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crime, cars, cash.

@losergames / losergames.tumblr.com

becky | currently writing chop shop | +18 only
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🔗 – NAV | FAQ | PLAYLISTS | KO-FI | BUG REPORT | COMMUNITY | GAME DEMO

Crime. Cars. Cash.

Unfulfilled at work, struggling for money and witnessing the exponential success of your best friend, you learn that your intel at AutoLuxe Insurance services™ is not entirely useless. The call for a new opportunity arrives, abruptly dragging you down into an underground car-theft ring.

Meet a crew that runs a shady auto body business and face the world that is fuelled by greed, risk, ego... and a lot of gasoline.

Chop Shop is a crime-action interactive fiction in development, strictly +18 for language, themes and potential explicit content.
  • Player character creation – Determine your PC’s appearance, personality, background and gender identity.
  • Character driven narrative – Bond with many side characters and the main crew, conceal your new double life, test morality within an underground criminal enterprise and witness the growth of your new counterparts.
  • Pursue relationships or play the field – Flirt, f*ck and/or find your partner in crime.
  • Learn the tricks of the trade – Gain skills in high-speed driving, lock-picking, pickpocketing, mechanics and critical-thinking to pull off espionage jobs, boost cars and uncover secrets.
  • Choose your motive – Fuel your need for adrenaline or play it safe, reap the rewards to help out those in need or keep the money to yourself for your own gain.
  • Dice Roll mechanics - No playthrough is the same! Face skill checks, mini-games, and character interactions determined by dice rolls.
Your choices matter. Crime always comes with consequences.

Status: Episode .004 Released - January 12th '25. Word count: 272k

#chop shop#chop shop game#interact-if#intro#admin#interactive fiction
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ph8bos asked:

Does punching Maz lock you out of Sunny's route?

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i wouldn't say it locks you out of anything with sunny, more like it'll make it harder to engage or develop a relationship with him -- friendship or otherwise. like the game notif says, he will remember that moment and it'll have an effect down the line.

#cs ask#thanks!
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who is watching the white lotus s3..... saxon is like watching jonno come to life it's making me nauseous

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Anonymous asked:

Can't wait for more official Four art 🥰

same, we all need more big sad men in our lives 🙏🏽

#cs ask
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thecreatureinthedark asked:

just found out abt this game like yesterday, started playing without any high expectations and i've played through the whole thing at least twice already! the way you're introducing the story and the conflicts is so good, and can i just say, the way you make the world feel alive?! its crazy?!?!

every single character we meet even if its just for one scene is so full of life and personality. it always feels like they have their own stuff going on in the background, and that's such a rare thing to find in writing in general, never mind IFs! your characterization is just SOO good, every interaction you write feels like its real people talking and bickering, even the scenes of the crew fighting like a bunch of toddlers XD

it's the little details, like when MC takes the bus instead of going w Markus in ch 4, and you choose to listen in to the conversations happening around MC, and every single one of them feels so real. those ppl feel like ppl i could meet irl, and they're just NPCs! they don't directly impact the story, but they feel real, they make the world come alive and really help immerse the reader in the story in a way i've rarely seen before in IFs

this might sound a bit odd, but i also appreciate the fact that there hasn't been a single flirt option (that i've found at least) so far. so many IFs sometimes feel like they're rushing the romance, like you need to clock in your RO straight away and every interaction you have w them matter just to raise a relationship stat, and that's not a bad thing by itself but it can impair the story and the experience if not done well. this IF has been a bit of a breath of fresh air, like there's no rush, you can take your time getting to know the characters and build your MC and get immersed in the universe without worrying abt every single option you pick... its just nice! it feels good, having the time to know the characters before having to choose what kind of relationship you'll have w them, when so often you have to do the opposite

your writing feels alive, and i love it so much. that's all i wanted to say, i can't wait to see what happens next in the story! hope you're having a good day!!

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hello!!!! thank you so so much for the wonderful ask, i've been re-reading it a lot the past few days as i've been writing haha. i can't say enough how much it's given me a boost recently.

honestly i just really love writing about people! chop shop has so many people with problems trying to navigate the world, whether it's the random couple on the train, one of the crew members, or even the PC.

i think the best advice i've ever gotten writing wise is the world you create is only as interesting as the side characters. they're a really great tool to present exposition and details about the world without a long build up or attachment.

also i'm so glad you've brought up the flirt thing haha. PC is in a very stressful situation right now!!! i can't imagine thinking about romance with all the shit that's going on. kidnapping, blackmail, bribery, debt problems etc etc. the romances to me are more variation then actual routes if that makes any sense. if PC and a crew member end up having feelings or relations then it'll add more complications down the line when PC is making some definitive choices during the end game.

thank you again and i hope you're having a lovely day ❤️

#cs ask#nice things
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Anonymous asked:

OH MY GOSH... I never knew UI database was a thing!! I'm so incredibly grateful you responded to my ask with that link, it's a game changer for sure. I've been referencing some of my favorite games when thinking through UI for my own game (Cyberpunk 2077, my beloved) but I never knew there was a site like that for more cohesive referencing. Thank you!!!!

hi!! i am so incredibly sorry i am late answering these. life! you know how it goes.

i recommend w3schools for html, css and javascript! they have a lot of beginner tutorials for things you might be interested in, as well good explanations alongside examples.

i also watched a lot of dan cox's tutorials on youtube. he has a bunch of stuff on his page for sugarcube 2. as far as i know he has a few video for the new 2.37 version, where as i'm using 2.36 but that's up to you! super SUPER helpful to watching someone actively using the programme and talk through it.

idrellegames' coding in twine tag is also super helpful! i was scrolling through it all the time when i got started with twine lol

my best advice for coming up with a design that is unique is to not go straight into the coding first! i mocked up all of chop shops designs in photoshop before i started building it in twine. here are some old mock ups. it doesn't have to be photoshop, that's just the tool i have on hand, but something like canva would definitely work just as well! or, if you don't have access to anything digital, just using a pen and paper would work just as well. it's much easier to draw out a design than start coding it when you're not sure how it's even supposed to look yet.

i hope that helps a little! <3

#general ask#ui stuff
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an update - 1st mar '25

hi all!

straight to it, episode 05 is coming along. january was a slow one (winter, yuck) but we are getting the foundations of scenes in place now so I can start the branching and variations. i am about 10k words in of an estimated 50/60k.

i keep thinking i'm writing so slow but i just released an episode in january LMAO, so i'm taking it easy for now. i haven't had anything come through the bug report form for the previous ep so that's good! (or bad who knows) i still need to release a patch for some things i've noticed on my end but i'll probably leave that for awhile if there's nothing pressing that needs attention.

thank you again for all the lovely messages and asks after the ep 04 release :') i am feeling more motivated than ever now we're over the hurdle of the first act of the story! excited for what's to come!!!!

hope you're all having a nice weekend, much love ❤️

#cs log
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Reblogged
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Our fifth edition of the Black History Month Author Spotlight series, features Mila (@milaswriting)!

(Mila’s game Golden is one of the games I fell in love with when I first got into Interactive Fiction, and it feels like such a dream to be able to interview her now! It’s so interesting to interview someone who’s been in the IF community for a while now, and see how stories—and their authors—change and evolve as time goes by too.)

Author: Mila

Hello! I’m Mila, a twenty-three year old woman from the UK. Something readers may not know (or probably do considering how much I complain about university), I crave academic validation. I got 90% on an essay I did this year and I was so proud of myself that I’m considering doing a PhD. We’ll see if Dr Mila ever becomes a thing, haha.

Games: Golden (Fantasy, romance, mystery, supernatural)

Short blurb: You work for The Everbrook. A multi-agency organisation in the city of Lehsa that bridges the gap between the human and supernatural world. You’ve been working there for three years now, and you’re suddenly forced to work with a group of allies to solve mysteries that have landed right in the palm of your hand.

Quote from the interview

I wish I could say I’ve had amazing encounters with vampires, magical beings and werewolves to inspire Golden—but that isn’t exactly the case. I’ll let you know if that ever happens though! I’ve always been a bit of a bookworm, more so as a young adult than when I was much younger, but usually the portrayal of poc characters in media wasn’t always shown in a positive light. Or poc characters, when it came to romance, weren’t given the lead roles where a swoon-worthy romance story was played out. To, sort of right those wrongs, and have other black readers like myself, be able to see themselves in the characters of stories—I created a diverse cast of ROs.

Read on for the full interview!

#MILA MENTION!!!! RRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH#please go read golden 🫶🏽 i miss it very much
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Reblogged
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Our fourth edition of the Black History Month Author Spotlight series, features Becky (@losergames)!

(I’ve been in awe of Becky’s multi-talents (art, writing, coding, excuse me??) for a long time now, and am super excited to get to interview her and introduce her awesome game, Chop Shop! The portion on morality and finding a middle-ground between harmful stereotypes of “bad” POC characters and angelic, one-dimensional ones who can do no wrong was a really interesting and insightful take.)

Author: Becky

Hello hello!!! I’m Becky! I am a black bisexual woman from the UK, lover of games, TV and food. I have a Bachelor's degree in Animation & Visual Effects and currently work as a technician at a college 😁

Games: Chop Shop (crime, action, LGBTQ+, meaningful choices)

Short blurb: A crime action interactive fiction game.

Quote from the interview

There are a few main themes I keep in mind about when writing Chop Shop but the big one I think everyone understands is morality. What is right and wrong, and the various shades of grey in between, has been written about a thousand times in a thousand ways but it is continuously interesting to me in a changing world. What does it mean to be a bad person doing good things and a good person doing bad things? Is there a chance for redemption? What are the consequences? Race and class are also massive factors, made all the more complicated when we’re looking at sets of characters on either side of the PC’s life. I want to write black and other characters of colour make bad, questionable, and unredeemable decisions whilst also remaining aware of stereotypes and archetypes. I want them to be loud, messy, and rude, attributes that are always attached to minorities, but I also want them to be smart, calculating, and deceptive. I think a lot of people are scared to do so and we end up with plain, can-do-no-wrongers that lack any depth.

Read on for the full interview!

#YOOO IT'S ME!!!!#thank you for the opportunity allie it was fun talking about my work :')
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yearningforevermore asked:

Hello hellos! I just finished playing the update and wow, I can't help but fall in love with this IF every time I play it. Your writing is amazing! It really draws me in, I'm so invested in how the story plays out (especially now that Yvonne's house hangs in the balance, it hurt my heart when MC found out about it).

This update was everything! I love how so many interactions can be a subtle commentary on capitalism, class-disparity and how they affect relationships - the fact that MC can get on better with Nadia from the cafe than childhood bff KJ? The disconnect since KJ is at a place where he can be buddy buddy with the type of rich guys people bond over shit talking? A massive OOF. That whole scene really stole the show for me, one of my favourite parts of ep 4, even though the arguement MC can have with him made me tear up a bit💔🥺. I can't wait to see what shady shit KJ is up to behind the scenes (and if it may or may not be connected to his promotion and all those job openings👀)!

The scene at the gas station is up there too! Aimee and Maz bantering is always a fun time, and the MC getting to play along with them was too. They might not be on the exact same wavelength as them, but its pretty clear that they could definitely fit in with the crew. Also, loved the man MC meets outside the shop. I'm highkey hoping we get to see him again. Honestly even if we don't, it's just a testament to how great you are at making a place feel alive. Every encounter MC can have with someone is an enjoyable read.

I'm sorry for the long ask, but it's a crime that I haven't sent one in before and this update was the perfect time to do it. For my actual questions lol, which part of ep 4 was your favourite to write and why?

(And how much of Markus's little warning should the MC heed about "shiny new things in arms reach"? Because that plus Natasha's "he can hump whoever he wants" comment is making my eyebrow raise so high it could disappear into my hairline💀).

I love everything about this! AAAH I can't wait for us to really get into it with the crew!

- Chichi

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hi chichi! hope you don't mind i held onto this one for a while <3 sometimes i get asks and i'm like damn. you get it, you get me, you get the story.

my favourite parts to write were the KJ scenes at the end - especially if you stay instead of finding Yvonne :-)

#cs ask#nice things#thank you!!!
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Anonymous asked:

When Dilani takes us back on the bike, why does she frown if we say that its awesome? Also I love your writing! Its so fun! :>

bungled a job and a stranger on the back of ya bike does not equal a happy dilani ☹️

#cs ask
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Anonymous asked:

I would find it quite funny that somehow MC becomes closer to Jonno and Natasha but their relationship with KJ is in ruins.

honestly i could see a development like that happening lmao. maybe not in terms of friendship but at least Jonno and Natasha are openly horrible people and semi-aware of it. i think in some end states PC could end up the same way just on the other end of the lawful spectrum i guess

#cs ask#KJ is like so desperately hanging onto being seen as good when acquiring wealth just doesn't work that way
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