childrenofcain-if

[childrenofcain-if]

Your so funny, please don't go bald

lord, kindly take all these bald curses from etsy coming my way and send them to @whentherewasatime-if 🙂‍↕️

[childrenofcain-if]

after all the blood, sweat and (a lot of) tears, i’m happy to announce that i’ve finished writing chapter four! i was able to touch grass after a long time and let me tell you, there’s nothing like the petrichor hitting your olfactory nerve after days of sobbing over the draft you have.

while i am pretty happy with the end result, i’ll now start editing tf outta this doc because i know damn well that my sleep-deprived brain made many mistakes. i also love ending my chapters with a cliffhanger so y’all gotta be prepared for that, just so you know. aside from that, i just need to double check the music, the colour codes, the pronouns, and the american & british english.

i’ll start outlining the details of chapter five soon so i’m not stumbling blindly into it. having talked with my amazing coder, alby from @albywritesfiction, we’ve estimated the game will be updated around the end of august or early september 👀

anyways, that’s all for this week’s progress update. i’ll be rolling around outside for a bit more before i get to editing because i earned it. y’all better stay hydrated and take care of yourselves or imma show up as your sleep paralysis labubu 🫶🏻

here’s a sneak peek of pessimistic + arrogant MCs being way too real for once:

[childrenofcain-if]

Helllo! Do you have an if suggestions of any kind? Just something with romance ofc

HMMMMMMM >> (I only did ones with demos at the top and no demos at the bottom ^^)

@untitledrockstar-if which they can't save your love from dying? I think that is what its called. OMG OMG... R, I hate love you sm and THE ROS, hehehe... I love MC as well, I need them.

@suevi-if which they have suevi and I played it two weeks ago, obsessed. I need the ROs (all of them mostly Ing but shhh) and Bellamy is so kind so !

(A LOT MORE UNDERNEATH THE BUTTON)

@woesoftheirwretched-if which they have woes of their wretched, is this based, no (half and half) but I like horror and dark content !

@whentherewasatime-if surprisingly I liked it (I wasn't sure because I was half asleep and really tired and wanted to catch up on IFs, pearl sent me and I woke up and was like damn.)

@darkfictionjude all of their games, at first, just a bit confused with EC because I was a bit dumb but replayed it and fell in love with it. I love their IFs.

@parasitical-if which they have parasitical and I love it, gosh golly gosh ! (I need august) I love and remember playing it but not actually playing it so it felt like a dream for some reason... (that was hard to explain like I played it before but never did ?)

@debtofdeception-if which they have debt of deception and I love A... pathetic loser sighhh~ I NEED more, yum yum ! Also love the MC, I need them as well and I love our child so much, sick child </3

@infamous-if not really hard to explain this, love it. I love all the ros, love the side pieces, love my best friends, love everything and I always cry while playing it (it hits hard ? maybe but its sad and awesome to me)

@velvetalliances-if which they have Velvet alliance and I love court drama or just courts in general. I love the characters' names, its so interesting.

@one-foot-in-if which they have one foot in and I just played it not long ago, I like it so far ! I didn't play for long since I did have to do something but I should continue playing it !

@cosmic-writes-if which they have a game called stillwater which is interesting ! and I played a little bit and it was AMAZING (I am now realizing how many IFs I stopped playing since I had to go to bed, do something... I should get back to playing them on the weekends or some days)

@pressplay-if which they have press play and I legit cry while playing because I love it so much and its sad for me.... how embarrassing ... ANGEL and NVM ALL THE ROS !!

@parasitic-if which they have parasitic and I love the theme of the blog, it looks like seaweed (the background color of the blog) and I NEED the bodyguard and Engima lowkey !

@1966-if which they have 1966 and I AM IN LOVEE with the concept, like ahh ! I need that idea, I should've had it/j but cool game so far.

@pavedinashes-if loved this and the ROs are interesting to me, I at first was a bit iffy about it because it didn't catch my attention but pearl told me to play it and it was golden.

@thewoodshungers-if I only played until chapter 2 since I was busy and I must say I want the knight and the witch hunter like come on, need them.

now for ifs with no demos...

@glitzglamgunpowder-if can't wait for it !

@crescendo-if can't wait again for this, I :D

@sipthegossip-if this sounds interesting from when I read the intro like back then and still can't wait for it.

@bluebellstollstudio market, market, and a market.

@cosmic-writes-if is on here because of another game that they have but no demo which is called sanctum ??? but dark fiction !

@galactic-idols-if this made me watch kpop demon hunters with pearl lowkey and I liked the movie, the songs were interesting and good !

@neondreams-if apparently there's a deadline so I guess they won't be here on this list for long huh ?

@custody-if I can't wait for this and this has been in my mind also I like the goth RO, I wanted more goths... should've added a goth baddie in this IF ....

@nsh-if I liked how the blog looks and pearl founds it interesting so I have hopes as well !

@thesecond-if love it, low-key need father Isaac and HIM also Jonah...... I love the writing so far ! (in the asks that they answered) and I can't wait for It

okay, okay I GOTTA STOP...... its a long list !

[childrenofcain-if]

Neocities references for IF authors who want their own site

this is a sorta reference guide- i am by no means an expert, but here's how I'm doing it

My index page (the home page) is built off of sadgrlonline's layout builder, edited to only have the header image and navigation bar. dead simple and very easy.

Twine automatically gives you an HTML file when you export your IF's and you can fully just slap it in neocities and it should work right away.

My layout is made to be very simple, but, if you want a more involved site, there are plenty of different layouts out there!

Neocities gives you 1GB of space to work with, with an option of upgrading for more space.

[childrenofcain-if]

Steam, Itch.io and the banning of explicit and LGBT+ Content. What can we do?

[All images in this post have alt/id text if you need it or want to copy paste anything]

With no warning, Itch.io, a site where many host their indie games, comics, books and more, has started purging and shadowbanning explicit and LGBT+ works. Creators got no warning. And if they were still owed payouts from these works, Itch.io is saying they won't give them their money as they 'broke the rules'. Rules that were only just set in place, with no warning, and therefore no way for creators to try and draw out their money or delete these 'offending' works before they got banned under the new rules.

So Itch.io has been the most recent to fall to the demands of a group that's been contacting Visa and Mastercard and convincing them to threaten sites/businesses with 'stop selling what we consider to be explicit content on your sites of we'll stop allowing your site to have transactions with Visa and Mastercard'. Steam folded, and now Itchio has too. And a reminder earlier this year Gumroad also stopped allowing explicit content, further back than that Patreon banned some kinks and fetishes even if it's depicted in fiction not real life, and I don't have to explain to you guys the great Tumblr explicit content ban of 2018.

And as always remember this doesn't stop with sexually explicit work as LGBT+ stories and people are often labelled as explicit and already we're seeing works being taken off Itch.io that are about LGBT+ and especially trans stories. Other non-sexually explicit works I've seen already getting shadowbanned, delisted or deleted are SFW games featuring furries/anthros, SFW dress up games (because when you take the clothes the model is nude), and the aforementioned SFW games that include LGBT+ characters and stories.

I'm compiling here information I've seen around various social medias, mostly Bluesky, because I haven't seen all these things shared over here.

I don't personally have explicit content on itch, but I had been considering one day selling things on there and I do currently have explicit content on my Patreon, my main source of income, and am terrified that Patreon is going to fold next (if anyone knows alterative for hosting audio content behind a paid subscription service please let me know so I can start maybe making a back-up in case the worst happens). Because for me personally if Patreon goes next, it's not like I can go out and easily get another job. Not only because in general finding and getting a job is difficult enough, but I'm autistic and have chronic pain and have been constantly getting sick or new pains over the last few years and don't feel safe being trans in the UK right now and all of that combined rules me out of a lot of jobs and makes me feel unsafe to apply to any. I'm so grateful I've been able to make a community around my work, but if Patreon caves next and I just leave my SFW posts on Patreon... 10% of my Patreons are signed up to the SFW tier, 90% are signed up to the explicit tier... I know if Patreon caves I will go from someone living comfortably who's searching to move out of my parents so I can live in a safer environment to someone who can no longer even afford the rent I pay to my parents. I'll try and get an alterative found and set up in case that happens and I can only hope you guys will follow me to whatever other site I have to set up... but it feels unlikely that people will get a whole new account on a whole new payment provider just to support me on a website they might never have heard of...

But what can we do right now?

A petition you can sign (international but you do have to give your name, email, and postal/zip code):

Get calling:

Mastercard (US): 1-800-627-8372

MasterCard (UK): 0800 964 767

Mastercard (International.): +1-636-722-7111

Visa (US + Can): 1 800 847 2911 / 1-800-VISA-911

Visa (AUS): 1 800 125 440

Visa (UK) : 0800 891 725 or use their international call collect +1 303 967 1096

Visa (International): (call collect - it costs them $): +1-303-967-1096

PayPal (US): 1-888-221-1161

PayPal (UK): 0800 358 7911 from landline, +44 203 901 7000 mobile

PayPal (International): 1-402-935-2050

(numbers gathered from these posts X X X )

Don't know what to say on the phone? Here's a script written by timidtanuki:

Creators have had their work removed off Itch.io with no warning and since it's been removed for 'breaking the rules' (rules that were suddenly in place with no warning) they aren't entitled to get their payouts. Just like other sites such as Youtube and Twitch and Etsy, Itch.io hold onto money from their users in a wallet and then give them payouts. So there is money creators have made, are owed, that Itch.io is not giving to them.

People are recommending that if you still have works on Itch.io to turn down the revenue sharing to 0% so that Itch.io no longer takes a cut or your money if you no longer want to support Itchi.io finically but don't want to remove your works from their platform. X

Other Bluesky posts and calls to action I've seen:

radiantg.bsky.social is asking for anyone on Itch.io who got their game deindexed, removed , or payouts turned off to reach out to them (espeically if you make explicit and/or LGBT+ games) for a piece of journalism about what is happening.

sleepyhard.bsky.social is making a threat of all the games that Itch.io has censored/removed from their site search function. Obviously be aware this will include 18+ only games, games with sexual content and other dark or heavy themes.

thetransfemininereview.com wants you to reach out to them if you're a trans creator on Itch.io who is being affected by this so they can make an accurate report. they say 'authors' in their post and I'm unsure if they also want game devs to reach out.

dropdownbear.bsky.com wants you to reach out if you have purchased things on Itch.io that you can now no longer access because of this ban. they can include them in a report being filed with the Australian Consumer Commission as this may be a violation of Australian Consumer rights. If you are Australian you can no longer access things you purchased of Itch.io you can report directly with this guide.

It's a scary time for adult creators and sex workers. It's a scary time to be trans. Support creators. And if anyone knows of any alternate payment providers that allow explicit work, and/or alternate websites to Itch (and in case things get worse, also give me Patreon alternates please) where people can host, sell and/or offer paid subscriptions to writing, images, videos, audios, games and more please leave them in the replies. And please help share this post, the posts I'm linking too, and any other resources you can find.

Minors DNI. Ageless blogs DNI. I want resources and help but I don't reply to this post or follow this blog if you're under 18, this is an explicit blog and not for anyone under 18.

[childrenofcain-if]

tia jonsson ; gifs

[childrenofcain-if]

my shaylas and gaylas, D’s scenes are now completely written and with that, i’ve finished the RO moments in the bacchanalia. i’m very happy with the progress and spent some time editing all the party scenes because my dumbass always mixes up past + present tense and british + american english.

next on the list is the final scenes leading up to a cliffhanger that i can’t wait to type away for. this has been one of the first moments i’d thought of while coming up with this story, and for that reason, it’s also very exciting. while i’m a bit apprehensive if i’ll able to put the ideas and outlines i have properly onto paper, it’ll be good practice for me if i need the thriller aspect to shine through.

also for those who were asking, i’ll go back to the scenarios grind once i finish up with chapter four and take a week long break because my back and hands are about to give out. i know a lot of you miss them—if the amount of asks enquiring about them are of any indication—and i promise to provide you sustenance after the next chapter is out.

anyways, that’s all for this progress update. y’all better be staying hydrated and taking care of yourselves and touching grass once in a while. hopefully the next progress update is me rejoicing that i’m finally done with this chapter.

for the sneak peek, y’all can have MC aura farming as soon as they enter the bacchanalia party:

[childrenofcain-if]

one thing about bold MCs is that they will lovingly give C heart palpitations and also make them explode in a mess of confused feelings.

[childrenofcain-if]

i’ve finally finished the scenes for the first day of classes. my ass was not having fun with the lecture but i tried to make it as passionate and interesting as possible while also not spoiling anything for future events. additional scenes based on ♡ points are also added, though this chapter is more focused on building up to the bacchanalia.

speaking of which, i’m now getting started on writing it and finishing up chapter 4. thank fuck i have an outline on what i want the passages to look like, though i’ll probably edit some things based on the mood that the scenes end up taking. the ROs will be back again (we clapped and we cheered) but the next heart event probably won’t be showing up until chapter 5 or 6, hopefully the former.

anyways, i’ve yapped enough. hope y’all are staying hydrated and having a good day!

[childrenofcain-if]

Are we still going to have an orgy in the bacchanalia?

what happened to hello? how are you? my name is? what happened to that?

but yeah, there’s still an orgy that MC can choose to either join or pointedly ignore it all lmao. this chapter will be ending on a messier note than i initially planned so i’m getting pretty pumped to write that part.

[childrenofcain-if]

13 fuckin books to read and analyse?? No thank you, I will simply be passing away

I didn't even have to read that many books in the four years of me taking an English elective 😭😭😭😭

yale truly isn’t for the weak 🙏🏻 and to think that this is just one course, there are five more left to torture MC. and trust me, they aren’t any less brutal 💀

i’m also thinking about adding some actual multiple choice questions during exams so y’all can answer according to what you know. though i’ll probably end up adding a cheat sheet for those who have no clue what are the right or wrong options.

[childrenofcain-if]

MC’s overachieving self is either quaking in fear or thriving with these reading materials for the mandatory course they have in the first semester:

[childrenofcain-if]

free yourself from the shackles of word count y’all

saw some posts about how IF writers need to free themselves of the shackles of long word counts and honestly, I agree. some of my most favorite published IFs are 180k words long without code. that's an average chapter for some on here which is impressive and amazing for readers but telling a story in less and having it make an impact still is also incredibly impressive to me

[childrenofcain-if]

ABOUT THE MAJORS

after a lot of opened computer tabs and me strangling myself while trying to curate the first semester subjects + syllabus for each major, i’ve decided to drop off a few options from the pre-med section because:

a lot of them have almost the same required/elective subjects (including laboratory classes)

i’m unable to give my full attention to them all, which will make individual classes and exams feel repetitive and underdeveloped.

most importantly, for the sake of my own dwindling sanity.

also this may be a bit of a downer, but MC won’t be taking any major that an RO is in. although, if you’re lamenting about the fact that you won’t ever see your love interests in a classroom setting, there will be mandatory classes/seminars each semester which will be attended by the freshmen ROs.

as for D and M—who are sophomores—i’ll be adding extra scenes in band and hall settings to give them all equal footing.

i hope this news isn’t too disappointing, i wanted to be upfront about it before just slashing away some options without any warning.

[childrenofcain-if]

after 62 google doc pages, i’m finally done with the flashbacks for W + their heart event as well!

ngl, it was so much fun to write because it gave me a lot of room to develop the relationship between them and MC before the summer of 2017 happened. i’ll need to do a lot of editing to remove needless exposition and fix spelling + pronoun error, but this draft is looking pretty satisfactory for now.

next, i’ll get started with writing about MC’s first week at class, which will also include the tryouts/auditions for the extracurriculars they’ll be participating in. this will take me the longest time because there are so many branches and i fear i’ve cornered myself with the variations 💀

the future beta readers are going to be a tremendous help with this chapter, and i’m already dreading the mess they’ll have to read through. either way, that’s something future axel will deal with.

i hope y’all are staying hydrated and taking care of yourselves 😡 alright, imma go touch some grass now.

as always, little sneak peek for W’s POV in their heart event:

[childrenofcain-if]

me: okay so i’ll wrap up the flashback and W heart events in less than 10 pages so i can move on to the classes and other stuff for the chapter.

also me: *ends up writing 40 google doc pages for the flashbacks alone*

[childrenofcain-if]

writing the flashback scenes for W and seeing what an unhinged menace little MC can be when they see their best friend being bullied...

W is already down bad at ten years of age after seeing MC beat the absolute shit out of someone who badmouthed them. it’s not getting any better when they’re both older.