I love how sometimes I'll just be browsing itch, checking up on all the projects I follow, and I come across a COMPLETELY RELEASED and ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL game like this one. this was so much fun!!! I played it all in one sitting. I love Lion, and your world building is fantastic!!!!! well done!!!
I'm so happy with this ending!!! It's a beautiful bow to this lovely gift of a story. 10/10 gonna keep replaying again, I love all the characters so much but Robin is still my fave <3 Thank you for this amazing journey hope to see more from you in the future!
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it! Robin was a real treat to write and develop, I love how they turned out. I do have a new story planned for the new year, so keep an eye out! 👀
I just finished Viatica and I'm tearing up! This was a wonderful story, and I can't wait to replay it to go through all the other routes I've yet to try. Thank you for creating this wonderful story and introducing us to this amazing world Fir & Fireweed. :)
FIR AND FIREWEED. OH MY FUCKING GOOOODDFFFFFDFD YOU HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!!!! I LOVE THIS STORY SO MUCH I AM GOINGF TO SOB AHEUSYFHJSDN…..,
but!! on a serious note, you are seriously one of my favourite (and all-time best writers imo) here 🥹🥹 viatica was a rollercoaster of emotions and i couldnt be more happy with the ending!! can’t wait to see more of your work soon if you choose to publish more, until then i WILL be replaying viatica over and over ❤️❤️
Angel!! 👋 I always love seeing your name pop up in these comments! Thank you, that’s such a nice compliment! 🥹 I’m glad you liked the ending, and I hope you enjoy many more playthroughs!
There are some stories out there who avoid hard topics, sticking to the lighter side of things. This story isn't one of those.
It feels rough and gritty, you feel how desperate the characters are and the fear of being pushed around or being found out. I know I definitely had several moments where I panicked at the idea of everything going to shit, just like the story intends.
I loved the ending, the feeling of freedom that washes away the oppressive air that the guards placed upon the workers. I felt for the characters, I felt the horror that my character did when Fawn and Bison made their last act of defiance.
This is a wonderful story of self-discovery and rising up against those that may try to control you. I feel lighter after having finished my first run through and I know I'll be playing this again. This is truly a gem to me, thank you for creating something so meaningful.
Oh, wow, thank you for this lovely comment! I am so glad it resonated with you and that you feel this way about it. This story has always had a special place in my heart, and being able to (finally!) share it with others has been a humbling and delightful experience. It has been a pleasure to write and I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you, again!
Amazing if I loved it from beginning to end and I loved the ending with ferret as my love interest and her finding her child and also mc having a child with ferret too.
Ahhhhhh, it's finished! Fir, you lying little snake! 😂
Like I said before, this ending is bittersweet for me. I'm glad to get my happy ending with Ferret and our daughter, (I'm sure I'll be stuck with bathing duty from now on), but it's sad to have this great work come to an end, it's one of my favorite post-apocalyptic IFs out there!
Great work as always! I love how each character got to fight the guard they each personally had a vendetta against. Heron against the Wasp that cruel to the feeders, Ferret against the Weasel who took away her child, and Lion against the Pig who took away his friend. And marking a new start with a new journal entry was a brilliant way to bring it full circle!
I'm sure Fawn and Bison are looking on happily at us! Speaking of which, I had wished there was a scene where the whole City would've gotten to mourn those they lost properly, a memorial of some kind? But I guess with the amount of deaths the guard caused and the forced apathy the workers had to put on, it would be hard to remember all who were gone. 😓😓
Well done, Fir! You've earned a well deserved break!
Thank you, my friend! Yeah, I’m not writing anything till after the new year, lol. The ending is bittersweet for me, too. It feels amazing to finally have this work published, like my first child is all grown up and heading off into the world. 🥹
I really appreciate you following me along on this journey and for all your lovely comments, thank you! ❤️
well, i just finished the story and i can only repeat what i siad ain my earlier comments: i love the story, your writing style, basicly everything.
of course i wish taht the epilogue would be longer, but that can be said about every chapter and the story overall.
i want to talk about save files. i know that there arent one, because of the software (?) you used. and i dont think its bad with a linear game like this one (not saying its bad because of this). i personally like saves, no matter how long or linear a game is, nut this is because i treat IF the same a i would books: once i ead them, i usually dont read them again for some time. in addition, once i reread a IF, i usually stick to my canon/favourite route (i sometimes choose different dialogue, but big main choices/RO stay the same). if i try something different, it feels to me like ripping pages out of a book. with saves i could have e.g. made a ave before the big decision (stay vs leave), choose the leave option first and then reload back to my canon path.
to be clear, i completlely understand if you want to use the same software (?) you used and most importantly, not having saves isnt a dealbreaker for me. just wanted to share my thoughts and reasoning for that, since i have the feeling that my opinion on saves (both for IFs and games) isnt quite popular.
anyways, im really excited for your new IF (btw, ive read that you had posted a sneakpeak/hint about what your new If will be; could u mabe post a link to this specific post?) and... well the author-equivalent of "break a leg". ;)
Thank you! I’m learning Sugarcube for the new IF. Not only does it allow saves, but I can include a codex and character stats and more fun stuff. The new story is a LOT longer and more involved than Viatica, so it was necessary.
I didn’t post a sneak peak but I created a Pinterest with my ideas and someone found it, lol. 😅 I don’t mind if you go looking but I’m not going to post anything till after the new year.
As someone who has read a LOT of interactive fiction stories, none have truly captivated me like this one! The twist was marvelous, especially with all the set up!!! I can tell how passionate you are about this story in the way you write it! Can't wait for more!!!
Thank you, that’s high praise! And yes, this story has always meant a lot to me, and to have it published and interacted with in this way has been amazing. Thank you for following along, the finale is coming soon!
Oh, wow, thank you! I'm glad it's one of your faves!
Unfortunately, no. I built this using Twine Chapbook, and it doesn't offer a save system like other Twine formats. I'd have to completely rebuild it in another format if I wanted to incorporate saves. I will be exploring other formats for future works, though!
YOOOooooo this is so good. I'm on the emotional rollercoaster right now. I love the storytelling it makes me feel everything so much. I need the ending where I can see Robin happy and confident in themselves. Romancing them to get called their Wind uuugh! I'll forever love them they're too sweet, babygirl coded.
Thank you, I’m glad you’re enjoying it! And I’m especially glad you like Robin and the wind reference. ❤️ I’ve never written a character like them before and it’s been a lot of fun exploring their personality and reactions.
Read it all in a few hours. Sobbing, crying, throwing up this is so amazing. I love all the characters and the worldbuilding is fantastic!!! Fawn and Bison make my heart ache. My character took the role of leader or "pathfinder" and listening to him rally the Circle and formulate a plan was genuinely inspiring. I am so eagerly awaiting the next installment!
Oh no, don’t throw up, lol! 😅 I’m glad you’re enjoying it and I’m steadily working on the next update, which will be the finale. Crazy to think this story is ending. I’ve loved sharing it with you all!
The story, the characters, everything about this is amazing!! it is such an interesting story that i was hooked immediately, binged it in a day and cant wait to read more. Fawn and Bison had me crying omg...
Thank you for your kind words! I get downright giddy anytime someone says they just discovered and binged my story, lol. I apologize for the tears but at least I know I wrote it right if you felt for the characters. Thanks, again!
emikaj2 recommended that I play this and now I'm sobbing and looking forward to the next update!! Your world building is FANTASTIC and I will be thinking about this all night
Oh wow, thank you both! I’m glad you enjoyed it and I’m giddy over the fact that you read it on a recommendation. I’m hoping to finish this in January, so stay tuned!
Omg I just binge read this in one sitting, it's so good!! I utterly adore the in-depth lore and the fleshed-out characters, and I literally had to get up and walk around my room after Fawn and Bison's big scene (made me cry)!!
Also my character's name is Rabbit, and he romanced Lion and UGH THEY'RE SO CUTE TOGETHER!!! I am rotating them in my brain :D Fantastic writing, and I am excited for when the next update happens!
I don't remember the last time I read an IF game that made me smile, laugh and cry this much. Thank you for this experience, I really hope you continue to make more.
You’re welcome, and thank YOU for the lovely comment! I do actually have a new wip I’m working on, though it’s still early planning stages. It keeps distracting me from Viatica, oops. 😅
YES!! Let the fighting begin! Incredible chapter as always, you can really feel every point of the story coming together and it brings that satisfying feel of completion.
And awwwwwww, Ferret is so cute! Meeting the parent and naming them all the while being so bitter is so adorable🥰🥰. I'm glad she'll finally be able to do what she's been wanting to do since meeting her... take back from the guard. I really hope she gets to be a mother again, and I, in turn, as well.
I can't wait for the final chapter, take all the time you need for it. When that update comes, I'll be filled with a bittersweet feeling.
Hello again, Power! I love seeing your name pop up in my notifications, like ooh she’s back! 🥹
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, I loved the idea of Ferret being the one who named him and being salty over it, heehee. No lie, I’ve skipped ahead to writing some of the epilogue just because I want those bittersweet moments with her, too!
Thanks again, it’s always a pleasure seeing you here! ❤️
OH GOD IM IN SO MUCH PAIN BUT LOVE CONSUMES ME AAUAURGGRHHHHHHH!!!!!!! the options where we can pick 'spouse'??????? HE;LLO???? IM SO UNWELL I WILL LITERALLY HUG YOU SO HARD FOR MAKING THIS OOUGHHHH
i really love this story, it reminds me so much of scout. i only have one issue though and that is, the only options for gender as far as i can tell are cis man, cis woman, or nonbinary. i wish there were other trans options/one option for your body and another for your pronouns. chapter 10 made me cry and im very excited for chap 12! also, i have seen other people talking about saving the game, and i dont know how to do that. i can only see 3 options, restart, switch theme and character details. it kind of enhanced my experience but, still idk where it is
To be honest, I didn’t feel I could write a trans character/MC authentically. The world of Viatica is incredibly restrictive and prohibitive, and notions of individuality, identity, and self expression simply do not exist. Faithfully writing a trans MC in such a setting was a task I didn’t feel equipped to do. This is my first time writing even a nonbinary character. I didn’t want to write it clumsily or in a way that was misrepresentative, so I chose not to include that option.
As far as saves, the game automatically saves your progress to your browser as you play, so you don’t have to do anything! As long as you don’t delete your cache, it’s saved, though it seems to lose the save after I make an update.
Ohh, that makes sense. Generally there's two ways people go about it; realistically writing transphobia in the society, or writing as if transphobia doesn't exist. But considering the Chamber, I can see how the second would be difficult to write and still have readers suspend their disbelief, while the first is just not something most people want to write or read. I suppose if there is one thing you could do, it could be showing the initial gender choice as cis woman/man, so trans readers know "oh maybe I want to pick nonbinary instead." Regardless, thank you for being considerate, and responding so fast lol
Oh god, my heart is going to explode. Probably in a good way, amazing at that, I feel I should add. It's me, Cosmo, for I have returned thrice over to express my undying love for Viatica! How exciting!
First off, Robin chapter? Robinmancers rise up! You would not believe how loud I squealed. Times like these make me glad I have a decently protective phone case, haha. I may have thrown my phone a few times in my fever…
Anywho, I hate to admit it, but Heron's quips made me have to put my phone down at least twice. Curse you, Heron, why were they mildly funny but make me laugh so much!? If my device had any sort of consciousness, it'd be very disappointed in me!
Go, my little ragtag group I am viciously obsessed with, you shall escape the city! You've got me so excited for the final chapter! Although I'll be sad Viatica is ending soon, seeing stories come to a satisfying ending can often be very rewarding. I must keep on trooping!
This last bit is more of a personal homage to this project. I mainly want to thank you and Viatica for inspiring me so! Although I've adapted Pools of Royal Blue, which was to be an IF as well, into a now Dungeons & Dragons campaign, Viatica was still a huge driving factor to make that leap! I can only hope my funky little characters, ideas, and world can inspire and entertain my players as much as yours have me. Thank you, Fir & Fireweed. <3
Welcome back, Cosmo! Thank you, THANK YOU for this hilarious and wonderful comment! 😂❤️
I’m glad you enjoyed Robin’s scene! I took a lot of care writing and rewriting it and I’m pleased with how it turned out. And I had a lot of fun writing mischievous Heron this chapter!
Hearing that I’ve inspired you is the best compliment! And a D&D campaign?! I am such a D&D nerd, I’d love to see it when it’s done, if you wouldn’t mind sharing. 😁 Thank you, again!
Love the new chapter. Beloved Ferret. The others are great too. Really love your writing style, it's descriptive yet not overly so. It tickles my brain in the best way. Thanks so much for making this!!
This story almost moved me to tears—something I’ve never experienced with any Interactive Fiction before. I’m deeply grateful for the chance to experience such a beautiful story, and I look forward to whatever you have next. <3
Girl I went through all the options TEARED UP AND ALMOST CRIED OMG IM SO NERVOUS!!! all my babies are about to fight (im mostly doing the fighting back option) and i do not need Robin doing an Everest on me! Scary! They are all found family THE FAMILY MUST NOT BE BROKEN!!!
Robin's chapter today was just beautiful. Honestly amazing and they way you depicted his thoughts and emotions were beautiful. Absolutely amazing.
I love the world building gosh I need a lore book cause AHHHHHH so much interesting things. I wanna know about Lorna, I wanna know about the people Lorna was with, and I also wanna know about Everest and his man J and their babygirl. So much things to contemplate and think about!!!
Don't even get me started on destruction lore! Like gosh I want one of them to find a phone charger, stick one end in a potato, and the other in the port and voila! learn about history!!! Imagine them finding Disney World! Ferret staring at the monstrosity of the huge mice. I can hear her saying "That's a huge ass mouse!" While Robin stares in curiosity with Lion absolutely scolding her. And my boy Heron intrigued on how they fed the mouse. I can see it!!! I'm not delusional, just merely invested!!! (Not merely, I'm obsessed hahahaha!)
Don't even get me started on the mountains and such! That also makes me curious, where are they located? In my head I thought of somewhere around Cali throughout the Sierra Nevada Mountains since they don't get a whole lot of rain and the soil can be weird out there (plus how water is handled in the area, just search up the man made sea there)!
Also, what has caused the world to get like this? Is it only continental or global? How has this affected nature itself and what is humanities current numbers? IMAGINE THE CULTURAL CHANGES!!! like what new ones have evolved or have some maintained a traditional sense! Or like imagine they venture out with the city and encounter cults or crazy stuff! Absolutely mind boggling but would be so much fun!
Just realized this message is long, I'll shut up now <3
Sincerely,
And obsessed reader who would cough up cash (the lint and penny in my pocket) for this book (I will find the cash I WILL FIND IT, I'm just a broke person okay... 🤠)
Ps. Sorry for the chaotic writing, I get like this when I'm invested, I probably sound like a crazy person 😂
Edit: Just realized you had a Tumblr, could've ranted in Tumblr, and now I will go crawl into a hole and die of shame good bye <3
Hahaha, I can’t express enough how much I love this comment! 🥹😂 The fact that you went on a rant over something I wrote is just awesome and you are welcome to rant away! Your whole scenario with Disney World had me laughing!
Fun fact, the journals weren’t a part of the original novella. I conceived of them during the rewrite and they've really grown on me. I’m happy to hear that those characters and their stories resonated with you, too. A lore book would be a neat idea down the line, I honestly never thought about it. As far as setting, I loosely based it in the Sonoran Desert; I say loosely because I didn’t do as much research and homework as I probably should have, but since you guessed the general area I had in mind I guess I didn’t do half bad. 😅
Thank you for the comment, this really made my day! And feel free to reach out to me on tumblr or here!
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Added this to my collection!
😍
I love how sometimes I'll just be browsing itch, checking up on all the projects I follow, and I come across a COMPLETELY RELEASED and ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL game like this one. this was so much fun!!! I played it all in one sitting. I love Lion, and your world building is fantastic!!!!! well done!!!
I love this comment so much! 🥹 Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it! And Lion is the man. 😎
Amazing story and I love Lion so much. I cried a lot too. Can't wait to see what other stories you deliver dear Author! Happy holidays ~
Thank you, and happy holidays to you, too! 🫶🏻
I'm sobbing this was so beautiful. Robin my beloved you are so perfect
Yay, another Robinmancer! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Beautiful story!
Thank you!
I'm so happy with this ending!!! It's a beautiful bow to this lovely gift of a story. 10/10 gonna keep replaying again, I love all the characters so much but Robin is still my fave <3 Thank you for this amazing journey hope to see more from you in the future!
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it! Robin was a real treat to write and develop, I love how they turned out. I do have a new story planned for the new year, so keep an eye out! 👀
I'm pretty happy that the game is finally out, and also curious, how many words does the game have in the final version?
Hello! Final word count is 170k. 😊
Wow! This might be one of the best, most emotional stories I've read here so far. I'm so glad I got to read it. Thank you for creating this story.
You’re welcome! Thank you for your kind words!
A great first game and I can't wait to see what comes next. This story shows us the power of words and connection with others.
Thank you!
I just finished Viatica and I'm tearing up! This was a wonderful story, and I can't wait to replay it to go through all the other routes I've yet to try. Thank you for creating this wonderful story and introducing us to this amazing world Fir & Fireweed. :)
You are so very welcome! 🫶🏻 Thank you for reading it and for your kind words!
FIR AND FIREWEED. OH MY FUCKING GOOOODDFFFFFDFD YOU HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!!!! I LOVE THIS STORY SO MUCH I AM GOINGF TO SOB AHEUSYFHJSDN…..,
but!! on a serious note, you are seriously one of my favourite (and all-time best writers imo) here 🥹🥹 viatica was a rollercoaster of emotions and i couldnt be more happy with the ending!! can’t wait to see more of your work soon if you choose to publish more, until then i WILL be replaying viatica over and over ❤️❤️
Angel!! 👋 I always love seeing your name pop up in these comments! Thank you, that’s such a nice compliment! 🥹 I’m glad you liked the ending, and I hope you enjoy many more playthroughs!
Absolutely loved this IF, you've done a fantastic job ❤️❤️ And I, well and truly, adored the romance with Lion (He's my fav)
Congratulations on finishing this btw 🎉🎉
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
AhhhhH!! i haven't played it all yet, but i loved everything so far! i love this game so much, and you are so talented!! <3333
Thank you so much!
No words can describe how much I love this Early Christmas gift(◍•ᴗ•◍)❤
So sad(and not) that this game is already finished ^^
I understand, I’m a little sad with it ending, too! I hope you enjoy!
There are some stories out there who avoid hard topics, sticking to the lighter side of things. This story isn't one of those.
It feels rough and gritty, you feel how desperate the characters are and the fear of being pushed around or being found out. I know I definitely had several moments where I panicked at the idea of everything going to shit, just like the story intends.
I loved the ending, the feeling of freedom that washes away the oppressive air that the guards placed upon the workers. I felt for the characters, I felt the horror that my character did when Fawn and Bison made their last act of defiance.
This is a wonderful story of self-discovery and rising up against those that may try to control you. I feel lighter after having finished my first run through and I know I'll be playing this again. This is truly a gem to me, thank you for creating something so meaningful.
Oh, wow, thank you for this lovely comment! I am so glad it resonated with you and that you feel this way about it. This story has always had a special place in my heart, and being able to (finally!) share it with others has been a humbling and delightful experience. It has been a pleasure to write and I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you, again!
Amazing if I loved it from beginning to end and I loved the ending with ferret as my love interest and her finding her child and also mc having a child with ferret too.
Thank you!
I have just finished reading and have to say that this is one of my favourite IF :3 the happy ending is so sweet
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Ahhhhhh, it's finished! Fir, you lying little snake! 😂
Like I said before, this ending is bittersweet for me. I'm glad to get my happy ending with Ferret and our daughter, (I'm sure I'll be stuck with bathing duty from now on), but it's sad to have this great work come to an end, it's one of my favorite post-apocalyptic IFs out there!
Great work as always! I love how each character got to fight the guard they each personally had a vendetta against. Heron against the Wasp that cruel to the feeders, Ferret against the Weasel who took away her child, and Lion against the Pig who took away his friend. And marking a new start with a new journal entry was a brilliant way to bring it full circle!
I'm sure Fawn and Bison are looking on happily at us! Speaking of which, I had wished there was a scene where the whole City would've gotten to mourn those they lost properly, a memorial of some kind? But I guess with the amount of deaths the guard caused and the forced apathy the workers had to put on, it would be hard to remember all who were gone. 😓😓
Well done, Fir! You've earned a well deserved break!
Thank you, my friend! Yeah, I’m not writing anything till after the new year, lol. The ending is bittersweet for me, too. It feels amazing to finally have this work published, like my first child is all grown up and heading off into the world. 🥹
I really appreciate you following me along on this journey and for all your lovely comments, thank you! ❤️
well, i just finished the story and i can only repeat what i siad ain my earlier comments: i love the story, your writing style, basicly everything.
of course i wish taht the epilogue would be longer, but that can be said about every chapter and the story overall.
i want to talk about save files. i know that there arent one, because of the software (?) you used. and i dont think its bad with a linear game like this one (not saying its bad because of this). i personally like saves, no matter how long or linear a game is, nut this is because i treat IF the same a i would books: once i ead them, i usually dont read them again for some time. in addition, once i reread a IF, i usually stick to my canon/favourite route (i sometimes choose different dialogue, but big main choices/RO stay the same). if i try something different, it feels to me like ripping pages out of a book. with saves i could have e.g. made a ave before the big decision (stay vs leave), choose the leave option first and then reload back to my canon path.
to be clear, i completlely understand if you want to use the same software (?) you used and most importantly, not having saves isnt a dealbreaker for me. just wanted to share my thoughts and reasoning for that, since i have the feeling that my opinion on saves (both for IFs and games) isnt quite popular.
anyways, im really excited for your new IF (btw, ive read that you had posted a sneakpeak/hint about what your new If will be; could u mabe post a link to this specific post?) and... well the author-equivalent of "break a leg". ;)
Thank you! I’m learning Sugarcube for the new IF. Not only does it allow saves, but I can include a codex and character stats and more fun stuff. The new story is a LOT longer and more involved than Viatica, so it was necessary.
I didn’t post a sneak peak but I created a Pinterest with my ideas and someone found it, lol. 😅 I don’t mind if you go looking but I’m not going to post anything till after the new year.
As someone who has read a LOT of interactive fiction stories, none have truly captivated me like this one! The twist was marvelous, especially with all the set up!!! I can tell how passionate you are about this story in the way you write it! Can't wait for more!!!
Thank you, that’s high praise! And yes, this story has always meant a lot to me, and to have it published and interacted with in this way has been amazing. Thank you for following along, the finale is coming soon!
love it! One of my fave wips. Will there eventually be a save.system?
Oh, wow, thank you! I'm glad it's one of your faves!
Unfortunately, no. I built this using Twine Chapbook, and it doesn't offer a save system like other Twine formats. I'd have to completely rebuild it in another format if I wanted to incorporate saves. I will be exploring other formats for future works, though!
YOOOooooo this is so good. I'm on the emotional rollercoaster right now. I love the storytelling it makes me feel everything so much. I need the ending where I can see Robin happy and confident in themselves. Romancing them to get called their Wind uuugh! I'll forever love them they're too sweet, babygirl coded.
Thank you, I’m glad you’re enjoying it! And I’m especially glad you like Robin and the wind reference. ❤️ I’ve never written a character like them before and it’s been a lot of fun exploring their personality and reactions.
Read it all in a few hours. Sobbing, crying, throwing up this is so amazing. I love all the characters and the worldbuilding is fantastic!!! Fawn and Bison make my heart ache. My character took the role of leader or "pathfinder" and listening to him rally the Circle and formulate a plan was genuinely inspiring. I am so eagerly awaiting the next installment!
Oh no, don’t throw up, lol! 😅 I’m glad you’re enjoying it and I’m steadily working on the next update, which will be the finale. Crazy to think this story is ending. I’ve loved sharing it with you all!
The story, the characters, everything about this is amazing!! it is such an interesting story that i was hooked immediately, binged it in a day and cant wait to read more. Fawn and Bison had me crying omg...
Thank you for your kind words! I get downright giddy anytime someone says they just discovered and binged my story, lol. I apologize for the tears but at least I know I wrote it right if you felt for the characters. Thanks, again!
this is INCREDIBLE im so so happy I discovered this, thank you for your hard work on this IF <3
You are quite welcome! 🫶🏻 I’m happy you discovered it and are enjoying it!
emikaj2 recommended that I play this and now I'm sobbing and looking forward to the next update!! Your world building is FANTASTIC and I will be thinking about this all night
Oh wow, thank you both! I’m glad you enjoyed it and I’m giddy over the fact that you read it on a recommendation. I’m hoping to finish this in January, so stay tuned!
Omg I just binge read this in one sitting, it's so good!! I utterly adore the in-depth lore and the fleshed-out characters, and I literally had to get up and walk around my room after Fawn and Bison's big scene (made me cry)!!
Also my character's name is Rabbit, and he romanced Lion and UGH THEY'RE SO CUTE TOGETHER!!! I am rotating them in my brain :D Fantastic writing, and I am excited for when the next update happens!
Thank you! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it and I love the idea of Rabbit and Lion! ❤️
Also thank you for recommending my IF! 🥹
I don't remember the last time I read an IF game that made me smile, laugh and cry this much. Thank you for this experience, I really hope you continue to make more.
You’re welcome, and thank YOU for the lovely comment! I do actually have a new wip I’m working on, though it’s still early planning stages. It keeps distracting me from Viatica, oops. 😅
VIVA LA REVOLUCIÓN!!! (Im so excited for Chapter 12 you have no idea.)
Yay! I’m excited to share it with you!
INCREDIBLE, BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING, YOU ARE BRILLIANT
Aww, thank you so much! 🫶🏻
YES!! Let the fighting begin! Incredible chapter as always, you can really feel every point of the story coming together and it brings that satisfying feel of completion.
And awwwwwww, Ferret is so cute! Meeting the parent and naming them all the while being so bitter is so adorable🥰🥰. I'm glad she'll finally be able to do what she's been wanting to do since meeting her... take back from the guard. I really hope she gets to be a mother again, and I, in turn, as well.
I can't wait for the final chapter, take all the time you need for it. When that update comes, I'll be filled with a bittersweet feeling.
Bye Fir!
Hello again, Power! I love seeing your name pop up in my notifications, like ooh she’s back! 🥹
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, I loved the idea of Ferret being the one who named him and being salty over it, heehee. No lie, I’ve skipped ahead to writing some of the epilogue just because I want those bittersweet moments with her, too!
Thanks again, it’s always a pleasure seeing you here! ❤️
Aww, I'm happy you remember me so!💜 I'll always enjoy returning to this IF and talking to you.
I won't lie either then, I've re-read her route multiple times so that I can gush over the moments with her. ☺️
It's always nice hearing from you!
OH GOD IM IN SO MUCH PAIN BUT LOVE CONSUMES ME AAUAURGGRHHHHHHH!!!!!!! the options where we can pick 'spouse'??????? HE;LLO???? IM SO UNWELL I WILL LITERALLY HUG YOU SO HARD FOR MAKING THIS OOUGHHHH
I live for your comments, Angel, I swear! 🤣🥰🥹
I don't know if this has been asked/answered before but:
Is there a difference between the yellow and red hearts?
Hi! It’s in the description on the game page. 😊 Red hearts are the more flirty, intentional options, yellow are for subconscious, oblivious ones.
i really love this story, it reminds me so much of scout. i only have one issue though and that is, the only options for gender as far as i can tell are cis man, cis woman, or nonbinary. i wish there were other trans options/one option for your body and another for your pronouns.
chapter 10 made me cry and im very excited for chap 12!
also, i have seen other people talking about saving the game, and i dont know how to do that. i can only see 3 options, restart, switch theme and character details. it kind of enhanced my experience but, still idk where it is
To be honest, I didn’t feel I could write a trans character/MC authentically. The world of Viatica is incredibly restrictive and prohibitive, and notions of individuality, identity, and self expression simply do not exist. Faithfully writing a trans MC in such a setting was a task I didn’t feel equipped to do. This is my first time writing even a nonbinary character. I didn’t want to write it clumsily or in a way that was misrepresentative, so I chose not to include that option.
As far as saves, the game automatically saves your progress to your browser as you play, so you don’t have to do anything! As long as you don’t delete your cache, it’s saved, though it seems to lose the save after I make an update.
Thank you for reading!
Ohh, that makes sense.
Generally there's two ways people go about it; realistically writing transphobia in the society, or writing as if transphobia doesn't exist. But considering the Chamber, I can see how the second would be difficult to write and still have readers suspend their disbelief, while the first is just not something most people want to write or read.
I suppose if there is one thing you could do, it could be showing the initial gender choice as cis woman/man, so trans readers know "oh maybe I want to pick nonbinary instead." Regardless, thank you for being considerate, and responding so fast lol
My save deleted :(( oh well at least I can replay this game now >:3
Oh god, my heart is going to explode. Probably in a good way, amazing at that, I feel I should add. It's me, Cosmo, for I have returned thrice over to express my undying love for Viatica! How exciting!
First off, Robin chapter? Robinmancers rise up! You would not believe how loud I squealed. Times like these make me glad I have a decently protective phone case, haha. I may have thrown my phone a few times in my fever…
Anywho, I hate to admit it, but Heron's quips made me have to put my phone down at least twice. Curse you, Heron, why were they mildly funny but make me laugh so much!? If my device had any sort of consciousness, it'd be very disappointed in me!
Go, my little ragtag group I am viciously obsessed with, you shall escape the city! You've got me so excited for the final chapter! Although I'll be sad Viatica is ending soon, seeing stories come to a satisfying ending can often be very rewarding. I must keep on trooping!
This last bit is more of a personal homage to this project. I mainly want to thank you and Viatica for inspiring me so! Although I've adapted Pools of Royal Blue, which was to be an IF as well, into a now Dungeons & Dragons campaign, Viatica was still a huge driving factor to make that leap! I can only hope my funky little characters, ideas, and world can inspire and entertain my players as much as yours have me. Thank you, Fir & Fireweed. <3
Welcome back, Cosmo! Thank you, THANK YOU for this hilarious and wonderful comment! 😂❤️
I’m glad you enjoyed Robin’s scene! I took a lot of care writing and rewriting it and I’m pleased with how it turned out. And I had a lot of fun writing mischievous Heron this chapter!
Hearing that I’ve inspired you is the best compliment! And a D&D campaign?! I am such a D&D nerd, I’d love to see it when it’s done, if you wouldn’t mind sharing. 😁 Thank you, again!
Love the new chapter. Beloved Ferret. The others are great too. Really love your writing style, it's descriptive yet not overly so. It tickles my brain in the best way. Thanks so much for making this!!
You’re welcome, it’s my pleasure! Thank you for taking the time to read and comment!
noo my save is gone
Apologies! I think it resets every time I do an update.
This story almost moved me to tears—something I’ve never experienced with any Interactive Fiction before. I’m deeply grateful for the chance to experience such a beautiful story, and I look forward to whatever you have next. <3
Thank you for your kind words! I’m deeply grateful for this comment, and I’m happy to hear my story affected you in such a way! 🫶🏻
Girl I went through all the options TEARED UP AND ALMOST CRIED OMG IM SO NERVOUS!!! all my babies are about to fight (im mostly doing the fighting back option) and i do not need Robin doing an Everest on me! Scary! They are all found family THE FAMILY MUST NOT BE BROKEN!!!
Robin's chapter today was just beautiful. Honestly amazing and they way you depicted his thoughts and emotions were beautiful. Absolutely amazing.
I love the world building gosh I need a lore book cause AHHHHHH so much interesting things. I wanna know about Lorna, I wanna know about the people Lorna was with, and I also wanna know about Everest and his man J and their babygirl. So much things to contemplate and think about!!!
Don't even get me started on destruction lore! Like gosh I want one of them to find a phone charger, stick one end in a potato, and the other in the port and voila! learn about history!!! Imagine them finding Disney World! Ferret staring at the monstrosity of the huge mice. I can hear her saying "That's a huge ass mouse!" While Robin stares in curiosity with Lion absolutely scolding her. And my boy Heron intrigued on how they fed the mouse. I can see it!!! I'm not delusional, just merely invested!!! (Not merely, I'm obsessed hahahaha!)
Don't even get me started on the mountains and such! That also makes me curious, where are they located? In my head I thought of somewhere around Cali throughout the Sierra Nevada Mountains since they don't get a whole lot of rain and the soil can be weird out there (plus how water is handled in the area, just search up the man made sea there)!
Also, what has caused the world to get like this? Is it only continental or global? How has this affected nature itself and what is humanities current numbers? IMAGINE THE CULTURAL CHANGES!!! like what new ones have evolved or have some maintained a traditional sense! Or like imagine they venture out with the city and encounter cults or crazy stuff! Absolutely mind boggling but would be so much fun!
Just realized this message is long, I'll shut up now <3
Sincerely,
And obsessed reader who would cough up cash (the lint and penny in my pocket) for this book (I will find the cash I WILL FIND IT, I'm just a broke person okay... 🤠)
Ps. Sorry for the chaotic writing, I get like this when I'm invested, I probably sound like a crazy person 😂
Edit: Just realized you had a Tumblr, could've ranted in Tumblr, and now I will go crawl into a hole and die of shame good bye <3
Hahaha, I can’t express enough how much I love this comment! 🥹😂 The fact that you went on a rant over something I wrote is just awesome and you are welcome to rant away! Your whole scenario with Disney World had me laughing!
Fun fact, the journals weren’t a part of the original novella. I conceived of them during the rewrite and they've really grown on me. I’m happy to hear that those characters and their stories resonated with you, too. A lore book would be a neat idea down the line, I honestly never thought about it. As far as setting, I loosely based it in the Sonoran Desert; I say loosely because I didn’t do as much research and homework as I probably should have, but since you guessed the general area I had in mind I guess I didn’t do half bad. 😅
Thank you for the comment, this really made my day! And feel free to reach out to me on tumblr or here!