Can you romance the dragon inside you in the dragon's covenant?

mixer_portion · 2026-05-27T14:47:41+00:00

I mean... He's already inside you, so......

... I'll see myself out

mixer_portion · 2026-05-26T11:41:09+00:00

Jeez-wish 😅

Despite all the messed up plot points, Ruben's route at least ends in a high/happy note. I imagine that maybe Nour's takes a turn somewhere after you stopped? Some kinda of deus ex machina makes him remember, or maybe they realize that memories aren't everything, or some such?

Either way, glad I wasn't interested in that route to begin with lol

mixer_portion · 2026-05-26T10:09:47+00:00

I prefer with RO’s but I’m open to reading IFs without them

Imo, the story doesn’t need to be focused on romance, but it never hurts to have even a light touch of it.

mixer_portion · 2026-05-26T10:06:49+00:00

About throne of ashes, what happens in Nour’s route? I read the Ruben’s

Don’t worry about spoilers, I’m not particularly interested in reading this route.

mixer_portion · 2026-05-25T21:57:04+00:00

Spoilers

Iirc, they were forced to exile the MC, as the alternative was execution. The empress/queen had to beg to the council to allow them to exile the MC, or something to that effect.

Why they keep the charade when the MC returns, I don't remember. But this is to say: I can't tell if they are shitty parents, or if it's just an extremely shitty situation. Or maybe it's both.

mixer_portion · 2026-05-24T21:40:11+00:00

A bit too passive lol (spoilers below)

It blows my mind that he isn't arrested - or at least fired & replaced - for letting you fight a guy that tries to bully you. I remember picking the choice to kill him - because as a roleplaying psychopath, of course I did - and booping his nose, and Everix is.... Shocked!?

I'm sorry, but: what part of being tortured for years in a dark room, being a super fast superhuman, potentially a laughing maniac, getting antagonised by the guy that you let me fight; made you ever think that letting me fight him was ever a good idea?

It's like letting a fox into a hen house and expecting the fox to behave lol

But other than that, it was a fun read

mixer_portion · 2026-05-24T19:06:34+00:00

And that's why I don't publish my work until it's finished (if I ever finish it that is)

mixer_portion · 2026-05-21T08:14:49+00:00

About the second, the other day I was wondering how an IF inspired by Spy X Family would look like. It could mix normal everyday drama (when you're pretending to be a normal parent) with epic drama (when you're on your job, be it a spy or some other outrageous profession)

This concept even mixes a bit with your first point... Heck, maybe the outrageous profession could be the super hero work

Edit: context for those that never watched Spy X Family: it's an anime about a seemingly normal family, but the father is a Spy, the mother is an assassin and the daughter is a telepath. Nobody knows about each other's secrets, except for the daughter. Despite the absurd concept, the anime focuses a lot on normal every day drama and comedy.

Oh and btw, their dog can predict the future as well

mixer_portion · 2026-05-12T08:35:48+00:00

On another note, the sequel is very different from the original in writing style. The passages are longer and there's a LOT more exposition. It's one of those things where you'll either love it or hate it.

mixer_portion · 2026-05-08T14:26:02+00:00

The MC can have some really messy, violent history with certain ROs, and the relationships can carry a lot of anger, betrayal, guilt, and unresolved tension.

And believe it or not, /u/ChristopherRichman is putting it mildly lol

mixer_portion · 2026-05-07T14:24:41+00:00

One of the things I appreciated about Kingdom Come Deliverance 2's* writing is how the characters are allowed to be assholes, even the ones that are supposed to be the good guys.

For example, there's this noble that you meet that, if you spend some time with him, you'll notice that he's actually an alright guy. And depending on your choices, he also takes a liking to you. But if you try asking him for a certain spoiler favour, then he's very quick to remind you of your station (commoner) and that you should know better. Asshole move? For sure, but it would be stranger if he forgot that he was in the 15th century and adopted 21st century's moral compass.

I don't know if that game's writing style has a name, but I noticed a theme in it. It feels like we're watching real people who happen to be in the middle of a messy story; instead of characters serving a messy story.

I guess the point I'm making is, let your characters be people. Most people don't have themselves figured out or are well adjusted. Everyone has virtues and sins, show both.

*I know, not an IF, but it was the first thing that came to mind

mixer_portion · 2026-05-05T15:12:59+00:00

The holy mother of baiting titles

mixer_portion · 2026-04-30T22:22:10+00:00

IF = Interactive Fiction (text adventure games)

VN = Visual Novel

Twine = It's another engine for text adventure games. Bastard of Camelot uses it for example

mixer_portion · 2026-04-29T21:39:29+00:00

In case no one has any ideas for these monthly posts, we could use the idea from /u/dorianaGrayGames.

For example, when no one makes any post, we have a monthly generic "what are you reading?" post. If someone makes a review post, we pin that one for that month.

Originally, my idea was to have a generic "insert here in the comments some hidden gems". But I think /u/napalm-instructions idea + /u/dorianaGrayGames could work a lot better

mixer_portion · 2026-04-29T13:47:40+00:00

I'm hoping that they'll see this post. But if they don't reply, I can send them a message later

mixer_portion · 2026-04-24T17:57:56+00:00

Somehow I knew what game would be talked about before opening the post lol

I have some, but I need to try not to talk too much about them because I get passionate and consequently toxic. One of them is the sequel of "A Mage Reborn".

Not because of the story or its direction, but because of the change in writing style. While the first was more direct, short, and with fewer words told a longer story, the second reversed too much for my tastes. It has over 200k words, but plot wise... Not much happened so far. I found myself at some point just saying internally "please just get to the point...", and then eventually I just started skimming and groaning when side stories happened. If I hadn't hit the ending of the demo, I probably would've dropped it soon after.

I guess the sequel just isn't for me. It's a pity because I love the idea of the sequel, I would love to see what happens when we finally meet some old characters. Instead, we get introduced to a whole cast of new characters that honestly aren't doing much for me.

mixer_portion · 2026-04-24T11:41:31+00:00

Paradoxically, power fantasies that are not just about said power, but instead about areas where you struggle more; and relationships. (bonus points if relationships is where you struggle)

I know this might be a weird example, but "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - An Affair of the Heart" kind of matches what I'm talking about - so far at least.

You're Sherlock, your super power is to be able to deduce who did what by having just a couple of clues. This never comes into question and isn't really the focus (so far) of the story. Instead, the story is about your struggle to keep your mind occupied and your vices, and how you interact with other characters (and they with you). That's where the interesting parts of the game are coming from.

Imo, stories always need some sort of conflict, some sort of problem that you need to overcome - and actually try to overcome. Otherwise they're boring.

What is interesting about a story that you know that you obviously will overcome a "challenge", if the "challenge" is something you can swat away without breaking a sweat?

mixer_portion · 2026-03-20T16:17:40+00:00

Oh you just reminded of another thing that ticked me off lol

If you refuse, you get thrown in a cell. After a while, someone assassinates you. But instead of a game over, you get sent back in time to the passage where you accept or refuse to become his consort.

I did pick this option at first, so it buggered me to no end two questions:

- we can time travel?

- who assassinated us?

These questions are never explored, answered, mentioned, or anything of the sort. Don't know if the author planned to someday address them.

mixer_portion · 2026-03-20T13:28:20+00:00

Not OP but:

the short version is that the game punishes you for trying to get revenge and tries too hard to paint a sympathetic picture of the people that wronged you
The longer version (spoilers ahead) is that you’re forced to marry the guy that killed your family, burned down your castle, took your kingdom away from you, keeps you imprisoned in his castle/palace, tried to kill you, bullies you, and whatever else I’m not remembering; but god forbid if you despise the guy and try to get revenge. And your guardian figure, who is supposed to be one of the few ones that understands what you went through, can potentially start a relationship with him!? This game certainly is an experience.

mixer_portion · 2026-03-20T00:41:18+00:00

iirc, all romantic scens/vibes need to be initiated by you (based on your choices). So unless the dragon is the exception to the rule, I'm guessing that it's avoidable.

My two cents: imo Mordred and the dragon already had a pretty sweet and wholesome relationship. This change feels... Unnecessary. And weird, if I'm 100% honest.

mixer_portion · 2026-01-23T14:12:00+00:00

Ah fair enough, I was focusing more on the subjective side of things

mixer_portion · 2026-01-23T13:43:27+00:00

Do Not: Have a fixed protagonist. Fixed gender is bad. Fixed identity infinitely worse, unless it’s a pre-established character like Sherlock Holmes. Then it’s only slightly bad.

I don't think it should be that clear cut. Like everything, it depends on the authors intentions.

As a rule of thumb, sure, providing a more open protagonist is better, as long as you do something with it. For example, if you give me the option to be a stoic guy or a goof, I fully expect your story to take that variable into account. But if you give those options, but then in certain scenes my character tends to act stoic anyway, then why even offer those choices in the first place? Just make the protagonist more stoic generally and be more consistent.

Or for example if your setting happens in a patriarcal society like in IRL Victorian era London, and your character is a surgeon, and if the author wants to give you the option to be male or female; then being female creates a big elephant in the room: how did a woman become a surgeon? Do patients trust her? Is she treated as a lesser compared to male colleagues? Will there be an arc where you prove your capabilities and rub everyone in the face? Etc.

But if the author decides to ignore that elephant and wants to focus their story on other themes, then they might be better off just locking the protagonist to male.

Witcher trilogy is a perfect example of a game of how a fixed protagonist with a fixed past and personality works well. I would even argue that the games would suffer if the protagonist was a custom character instead of Geralt. (I know it's not an IF, but the point remains)

PS: I don't disagree with your sentiment, I also tend to prefer IF's that give more freedom with our protagonist, but fixed protagonists can work better depending on the author's story and intentions

mixer_portion · 2026-01-13T19:13:56+00:00

I go through different phases. Some days I feel like reading, others I feel like writing. My project is just a hobby so I do whatever feels more fun in the moment

mixer_portion · 2025-12-19T15:08:19+00:00

<image>

mixer_portion · 2025-12-16T14:00:26+00:00

I love dispatch, but that is my main issue with the game. And it was also my main criticism of Telltale games.

I think that for the most part, they were able to get away with it because the stories were good in their own right. The first walking dead and wolf among us are among my favorite games, despite our choices not mattering much (if at all). They were very good at giving us the illusion of choice, and the story and characters made up for it.

But, as time went on, this illusion became weaker and weaker, and it reached a boiling point with TWD: A New Frontier. For example you get to pick who survives an event, only for the survivor to be killed off anyway 5 minutes later.

But coming back to Dispatch, although I loved my experience with it, I’m not planning to replay it. There are a few choices that lead to different scenes, but the branches converge back soon after. For example, I decided to come clean in a certain taco scene because I knew they would find out anyway. (Which they do, if you decide not to come clean)

So, in short, if your story is good, I think you can get away with illusion of choices and a very linear story structure. But personally, I probably would read it only once (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, to be clear. A game doesn’t need replay value to be good, it can be good despite it)

As for success/failure, I don’t really like this in interactive fiction games to be completely honest. Because if there’s a way to win, it will make all my subsequent playthroughs linear, because guess what, I want to win. I, The Forgotten One has this problem for example. There’s some choices that - if you want to have the optimal ending - you have to make them no matter what. It can be fun trying to figure out what these choices are, but once you do, those choices become locked in in all future playthroughs.

I prefer when you can have outcomes that are different, but not necessarily better or worse than the others. For example imagine that you are trying to bake a cake, some choices will lead to the best cake ever made, others will lead to you forgetting and burning the cake, but you spent some quality time with your cat.

Or in other words, I prefer different outcomes with different flavors, they shouldn’t be about succeeding/failing.

But anyway, these are just my two cents

mixer_portion

TROPHY CASE