steamberrystudio

[steamberrystudio]

For the LIs who speak multiple languages, what led to them learning English? Assuming it’s not their first.

A short aside on the reality of language and English in this setting.

To be honest, when you think about it logically, "English" in the game is probably as much like modern English as modern English is like Old English.

If they were to travel to an English speaking area of modern Earth, they might not even be able to understand us. I imagine them coming to Australia and just going "Wut's a mozzie?? o.O"

And, of course, English isn't the only Terran language. It's just the one the game is written in because I speak it. And that means the characters speak it. Which gives the impression it's the default Terran language when it might not be.

Like...did Asher grow up speaking English? Did Noel? Neither of them have even been to Earth so it genuinely seems somewhat unlikely. I didn't want to use a "universal translator" like Star Trek because...well...Star Trek. But realistically, without something like that, interstellar communication would be hard (and honestly there's already emerging real-time translation tech so you can imagine that in a couple thousand years, that's way more advanced.)

In the end, Wil says they speak English at the start of the game because I needed a named language to mention so I could easily make it known Wil spoke the same language.

SO BEARING ALL THAT IN MIND...

Most of the people and characters in this setting learn languages out of necessity and most people probably have really good language tools. They probably use a mix of real time translation and naturally picking it up over time.

Realistically the characters speak English because I need them to. It was easier to assume they're speaking some form of English than write the whole game as if they're speaking some other unknown Future Language.

Within the story, they would have learned just because they served on a ship or were part of a community that spoke it and it was easier for them to learn.

Daaz and Gates are probably the only ones who learned it because "Neato! A language I don't know!"

[steamberrystudio]

Asher is so cute. I love that huge grin.

more of @steamberrystudio's cast as girls this one is Asher, who ended up looking like the ultimate babygirl

[steamberrystudio]

I am really enjoying learning about the When Stars Collide MC. A lot of video game MCs are blank canvases for players to paint their head canons on, but Wil is just as interesting as all the LIs, imo. What made you decide to make them part of the mystery for this game? Was there ever a time that you considered a protagonist with a different background?

I don't really write blank slate style characters. Which isn't shade to them - a lot of people really enjoy invisible blank slates, and realistically, WSC might be more popular if it had that style of MC. But there was never a chance of Wil not being heavily involved in the plot. It's the same style of MC character I've had in my three other games. And will continue to have.

It's what I write best, what I enjoy writing most, and it's just something I think we need as much as we need the invisible or blank MCs.

Because, to quote one of my favourite writers, "The optimum is variety." So I think it's good to have a mix of styles of MC characters.

In terms of an MC with a different background...yes and no.

I first had the idea for this story back in like...2012 when I read an article about black holes emitting the lowest note in the universe. I've mentioned before but my first thought was "Wow, black holes sing"...followed by "What happens if you sing back?"

The original story still had Veleians in it but the story actually centred around the ship's pilot and Virtuoso (who wasn't the character Asher at that time).

I set the story down for YEARS but picked it back up again in the middle of working on Gilded Shadows because I wanted to do one more Science Fiction story before going back to fantasy.

It was then that I reworked the MC into a Veleian and made them the focus of the story instead of the Virtuosos. The MC changed quite a bit and the only real hold over from the original story is the inability to speak well and using telepathy instead.

So the answer to your question is technically yes if we're talking about the story from 2012 because the MC did originally have a different background. But after I picked the story back up in 2020/2021, I was pretty settled straight away on the existing MC and their background.

[steamberrystudio]

These are both so great! Wil in the microwave (I almost said toaster. We are just swapping out appliances at this point) and Raif just being cute. Love it!

My first 2 pieces of fanart for @steamberrystudio 's When Stars Collide 🥰

[steamberrystudio]

I LOVE YOUR GAME AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

that is all <3

Ha ha.

Thank you!! o(〃＾▽＾〃)o

[steamberrystudio]

Hiii this isn't really an ask more fanmail - I finally played Kav's route (I'm so slow) and the chapter 7 absolutely BLEW MY MIND! You set that reveal up SO WELL! I was playing through the first part like. The kombucha meme, basically, lol, all 'maybe? no, no. but maybe????' and then! The reveal! Was SO GOOD! And Wil's conflict and Feelings! And then he actually comes to them to talk! And forehead kisses are my kryptonite and--

I am verklempt and you are amazing and I am currently in a friend discord going 'I need y'all to play this so I can SCREAM ABOUT IT WITH YOU' and I thought you should know. Thank you for giving me shrimp emotions about fictional characters (again)!

Thank you!

Forehead kisses are the best kryptonite honestly! They make you weak but don't actually *kill* you, which is always nice. XD

I'm so happy you played it. I hope some of your friends give it a try so you have someone to scream with! 🦐🦐🦐

And thank you for this very kind message too! It gave me a huge smile. 😌😌

[steamberrystudio]

Less an ask and more here to gush....

EEEESSSSHHHH you're so good at what you do!

I started actually with AFT (A Faerie's Tale) and feel in love with your writing and have snowballed from there...

Played through (at the time current) Chapter 5 for WSC then immediately bought GS to tide me over....

Now I'm playing Changeling and OMG!

Your ability to write in numerous styles yet maintain under(and sometimes over)times that make it *you* is amazing and I love it.

You're amazing keep doing what you're doing and know you've got a fan for life and I'm trying really hard to spread the Steamberry love to my friends.

Awww! Thank you for mentioning AFT. That game is really special to me but it doesn't get talked about quite as much because it gets overshadowed by the bigger games. 💖💖

I'm glad you're enjoying Changeling (that one is also special to me, as my first game!)

Thank you for such a sweet message! (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

[steamberrystudio]

On a scale of 1-10, how would the LIs feel about a partner/Wil that’s more possessive and jealous?

I feel like they'd all be a bit weirded out by jealousy to be honest. Jealousy, I imagine, is kind of a strange behaviour from someone who is both and empath and telepath since it usually flows from insecurity or suspicion. And if you literally know someone's feelings and intentions, what is there to be insecure about? I think they'd assume something else was going on.

Possessiveness is a bit different though. On a scale of 1 - 10 where 1 is....feeling negatively and 10 is positively...?

Asher - 10 Daaz - 7 Kav - 6 Noel - 8 Raif - 8 Yren - 5

[steamberrystudio]

When Veleians make music, can they somehow record their voices the way we can? How would they go about releasing music like that?

They can inscribe their voices into data prisms but as Wil states later on, they can't really capture them properly.

I'm sure they have/had an entire entertainment sector that recorded and released music and other forms of entertainment - it's not something I've specifically detailed out other than that it exists.

But the core of the question here is whether they can record their voices and the answer is yes. But for Veleians recorded voices are somewhat lacking so I'm not sure how much they listen to recorded vocals over live performances. It's probably an entirely different style/genre of music on its own.

[steamberrystudio]

I know asks like this are tough because people outside the person who asked don't have full context. I'm sorry. 💖

The Chapter 7 spoilers are just that significant and it's only been a week.

The answer is that no, he didn't help with that. He would have if needed but it wasn't necessary.

[steamberrystudio]

Is this shady past Noel keeps hinting at going to come back at some point?

Um.....yeeees. It does come back but possibly not how some people are thinking it might.

So you'll just have to wait and see how!

[steamberrystudio]

OK I HAVE RETURNED TO COMPLY WITH YOUR DEMANDS AND BREAK UP MY SPICY ASK 😂 how does the wsc cast feel about sexual overstimulation (safe sane consensual, of course), giving and receiving? pretty super please? :D

Answers below...LoL

Giving:

Asher - 8 Daaz - 8 Kav - 3 Noel - 6 Raif - 9 Yren - 1

Receiving:

Asher - 9 Daaz - 5 Kav - 4 Noel - 6 Raif - 6 Yren - 1

[steamberrystudio]

esssh 😂 the ask was specifically about threesomes Not in a polyamory situation. like, purely for sex

Then you should have asked one question at a time instead of cramming a bunch of stuff into one ask and forcing me to choose. *sips tea*

I love answering asks but I can't answer 4 questions per "ask" for 6 characters. And if you frame an ask where it's asking a ton of stuff at once, I'm going to answer the way I want. *sips more tea*

Also, the answers for a threesome are largely similar and, honestly, pretty in keeping with what you'd expect.

Asher, yes Daaz, probably not Kav, no for obvious reasons Noel, probably not but could potentially be convinced. Raif, no for obvious reasons Yren, no for obvious reasons

Lesson: Be specific. Mwa ha ha.

[steamberrystudio]

How would the wsc cast feel about a wil who cries easily during sex? not in a bad way, but in a pleasantly overwhelmed way. would any of them actually find it hot?

I don't think any of them would specifically find it hot. Pretty much everyone would have a pause to check on the MC to make sure everything is okay.

Even down the line, if this was something that happened sometimes, I think they all would stop to check in on this and make sure it's okay.

[steamberrystudio]

HI ESH IM HERE FOR YOUR SPICY SPREADSHEETS >:3 How does each WSC LI feel about semi-public/risk of being caught sex, overstimulation (giving or receiving), and threesomes with strangers or friends (of a purely recreational, sexual nature, as opposed to a polyamory situation)

thank you bye :3

I'm not answering all of these. You can't fit this much into a single ask and get ALL the responses. 🤣

Responses below the cut:

Semi-public:

Asher- 10 Daaz- 6 (I think Daaz is unaware of this but would find himself not completely turned off it) Kav- 1 for reasons Noel- 8 (absolutely will not admit this to himself or anyone else. Raif- 3 (in his defence, he just hates being in public in general) Yren- 2

Polyamory: Asher- He's open to it Daaz- For the most part no. Kav- He's open to it probably Noel- Doesn't think he's open to it but again if something happened very organically with the right people he could fall into a poly relationship and be happy. Raif- For the most part it doesn't sound appealing because of having to deal with emotions from so many people. But you never no. Yren- Not really.

[steamberrystudio]

Aussie Kav is truth.

Discord memes without context

Psst join the @steamberrystudio discord ;)

[steamberrystudio]

More of

@steamberrystudio's WSC cast as girls

Noel <3