The script for Wicked Willow has been completed and I'm nearing the coding phase.
I wrote an article explaining the key differences between the two projects. Check it out!
Since I'm creating a new visual novel (Wicked Willow, if you haven't already checked it out, please go do so!) I thought I'd give my thoughts on the most common tropes of the medium, its strengths and weaknesses, and how Wicked Willow will be different.
Visual Novel Common Themes Newcomers to the genre will immediately notice that Visual Novels tend to have a lot in common with anime (for more on this, watch this excellent video on what VNs and Indie Comics can learn from each other.) VNs, beyond just sharing a Japanese-inspired artstyle, are also often about high school teens, have slice of life presentations, and tend to focus on a small main cast. Very few visual novels tend to have complex plot branches, those that do often have a "puzzle" feel where your "goal" is to find the right sequence of what to say. This is most prevalent in "dating sims" where dialogue trees and affection meters turn love into a puzzle to solve. Wicked Willow will be a departure from all of these trends. It has a more Western art style, though the artist, MaterArsenic, is from Uruguay. It has a college, rather than high school setting, which is a deceptively large shift. It does not have a slice of life feel, instead it will have a dark, serious story which explores painful emotions and complex moral dilemmas. Wicked Willow does not contain stat meters or puzzle conversations. Instead, it has a complex multi-path plot where every choice can feel impactful and valid. And no, Wicked Willow is not a dating sim. Love is something that develops naturally, over time. Yuri Storytelling Tropes Since there will be several queer female characters in Wicked Willow, I wanted to briefly talk about some of the tropes of Yuri as a genre. Yuri generally means lesbian content in anime, manga, or visual novels. I like the genre, but it does have a few tropes that I try to avoid. One of the common themes is the "interfering male." Often, a relationship's only threat is that of a homophobic male authority figure or a jealous boyfriend or would-be boyfriend. Placing the conflict in the story onto a male character with no redeeming traits feels lazy and unsatisfying to me. Another issue is having the lesbian elements be all subtext, a close friendship with innuendo but no actual romantic content. Content like this is sometimes called "queerbaiting." Wicked Willow will not place the conflict onto the shoulders of villains. Instead, there will be no villains - only different characters with different perspectives, with whom you can agree or disagree (but you can't make everyone happy.) And the LGBT aspects of the story will not be subtextual. Instead, they will take center stage, as the characters navigate the complex pitfalls arising from their identities, their magic powers, and challenges of the early 90s. Creating Meaning in Interactivity The interactive experiences of most visual novels either act as puzzles (see above) or merely as window dressing to the (mostly) linear story. Even in games that have really great interactivity, the player's ownership of the consequences of their actions is limited. For example, in Life is Strange, the interactive moments are both puzzles and a way to experience Max's powers firsthand. They are a part of storytelling. But they don't really give a player a sense of ownership of the story. Most of the choices don't have any impact at all - actually, just one choice at the very end decides everything. So there's little meaning in that part of the game, and for me, no replay value. I liked the storytelling of Life is Strange, and I think the way they presented the interactive moments as form of immersion was very clever. But in Wicked Willow, I want to create a story where meaning arises from the player's choices. Each time Willow has a choice for how to use her powers, it will profoundly alter her world and her place in it. And the player has to take ownership of her actions (or inactions) and the consequences that arise. This branching story, along with a mystery that slowly is revealed the more paths you play, will (hopefully) create a more meaningful experience. What are your thoughts? What story elements are you most interested in seeing in Wicked Willow? Let me know! Wicked Willow, my new visual novel, has just gone live on Kickstarter. Go check it out!!
Wicked Willow is a visual novel experience that will make you question everything. What is right and wrong? Who can you trust? What are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your aims? Your friends? Your true love? Every spell has its price in Wicked Willow. Want to use your magic to play Robin Hood, stealing from a dishonest bank to help the poor? If you get caught, going to jail will be the least of your worries. Try to escape with a magic potion? It might have transformative side effects. Even letting your imagination run wild can create trouble. The wait is over! Prisoner of Destiny, our expansion to The Pirate's Fate, is available on Steam now. We are having a launch discount of 25%, so now is the time to explore this all new path to the story. What would have happened if Mila had volunteered to stay behind at the Cursed Coast instead of Darious? Find out in this all-new path in The Pirate’s Fate - Prisoner of Destiny. It’s an adventure that pushes Mila and the crew into uncharted waters. What price will you pay for escaping the dungeon? Will your long-lost friends remember who you really are? This 20,000 word expansion includes new friends and enemies, more transformations, unique romances, and two new epilogue paths! Right now I'm working on finishing up an expansion to The Pirate's Fate. It is an entirely new path, with new journies, transformations, and more. After that, I'll be able to make an announcement about my next game. Stay tuned, it's going to be amazing!
From November 26-December 3rd, all of my Amazon KDP ebooks are just 99 cents!! You can use the story sorter to find what tickles your fancy, as I've got about 40 ebooks with just about every transformation topic you can imagine - weight gain, age progression, muscle growth, gender change, personality/sexuality shifts, and so much more. If you are a longtime fan who has thought about buying, well, now is the time, as these books are usually $3-5.
Thanks so much for your appreciation and your support. I really am so happy that I can make a living through writing and game development. Speaking of that, I do have some new projects in the works. I have an expansion planned for The Pirate's Fate, as well as a few new ideas for games and books bouncing around in my head. Hopefully, I'll be able to make an announcement on that soon. Note: if you do not have a Kindle, you still read Amazon ebooks online through Amazon's free Cloud Reader. P.S. A few of my books outside the KDP system (mostly, my illustrated books) are not on sale since they are not Amazon exclusive and only exclusive books can participate in these types of sales. Sorry about that!
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The Pirate's Fate is a finalist for the Game Development World Championship's fan favorite award! They hold a public voting, which means it is up to you to help us win. Please vote for The Pirate's Fate here, and share this with as many people as possible. We are honored and humbled by both the nomination and the amazing support we've received from you, our fans. Thanks for making this possible. and if all goes well, Volkenfox and I will be headed to Finland for our award!!
And, of course, if you haven't played the game, you should check it out on Steam! The Pirate's Fate has launched on Steam!
Come sail the Pirate's Fate! Experience the twists and turns of Mila's emotional journey as a member of the Dread Pirates. Prepare yourself for an intense visual novel experience featuring mirth, action, romance, philosophy and many transformations, with over three hundred choices within its branching plot paths. Can you protect everyone you care about? Can you collect all the coins, scattered to the ends of the Earth? Can you complete the journey without losing yourself in the process? Let me know what you think of the game in the comments! |
AboutT.F. Wright is a game developer and bestselling author. They focus on topics like magical transformations, celebrating alternative forms of beauty, flipping traditional gender roles, and LGBT themes. T.F. is also available for commissions. Categories
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