#but i think i've finally settled on an outline that i'm satisfied with

[justworthlessreblogs]

Waffleverse finale... soon... YYYYIIIPPPEEEEE!!!

soon... no promises on when it's going to actually come out but i really want to get it done by the end of august so it doesn't have to get put on the backburner thanks to school!

[itsu-saragi]

Devlog #6 - My Brain Hurts, but When Does it Not?

Good timezone! Sorry I'm late with the update, but the good news: we're so back. I've finally settled in and have resumed my work on this blasted project.

Writing

I reviewed my notes and decided to do another pass on the love interest character.

Ngl, he's really fucking hard to write. Usually, I can imagine how my characters act and speak pretty well, but this guy... this guy. I'm still struggling to get a grasp on him.

I wonder if it's because I'm creating him for a VN? Or maybe I'm just overthinking?

Actually, let's talk about this for a brief moment.

I'm someone who loves creating original characters. Just this past month, apart from this VN I made two other OCs for some DnD games, and that came easy. So in comparison, why has this LI-creating process been so hard for me?

Well first, it's worth noting that there's a specific method to creating characters in DnD. You pick your race, class, background, et cetra... And those selections in turn inform who your character may be. Does your character have the Soldier background and high intelligence, but low strength? Well, maybe you could interpret that as your character being a military strategist, but with little combat experience. Those rules allow for creativity within the limitations. On the other hand, I'm trying to create a character in my own homebrew world, plus there's no RPG system, so I have fewer constraints which can make my indecisive ass suffer.

Now that I think of it, it might not be a bad idea to try turning him into a DnD character...

I'm getting off track.

Anyway. Though I said there are fewer constraints when creating a VN character, I'm not totally correct there. It's just that I feel there's a different set of requirements that are more... challenging. At least to me.

You see, when I create characters I don't typically construct them with a greater purpose in mind. I just want to make them a cool little creature, and if there's an existing world or story I'll modify them so they make sense in the lore. I’ll add their shortcomings so that they have room to grow, but in a collaborative setting like DnD it’s not guaranteed that my character will go through their arc, nor do I know how that arc will play out, so it’s not my main focus.

But when creating this VN, I've realized that not only does this character need to be interesting and appealing, but I also need to give them a complete arc while simultaneously fitting the narrative and theme. And maybe more stuff I'm not aware of. These constraints aren't mechanical, they're more... structural.

I'm not sure if that's the right word. But it sure as hell made my head spin.

I don't know what the solution to this is other than keep drafting and iterating. Maybe it's turning them into DnD characters.

It's a fun challenge to think about though.

Programming

On another note, after weeks of dreaded avoidance, I finally cracked open RenPy again. And turns out it didn't suck, so yay?

I've added more scenes and choices in my prototype, which is satisfying to see when I run the code.

I think my next challenge is figuring out the scope and the UI. The scope can only be determined by working on the narrative outline so... I should probably prioritize that.

And on the days when my writing brain isn't working, I should tackle some of the UI. Hearing other devs talk about how annoying RenPy UI can be gets me a little nervous, but I guess it's time to find out for myself.

October Goals

Try to get this love interest character locked in holy shit

And if possible, figure out scope, if not try UI

Thank you for reading! I appreciate it.

[coeluvr]

Crown of Ashes and Flames— Update 18/11/2022

Since there is no demo I'm going to try posting updates so you know I haven't left this to rot.

It was a busy week but that means I finally have clarity on things!

The Prologue is finally done with editing (there's one bit we are still iffy about but we will get there) it has ~10k words without code as it is only the intro to the story. I'm still unsure on if I want to release the prologue by itself or not as it is quite short and probably not as satisfying to play.

I've been messing around with the javascript and css of the game and have finally managed to settle on the overall look of the game! Yay for me because I went through multiple looks and wasn't satisfied with many. There are still things I'd like to tweak so I'd say it's 80% done. It's kind of hard coding and all these when I don't have a laptop and work on my phone but I will be just fine (hopefully).

I've written a bit more about the world and its people, I have a soft spot for side characters so I've been fleshing them out and trying to write the journey they will go throughout the story. I think the background stories will help the story be more fulfilling.

Not sure if anyone remembers my idea of scattering journal pages through the palace for MC to find and to add to the codex, if you do then I'm happy to say I finally figured out who will be the character writing them and I love the idea because it's kind of funny to me. I'd love to share but you know how it is.

With the Prologue being truly done I can finally move on to writing chapter 1 without worries. I have it outlined but I want to go into more detail so I don't have to try figure things out mid writing.

Now that the updates are done, I'd like to know what you guys think. Should I release just the Prologue first? What else would you guys like to know? Don't forget my Asks are always open!

Thank you for your patience 💗 it's been insane how much attention this story has gotten I'm truly thankful to each and everyone of you!

[atrial-ofhorror-if]

So....

I've been gone for a minute 😅😅. Lol, life has reached PEAK stress and I'm honestly blaming Mercury Retrograde idc, idc 👏🏿👏🏿.

Life Stuff

Ive been SOOO busy with work! The months of July and August, I can say that I wasn't able to write as much as I would have liked to. And typically, we can consider that as like a break, but the problem was of course, work chewing me up.

(I am starting a new job, hopefully soon BUT I think for the first 5 months it's going to be very intense, and then hopefully it will smooth out and settle itself. Fingers crossed 🤞🏿🤞🏿). With that being said, I'm trying to get this update out before I start because I really don't know how much time I'm going to be able to allocate to this project.

Writing Updates

So as of today, I have around 22k+ words written for Episode 1 AND Intermission 1. I like to hop around when I write so I've been kinda jumping around to different scenes and filling those out.

Overall, I would say that I'm not even 1/18 of the way finished. Like most of the word count is associated with "To be Well" Route and its due to a lot of branching options. I'm trying to figure out a way to better organize the document so that I'm not getting confused in what I'm putting down, but I still haven't found an organization style thats sticking 🥴🥴

The good news is that I've finally finished outlining the entirety of Episode 1. I didn't like how To be Well was plotted out, so I scratched that re-did it. And then for "Search and Destroy", I've been re-assembling the chapter outline and am satisfied with how it looks. The only section that hasn't been fully outlined is the Intermission. However, I do have the basic plot points I need to touch on. As soon as I get done with both routes I can focus more on developing the chapter outline for that.

Other Stuff

Working on the RO guide. That will be released alongside the next update, only because the current version doesn't have much RO interaction. Besides gratuitous flirting with Tama, and him playing hard to get. Also we can't forget SPOILERS. Cause they're gonna be DEEP in that doc 🤭🤭

I need to put up the summary/Intro post for Mabaroshi. Like its written, and I know what i wanna do with it. But the summary i have for it, doesn't bring me joy (Marie Kondo, please help me 🙆🏿‍♀️🙆🏿‍♀️). When I'm at least half-way done with Episode 1 of ATOH, which FEELS like it won't be for a while. I'll be able to focus on reshaping and editing the summary.

Other than that~ I don't really have much else to report on? Of course my asks are always open. I'm gonna be slow to responding tho, so please give me grace y'all 🙏🏿🙏🏿. Anyway, I love you all, stay safe 🤎🤎🤎

[justfandomwritings]

Gosh, I just reread United in fear today and its so good, last time i read it was 2 years ago(maybe 3?) it was still being updated back then, so today I read part 5 for the first time and its so good, your writing is so good.

Just the reader begging infront of Tywin, uffff that scene almost made me cry, it was just so well planned and written. Is there any chance for an epilogue? I got so much into the story I just wished to know how they both finally settled down, but really ofcourse no pressure, this is just a request, I am just so happy that I remembered the story and got to read all the 5 parts together for the first time, it was such an amazing experience, thanks!

Thank you so much dear! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

I'm not really considering rejoining the GoT train and adding a chapter to United in Fear any time soon. As the story developed in my mind, I realized that that was a good stopping point for the series because when I went to write an epilogue I realized the Stark and Lannister story in that universe didn't end there. There was a lot more to it, and I couldn't write an epilogue cause the story wasn't over. I had to choose between making the story 5-8 more chapters or pausing it at a moment where it seemed to end and readers would be satisfied. So there isn't really an epilogue to give you even if I wanted to because the story isn't over.

But if you or anyone else is interested I could tell you what happens next in my mind. I wrote a scene between Lady Catelyn and the reader once, and there are bits and pieces floating around my drafts but not nearly enough to piece together a chapter and it would take several chapter to tell the story I would want to give you if I were to actually commit to it.

So under the cut, I've written a timeline (just the plot outline, not an actual story) of what happens after the end of United in Fear. This is, again, just the plot so it doesn't have any of the cutesy character development scenes of Robb and Lannister falling in love that I would've interspersed. You're welcome to take it or leave it as you wish.

Rob and Lady Lannister get married at the biggest and tensest wedding in Westerosi history at Harrenhal.

At the wedding, Catelyn confronts Lady Lannister and tells her that she will now be a Queen, and as a Queen she will need a Queensguard ala Queen Alysanne. She offers Brienne, who is willing to do this because Catelyn has ordered her to.

Lannister refuses. She's polite and respectful about it, but she doesn't want someone serving her who is more loyal to Catelyn. Lady Lannister gives her Lannister-named children to Tywin as wards after the wedding. Jaime and Cersei are there, and it's clear Cersei isn't happy about this. She never like Lady Lannister as a half sister. She hates that her children get to inherit the Rock when it could fall to Joffrey or Tommen by birth order. Her kids are more Lannister than anyone anyway and they just don't get to claim it.

Tyrion asks to go with her to the North and live in Winterfell. Tywin agrees. He makes it a condition with Robb that both of his children in the North be considered advisors to the King.

Lady Lannister insists Tyrion stay in line. She needs a friend now more than ever, and he was there for her through everything when no one else was. Tyrion promises to change to help her, his only true friend.

Lady Lannister's personal guard is chosen to be the Mountain, at least for now. He will have to return to the West at some point but in the years Lannister is establishing the people's trust, Tywin wants the Mountain guarding her. This makes Cersei even more bitter that her protection was never given this priority.

Months pass in Winterfell with interspersed scenes of the men not trusting her, lords being rude to her when Robb isn't around, people generally trying to break her.

They never do. She never complains to anyone but Tyrion, not even Robb. She won't let him stop the lords bullying her because she doesn't want them to think they're winning.

Lord Umber is the first to break and begin to trust her. She saves one of his nephews lives with some quick thinking when he's lost on a trading run to Skagos. It's not that she's particularly proved herself as a Northwoman, but she IS a Lannister and owns one of the most fertile trading ports in Westeros, so she knows a lot about ships by virtue of being trained to be Lady of the Rock. Her knowledge saves the boy. Lord Umber falls, and the rest of the lords fall into line not long after.

Peace is shortlived. Nonexistent.

It's her children's first name day. Tywin is bringing them north to her to drop them off for a month's visit. The day they're supposed to arrive, no carriage appears.

The next day, she's panicking and is sending out scouts and ravens left and right.

Before she hears back, two riders, alone with no banners, appear on the horizon. She recognizes the horse at once and opens the doors of Winterfell despite Robb's protest.

It's Jaime and Podrick. With a child strapped to each of their chests and another on Jaime's back.

What ensues is a heartbreaking scene of family and loss. Jaime had left King's Landing with Joffrey's permission to come escort the children and visit her and Tyrion. Their carriage was set upon not far North of the Twins. A whole battalions worth had gone against their measley 40 men. Lady Lannister is clutching her children in her arms as Jaime tells the story.

Someone was trying to kill the babies. Jaime had slaughtered the mercenaries them at the expense of the rest of the guard. But he'd recognized a face in the crowd.

Gemma's son, a Lannister puppet and heir to the Twins, had been in the crowd of attackers.

Lady Lannister knows this can only mean one thing: Cersei.

Gemma would never plan this on her own, but Cersei was always her favorite.

Lady Lannister asks the most painful and obvious followup question: 'Where is he?'

Tywin was supposed to bring them.

Jaime reaches in a saddle bag and pulls out Tywin's red sash, marking him as the commander of the Lannister forces. It's stained in a darker red that is so clearly blood.

Lady Lannister slowly, calmly, hands one of her children over to Catelyn, Sansa, and Tyrion respectively. A sign of how far her relationship with the Stark family has come.

She takes the sash in her hand and looks over at Robb. Robb knows what she's asking. She's asking because they're soulmates. Not because they're married. She would never deign to put herself beneath a man, more his equal. Robb knows he can't take this moment from her even though he wants to hide her away in a tall tower and protect her; he knows she would never forgive him if he did. So he nods.

She tells a servant to fetch her other cloak.

She strips off the warm, practical, plain fur cloak she's been wrapped, so common with House Stark. And she lets it fall in the snow. She begins tying the bloody sash around her waist, ignoring the stains rubbing into her light blue dress.

She pulls off a pin from her dress that is a variation of the Hand of the King pin, and she bends down to pin it to Tyrion's coat.

She turns to the rest of the watching lords on Robb's counsel and tells them that it has been an honor to know them and that she hopes she will see them all someday soon.

Then the servant returns with her cloak. Her red Lannister, personal sigil of a roaring lioness. Robb puts it on her.

The Mountain arrives with their horses. He knows when he's needed. Robb kisses her goodbye and promises to follow with what forces the North can spare. It won't be many in the wake of the last war, but he will do what he can for his soulmate.

As they ride off, Brienne turns to Lady Catelyn who tells her to go follow them, swear her sword to Lady Lannister as she was refused to do months before.

Lady Lannister rides to the Rock. Gemma has defected with the Twins, but the rest of the Riverlands are firmly Stark and therefore reluctantly Lady Lannister. Lady Lannister also categorically has Kevan and the rest of the West who are adamantly opposed to the murder of Tywin.

Jaime is reluctantly a member of her side. He cannot forgive Cersei trying to murder her own blood, and he will never forget that Lady Lannister is the one who saved him while Cersei did nothing to try to free him from Robb. He'll never forget which of his sister's cares and which one pretends to. It's hard to turn on Cersei but he keeps reminding himself of Tywin's death and of the men she sent to kill the babies and the fact he would've been collateral damage too.

Robb arrives with a couple thousand men, mostly from House Stark and Umber. Lord Umber has come as well cause he's grown to like the spitfire Lannister. It's nowhere near the force that's turned out enraged by Tywin's murder in the Westerlands, but it helps. (For all his faults, Tywin was a good and fair leader, an asshole, but he kept the money flowing and everyone prospered. He never lived in a way that made anyone think him a flippant lord, and he had respect from even commoners. So his death amasses a large soldier population even in the wake of war).

Lady Lannister has all of the West, chunks of the Riverlands, Robb's men, and some houses in the Crownlands mostly those who backed Stannis and now have an uncertain future.

Cersei has most of the Crownlands and all of the Stormlands, but Dorne and the Reach are holding out on her despite Oberyn and Olenna being in the city.

House Dayne, her mother's house, sends a letter of support to Lady Lannister. She asks them to talk to the Martells on her behalf. She knows they'll never back a Lannister, and she does not mind in the slightest. She just wants to ensure they don't back a Baratheon-in-name-only, who is also really a Lannister. House Dayne thinks that keeping Martells out of a Lannister vs. Lannister fight will be easy. They tell her to be careful though because something is brewing with Doran.

Before much of the war unfolds… Daenerys arrives on their shores, changing everything. The War of the Five Kings gives way to the War of the Three Queens.

Lady Lannister doesn't want the Iron Throne. She wouldn't mind it to be fair, she thinks she'd do the job, but what she really wants is revenge. And she's heard the rumors: dragons. It's not worth the fight.

She calls a conference with Daenerys. She doesn't want a repeat of the Field of Fire.

She agrees that, if House Stark and the North remain independent, the houses under her control bar House Stark and House Umber will all bend the knee. Including House Lannister, provided one of her children sits in House Lannister.

Daenerys is, as she was in the show, disinclined. Robb however is not Jon. And Lady Lannister is not Davos.

Things have gone slightly differently in Essos, and Barristan is there. He advises Daenerys to hear the Starks out. They are nothing if not people of their word, honorable to a fault. And anyone mated to a Stark at the very least has their people's best interest at heart.

Dany is reluctant and says why should she hear out a Lannister, sibling of Jaime who killed her father.

Lady Lannister says 'We are not our brother's sins.' pointedly about Viserys. And then adds that she thinks what Jaime did was right. Not honorable, but right. Those are two different things. He saved more lives than he took that day. 'If I was that mad, I would not fault Jaime, or Robb for that matter, for taking the power to murder innocents out of my hands.'

They're frank with Dany. She's got the power of a conqueror but not the heart. She wants what's best for the people, and the North is so different than the rest of Westeros that what is best for them is a Northern leader, a Stark. They're too different and too far way to be ruled effectively by anyone else. Lady Lannister asks Daenerys if she wants a repeat of the Field of Fire. Because the North frowns on Bran for kneeling, and Robb won't subjugate his people after they've just won their independence. She will have to be a Mad Queen and burn them all alive. They would sooner die. Not because Daenerys doesn't deserve respect but because she isn't a Stark.

Daenerys asks if this is when Lady Lannister tries to proffer one of her children or Robb's siblings to be her new husband.

Lady Lannister spits out that her children are not for sale like broodmares. That they will marry their soulmates or marry for love. They will not be forced upon like I was, like Robb almost was.

She's never talked about it with Robb, and he's surprised but pleased and happily agrees with this statement.

Daenerys is impressed and more willing to hear them out. They talk for a long time about the North, why and how it is ruled by Starks.

Lady Lannister asks Dany's forgiveness but says that it seems like Dany is fundamentally lacking an understanding of the regions of Westeros. It is her throne by birth, but she has never lived among its' people. She calls this her home, but it isn't really. What she needs are allies who understand Westeros, not enemies. She wants to rule the people, not beat and burn them into submission.

Dany introduces them to her dragons. They're both mildly terrified, but Robb and Lady Lannister hide it well. Dany is somewhat impressed by this as well. She tells them they'll talk more later.

Dany comes back after much consult and asks one question. What of the usurper Cersei.

Lady Lannister asks that she get to spill Cersei's blood. 'Whether you think my father deserved what came to him or not, Cersei only killed him on her path to murder my three babies. Rumors tell me you might relate to a sibling trying to kill your child.'

Seeing themselves in each other, Lady Lannsiter and Dany agree to terms. The North and only the north, not the Vale or the Riverlands, will gain independence, provided all of their army fights for her as well. She will also consent to leaving Lady Lannister's children as heirs to the Rock, and to sparring Marcella at least, Tommen if they can as well though he'd be sent to the Wall (for Jaime's sake).

Jaime, who was with the army, is put on trial for his 'crimes'. Dany promises the worst sentence will be the Wall, not death. Jaime explains himself. Dany isn't sure she believes him. Jaime asks for a trial by combat. It's Barristan v. Jaime. It's a throwdown of the Kingsguard, but Jaime wins and spares Barristan in the process.

A Stark, a Lannister, and a Targaryen, in the weirdest combination of allies, march on King's Landing.

Queue a scene of Jaime and Dany having a heart-to-heart about her father, the man Viserys pretended he was and the man he really was. Barristan backs up Jaime's side of the story, and it occurs to Dany that both Jaime was right for what he did and that Barristan may have been in the wrong for just sitting back and watching it happen. It's a moment of trust she didn't expect to have with Jaime of all people.

Cersei dies, killed by Jaime for what she's done. Joffrey is killed in the rush. Tommen and Marcella both survive and are shipped off North to the Starks. A smattering of other casualties including Barristan and Lord Umber, who Lady Lannister genuinely mourns.

In the aftermath, Dany is queen. She asks Jaime to stay on, as head of her Queensguard. She tells him that if he ever sees her father in her he has her permission to do what is right, not what is honorable. Those are the men she wants to surround herself with.

Brienne also stays on. Initially as an ally with the North's interest at heart when things are going on between North and South but then permanently as a Queensguard.

With the threat eliminated, Robb and Lady Lannister return to Winterfell. Lady Lannister manages too much of the Rock's affairs without Tywin gone to see to Winterfell's, and Tyrion did such a great job that he just stays on as Hand to Robb.

With Brienne there as liaison, Lady Lannister persuades Catelyn to send Arya and Sansa back South. Catelyn doesn't know Arya will train with Brienne in secret, and Brienne doesn't know Catelyn doesn't want her to.

Sansa finds her soulmate in Podrick Payne who escorts them back South.

Arya will never find hers, and she is content with that. She has too much of her own life to live to spend it searching for someone else. She has faith the old gods will show them to her in the afterlife.

And when the White Walkers arrive they find a united front of north and south working well together.

Dany finds Jon and finds out his parents. They aren't romantic (cause incest is gross.) but she does name him her heir. He doesn't really want it, but also the White Walkers are gone, and he's not particularly interested in what he's come to realize the Night's Watch is when it's not under threat. He agrees on stipulation that Samwell is also relieved of his vows, as he always wanted to go become a Maester.

Queue cutesy epilogue where all is finally well in Westeros. And Robb is actually a great step dad, but they also are having a kid together.

[leirin]

I wanted to apologize that I haven't been able to update Midnight at the Cathedral for a long time (despite it just beginning to get into its first major arc), or stay on top of projects and make art actively in general. Even patreon updates have not always been on time. Keeping things up regularly is very difficult, and even though I moved out, matters like my significantly limited space present a lot of their own challenges. There is no room for my paintings anywhere besides under my bed, which doesn't incline me to paint, because I won't have anywhere to put it...

I am more settled in now than I was a month ago, but I have still basically been coasting by just trying to get what's required of me done every day, mostly in terms of my job and housework. In terms of projects, I've mainly spent my downtime working on revamping my website and designing new keychains, which I hope everyone will look forward to. The problem is I feel so phony when I can't immediately make good on longform projects, especially when I start so many different ones and the scope of a lot of the things I want to do is very big. I have several of these things planned out in detail, but get overwhelmed by how much there is to do with any one thing and that stifles progress. I get to feeling like people are looking at me like I won't ever actually get them done - only say I'm making something big and not ever finishing it.

Some of these expectations might really only be my own expectations for myself rather than what everyone else is thinking, but I still feel deeply frustrated about it in a way i can't exactly put into words. I don't want to be someone whose output stagnates, or who only achieves the bare minimum of their aspirations. It feels pathetic to say, but at this point with how much stress i'm under, I'd rather think of some of my projects as what I will work towards finishing throughout my life instead of as things that need to be finished within the next few years. The pressure is just too much and I don't see a point in personal creations operating on a schedule. They will suffer in the process if I do them that way.

So, both for my sake and for yours, here is something of a calendar of projects, ordered by size and scope (along with an estimation of progress), that I am 100% fully committing to completing, even if this means you may have to wait years to see any of them get finished:

Small: - Paperdoll sheets, stickers, and more paper-based goods. Many of these will be the kind you download digitally like the 2022 calendar. - Keychains. - Add more character profiles to the site - a lot more.

Medium: - Music video animatic. I'd estimate the completion on this to currently be around 65%. - More site-exclusive content. This includes picture stories, small games and interactive stories. The 2022 Calendar's December image teased two characters from one such interactive story I have conceptualized.

Big: - Finishing Midnight at the Cathedral. I estimate the final product to be somewhere around ~200 strips. The story outline is done being drafted. "Finished" also means doing chapter art. - Starting and finishing Magical Millennium. This is a webnovel about the life of Yona and it will have watercolor illustrations periodically. This is my most truly ambitious work and it will need a lot of time, because I want to be as satisfied with it as possible. In the planning stages. - Starting and finishing Gingham Skies. This is a GB Studio game regarding April, May, and other denizens of Cottonwheel. A short metroidvania-style game with rpg elements. This is in the conceptual stages; some graphical elements have been created.