Greetings everyone! A few weeks back, Woodsy Studio launched the Serafina’s Saga: Awakened Demo on Steam, and now it’s also available on itch.io. If you missed it earlier, now’s a good time to check it out!
The demo allows you to play through not only the Prologue, but also Chapter One. If you have already checked it out, and wish-listed or followed Serafina’s Saga: Awakened on Steam, thank you! If not, today’s post is a chance to go deeper into the content of the demo.
Versions of Serafina over the years
If you’ve seen the trailer and previous posts here you know that Serafina’s Saga: Awakened is a complete remake of the original Serafina’s Saga into a full otome-style visual novel. Everything is new from the writing, to the character designs and animation, voice acting, backgrounds and music. The demo is your first chance to see it all come together. Between the Prologue and Chapter One you can experience over an hour of all new gameplay. This includes enough choices to give you a feel for how your actions change your bonds with the characters.
The prologue introduces Serafina’s circumstances, a seemingly quiet life with her father (Arken), the forest she knows how to navigate like the back of her hand, and an elusive capybara. Leap through the foliage with Serafina, see what home life is like, and meet another human for the first time! You also have the chance to make the game’s first choice in this segment as you weigh how much to trust your father.
After the prologue, Chapter One takes Serafina out of the forest into a land where she only has her own intuition, and you, to guide her. Over 10 choices await you in this Chapter, including changes to Serafina’s hair color! While you will meet Belatrix Grandil, and you may catch some references to characters to come, the Chapter mainly serves as your introductions to Nikolaos Perin and Valerie Sparkov, representing two of your potential paths as the Serafina’s Saga awakens.
Can you determine which responses are the best for building your bonds with Nikolaos and Valerie? Will you choose caution, or throw caution to the wind? Should Serafina pursue either of them? Depending on how you respond to the choices in Chapter One you can find hints regarding alternate paths that may open up to you as the game progresses. If you make the right choices you can even be rewarded with one of the CGs included in the demo. Of course, that depends on who you think Serafina should trust.
Thank you for checking out the demo, and it would be greatly appreciated if you would wishlist and follow Serafina’s Saga: Awakened on Steam or itch.io. The full game is scheduled to be ready for you in March 2024. Until then keep an eye here and on social media for further updates on the game’s development and a deeper dive into the main cast.
The time has come to drop our big Crimson Spires announcement! We’ve teamed up with EastAsiaSoft to release Crimson Spires on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox One–coming soon!
The new release of the game will feature a whole new fifth story path that unlocks after completing the four main romances, called New Game Plus. This content will also become available on PC at the same time it releases for consoles.
In the New Game Plus, you can experience an alternative version of events in which Erika saves Bradley Jones from death and he becomes the town Sheriff.
Obviously, I don’t want to tell you too much about the new content, so it can be a surprise! But I will say that involves a romance with Jones, polyamory, new revelations about Bataille, and what we feel is a solid ending for the game based on player choice.
This otome-style visual novel blends eeriness and romance into an epic drama. A ring of deadly towers traps you in the small mining town of Bataille, Missouri with extreme conspiracy theorists, a serial killer, and wealthy vampires. Choose your partner wisely.
Will you choose Julian: the older Bataille brother who aims to rule the town with mysterious powers? Maddy: a strong-willed woman eager to overthrow the oppressive authorities? Liam: the adopted, cheerful misfit of the rich Bataille family? Or August: a charming philosophy professor who might also be a serial killer? Each character branch reveals unique secrets about Bataille and a chance to find love.
Features:
Unlock four distinct romances and story paths in an epic script totalling 250,000+ words
Hear select scenes with a rich cast of English voice actors
Embrace your nostalgia for early horror games with an eerie, retro 3D environment
Explore select 3D interiors
Listen to a lengthy, dynamic soundtrack by developer and composer Jenny Gibbons
Made in UE4, Crimson Spires blends horror with otome-style romance. First-person character control allows you to explore the stark town of Bataille, MO–a 3D environment inspired by PS2-era horror games–while experiencing an interactive story.
The small mining town of Bataille, Missouri has been cordoned off from the outside world for six months. The inhabitants have no idea why. All they know is that ever since the so-called “Contingency,” planes no longer fly overhead, strange creatures have been glimpsed beyond the perimeter, and large mechanical towers gun down anyone who tries to escape. As Sheriff Erika Wright searches for the truth, she must listen to the advice of a serial killer, mingle with extreme conspiracy theorists, and negotiate with vampires.
Expected Work and Payment
For now, we are simply gathering expression lines for each character. These are short, expressive lines of dialogue that occasionally play when a character speaks to punctuate their current emotion. Payment is $0.50 per expression line, including all takes. Each character will probably have between 30-100 expression lines.
*Important Note!*
Please be aware that this casting is considered preliminary. Due to the project’s early stage of development, our immediate plans are only to record approximately 30-100 expression lines for each character to have in place for demos, pitching to publishers, etc. Our hope is to eventually commission scene dialogue with the same cast, but that is not guaranteed, and will be renegotiated in the future according to budget and project needs.
Rating/Maturity
This game will contain adult language, violence, and sexual themes. We are not yet rated officially, but we expect to land in the Mature/R rating category. There will be F-bombs. Romance scenes might get a little racy, but not explicit. Please only audition if you are comfortable with that!
Audition Process
Please record the included audition lines for the roles that interest you and send them in either .wav or .mp3 format to jenny (at) woodsy-studio (dot) com. Please include your name and the character name in the files, such as “YourName_CharacterName.mp3”. Multiple takes and styles are highly encouraged so I have a good sense of your range. The last day to audition will be Saturday, Sept 29, 2018.
WHAT I LOOK FOR WHEN CASTING:
When I cast voice actors, what I care about most is your ability to act. This is more important to me than vocal range, accent, or other secondary details. Although I generally don’t judge your audition on a resume or past roles, I find that it’s beneficial for voice actors to have theater experience, so feel free to mention that.
As for demonstrating your ability to act, try to fully embody the character your voicing and let their personality shine through every line. Major bonus points if you can somehow help me see the character in a new way I never even thought of before. Err on the side of feeding an audition line too much emotion rather than too little; I always know I can ask you to tone it down, but I don’t always know whether you can kick it up a notch (and do it well).
SIDE NOTE ABOUT ACCENTS: You will see a note that some characters have American/Slight Southern accent. Technically, those characters would have a Missouri accent, which is like a softer version of the typical Southern accent. I’m flexible on whether the final casting choice uses the accent, though; I’ll select based on acting ability and capturing the character more than the technicality of an accent. If you can, try a take each way!
CHARACTERS!
August Flynn
(Human, Male, Romance Interest) Before the towers rose, August Flynn was a philosophy professor accused of 7 murders, coined the “Heartbreaker” for removing the victims’ hearts. Erika doesn’t believe his claims of innocence, but she might need his expertise against darker forces.
OVERALL PERSONALITY: Playful, dangerous, can be charming, but slightly unhinged
AGE: Early 30s
ACCENT: American
***********Audition Lines************ Line 1: (playful, charming) “Do my hands look like they belong to such a cold-blooded killer?” Line 2: (threatening) “Truly, Agent, I would not advise trying to shoot me in these circumstances.” Line 3: (haughty) “You’re trapped in a prison far worse than mine, Sheriff Wright. The prison of your own mind.”
Julian Bataille
(Vampire, Male, Romance Interest) Julian Bataille excels at acting calm, polite, and practical in most situations. He claims to maintain order in Bataille with his wealth and influence. He does like to maintain order and peace, but in the end, he cares most about accumulating power and control.
OVERALL PERSONALITY: Calm, collected, very charming, but can be dangerous/threatening when opposed
AGE: Late 20s/early 30s
ACCENT: American
***********Audition Lines************
Line 1: (charming) “It’s a shame we don’t see you more often, Sheriff Wright. May… may I call you Erika?” Line 2: (cold, threatening) “I think the easiest thing for you to do right now would be to drop this whole issue and return to the police station.” Line 3: (angry) “Don’t be pathetic. Your decisions are your own. Don’t blame your poor life choices on your sister.”
Liam Bataille
(Vampire, Male, Romance Interest) Adopted by the Bataille family at a young age, Liam has always struggled to feel like he fits in with the family. He’s easily the nicest member of the Batailles with an optimistic attitude, and he regularly urges to Erika to relax and have fun. But his loyalty is frequently torn between his personal virtue and his desire to please Julian and Charlotte.
OVERALL PERSONALITY: Kind, optimistic, tries to be laid-back
AGE: Late 20s/early 30s
ACCENT: American
***********Audition Lines************
Line 1: (sweet, charming) “Oh, maybe I can show you around the mansion sometime! Beautiful building. Even has an indoor swimming pool!” Line 2: (reassuring) “Good point. I’m sure Charlotte will think of something. She always does.” Line 3: (upset/angry) “I will. I see now I never should have tried to help you at all. I thought I would win your respect. But you’ll never respect me, will you?”
Bradley Jones
(Human, Male, Deputy US Marshal) When you wake up in the morning and see the star of a 80’s action flick in the mirror, you tend to act like it. Jones is no different. Cocky and carefree until sparked to anger. Has risen quickly, in status if not rank, but not because of his careful police work.
OVERALL PERSONALITY: Works hard but knows how to play, kind, charming, a little cocky
AGE: Early 30s
ACCENT: American
***********Audition Lines************
Line 1: (relieved) “Thanks for the help, Agent Wright. I’m… I’m so glad you’re here.” Line 2: (charming) “I guess until the cavalry arrives, it’s just the two of us.” Line 3: (angry) “I’m not going to sit here and wait for them. Not after what that monster did to Gant!”
Madeleine (“Maddy”) Gray
(Human, Female, Romance Interest) Growing up as a lesbian in a conservative, rural town often made Maddy feel like an outsider in her own home. The Batailles were the only people who fully accepted her, so she feels loyal to them. But as she learns the real truth of the Batailles, she’ll have to fight for the greater good.
Line 1: (sweet, helpful) “You could use some help, don’t you think? You’ve been doing this alone for months and it has to get tiring.” Line 2: (cheerful, determined) “I’ve got your back, boss!” Line 3: (angry) “I can’t believe you’re letting a serial killer help you with this case over me!”
Charlotte Bataille
(Vampire, Female, Antagonist) The dangerous leader of the Bataille family, Charlotte may be the only one in town beginning to grasp what’s truly happening. She’s rather spoiled and used to getting her way, but she’s also smart and resourceful.
OVERALL PERSONALITY: Scheming, haughty, maniacal
AGE: Late 20s/early 30s
ACCENT: American
***********Audition Lines************
Line 1:
(tickled, laughing) “Oh, that man is a riot! Why on earth do you leave a brain like that to rot in a cell, Erika?” Line 2: (haughty) “You’re going to set him free, Erika. And you’ll do it now.” Line 3: (annoyed, dangerous) “I am growing rather tired of this exchange. Do I need to repeat myself? Or should we settle this… a different way?”
Stacy Grenier
(Human, Female) Growing up, Stacy never thought she’d be able to leave Bataille. Now she’s trapped permanently, but at least Bataille is interesting now. An optimistic foil for Erika, Stacy is also vulnerable to those in the town with quick fixes and semi-plausible answers
Line 1: (happy) “Oh, welcome home, Erika! I hope you’re hungry, because I just finished cooking!” Line 2: (concerned) “I reckon you had an awful day. I heard about Jessica and Gary. People at the Dollar Store wouldn’t stop talking about it!” Line 3: (nervous) “Then again, folks have seen some strange things since the Contingency. Silhouettes of monsters roaming beyond the towers.”
Instructions (Refrain)
Once again, please record the included audition lines for the role that interests you and send them in either .wav or .mp3 format to jenny (at) woodsy-studio (dot) com. Multiple takes and styles are highly encouraged so I have a good sense of your range. The last day to audition will be Saturday, Sept 29, 2018.
As we forge ahead with our next project, Crimson Spires, we’re looking for new ways to fund development, so we’ve started a Patreon! Any funds we collect will not only help to feed and house us as we work, but will also support costly features like voice acting.
As a patron, you’ll get to see screenshots and artwork from our next game before they’re publicly released. You’ll also get weekly posts about our behind-the-scenes development process. And finally, we’ll create custom content such as bonus CGs and short stories every month for patrons! Below is a sneak peak at our first bonus content, an image of Michael and Lucifer doing… I wonder what exactly? 😉
Over the last couple of years, I have discovered that writing stories with branching plot paths might be one of my favorite creative processes in the world… and also the most frustrating.
I experience the story as I write it.
I truly believe that every writer has a different style and process that works best for her, and while techniques exist to help any writer execute her vision, the truth is that there is no one or even best method for strong writing in general. Personally, I have always fought against the motto that a lot of writers intone when asked how to write: “Writing is editing,” they often say. “Writing your first draft helps you get your thoughts onto paper, but the true writing happens during your second, third, or even fourth draft.”
For me and my own writing style, that motto is bull shit. Yes, I believe that editing is important. Yes, I’m willing to admit that maybe I need to do more of it sometimes. But for me, something magical happens when I write that “first draft.” I don’t approach it lightly. I spend a lot of time thinking, planning, and feeling what I want to portray before I start writing. And once I do start writing, I feel as if my words come to life as I write them. I feel as if my characters are really in the room, saying what I tell them to say, moving as I tell them to move. I feel a bond between myself and the world I’m creating that is fundamental to my ongoing muse. I discover the story even as I’m writing it. The characters tell me more about themselves as I write them; they lead me towards the twists and turns of the plot, even if my outline disagrees with them.
Often, as I write that first draft, I will stop and rewrite some of my freshest paragraphs, tweaking small sections until the scene flows to match what’s in my head. Sometimes, I’ll need to change something earlier in the story to support something new that I’ve discovered while writing the new scene; if so, I make that change immediately.
Generally, this is my process. Although I go back and edit some later, those changes tend to be surface-level, polishing the pace and consistency of the story. My “first draft” is my most important, my most treasured, and often the closest to my final form of the story. This is not to say that I never go back and rewrite scenes or even delete scenes if necessary—that agonizing process writers love to describe as killing your babies. For me, the reason that it’s so difficult to go back and change something from my first draft is because it feels wrong. When I tried to describe this feeling to my sister once, I told her, “To me, that scene already happened. To go back and change it would be like enforcing time travel. It’s just… wrong.”
This is just how writing works for me. When the story feels right, it feels right—it feels real—and I don’t just casually change it for the sake of wrapping my book or script into a perfect, tidy package. I’m not saying that’s a writing style to which every writer should aspire. It’s just what works for me, for better or worse, and that’s that.
Okay… so if you’re against time travel, how do you feel about parallel universes?
If re-writing means time traveling through your story, then writing a branching narrative means forming parallel universes.
This, I can do. When I first start creating parallel universes, it doesn’t feel wrong. It feels plain fun. “What if Blaire lets something slip in this scene, and Amalek discovers his secret? Well, let’s find out!” As I write an alternate branch, sometimes I have so much fun that I worry I’m being indulgent. But I can allow myself to do it anyway, because I want my audience to experience an outcome catered to their own decisions for the story, and this allows both me and the player to have fun in the process.
Writing branching plot paths also allows me to discover new aspects of my characters that would have remained hidden, otherwise. For example: while writing “Serafina’s Crown,” I actively fought against making Arken a romance-able character, despite the fact he’s probably my favorite character in the series. Next, I made the mistake of allowing the player to flirt with him, as Odell, on multiple occasions. And while writing one of those flirtatious branches, I felt both myself and Arken finally cave. “Arken wouldn’t ignore a cute girl flirting with him repeatedly,” I had to admit. “He just wouldn’t.” So at last, I started writing a romance path between Odell and Arken. In the process, Arken’s emotional baggage started rising to the surface, and resulted in some great scenes. Now, out of all the other romance possibilities for Odell, Arken is probably my favorite and most meaningful option.
So parallel universes are a blast! But, um, which one’s “reality,” again? Does reality even exist anymore?
Writing branching plot paths can be exhilarating, enlightening, and altogether very rewarding for both me and my audience. Until, like a bug flying into a spiderweb, I get trapped in it.
Wait… huh?
And this is when writing branching plot paths quickly transforms from being my favorite process in the world to the most frustrating and confusing ordeal. That “reality” I so enjoyed exploring and discovering when I started writing the story starts to slip from my grasp. While writing one branch, I’m distracted by thinking about what’s simultaneously happening in another branch. “Oh, Blaire and Amalek totally trust each other right now. Except… they were at each other’s throats just a minute ago! Wait, no, that was a different plot path.” I struggle to hold all the different paths in my mind until it starts to feel like a maze. Events start to lose significance to me as I write them, because they don’t feel like reality anymore, just one of many possibilities. And then the writing process which I initially found so exhilarating becomes purely exhausting.
Writing a branching narrative is difficult, plain and simple.
The moral of my story, I suppose, is that writing a story with significant plot branches is no walk in the park. It may seem like a blast at first, and you may feel as if the universe has opened up and given you permission to do whatever you please without consequence. But if you want your full narrative to remain a significant experience from start to finish, branches and all, then maintaining your plethora of plot paths becomes a trying task, indeed.
As I continue to write large interactive narratives (Serafina’s Crown will be my third), I search for ways to ease the symptoms of emotional melancholy and logical dizziness. Sometimes, I try to focus on one plot path at a time, so that I can give it my full attention before working on another. But this doesn’t always work, because for the sake of outlining and tracking production, I need to see all the threads of my spiderweb and how they connect to each other before I continue.
Difficult… but worth it.
It’s difficult. It’s exhausting. It’s emotionally draining and technically confusing. But if you push through the difficulty, writing an interactive narrative can be one of the most rewarding creative endeavors you’ll ever experience.
