Bound By Night
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Status Update and Monogamy Routes
🕑 Added 2023-01-16 19:21:11 +0000 UTC
Well, I had been hoping to get some NSFW sneak peek pics to you by last weekend and that didn't happen, but I have been making great progress. What I didn't appreciate, though, is the amount of pillow-talk in this cuddle sequence between Alex and Connor. So, let me pull back the curtain just a little bit (light spoilers ahead).
With this part of Chapter 14, I'm trying to accomplish a few different tasks. First, I want to reintroduce Seth and give him a chance to respond to Mayhew's allegations from Chapter 13. Second, I want to give Nick and Connor some time back on the screen. Third... well, this is where it gets complicated.
There are two questions I've gotten with some regularity and they're related. One, will there be an option for monogamous relationships with some of the characters and, two, will there be an option for a monogamous relationship with Connor in particular?
So, after thinking about what is happening in the story right now, where things are going, and wanting to give Connor and Nick some time back on the screen... I've decided to implement optional monogamy paths for Alex to take with either Nick or Connor. These are going to unfold a bit differently between the two characters, and they may or may not be immediately on board with an "exclusive" relationship.
This has been a little tricky to write. When Alex expresses an interest in an exclusive relationship to a character who is predisposed towards an open or poly setup, I'm not going to just retcon everything I've done for that character to suit the player, but I also don't want to convey any sort of judgment. (Heck, I'm in a long-term monogamous relationship; I'm definitely not judging but not everyone who plays BBN is going to know that.)
So, that means there is a lot of dialogue with one of the characters about working out the parameters of what their romance and relationship is going to look like, and how it might evolve.
The other thing I've been dealing with is a really nasty head cold that hit me last week Wednesday. I wound up taking sick leave on Thursday and sleeping through the whole day. Despite that, I've been making very good progress on renders... there have just been more of them than I anticipated. This update is currently at 1400+ lines of script and 360 renders with another 30+ in the queue for rendering tonight.
Stay tuned!
Comments
Bound By Night
Ah, when I said I didn't "appreciate" it, what I meant was that I had underestimated how much of it had written that required renders (and how much was left to do). I actually think it's an important bit of dialogue; I try to never write any scene that is throw-away or doesn't advance the story. Glad you're happy about the news!
Terra
To be totally honest, I hadn't even considered that the "pillow-talk" surrounding Alex and Connor would be something you wouldn't appreciate. And if my ignorance wasn't clear enough already, I also totally defaulted to eventual monogamy between them too. So I apologize for said ignorance and hope it didn't cause even more strain than you were already suffering through. That being said, though, I can't deny that this news isn't exciting for me. As someone who doesn't want to get involved in the situation with Nick and Ronan and doesn't quite trust Mayhew, it's nice to have another monogamous option in Connor. He's always been charming, but the way he stood by Alex after taking him home following his episode on the side of the road really ignited their spark for me. What can I say, I make ignorant assumptions and you write such compelling characters! :)
Ryan Fox
My investment portfolio thanks you for adhering to the paradigm of ‘better living through chemistry’ Glad to hear you are taking care of yourself though. And truly, I am looking forward to giving what you came up with a gander.
Bound By Night
Santino and Kai are more peripheral characters. The original concept was a story that focused on Alex (obviously), Mayhew, Nick and Ronan. Honestly, when I was sketching things out, Kai and Santino were originally named Thrall #1 and Thrall #2. They will factor in during the end games for sure and have some optional explicit sequences before then, but probably not as a main love interest.
Pilgrim
I am very happy to read you are giving us the option for Connor+Alex monogamy path. Thank you very much! I think there are many of us who will appreciate it, even if it means to see less penises than on the other routes :-)) And what about Santino, is he still considered one of the love interests as well or he became a episodic character...?
Bound By Night
I was guzzling soup last week. This weekend I've been popping Sudafed and NyQuil. But I've got some good inspiration for Connor. 😉 I think folks will like the story.
Ryan Fox
Connor is an interesting character to be sure 😉
Ryan Fox
Sleep and chicken noodle soup. And vitamin C. Actually just take a couple multivitamins, that’s even better. It does seem Seth has a bit to answer for…if Mayhew is to be believed. I mean…he was being…detained…in an interesting set of circumstances. And there was some of the stuff Alex found in the lab. Sounds like the monogamy path will be a very interesting one…if a bit of a challenge for the author. Looking forward to more 😁
Just Ritchie
As long as you are okay with it then it is good, can't wait to see were it all leads to 👍🏻😉👋🏻
Bound By Night
It is hard to please everyone and I am drawing limits so I don't bite off more than I can chew, but there is a lot of interest in this so I think it's worth an investment of the time (particularly if it leads to more interesting characters). And... Light spoilers ahead. . . . . I've said on Discord Connor is more in the open/poly dynamic. He's a randy, sexually liberated werewolf and doesn't have much that's tying him down. But... I think we can make room for this later down the road, as long as Alex respects where Connor draws some lines. Would it necessarily work like this in real life? Probably not, but it's a fantasy and this doesn't really break anything. I just want to make sure neither the poly or mono route is intrinsically better than the other (beyond a players personal preference).
Just Ritchie
Hope you get well soon. So far I like what I read but I can understand that it is hard for you to "please" everyone, in my opinion it is up to you how the characters routes go, don't change that because some of us want that. Personally i think Nick is monogamous and Connor isn't really, but that is my opinion 😁.
