Samantha Lienhard's Blog, page 143

Hopes for the Nintendo Switch

Yesterday, Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo Switch, previously known as the NX.

Like the rumors claimed, it appears to be a console/handheld hybrid.

The Nintendo Switch Dock lets you use it with the TV like a normal console, but you can remove it from the dock to take it on the go.

The “Joy-Con controllers” (what a name) can be detached from the sides of the Nintendo Switch for gameplay or attached to the Joy-Con Grip for use as a more traditional controller. There will also be a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, according to the official press release.

It also uses cartridges instead of discs. There is no physical backwards compatibility with either the Wii U or the 3DS.

We don’t know a lot of details about the Switch’s specs or details, but there’s one thing I’m always more interested in than its power or structure: games.

And while we still don’t have many confirmed Switch titles, the trailer does give a few glimpses of games not revealed before.

Splatoon and Mario Kart are both shown in the video, although it’s unclear if these are entirely new versions or just updates to the existing Wii U games.

It also shows Skyrim, which appears to be the upcoming Skyrim Special Edition, and a basketball game many people believe is NBA 2K17.

But what I really want to see more of is that Mario game. The tiny glimpse in the trailer makes it look like it could be a new 3D Mario game in the style of Super Mario 64/Sunshine/Galaxy. I waited for one through the Wii U’s entire life cycle, since it’s a very different style than Super Mario 3D World. I didn’t get one on the Wii U, but perhaps I will on the Nintendo Switch!

Nintendo also revealed a list of partners working on Switch games.

505 Games
Activision Publishing, Inc.
ARC SYSTEM WORKS Co., Ltd.
ATLUS CO., LTD.
Audiokinetic Inc.
Autodesk, Inc.
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.
Bethesda
CAPCOM CO., LTD.
Codemasters®
CRI Middleware Co., Ltd.
DeNA Co., Ltd.
Electronic Arts
Epic Games Inc.
Firelight Technologies
FromSoftware, Inc.
Frozenbyte
GameTrust
GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC．
Gungho Online Entertainment, Inc.
HAMSTER Corporation
Havok
INTI CREATES CO., LTD.
KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.
Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
LEVEL-5 Inc.
Marvelous Inc.
Maximum Games, LLC
Nippon Ichi Software, Inc.
Parity Bit Inc.
PlatinumGames Inc.
RAD Game Tools, Inc.
RecoChoku Co., Ltd.
SEGA Games Co., Ltd.
Silicon Studio Corporation
Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
Starbreeze Studios
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.
Telltale Games
THQ Nordic
Tokyo RPG Factory Co., Ltd.
TT Games
UBISOFT
Ubitus Inc.
Unity Technologies, Inc.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Web Technology Corp

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Now, there’s no guarantee these companies will stick with the Switch, but this is a very intriguing lineup that allows for a lot of speculation. Let’s take a look at some of the names that stand out to me the most.

FromSoftware is famous for the Souls games, so many fans think a Dark Souls 3 port might be on its way to the Switch.

However, FromSoftware is currently working on three games, according to an IGN interview with Miyazaki: a new Armored Core game, a game that will be what fans expect (probably a new Souls-esque dark fantasy game), and one that will make fans say “oh, what the hell is this very weird game that Miyazaki has created?”

Could the Nintendo Switch get one of these new games? It’s definitely plausible.

Next, Grasshopper Manufacture has made some pretty unusual games. Fans have been hoping for a new No More Heroes game, especially since Suda51 said he wanted to make one for the Wii U. Grasshopper Manufacture also co-developed the unlocalized fourth Fatal Frame game, Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, with Tecmo Koei…

…and Koei Tecmo is also on the list. Dare we hope?!

Level-5 makes many great games, both for Nintendo and otherwise. My first thought was that Lady Layton might be released on the Switch, but there are many things it could be.

Seeing PlatinumGames on the list only makes me think one thing: more Bayonetta, please!

I also did a double take when I saw Tokyo RPG Factory listed. That is the studio Square Enix set up to make traditionaly-style JRPGs, starting with I Am Setsuna. Since the reaction to I Am Setsuna was mixed (you can read my own review at MonsterVine), I worried it might be the end of them.

That would have been a shame, because I Am Setsuna had clear potential. Whatever they make for the Nintendo Switch, I’ll be looking forward to it.

Overall, it’s just nice to see this long list of partners and speculate on the future of this console. Smaller developers have also expressed interest, and the developer of SteamWorld Heist is making something for the Switch.

Well, we have a lot to think about! What do you think of the Nintendo Switch? What games are you hoping to see on it the most?

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Shantae: Risky’s Revenge

When I got the Humble Friends of Nintendo Bundle, I mentioned my interest in Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse, and that I already had another Shantae game.

When I tried Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse, I enjoyed what I played so much, I decided to do things properly and play Shantae: Risky’s Revenge first.

Risky’s Revenge (which is available on many different systems, but I had the PC Director’s Cut from an earlier Humble Bundle) is the second game in the series. It’s a 2D platformer about a half-genie named Shantae who must stop the evil pirate Risky Boots from unleashing the powers of a sinister lamp.

I’m not a huge fan of 2D platformers, but Risky’s Revenge is one of the few I really enjoyed. It has a good sense of humor, there are some Metroidvania elements along with some aspects that reminded me of the Legend of Zelda games, and overall it was just fun.

Shantae attacks enemies by whipping her hair forward, and she can cast magic after purchasing spells at the shop. As she tracks down the magic seals to prevent Risky from getting them, she also gains the ability to transform into other forms by dancing to access new areas.

It isn’t particularly story-heavy, but the dialogue tends to be pretty funny. It entertained me enough to make me interested in the characters and world.

Also, it has fantastic music!

The soundtrack made me feel like dancing myself.

Overall, Shantae: Risky’s Revenge was a lot of fun, and I’m happy I gave it a chance. However, Pirate’s Curse felt like a better game, so I’m excited to return to it… and maybe even finish it in time for the next game in the series, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero.

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Celebrating All Things Spooky: Breath of Death VII

Now that we’ve covered Eternal Darkness, let’s move on to one of the two games I’m giving away in honor of Halloween: Breath of Death VII.

If last week’s doom and gloom isn’t quite your cup of tea, this might suit you better, because Breath of Death VII (or Breath of Death VII: The Beginning, as the title screen calls it) is a parody. Even its name is a parody, a nod to classic RPG series like Final Fantasy that keep getting more and more entries.

It’s set in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by the undead, but despite this grim premise, it’s actually pretty lighthearted. The main character is a Skeleton Knight named Dem, and he’ll be joined on his quest by a ghost, a vampire, and a zombie.

Dem can’t actually speak, but his ghost companion can hear his thoughts, which she then relays to the group. Or at least, she relays her interpretation of them…

Breath of Death VII doesn’t have the strongest plot, but the writing is funny.

If you want a game that pokes fun at JRPG tropes (among other things) while also paying homage to those games, this is the way to go.

The game is fairly short, about 5-10 hours depending on how quickly you play and how much you explore. It’s styled like an old-school JRPG with random encounters and turn-based combat.

However, there are conveniences like HP that refills after each battle and a limited number of random encounters per area (you can trigger battles manually if you want more), along with unique elements that set it apart. For example, enemies become stronger with each turn, so you want to defeat them as quickly as possible.

Breath of Death VII is a fun, humorous throwback to classic JRPGs. I highly recommend it… and don’t forget, every comment you make on this or any other Celebrating All Things Spooky post this October is a chance to win your own copy of Breath of Death VII!

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World of Final Fantasy Demo and Opening Movie

World of Final Fantasy is an upcoming turn-based RPG about a brother and sister exploring a mysterious world called Grymoire and encountering characters from across the Final Fantasy series.

It’s been on my radar ever since they showed the villains.

Since then, I’ve followed news about it and gotten pretty excited for this unusual Final Fantasy game. It sounds like it could be a lot of fun… and on Monday, we can try it out to see.

Starting October 17, a “dungeon demo” will be available to download for the PS4 or Vita. It should be a nice slice of World of Final Fantasy gameplay, with Mirages to capture and Final Fantasy characters to meet.

If you complete the demo, you’ll be able to fight the Magitek Armor P Mirage in the full game’s coliseum.

Square Enix also released the full opening movie for World of Final Fantasy, which includes the game’s regular graphics as well as an anime art style “that appears during some of the game’s cut scenes.”

I love this intro. It’s adorable, but also exciting. I can’t wait to see what the game is like, and I’ll play the demo for sure!

And of course, I want to know more about the villains. Speaking of which, I don’t trust Enna Kros (the silver-haired woman) one bit, thanks to Kingdom Hearts.

The silver hair is one thing, but she and Xehanort clearly buy their gloves from the same store.

Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, also wears the same gloves (and has beautiful silver hair to rival Enna’s)

And let’s see…

Nope! I don’t trust you, Lady Xehanort! I don’t trust you at all!

…Ahem.

While it may be a while before my suspicions about Enna Kros are proved or disproved, my more reasonable belief that World of Final Fantasy will be a fun game should gain some support on Monday, once the demo is available.

World of Final Fantasy is due out on October 25 in North America, October 27 in Japan, and October 28 in Europe. …Wait, why are we getting it before Japan?

Are you planning to play it or try its demo? What do you think of Enna’s odd resemblance to Xehanort (and Ansem)? Let me know in the comments.

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Spirit of Justice is an Excellent Ace Attorney Game

I already wrote a freelance review of ,Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice, but now that I’ve played its DLC as well, let’s discuss the newest entry in my favorite video game series.

Many people have named Spirit of Justice their new favorite Ace Attorney game. For me, Trials & Tribulations still claims the #1 spot. (I’d like to play the other top contender most people have, if Capcom would kindly localize it already…)

Nevertheless, Spirit of Justice is an excellent game.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice, currently available only on the Nintendo eShop, sends Phoenix to the Kingdom of Khura’in, where his old assistant Maya Fey is about to complete her training. There, he encounters a legal system where lawyers are all but non-existent. The people of Khura’in hate lawyers, and few people are willing to take up anyone’s defense due to a law known as the Defense Culpability Act:

“In the name of Her Eminence, those who would support criminals will be deemed just as guilty.”

In short, a lawyer whose client is found guilty will receive the same sentence. This severely raises the stakes, since Phoenix is at risk of execution if he loses a case in Khura’in.

Meanwhile, Apollo Justice and Athena Cykes are in charge of the home office, which the localization still vaguely pretends is in California despite more overt Japanese influences than ever.

Still, even he has his endearing moments.

The prosecutor this time around is Nahyuta Sahdmadhi, and it’s been a long time since we’ve had a prosecutor this hostile. New Ace Attorney drinking game: take a shot every time Nahyuta says you’re going to hell.

There’s more to Nahyuta than meets the eye… but unfortunately, he’s one of the least interesting prosecutors the series has ever had.

His claim to fame is supposedly that he can see the course a trial will take from the very start, or something… but this never really comes into play much. He’s mainly just calmly insulting, and after how much I liked Simon Blackquill and even Zacharias Barnham, I found Nahyuta disappointing.

But there’s a lot more to the plot than just Nahyuta. (After all, Trials & Tribulations is my favorite game even though Godot is my least favorite prosecutor.) Spirit of Justice has a more epic overarching plot than usual, since there’s a revolution going on in Khura’in. It’s pretty exciting to watch unfold.

Even the cases that don’t tie directly to that plot are great. The second case is quite possibly the best Case 2 in the series, and while a lot of people disliked Case 4, I loved it for obvious reasons.

Click for minor SoJ spoiler, implied Dual Destinies spoilerI want Blackquill as my assistant in more cases. That was awesome! And after dealing with Nahyuta for three prior cases, it was so satisfying to watch Blackquill shut down his nonsense with a sharp, “Silence!”

On a side note, people criticize Athena’s characterization since she seems less competent than in the cases she led in Dual Destinies… but this is the first time she’s taken the lead on a case where the defendant wasn’t a close friend.

Plus, both cases she led in Dual Destinies resulted in her freezing up due to her PTSD flashbacks. No matter how flustered Nahyuta made her, that never happened again. I say Athena’s characterization in Spirit of Justice is fine.

Spirit of Justice also draws more heavily on the previous games than Dual Destinies did, not only because of the heavy focus on spirit channeling, but also because of ties to Apollo Justice.

And while Nahyuta felt a bit dull, the rest of the cast made up for it. Of the new characters, Princess Rayfa in particular had the sort of character development that would have improved Nahyuta. Of the returning characters, Apollo’s development was great. I’d go so far as to call Spirit of Justice his game, not Phoenix’s.

On a personal level, I liked the story of Dual Destinies more than Spirit of Justice. (I know this is heresy among many Ace Attorney fans, much like my low opinion of Godot.) First, Blackquill alone made Dual Destinies one of my favorite games in the series. Second, I found its story much less predictable.

While I loved Spirit of Justice’s final case, I figured out many of its big twists in advance. Only one really shocked me, and I wish the case had more moments like that.

On the other hand, it had some surprisingly subtle foreshadowing, which I liked a lot!

Click for major Spirit of Justice spoilerThat bottle of black Je Suis L’belle hair dye in Inga’s room? It seems like just a nod to Dual Destinies until you remember the rules of spirit channeling. White-haired Amara would have had trouble passing herself off as a man with black hair.

Nevertheless, it improved on Dual Destinies in many ways. For example, you’re allowed to freely investigate areas again, and I think the series has finally found a happy medium. It lets you know which areas you need to search for evidence, alerts you when you’ve found everything, and marks which objects you’ve already examined. This eliminates the pixel-hunting of the early games, while still letting you investigate areas for funny dialogue.

(I still wish it was slightly less linear, though, especially when it comes to breaking Psyche-Locks. Psyche-Locks felt all but pointless.)

It also raised the difficulty from Dual Destinies, but kept the “consult” feature in case you get stuck, another nice balance.

Now, let’s talk about the DLC. There are three DLC cases: two non-canon “Asinine Attorney” episodes and one full-fledged case called Turnabout Time Traveler. The Asinine Attorney episodes are amusing, but pretty short. Turnabout Time Traveler, however, is great! It’s set after the main game and well worth playing.

Overall, I enjoyed Spirit of Justice a lot and definitely recommend it to fans of the series. It leaves me curious, however, about where they’ll go from here.

Click for major Spirit of Justice spoilerThroughout the whole game, I thought they were planning to phase Phoenix out for good as the main character. The Khura’in setting was created because they felt Japan/California no longer had enough challenges for him, and there was all that stuff about how Phoenix knew the office was safe with Apollo in charge…

…and then Apollo stayed in Khura’in.

So where are we going from here? Will future games be split across the two countries like this one? Will Apollo get his own series set in Khura’in?

Well, I’m sure Capcom will make its plans for Ace Attorney 7 known in time. Until then, let’s hope they localize Dai Gyakuten Saiban next… and maybe Ace Attorney Investigations 2?

Fans:

Capcom, can we please have Investigations 2?

Capcom:

I’ll never give up! Anyway, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice was an excellent game and a great addition to the Ace Attorney series. If you’ve played it, what did you think?

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Celebrating All Things Spooky: Eternal Darkness

Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem is a survival horror game I wanted to play for quite a long time, and I’m glad I finally did. I love the work of H.P. Lovecraft, and it’s hard to find a game more Lovecraftian than this.

Eternal Darkness begins when a young woman named Alex Roivas is called to her grandfather’s mansion in response to his horrific, inexplicable murder. There, she decides to investigate and uncover the secrets surrounding his death.

At first, the mansion makes Eternal Darkness look like it has standard survival horror gameplay. While you can explore some of it, most of your paths are blocked by locked doors, puzzles, and other obstacles.

However, it has an atypical narrative structure that makes its progression unique. As you explore, you’ll find pages of the Tome of Eternal Darkness, each of which contains a chapter about someone connected to the mystery.

These chapters take place across the world and throughout history.

As such, Eternal Darkness has numerous playable characters and often feels like a collection of short horror stories… interconnected stories bound by a single plot that brings them together.

And that plot, which revolves around a character summoning one of the Ancients to cast the world into eternal darkness, is not only full of Lovecraftian themes, it’s also pretty interesting to watch unfold.

In each chapter, you learn some sort of skill or knowledge that Alex can then use in the present day. For example, early on you wind up with a broken key. The chapter’s character learns a spell to repair items, which you then use as Alex to fix the key, move on to new areas, and find the next chapter.

Spell?

Unlike many survival horror games, Eternal Darkness has a strong focus on magic. As you explore, you’ll find runes that you use to cast different spells. Each spell is aligned with one of the Ancients, and it’s wise to keep in mind which Ancient is strong against which, to choose your spells accordingly.

Spells are used for puzzles, healing, and combat. You’ll also use melee weapons and firearms against the monsters you encounter, and you can target individual parts of the monsters’ bodies. There’s a stronger focus on action than you’ll find in most horror games, since striking the final blow against an enemy restores part of your sanity meter (which decreases as enemies see you). However, some enemies are powerful enough that it can be better to just run past.

And of course, what Eternal Darkness is really well-known for is its sanity effects. Unfortunately, the more you know about the sanity system, the less scary it is, since it’s designed to mess with the player more than the character.

While I knew nothing about the plot, I knew the sort of sanity effects I’d face, which diminished their effectiveness. Plus, since low sanity can hurt you–things that would drain sanity drain health instead if your meter is depleted–I tried to keep my sanity high whenever possible as soon as I learned the spell to restore it.

As a result, I didn’t find Eternal Darkness as scary as I’d hoped. It’s also hard for me to compare it to other games in the genre, because it’s so different from every other survival horror game I’ve played.

However, I can say this about it. Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem might not be the best survival horror game, and it might not be very scary if you know what it’s infamous for… but if you’re looking for a game with a fun Lovecraftian story, it’s one of the best I’ve ever seen.

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Play Tales of Symphonia for Free This Weekend

Tales of Symphonia is easily one of the best games I’ve ever played. I recommend it to any JRPG fan, whether you play the Steam port, Tales of Symphonia Chronicles on the PS3, or the original Gamecube version.

But if you want to give it a try first, you’re in luck. Steam is holding a free Tales of Symphonia weekend, which means you can download Tales of Symphonia from Steam and play it for free from now until Sunday at 1 PM Pacific Time / 4 PM Eastern Time.

It is also discounted, so if you enjoy playing it and want to buy the game, you can get it for $6.79.

When Tales of Symphonia first launched on Steam, it was riddled with issues, from major technical problems to bizarre mistakes. Since then, most of those problems have been cleared up. If you care about 60 FPS, it still isn’t on par with the Gamecube version, but it’s as good as if not better than the PS3 version.

Give Tales of Symphonia a try this weekend!

(On a different note, I planned to discuss Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice today. Expect that post next week. Meanwhile, Color Splash is out–officially, not accidentally–today. I’m still on the fence about it.)

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The Role of Moogles in Final Fantasy XV

Yesterday, Square Enix launched a countdown to new information about Final Fantasy XV. Before long, it was revealed that the countdown would show the role Moogles play in Final Fantasy XV.

And when the countdown ended… we learned that Moogles will be items in Final Fantasy XV.

“Moogle dolls and goods” can be used as a “lucky charm” when you’re in trouble. So far, they haven’t explained how these items will help.

Final Fantasy VI had a Moogle Charm item that prevented random encounters. While Final Fantasy XV has no random encounters, maybe it wards away enemies. Maybe a Moogle toy will be a one-use item that lets you survive a fatal blow or something similar. Maybe it will summon a special Astral when you’re in danger. Those are my theories.

The greatest surprise is why they felt this needed a countdown. As for the Moogles themselves, this approach makes sense.

Moogles were once planned for Final Fantasy XV, since they’re a recurring staple of the series, but then they were dropped because they didn’t fit the world.

Square Enix later let fans vote on the issue, and both Japanese and Western audiences overwhelmingly said they wanted Moogles in Final Fantasy XV. Tabata responded with the following:

Hi Tabata here. Congrats Moogle! I’d like to thank everyone that voted. I will think of a fun little way to feature Moogles in #FFXV (1/3)

— Final Fantasy XV (@FFXVEN) November 9, 2015

Importantly, at this stage of development I will not be making a trade off with the other work remaining in order to fit them in. (2/3)

— Final Fantasy XV (@FFXVEN) November 9, 2015

So it won’t be a very chatty Moogle, but will be done with a suitably light level of development work as a fun little #FFXV extra. (3/3)

— Final Fantasy XV (@FFXVEN) November 9, 2015

A “fun little way” to include a non-chatty Moogle? Sounds like Moogle toys were pretty much to be expected at that point.

To celebrate the announcement, Square Enix is currently holding a new Twitter promotion. The more followers the official Twitter account gets, the more rewards will be unlocked, until they finally conclude with some sort of Moogle video, perhaps showing Final Fantasy XV’s Moogles in action.

What do you think about the role Moogles will play in Final Fantasy XV? Are you satisfied, or were you hoping for live Moogle characters? How do you think this “lucky charm” will function?

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Celebrating All Things Spooky 2016

For the past three years, we’ve spent October celebrating all things spooky with a look at everything from outright horror to creepy elements in non-horror games.

Now it’s time for the fourth annual Celebrating All Things Spooky, with new spooky posts each Monday in October until we reach Halloween. (Wednesday and Friday will have normal posts for the site.)

Announcing “The Artist”

I’d like to kick things off with a new publication announcement. My short horror story “The Artist” will appear in the upcoming anthology Final Masquerade from Lycan Valley Press.

“The Artist” is about a man investigating the secrets of a mysterious artist… but the truth is more than he bargained for.

Many people helped with “The Artist,” and I’d like to thank all of you. If all goes as planned, Final Masquerade will be available on Halloween!

In the meantime, you can always check out the rest of my horror:

“Sand,” a Lovecraftian short story about an ancient civilization (available in The Mad Scientist Journal)
“Rokurokubi,” a short horror story inspired by the yokai of Japanese folklore (available in Wicked Words Quarterly)
Sacreya’s Legacy , a zombie serial you can read for FREE
The Book at Dernier , a Lovecraftian serial you can read for FREE
The Zombie Mishap, a comedy novella if you want something more lighthearted

You can find more information, different purchase links, and a list of my free flash fiction here.

A New Spooky Contest

Join me during Celebrating All Things Spooky for a chance to win two parody RPGs, Breath of Death VII and Cthulhu Saves the World.

This year’s contest isn’t random. Instead, I want you to leave (non-anonymous) comments on my Celebrating All Things Spooky blog posts. Next month, I will pick the person who left the best comments overall and contact them about receiving their prize.

Rules

No purchase is necessary.
Only comments made before November 1, 2016 at 12:00 AM EST will be taken into consideration.
Comments made on any Celebrating All Things Spooky post will be taken into consideration, even if the post is from a previous year.
Comments will be judged based on relevance and quality.
Comments will be judged solely by me.
If I judge the contest to be a tie, all winners will still receive the prize.
The winner will be announced on November 2, 2016.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Good luck, and Happy October! Let’s celebrate some spookiness as we look ahead to Halloween.

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#WIPjoy September 2016: Agent of the Relari

This month, I participated in #WIPjoy, a seasonal writing event created and hosted by Bethany A. Jennings. Each day, writers answer a specific question about their current work-in-progress.

Since I spent September editing Agent of the Relari, that’s the novel I chose. Agent of the Relari is… well, let my #WIPjoy tweets speak for themselves.

Here is my #WIPJoy September 2016 round-up:

I didn’t get started right away, so I used the third day to catch up.

Tell us about your WIP!

What stage are you at with this project?

Describe your WIP with five verbs.

Catching up on #WIPJoy. D1: YA fantasy about the prophesied hero's best friend
D2: final revisions
D3: laugh, plot, question, desire, redeem

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 3, 2016

What emotions do you evoke with your setting?

#WIPJoy D4: Emotions evoked by my setting? Amusement, wonder, and curiosity, I hope… until the darker parts of the story.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 4, 2016

Share a line with a detail about your protagonist’s past.

#WIPJoy D5: Maybe, three years old or not, he could have saved her. Maybe that was why Caius hated him, because he failed.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 5, 2016

On Day 6, I forgot to mention the day in the Tweet.

What does your antagonist love deeply?

(Implied spoilers, maybe?)

#WIPJoy My antagonist loves his family and the world, even though his love has been twisted.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 6, 2016

Which two characters have the most interesting history?

#WIPJoy D7: Two minor characters know much more than they dare (or can) let on, although that won't be known until the last book.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 7, 2016

Name something experienced with each sense in your WIP.

#WIPJoy D8:
Sight: fog (everywhere)
Sound: whispers
Touch: fire
Smell: cookies
Taste: sandwiches

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 8, 2016

Is any part of the backstory inspired by your own life?

#WIPJoy D9: None of the backstory, but some of my main character's goofy moments are inspired by things I've done.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 9, 2016

Share a line you love about a setting.

#WIPJoy D10: Above, a ceiling of mist glowed with fiery stars, an illusion of flaming jewels suspended above them.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 10, 2016

After the first week, there was a bonus question, since the second week was answered from the main character’s point of view.

#WIPJoy Bonus Question: 16-year-old Micky Wilder will be taking over this week, and he can't WAIT to try this crazy "Twitter" thing.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 11, 2016

And so, Micky took over my Twitter account. The following questions are answered from his point of view.

Share a deep regret.

#WIPJoy D11: Hi, I'm Micky! Uh… deep regret? Not eating the last cookie–sorry, you want a serious one? Visiting the glade with Gordon.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 11, 2016

How do you really feel about a character closest to you?

#WIPJoy D12: As much as we argue, Maria really is one of my best friends. As for Fernando… he's great, but I worry about him…

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 12, 2016

Weapon of choice?

#WIPJoy D13: Weapon?! I don't fight things, that's Fernando's job! Okay, Father Martin, stop glaring… Hand-to-hand, I guess, if it counts.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 13, 2016

How do you feel about romance?

#WIPJoy D14: I'm madly in love! And the Winter Ball is soon.. I don't have much time… what am I going to do?! (Aside from panic, I mean!)

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 14, 2016

How do you feel about your author?

#WIPJoy D15: I'm not sure what I ever did her, but she's out to get me. She thinks she can order me around, but we'll see about that.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 15, 2016

Any words for future fans of you?

#WIPJoy D16: Fans? Of me? Uh… Oh! You must be fans because I'm a worlds-famous explorer now, right? Yeah, everyone loves me! I think…

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 17, 2016

When alone, do you make faces in the mirror?

#WIPJoy D17: "I mean, how else could I practice the best faces to make at people?" Micky squints one eye and sticks out his tongue.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 17, 2016

The third week restored control to me. Sorry, Micky.

Share a line that hints at your theme.

#WIPJoy D18: "Aren't the forbidden things the most alluring?"

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 18, 2016

What’s one big reason you’re writing this story?

#WIPJoy D19: While it has its darker moments, overall it's a FUN story to write. I hope that means it'll also be fun to read.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 19, 2016

What kind of reader desperately needs this story?

#WIPJoy D20: Someone who wants a fun story with more complicated stuff behind the scenes… and who wants to know anyone can become a hero.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 20, 2016

On Day 21, my Kingdom Hearts obsession rose to the surface.

What’s been your biggest challenge with this WIP?

#WIPJoy D21: Finding a balance between light and dark. …Not in a #Xehanort way, but in terms of content and mood.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 21, 2016

On Day 22, I overlooked the word “single.”

Represent your WIP with a single image.

#WIPJoy D22: The fog of the Falari and purple fire of the Relari. (Fog from https://t.co/p2vw1R4heC and fire from https://t.co/XtWGg1dVKB) pic.twitter.com/zT6APELuZQ

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 22, 2016

What aspect of the book is the most unique?

#WIPJoy D23: There is a prophesied "Chosen One," but that person isn't the main character.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 23, 2016

And on Day 24, I did a little more than a line.

Share a line that’s a fantastic example of your writing voice.

#WIPJoy D24: (In this scene, Micky is trying to look his best before he goes to see his crush.) pic.twitter.com/OiPmy47aX6

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 24, 2016

If you could choose any other book to mash up with your own, which would it be?

#WIPJoy D25: Hmm… it might be an interesting mashup with #Narnia.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 25, 2016

Shout-out to this WIP’s most encouraging fan.

#WIPJoy D26: Shout-out to Jonathan, who stood by it through all the eyebrows and typos (and terrified me with potential fanfic ships).

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 26, 2016

Does your WIP contain any inside jokes?

I needed two Tweets to answer Day 27’s question:

#WIPJoy D27: There are some inside jokes and references. For example, the "basement's basement" is a nod to #SilentHill.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 27, 2016

#WIPJoy D27 (cont.): Some inside jokes reference the sequels or older drafts, like Micky's boredom during what used to be an infodump.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 27, 2016

Share a line that made someone feel FEELS.

#WIPJoy D28: Feels? I'm not sure… but I'll go with: "He was worthless. Empty. Cut off from the light and unwilling to pursue the dark."

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 28, 2016

Shout-out to writer friends who inspire you.

Day 29 also needed two:

#WIPJoy D29: I know so many writers who inspire me! A few are: @SuzJay11 @HorrorScott @albertwendland @KenyaWrightBook @TCBucher @bravrayj

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 29, 2016

#WIPJoy D29 (cont.): …and many more, too many to list them all.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 29, 2016

Remind us all what your WIP is about.

#WIPJoy D30: Agent of the Relari, YA fantasy about the prophesied hero's best friend, who is targeted by the forces of darkness.

— Samantha Lienhard (@SamLienhard) September 30, 2016

And there you have it!

#WIPjoy was a lot of fun to participate in, and I want to do it again sometime. The next one will be in January, but she also announced a week-long mini #WIPjoy in November.

Hmm… in the middle of NaNoWriMo? That should be interesting…

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The post #WIPjoy September 2016: Agent of the Relari appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.