Under Your Spell
Devblog #37
I think I am finally out the writer's block that was plaguing me for the most part of winter and a good half of March. These last few weeks, and especially the previous one, were very productive. I finished the Samhain festival which was a monster compared to most other events. The only one that beats it, is the Trial of Mind. Of course, since it is all variants and choices, you will only see about one eighth of the total word count on a single playthrough, so it won't seem big to you.
But most importantly, I wrote two of the girl-events. Which brings the number of completed events to seven. We are more than half way there and, hopefully, I will be able to keep this up. Aisling, Lily and Violet, along with one of two events for Elizabeth are done. And three of five events for Katelyn are now complete.
Speaking of Katelyn. Katelyn Brook. She was envisioned as a quintessential Ruachan student. One of the defining traits of people gravitating to and growing up in house Ruachan are competitiveness and ambition, and I really wanted to have a character which would demonstrate the best parts of these qualities. Thus Katelyn was conceived. At that point I haven't yet decided that she was a redhead or that she was Scottish, but what I knew that she would want to leave an impact on the world, but not for her own sake. Katelyn is daring, she sets ambitions goals, and she loves to compete, but not with other people. Katelyn competes with the world and the system, and she doesn't care if she is the main recipient of the spoils of her victories.
I also wanted to have at least one character to have a genuine fascination of the world of magic. Since most of the students in Tir na nOg grew up surrounded by magic and it would be strange for them to be exited for things they mostly find mundane, making Katelyn grow up in a non-magical environment, not only let me have a character that could still both enamored by magic, but also have a fresh perspective on the sometimes old-fashioned world of wizards, and have big idea of bringing the normie know-how into her new home.
With some luck, you all will be able to get to know Katelyn real soon.
But for now, see you next week.
Shady Character One, out!
Comments
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"redhead or that she was Scottish"
Did not know they are mutually exclusive
They aren't, that's why she is redhead AND Scottish now. It is just that neither of those traits were decided on at that point in her design
Katelyn seems to be a refreshing subversion of the ambitious student trope (especially those that imitate Slytherin in general) in that her goals are more altruistic in the long run, plus her design's just goddamn beautiful. Can't wait to see what you both make her into, you're making it damn hard to decide who to choose in the end (though I have my preferences, as I alluded to in previous devlogs). Glad to hear you're in a better headspace now creatively Shady 1, looking forward to what comes up next in the game's narrative.
Yeah, one of my main goals when coming up with the four houses, was making each house attractive to people in some way. I always wondered why there ever was a "house for assholes" in Hogwarts 😅 So changes had to be made for most housed. I apparently overdid it with Talamhdan, because it is the most popular House amongst our players, which I did not expect in the slightest:D
Can't really blame you to be honest, the Talamhdan girls are both gorgeous for one in terms of both character design and personality, and the house in general takes the best aspects of Hufflepuff and ramps them up for two. Talamhdan was my first choice I will admit, but each house is worth it in their own separate ways.
Ambition and cunning are not bad traits at their core if channeled correctly, but Slytherin in general is indicative of the unfortunate latter category, where selfishness and Machiavellian tendencies are left to fester. Kinda made me relieved to see said traits represented in a positive manner when it came to Ilvermorny becoming part of the lore for the Potterverse.
Had to look up what Ilvermorny was :D
Used to be big on the lore of the series, but I haven't kept up since Fantastic Beasts and Cursed Child started messing with the canon. Suppose it didn't help that I grew up with it, first movies released when I was 8 and I quickly snapped up the books whenever they published. Playing games like this helps bring back those memories and gives the opportunity to make fresh ones on top of it, can't begin to express how stoked I was when I first found y'all. But I'll quit yapping for now and let you get on with your day, before the inner tism starts to take over.
Really Talamhdan is most picked? I mean... i can see two soft, round... breast's... I mean, udders... I mean, milk sacks... I mean... oh dear...
Anyway Katelyn sounds like she could be a fun companion, with an excitement for the experiences that the character is trying to catch up on, I like the way the descriptions turn to enjoying and wondering why they didn't Exert themselves before and finding pleasure in improving as you get to higher skill levels. She seems Mabye somewhat similer to Aisling, and I haven't yet gone through all the events for her mind you, but from how I Perceived her to be a curious head strong girl who you might get into trouble with, but you'll probably have a good time. They both seem like fun Is personalities to get entwined with and you'd have little regret and much to look forward to daily with either around.
Personally I like house Ruachan, for the description of "great heros". Felt my character, Yearned to be seen as Is admirable and courageous, but got sidelined and frustrated, but finding this new motivation and reinvigoration from the ritual channeling some of that unhealthy ambition into forming genuine connections, with what helps to be many attractive members of the female Persuasion.
I felt my attention most drawn to Elizabeth, though Lily, Aisling, and now Katelyn sounds like it will be quite enjoyable too.
I wonder about future interactions, with Elizabeth, and whether her route might feature, some internal monologue or self doubt on the characters part about the characters prospects of Pursuing a relation, due to learning of her ambitions and the characters mabye at least at that time lack there of and how that could play into things or change. I wonder if there will be ways to fail a relationship as things progress an argument and resolution perhaps, or facing of challenges and or heartbreak?
Cant wait to see how the Samhain events and interactions go, and here's to future development.
I don't believe that many of those that preferred Talamhdan chose it because of Lily or any other girl. Because you don't really know which house is which during you first selection, you just go off of description and the symbol. So many players just went with "Charismatic Unicorn", and that makes sense too.
As for the inner monologue thing, I do prefer to avoid any introspection on the MC's part, because I don't want to put words into players' mouths. You might agree with Elizabeth's worldview and maybe your MC would rethink his plans for the future, but other players might disagree with her and try to drop her storyline, which would look strange if I would make the MC agree or be moved by her by default.
And about the failing of relationships. You can actually fail quite a few of relationships even at this point. Aisling's, Elizabeth's and Ciara's story-lines can be cut short even in current build of the game.