I know the major influence of your game was Austen, but part of me was wondering if you drew inspiration from Woolf (or Sackville-West). Something about the dialogue seems so familiar, but I can't place my finger on it. Though admittedly, I've never really read any of Austen's work (ironic, consideing I'm an English literature major). Curiously enough, this may have convinced me to try her at least once (it's a miracle on that note).
I'm enjoying the game so far, and I don't think I'll could go on reading Austen's Northanger Abbey without wishing it to be more queer. It's been a year, but I do hope you'll still be (or are) continuing working on this; it's amazing and has so much potential.
I wish you luck and more inspration (for this and any other future endeavors)!
On a slightly different note, and perhaps this will sound weird, but part of me can imagine enjoying writing a paper on yours and Austen's versions of Northanger Abbey (it's how I express my love).
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Hello! Sorry I took so long to reply, my inbox got a bit ridiculous. Anyway: thank you! I am definitely still working on the game.
I wasn't drawing on Woolf or Sackville-West consciously, I have read a few Virginia Woolf books but that was years ago and her writing style didn't entirely click for me. But she did a lot of interesting things and soaked into my subconscious, and may have influenced me without me noticing. All the best lines in my game are stolen from Austen, you should definitely check her out! She is alas not very queer, but also not as heteronormative as you might expect.
I would be utterly thrilled to have a paper written about something I'd made! (As long as it wasn't, like, "When Adaptations Go Wrong: a Case Study" ;))
I was going to send you the link to the current unstable build in a private message but afaict itchio doesn't have them?? Anyway, here's the link, it's very rough around the edges but you can romance or befriend both Tilneys.
I may or may not have scared my mom when I let out a tiny scream upon seeing your reply. Heh.
Thank you for sharing!
And on the contrary, I think the paper will be about the success of adaptations (and why we should make more!) Many great pieces of literature are adaptations, or to a degree, always drawing inspiration from the past and, in a sense, cultivating it in the present. The greatest beauty, at least in my opinion, is the dialogue between "inspiration" and "output;" how Austen pervades it but the strength of your voice shines through, yadda yadda.
And the game is literature, albeit in an unorthodox form. It's already incredible yet still teeming with so much potential. Writing a novel or another great epic poem is one thing, but straight forward. Games like these are an entirely different cup of tea altogether and an entirely more challenging mode of writing (and that doesn't even include making the art and programming the game!), and they take "losing yourself in literature" to a whole different level because of how interactive it is. People re-read books and the like, but they follow the same path, ultimately they lead to the same ending. There's a beauty in that in itself, of course. But people re-play these games, and look at the paths they can take, the endings they'll reach. The experience of literature is different, but nonetheless amazing.
So, you're honestly brilliant. And gods, I wish for you only the best. Thank you, again!