapter 3 Day 5 Part 2: patrons only 30 September, free 16 October; TBA: patrons only 30 October. "H.A." Prologue: patrons only 19 September.]

Hello helloooo! Sorry, I was reading every one of your stories and now I'm with After Dark, I hate you for making every character so loveable! Now I don't know what to do with the romance and the worst of all is... Ughhh

Spoilers

I have a question about Kay because is literally my favourite person and I get the romance stat with him so I was like, super happy for that

BUUUT In your spoiler tag of RO he doesn't appear and I'm going to cry if you dare to kill him, I totally will 😭😭 why I'm always fall for the characters who I will not be able to romance???? If you can and you are Okey with that, can tell me if we can't romance him because he is the aro character or if it's some kind of mistake and you are going to add his ro in the spoiler tag?

I mean, if you don't want to spoiler this kind of things, I would be totally love you if you answer this in private (iirc Tumblr let you answer this kind of post that way, right? Omg I didn't answered anything in this platform in a loong time lmao)

The worst of all is my MC is already in a relationship with Michael, so I was going to start another file but with Kay lmaoo but, cause I don't really think they are going to be okay with MC flirting with two of them right? 😂😂

Thank you so much for your hard work!!! I will continue reading now lmao

Thank you for asking! Since you posted on the forum as well and I can't put a spoiler tag on here, I'm just linking it for anyone else to read 😁 (click on "Explanation (with spoilers)" to read the full answer!)

By the way, about MC flirting with both Michael and Kay... I mean—you could try, but be prepared for some drama 👀🍿

Starting tomorrow, it's going to be three big weeks for my patrons!

First up is The In-Between update, followed by the new Patreon-exclusive next week (which I’m dying to share more about!!), and then the After Dark update the week after that.

I'm totally exhausted but also super excited! (*꒦ິ꒳꒦ີ)♡

hello! just wanted to let you know i found a bug.

it says i have no cigarettes left when it’s actually my most supplied item

Hi, thank you for letting me know!

I looked at that scene and apparently, it wasn't checking the correct variables—it ran a check on the number of pills instead of cigarettes.

It is now fixed, and will no longer cause this issue from the next update.

Thanks again! ♥

hellooo i wanted to ask if when you choose a platonic option at first meeting with any of the ROs does it lock you out from ever being able to pursue a romance with them in the future?

Hi! I imagine you're referring to After Dark? Please correct me if I'm wrong!

That shouldn't happen, but it might be a bit frustrating to miss out on some romantic interactions between one potential start of a romance and the next one. This is because the story tries to follow a realistic pattern of "developing a crush," which usually happens at random but is motivated by something specific (for example, when you wake up the morning after Michael saved your life, if MC is attracted to men, they might see him in a new light and develop a crush on him). If, at that moment, you decide that MC doesn’t have a crush on him, then doing things like sharing food with him obviously won't spark one, but if they do have a crush, then it could strengthen those feelings. The same applies if he does something particularly kind and you realize you're starting to like him, or things like that.

As the story progresses, it becomes harder for a sudden crush to develop, for obvious reasons. However, you’re never completely locked out of a potential romance route, although that could happen based on your long-term choices (including, simply, how you treat the potential romantic interest).

I hope this helps! ☺

Which choice script do you think will be release first? After dark or The in between? It’s amazing how you are able to do the two objects at once, must get intense at times but they are both so far, really good! You can see how much work, love and care for put into them ❤️

Hey! Thanks so much for the compliments. It means a lot to me!

I'm actually working on two and a half projects right now. Tomorrow, I'll be releasing the prologue for Hope Abides, an LGBT-themed Patreon exclusive. It's a big project that I'm taking quite seriously, so it won't have regular updates like After Dark and The In-Between (for now, at least).

Between those two, The In-Between is probably the one I'll finish first, even though it's newer. The reason is simple: it's more of an interactive book than a narrative game, so the code doesn't take me a lot of time. After Dark, on the other hand, took me months of work just to fine-tune the code! The latter is strongly focused on the game-like management experience, where you have to survive, build relationships, and regain control of your future. Every little interaction requires lots of code, bugs pop up all the time, and there's always something to fix or improve... So yeah, The In-Between is the most likely to be finished first! ☺

What would your favourite choice of the games interactive stories be? Would you have a favourite type? Romance, Fantasy etc. and did any of the inspire you with the ones you are currently writing? 😁

Oh boy! This is going to be a long answer, brace yourself lol

Let me start by saying that I have a degree in English literature (in fact, I'm going to do a PhD on it), so reading, in general, is one of the core activities of my life.

As for text adventures, even if not from Choice of Games Ltd., I'd like to mention a few inspirations: my passion first came from the original Choose Your Own Adventure series, and I still remember which numbers obsessed me as a child: Mountain Survival #28, The Dragons' Den #33, and more than any other, Space Patrol #22! (The latter may have also fueled my unhealthy obsession with Star Trek TOS, actually). For those unfamiliar with this fantastic book series, the genres of the three books I mentioned are, respectively, adventure, fantasy, and sci-fi. This gives you an idea of how varied my tastes are...

Later on, I discovered interactive fictions and text adventures. Dude, it was a dream come true. I started with Adventure ('76, never finished it, of course) and Zork ('79, never finished that either… of course. How damn hard were they?!). Then Mystery Mansion ('78), Castle Adventure ('82), and too many, many others. I'm a sucker for Sorcery! from inkle, and I deeply loved Magium (RIP Chris, you won't be forgotten). For my Italian-speaking friends, I also really enjoyed the Fra Tenebra e Abisso series (although its current status is unknown).

But back to CoG-related things. I've read a lot, and I'd probably be faster telling you what I didn't like! As you may have figured out by now, I don't have any particular genre preferences as long as a story is well-written, though horror-thriller stories usually grab my attention more easily.

Important note: I've read a lot of stories and, with a few exceptions, I liked most of them. To avoid writing a too-long list, here are the published stories that really impressed me:

A Crown of Sorcery and Steel,

A Midsummer Night's Choice,

Blood for Poppies,

Blood Moon,

Broadway: 1849,

Choice of the Cat,

Choice of the Vampire,

Donor,

Doomsday on Demand (1 and 2),

Gilded Rails,

Golden Rose: Book One,

Jazz Age,

Lies Under Ice,

Life of a Mercenary,

Life of a Space Force Captain,

MetaHuman Inc.,

Noblesse Oblige,

Paradox Factor,

The Evertree Saga (all four books),

Rent-a-Vice,

Revolution Diabolique,

Siege of Treboulain,

Tally Ho,

The Daily Blackmail,

The Dragon and the Djinn,

The Fernweh Saga: Book One,

The Fog Knows Your Name,

The Gray Painter,

The Grim and I,

The Ghost and the Golem,

The Lost Heir,

The Midnight Saga: The Monster,

The Parenting Simulator,

The Play's the Thing,

The Soul Stone War (1 and 2),

The War for the West,

Tudor Intrigue,

Vampire Regent,

Vampire: The Masquerade (all of them),

Way Walkers: University (1 and 2),

Welcome to Moreytown,

Werewolves: Haven Raising,

Zombie Exodus,

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven.

And now, onto works in progress! There aren’t that many because I barely have time to follow my own (heh…), so here, in alphabetical order, are the ones I'm following with the most interest:

Adoriel's Tears (@adoriels-tears-if),

A Father's Love (@kal-down),

Crown of Ashes and Flames (@coeluvr),

Dawn Chorus (@dawnchorus-if)

Disenchanted (@disenchantedif),

Dragon's Edged (@dragonedged-if),

Elysium (@elysiumcircusif),

Fallen Lights (@fallenlightsif),

For King and Country (@forkingandcountry-if),

From The Ashes We Rise (@kal-down),

Hubris (@hubris-the-if-game),

Kingdoms and Empires (@kingdoms-and-empires),

Return to Misty Cove (@fluorescent-if),

The Abyssal Song (@ri-writes-if),

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - An affair of the heart (@doriana-gray-games),

The Lonely Shore (@thelonelyshore-if),

The King's Hound (@the-kingshound),

The Reaper Watches Me (@thereaperwatchesme),

The Bureau (@thebureau),

The Unseelie (@theunseelieif),

Van Helsing (@vanhelsing-if),

When Life Gives You Lemons (@when-life-gives-you-lemons-if).

Okay, that was… a lot. As for direct inspirations, I don't have any direct ones, but I can say I felt like writing a post-apocalyptic story after reading Doomsday on Demand! Other than that, I guess the collection of narrative, text adventures, and interactive fiction I've read have led me to where I am now.

Damn, it took me hours to write this answer. I hope it's satisfying at least! Thanks for asking ☺