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Just Write Studios
@just-write-studios.itch.io
2.6K followers 2.2K following 640 posts
Creating the dark fantasy and #horror visual novel Catalyst: Blind Faith.

🩸Free early development demo: https://just-write-studios.itch.io/catalyst-blind-faith
🫶 High velocity memes in our Community Discord: https://discord.gg/24cmNWp
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just-write-studios.itch.io
Just Write Studios @just-write-studios.itch.io · Oct 24
📷Show off your visual novel in 4 screenshots!📷

A strange phenomenon is turning mankind into demons, in the dark fantasy and #horror VN Catalyst: Blind Faith.

❤️‍🩹Play as a troubled young priest.
🙏Channel the Gods.
🩸Find a cure.

Early Development Demo: just-write-studios.itch.io/catalyst-bli...
Grayscale screenshot of a dog looking at the player, while standing in dense woodland. The dev's gf's birthday is today, so she has placed a party hat on the player's dog, a giant English mastiff. There is a disclaimer in the upper right that reads: "All images are rough sketches for camera and animation testing! Clean art will be done before the next update! Full color will be in the build after that." In the textbox, the player is given the narrative, "Ray comes to a halt after several moments of you standing there and staring at him. His tail wags furiously." Three choices are given to the player: "Scratch behind Ray's ears. It's his favorite spot." "Pet Ray beside his collar, and inspect his fur while you're at it." "Boop Ray on the nose, but make it fast. You have places to be." There is a disclaimer in the upper right that reads: "All images are rough sketches for camera and animation testing! Clean art will be done before the next update! Full color will be in the build after that." A young, scruffy, thin, and depressed looking man stares into a puddle to see his reflection. He carries a mace and shield, wearing a backpack and long necklace. Motifs of open hands are on all metal he wears. The POV is from the player also looking into the reflection, as this is a unique screen that allows them to see how their choices are dynamically reflected on the main character's appearance throughout the game. There is a disclaimer in the upper right that reads: "All images are rough sketches for camera and animation testing! Clean art will be done before the next update! Full color will be in the build after that." CG of a demon smiling at the player. It vaguely resembles a spider, though its legs are akin to a human's arms, and every inch of its body is covered in eyes. A gaping maw splits the center of its face in two, revealing too many rows of teeth. The textbox reads: "OooooOOOOooohh," the demon drawls. Its voice borders on obscenity as it lolls its head to the side. "That does sound tantalizing. It surely has been an age or two since I've heard of the world above." Custom UI in the style of a handmade journal. Bookmarks indicate sections for navigation, with "Contacts," "Demons," "Inventory," "Maps," and "Notes" on the top row. The leftmost row corresponds to deities in this original fantasy setting, "Agriculture," "Dream," "Flesh," "Mercy," "Spirit," "Storm," "Time," and "Vengeance." The player has opened to the tab for "Agriculture." A small, simplistic scythe is beside her name. The following information is also listed, "Growth, life, bounty, harvest, the earth, poison, death, and generosity. Boons: End famine. Detect poison. Stave off starvation. Shape the earth. Banes: Difficulty eating (crossed out), Intense pain when eating or drinking, Can't stop losing weight. Invocations: 1" On hover, a shadow of the main character's hand appears over the page, populating information reflecting his thoughts on this Goddess in a loose sheaf of paper to the right. It reads: "History: The unfathomable sacrifices you have made in Agriculture's name may not be enough to make up for years of forsaking Her gifts. Current Reflections: Eating and drinking has been like imbibing broken glass, yet the idea of calling upon Agriculture is somehow more painful." Numbers 1-9 are on the bottom of the screen for additional navigation to other pages that can populate.
just-write-studios.itch.io
✍️Drafted two new chapters today almost without pause
✍️needed to rest my hands after 5080 words

❤️then spent the entire evening burying myself in research for sensitivity and accessibility for the visuals😂👍
❤️‍🔥 going to sleep very well tonight, so worth the work

#indiegamedev #gamedev #writing #horror
a woman giving a thumbs up with the words i feel satisfied underneath her
Alt: A positive woman, gesturing with both hands as she says, "I feel satisfied."
media.tenor.com
November 9, 2025 at 4:31 AM
Reposted by Just Write Studios
hanakogames.bsky.social
🥂SAVE THE DATE! 🥂

Galaxy Princess Zorana is set to launch on Steam on November 21, 2025 - that's two weeks from now! #gamedev #LongLiveTheQueen

store.steampowered.com/app/3069630/...
Galaxy Princess Zorana on Steam
You are the Evil Emperor's only daughter, but can you claim the throne? Raise stats, make deals, appoint advisors, and scheme your way through the Imperial Election - unless an assassin gets you first...
store.steampowered.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:41 AM
just-write-studios.itch.io
NEW #DEVLOG, THE DARK SOULS OF NARRATIVE DESIGN

✍️🔥 Character #writing in a branching game!
🔀My methods + script excerpts!
🎨 Final #art style progress, memes & more!
🪵 Beeg updates on development!

❤️‍🔥Read it here: just-write-studios.itch.io/catalyst-bli...

#indiegamedev #vndev #horror #gamedesign
November 7, 2025 at 9:27 PM
just-write-studios.itch.io
mrrauaauuuhhhhhhh

editiiiing miiiines

no good for marketinggggg
very important part of writing proceessss🙏

[slinks back into game dev cave]
November 5, 2025 at 4:39 AM
Reposted by Just Write Studios
crosscouloir.cc
Comet Angel is OUT NOW! Join Izzy and Nat in an emotional journey of self-discovery as they make the world's first ever alien encounter. Available on Steam and itch for PC, Mac, Linux and Steam Deck.

store.steampowered.com/app/2920010/...

cross-couloir.itch.io/comet-angel

#visualnovel #indiegames
Nat and Izzy sitting on a rocky beach. Nat and Izzy share a kiss under a starry sky. Nat sits on her bed staring out the window at the sunset. Nat sits on a rocky outcropping, looking out at a foggy Lake Michigan.
October 28, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Reposted by Just Write Studios
exeunt.press
You know that kind review you left for an indie game on itch?

The creator read it and it meant the world to them. And they will go on to make more cool stuff because you took the time to say something positive.

Being nice is cool. Keep it up.
October 16, 2025 at 11:00 PM
just-write-studios.itch.io
Participating in several #writing events this month and I am so motivated!!✍️🔥🔥

Me & many other writers feel pressure to hit big word counts. My quality comes from giving myself the same care as my game! Shout out to everyone working at their own pace this month too!!💪🔥

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity
November 2, 2025 at 7:12 AM
just-write-studios.itch.io
Happy Halloween!🧡🎃🧡

Couldn't resist drawing my game's MCs in costume for best holiday 🎃✨🎃❤️🎃🧟🎃🕸️🎃

#indiegamedev #gamedev #vndev #art #horror #IwouldhaveaheartattackIRLifIsawRayevenonce
A slender female elf with very long ears, many piercings, and tattoos on her little visible skin. She's dressed in a cheap knockoff costume for Gandalf the Gray, excluding a sword and gnarled wooden staff of her own. She seems extremely pleased with the cheap beard and ill-fitting costume, sparkles as she looks at the viewer, and holds a very tiny, steaming cup aloft. A short, curvy, curly-haired, freckled rogue dressed as Betty Boop. No attempt has been made to stuff her hair in a wig, but the top is spiked like the old cartoon and comic book icon. Beside her is a toothy, smiling jack-o-lantern that's been stabbed in the head with a very large knife. Bubbly text over her head reads "Boop-Oop-a-Doop!" A scarred, lanky, blood-splattered, filthy, and fluffy-haired priest who barely had to put on a costume for the spookiest day of the year. His gothic attire is (slightly) more scuffed than usual. Anyone's guess if his glowing eyes and body horror are played up for the zombie act, or if this is just a bad day he lucked into rocking for Halloween. He's hamming up a limp, has some sort of gore smeared across his face, and is drooling profusely. Monstrous, wavering text hovers behind the foodie and sugar addict. In the wake of a discarded wrapper, he's groaning: "CANDYYY..." Ray, the English mastiff, woke up and chose violence. For Halloween, he's traded his usual spiked collar for a gigantic spider costume, complete with a horrifying many-eyed hat. Ray looks quite pleased with himself. His usual, deep, and gruff bark is particularly appropriate today: the text behind him reads "BHOOF"
November 1, 2025 at 3:10 AM
just-write-studios.itch.io
🖤🎃🖤Spooky month best month, been VERY BUSY

Working on this month's devlog today and so happy I am able to squeeze it in lololol✍️💀🔥🖤🖤🖤
Meme of Sabrina the Teenage Witch being served a comical amount of pancakes. She's struggling. A chibi skull has been edited on the top half of Sabrina's face. Different pancake plates are labeled, "Literally 5 different birthdays," "Halloween," "Goth fashion in season," "Anniversary," "Spooky Games," and "Music Reccs" by a goth game dev who has found a way to still write a narrative devlog this month!
October 30, 2025 at 8:11 PM
just-write-studios.itch.io
been #writing dramatic narrative for my dark fantasy and #horror game✍️🩸

the blorbos gotta vent in those life or death situations sometimes. burst out laughing the instant I watched this.😂the time dilation and unnecessary detail nearly killed me😂❤️‍🔥

#comedy #action #gamedev #indiegamedev #vndev
misterabk.bsky.social Alasdair Beckett-King @misterabk.bsky.social · 19d
Let me tell you a story (before the ship explodes):
October 25, 2025 at 5:09 AM
just-write-studios.itch.io
Every👏day👏is👏editor👏appreciation👏day. Beta readers, sensitivity readers, players leaving killer comments, and reviewers too!!!!

Good faith, quality feedback is the stuff of legends!!!! 😤👏❤️

#writing #editing #WriteSky #indiedev #indiegamedev #vndev
qzproductions.bsky.social QZ Productions @qzproductions.bsky.social · 21d
During this beta process I’ve learned how valuable it is to have people who know you / your storytelling shticks review your story heavy games because they know what you’re TRYING to do and tell you in good faith when something misses the mark
October 21, 2025 at 7:47 PM
just-write-studios.itch.io
that special kind of worry when you're #writing a branching game
reach another one of many endings
and have to remind yourself

it's ok to ask for a lot of feedback on the big moments😭💖
even when the game has a lot of them 😭💖💖💖

#indiegame #indiegamedev #vndev #everydayiseditorappreciationday
October 20, 2025 at 12:03 AM
just-write-studios.itch.io
I was really expecting more uses of this word with how much action is in the game 😂🕯️

Love these two goofy characters together so much tho🎉💚

#WriteSky #WIPSnips #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #writing #indiedev #indiegamedev #vndev #horror
Script excerpt from a dark fantasy and horror visual novel, Catalyst: Blind Faith. The two speakers are abbreviated: the player-controlled narrator, a young antiheroic priest, Richard, with the letter 'r'; and Lord Yech the Disgusted, a skeletal demon and sorcerer, with the word 'yech'. yech "You want some help?" r "It's a terrible idea, but—" yech "This is all a terrible idea. Of course I'll help you." You breathe a sigh of relief, only for Yech to toss another candle at your head. He seems to take enormous pleasure in how easily you dodge them. There are only one or two candles left on the untouched cake, which has been moved from the table to the ground to make room for more cards and dice. yech "Good thing you're the only one who has to show any restraint, right?" r "I don't have to, Yech, I want to." yech "It was a joke, Richard. You can laugh. I promise it won't kill you."
October 18, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Reposted by Just Write Studios
arimiadev.com
my friend is running her own Steam festival and is searching for streamers & press to help cover the event! if you enjoyed Fall in Love Festival & Otome Games Celebration, you'll love hers as it's focused on choice-driven narrative games (esp visual novels)💖

sign up: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Choose Wisely Press / Content Creator Form 2025
This is a form for streamers, content creators, and press interested in covering the 2025 edition of the Choose Wisely Festival. The Choose Wisely Festival is a choice-based narrative games celebrati...
docs.google.com
October 16, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Reposted by Just Write Studios
stuckwithmyself.bsky.social
Biggest update yet! (0.4.0) - Outside the Cabin
stuckwithmyself.itch.io/outside-the-...
Biggest update yet! (0.4.0)
It's been a while! I'm really happy to release this new update today as it's my biggest one yet. I hope this will make for a good Halloween present for my readers. On that note, once you finish the ne...
stuckwithmyself.itch.io
October 6, 2025 at 10:26 PM
just-write-studios.itch.io
been deep in the #writing cave

have spent longer editing the verbiage for a choice than I have on the entire preceding chapter😂🔀

not very glamorous for social media (when I refuse to market with spoilers) but critical when making a #visualnovel to give the script the love and care it needs!!!✍️🔥
October 13, 2025 at 9:25 PM
just-write-studios.itch.io
#vndev #indiegamedev #art #writingcommunity #horror #darkfantasy

🔥Narrative #devlog on quality #writing + my methods!
✍️I went hard for my favorite #gamedev skill!!😂✍️
🖌️17 pics
✍️5.1k words

💖You can read it here: just-write-studios.itch.io/catalyst-bli...
A working logo for the dark fantasy and horror visual novel "Catalyst: Blind Faith." The subtitle says "Devlog." Grayscale art on the top row shows three main characters. From left to right: A female elf with a sly expression, asymmetric hair, many piercings, and long ears side-eyeing the player; a disheveled and heavily scarred young man, clutching at his head while he stares directly at the viewer; and a bubbly woman in profile view with an unnaturally broad grin and very poofy hair. The bottom row has five sketches of different male body types, all at the same height. These are illustrative of the protagonist, whose appearance can radically change based on the player's choices. From left to right: An emaciated figure in a fighting stance, fists before his face; a slender and broad-shouldered figure in a front-facing and stiff pose; a muscular figure, looking relaxed and confident as he glances over his shoulder; a husky male figure, partially drawn, as some of the right arm is incomplete; and a very heavyset male figure, standing in a similar distant and neutral pose as the slim figure. Flowchart showing a hyper-simplified and colorful version of the narrative design in a branching visual novel. Major branches, endings, and the rough length of each major continuity are all distinguished. The content varies wildly, from one to 25 "honkin chapters" for different sections of the narrative. This all comes after a common route (approximately 14 chapters in length, based on the player's earlier choices), and this flowchart only applies if the player selected a "hard branch" for the God of Vengeance. Much more information on wtf this all specifically relates to is in the game director's most recent devlog!
October 10, 2025 at 1:31 AM
just-write-studios.itch.io
Got 100% completion on Long Live the Queen last night!!!💖👑

One of those games where it's going to live rent-free in my brain for months after playing. The worldbuilding, writing, art, & quality stat raising was such a joy!! MASSIVE inspiration for my own branching narrative design!🔥💖👑

#visualnovel
Steam achievements for Long Live the Queen. All 45 are unlocked. Some included in the screenshot are for finding all 11 deaths, a niche romance with a commoner, and facing a trial of your peers weeks before coronation. Screenshot from Long Live the Queen, a visual novel with stat raising as its core mechanic. Four clusters of skills are shown (Social, Physical, Intellectual, and Mystical) with many subcategories for each. The screenshot is taken in the last week of the game, week 40, with victory assured despite only one quadrant of skills fully maxed out. Screenshot from Long Live the Queen, in the player's room in the palace, as they pick classes for the upcoming week. The main character, Elodie, is shown in an alternate outfit for raising points in History skills. Her pink, spiral, twin-tail hair is tied back and decorated with a white flower and feathers. She's holding a quill, looking down from a pair of rectangular glasses. Her double-breasted, pencil-skirt outfit with puffy sleeves and sheer leggings also has a matching white floral belt. Screenshot from Long Live the Queen. The player is savescumming out of their mind in the pursuit of all achievements. The load screen shows comically named save slots, with notes like "price of blood - FALCONMAXXED" and "before invasion." Not shown is that the player got to page 43, with 302 save slots used before 100% completion. She feared neither injury nor death and could not be stopped until killed (in 11 unique ways).
October 5, 2025 at 7:35 PM
just-write-studios.itch.io
🔥13.5k word doc
✂️fully edited
💯over 100 comments in total from all of us at JWS
👌hype af and doin more art today lfgggggg

#indiegamedev #vndev #writing #writingcommunity #writesky
Screenshot of a Google Doc, containing the script for a monstrously long chapter Chapter 26: A Shot in the Dark. Color formatting is used with lower contrast to help editors rapidly identify code and comments versus the text they are there to edit. The length of the doc is immediately made obvious: an entire page of formatting notes, images for context, code from the programmer, and directions for audio and visuals occupies the full page.
October 4, 2025 at 6:32 PM
just-write-studios.itch.io
If you see this, post a goth (or punk) girl
Grayscale concept art of an anarchist elf, Celegwen, from the dark fantasy and horror visual novel Catalyst: Blind Faith. Her extremely long, pointed ears have many piercings, as do her thinly trimmed eyebrows. Her asymmetrical, choppy hair is cloudy-white at its roots, as its ombre dye is fading. She has a very lean, muscular build, with just a few strips of fabric for clothing. Not shown in this sketch are many tattoos the developer is laboriously researching to do justice to for her design as a punk queen icon.
October 3, 2025 at 6:26 AM
just-write-studios.itch.io
no apologies for the drama with MCR embedded, I am VERY biased & passionate about my favorite #gamedev skill!!😂✍️

🔥Narrative #devlog on quality #writing + my methods
🖌️17 pics
✍️5.1k words
💖Out a week early for patrons at any tier, thank you for supporting #indiehorror!!

#vndev #art #writingcommunity
DEVLOG - Quality Writing Techniques (My Beloved) | Alaric
Get more from Alaric on Patreon
www.patreon.com
September 30, 2025 at 8:42 AM
just-write-studios.itch.io
cooking game👩‍🍳
13.5k words written and edited in the last 5 days👩‍🍳

leaving this update gently on Bluesky's welcome mat before returning to the #indiegamedev kitchen
September 29, 2025 at 7:29 PM
just-write-studios.itch.io
2.5k followers!!!! 🎉🎉🎉

ty all for the support! 💖🎉 I'm posting here with #indiegamedev for a dark fantasy and #horror VN about compassion, Catalyst: Blind Faith!🩸

While creating this big branching project, I also post+repost a lot of #accessibility, #art, #writing, #programming, & other nice stuff!
A gold and red working logo for the dark fantasy and horror visual novel "Catalyst: Blind Faith." Grayscale art on the top row shows three main characters. From left to right: A female elf with a sly expression, asymmetric hair, many piercings, and long ears side-eyeing the player; a disheveled and heavily scarred young man, clutching at his head while he stares directly at the viewer; and a bubbly woman in profile view with an unnaturally broad grin and very poofy hair. The bottom row has five sketches of different male body types, all at the same height. These are illustrative of the protagonist, whose appearance can radically change based on the player's choices. From left to right: An emaciated figure in a fighting stance, fists before his face; a slender and broad-shouldered figure in a front-facing and stiff pose; a muscular figure, looking relaxed and confident as he glances over his shoulder; a husky male figure, partially drawn, as some of the right arm is incomplete; and a very heavyset male figure, standing in a similar distant and neutral pose as the slim figure. Screenshot from the dark fantasy and horror visual novel Catalyst: Blind Faith. A disclaimer on the upper right reads: "WIP game: art is not final. All designs subject to change." The subtitle for the narrator reads, "Its inhabitants can call upon the Gods Themselves for light and love." Eight, vertical, monochrome panels depict the Gods and Goddesses in an original fantasy pantheon. The panels are laid out like a neon rainbow, with a monochrome hand reaching towards each abstraction of their God or Goddess with evocative poses. Hulking fists, hands clasped in prayer, painters, people manipulating fire and the earth, and more abstract concepts are also shown. Mood board for the protagonist of a dark fantasy and horror game. The central text reads: "Father Richard Anscham — The Demon of Faith." Images are clustered in vertical stripes, like a reversed rainbow. From left to right are images and quotes evocative of losing oneself to bloodlust; space and time; interpretation, dreams, and nightmares; farming, famine, and poison; compassion, light, gold, and love; an all-consuming search for power; action and strength; and light between great inner turmoil. A flowchart for the demo of a heavily branching visual novel, Catalyst: Blind Faith. Scenes, choices menus, and deaths or early endings are distinguished with different sized boxes. It shows a massive amount of divergence within each of the demo's chapters. Additionally, at certain points in the chronology of the flowchart, chapter numbers have numerous titles associated with each. This indicates where the player's choices causes a divergence significant enough to get an alternate version of each chapter. Links are at the bottom for the early development demo's itch.io page ( https://just-write-studios.itch.io/catalyst-blind-faith ) and a community Discord for regular updates ( https://discord.gg/24cmNWp )
September 27, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Reposted by Just Write Studios
legalizegoblins.bsky.social
Gorgeous girl 901. She might not advance in today's round of Fat Bear Week, but she doesn't mind, because she is a bear. She's busy living her best life. #katmai #FatBearWeek
A fat brown bear sits on a gravelly beach by a lake.
September 25, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Reposted by Just Write Studios
basil-mage.bsky.social
It's fat bear week!
Drawing of a fat bear next to a rainbow
September 24, 2025 at 1:44 PM