After Dark - Tumblr Posts

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 ☺

Do you personally play After Dark or just make characters to test the story? If you personally play it, could you share the personality of your MC and who they have as a love interest? ❤️

Yes! Thank you for asking this!

So, I do at least one complete run each update, just to make sure everything works as it should. Of course, I also test different characters, but my canon one resembles me a lot (yeah, I'm that type of player, don't judge me pls).

My MC is usually a gay guy who matches my physical description, he's smart and loves literary subjects, but I don't place much importance on his family relationships. His 'malus' trait varies a lot because my health sucks anyway, so one is as good as another lol

He's inquisitive but not at the expense of other things. On the first night, he might open the window, but when Michael advises him not to look while walking during the first day, he asks why and then follows the advice. He keeps Rain talking for as long as needed (even at the cost of his phone battery), agrees to see him right away, and comforts him whenever he can.

He's always kind and appreciative of what others do for him, never lying or pretending. If he can share something, he does it. He helps Abby when she needs it, and even though he's not the bravest of the group, he researches and reflects on what's going on, offering advice and asking for others' opinions.

...and of course, he has a relationship with Michael, because if this were a D&D game, Michael would be the Paladin, and I, as a player, am pretty predictable :P

Thanks again for asking! Can I ask what your MC is like? ☺

Do you have a timeframe of the after dark and the in between will be finished? Or are you just going with the flow? I read and re read both of them they are very interesting and had me hooked!

Hi, thank you for asking! I'm glad you're enjoying them ☺

"In theory, I have a timeframe for both, but to be honest, I’m re-evaluating the composition of After Dark (three separate routes in the first book from the start). The writing and coding for it is really complex, especially considering the multitude of side things you can do with the phone, the collectables, the individual scenes with RO characters, and so on.

For The In-Between, the situation is a bit simpler because it’s more of a novel than a game, but there are still some things to consider when you add interactivity into the mix. To give you a practical example, the original story up to this point consists of 17,747 words. The IF version consists of 27,606 words! So you can imagine what I mean lol

There’s a bit of personal ranting after the cut, so if you’re not in the mood for various unnecessary complaints, you can stop here! ♥

Also, over the past few years, I’ve had a string of bad luck, one thing after another—losses, health issues, bureaucratic problems. It’s been a real mess, and I’ve had to juggle all of it while constantly working (at least) two jobs, earning a degree, and taking extra university courses. Honestly, I’m surprised I’ve managed to get... even the little that I’ve accomplished done, lol. Things haven’t really improved much (I have degenerative health issues, so it’s not like they’re going to get better), and I won’t have any more free time with the PhD and everything. But mentally, I feel stable enough to keep working on my projects. I just hope I can finish them before the next family tragedy, or at least find the catharsis I need through writing.

Sorry for the unnecessary personal rant, but I think it did me good to put it in writing, so thank you for giving me the chance to do so! ☺

Hi! I read about the difference between the novel and the if version of "in between" and the difficulty to translate the gay-man-in-the-closet's challenges to introverted-mc's challenges, and it made me wonder did you ever thought on a MC-asexual path? I'm personally both demiromantic and demisexual, and there can be similar challenges, for example the pressure to date or have sexual encounters with people in which there isn't any interest in, because it's normal to have that kind of interest (especially sexual). Obv it's just a suggestion! I totally get if it's too much, especially since you've already have the demo, and since the asexual spectrum is quite wide! PS: I love your story and I'm running off to read the new chapter! ❤️

Hi! Thanks for the question ☺

In this particular story, it would get a bit too complicated because MC has had (and will have) romantic interests that are part of the plot. So, for my own sanity, I decided to make them allosexual.

However, I’m working on two other projects! One is After Dark, a post-apocalyptic horror where you can choose for MC to be asexual (though that’s more of a secondary aspect). The other is Hope Abides, a drama/modern-historical/management game focused on an LGBTQIA+ main character, and it also explores the challenges of being asexual (or aromantic, or both).

I’ve only published the prologue for Hope Abides so far, and it’s a Patreon exclusive for now. I know it’s not exactly what you were hoping for, but I promise I’m doing my best!

I'm so hyped for After Dark 3.5.2 update (in early access from Sept 30). I can't wait to complete Day 5 because things will only keep going downhill from there, and honestly I'm here for the drama lol

I just realized that because of some variables, with the right stats and a certain amount of randomness, there is 2.5 percent chance for someone to have very little to read from the After Dark 3.5.1 and 3.5.2 updates. Two whole updates and a particularly lucky (or unlucky?) person could miss almost all of their content. Honestly hilarious

Part 3.5.1 is now free to read for everyone!

Remember that you can read the devlog here ☺

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 ]

The monthly early access update is here!

This update brings about 11,000 words, with the second part of the fifth day of the journey.

DevLog

BUG FIXES

Fixed an issue where the dialogue incorrectly stated that MC was eating with others, even when they didn’t have food or didn’t want to stop to eat.

Fixed a bug affecting one of the mobile games that would conflict with the phone battery.

Fixed a bug related to the phone battery not charing in some situations.

Typos fixed.

IMPROVEMENTS

Improved the memory system tracking events related to MC's party—now they'll remember previous conversations and any shared info.

Added a way to retry some particularly bad choices in the previous part (3.5.1) without starting over.

Added the possibility of random connection failures when accessing the newspaper.

Reduced the amount of weight that can be carried.

Simplified some rolls for luck checks in various scenes.

NEW FEATURES

Added a new achievement related to in-game actions.

Implemented a soft save system—currently only available in select scenes, but to be expanded in future updates.

KNOWN ISSUES

Closing and reopening the menu without progressing in the story partially undoes the actions performed in the menu (especially on the phone).

I'm still working on the 3.5.1 known issues!

Patreon pledgers can now play it here. Enjoy! ☺♥

[ Patreon ][ Discord ][ Public Demo ]

Some questions about After Dark that I received today on Discord!

Q: Does an MC's sibling not exist if you don't choose them at the start? A: The standard family is MC + parents. If you choose for them to have a sibling, then sibling it is! Q: Do we have the choice to check out the locked mall mentioned by Rain? A: No. Q: So still no saving the parents? A: No. Q: The nightmare scenes are implemented already or not? I don't think I'm triggering any nightmare scenes A: Not yet, but they will be implemented very soon!

For After Dark, I wonder if in a timeline where MC was bitten (or somehow contracted the disease), how would the cast react to that? OR! Would there be a chance that one of the casts be bitten and the MC has to choose with the group whether to kill them or simply let the bitten one leave?

What an interesting question! I can’t reveal if that will actually happen in the game, but I can tell you how the group might react!

If MC were to get infected...

Michael:

It depends on the relationship, but he’s the group's paladin, and he believes the greater good should prevail over the individual. He would opt to kill MC, but if they were close friends or in a romantic relationship, it would lead to A LOT of drama.

Abigail:

It depends on whether her baby is alive or not, because if her baby is dead, she's much more cynical. In general, though, she has a strong maternal instinct, which would make her hesitate and wait until the last possible moment.

Rain:

Their response would be a lot of "FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!" and in the end, they'd probably follow Michael's lead. If they were in a relationship with MC, it would turn into full-blown panic, with them scrambling for increasingly unrealistic solutions until they have no choice but to face the inevitable—and then they'd fall into despair.

Divya:

She would want to kick everyone's ass and find a cure on the spot, especially if she's in a relationship with MC. She’d probably clash with Michael and would get some support from Abigail. Abigail would then comfort her once it's all over, but despite understanding the logic of it, she’d likely hold a grudge towards everyone.

Max:

They'd cry.

If it were another group member... MC's behavior would obviously depend on their character, but their decision would create some friction or alliances:

Michael:

He would try to reason with them, even resorting to force if necessary. If it were Michael himself who was infected, he would ensure the group could move forward without him, pass on all useful information to Kay, Abby, and MC, and then he would kill himself.

Abigail:

She’d be torn because of her strong empathy, but if she were the infected one, it would depend on her baby's fate. If her baby was dead, she wouldn’t have a problem killing herself.

Rain:

He would vote to kill the infected person, but if they were the one infected, they'd probably try to hide it from the others.

Divya e Max:

Their situation would be a bit more complex. They'd likely prefer to leave the group together rather than let one of them get killed or abandoned. If someone else were infected, Divya would vote to let them go, and Max would do the same.

After Dark question again! If an MC romanced Michael and then tried to romance Rain, would the two confront MC about it? Somehow, there's appeal to breaking both their hearts 😈

There is nothing like that in the story yet, but you can always try. There is no telling how they will react in the future 😏

After Dark question again! In route #1, I got the achievement for meeting all of the characters of that route. I was wondering if these characters (the main cast, I call them), will be the only interactable characters of said route?

Hi! No, it refers to your group's members, the same people you can find on FriendBook. It just means your group is complete, so any future interactions with new characters won't lead to long-term additions to the group :)

I'm gonna getcha! Let me eat your tears, child! 👹

Heights, heights, how tall are the AD cast?

Michael: 17 years old, 180 cm (5'11")

Rain: 16 years old, F 165 cm / M 172 cm (5'5" / 5'8")

Abigail: 25 years old, 167 cm (5'6")

Divya: 16 years old, 153 cm (5'0")

Max: 15 years old, AFAB 160 cm / AMAB 165 cm (5'3" / 5'5")

MC's height depends:

Very short, AFAB 147 cm / AMAB 150 cm (4'10" / 4'11")

Short, AFAB 155 cm / AMAB 160 cm (5'1" / 5'3")

Average, AFAB 163 cm / AMAB 173 cm (5'4" / 5'8")

Tall, AFAB 178 cm / AMAB 180 cm (5'10" / 5'11")

Very tall, AFAB 190 cm / AMAB 198 cm (6'3" / 6'6")

Just came to say I died from thirst unu, I WAS JUST TRYING TO NOT GET MY SLEEP TO LOW!! ಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ (I reached this before meeting Rain)

I am a good little kid who listens to the game they had been playing non stop for 3hs

Thank you for bringing this to my attention! Sometimes bugs are a little tricky, so I always need to check this kind of death scenes.

Questions, questions:

Were you getting your MC to drink water? If so, how much?

Did you save and reload this game before you died?