friendlybowlofsoup - Tumblr blog

friendlybowlofsoup · 4 months

Text

Update Jan. 4, 2024

Happy New Year, Everyone! 🎆

I hope everyone has had a great holiday season and are managing to keep warm. I have been quite busy with school since my last update, but I had an extremely restful and productive winter break so I thought I should share my progress!

For starters, I have finally finished porting over all of the prologue to twine 🎉 I completely forgot how needlessly complex this first portion was, but it's finally over and now I can move on to my Chapter 1 rewrites _(:3 」∠)_

I also finished porting over a barebones version of the stats/character menu page that I will probably leave alone for now. It's not the prettiest thing in the world, but I really want to focus on narrative writing, so it will have to do. That said, it is perfectly serviceable as it is and retains the functions that are included in the dashingdon demo, all except for a stats indicator of some kind.

As for Chapter 1 and 2, writing has been going well now that I can focus on it completely. I've decided to completely upend the first half of Chapter 1 to reflect the new direction I'm going in, and I'll give some small crumbs in the cut below for those who are interested ┬┴┬┴┤･ω･)ﾉ

But that is all I have for now! I will update again once Chapter 1 is finished, thank you again, Everyone!

Spoilers below: while I won't be going into too much detail, I will be referring to specific scenes and characters in Chapter 1, so if you'd like to experience the new demo blind, I recommend not clicking below.

--

General Route (prior to meeting Min He):

Rewriting the meet with Qiu at the apothecary

Extending the time you get with An and Qiu prior to meeting Min He

Also giving more chances to experience the spirit world route prior to the path split, to give MC more of a reason to stay or return to the mountain.

Mountain Route:

Rewriting first impression of returning the mountain overall

Possibly moving up Kaski meeting for pacing

Xinyi?? Fluff King finally??

Spirit Route:

Largest amount of rewrites here, mostly due to streamlining the four directions into two initial ones.

Pacing also moved up, so MC gets to maybe encounter something they probably shouldn't know about :)

Tai Clan -> turning from a clan of tengu into stone lions for plot, which means rewriting encounter with Tai Shek (it suits his name more too lol ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ)

Meeting two characters in Shi'Guo initially meant to be introduced later! They're very dear to me, so please treat them well ^^

Of course, everything is subject to change, but I hope this was insightful information regardless, hehe. Thanks again, Everyone!

#writing update #spoilers

126 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 5 months

Note

So basically gotrm is like two games, if the routes split completely with their own set of ROs lol

Kinda LOL Even I get whiplash sometimes when I'm bouncing between the grounded vibes of the mountain vs. the contained chaos of the spirit world.

But from my viewpoint, I could not tell these stories separately even if I tried. While the details, cast and settings are different, the ultimate goal and timeline are the same between the routes, so it feels justified to leave it as one game ( ˙꒳˙ )

#I sure do hate myself sometimes though for making it this way

44 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 5 months

Note

Hey could we romance Go To even if we stay on red mountain?

(*_ _)人 Unfortunately, you will not be able to romance any of the Spirit World ROs (Go Ro, Chun, Hiemi and Spider) if you choose to return to the Red Mountain, and vice versa.

The stories diverge completely after that split in chapter 1, so while the characters might make some appearances in the other route, they will not be prominent enough for the MC to romance them.

40 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 5 months

Note

Would you consider making a starter itch page for us to follow? I don't use tumblr or discord and don't follow COG so mostly, you're just a page I always leave open on my browser to check from time to time. It would be lovely to have the option. Thank you!

Hello! Yes! I am in the process of creating an itch.io page for GotRM, though it won't be available until I have the twine demo up and running.

At the moment, I have a very, very barren itch account that I'm using to privately test the demo. It is empty, completely, except for literally my username, but if you would like to follow it preemptively, I will be updating it with the public release once it is ready.

Again, it has nothing on it, but if it's more convenient for you to bookmark that page, please feel free! And thank you so much for your support! ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡

#itch account

27 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 7 months

Note

Just dropping by to say that seeing you working on IF brings a little joy to my life. (my little bunny is patiently waiting for Go Ro)

hehe thank you! ૮₍ ˶• ༝ •˶ ₎ა

I'm very excited to show off my new Go Ro scenes too! Please be patient, Little Rabbit <3

33 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 7 months

Note

I am so glad you're active again, and I'm looking forward to when the update game for twine becomes available.

I've always had the headcanon that plant MCs enjoy the rain and even imagined young MC playing in the rain with Big Sister when she was still alive.

I'm curious how the various LIs would react to seeing Plant MC just standing out in the rain with a wistful nostalgic expression? Also, their reactions to seeing MC after enjoying the rain shower with their hair and clothes still wet and clinging to their skin?

Although in my Magnolia, Kyung's case such a scene would be potentially awkward as she prefers to wear white and light colored clothes that would easily become transparent when wet. Although tbh Kyung wouldn't be too embarrassed, she knows she's an attractive woman and wouldn't be offended if she caught her lover staring at her.

Waaaahh Kyung, my love, she's so cool and stoic ;; Thank you for sending this in, and thank you for your encouragement! (´ ω `♡)

For your asks , there was a similar one I answered a while back here about MC being caught dancing in the rain. Though I will keep their reactions about a wistful MC a secret, hehe.

Rain has a very prominent place in the narrative of GotRM, and while it might be more obviously tied to Min He or Kaski, I assure you there will be many scenes with it no matter which route you're on.

#rain

25 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 7 months

Note

Why the mountain is red?

The Red Mountain is thought to have been named so because of the Redwood trees that line part of its territory, or because of how vivid and lush it turns in autumn--burning a bright red as if set aflame every year.

But older spirits and those who live there know that it was named because it is the gentle valley pass among an impassable mountain range. In every war, nations fought for control over this beautiful, fertile land, and every war, it would resolve without a true victor.

The Red Mountain is called so because there was time when every tree was slicked with blood and war.

But the current story takes place in a time of unprecedented peace, so many are hoping that name comes to mean something less ominous from now on.

#worldbuilding #The Red Mountain

26 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 7 months

Text

Progress Report (Sept. 20, 2023)

(°▽°)/

In an attempt to hold myself accountable, here are a few steps I've been making of late in regards to writing + the move over to Twine!

Half of the prologue is fully ported over. I completely forgot how many variables were involved with the MC origin choice, so I spent a few days streamlining that and making sure everything went smoothly.

Finally finished rewriting that Chapter 1 split and particularly the nitty gritty of the revamped spirit world section. I think this is the biggest change to the demo as a whole, so that will be fun to roll out.

I'm also writing out new character studies to familiarize myself with the slightly changed plot! Some of them are quite spoiler-y, but some of them are, perhaps, safe to release? |･ω･)

And finally, I've finally decided on a general UI layout for the game! And I come, bearing pictures! I am using Vahnya's first twine template, and I'm testing with both desktop browsers and mobile devices.

--

Desktop:

--

Mobile (menu + settings in the drop down):

--

It's pretty simple, and I don't plan to add much else to it, but do let me know if there's an issue with readability or comfort. There are options to change font-type and size in the settings as well.

Keep in mind though that I'm still mainly focused on porting the writing over, first and foremost, so I may be slow on implementing/showing prototypes of any feedback ^^;

Thanks again for sticking around!

#writing update #if: god of the red mountain

104 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 7 months

Text

With @friendlybowlofsoup God of Red Mountain if blog becoming active again and the news the game will be updated and moving to twine. I've been inspired to try drawing my Magnolia spirit Kyung again. I've also been replaying the demo to refamilerize myself with the story and help me develop Kyung's character. I've come up with some information and Headcanons for Kyung, although they'll probably change once the full game is released.

Info & Headcanons

Kyung's appearance is based on Saucer Magnolias and the flowers commonly come in colors of white, pink and maroon.

In keeping with that color scheme, Kyung resembles an albino with her pale complexion and hair paired with redish eyes.

Kyung is quite tall when taking a human form at about 6ft./182.88cms

Kyung's pupils normally resemble a flower shape, but when her curse becomes active, they become slit shaped like a fox.

When Kyung was young, she had a fondness for beetles and would often collect large beetles she found on the mountain to show to Big Sister.

In addition to the Lotus salve, Kyung tries to practice self-control to help keep the curse at bay. She's also taken to different activities and hobbies to help cultivate a serene mental state like meditation, martial arts, and embroidery. As a result of these efforts, she gives off a very dignified and elegant persona.

Kyung has also been known to indulge in her share of vices as she's a habitual smoker and often indulges in drinking.

Kyung's self-discipline is also broken whenever Foxes are involved. Kyung still harbors a lot of rage and grief about what happened. Even the mention of foxes will sometimes trigger a snap in her composure and cue mental Kill Bill sirens.

After the death of Big Sister, Kyung rarely lets herself get too close to others over the years. Partly because others tend to avoid her because of her curse, and she'd rather not risk harming someone she cares about if she ever lost control of herself. As a result, when Kyung does develop an emotional attachment to someone, she becomes fiercely protective.

Kyung is prone to combat flirting when she develops a romantic interest in someone. Either ther the combination of adrenaline and experiencing her lover's strength and skill during training first hand just really gets her turned on. Or if her lover isn't used to combat, she'll try teaching them self-defense out of protectiveness and have a hard time resisting trying to sneak a kiss or embrace them.

#fanart #MC fanart #KYUNG!! SHES COOL AS EVER!!

37 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 7 months

Text

Interactive Summer, Day 4: Energy

Big Sis and little Apple Tree Spirit from God of the Red Mountain @friendlybowlofsoup

"I'm not tired" - every child that needs a nap, ever. I love God of the Red Mountain, please go read this IF right now.

Watercolor + Digital editing, changed some stuff I didn't like in the painting. I'm gonna drop in and out of cartoon mode for the rest of the prompts.

@interactivesummer

#fanart #!!#I love this art style #its so gentle lookingg #jie jie qq

46 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 7 months

Note

Mei!! Just wanted to congratulate you on the big overhaul and project revitalisation! I've been a big fan of your writing and I'm always looking forward to new work on GOTRM; it's a story that's overwhelmingly wonderful and inspiring to me creatively, and it's really come to hold a special place in my heart over the years. Super excited for what these changes hold in store for the future, and I'm glad to see you're feeling that drive! Thanks as always for sharing, I'm continuing to cheer you on!

Σ>―(〃°ω°〃)♡→ NONNIE!!

Thank you so much for enjoying GotRM and sending such a sweet message. I truly, truly love sharing my work with all of you, and I'm so honored that you regard it so warmly, despite its many stumbles and shortcomings!

22 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 7 months

Note

Woah is gotrm based on Taoist symbolism? (Looking at Kaski's Earth alignment from the last ask 👀)

Yes, kinda, in the sense that I draw influence from wuxia/xianxia media which utilize Tao concepts, but I definitely don't adhere to it strictly, nor do I explicitly name them out (ーー;)

Chi/qi aside, there are a lot of preconceptions of Taoist symbols that I didn't want to contend with (like what people think about Yin/Yang and the Elements), so I leave it unsaid to avoid confusion.

24 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 7 months

Note

I have a question that might be spoilers (?) But can I ask the reason for each of the ROs origin species? Minus the humans ofc, but like, why is Go Ro a camellia, or why is Spider a spider? I also don't know Chinese/east asian symbolism, so I was wondering if there was more to it. Thanks soup!

Ah, I feel like I might have answered this before, or something similar, but I couldn't find the post, so I will answer again! If someone does find an older post for this, feel free to correct me though (ノ= ⩊ = )ノ

But yes, Nonnie, the origins of the relevant ROs were very much deliberate! I won't explain the exact connections, but here are the basic meanings/connotations for each:

--

Quails are ground birds usually seen in rural areas, so they have the reputation of being hardy, brave or of great fighting spirit. In art, they can also familial/marital harmony, as they live in small flocks and mate for life.

--

Peonies enjoy a very elevated status in Chinese culture as the King of Flowers (花王) and can represent everything from wealth and noble prosperity to love and feminine beauty. Yet despite that loftiness, they are also representative of young innocence and the happiness of girls.

--

Bears, as they are in mythology, are protectors of divine realms, and are capable of transformation into great warriors (such as in Journey to the West). They are often tied to the element of Earth, which generates Metal and regulates, or is muddied by, Water.

--

Lotuses represent purity, above all else. White-pink blooms among mud and rain. They are often seen in Buddhist art, text, and descriptions, and as such have heavy times to rebirth, ascension and faith.

--

Camellias are, commonly, symbols of marriage, because when they wither, their petals (seen as feminine) and sepals (seen as masculine) fall together. However in Japan, this way of falling off the stem whole, instead of petal-by-petal like other flowers, represent a clean, honorable death.

--

Spiders are rather auspicious, and are said to bring happiness, energy and good luck. In quite a few depictions and sayings, spiders and spiderwebs are omens of salvation. That said, on a separate note, Spider Demons, in Journey to the West and other myths, often shapeshift into beautiful, flesh-eating women.

#worldbuilding #RO Ask

48 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 8 months

Note

hello! do you have any xianxia/wuxia recommendations? Or any that inspired gotrm?

I have made a rec list before, of some older/more classic wuxia/xianxia movies

But I haven't had time to really watch anything new, except Till the End of the Moon ( ; ω ; )

#film recs

14 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 8 months

Note

Love the game but was wondering didn’t the mc try and get back to big sister or would’ve they turned in to a fox. Also what was big sisters reaction to us being missing.

Hmm, minor spoilers for the prologue, so I will leave under the cut

--

If you mean why didn't the MC try to get back to her during the Fox attack, there is an option where MC can try to reach Big Sister, and upon doing so, watches as she tries to fight Foxes off.

But in other options, MC is simply far too gone to think straight after the attack. They can only follow their instincts, to run where it is safe, far from the mountain, even if it means being away from their sister.

As for Big Sister's reaction, what else can be said other than fear and dread? But overwhelmed as she was in that night, a large part of her could only think of her own survival.

#spoiler #Big Sis

42 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 8 months

Note

hello! can i ask how would spider react to mc with arachnophobia?

I've answered a similar ask before (link), but for an MC with arachnophobia (or any queasiness towards spiders in general) Spider thinks it's funny, especially if MC is a good friend or romancing him, so he definitely ribs them a little bit about it LOL

But aside from that, he's pretty ambivalent! He already hates shifting to his true form, so if he's close with an MC who's scared of it, it's just another reason to never do so ┐(￣ヮ￣)┌

#Spider

24 notes · View notes

friendlybowlofsoup · 8 months

Note

hi Mei!! welcome back! i’m so happy to see you working on GotRM again… i’ve missed the cast so much, esp my favourite meanie Go Ro. I can’t wait for the revamp! ❤️❤️

╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ I'm happy to be back~

Despite all my whining, I have missed writing my Angy, God of Healing Go Ro, so please look forwards to him!

38 notes · View notes