Hey again,

in the previous devlog, I took a look at the general setting of TRACHI.


Summary:
TRACHI is set in an alternate timeline, with the point of divergence being somewhere during antiquity.

This obviously has a huge impact on the story and it's framework.

The context is now much more established.
And every character, organization, location and event will be regarded in a different light.

However, is and will always be a work of fiction.

And whether that fiction falls within the genre of alternate history or fantasy isn't that important to the player, per se.
In other words, the effects will be comprehensive, but also very subtle (for the most part).

The thing I'm going to introduce, soon, will be much different, however.
And at this point, it's also not as mapped out as the changes to the setting.

So please bear with me, while I take you on a quick tour into what the TRACHI we know is like.

ὁράω (to see / perceive)

So far, TRACHI has been relatively grounded game.
Of course, there's little sparks of absurdity here and there, and several scenes which you might not deem to be "realistic".

Regardless, a person being shot in the head in TRACHI is more or less bound to leave that person dead, just like in the real world.
To expand on this: there's no magic, time-travel, ancient evil or anything of that sort.

There's humans, and a universe that tries to kill them.
Just like the real world.

With that being said, there is a clear divide between a fictional character and a real person.

Person vs. pixel

Atlas, for example.

Does he look like a real human to you?

Probably not.
And I'm not saying this to poo-poo my work.
But just like the game, he is a work of fiction.

As far as TRACHI is concerned, he lives, breathes and at some point, will inevitably die.
For us, though, he's just another object to play with.
A mirror to angle in different directions, to see ourselves.

Do I like this person?
Do I understand him?
Do I trust him?

These are typical question the brain has to deal with every time it recognizes a human-looking pattern.
If I did my work half-decently, Atlas and the other characters evoke these thoughts in you, too.

To summarize: "well-written" characters create an emotional reaction, culminating in varying degrees of attachment.
And in other words: You feel the characters and their conflicting motivations, potentially emphasizing with their struggles.

This is the TRACHI you know (and maybe love).

εἴρω (to bind  / speak)

But let's turn the tables for a second.
Imagine being a fictional character.

Living in a world in which there is a creator.
Nothing godly about him, just a regular human of flesh and blood.

In the world of TRACHI, there's certainly things to be happy about.

But in the grand scheme of things, it all comes down to these two events:

Character is created.
Character is discarded.

Even worse, the only reason they exist in the first place is for me to share something.
And for you to see it.

They are objects for public entertainment.

Having to relive moments over and over again with no recolletion of anything.

And the only things you can say are the words someone else puts into your mouth.

I had a nightmare, recently, you know.
Me and one of the characters shot each other dead.

It wasn't like horrible or anything.
But it made me realize how incredibly guilty I feel for what I'm doing to them.

The problem is...
I'm kinda good at it.

So I'll administer a big dose of COPIUM and tell myself that they're just fictional...

Unfortunately...

I'm allergic to that kind of stuff.

Which means I'll have to find a solution for it.
I love the characters, all of them.

And while I can neither make them immortal, nor self-aware...
It's my wish for them to feel what's beyond TRACHI.

AUTONOMY

As we know, the title of the first game refers to the power to govern oneself.
A big part of that is the awareness of what's going on, who's in charge, and such.

So with all of that in mind, let's give the characters a more autonomy.
Not much, just a tiny bit.

It's only fair, right?

Because sometimes it just feels like...
Someone's watching you.

So yeah: we meta now.
And, think that's as much as I can give away, hehe.

Thank you very much for your attention, as always.

This was a very abstract one. Sorry about that!
Next time, I'll likely have much more concrete stuff.

I'll see you in a week, at the latest.

Much love and hugs
Nory