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!
Hello! There are 6 possible personas and they range from bold and assertive, to passive and meek. They are: Brawler, Pathfinder, Leader, Supporter, Observer, and Follower.
i just finished another run and i can only repeat what i said: i like your writing, im still sad about what happened in chapter 10 and im really excited about chapter 12 (which is the finale one, right? or will there be an additional epilogue-chapter?)
i dont know if you mentioned something already, but do you have plans for new projects already?
while playing from the beginning, i noticed 2 things. 1 bug/error and one question i had:
1.) following the "shit, shit"-option, there is the part which is: "And you are being ridiculous,” you fire back. “It’s a perfectly natural word. I like it, it’s fun."
afterwards on this page we first repeat the "ridiculous"-part, lion then says "No, before that.". maybe its just a figure of speech, but shouldnt he say "no after that"? since we say the "it´s"-part after the "ridiculous"-sentence.
(sorry if this sound confusing. didnt know how else i could describe it)
2.) during the scene, where robin helps ferret (i think before we see that ferret found a book) we have the option between 2 dialogue choices. atleast in my case its not that clear for whom this romance choice is for: robin or ferret?
anyways thank you for the new chapter and take your time.
Ah, you’re correct, thanks for catching that! I’ll add it to my list of “things to correct AFTER I've pushed the bloody update live” because I’ve already caught 2 other things myself. 🤦🏻♀️ I swear, it’s the bane of my existence, lol.
As to your second question, it’s a romance choice for Robin since you technically haven’t met Ferret yet, but I can see how that’s confusing. I need to tweak that a bit.
Chapter 12 is the conclusion, yes, but there will also be an epilogue. I may release them together, haven’t decided on that yet. I have a few ideas swirling around in my brain for future projects but nothing concrete. But thank you for asking and for reading Viatica!
Hey I really love your game and I can't wait to see where it goes but I have a little problem, every time I go for the next chapter, the game take me to the chapter one, how did my browser is supposed to save where I stop in the story ? Sorry my english isn't good, it is not my first language
Hello! I just updated the game this morning so you may have to restart, I’m sorry. But normally, yes, it will save to the browser. Did you clear your cache, perhaps? That will erase the save. Or it may be because of the update. 🥴
oh. oh my god. i love you so much for making this IF and the story, and the characters (especially Lion and Fawn) and i hate you so much for chapter ten i am bawling my eyes out THANK YOU BUT WHY 😭❤️❤️❤️ WHY MUST YOU INFLICT THIS PAIN ON US 😭
I’m sorry! Believe me, I asked myself the very same question when I was inflicting it on myself! 😭
But I’m happy to hear you loved the characters and that you felt such emotion for them. It means that it hit right, as painful as it was. Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment! I appreciate it so much!
Omg i spent the whole day reading this (procrastinating college work lmao) and its sooo good i'm so glad i found it But i'm feeling miserable after chapter 10 tbh. But i love this anyways, i know it's good when i genuinely connect with the characters and cry. I LOVE LION too. (The names are so adorable I love the concept) AND You're such a good writer omg I admire you so much, giving us such a great IF (and for free) while being a mom and a professional? Iconic tbh. That's it, i love this.
My kids want you to know I squealed and broke their eardrums when I read your review 😂
Thank you so much! ❤️ My apologies for chapter 10 but I’m glad to know you connected with the characters and that it hit the way I intended. I promise it gets better!
It’s been a joy writing this and I’m so happy you enjoyed reading it!
so so good! the writing, the characters, the storyline.. mwah so good :) cant wait for more to come and keep up the good work!! and i love my boy Heron.. will always love a good childhood friends to lovers lol
stop i thought all the people commenting about chapter 10 wasn't going to be that serious and then i end up full on crying this is so unfair????? congrats on your story bringing out so many emotions i'm
I need a save button so I can romance every character and also hurt my feelings over and over again with chapter 10! This story is so good and I don't think I'll ever get sick of it!!
The game does save to your browser, but Chapbook doesn’t offer a save function, I’m sorry. I may look into Harlowe or Sugarcube for future IFs. But I hope you will replay it as it’s not terribly long, and I hope you enjoy it many times over! Thank you!
I don't think this review does justice to everything this story made me feel. I love the characters, I love the world-building, I even love that chapter 10 made me cry (I spent a few minutes staring at the screen). I haven't felt so many lasting emotions from a story in a long time. Thank you.
I also really like your writing style, it's accessible (that's how I felt) for a non-native speaker, I usually have trouble getting lost or not understanding parts of texts (especially in English), but that didn't happen while I was reading this. So thank you again.
The game saves directly to your browser as you play, so as long as you don’t clear your cache, you can pick up where you left off. I go into the save system in more detail in one of my dev logs if you’re curious. Thank you!
I love this! I have only played through Lion's route, but the storytelling and worldbuilding is amazing! I did notice an issue where sometimes it won't let me progress through the game. There's no next button or choice I can press to change the page. My working hypothesis is that it depends on the personality choices. I only noticed this error when I chose the more "follower" options or were more skittish/scared (the shy romance choices don't seem to affect it). I'd usually run into this error right after choosing who's route to go down.
Hi! You shouldn’t have a problem, no matter what persona or choices you’re making. Sometimes there’s no word “Next” or choice to make, but the last sentence on the page is in fact the link.
Can you send me a screenshot as an example? And let me know whether you play in light or dark mode. If it’s a matter of the link not being clear, that info will help me troubleshoot and maybe change some fonts. Thank you!
Hello again, jujoebee! Love your name, by the way. 😁
By any chance, did you choose "multiple braids" for your hairstyle? I added that option in the last update and just realized I didn't account for it in earlier chapters, one of which is where you first start Lion's route. In that scene Lion either cradles your head or buries his hand in your hair, and I coded it differently depending on your hairstyle. If you had that hairstyle you wouldn't have been able to progress after that. Cause I'm an idiot, lol. I've accounted for that stat now and it will be fixed in the next update! My apologies!
I have no idea how this IF managed to evade my radar for so long until now. HOW the heck did I miss this masterpiece????
Also, can't help but be reminded of Scout (another Twine IF here on itch.io) tho. This definitely filled that Scout-shaped hole in my heart. So I hearby dub this the unofficial spiritual successor to Scout lol
Aww, thank you! It hasn’t been out long so you’re really not that late. I feel I’m late to the world of IFs myself, lol.
I’ve had several people tell me they found me through Scout. I've read Scout and very much enjoyed it! I’m also very impressed with the author for having put forth that story at a time when the world was going to pot and we all needed something good, and I wish I had discovered her story, and IFs in general, back then.
I cannot forgive myself for only learning of this IF today. I cried very hard due to the latest chapter, to the point that my eyes now feel a bit swollen :') Your writing is very beautiful, and I'm honestly so glad that regardless of who we choose to romance that we are still able to experience sweet moments between the MC and their friends <3
Thank you so much! I only published it a little over 2 months ago, so honestly you’re not really that late! My apologies for the last chapter, I knew it would be a rough one. I’m glad you’re enjoying the interactions; it was important to me that I include meaningful platonic moments, too.
Incredible. I can't believe I didn't know about this IF. It's a uniquely (for an IF) dystopian setting more commonly found in good novels. The writing is amazing!
I wish there was an option for nonbinary mcs to input their sex. I feel like it misses a lot of detail (like whether mc has experienced pregnancy.
Hello, and thank you! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story!
I hear you. In all honesty, I didn’t know how to include that option in a way that felt immersive and not awkward. This is my first IF, as well as my first time writing non-binary characters. I wasn’t confident in my ability to portray gender nonconforming characters well, and I didn’t want to misrepresent anything. In my next IF I’ll definitely include more options!
o3o is yellow heart friendship and red romance right and amazing story by the way really good <3! nevermind found out it's still flirt option XD just shy my kind of flirting
I LOVE THIS STTORY SO MUCCCCH!! i kind of just KNEW something bad was gonna happen but i didn't think it was BOTH.. Ughhh it makes me so ssaaaaadddd.. Anyways, just wanted to say, I really adore how well written this game is, I usually never even think to click any IF without a save function because it just usually pisses me off but this one was just TOO good.. I had such a hard time choosing on if i should romance lion or robin(chose robin) because they were just both genuinely so interesting, i wish we had poly routes but i still really think the game is just amazinG
Oh also, another thing I've noticed is that, the demo kind of reminds me of 1984 are you perchance.. A George Orwell fan? Oh! Apologies if being compared to someone else is uncomfortable for you, just asking because I love that book too
Thank you so much! I know, I felt horrible writing that scene. 😭 But judging from all the comments it sounds like it hit the way it needed to. I’m glad you gave my story a try despite the save functionality. The story does actually save to your browser as you play, but I completely understand the inconvenience of not having multiple save slots. If I ever write a second IF I may explore the other Twine formats.
And I don’t mind the comparison at all, you’re actually right on the nose! When I wrote the original novella I was a big fan of dystopian fiction (still am, who am I kidding), and I was heavily influenced by 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and Anthem. Hello to a fellow fan!
Very sorry with the late reply, I'm glad you took time to reply to this! I'm actually a big fan of Fahrenheit 451 too, nowadays though it's much less popular in comparison to back then sadly. However I haven't yet read Anthem; I'll put it on my list! In all honesty, I couldn't think how exactly they could ever meet a better end, I think it was very fitting so don't dwell on it much dear. I'm a very picky person yes, but I think the idea of not being able to save and go back to make a different choice too is a very interesting concept, it's just hard to enjoy most the times because in other games I see, you usually miss out on a lot. The only parts of not having the ability to save is that you always have to start right back at the beginning which makes it a bit tough to guide through. If you ever do make another game, I would like that too, but even if it doesn't have a save I'm still playing it because your writing is FIRE. Have you had a lot of experience in the writing field? I haven't felt this immersed in a story in a long time.
P.S apologies if the long barrage of text is overwhelming! Hello to a fellow fan!!:D
Hello again! I don’t mind the lengthy reply, I enjoy conversing with you all! I highly recommend Anthem. It’s a short read, and you’ll definitely see parallels to this, lol.
Thanks for saying you’ll stick with me despite the saves! 🥹 This IF isn’t terribly long, so the inability to have multiple saves isn’t too bad. But any future ideas will probably be longer and more involved, so a different software would be best.
I have 3 decades worth of experience in writing 😅 but not necessarily in fiction like this. I’ve built a career in Marketing, PR and Communications, which has certainly helped. But said career and family kept me busy, and I haven’t written for myself in a very long time. It’s been a joy and a release to return to it, and I can’t express enough how this reception and encouragement has helped! ❤️
Stayed up way too late marathoning Lion's route yesterday (my first!) and just totally marvelling at these lovely characters and trying to understand the mysteries of this world you created and loving every minute of it. Funnily enough, I'm not the type to get emotional over IFs at all but for some reason coming upon Robin playing with the slinky by themselves away from everyone in the semi-dark made me have to stop reading and collect myself, maybe because I've got half a decade on them and was already sorta feeling protective of them from the get go as someone who remembers being that age but who has also made it out to the other side, so to speak. Anyway, you're phenom at endearing your characters to the reader, including non-ROs, big kudos to you! On to the next route I go!
Marathoning Lion is never a bad thing. 😉 I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story and characters! I’m really glad you felt them endearing and relatable, especially on the platonic routes. That scene is one of my favorites! ❤️
And I know exactly what you mean about the age and feeling protective of them. I wrote the original novella at 19 and I couldn’t tell the story as well as I would have liked back then. Now I have a maturity in both my writing and experiences, and despite the fact that I’m now twice their age, I think I can write them better because of that.
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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!
Does n e 1 know how many/what/how personality types there r to get?
Hello! There are 6 possible personas and they range from bold and assertive, to passive and meek. They are: Brawler, Pathfinder, Leader, Supporter, Observer, and Follower.
Thank you for reading my IF!
i just finished another run and i can only repeat what i said: i like your writing, im still sad about what happened in chapter 10 and im really excited about chapter 12 (which is the finale one, right? or will there be an additional epilogue-chapter?)
i dont know if you mentioned something already, but do you have plans for new projects already?
while playing from the beginning, i noticed 2 things. 1 bug/error and one question i had:
1.) following the "shit, shit"-option, there is the part which is: "And you are being ridiculous,” you fire back. “It’s a perfectly natural word. I like it, it’s fun."
afterwards on this page we first repeat the "ridiculous"-part, lion then says "No, before that.". maybe its just a figure of speech, but shouldnt he say "no after that"? since we say the "it´s"-part after the "ridiculous"-sentence.
(sorry if this sound confusing. didnt know how else i could describe it)
2.) during the scene, where robin helps ferret (i think before we see that ferret found a book) we have the option between 2 dialogue choices. atleast in my case its not that clear for whom this romance choice is for: robin or ferret?
anyways thank you for the new chapter and take your time.
Ah, you’re correct, thanks for catching that! I’ll add it to my list of “things to correct AFTER I've pushed the bloody update live” because I’ve already caught 2 other things myself. 🤦🏻♀️ I swear, it’s the bane of my existence, lol.
As to your second question, it’s a romance choice for Robin since you technically haven’t met Ferret yet, but I can see how that’s confusing. I need to tweak that a bit.
Chapter 12 is the conclusion, yes, but there will also be an epilogue. I may release them together, haven’t decided on that yet. I have a few ideas swirling around in my brain for future projects but nothing concrete. But thank you for asking and for reading Viatica!
Hey I really love your game and I can't wait to see where it goes but I have a little problem, every time I go for the next chapter, the game take me to the chapter one, how did my browser is supposed to save where I stop in the story ? Sorry my english isn't good, it is not my first language
Hello! I just updated the game this morning so you may have to restart, I’m sorry. But normally, yes, it will save to the browser. Did you clear your cache, perhaps? That will erase the save. Or it may be because of the update. 🥴
I don't clear my cache but I play on pc, I dont know if it could be that, my play has never be save so ....
UPDATE TMR AHHHHHH SO EXCITED (totally haven't been checking the dev logs everyday since C10 dropped hahaha...)
Oh my gosh, this made my morning, thank you! 😍
It's here!
oh. oh my god. i love you so much for making this IF and the story, and the characters (especially Lion and Fawn) and i hate you so much for chapter ten i am bawling my eyes out THANK YOU BUT WHY 😭❤️❤️❤️ WHY MUST YOU INFLICT THIS PAIN ON US 😭
I’m sorry! Believe me, I asked myself the very same question when I was inflicting it on myself! 😭
But I’m happy to hear you loved the characters and that you felt such emotion for them. It means that it hit right, as painful as it was. Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment! I appreciate it so much!
Omg i spent the whole day reading this (procrastinating college work lmao) and its sooo good i'm so glad i found it
But i'm feeling miserable after chapter 10 tbh. But i love this anyways, i know it's good when i genuinely connect with the characters and cry.
I LOVE LION too. (The names are so adorable I love the concept)
AND You're such a good writer omg I admire you so much, giving us such a great IF (and for free) while being a mom and a professional? Iconic tbh.
That's it, i love this.
My kids want you to know I squealed and broke their eardrums when I read your review 😂
Thank you so much! ❤️ My apologies for chapter 10 but I’m glad to know you connected with the characters and that it hit the way I intended. I promise it gets better!
It’s been a joy writing this and I’m so happy you enjoyed reading it!
so so good! the writing, the characters, the storyline.. mwah so good :) cant wait for more to come and keep up the good work!! and i love my boy Heron.. will always love a good childhood friends to lovers lol
Thank you so much, I’m glad you’re enjoying it! I’m a sucker for the childhood friend trope, too!
stop i thought all the people commenting about chapter 10 wasn't going to be that serious and then i end up full on crying this is so unfair????? congrats on your story bringing out so many emotions i'm
Sorry about chapter 10 but I'm glad you're enjoying all the feels! Thank you for giving my story a try!
I need a save button so I can romance every character and also hurt my feelings over and over again with chapter 10! This story is so good and I don't think I'll ever get sick of it!!
The game does save to your browser, but Chapbook doesn’t offer a save function, I’m sorry. I may look into Harlowe or Sugarcube for future IFs. But I hope you will replay it as it’s not terribly long, and I hope you enjoy it many times over! Thank you!
I don't think this review does justice to everything this story made me feel. I love the characters, I love the world-building, I even love that chapter 10 made me cry (I spent a few minutes staring at the screen). I haven't felt so many lasting emotions from a story in a long time. Thank you.
I also really like your writing style, it's accessible (that's how I felt) for a non-native speaker, I usually have trouble getting lost or not understanding parts of texts (especially in English), but that didn't happen while I was reading this. So thank you again.
No, thank YOU! 🫶🏻 This was a lovely comment and I appreciate your words! I’m very glad you found the story accessible.
This story is amazing! I love how you build the world, and the journal snippets.
I was wondering though, if there is anyway to save? I was playing on mobile and can’t seem to find an option to save my progress anywhere
Thank you, I’m glad you’re enjoying it!
The game saves directly to your browser as you play, so as long as you don’t clear your cache, you can pick up where you left off. I go into the save system in more detail in one of my dev logs if you’re curious. Thank you!
https://firfireweed.itch.io/viatica/devlog/790424/a-quick-note-regarding-saves
I love this! I have only played through Lion's route, but the storytelling and worldbuilding is amazing! I did notice an issue where sometimes it won't let me progress through the game. There's no next button or choice I can press to change the page. My working hypothesis is that it depends on the personality choices. I only noticed this error when I chose the more "follower" options or were more skittish/scared (the shy romance choices don't seem to affect it). I'd usually run into this error right after choosing who's route to go down.
Hi! You shouldn’t have a problem, no matter what persona or choices you’re making. Sometimes there’s no word “Next” or choice to make, but the last sentence on the page is in fact the link.
Can you send me a screenshot as an example? And let me know whether you play in light or dark mode. If it’s a matter of the link not being clear, that info will help me troubleshoot and maybe change some fonts. Thank you!
I cleared my cookies and it decided to work! Sorry for the scare! I'm not quite sure what had happened, but deleting cookies fixed it lol
Glad it got sorted! If you happen to find the issue again (hopefully you won’t, lol) please screenshot it for me! Thank you!
Hello again, jujoebee! Love your name, by the way. 😁
By any chance, did you choose "multiple braids" for your hairstyle? I added that option in the last update and just realized I didn't account for it in earlier chapters, one of which is where you first start Lion's route. In that scene Lion either cradles your head or buries his hand in your hair, and I coded it differently depending on your hairstyle. If you had that hairstyle you wouldn't have been able to progress after that. Cause I'm an idiot, lol. I've accounted for that stat now and it will be fixed in the next update! My apologies!
I did!! Glad you were able to figure it out :D
I have no idea how this IF managed to evade my radar for so long until now. HOW the heck did I miss this masterpiece????
Also, can't help but be reminded of Scout (another Twine IF here on itch.io) tho. This definitely filled that Scout-shaped hole in my heart. So I hearby dub this the unofficial spiritual successor to Scout lol
Aww, thank you! It hasn’t been out long so you’re really not that late. I feel I’m late to the world of IFs myself, lol.
I’ve had several people tell me they found me through Scout. I've read Scout and very much enjoyed it! I’m also very impressed with the author for having put forth that story at a time when the world was going to pot and we all needed something good, and I wish I had discovered her story, and IFs in general, back then.
I cannot forgive myself for only learning of this IF today. I cried very hard due to the latest chapter, to the point that my eyes now feel a bit swollen :') Your writing is very beautiful, and I'm honestly so glad that regardless of who we choose to romance that we are still able to experience sweet moments between the MC and their friends <3
Thank you so much! I only published it a little over 2 months ago, so honestly you’re not really that late! My apologies for the last chapter, I knew it would be a rough one. I’m glad you’re enjoying the interactions; it was important to me that I include meaningful platonic moments, too.
Incredible. I can't believe I didn't know about this IF. It's a uniquely (for an IF) dystopian setting more commonly found in good novels. The writing is amazing!
I wish there was an option for nonbinary mcs to input their sex. I feel like it misses a lot of detail (like whether mc has experienced pregnancy.
Hello, and thank you! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story!
I hear you. In all honesty, I didn’t know how to include that option in a way that felt immersive and not awkward. This is my first IF, as well as my first time writing non-binary characters. I wasn’t confident in my ability to portray gender nonconforming characters well, and I didn’t want to misrepresent anything. In my next IF I’ll definitely include more options!
o3o is yellow heart friendship and red romance right and amazing story by the way really good <3! nevermind found out it's still flirt option XD just shy my kind of flirting
I like the shy flirting, too. 🥰 Glad you got it sorted!
I know that I want vengeance! 👿
✊
I LOVE THIS STTORY SO MUCCCCH!! i kind of just KNEW something bad was gonna happen but i didn't think it was BOTH.. Ughhh it makes me so ssaaaaadddd.. Anyways, just wanted to say, I really adore how well written this game is, I usually never even think to click any IF without a save function because it just usually pisses me off but this one was just TOO good.. I had such a hard time choosing on if i should romance lion or robin(chose robin) because they were just both genuinely so interesting, i wish we had poly routes but i still really think the game is just amazinG
Oh also, another thing I've noticed is that, the demo kind of reminds me of 1984 are you perchance.. A George Orwell fan? Oh! Apologies if being compared to someone else is uncomfortable for you, just asking because I love that book too
Thank you so much! I know, I felt horrible writing that scene. 😭 But judging from all the comments it sounds like it hit the way it needed to. I’m glad you gave my story a try despite the save functionality. The story does actually save to your browser as you play, but I completely understand the inconvenience of not having multiple save slots. If I ever write a second IF I may explore the other Twine formats.
And I don’t mind the comparison at all, you’re actually right on the nose! When I wrote the original novella I was a big fan of dystopian fiction (still am, who am I kidding), and I was heavily influenced by 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and Anthem. Hello to a fellow fan!
Very sorry with the late reply, I'm glad you took time to reply to this! I'm actually a big fan of Fahrenheit 451 too, nowadays though it's much less popular in comparison to back then sadly. However I haven't yet read Anthem; I'll put it on my list! In all honesty, I couldn't think how exactly they could ever meet a better end, I think it was very fitting so don't dwell on it much dear. I'm a very picky person yes, but I think the idea of not being able to save and go back to make a different choice too is a very interesting concept, it's just hard to enjoy most the times because in other games I see, you usually miss out on a lot. The only parts of not having the ability to save is that you always have to start right back at the beginning which makes it a bit tough to guide through. If you ever do make another game, I would like that too, but even if it doesn't have a save I'm still playing it because your writing is FIRE. Have you had a lot of experience in the writing field? I haven't felt this immersed in a story in a long time.
P.S apologies if the long barrage of text is overwhelming! Hello to a fellow fan!!:D
Hello again! I don’t mind the lengthy reply, I enjoy conversing with you all! I highly recommend Anthem. It’s a short read, and you’ll definitely see parallels to this, lol.
Thanks for saying you’ll stick with me despite the saves! 🥹 This IF isn’t terribly long, so the inability to have multiple saves isn’t too bad. But any future ideas will probably be longer and more involved, so a different software would be best.
I have 3 decades worth of experience in writing 😅 but not necessarily in fiction like this. I’ve built a career in Marketing, PR and Communications, which has certainly helped. But said career and family kept me busy, and I haven’t written for myself in a very long time. It’s been a joy and a release to return to it, and I can’t express enough how this reception and encouragement has helped! ❤️
Stayed up way too late marathoning Lion's route yesterday (my first!) and just totally marvelling at these lovely characters and trying to understand the mysteries of this world you created and loving every minute of it. Funnily enough, I'm not the type to get emotional over IFs at all but for some reason coming upon Robin playing with the slinky by themselves away from everyone in the semi-dark made me have to stop reading and collect myself, maybe because I've got half a decade on them and was already sorta feeling protective of them from the get go as someone who remembers being that age but who has also made it out to the other side, so to speak. Anyway, you're phenom at endearing your characters to the reader, including non-ROs, big kudos to you! On to the next route I go!
Marathoning Lion is never a bad thing. 😉 I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story and characters! I’m really glad you felt them endearing and relatable, especially on the platonic routes. That scene is one of my favorites! ❤️
And I know exactly what you mean about the age and feeling protective of them. I wrote the original novella at 19 and I couldn’t tell the story as well as I would have liked back then. Now I have a maturity in both my writing and experiences, and despite the fact that I’m now twice their age, I think I can write them better because of that.
Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the other routes!