doriana-gray-games

[doriana-gray-games]

Can't wait for more jealous Watson- I mean! More 100% platonic moments with Watson ☺️

There may be a few moments like that, anon 🤭

Perhaps.

[doriana-gray-games]

Chapter 6.1 release date ✨

This is potentially a terrible idea, to announce this publically, but I'm trying to have the deadline push me into making sure I prioritise this enough to get it done in time— 🫣

Chapter 6.1 will come out around the new years, on Patreon! ✨🥳🎈

It's not a long chapter, because I've been working on the whole of the ball at the same time. But it's a fun little thing, and a lead-up for grander things! Furthermore, it's to make sure y'all get something fun while you wait for the giant that is the 6.2 update ✨ Many fun W, H, and MC moments ❤️☺️ both romantic and platonic!

I also want to give away a Patreon membership when it launches to one of the Patreon free members! So make sure you sign up!

XOXO

– Doriana ❤️

[doriana-gray-games]

My mc for “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”

Name: Anthony “Sherlock” Holmes

Pronouns: He/him

Orientation: Gay

Build: Chiseled

Attractiveness: very attractive since I like playing pretty mc’s

Romancing: John Watson

Vice: Risk taking

Good With: speed and strength

Bad With: sciences and technologies

Anthony is very friendly and tries to be as helpful as possible. He mainly likes his job because he’s able to go to new places and meet new people. He’s also often shocked when people recognize him

One thing he likes about himself is his eyes and one thing he doesn’t like is the dark under eyes. I’m not too sure how good a job I did with that in the picrew. Also it can’t be shown in the picrew but let it be known he has an ample backside

He just wants to be friends with Gregory but after the incident I think Anthony will try to interact with him as little as possible or just be all work with him

He got the red rose but hamish I’ll be real with you. you don’t have a chance my guy

He tends to mask or hide how upset he is at times but he tries not to with Watson. He’s pretty oblivious about how he feels about Watson but he does know he wants Watson all to himself and he’s admitted to it.

Truly Anthony believes as long as Watson stays by his side he’ll be fine. Also the scene where Watson comforts Sherlock after telling him about the interaction with Gregory was amazing. I may be aromantic but it’s so much fun to read romance stories.

Kinda feel bad for anyone who has to deal with Anthony and Watson because Anthony is so oblivious to his own feelings but won’t shut up about how he always needs Watson there to function properly and gets distracted by Watson so easily

When Anthony gets upset he just shuts down says as little as possible and tries to leave the scene as fast as possible then he’ll just mask to try to hide how upset he truly is until he’s either alone or if he’s with Watson

He likes birds very much and named his bird “pearl” he wanted to name her Watson but wasn’t allowed to

He may be pretty oblivious but he’s very experienced because of his desire for knowledge

Quick fuck you to the guy who dumped Anthony after he got bored with him

Also I believe for the ball I want with a peacock suit. It was between peacock and Zeus but felt drawn to peacock since Anthony likes birds

Again I may be aromantic but I truly do enjoy romance stories and this game has been such a good one. The customization, characters, and story are so good. I am interested in seeing more of the mystery since mystery genres are also another favorite of mine. I think I replayed this game about 3-4 times now or so. I have a couple save slots to replay my favorite scenes

The picrew I used for Anthony

[doriana-gray-games]

[doriana-gray-games]

hi dori! I saw the patreon post from the other day and idk if you can actually respond to this here anyway since it’s on patreon but- I fear I am very slow and I did not realize shade was being thrown to Sherlock until I saw someone comment about it- what’s the shade? Is it for Sherlock pursuing H?

It’s W shading H and their fanzines ✨😌

[doriana-gray-games]

What would Watson hate more: Adler's treatment of plain Sherlock or Adler's treatment of attractive Sherlock?

👀

You really hit the nail on the head there, anon. Watson couldn’t possibly choose, because if Watson heard any of it, Watson would have an aneurism.

😀 Watson would punch someone out of they heard the worst things Adler can say.

[doriana-gray-games]

What's New In IF? Issue 24 (2024)

By Brij, Dion, Bex and Jen

Now Available!

Itch.io - Keep Reading below

If you read the zine, consider liking the post: it helps us see how many people see it! And sharing is caring! <3

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~ EDITORIAL ~

What’s that? A surprise you say?

If you’ve read our last Issue carefully, you might have registered that we are brewing up a surprise! Read Announcements to find out more.

We want some feedback!

As we’re starting to get a hand of things, we would love some feedback from you guys! What you enjoy, want more or less off, how we could improve... Anything goes! We even have a nifty form!

Still looking for members!

Due to the severe changes in the Zine team, we are once again looking for free hands with a couple of hours to kill, and minds, looking to make a little difference in the community!

If you too would like to help us out in a more official capacity, please shoot us a message! You can check out the available positions here, but if you’d like to help in any other way, feel free to contact us as well!

No Small Talk for some time!

We hope you enjoy this new issue!

BRIJ, DION, BEX AND JEN

~ BE PART OF THE ZINE ~

THIS ZINE ONLY HAPPENS WITH YOU!

Want to write 1-2 pages about a neat topic, or deep-dive into a game and review it in details? Share personal experiences or get all academic?

WRITE FOR THE COLUMN!

Prefer to be more low-key but still have something to share? Send us a Zine Letter or share a game title for Highlight on…!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Excited as we are about next week's interview and have questions for our guest? Or want to see a certain author answer questions next? Message us!

SMALL TALK... IS WAITING!

Came across something interesting? Know a release or an update announced? Saw an event happening? Whether it's a game, an article, a podcast… Add any IF-related content to our mini-database!

EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS!

Contact us through Tumblr asks, Forum DMs, or even by email! And thank you for your help!!

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~ EVENT SPOTLIGHT : ECTOCOMP 2024 ~

La Petite Mort or Le Grand Guignol? Either way, it’s going to get spooky!

Ever since October 2007 spooky-game enthusiasts all over the world have a chance to participate in ECTOCOMP, an annual competition for interactive fiction celebrating the SPOOKY MONTH OF HALLOWEENTOBER. Whether you celebrate Halloween, Day of the Dead, All Saint's Eve, or just love ghost stories and creeping people out, this is your time to shine!

Previously organized by Jason Guest for ADRIFT games, the jam is now open to all development platforms. Since the beginning of this initiative, there has been a motivation to unite and strengthen ties between international communities in the IF world. Creators can submit games either in one of the four main languages - English, Spanish, French and German or any other!

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Ghostbusters. Named after the Ghostbusters’ car license plate number ECTO 1, this year the jam pays tribute to the film that inspired the title! Some other subthemes and inspiration prompts are: Spooky adventure, Sweet supernatural, Halloween fest, Día de Los Muertos, All Saints', All Souls' Eve and any other festivity or mythology around the world.

As per tradition, Ectocomp has two categories:

La Petite Mort, for those who want to speed-write their game in 4 hours or less.

Le Grand Guignol, for games that, for whatever reason, took longer than 4 hours to write.

When the jam is over, all of the submitted games will be uploaded to the IF Archive.

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~ ONGOING (VOTING) ~

The voting for IFComp is still in full swing! Until Oct 15, you can play and rate at least 5 of the 67 entries! Yup, only just 5 games to be an official judge!

Entries have been submitted for the 6th Spooktober Annual Visual Novel Jam! You can vote for your favourites until October 27th! Every October Friday you can also watch Chizu's sponsored Spooktober Stream where she plays through all submissions!

~ ONGOING (SUBMITTING) ~

Another edition of the Bad Art Visual Novel Jam is upon us! The submissions are open until October 19th for anything following the theme Super Hero/Super Villain. Just remember: No good art!

Find inspiration in dusty old decrepit corners, revivify the forgotten - the Revival Jam 2024 is here! You can submit anything you want until the 20th of October.

Strip IF to it’s bare bones and all it become beautiful text. That’s what The Bare-Bones Jam is about.

It’s spooky month and with it comes the annual ECTOCOMP 2024. If it’s spooky or supernatural why not submit it?

Running until Halloween, the Phantasia Jam is a three months game jam to create a fantasy narrative game, with the theme of “Hidden Magic”. It accepts both VN and IF.

On the CoG Forum, Halloween is already there! Until Oct 31st, you can submit your projects to the Halloween Jam - but don't forget the theme! VAMPIRE, Murder, 70’s Disco!

~ OTHER ~

The Interactive Fiction Showcase is still running! If you have completed an IF piece this year, consider submitting it! It is happening only on itch!

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~ NEW RELEASE ~

Room 310: The Awakening (ZX Spectrum) is now available for all ZX Spectrum fans and text adventure enthusiasts.

Sigh of the Abyss (Steam) is a dark fantasy visual novel with choice-heavy narrative and optional, inclusive romances. Play as the Envoy, a product of a bloody ritual and discover the splendor of a Renaissance port city.

Under Care of the Forest (Ren'Py) is a VN about a young witch bride chosen for the Lord of the Forest. Available in English and Russian.

Kingdom of the Seven Stones (Commodore 64) is where thee, the curious stranger, have the chance to enter the realm to embark on a journey of epic proportions.

As always, don't forget to check out the submitted entries to the events mentioned in the previous pages. They deserve some love too!

~ NEW RELEASE (WIP) ~

Help! I Got Isekaied as a Lamia (Twine) is a story where you discover that you have been isekaied not once, but twice. @succubus-interactivefiction

In In The Future You Are My Best Friend (CScript) you take a place of a medieval slave, who is rescued by a time-traveler who claims they share a deep bond.

Nightmare Blunt Rotation (CScript) is a comedy themed IF that focuses on online relationships and how it effects real life perception. @app-ifs

Sabbatum Sanctum (CScript) is a story set in Philippines where you play a former vigilante who decided to turn on a new leaf after taking on revenge against your biggest adversary.

In Talewarden: Riders of the New Day (Itch) you wake up on the desolate wasteland planet called Notoria with no memory of how you got there. Perhaps you will find your way back home... Or get stranded here.

~ UPDATES ~

Chains of Destiny (CScript) added extra content to Chapter 2. @chains-of-destiny

College Tennis: Origin Story (CScript) released Chapter 5 for Ko-fi supporters. @collegetennisoriginstory

Help! I can't find my Glasses! (CScript) added new content to the demo. @lacewing-if

Midnight Bay (CScript) released the first half of Chapter 3. @midnight-bay-if

Orphic Love (CScript) released Chapter 5.

Ouroboros (CScript) released Chapter 2 on their Patreon. @louroth

Path of Martial Arts (CScript) added extra content to their public and Patreon demos. @nicky-if

Pythium.exe (CScript) added content to their Prologue. @deputyrook

Spire, Surge and Sea (CScript) added Chapters 5 and 6 to their demo.

Starways Saga (CScript) updated the Naval path.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (CScript) created a Lestrade minigame. @doriana-gray-games

The Bar of the Abyss (CScript) added The Archive to their demo. @thebarontheabyss

The Catalyst (CScript) released part 1 of Chapter 1 to their demo. @rheaofficial

The In-Between (CScript) released early access to Chapter 10 on their Patreon. @dalekowrites

Weeping Gods (CScript) released Chapter 1. @jcollinswrites

Summoner's Return (Twine) added new content to their demo. @king-of-fae

Tales of Wocdes: The Silver Protector (Twine) added Chapter 2 to their demo. @tales-of-wocdes

The Ballad of Devil's Creek (Twine) added Chapter 7 to their demo. @devilscreekballad

The Gray Ascendancy (Twine) added extra content to their demo. @thegrayascendancy-if

The Reaper Watches Me (Twine) added Chapter 2 to their demo. @thereaperwatchesme

Viatica (Twine) added Chapter 10 to their demo. @fir-fireweed

~ OTHER ~

The Retro Adventurers podcast released Episode 8, where they take on two classic text adventure games - Swiss Family Robinson 3 and Valhalla.

Drew Cook released let’s make IF #12: formatting and forgeries, where he walks us through the process of making Inform 7 games!

The VNture Podcast released episode #119, where they discuss unusual conflicts in Visual Novels.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse has released a new DLC: Those Who Refuse to Die, the book and both DLCs are on sale until October 17th.

You can now play demo Innsmouth 22 thanks to Early Access.

~

As always, we apologize in advance for missing any update or release from the past week. We are only volunteers using their limited free time to find as much as we can - but sometimes things pass through the cracks.

If you think something should have been included in this week's zine but did not appear, please shoot us a message! We'll do our best to add it next week! And if you know oncoming news, add it here!

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~ MAYBE YOU NEXT? ~

We did not get a submission this week. But if you have an idea for a short essay, or would like a special space to share your thoughts about IF and the community...

Shoot us an email!

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~ HIGHLIGHT ON ~

A couple of games that we thought were cool.

Aquarium by Harris Powell-Smith (itch.io)

First episode of a very intriguing story about dating cute guys and secrets. There’s also Thanksgiving (episode 2) and the unfinished Valentine’s (episode 3).

//recommended by Dion [Team]//

Your favourite game here?

Do you have a favourite game that deserves some highlighting?

An old or recent game that wowed you so much you spam it to everyone?

Tell us about it! And it might appear here!

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I don't think you guys know how i literally wait for these issues. I always find something really good i haven't heard of or that i didn't know updated.

Thank you so much. This always puts a smile on my face. You guys are awesome! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

- @elegantunknownphantom

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL! WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD, OR EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN...

Have something to say? Send us a message titled: Zine Letter!

Everyone’s favourite holiday is upon us, and as a celebration, we in the WNIF team decided to make the next two issues HALLOWEEN THEMED! What does that mean? Aside from a slight graphic change, we will be adding a recommendation section - something of a larger version of the Highlight on... section you’re already used to.

But for that, we will need your help! Is there a game that you love that just screeches "Halloween!" at you? Share it with us and we will include it in one of our Halloween double-issues so all our other readers can check it out as well.

We even have a form for it!

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As always, huge thanks to all you readers who liked, shared, and commented on the last issue!

What might be tiny actions are huge support and motivators to us!

Thank you for cheering us on this journey

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We now have a Linktree! Accessing all of our links has never been easier.

See you again next week!

BRIJ, DION, BEX, JEN

WHAT'S NEW IN IF? 2024-ISSUE 24

[doriana-gray-games]

Can we get more douchestrade

One day 👁️👄👁️

One day we will.

[doriana-gray-games]

Honor Bound: Guard students and secrets at an elite school!

Steam | Google Play Store | Choice of Games on Android | Choice of Games on iOS | Choice of Games on Amazon | Webstore

Protect an exclusive boarding school and rebuild your life after scandal as a military bodyguard for the children of the rich and famous! Return to the world of Crème de la Crème, this time as a military officer in the Republic of Teran.

Honor Bound is an interactive novel by Harris Powell-Smith where your choices control the story. It's entirely text-based, 595,000 words and hundreds of choices, without graphics or sound effects, and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

You've built a promising career in the Teranese military, a force which has not seen major engagement in decades but which holds vast influence. Thanks to an injury, you're no longer in the field. Thanks to the complicated (read: scandalous) circumstances of that injury, you've been quietly reassigned as a bodyguard for the teenage child of a famous scientist. This should be an easy assignment: your charge is at boarding school in the wilderness, an exclusive sanctuary where the children of the rich and powerful become artists and scientists of the future. The school sits close to your own hometown, so you'll be familiar with the area. Finally, you can recover your health and get your career back on track.

But danger is closing in, and peril can come from inside as well as out. What secret projects are your colleagues pursuing in the dead of night? What is your commanding officer not telling you? Bandits lurk in the wilderness—including one of your childhood friends!—and natural disasters constantly threaten the fragile environment. And then there's the danger to your heart, from the complicated feelings that come from returning to your birthplace, and from adjusting to the new reality of your life. Can you really go home again?

Build a warm community and bond with your colleagues, or impress everyone with your aloof competence. Chase ambition to receive glowing reports and get your life back on track—or become such a disaster that only bandits will tolerate your presence. Or, just maybe, you will have to risk it all for the sake of doing the right thing.

Play as male, female, or nonbinary; cis or trans; gay, straight, or bisexual; asexual and/or aromantic; allosexual and/or alloromantic; monogamous or polyamorous.

Customize your age: play a junior officer in your 20s, a mid-ranking officer in your 30s, or a senior officer in your 40s.

Befriend or romance a severe military officer; a bold, easygoing outdoors expert; a determined and overworked priest; an earnest but scatterbrained fellow bodyguard; a childhood friend turned disgraced bandit; or the anxious, serious widowed parent of your charge.

Pet the dog, the cat, or both.

Meet the main characters of Crème de la Crème, Royal Affairs, and Noblesse Oblige, and find out what their lives are like now!

Shape the school life of your teenage charge: encourage her to make friends or sabotage her rivals; let her slack off or push her to achieve; and get caught up in boarding-school drama.

Unearth and thwart shadowy schemes—or join in the scheming for your own gain.

How far will you go for ambition, duty, and your country?

Steam | Google Play Store | Choice of Games on Android | Choice of Games on iOS | Choice of Games on Amazon | Webs

[doriana-gray-games]

The Devil On Your Shoulder Update

Hey everyone!

I've been offline for a bit dealing with this bullshit we call life in 2024, but I wanted to let you all know that I just submitted – literally 2 minutes ago – all 10 chapters of The Devil on Your Shoulder to my editor.

After she does her thing, beta testing will come next. The game is now officially in the pipeline.

Thank you all so so so so so so so so much for your patience and continued interest while I struggled to write this beast of a thing. I'll have more updates for you soon! 😈💜

[doriana-gray-games]

I can't WAIT until the Ball scene, where Lestrade will BEG for my Sherlock attention and she will (very VERY stubbornly) ignore him until something happens. What i mean to ask is if this will be possible to do. IM UP IN THE WALLS IMAGINING THIS, THANK YOU

Possible-ish. (But Lestrade’s involvement / necessity increases depending on how well you handle the ball…)

Buuuut. You would lose a pretty interesting romance scene at the ball if you entirely ignore them completely 🤔

Which might be sad 😢

[doriana-gray-games]

Hey! I was just looking through the code of your game and my goodness........

I am sorry…

(Never look behind the curtain.)

Ye…

✨😗 magic ✨

Or, more likely, a software engineering background and a comfort with chaotic environments.

It becomes easier if you take it one step at a time. But if you’re referring to the dress up part, ye, tbh it took a while. I hope it will allow me to make some better outfit referencing in ch6.2.

It’s not really complex, as much as it’s… a lot.

I don’t recommend that system.

If you want a dress up system, the one used in ch3 for the everyday outfits is better.

- a few types, with colour variations.

- some booleans to help you trigger the right text flavour, and voila ✨

That’s usually enough for most people in most situations.

[doriana-gray-games]

They? Will we be able to choose Mycroft's gender? Or are they the same gender as Sherlock?

Ohhh, no sorry! Mycroft uses he/him and is a man! (For all MCs).

My brain sometimes just defaults to they/them when talking about people, especially with regards to this game 😂

😀 I do it in the code too. And it sadly does not make my coding process easier.

[doriana-gray-games]

Will we meet Mycroft? Will he keep a lil picture of us like how we can keep a lil picture of him? 🥺

Awww ☺️ yes! You will meet them!

But it’s later in the game.

🤔 hmm. A picture? I imagine them having a picture of you perhaps on their desk. Sort of like that Simpson thing:

I think you’re on their mind a lot. But I don’t think they remember to show it. They send you letters quite often. Little things you might need. Or want.

I think if you want to meet in person, mc might have to be the one to suggest it 👁️👄👁️✨

[doriana-gray-games]

The new Patreon demo update is out now! It adds over 30k words to the word count (which in total is now around 150k words long). In this update, you can meet all of the ROs and:

possibly receive a couple of gifts—how nice!

chat with your bestie and gush about recent events

ask them a question or two (if you're curious)

enjoy even more gifts—you're truly blessed!

[doriana-gray-games]

Thoughts on mc's that have headcannon use of mobility aids? Canes, wheelchairs and the like?

🤔✨ might be tricky, as the game might feel like it contradicts it, with some things mc does or if W’s condition is brought up with no mention to MC’s, etc.

But other than that, if you can look past what might be immersion breaking, then feel free 😌 Not that y’all need my permission, but HC away.

❤️❤️🥰 I hope it works out for you, anon!

[doriana-gray-games]

lol this is a really random question but if you have seen the Netflix Scrooge animation do you think young Scrooge looks at all like any of the characters?

I had not. And I just googled it and… I see what you mean…

W:

H:

L: