brightoakgame

[brightoakgame]

And to finish up our cast roster, I'm beyond delighted to introduce the voice for Jasper, as performed by the brilliant Julienne Guilas! Working with Julienne has been a non-stop joy, and I have absolute confidence placing the irascible Dr. Lee in his care!✨

As ever, character art in the video is by the terrific Remnantation, and the musical score (Jasper's theme, "The Third Law") is an original composition by the phenomenal John Åhlin

[brightoakgame]

The voice of Dr. Marybeth Forster is next in the spotlight, thanks to the incredible talent of Gina Leigh Smith! It has been an absolute treat working with Gina, whose performance as Marybeth is everything I could've possibly hoped for and more!✨

As ever, character art in the video is by the terrific Remnantation, and the musical score (Marybeth's theme, "A Doctor Without Patience") is an original composition by the phenomenal John Åhlin

Last up: Jasper will make an appearance!

[brightoakgame]

(reblogging for the morning crowd, since I know I posted this late in the day!)

Next up: John, our town sheriff, voiced by the illustrious mistershins! mistershins has proven exceptionally adept at embodying John's particular brand of folksy charm, and his performance has had me in stitches more times than I can count--I cannot wait to share more! ✨

As ever, character art in the video is by the terrific Remnantation, and the musical score (John's theme, "Bad Whiskey and Good Intentions") is an original composition by the phenomenal John Åhlin

Next on the list is Marybeth!

[brightoakgame]

Next up: John, our town sheriff, voiced by the illustrious mistershins! mistershins has proven exceptionally adept at embodying John's particular brand of folksy charm, and his performance has had me in stitches more times than I can count--I cannot wait to share more! ✨

As ever, character art in the video is by the terrific Remnantation, and the musical score (John's theme, "Bad Whiskey and Good Intentions") is an original composition by the phenomenal John Åhlin

Next on the list is Marybeth!

[brightoakgame]

Apologies for the delay, but here's the next introduction video--this time featuring the terrific Sky Santacruz as Patti! Sky is a phenomenal talent, and it has been an absolute gift hearing her bring Patti to life. ❤️

As ever, character art in the video is by the terrific Remnantation, and the musical score (Patti's theme, "La Reina de los Robles") is an original composition by the phenomenal John Åhlin

Next week, our sheriff will take a turn in the spotlight! ✨

[brightoakgame]

As per last week's poll results, here's a short teaser of Sparrow's introduction in the story, as voiced by the wonderful Dylan Keeler! Some of you may recognize him as the voice of the Merrow-Man in Burdock, and I'm absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to work with him again. ✨

As ever, character art in the video is by the terrific Remnantation, and the musical score (Sparrow's theme, "I Am No Bird") is an original composition by the phenomenal John Åhlin

Stay tuned for next week's teaser! ❤️

[brightoakgame]

One day left to vote! ✨

Bright Oak is fully cast!

Now that I've been able to hold recording sessions with each of the main cast members (special shoutout to my fantastic voice co-director, E.C.!), I'm thinking of putting together little teasers for each of them. I was unsure who to put together for this coming Monday's update, so instead I'll just turn the decision over to you, dear friends!

[brightoakgame]

Bright Oak is fully cast!

Now that I've been able to hold recording sessions with each of the main cast members (special shoutout to my fantastic voice co-director, E.C.!), I'm thinking of putting together little teasers for each of them. I was unsure who to put together for this coming Monday's update, so instead I'll just turn the decision over to you, dear friends!

[brightoakgame]

Oh, hey, it's that game I've been talking about that its completion signals I'm officially on a break 🎉

[brightoakgame]

Bidding a fond farewell to one of my favorite devs. ❤️ If you are unfamiliar with Sun Labyrinth's games, you should certainly check them out while they are still up; there's nothing else like them. S. A. Welland's unique voice and vision will be dearly missed.

Phasing out working on games

Hi guys, kind of a sad announcement, but one that has been a long time coming.

You can read more about it here.

[brightoakgame]

Amare Genre Tag Faqs

While Amare games share a distinct "vibe," they place no restrictions on the gender of the Main Character or Love Interests, embracing diverse romantic narratives. This includes requiring a gender variable MC. This is not a requirement for Amare and Amare games may have gender-locked MCs.

What makes an Amare game?

What Amare games tend to have in common is that they focus on relationships and romance, with an emphasis on diversity and authentic storytelling.

Key characteristics include:

Varied Gaze - Games that use this tag are often told with a feminine or neutral gaze, but that isn't a requirement. No specific "gaze" is given pre-eminence over others across the tag but individual games may lean in a single direction.

Flexible Roles - There are no restrictions on the gender and sexuality of the MC or the love interests. Games display a wide range of relationships from from BL, Otome, WLW, and a blend of these genres. Some games may be limited to one experience (such as being purely BL) while others may explore a range of experiences.

Expansive Relationships - Relationships in Amare games range from romantic, sweet, spicy to purely platonic.

Diversity in Cast and Creators - Amare games often feature a diverse array of characters and creators, promoting representation across different experiences and identities.

Who is the target audience for Amare games?

Amare games are targeted to a wide demographic comprised of adults and young adults who want to read narrative stories exploring relationships and romance as told from a wide range of cultures, conventions and experiences.

What makes Amare different from other relationship genres?

The Amare tag was created to supplement existing tags like BL, Otome, and WLW, that sometimes have stricter labelling requirements. It hopes to expand beyond the conventional boundaries that define games purely based on the gender and sexuality of the MC or a narrow target audience. Amare is meant to help bridge gaps left by other genre definitions, as well as create a home for games whose creators don't want to categorise them purely in that way, offering one more avenue for labelling and advertising games.

What is the "vibe" Amare games have?

The vibe of Amare games is heartfelt and immersive, focusing on deep emotional connections and character-driven narratives. They often blend romance, personal growth, and engaging storylines, allowing players to explore meaningful relationships in a variety of settings. Amare games cultivate a vibe of genuine and inclusive stories that celebrate love in its many forms, emphasizing choice and individuality, and celebrating variety in all its forms, making each experience unique.

How do I know if my game is Amare?

Does it have a focus on romance or exploration of relationships? Do you feel comfortable in this space and want to label your game as Amare? People use the Amare tag for a lot of different reasons - because they feel slightly out of sync with other genres that have narrower definitions, or emphasis on specific art styles or story conventions, because they don't want to be limited to a more narrow target audience, because they don't feel they quite fit another genre, because their game spans multiple genres or for a host of other reasons. This genre is focused on offering space to people who feel they fit here.

Links

Amare Genre Tag on Itch.io Over 470+ Games and counting AmareGames.com Amare Games Bulletin Amare Games Festival 2025

[brightoakgame]

Um, I haven't tried this yet myself, but...a visual novel based on a supernatural murder ballad? Yes, please. ✨

Binnorie is out!

The ballad goes:

There were two sisters sat in a bower;

Binnorie, O Binnorie

There came a knight to be their wooer.

By the bonny mill-dams of Binnorie   

He courted the eldest with glove and ring,

Binnorie, O Binnorie

But he loved the youngest above all things.

The eldest she was vexed sore,

Binnorie, O Binnorie…

But if it were sung again, would this tale of the psyche and betrayed love end the same? Play this dark ballad's retelling and find out HERE

[brightoakgame]

Dev Diaries

February 2nd, 2025

Wait...who's that familiar looking boy??

If you're reading this, GO PLAY THE NEW HSD:JY 2 UPDATE!!!

Do it!!! Dooo ittttt!!!

(and then come back in a few weeks for my team's Black VN game jam entry Oh, Boy)

[brightoakgame]

due to popular demand, Trans Joy Jam 2025 will now run from February 1st-22nd, so for 3 entire weeks!

this is a beginner-friendly jam and we accept any trans & genderqueer games, stories, fiction, etc. they you can submit on itchio 💕 game dev resources linked here in community tab!

sign up:

[brightoakgame]

I'm so happy to see you update! I would never ever want to make anyone feel pressured to create, but this is a game that i occasionally yearn for. I'm so head over heels for every single character *and* the setting. I look forward to the new demo.

And don't worry about the original release estimate, nobody gets that right. Take care of yourself!

This is such an unbelievably kind and reassuring comment; thank you! ❤️ I can't begin to tell you how much I look forward to getting this little story out into the world fully, or how grateful I am for your patience and support!

[brightoakgame]

Irregular Monday Update, Edition 17

Hello, friends! ❤️ With the update to Burdock now finished, I'm back to Bright Oak with a vengeance! I'm grateful for all of you; the last year and change have been A Lot, but the break has been a worthwhile one, I feel. I've learned quite a bit, been exposed to new ideas and approaches, met some stellar talents, and now, I'm ready to put it all to work on my main squeeze again. ✨

Progress Report:

Made headway on detail-coding Act II; just about wrapped on the current chapter

Voice Actors are cast for both Sheriff John Forster and for sweet Sparrow! Not naming any names yet, but both actors can be heard in this Burdock stream and following Q+A!

Prepped the casting call and began on the script for the voice actors

Freshened up the game pages and trailer (RIP my "Early 2024" anticipated release 🥲)

To Do List (week+):

Crunch some numbers

Send out casting call for remaining roles and hold auditions

Finish prepping voice acting script

Continue with coding Act II

Paint and implement missing Forster backgrounds

To Do List (month+):

Record lines for demo, re-release demo

(if applicable) Prep for a small crowdfunding campaign (TBD)

(if applicable) Commission necessary art for funding rewards (might do these anyway just as fun merch)

Line and paint missing Jasper-route backgrounds

Keep on keepin' on with coding

To Do List (year+):

Finish and release the whole game! There are some hurdles to get past first, not least among them the long-process Big Move, but I should have a clearer vision as to a specific timeline within the next few months.

Thank you all again for bearing with me! I look forward to sharing more with you soon--a sneak peek at Act II may be forthcoming in the next short while, as well. ❤️

All the best,

B.

[brightoakgame]

Hi everyone! Just posting to say that Episode 2 (including chapter 3 and chapter 4) of When Stars Collide has been published to Itch.io.

Almost 70,000 words of new content! (More if you count the bonus scene).

And you finally...*finally* get to interact with Kav officially.

You can read the devlog above for more info as well as info about Episode 3 progress!

~Esh