Ebook release 06/08/2011
Set in the distant future of the Waking Cassandra universe, Rhymer is now available! If you could change the world with the power of thought, what would you do? Would you keep your loved ones safe? Or make sure their names will be sung forever? The Concord threatens to isolate the far-flung moons of Banavah. The bloody menace of the Bear Men goes on unabated. In a mysterious region of space known as the Dreamsea, the future rests on the actions of one person: not the legendary Maelduin, nobleman and war hero, but Diuran, his feckless childhood tutor. Diuran the Rhymer, who has lied to Maelduin for over a decade. Who works for a brotherhood of secrets. Who can control the outcome of random events just by wishing. An Irish wonder myth retold in mankind's spacefaring future. Add Comment Staged Reading - Cast 11/07/2010
Wonderful news -- the cast has been set for the reading on the 6th of December, and Kristen has managed to convince some of the region's finest talent to contribute. Vespasian: Patrick Moltane Mary: Bonnie Jean Taylor Agatha: Maggie Zindle Constance: Lisa Vitrano Avi: Todd Benzin Durand: Peter Jaskowiak Dream Man: Christian Brandjes Staged Reading Date Change 08/30/2010
The staged reading of the drama will be on December 6th, 2010, directed by local legend Kristen Tripp Kelley. Staged Reading Date Set 08/12/2010
The staged reading of the stage play has been scheduled for 11/29/10. If you are anywhere near Buffalo, come on down to Road Less Traveled Productions, see the play read by professional actors, and give the author your much-desired feedback! New Content! 07/14/2010
What is next in the world of poor haunted Vespasian Gillingham? Next for us, but in the past for him. Head over to littlevespa.blogspot.com to see the first installment in a web comic devoted to the dreams of Vespa's youth. Teaser 07/05/2010
 Now who is this odd fellow? And what role does he play in the world of Vespasian's nightmares? Keep an eye out, gentle reader, and you will soon see. TNM on Jay Is Games with Walkthrough 06/28/2010
I've been following Jay Is Games for years, and I'm proud to say The Nightmare Maze made it to their Link Dump Friday last week. Nightmare Maze - This odd choose-your-own-adventure style text adventure reminds me a bit of movies I've seen based on the novels of Clive Barker; it's kind of cool, but nobody knows what's going on, and there are a bunch of people in art-house berets watching it with me. There's some interesting imagery to be had as you try to navigate the series of nightmares the game throws you into, but everything is a bit too abstract to be really scary. Throw a barefoot Asian girl with long, obscuring black hair or some stone angels in and we'll talk. Actually, no we won't, because I'll be hiding under the table crying and hugging myself. A full walkthrough for 100% Lucidity can be found in the comments as well. Which is neat. Sample Scene Added 06/24/2010
Curious to know more? A sample scene from the stage play as been posted on the site. Nightmare Maze Rankings 06/21/2010
Oh to live in the world of immediate rewards! Stats and reviews of the game are making their appearances in various places, answering my most pressing questions: #1 - Is anyone playing it? FB and Twitter are great for this, of course, but only for those within a few Kevin Bacons of myself. Topappcharts.com offers app rankings for the iphone/ipad versions: #35 in Role Playing Games (iPhone) on Jun 20, 2010 #2 in Role Playing Games (iPad) on Jun 21, 2010 #53 in Adventure Games (iPhone) on Jun 20, 2010 #7 in Adventure Games (iPad) on Jun 21, 2010 #70 in Top Games (iPad) on Jun 19, 2010 These rankings are based on number of downloads, so it looks like it's getting some play at least. #2 - What do people think? The reviews on the itunes site vary broadly. A lot of folks really dig it, and a lot really hate it. For a piece like this, that comes as no surprise. Neither of these sources give any insight into the non-stevejobsian universe, but can perhaps be viewed as a general indicator of the response at large. Interactive fiction is an odd beast. It can make for a very moving connection between the reader and a work (I'm looking at you, Photopia) or can also be used simply for the gaming enjoyment of puzzle-solving, and sometimes both. Building The Nightmare Maze as part of a larger series of creative content allowed me some flexibility when it comes to story-telling. I wanted to make the game an episode in the events of the larger world, keeping with the themes and general timbre of the Waking Cassandra series, as opposed to a strictly stand-alone object. The game is a departure from the sort of pieces Choice of Games has released before -- if you haven't played them, do yourself a favor and do so forthwith -- in that the player has a specific goal in mind: to solve the mystery of the nightmares. One of the beta-testers said the game was like a recurring dream, that you had to get through it several times trying different actions to figure it out. I found this comment quite rewarding, as that was one of my goals. The Nightmare Maze Released 06/18/2010
The approval process went quickly, and The Nightmare Maze is ready to play. Click here to check it out. I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please comment below. |
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