Fantasy | War-time Drama | Romance
A retelling of the classic fairy tale "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King", young socialite Clara Stahlbaum finds herself whisked away on Christmas Eve to a world unknown by her, brimming with blizzards of twinkling snowflakes, animated dolls, and a terrifying monarchy of mice.
Still reeling from being spirited between realms, she comes to find that the three kingdoms-- those of Porcelain, Mause, and Sweets-- are engaged in a heated war and by stroke of fate, she has managed to wedge herself right in the middle of the conflict. With no clue as to how to get home, Clara must find the strength to break from the fever dream before it coils around her . . .
From The Sugar Plum Kingdom (FSPK) is a free visual novel based loosely around The Nutcracker, expanding on the history of the world and giving depth to each of the kingdoms described. The goal is to gain some footing as you decide what role to play in the conflict-- do you simply wish to return home to your plush, warm bed, or might you prioritize aiding those around you? Meant to come from multiple angles, FSPK will be fairly lengthy & will feature a broad range of endings. As of present, there is both choice & stat-based progression installed! Clara will have the chance to pick up useful skills depending on the route, and the higher a particular skill point is, the more liable a player is to achieve a particular ending. Of course, Clara's decisions too weigh heavily in the plot's direction. I hope to stick in at least one mini-game, though I think that either way, the passing days will be graciously interactive on their own!
FEATURES
✦ 4 total interests (male/female/nb)
✦ ? total endings
✦ ? total cgs
✦ Prologue & 3 Acts
✦ Library/dictionary system
✦ Widescreen resolution
Clara Stahlbaum (she/her)
A warmly amicable, yet somewhat constricted young woman born to German socialites in the tail of the 19th century. Fond of fairy tales and literature, Clara is has long been a dreamer . . . simply a limited one. Despite this, there is a glow of dutiful optimism and pride within her, and she reasons that her right path is always somewhere nearby-- even if it is clouded by brush for now.
The Nutcracker (he/him)
A vivacious young man under the thumb of an unshakable curse, presently leading the front line of the Porcelain army against the Kingdom of Mause. He contains a strong respect for life as a whole and hopes that one day the warring kingdoms will find their own form of peace. It seems that there might be a glimmer of guilt in his actions . . .
The Mouse King (he/him)
The last-living monarch of the Kingdom of Mause, the king Alfons da’Mauere Mause is a bitter and destructive force, hell-driven on capturing the Porcelain Kingdom for past sins gone unchecked. In his fury, however, he has managed to tear apart his own country, leaving a displeased murmur to echo through the towns . . .
Princess Pirlipat (she/her)
Once under the very spell that now haunts the Nutcracker, Pirlipat is the ruler of the Porcelain Kingdom; the personification of utter beauty and seeping vanity. Though the Porcelain forces are to be reckoned with, the young pampered princess-turned-queen still fumbles with organizing the war effort, too consumed by the shelter and lavish niceties of the palace . . .
The Knight (they/them)
A solemn figure serving head of the Mause king's royal guard-- a mediator, almost, between the king's tirades and official commands. Known well by both the Mice as well as the Dolls for their astute swordsmanship, they rival the Nutcracker's battlefield-tact . . .
. . . Plus a cast of colorful supporting-characters!
✦ Current Progress ✦
Script: 100%
Sprites: 0%
CG: 5%
BG: 5%
GUI: 40%
Programming: 40%
Music: 100%
Notes & Updates
- 12/7/2014 .... thread was made
- 12/10/2014 .... small updates & concept art additions
- 2/5/2015 .... script is finished
- 3/16/2015 .... gui updated; thread to be updated
- 2/13/2016 .... gui & thread updated, progress back-in-action
- 12/7/2017 .... contact updated & art resumed; tentative goal to release during the 2018 holidays
Contact
developmental blog
personal blog
yaelasolomon @ gmail.com
Feedback
Before I get to actually asking questions, I'd like to say that this will be my first project & that I intend to go completely solo-- with the exception of a few friends reading over drafts. All art will be by myself (*´_ゝ`) I plan on updating with more shots soon! For now, examples of my work can be found here.
1) Does the premise sound appealing?
2) Is there anything you'd like or hope to see out of the game?
3) Is there anything that pops out to you the most?
4) Lastly, are there any further questions or critiques? Any tips would be appreciated!