In the Orc Dating Sim (a very tentative title!), you take on the role of a male orc traversing the countryside of a semi-mythic Scotland on your way to find a new home and a new family - by your side are nine male companions that you met only recently, including a polyamorous orc-chief trio, a selkie journeying to his home under the sea, and an orcish scholar covered in tattoos. Along the way, you'll have the chance to build relationships with each of them - as well as defining for yourself what those relationships entail - as you search for a place to settle in the Scottish Highlands.
STORY
Every few years, orcish folk from all over the country assemble in their ancient meeting place in the great woods, sharing their knowledge, experiences, friendships and conquests with one another freely, without fear of persecution. During the assembly, the various orcs in attendance will choose to recombine and reconfigure their groups; blood families will be disbanded and new, created families take their place; warbands whose missions have been fulfilled are broken up, with their constituent members joining groups as vanguards or guildsmen.
You've finally found a group of people that you think would be good company on your way to find a new home, and a new family; you'll have plenty of time to find out what kind of family that becomes in your long trek up to the Highlands, where your newfound acquaintances intend to settle until the next assembly.
SETTING
The Orc Dating Sim takes place in a semi-historical, semi-mythical Scotland as the group traverse the roads through the countryside on their way to the Scottish Highlands.
CHARACTERS
- Cennedig, Ror & Malgolom: Most orcish groups function with just one chief, maybe the chief and their partner - this group has three of them, and they're in a committed polyamorous relationship with one another. Cennedig is heavy-handed and pragmatic, and won't bear to see one of his charges suffer; Ror is impulsive and destructive, but not without good reason; and Malgolom struggles with what he believes may be "the second sight".
- Brocgin: An orc who's studied extensively at human institutions, he's eager to put to use what he's learned for the betterment of orcish society - and to protect them from those who would exploit them.
- Ggorom: A selkie (ocean orc) that lives in the waters between the Inner Isles, Ggorom is travelling with the group as a safety measure to get back to his home off the coast.
- Ferdag: A ferocious warrior who is nonetheless committed to making people happy.
- Domnol: A courier who runs messages between the various orcish groups throughout the Highlands.
- Sithig: A grise travelling the country, forging bonds with orcish groups.
- Aed: A young human man, apparently a scholar at a prestigious university that seeks to join an orcish band and study their behaviour. Other members of the group are skeptical about his reasons for choosing to accompany them, however...
Orcs have always occupied troubled territory as being the Other (often invoking real-world bigotry), and I'd like to have the Orc Dating Sim be a game that's a little more humane, diverse and inclusive, by having a wide range of different types of bodies, beliefs and relationships represented in the game, as well as providing a queer slant to male sexuality and relationships. But considering NaNoRenO only lasts a month, we'll see how much of that I can manage. :>
FEATURES AND PROGRESS
- Toggle Protagonist's dialogue lines. (COMPLETE)
- Toggle NSFW/SFW content. (COMPLETE)
- Character portraits (6/9)
- Main Route
- Routes (0/9)
- Backgrounds (0/9)
- Alpha Test I
Howdy folks! I'm Mitch, a game designer and writer from Scotland, and I'm the artist and developer for the Orc Dating Sim! This is my first NaNoRenO, although I've taken part in NaNoWriMo before, as well as four or five Game Jams too. I wanted to wait a while to make my thread just to make sure I could commit to getting my game underway, and so far I've done pretty well!
I'll update this thread over the coming weeks as and when I make progress, but feel free to jump in to say hi, ask questions, provide feedback or what-have-you in the thread too. You can also check out some of the work I've done thus far over at the Tumblr blog for the Orc Dating Sim, or you can find me elsewhere on Tumblr and Twitter!