cosmic-writes-if

[cosmic-writes-if]

[cosmic-writes-if]

HOW THE HECK DO YOU DO STATS !!! i have been on twime for a year and still dont know how lolol

I GOTCHU, ANON! it should be known that this is for SugarCube and in the story javascript section. i'll dissect it bit by bit.

$(document).on(':passagestart', function () { this says: every time a passage starts, do the stuff inside the curly braces {}

if (!$('#hud').length) { // build the HUD here }

$('#hud') means: look for something on the page with the ID hud

.length means: did we find one?

! means: if NOT

as a whole: if we don't see a HUD, we build one. now, as for building the HUD...

$('#menu-core').after(` means: take all this HTML stuff and stick it right below the menu

<div id="hud"> is finally our ID for the HUD. it's gonna be a box

<h3>Skills</h3> is our heading

<progress> makes a progress bar

id is the nickname we're giving to the variable, just like our HUD. max is the highest number, and value is the current number (and what it starts at)

and now, if we want to consistantly update the bars every time a variable's value bumps up or down:

$('#hud-strength').val(State.variables.strength || 0); $('#hud-dexterity').val(State.variables.dexterity || 0); $('#hud-intelligence').val(State.variables.intelligence || 0); $('#hud-charisma').val(State.variables.charisma || 0); $('#hud-wisdom').val(State.variables.wisdom || 0);

$('#hud-trust').val(State.variables.trust || 0); $('#hud-obedience').val(State.variables.obedience || 0);

let's take the strength one as an example:

$('#hud-strength') is the ID we previously mentioned

.val means: set its value to something

State.variables.strength is the part that gets touched whenever you set a variable to something. like, <<set $strength = 50>>

|| 0 means: if there's nothing yet, just use 0

as a whole, we have:

and if you wanna go into customization and making it look pretty in the stylesheet, you just need #hud! i hope this makes sense? feel free to DM me if you want the template

[cosmic-writes-if]

after many painful hours... we did it, boys

[cosmic-writes-if]

Creating a Website to Host Indie Games / Steam and Itch Censorship

In my previous post I brought up an idea of creating a website to host indie developers' games as Itch and Steam are currently removing and prohibiting people from uploading certain types of games, and in the future it might get worse, targeting not only NSFW games but also horror and LGBTQ+ games in general (which is already happening), likely spreading beyond those two platforms as the core issue is with payment processors.

I would be able to create a sort of rudimentary website to host people's (free) indie games/demos. The idea is to accept game upload applications, have pages up for those games, provide drive links to downloads (so that the game weight takes up drive space instead of the website's storage) and have donation links (patreon, ko-fi, paypal etc. - whatever the dev requests) up for every game, so people can tip their favourite gamedevs (and not have it count as a purchase of a NSFW product). It also seems that uploading a paid game/dlc/etc. on websites like Patreon or Ko-fi might work for now, as a subscription wouldn’t be directly linked to a purchase of a product, so it would be possible to add links to such platforms on the website as well. Obviously, there's a lot that goes into this kind of thing and the website would be rather simple in its functionalities, but I want people to have a space to have their games up, especially in the horror community.

I have to mention that the website would still have rules and regulations. I do not support fetishised depictions of incest, pedophilia and the like.

I deeply care about the indie game community. I don't know where I and @ghost-realms would be without it - and I don't even want to imagine. And I know that we are not the only ones. So I want to do everything in my power to help keep this community and space going.

If you would be interested in something like this, whether you are a developer or a gamer, please participate in the poll below!

This is just an interest poll. I do not promise that I will make a website, but if there’s enough interest and things don’t get better, I might.

[cosmic-writes-if]

Intro Post

Hello everyone! I'd like to formally welcome you to the devblog of my very first ChoiceScript IF project, Blood Boils Without Water!

SYNOPSIS

In Blood Boils Without Water, you’re a freshly turned vampire trying to survive undead life, navigating complicated relationships, underhanded political schemes, and the inherent bloodlust that comes with your new existence. But unfortunately for you, the circumstances of your turning have swept you into the center of a conflict between 3 noble houses which threatens to unravel the very fabric of vampire society. 

Be inducted into the house of your choice, hone the skills that best suit your interest, and guide the tide of change in whatever ways you can— Will you uncover the long-buried secrets of the vampire realm?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ROMANCE OPTIONS

Lady Marcela Rosales (F)

A refined woman with a sharp mind, this unflappable diplomat of the Rosales Clan is not one to be trifled with. Many have been ruined by her cold rebuttals. But what may lie beneath the prestige and distant persona of this generation’s most successful matriarch?

Sir Basilio Silva (M)

The honorbound commander of the Royal Militia, loyal to his principles and a powerhouse on the battlefield. He’s known as a just man to even those on the opposite side. But who is he when he’s out of armor, and his greatest fights are on his home turf?

Carmen Espinosa (NB)

The Spymaster of the Espinosa Clan, living under the guise of a hedonistic clown partying their days away— The charming and mischievous type. But if they’re always wearing the perfect mask for the occasion, what could they possibly be like off the clock?

[REDACTED] (?)

You see them out of the corner of your eye sometimes, but no matter who you ask, no one seems to know who you’re talking about…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GAMEPLAY

There’s dozens of ways to play (BW)², and my design philosophy is that players should be allowed to play however they want. There are 16 Skills to specialize in, 5 (visible) dimensions to your MC’s personality, many flavors of both platonic and romantic relationships, and 3 individual routes available to choose from at the start of the game.

There's lots of hidden variables and secret routes on top of that, so every playthrough will feel unique and special!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Content Warnings

(BW)² is a dark story with mature themes, sexual content, and various other disturbing ideas. Though this list is not exhaustive, please be advised that the following themes may be present in the demo and final product:

Sexual Assault

Various Forms of Abuse

Graphic Violence

Pregnancy

Child Death

If you believe experiencing these themes (or those in a similar vein) will be detrimental to you, I don’t suggest playing this game.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope to see you again in the near future, and please feel free to pop into my inbox in the meantime!

[cosmic-writes-if]

Me : haha imma kidnap him let's see how he likes it when roles are reversed

Also me : Oh no he's hot

believe me, i wish i could draw to do him justice. i'll do a Mateo teaser eventually 🤭

[cosmic-writes-if]

same here. i'm gonna write things so filthy it'll make Satan blush. mark my words ;)

I see a lot of authors getting really upset to the point of not wanting to write so uh, how are you doing, cause you've been posting about it a lot?

Contrary to when my enthusiasm took a hit when people's games were being stolen and re-hosted, the censorship only makes me want to write even hornier than before. You've all been warned.

[cosmic-writes-if]

I hate to go through this all over again. On July 23rd, Itch.io, one of the most popular platforms for hosting queer and adult independent media, went through a large-scale crackdown on adult content.

This was primarily aimed at games, but novels and comics were hit in the process. Most adult content has been de-listed from the site's search, and some creators were banned without warning. Any funds banned creators have not been paid are currently being withheld by Itch.io.

This crackdown was done, as it always is, because of payment processors like Mastercard and Visa threatening to pull their services.

The payment processors caved to an influence campaign by Australian extremist anti-pornography group Collective Shout, who have been inundating Visa and Mastercard with calls to force video game platforms to stop hosting adult content - which, of course, includes anything queer.

Collective Shout claim to have sent in 1000 emails to get this result, but there are a WAY more than a thousand of us. We need as many people as possible to make as much noise as we can!

Below the cut are numbers and scripts, all you need to do is follow the step by step guide.

Graphic, contact info, alt text, and script by voiddebris on Bluesky, also available collected in a handy document:

Paypal:

Phone (US): 1-888-221-1161

Phone (outside US): 1-402-935-2050

Hours: 6am - 6pm PT

Online (for non-users or logged out - UK bc US site ONLY allows logged in users)

Mastercard:

Phone (US): 1-800-627-8372

Phone (outside US): 1-636-722-7111

Online form

Visa:

Phone (US): 1-800-847-2911

Non-US numbers

Online form

Script:

Customer Complaint Dept, This message is to lodge an official complaint about the ongoing rampant restrictions your company has placed on legal sales made by legitimate businesses. These restrictions are not only counter to the concept of freedom of speech and expression, but they harm consumers, businesses, and they harm your company’s bottom line. The following actions are absolutely necessary to protect the freedoms of your client base and the sustainability of legitimate business practices: 1. Remove from your Terms of Service any mention barring the use of your service for sale and purchase of legal products. 2. Contact Steam (Valve), Itch.io, and any other company you have previously put pressure on to retract your content restrictions. Put in place protections to prevent such restrictions from being put in place in the future without ample warning and time to contest them. If these changes aren't made then I, along with many others will be forced to seek other options for processing payments. Sincerely, A Concerned Customer

***

OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO

Sign this petition from the ACLU:

Americans - contact your representatives about payment processors acting as censors! You can find your reps’ contact information on 5calls.org.

Script, from here:

Hello Representative/Senator [LAST NAME], -or- Hello office of Representative/Senator [LAST NAME], My name is [YOUR FIRST NAME/SCREEN NAME] and I am one of your constituents. I am calling today to express my concerns with technological censorship. Legal and legitimate adult entertainment is being banned in this country. These bans are not by legislators, but by payment processors like Mastercard and Visa. Mastercard and Visa are improperly creating legislation online through their user and merchant policies. They are banning creator and user access to content that is legal and legitimate. They are inciting fear and panic to encourage censorship. Please take a stand against this impermissible censorship. This is a direct attack on an adult's right to legal content. No one but the legislative branch should be allowed to create legislation. Please support the Federal Trade Commission in their stand against technological censorship to protect the first amendment. Thank you for taking the time to listen today.

[cosmic-writes-if]

Head's up for Itch.io creators

Itch updated their Creator FAQ and now indicates the following

The following is a non-exhaustive list of prohibited themes present in card processing networks. We are unable to support the sale of any works containing these topics:

Non-consensual content (real or implied)

Underage or “barely legal” themes

Incest or pseudo-incest content

Bestiality or animal-related

Rape, coercion, or force-related

Sex trafficking implications

Revenge porn / voyeur / hidden cam

Fetish involving bodily waste or extreme harm (e.g., “scat,” “vomit”)

It’s almost impossible to come up with an exhaustive list of unacceptable products to sell, so often we have to take content reviews one at a time. If an issue arises with your account that isn’t already covered by our policy, then we will contact you and share what options you may have.

If you've collected money while in violation of terms, we may be forced to refund or freeze all pending transactions, as accounts that are in violation of our terms are not eligible for payouts.

As well as:

Our policy is not an invitation to push the boundaries of what is acceptable. Violations that result in administrative action are permanent with no chance of appeal. Any funds on the account will not be eligible for payout. There is no second chance.

[cosmic-writes-if]

Wayfarer

Links 

✦ Play the Game ✦ FAQ ✦ Patreon ✦ Ko-fi ✦ Discord ✦ Bug Report ✦ Announcements ✦ Dev Logs ✦ Character Art ✦ Character Roster ✦ Character References ✦ Romances ✦ Ask Guidelines ✦ Instagram | Bluesky | linktree

I track #wayfarer and #wayfarer if.

Keep reading

[cosmic-writes-if]

“i’ll be your sword” okay. and. and im the sheath right. nnghhhh,,,

[cosmic-writes-if]

a little bit of kief sparkled on that bowl and MAN i'm ready to write a goddamn masterpiece. this one's for you, Ozzy *kissing two fingers and raising them to the sky*

[cosmic-writes-if]

With itch.io caving into censorship, here's a post with some advice about making your own neocities site just in case: https://www.tumblr.com/harlequinoccult/790005081761284096?source=share

thank you so much, darling anon <3

[cosmic-writes-if]

5 Tiny Writing Tips That Aren’t Talked About Enough (but work for me)

These are some lowkey underrated tips I’ve seen floating around writing communities — the kind that don’t get flashy attention but seriously changed how I write.

1. Put “he/she/they” at the start of the sentence less often.

Try switching up your sentence rhythm. Instead of

“She walked to the window,”

try

“The window creaked open under her touch.”

Keeps it fresh and stops the paragraph from sounding like a checklist.

2. Don’t describe everything — describe what matters.

Instead of listing every detail in a room, pick 2–3 objects that say something.

“A half-drunk mug of tea and a knife on the table”

sets a way stronger tone than

“There was a wooden table, two chairs, and a shelf.”

3. Use beats instead of dialogue tags sometimes.

Instead of:

"I'm fine," she said.

Try:

"I'm fine." She wiped her hands on her skirt.

It helps shows emotion, and movement.

4. Write your first draft like no one will ever read it.

No pressure. No perfection. Just vibes. The point of draft one is to exist. Let it be messy and weird — future you will thank you for at least something to edit.

5. When stuck, ask: “What’s the most fun thing that could happen next?”

Not logical. Not realistic. FUN. It doesn’t have to stay — but chasing excitement can blast through writer’s block and give you ideas you actually want to write.

What’s a tip that unexpectedly helped with your writing? Let me know!! 🍒

[cosmic-writes-if]

Zoom In, Don’t Glaze Over: How to Describe Appearance Without Losing the Plot

You’ve met her before. The girl with “flowing ebony hair,” “emerald eyes,” and “lips like rose petals.” Or him, with “chiseled jawlines,” “stormy gray eyes,” and “shoulders like a Greek statue.”

We don’t know them.

We’ve just met their tropes.

Describing physical appearance is one of the trickiest — and most overdone — parts of character writing. It’s tempting to reach for shorthand: hair color, eye color, maybe a quick body scan. But if we want a reader to see someone — to feel the charge in the air when they enter a room — we need to stop writing mannequins and start writing people.

So let’s get granular. Here’s how to write physical appearance in a way that’s textured, meaningful, and deeply character-driven.

1. Hair: It’s About Story, Texture, and Care

Hair says a lot — not just about genetics, but about choices. Does your character tame it? Let it run wild? Is it dyed, greying, braided, buzzed, or piled on top of her head in a hurry?

Good hair description considers:

Texture (fine, coiled, wiry, limp, soft)

Context (windblown, sweat-damp, scorched by bleach)

Emotion (does she twist it when nervous? Is he ashamed of losing it?)

Flat: “Her long brown hair framed her face.”

Better: “Her ponytail was too tight, the kind that whispered of control issues and caffeine-fueled 4 a.m. library shifts.”

You don’t need to romanticise it. You need to make it feel real.

2. Eyes: Less Color, More Connection

We get it: her eyes are violet. Cool. But that doesn’t tell us much.

Instead of focusing solely on eye color, think about:

What the eyes do (do they dart, linger, harden?)

What others feel under them (seen, judged, safe?)

The surrounding features (dark circles, crow’s feet, smudged mascara)

Flat: “His piercing blue eyes locked on hers.”

Better: “His gaze was the kind that looked through you — like it had already weighed your worth and moved on.”

You’re not describing a passport photo. You’re describing what it feels like to be seen by them.

3. Facial Features: Use Contrast and Texture

Faces are not symmetrical ovals with random features. They’re full of tension, softness, age, emotion, and life.

Things to look for:

Asymmetry and character (a crooked nose, a scar)

Expression patterns (smiling without the eyes, habitual frowns)

Evidence of lifestyle (laugh lines, sun spots, stress acne)

Flat: “She had a delicate face.”

Better: “There was something unfinished about her face — as if her cheekbones hadn’t quite agreed on where to settle, and her mouth always seemed on the verge of disagreement.”

Let the face be a map of experience.

4. Bodies: Movement > Measurement

Forget dress sizes and six packs. Think about how bodies occupy space. How do they move? What are they hiding or showing? How do they wear their clothes — or how do the clothes wear them?

Ask:

What do others notice first? (a presence, a posture, a sound?)

How does their body express emotion? (do they go rigid, fold inwards, puff up?)

Flat: “He was tall and muscular.”

Better: “He had the kind of height that made ceilings nervous — but he moved like he was trying not to take up too much space.”

Describing someone’s body isn’t about cataloguing. It’s about showing how they exist in the world.

5. Let Emotion Tint the Lens

Who’s doing the describing? A lover? An enemy? A tired narrator? The emotional lens will shape what’s noticed and how it’s described.

In love: The chipped tooth becomes charming.

In rivalry: The smirk becomes smug.

In mourning: The face becomes blurred with memory.

Same person. Different lens. Different description.

6. Specificity is Your Superpower

Generic description = generic character. One well-chosen detail creates intimacy. Let us feel the scratch of their scarf, the clink of her earrings, the smudge of ink on their fingertips.

Examples:

“He had a habit of adjusting his collar when he lied — always clockwise, always twice.”

“Her nail polish was always chipped, but never accidentally.”

Make the reader feel like they’re the only one close enough to notice.

Describing appearance isn’t just about what your character looks like. It’s about what their appearance says — about how they move through the world, how others see them, and how they see themselves.

Zoom in on the details that matter. Skip the clichés. Let each description carry weight, story, and emotion. Because you’re not building paper dolls. You’re building people.

[cosmic-writes-if]

Portraits

[cosmic-writes-if]

so... my dumb ass just realised Sanctum prooobably won't get published by Hosted Games with the content that it has. you know, playing as someone in captivity and all. so... Twine, here i come.

at least i'll make it look aesthetic as fuck :^)