Hellhounds [Thriller][Historical] [Demo]

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Sudocolon
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Hellhounds [Thriller][Historical] [Demo]

#1 Post by Sudocolon »

Demo Version

Synopsis

Alfred Cranford was born in Georgia as the Reconstruction Era was coming to a close. The war began to fade from memory as people returned to agricultural life, but it became increasingly difficult to hold on to their old ways of life as crop prices plummeted. What was left of the southern aristocracy began to lose the remainder of its authority when plantation owners fell into deeper debt to Northern lenders and new manufacture industries were having success. Georgia was changing and it seemed as if they would have to abandon their old ways and adapt to their new home. However, Alfred refuses to let all he has worked for slip away. He already lost his father to the North when he was a child so he will spare no expense in maintaining his livelihood.

Characters

Alfred Cranford
Image
A Georgia plantation owner. Owns a farm with many employees, but encounters financial trouble when cotton prices fall.

Mattie Cranford
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Wife of Alfred Cranford. A strong, but cheerful southern belle. Even with the fading of the southern aristocracy she maintains her sunny disposition.

Louis P. LeVin
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A Chicago detective. Pursues the truth regardless of the consequences.

Thomas Wilkes
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Farmworker and employee of Alfred Cranford. Moves from his hometown under the alias Sam Hose for higher pay. Provides financial support for his mother and younger brother.

Placeholder character art - characters by Piyu and female clothing by Deji.

About
Hellhounds will be a linear VN because it is based on the lynching of Sam Hose. I plan to complete this project in two passes: the first pass will be with the current placeholder artwork, generic music, and filtered backgrounds; the second pass will have proper materials and will be edited. Right now, I am using art from another game I am working because I must complete the first pass by April 22nd (school project), so expect the first release to come next week.

If you are or if you know anyone interested in an unconventional visual novel project such as this, please let me know. Thanks.
Last edited by Sudocolon on Mon Apr 22, 2013 1:06 pm, edited 4 times in total.

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Re: Hellhounds [Thriller][Historical]

#2 Post by gekiganwing »

Sudocolon wrote:Hellhounds will be a linear VN because it is an adaptation of Leon Litwack's Hellhounds.
This person's Wikipedia page mentions several things he created, but "Hellhounds" is not mentioned. According to what I read on strangefruit.org, it was an essay from the book "Without Sanctuary."
Sudocolon wrote:If you are or if you know anyone interested in an unconventional visual novel project such as this, please let me know. Thanks.
I'm usually willing to try different things.

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Sudocolon
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Re: Hellhounds [Thriller][Historical]

#3 Post by Sudocolon »

I guess I could have cited that differently. I am referencing Hellhounds specifically, and should make that more clear. Litwack covered the Sam Hose story before Without Sanctuary, in Trouble in Mind, so I considered it self-contained because he was listed is the sole author of that section in both books.

Edit: Did not mean an adaptation of Hellhounds; it's more like a homage.
Last edited by Sudocolon on Mon Apr 22, 2013 1:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Hellhounds [Thriller][Historical]

#4 Post by Sudocolon »

I am thinking about splitting the story into three parts with different points of view to avoid having to use as many flashbacks. The Hellhounds essay mainly covers the death of Sam Hose, so it starts in medias res. I want to start from the beginning with Alfred Cranford’s situation. He will be a decoy protagonist and his part will serve as exposition. Sam Hose’s escape and capture will be the main chapter, but it will be shorter than Detective LeVin’s section.

I want the first and third parts to explain the events of the second, but I am concerned about the second part being too short. I do not think the protagonist has to be alive to maintain main character status, but LeVin might get too much screen time.

Rough Outline

Part 1 – Alfred Cranford

Nightmares about father’s death – memories of post-Reconstruction

Crop prices fall and debt rises – begins to slip into northern hatred

Cannot afford to pay employees-confronted by Sam Hose about pay

Killed by Sam Hose after threatening him

Part 2 – Sam Hose

Flees Cranford’s farm – he is already being pursued

Travels to Marshallville to see family – tries to convince mother to leave the South

Word of search comes to Marshallville – convinces mother to leave

Attempts to escape, but is apprehended – returned to Coweta County by law enforcement

Mob hijacks train at Newnan and kills Sam Hose

Part 3 – Detective LeVin

Travelling to Coweta County by train – investigation in Newnan is too dangerous

Attempts to interview people, they mostly ignore him, but he gets some information from Cranford’s former workers

Informant meets him at night and provides a motive: a statement of Cranford’s debt (informant is northern lender who provided Cranford the loan)

LeVin interrogates Cranford’s wife and leaves her in shock (reports he was unable to speak with her due to the shock of her husband’s death)

Planned to travel to Newman (Newnan) next, but he was forced to leave Georgia because of growing hostility

Writes his report as he rides train back to Chicago

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Sudocolon
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Re: Hellhounds [Thriller][Historical]

#5 Post by Sudocolon »

I am thinking about splitting the project into two versions. The first will be straightforward history, and the second version will be a subversion of a typical BxG, complete with a lying description and title. The Hellhounds story will start in the middle of it to shock the reader.

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Re: Hellhounds [Thriller][Historical] [Demo]

#6 Post by Sudocolon »

Demo here. This is a raw version. Pre-polish and everything with placeholder art and music.
Attachments
Hellhounds-1.0-win.zip
Alpha 1
(19.7 MiB) Downloaded 220 times

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