Elohim Eternal: The Babel Code News

WARNING: This post contains spoilers, so please play the game first before reading!

The middle of a story is crucial to maximize the impact of a story. It also lays out the foundation of the story's second half.

This beat is known as the midpoint. The event of this beat is either a “false victory” or a “false defeat”. It’s false because the story isn’t done at the midpoint, but it can feel that way. That is to say, the hero might feel that he’s gotten what he’s wanted in a false victory (but the truth is, he hasn’t gotten what he needs!) or that he’s lost what he wanted in a false defeat (but the truth is, it’s never as bad as how it will be in a future beat known as the All is Lost beat).

Essentially, it’s not as good as he thinks it is (false victory) and it’s not as bad as it could be (false defeat).

This beat also marks a shift from the hero’s wants to needs. The journey so far has been about the hero’s want, and the focus will now shift to what the hero needs (or the lesson he needs to learn). The simplest example of this is in romance stories—the midpoint is where the hero and heroine kiss or make love.

Midpoints are also usually (but not always) public affairs. Think big parties. I’m thinking about the Golden Age Arc in the Berserk manga (spoilers ahead!!) where the Band of the Hawk end the Hundred-Year War, return home as victors, and, at a banquet, Griffith is poisoned. What happens after that? A lot of terrible things for Gutts, which then leads him to leave the Band of the Hawk because he’s shifted from his want (proving himself as a fighter to everyone around him) to the lesson he needs to learn (struggling to stand on his own and finding his purpose).

In Elohim Eternal, the midpoint is where Joshwa and company climb Mount Tsaphon and face off with the guardian, Quetzalcoatl. It is here that Joshwa’s want (reach Ur to get information on the Babel Code) shifts to Joshwa’s need (he starts questioning his faith, which leads him to the capital “T” Truth).



In the Fun and Games beat (leading up to the midpoint), there were hints that something wasn’t right about the Kosmokraters, Hosanna, the Kingdom of Heaven, and the worlds they, supposedly, created. And then of course, there’s those mysterious figures of light that appear and speak to Joshwa. These doubts start to take center stage, illuminating the shift from Joshwa’s wants to his needs. He still wants the Babel Code and he’ll eventually obtain it, but even its use and purpose will shift for him.

And that’s the midpoint beat.

We are halfway through the story beats in Elohim Eternal. Next time we’ll talk about the Bad Guys Close In beat.

Hi all,

It has come to my attention that the game freezes randomly, especially on Steam Deck. I believe I've implemented a fix and that should work now without a hitch.

As well, I've updated the battle backgrounds and there's a couple of new music tracks by Ryan Fogleman.

Thanks, everyone! Happy gaming!

WARNING: This post contains spoilers, so please play the game first before reading!

Now that we’re in Act 2, it’s time to introduce some new characters and get in the fun and games of the story.

The B Story beat is a secondary story from the main plot that often involves side kicks or a love interest. It usually means a new character or cast of characters are introduced. You see this in movies with a love interest in a romantic comedy, or a mentor figure in an action flick, or a long, lost family member in a family saga. This B Story character is supposed to help the protagonist learn the lesson they need to learn to change/transform (which is the whole point of your story, after all).

But here’s the thing – I treat all characters that aren’t the main protagonist as B Story characters. So, in a way the B Story could be part of Act 1. Here’s the other thing: each character is either trying to help the protagonist learn the lesson or trying to hinder the protagonist from learning the lesson (and not always intentionally). Think of it like this: have you ever wanted to change something about yourself and you had friends who were very supportive while other friends would tell you that you don’t need to change and you’re perfect just the way you are? Those are B Story characters in your life. Some of those friends are encouraging you to change while some are encouraging the status quo (stay in the Act 1 world).

For Elohim Eternal: The Babel Code, Joshwa, as the main character, will learn to question his gods, the Kosmokraters. You can pretty much say any Idinite Joshwa meets is going to reinforce his faith in the Kosmokraters, except for Beyoz. Both Beyoz and Ruthia are B Story characters that represent change in Joshwa. Add onto this all the people Joshwa meets along the way to Ur: Og and Sihon, Anne, the Cainites of Ur, even Goliath.



The main part of Act 2 (which is technically split up into Act 2A and Act 2B with the Midpoint beat dividing the two parts) is the Fun and Games beat. The best way to describe this beat is that it is the promise of the premise. In movies, this is what you see in the trailer or on the poster. In Bruce Almighty the Fun and Games is getting to play God. In Harry Potter it’s going to a school of magic. In Hunger Games it’s participating in the game of survival. In the Matrix it’s finding out about the matrix and starting to manipulate it (“I know kung fu!”). Another way to look at it is that it’s the journey, and while the beat is called Fun and Games, it doesn’t have to be fun for the protagonist (but should be for your player, viewer, reader).

For Elohim Eternal: The Babel Code, the journey to Ur is the Fun and Games. Joshwa and his companions, Beyoz and Ruthia, are heading into enemy territory. If you look at the promotional materials for the game, you’ll note that I always mention a journey to find the Babel Code. Heck, it’s even in the name of the game! The premise is to find this code and the promise of that premise is the journey to get that code. It’s through the Fun and Games that we head through the Jordan Crossing, the Fortress of Dan, Ugarit, the Abzu, and up to Mount Tsaphon. And it’s at Mount Tsaphon that we’ll talk about my favorite beat, the Midpoint.



p.s. Elohim Eternal: The Babel Code actually has two Catalyst beats. Some stories get these, and I find they usually occur in video games or in epic novels. The second Catalyst beat is after Joshwa and Beyoz return from the Sidon Sewers, when we learn about the Babel code to open Mount Sinai.

We’ve just talked about the Catalyst beat, which is when something happens to the hero that sets them off on their journey. Once that something happens, the next story beat kicks in: the Debate beat.

The Debate beat is the hero’s reaction to the Catalyst. In most cases, heroes are reluctant to change and go on their journey (even when they know they absolutely have to) and so they have this moment of debate. A kind of should I go or should I stay? In some cases, if the hero has no reluctance at all, then this debate can be a training beat or a preparation for the journey beat.

In Elohim Eternal, the Debate beat occurs after Joshwa has been given a mission from his uncle, Lamech. He’s thrilled about it. Finally, a chance to prove to his uncle that he’s ready to be a judge of Idin. But first he must prepare for this journey, so he does some reconnaissance. He talks to three people: a prophet, the head of Jehudan judges, and his mother, and it’s his mother that has the reservations about him going on this or any mission.



The Debate beat isn’t particularly long. The hero has his reaction, and then it’s time to set off on the journey. That’s where the Break into Two beat kicks in.

The Break into Two beat is where the hero decides to go the journey and the adventure begins, leaving behind the status quo world of Act 1 and entering the new world of Act Two. (Note that it doesn't have to be a literal new world!)

For Joshwa, the decision is easy. Of course, he’s going on this journey. Even with one arm and his mother worried sick about him, he’s going. So sets off for the Golan Heights. But when he gets there, he’ll run into a new friend, and that new friend is what’s known as the B Story, the next beat we’ll explore.

This time I’m talking about the Catalyst story beat. This is an important beat as it’s what starts the hero off on his new journey.

The catalyst (sometimes known as the inciting incident or the call to adventure) is always something that happens to the hero. It’s not something the hero does to himself. This can take many forms. Getting bad news from a doctor. A tragic accident. A cute meet (in the case of romantic comedies or buddy love stories). A declaration of war. A tournament. Whatever. It’s the thing that catapults your hero out of the Setup world and into a new world or new way of thinking.

You could also double-up on your catalyst. That’s the case for Elohim Eternal: The Babel Code. We’re going to talk about those two here (warning, spoilers ahead!!).

The first catalyst is when Joshwa finds the gate under Mount Sinai and then a Cainite surprise attacks him, cutting off his arm. This is a huge event. Not only have we just learned that Cainites still exist (and so the war never ended), but Joshwa has just lost his right arm, his dominant arm, the arm he uses to hold his sword and fight. It’s also something that quite obviously happens to Joshwa. He didn’t cut off his own arm. It’s after the catalyst that we then get to the Debate (the next story beat we’ll talk about).



The second catalyst is after Joshwa and Beyoz return from confronting Balaam. Again, here we have another call to adventure. The gate into Mount Sinai won’t open and it’s discovered that the Idinites need a special code (called the Babel code) to open the gate and the only way to get that code is to venture into enemy territory in Ugarit. Someone must go retrieve the code, hence the call to adventure. And who takes on that call? Joshwa and Beyoz, with Ruthia. Again, something has happened to our heroes: they can’t open the gate and they need a special code. A new adventure begins! Off to a new “world”: Ugarit.



It is, of course, much cleaner to have just one catalyst and then you’re off on your adventure, but sometimes it’s necessary to have more than one.

The Debate beat comes next (sometimes also known as the gathering allies and equipment beat). Stay tuned!