Project W Post: March 2024 (Patreon)

Hello, it's me, writing this in the past so it can be available while I'm away. Going on a trip isn't gonna stop me from talking about Project W, haha.

This time I'll expand on the story structure! Project W is more traditional than our prior two games in how you'll experience the events. It takes place over approximately a few months or so, there's no multi-year time skips, and it is linear, it goes from one scene into the next. Though, scene progression will be different depending on your choices and if you get any of the DLC expansions. And when it comes to how feelings of closeness develop with the leads and side characters, that will still be up to your discretion. It won't have to come along in one, set way.

As mentioned in the basic info post, the story will be broken into four distinct Arcs. It's kind of similar to how there are multiple Steps in the Our Life series. There are life changes between each one, and the way you're spending your time just really isn't the same as it used to be, despite it taking place immediately following the prior Arc. So, it's not completely different. Arc 4 will be a full story rather than epilogue, though.

But another way it continues the Our Life vibes is that the Story Arcs will be separated into chunks. I wouldn't call them "Moments", since they're linear and not disconnected moments of your life, but there will be probably 11-13 episodes per Arc. It'll be easy to play a single episode in a sitting and then stop, or binge a bunch all at once. Truthfully, I'd like this game to feel almost like getting into a new TV show, except you control the protagonist. There are no totally separate character routes for the leads. It's a singular plot that will also be unique to whoever the player is.

Because this is one long story, I need fully plan all four Arcs as much as possible before the writing begins. The Steps in Our Life develop naturally, one by one as I work on the game. That isn't gonna work for Project W. Foreshadowing and stuff is gonna be needed. Arc 1 will need to be created knowing exactly where it is headed, not only for Arc 2, but Arc 3 and 4 as well. Doing that much deciding is why I do so much brainstorming, haha.

If everything goes as I intend, we'd actually be able to release Project W episodically rather than having to wait until at least three Arcs are finished before letting people play! I wouldn't have to hold earlier stories back because I'm not 100% positive they have the build up needed, since the later stories aren't made yet. In this case, I would be positive right from the start. That'd be nice, there'd be way fewer months between our next major release of something. It'd also add to the experience of it being TV-show-like, where there's gaps between seasons and you don't get them all at once. Well, we'll have to see how it goes.

And that's this month's insight into my Project W thoughts. As always, I'm interested in knowing what you think the more you learn about the concept.

Previous Posts----

January 2024 (Basic Info)

February 2024 (Time Period, world, and MC details)