Hello everybody!

I just wanted to say that I uploaded in the main page two images I did to explain how plots/routes (branches is the concept I use) are going to work in "Stronger Bonds". One image shows how classic routes works in other visual novels, or at least in the ones I have played in the past. The other image explains how I want to structure the story using this branches.

My visual novel will feel kinda like a linear story, but not totally. My intention is to stablish key points where you can go through a route (representing a part of a bigger plot), then you come back to the same point and go to another route and then come back to the same point and continue with the main story. Depending the order in which you take the routes, it will affect other routes and the main story.  These key points look kinda like clovers, to represent the idea I just explained and that I want to apply when writing the story sequence.

Classic routes in visual novels

Branches in "Stronger Bonds"

Why I want to structure my story like this?

Well, I think having more than three (classic) routes must be very challenging. Having to write three (or more) different stories could be very hard to plan for anyone. It would make very difficult to update all the routes at once. Or you make a big update on only one route, or you make little update in many or all the routes. That sounds exhausting creative-wise. And programming-wise it is hard too. And the players (at least many of them) would feel like the story is not being really updated.
So my idea is to keep a main story (Samson's story) that feels linear, but you can explore from the key points to other places, to other little stories (that could be part of big complex plots that are advancing at the same time as the main story). This is much better to write and to program, and it could bring some twists to the narrative. Of course this needs a very thoughtful planning, because this could create plots even more complex that the classic routes. But believe in me, that is what I want. I promise I'm going to have this story (and the plots/branches/routes) in control all the time.

Well, I hope you can understand what I want to do. This is going to be very challenging, but also very fun.

So I hope you can consider supporting this story in patreon. Remember that the full version 1.0 will be released to patrons on January 25th, and to the public on March 15th.

See you later guys! Take care!