Set in their second year at the exclusive private school, Gainsford Abbey, the story follows four months in the lives of two school girls.
Saffron* and Melody have been best friends since middle school, but when a tragic accident seems set to part them forever, it’s time to find out what true friendship really takes.
*(protagonist – name can be changed)
Try the demo here:
Windows: http://bit.ly/2u7DFIh
Mac: http://bit.ly/2tXJ4kD
You play as Saffron, though you will have the ability to influence your friend, Melody, as well –for better or worse- over the course of the game. There are ten romance options planned, five for Saffron and the other five for Melody, as well as friendship and club paths that can be embarked upon or ignored and a minor stat-building element.
Saffron Hart
Hot-headed and rebellious, Saffron has a reputation for being a bit of delinquent, but in reality, she is a nice person who looks out for her friends, especially Melody.
Melody Bradshaw
Years of being bullied by her peers have left the good-natured Melody shy and all too willing to hide behind her more assertive best friend. But perhaps this year will be the one she finally learns to stand on her own two feet.
Susan Catchpole
Serious and studious, Susan's quick mind is matched only by her sharp tongue. She has held the position of top-ranked student at the Abbey since the first year and is a prefect into the bargain, though she has few hobbies outside of lecturing their academically-indifferent friend, Kara.
Kara Caner
As the daughter of the Abbey's headmaster, Kara doesn't make it easy on her father. Far more interested in fashion, gossip and boys, than studying, she seems to delight in flouting the school's rules -and riling up her friend, Susan, in the process.
Bradley Wystone
Taciturn though not unfriendly, Bradley seems to spend much of his time alone. Despite his reserve, he plays the clarinet in the school orchestra, can often be seen training on the school field, and is among the top ten students at the Abbey.
Rex Patras
Reputed as the most handsome boy in school, Rex has inherited the enviable good looks of his Greek father and Italian mother, and he puts them to good use trying to charm every girl he meets. His behaviour has made him many fans among the girls at the Abbey, and just as many enemies with the boys.
Marcus Li
An excellent student, and second in the school’s academic league, after Susan, Marcus is strict and studious. He plays violin in the school orchestra and is both a prefect and member of the student council. Due to his reliability, many teachers end up using him to run errands about the school, much to his displeasure.
Simon Palfrey
Simon is the captain of the school rugby team and he regularly leads them to victory with his cheerful, good-hearted encouragement. Though not strong academically, his willingness to try, kind attitude and success at sports makes him the most popular boy in school and an object of some rivalry between the girls.
Marie Parker
Captain of the girls' hockey club, Parker -as she prefers to be called- is friendly, outgoing and eager to get some new faces onto the school team.
Sophie Winters
Well-know around the Abbey as a bully, Sophie seems to take great delight in picking on Melody when her friends aren't around to stop her.
Finnegan Bryant
Mr Finnegan Bryant, or ‘Foxy Finn’ as he is also known, is Melody and Saffron's young homeroom teacher. He has a passion for history, which he teaches, and loves his job. In class, he is friendly and kindhearted with his students, striking a balance between caring for them, but pushing them to do their best.
Lance Miller
Died 1980s
Head boy when he was alive, Lance is kind, patient and the unofficial leader of the ghosts. When not keeping the peace between Switch and Iseult, he occupies his time with keeping an eye on the school’s aging caretaker, Carter.
Harriet Anderson-Blyth
Died 1950s
Harriet claims that dying was when her life truly began. A voracious student when amongst the living, she was dreading the day she would have to graduate. Now Harriet merrily divides her time between attending classes about the school and reading the library – with occasional study breaks spent loitering about the boy’s locker room or aiding Switch in his tricks.
Switch Attwood
Died 1840s
The angry roar of ‘Switch!’ is as familiar a sound in the abbey now, as it was in the 1840s. Riotous, though not mean-spirited, Switch is the Abbey’s resident trickster, a self-appointed role in which he has had a lot of practise. Once a torment to his school masters and fellow students, Switch’s love of tricks has endured the last hundred or so years, much to both Iseult’s and Lance’s dismay.
Tobias Bray
Died 1550s
For Tobias, it seems little has changed since the school was the abbey where he served as a lay brother over 400 years ago. Shy and quiet, he spends his days tending the plants in the school’s greenhouses and taking great pains to avoid entering the main school buildings whenever he can.
Iseult of Southwark
Died 1350s
The oldest of the ghosts, Iseult has spent the last six hundred years watching history unfold from within the abbey’s walls, an experience which has left her detached and world-weary. Despite this, she is willing to help others where she can and takes great pains to prevent both Switch, and sometimes Lance, from bringing trouble to the school.
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Assets
Plot/character paths outlines: Completed!
Word count so far: 110,000 words (of an estimated 150,000)
Sprites: Completed!
Backgrounds: Completed!
CGs: 5%
Team
Writing and coding: Blackcross
Sprites/CGs: Ayachin
Backgrounds: Exitmothership
Additional art: MakeFox
This game will be commercial (about $20-$30 depending on how much the art ends up costing)
Rating: 13+ (There’s some mildly suggestive scenes and dialogue, and some minor bad language)
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Hi everyone
I’ve been working on this VN for a while now, but I finally have some artwork courtesy of the uber talented Exitmothership, (check out his Deviantart page at exitmothership.deviantart.com and his Tumblr at exitmothership.tumblr.com, to see more of his work and to get information on commissions) so I thought it was time to put this out there.
I know this thread is mainly for feedback – I don’t expect much at the moment since it’s just an outline, but I’m going to be adding to it over the coming months and hope to have a demo ready by the end of the year.
Anyway, please let me know your thoughts so far – I’ll be posting here with renewed stats, more screenshots and character briefs once a month or so.
Thanks for reading
Blackcross & Taylor