Description

Hello! I'm Squire Zed, and I have an unusual request, so read carefully!

This is similar to my reading comprehension giveaways, but a bit more involved. I write stories as a bit of a hobby, and I wrote one that I would like people to review and give me some feedback on. It, like this game, is about a post-apocalypse and android-human relationships. So here's how it's gonna work: comment thanks and get blacklisted (unless you reference this description), comment nothing/something unrelated and enter away without concern, and leave constructive feedback or helpful comments and get whitelisted!

Story: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SGYsyWJvCw41FUJgqO6J52MhO_ALcUXqwHVegFRdOFY/edit?usp=sharing

You can leave comments directly on the story, but leave your SG username so I know who you are to get you whitelisted! Thank you!

Also, Blink Bundle is dead. Below is the email I received from them; feel free to try the keys! Most of them are used, but I may have redeemed some without using them, so it can't hurt to try, right?

As you may already be aware, Blink Bundle has been discontinued. The website is no longer available, which is why we would like to take this opportunity to send you a copy of all your previously purchased Steam keys:

Something for Everyone Bundle
Archon Classic: 0MIDV-4AGPD-MDC23 (Redeemed)
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream: 88Q8D-874GA-IQB76 (Redeemed)
Blockland: PLEXG-369FH-Y24IE (Redeemed)
Eldritch: CDZRK-YKFB6-TEFIR (Redeemed)
Gnomoria: WEE7R-AWGCJ-9A52T (Redeemed)
Hero of the Kingdom: R8LF8-P25H0-B8BIA (Redeemed)
InFlux: IYQAJ-RBWW9-636DL (Redeemed)
Light of Altair: TQN9K-DRRBM-MYHHP (Redeemed)
Lilly Looking Through: KXL28-KJJEF-GTI6G (Redeemed)
Mutant Mudds Deluxe: FVDEQ-5Q3H8-R5PBN (Redeemed)
Sideway New York: CONFIRMED USED
Astro Tripper: CONFIRMED USED

The Epic Highborn Bundle
Clickr: 9FMCK-WHI9P-8HEPN (Redeemed)
Epic Battle Fantasy 4: DXVPY-4K7T9-BTLQM (Redeemed)
Highborn: K6648-3DZQT-2EFPJ (Redeemed)
Silent Storm Gold Edition: JZ7GN-CHB3W-H8XWZ (Redeemed)
SpaceForce Rogue Universe: KMBMP-3LCYX-7ER3Q (Redeemed)
Winter Voices Episode 1: Those who have no name: RJK8A-YZA0E-GCRFX (Redeemed)
Winter Voices Prologue: Avalanche: C8RYX-LY3XH-IGBAP (Redeemed)
Zafehouse: Diaries: IM3JF-HKLLR-L3MV8 (Redeemed)
Winter Voices Episode 2: Nowhere of me: 4LCEP-NNG9H-PFFXJ (Redeemed)
Alien Zombie Megadeath: CONFIRMED USED

Something for Everyone Bundle 2
Corporate Lifestyle Simulator: CONFIRMED USED
WazHack: 20DQ0-5DNDM-RKK75 (Redeemed)
Aces Wild: Manic Brawling Action!: EBG97-BTTTW-70FTC (Redeemed)
Continue?9876543210: 8ACAR-HKCW6-4PVN6 (Redeemed)
Real World Racing: 47CPB-Y33XB-T0DQ8 (Redeemed)
Vector: 63JA0-87JIT-WTKX4 (Redeemed)
The Maker's Eden: IDG8L-KI3A8-GVN0X (Redeemed)
Vitrum: WDHAA-7F4IG-79WT4 (Redeemed)
Riptide GP2: 77FKT-V3KTV-78C98 (Redeemed)

I'll have a look through your story after I get a bit of rest. It is a bit past midnight for me and I'm coming down with a bad cold :/.

8 years ago
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That's no fun. Get well soon!

8 years ago
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Hello! I notice that you never came back with feedback. As I'm planning on doing another whitelist giveaway of this game, and I updated the story, I'm letting you know so if you want to drop by some feedback I'll add you to the list, even though this giveaway ended!
Also, I hope you're feeling better!

8 years ago
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Thank you for reminding me. Been having a bit of a busy week. I am feeling better, thank you :D

8 years ago
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I just wonder, what is their relationship. So it becomes more personal. To know why you are mourning.
And is it just a part of the story? or is this a short story? I'm not really in these post-apocalyptic story, but it reads fine.

didn't know if i should leave it here or in your doc

These are also redeemed, thanks
Sideway New York: 5J7K0-Q5I3I-D3K25
Astro Tripper: GFT74-MYAFK-J783N

8 years ago
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Thanks for the feedback. I'm thinking it will end up as a short story, perhaps in a series. That would both give a bit of background on the characters and explain why Eman is attached to Sunset. I like to do multiple stories from the different characters' perspectives, since I write mostly in first person, so perhaps I'll suffix this story with the story of the two meeting... now I have more to write. -_-

8 years ago
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their relation can also grow throughout your serie.

8 years ago
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I've written a short prologue story. I still need a transition, obviously, since it jumps quite a bit in time but it should offer more of a background. I'll definitely tweak it, probably a lot, but we'll see how it pans out.

8 years ago
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I worked on a couple of additional stories. One of them isn't done yet, but I think a first introduces the characters better.

8 years ago
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I see you were (are?) busy. It's nice to have some of the characters introduced. It feels more whole.

Keep going!

8 years ago
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I somehow managed to get here early enough to snag Corporate Lifestyle Simulator, so thanks a ton for that!

I want more to read!

8 years ago
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That is the plan, since Verveeri wants to know how the characters are related. I'll probably write a prologue.
Edit: Done, sort of.

8 years ago*
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I have completed another story and part of another is ready, in case you want to read more!

8 years ago
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Thank you!

8 years ago
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ty

8 years ago
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and the android’s weight becomes overwhelming as my body loses its fear granted strength.

In place of this, I'd say "becomes overwhelming as the fear and adrenaline subside, taking any lasting strength it granted me with it."

Probably obvious, but I feel it would help to get to know Sunset and Eman a little more prior to the tragedy so we empathize with them better. Some added conversation on their way to scavenging would work toward that, but I'm guessing this is just a small piece of a bigger story still being established anyway. Wasn't much else I would change, so far it's interesting.

8 years ago
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I reworked the sentence to be a bit stronger. I also added an introduction to the characters.

8 years ago
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Blood is smeared on the floor, and a familiar body lies on the floor, wrists slit open.

The only thing I would change is rewording this part so you don't use floor twice in the same sentence. Otherwise, it's a pretty good read.

Have you ever seen The Outer Limits? You might like the episode Resurrection. It's kinda cheesy by today's standards, but it's still interesting to watch.

Thanks for Valley Without Wind, btw.

8 years ago*
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Thanks! I reworked the sentence to be better, I think.

8 years ago
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In case you're still interested, I added an introduction to the first story and started working on another.

8 years ago
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Oooh, nice.

The door falls out of its frame with a crash at the slightest push, the dry heat and infestation of insects having damaged the frame severely.
Rays of moonlight drift down from a gap in the roof, and I step on cracking glass and crunching plaster as I look up through the gap.

It's minor, but there's a couple instances here with reused words. I'd just change "the frame" to "it" and change the second gap to opening to avoid repetition.

Also this part here...

He has a firearm; a crude boxy gun completely unlike the ones in my father’s case back home. He has it pointed at the ground between us, wary for any sudden movements. I rise slowly, turning from the dusty metal panel to face him.
“I’m looking for my father.”
The man slides the gun into the holster on his hip, and walks over to me, reaching out a bare hand.
“I’m Emanuel. You can call me Eman.”

I get the sense that Eman is a little too quick to introduce himself and start trusting Sunset without inquiring further about what she's doing or warning her about how dangerous the area is. It just seems like there should be a little more of an exchange before he can properly make the judgement to give her his name and trust her.


"I helped him lift the bot onto a salvage cart, and called for a couple guards. Believing that the bot was just scrap, they were not particularly non-plussed by its presence. After all, who would have a walking death machine following them around and let it in the bunker?*

Apparently us, but that's beside the point.

Anyway, Eman gathered the council, a bunch of scientists and other insufferable types who make decisions around here, and talked to them about the bot."


I kinda wanna see this line separated on it's own from the paragraph to give it a little bit of emphasis and a beat in the narration. It's a great moment in the dialogue.

I ended up really liking Mole's portion, it's pretty funny and feels natural.

8 years ago*
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Thanks for the feedback. I completely missed the repetition because, well, I had an attention span failure in the middle of both those sentences. I've actually been brainstorming the meeting scene, and it should change today unless I'm way too lazy. I'll also probably implement that change to Mole's story, since I think it does flow better that way!

8 years ago
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I'm 'bout to head off for the night, but I bookmarked it so I can read it tomorrow. :)

8 years ago
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Thanks for the GA!
This short actually ended up being better than I expected.

One minor nitpick though: In the factory scene why do these sentry machines rely on light and… sight when detecting humans? This just feels impractical. Especially when they 'ignore' human-like… androids with 'crimson' blood - which, I assume, would also show up in heat vision. They use solar power accumulated during the day, and have to resort to illumination in order to locate the origin of the suspicious noises - that part is questionable, at least from my perspective.

8 years ago
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Just what I wanted to comment about too. :P
It would be definitely more practical if the machines used some other, or at least additional form of picking up on environment, like echolocation or infrared sensors. Might be a good occasion to say how they tell androids apart from humans. Then again, maybe that flaw is intentional on the machines' part, considering sentence near the beginning of the story:

If they cared, they could reclaim the entire continent (planet?) and eliminate humanity all together, but they held back, regulating their numbers and resource usage for some unknown reason, developing more and more machines of roughly equivalent strength but esoteric designs.

8 years ago
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But… But…

Impractical solutions coming from a machine would either require a far more… advanced AI that has developed sentience and/or human traits (e.g. cruelty to keep the human population at bay without completely eliminating it, just to have the survivors struggling).
Or would be indicative of advanced non-machine entities (aliens, dolphins, other humans?) actually in charge, and controlling those machines.
Could also be an inherited programming error - a built-in defect that the AI based upon it has not been able to pick up yet - the last chance of survival for humankind…

The plot thickens.

8 years ago*
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Muahahahaha! Also, wow, a hole in one.

8 years ago*
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I'll admit I wasn't a fan of that too; I wanted something that the protagonist could notice (so infrared, etc. were too subtle) and fear inspiring. I'll brainstorm on this.

I've changed it to creepy red beams for the fear factor, since, you know, it's more terrifying that way. I might tweak it in the future.

8 years ago*
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In case you're interested, I worked on another story or two in the series.

8 years ago
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The crimson blood is actually from the protagonist's cut hands. I'll revise to make that clearer. Thanks!

Revised the scene in the factory to eliminate the lights (which were a bit silly) and replaced them with the equally non-sensical but less silly red lights.

Also, I am aware that solar power is not actually a feasible source of power for giant death robots, despite what the hippies say. I'm experimenting with having Sunset use power cells, tell me if you think it's a better explanation. Now I just need to find a reason for the robots to be less active at night.

8 years ago*
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In case you're interested, I worked on another story or two in the series.

8 years ago
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Thank you!

8 years ago
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Thank You!

8 years ago
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Thank you!

8 years ago
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Deleted

This comment was deleted 5 years ago.

8 years ago
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I'm not offended; I asked for feedback, and I'd be more offended if I didn't get any. I'll take a look at that sentence, and I'll work on more background in a bit.

Also, this is one of my favorite VN's. I don't play the genre much... it might be the only one... but I think it's one of the best examples of story in gaming that I've ever played. I also, uh, like androids a lot. That might factor in.

8 years ago*
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Thank you for the feedback! I've added some more content to the stories in case you're interested.

8 years ago
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The story is pretty good, but it's making my inner editor scream. My advice would be to edit the wording a bit in places where it's rough, and make sure spelling is correct, I've noticed a few typos.

8 years ago
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I think I've double checked a good deal of the original story. The new one is rough (because, you know, fresh rough draft, hot off the press) but if you find anything particular with the original please let me know so I can fix it up!

8 years ago
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Sorry to say, but I didn't save a copy of the old one, and the link seems to contain the new one from what I can tell.

8 years ago
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Scroll down, it's at the bottom. I wrote them in chronological order.

8 years ago
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I went ahead and offered some edits. I only read the original to point out what others haven't so far, I'll read the new one a bit later. I gotta get going. Thanks Mr. Stealth!

8 years ago
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Thanks! I implemented a few of the changes, though I didn't change the quotes (I know "Are you" is better grammar, but it's the character's voice, he has a bit of a casual speech pattern and as such drops "extra" words.)

8 years ago
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Thanks

8 years ago
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I hope I can read more of it soon :)

8 years ago
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I'll probably work on it today.

Probably.

Hey, what do you know, I actually did!

8 years ago*
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In case you didn't see, I added another story and started a third.

8 years ago
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Thanks for letting me know, I'm going to check it out this evening :3

8 years ago
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I added more stuff again if you're still interested again. Again.

8 years ago
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Thanks

8 years ago
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Thank You.

8 years ago
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Thanks

8 years ago
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I really like the setting. Haven't read many robot/human stories actually. I thought they'd be boring. But yours was quite interesting. Especially the part about exploring the labatory

8 years ago
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Ah, yes, still haven't finished that yet. It ends a bit abruptly because I'm procrastinating on it.

8 years ago
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I completed that scene and a couple others, if you're interested.

8 years ago
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Awesome story so far SquireZed !

I especially like the introduction where you don't totally know what's so different / special about Sunset at first. It adds a bit more intrigue to the narrative. Would love to see more about Sunset and Eman from the introduction piece before the original story part.

  • How does their relationship change and grow from that first encounter?
  • Where do they go from the lab?
  • Are others (ie. Mole) as accepting of Sunset at first?
8 years ago
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So now I have a third story to write. Yay?

8 years ago
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There is now some additional content on the introductory story and another piece from Mole with his perspective, if you're still interested. (Disclaimer: None of the stories are technically finished, and Mole's story ends abruptly.)

8 years ago
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Looks great !

I'm looking forward to your future developments :-)

8 years ago
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Have a good day man!

8 years ago
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The story itself is good enough and keeps the reader invested. The biggest problem I have is with your descriptions and visualizing what you have in mind. I'd be glad to offer more specific advice if you want.

8 years ago
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Go ahead, I'm trying to improve anything that might make the story better, so specifics show me where exactly I can modify things to make them better.

8 years ago
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Hello! I worked on the introduction and added more content. If you are still interested, let me know if you think it's improved; I think I knocked off some of the rust, so it might be more interesting now.

8 years ago
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I skimmed through it earlier today. I had a much better sense of what was going on and connected with the characters better. I might say now to be careful not to give too much away too quickly.

8 years ago
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I'm gonna go ahead and apologize for not reading your story at the moment. Being nearly 4:30am, it's late and I'm just browsing through all the giveaways for ones that interest me at the moment, catching descriptions for any special entry restrictions. If I remember this later, I will give your story a fair shot, though!

8 years ago
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Hello! I notice that you never came back with feedback. As I'm planning on doing another whitelist giveaway of this game, and I updated the story, I'm letting you know so if you want to drop by some feedback I'll add you to the list, even though this giveaway ended!

8 years ago
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I going to have to skip reading the story as of right now because I just woke up and my eyes hurt BAD. I hope what I'm typing is all correct. I will try to read it later if I can remember to!

8 years ago
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Hello! I notice that you never came back with feedback. As I'm planning on doing another whitelist giveaway of this game, and I updated the story, I'm letting you know so if you want to drop by some feedback I'll add you to the list, even though this giveaway ended!

8 years ago
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I really enjoyed that. Felt the first one was better as we got a bit more characterization.
My only question is why does Eman say everyone is dead but we only see one body? Is it supposed to be that the shock of seeing her dead father causes Sunset to not even notice anything else?

8 years ago
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I was writing as I was brainstorming, and I changed the scene a bit as I was actually writing it out. I'll work on making that consistent. The bunker wasn't originally meant for one person and one android- hence the everyone. However, I never revealed what happened to the others, so it doesn't make sense that Eman would assume that Sunset was responsible, being a machine and all.

8 years ago
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