Update on my work on The Blanc

Given the past few weeks a lot has happened since beginning the development of my game. I have a lot of work to show off so far and I hope that there are some out there who are excited to see my progress. Given the amount of work that I’ve put into the game I will likely have to split my blog into several segments.
Keep in mind that this blog will contain heavy spoilers for The Blanc as it is still in development.

A lot has happened in the past while that has had me in a slight rut – however this is important because those things play in to the narrative of my project. They also contributed to the delays in blog updates as well as a lack on progress on the project itself.
Currently, I am still in the process of trying to find a home.

1. About Yes

Yes begins as a blank character – that is a character that is meant to allow the player to project themselves into them to some degree. In fact, the only dialogue Yes is given throughout the game are the choices “Yes” or “No” – both as a thematic choice and as a nod to Old School JRPG’s like 8bit Final Fantasy(Sakaguchi et al.) or the Pokemon games(Tajiri et al.). Yes is also an agendered character and can read both masculine and feminine – whether or not this is the result of choice or indecision is left to the player’s interpretation.
The player will be navigating Yes throughout The Blanc where they will over the course of their journey uncover bits and pieces of Yes’s past – and what led them to The Blanc in the first place.

[Spoilers ahead / Content Warning: domestic violence, homelessness, abuse]

Yes’s past is one covered in many scars – one that have left them with terrible memories that will appear to the player periodically as they progress through the story. These “memories” are based off of my own, and these flashback sequences are meant to be approximations of my own experiences with PTSD. Like with my sudden flashes of PTSD, Yes – and by proxy the player will be subjected to random attacks that may be disheartening or uncomfortable for players. That being said, ultimately I would like for my story to be one of hope. There will always be someone there who will reach out their hand for Yes, no matter how difficult, or terrifying their situation may be.
These flashbacks though based loosely off of real events will be crafted to express the feelings of fear, pain, and etcetera that comes with trauma – and will therefore be by nature quite exaggerated.

The planned flashbacks will tell two stories from Yes’s past. Both stories will be revealed through the exploration of their related zones.

2. The Hero’s Inn

Because this area is based on my experiences growing up – it takes the shape of my safe space. A place of respite for fantasy heroes all throughout time and space to sit back, and enjoy a few drinks with their fellow adventurers. For both myself and Yes, these heroes represent the hope that comes with the stories these heroes were based off of: That love and kindness will win out in the end over cruelty and selfishness.

Here Yes works as a dishwasher – providing the clean plates and cutlery for the Inn’s guests. As they progress through their work Yes will be accosted by the memories of their father – or rather the pain inflicted by their father’s narcissistic worldview.
First, these attacks may appear as moments of doubt and insecurity. However they will quickly escalate to becoming an all encompassing self-doubt as Yes’s father’s gaslighting is taken to the extreme.


To be continued…

References:

Ojima, Yoji. RPG Maker MV. 162nd version, Degica Games, Kadokawa Corporation, 2015.

Sakaguchi, Hironobu et al. Final Fantasy. Square Soft. LTD, 1987.

Tajiri, Satoshi et al. Pokemon Red Version & Pokemon Blue Version. Game Freak, Nintendo, 1996.