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Strangers on Paper - DevLog #1
🕑 Added 2022-12-18 06:06:36 +0000 UTCHi everyone!
Gloomy Ghosts here. We're two people who met by random chance and kinda knew what we wanted to do but neither of us had ever taken part in anything like this. So, we aimed to build a short VN that would help us learn the ropes of it all, a less ambitious project that we wouldn't care too much about.
And that's how Strangers On Paper was born.
The plan was simple: We would write a VN that we would like to play. Some short and sweet stories for two or three characters, nothing too deep, we wouldn't overthink it, just go with our gut.
We'd soon find out that's against our nature, but that's beyond the point.
The premise: MC has been sleeping on his best friend Tony's couch for a while now. After having been approached by an agent, he'd left college to resume his writing and follow his passion, but so far it seems to be a fruitless chase. Nothing he writes seems to please him, and Tony is convinced this is due to his self-imposed isolation and prejudices against people. He invites MC to engage in conversation with strangers at his bar and write about these encounters.
Over the course of three Saturday nights, MC has the chance to get to know two characters (there was a third one but we've been, uh, struggling with her) who are not really strangers at all:
Amy
Although MC believes to never have shared a conversation with her, he sure remembers Amy Young. How could he not? She was possibly the most popular girl at high school, cheerleader captain with the best grades, the best boyfriend, apparently soon-to-be best husband now. Yet she shows up at Tony's bar looking to complete a bucket-list before her big day. Nothing MC used to think about her seems to match her personality, from her big, carefree smile to the truth behind it.
Rebecca
Tony's older sister and MC's childhood (and beyond) crush. Whether she's aware of it or not, she's never seemed to care about MC's affection towards her - or anyone's but Tony's. Despite how close MC is with her brother, he barely knows anything about her, which has always made it all that much easier to become obsessed with her. The cold and aloof front she puts up is threatened when she takes MC on a drive that takes unexpected turns.
Elizabeth aka the character we may write out but I, the writer, refuse to let go.
The lonely woman - or maybe just a plain loner - who, according to Tony, sits at the same table every weekend. There is something vaguely familiar about her that MC can’t put a finger on. She, however, seems more than inclined to put her hands on him, that is, until realization about their past hits her.
Not a love interest, but Tony will be along for the ride.
MC’s self-proclaimed number one fan and best friend, MC would describe Tony as a “happy, optimistic idiot” as well as one of the kindest people he has ever met. He owns a bar but never drinks, and he’s a lot more mature than MC would like to admit to his face.
There will be 3 Chapters and an Epilogue. The nature of the relationships and the ending you end up with will depend on your choices throughout the story and conversations. There will be about three endings per character but also some changes in interactions according to your actions so, yes, your choices matter.
We are currently rounding up Chapter 1, so we wanted to test the waters and see if anyone's interested to try it out.
Thanks for reading and we'll do our best to keep you all updated!
-GGS
