Pages of Tomorrow News

[p]Social relationships are inherent to the human experience. Whether one wants it or not, true lone wolves do not exist – from the day we are born, we are all shaped by other people. At first, familial relations are most important (as well as most influential for our development). But as we grow, parents are replaced by peers, who we begin to excitedly call our friends. Friendships, massively important as they are, tend to be put aside in visual novels, replaced by romance. Pages of Tomorrow questions that.

In the game, the player has three characters to choose from. The companion of their choice is not meant to be seduced, but befriended. Many would call this decision strange when viewed in context with what visual novels often are. And while romance-focused titles certainly do not deserve the eye rolls they often get, for Pages of Tomorrow, I wanted to do something different and highlight the importance of purely platonic relationships.

Romance comes and goes. It is not unusual for partners to break up, no matter how perfect for each other they may initially seem. And although not all friendships stand the test of time, their nature is inherently more steady, allowing friends to lean on each other in difficult times. There's beauty to friendship that's found only in the most successful romantic relationships.

So to conclude, while I am not opposed to romance or romance in visual novels in the slightest, Pages of Tomorrow felt like a game that would work best without a dating mechanic. Instead, I intend for it to explore the complexities and beauty of platonic connections, despite it being way less fortunate marketing-wise.

Thank you for reading. As always, I invite you to wishlist Pages of Tomorrow and play the demo, which allows for the player to get to know the characters and the unique setting.

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[p][/p][p]It's official – you can now get to know Pages of Tomorrow's characters and setting for free! This little sneak peek into the story lets players get a feel of what the full visual novel will be like. Step into the unusual world of hospitalized teenagers and see for yourself what kind of mystery Alex will be forced to solve.[/p][p][/p][p]And remember – not everything is as it seems.[/p]

[p]All stories need characters. In Pages of Tomorrow, the player meets an array of them – but some, obviously, are more important than others. The three that I will very briefly introduce here are arguably the most crucial, as the player is constantly choosing between them, deciding on their companion for the playthrough. So, without further ado, here are the three people Alex can choose to befriend on her journey. [/p][p][/p][h2]Jolene [/h2][p][/p][p]Jolene is a kind, cheerful girl whom Alex – the game's protagonist – shares a room with. Her smile never seems to fade, much like her positive attitude. In fact, her positivity can get overwhelming in an environment mostly made up of depressed teens. Something must be hiding beneath that smile of hers... Just what could she be doing in a place like this? [/p][p][/p][h2]Nigel [/h2][p][/p][p]Nigel's demeanor is relaxed and jovial; he's always looking for ways to make people laugh. With his charisma and quick wit, Nigel could have it all – and yet, he's stuck in the ward with the other patients. His carefree act won't make it easy to get his true feelings out of him, but some things are worth the hassle.[/p][p][/p][h2]Cole [/h2][p][/p][p]Despite being the youngest of the cast, Cole likes to behave like he's the toughest. His teenage angst gives him a rebellious, blunt personality; he isn't concerned with being polite or empathetic. Cole was sent to the ward against his will, but perhaps it was for the best... What issues lie underneath the tough guy act? [/p][p]You will meet all of these characters and more very soon when the demo arrives this December. Wishlist Pages of Tomorrow to get a notification when that happens! [/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][/p]

[p]Genre, helpful as it can be for self-identification, is a commitment and a promise. With genre come certain expectations, tropes, and other things the writer must be aware of. Keeping that in mind, calling Pages of Tomorrow a "mystery" visual novel doesn't quite do it for me. I will try, to the best of my ability, to explain why that is – and why I settled on "psychological" instead.[/p][p][/p][p]Pages of Tomorrow isn't a thriller. It's not a visual novel that has fight scenes or chase sequences; while it has its exciting moments, and the mystery itself is gripping, moments of superficial relaxation are just as important. In Pages of Tomorrow, showing the daily lives of the patients isn't just buildup for showing something out of the ordinary, but something that's valuable in itself.[/p][p][/p][p]A psychological visual novel is one that gets deep into the characters' psyche; how they act, and especially how they think. Seemingly unexciting scenes become interesting and unique when approached from this angle. An ordinary conversation can become a vessel for symbolism, giving the audience a look into the characters' heads – and that's precisely what I want for Pages of Tomorrow.[/p][p][/p][p]Focusing on characters who are by definition out of the ordinary, as mentally ill people, ensures their reality isn't boring to the general audience. After all, it is very different to what most people are accustomed to in their lives. I believe the term "psychological" describes Pages of Tomorrow perfectly, as it literally is a story focused on the complexities of human psychology, or perhaps even psychiatry.[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for making it to the end. As always, I invite you to wishlist Pages of Tomorrow – those who do will be notified immediately when the demo becomes available.[/p]

[p]As some of you may already know, Pages of Tomorrow aims to portray mental illness and psychiatric care as accurately as possible. The ward where the story takes place is the beating heart of the plot – it dictates what the characters can or cannot do, what they are like, and even how they think. Here's a little deep dive where I explain my process for portraying it the way I do.[/p][p][/p][p]Any artist, upon choosing to show something that exists in real life in their work, has to answer a simple, but difficult question. How much do I lie? Whether it's because they are unable to show reality as it is or reluctant to do so (for various reasons), artists – and that includes writers – often rely on the audience's lack of knowledge to push something that just isn't factual. And it's a good thing they do – art isn't about imitating reality in all possible aspects. Pages of Tomorrow lies, too. But at the same time, it tells the truth exactly as much as possible without sacrificing certain parts of the experience.[/p][p][/p][p]Ultimately, Pages of Tomorrow aims to deliver an accurate experience of what it's like being in a psych ward (specifically one for juveniles), and many parts of how it does that are taken directly from real-life scenarios. Life itself often writes the best fiction. Although research was necessary, and it certainly taught me a lot, the way I portray the psych ward will always be most influenced by the way I experienced the psych ward. But even then, selecting the memories I share is also a way of fictionalizing, and when a serious topic is fictionalized, care is needed.[/p][p][/p][p]The thing I'm most cautious about is the balance between demonizing and romanticizing this form of psychiatric care, both of which are a bad way of talking about it. On the one hand, the experience is indeed traumatizing for many, but on the other, psych wards and hospitals (or "asylums") have been demonized to hell and back through stories and portrayals coming from people who didn't know much about them.[/p][p][/p][p]I sincerely hope – and I'm pretty confident the hope is not foolish – that Pages of Tomorrow can portray the psych ward in a way that both acknowledges the trauma of the experience and doesn't discourage from seeking help when it is needed.[/p][p][/p][p]If you haven't wishlisted Pages of Tomorrow yet, I invite you to do so. It is a psychological visual novel I'm making set in a juvenile psych ward, with supernatural mystery sprinkled on top. Wishlist to be the first one to know when the demo drops! [/p]