March draws to a close, meaning NaNoRenO does too.

This year we worked on a short otome game called “Snow Angel”. The idea for the project was to create a fluffy feel good game that would soothe you. What if when you wished for company it came true? What if angels were real? That was the premise behind our project.

Personally, it's my first NaNo, as well as my first work on an VN/otome. It's been a crazy and exciting month. 

I first became aware of the project through Crysil when she asked for collaborators - and the premise really appealed to me. I was too shy to even get in contact…But eventually, after being encouraged by loved ones I finally put myself forward. So hopefully, that was the right decision and I've done this story justice. 

Falling in love with Raphael was easy for me, which was funny considering I had to bring his personality to life.

Crysil had the sprite already made, and from that I let my feelings guide me into creating a personality for our angel.

I go about character creation like a friend I'm trying to get to know. In my case, my friends and I often do fun personality quizzes so I did this with Raph: I got him a MBTI, star sign, fake birthday, and all sorts of background information that obviously doesn't make it into the story. Nevertheless, it helped me build a firm idea of who this character was to me. After I made my character sheet for Raphael, I realized he reminded me of my own life love, which I find thoroughly amusing.

Hopefully you fall in love with Raphael too.

This month has been tremendous fun, and so fulfilling - and yet I wish we could keep going because I want to spend more time with Raphael. 

There is such a great team behind this game! 

• Crysil is a great project lead and is super organized. Of course, her art is insanely good. Raphael is so cute as a sprite, but his appearance in CGs and the menu art is just mind-blowing. 
• Crystal is a fellow writer, as well as the real outliner for the plot. She wrote the tragic ending, which hurt my feelings in the best possible way. If your heart hurts too from that ending, it's down to her talent. 
• Cygni is our editor/proofreader and if I'm being honest, I think my contribution to this project wouldn't be half of what it is without her. She added so much polish to my word vomit and I appreciate it immensely. 
• Ednar is responsible for all the beautiful music in this game. He has so much talent and is so humble too. His music provides the perfect atmosphere to this game, and I wish this game was a big commercial project just so I could urge you all to buy the soundtrack. I'd totally buy the soundtrack. 
• I'd also like to thank Lily. She's a baby and can't even speak yet but she contributed to this project too.  She was with me every step of the way (and often distracting me from the process) - she often would type on my iPad whilst I was trying to type. She deserves partial writing credit too, I swear.

I wrote a lot of this to a playlist I made specifically for the story, but the standout to me is "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King soundtrack. (The movie version is better, sorry Elton.) Some of the lyrics resonated so well with the characters.

Wanting to let your partner know who you really are, hoping they’ll understand you, and knowing your partner is hiding something, and yet still seeing nothing but the best in them perfectly encapsulates the relationship between Raphael and the main character. (I may or may not cry to this song.)

Anyway, it's been a month of great lessons for me and my takeaway is this: 

• Have faith in yourself and your own abilities 
• Grab those opportunities you want with both hands 
• Tell the people you love that you love them 
• Remember that loneliness isn't something that lasts forever. Your people are out there waiting for you, and you will find each other

I really hope you enjoy the story! 

Let those cute lions play us out. 

"Can you feel the love tonight?

The peace the evening brings

The world, for once, in perfect harmony

With all its living things

Can you feel the love tonight?

You needn't look too far

Stealing through the night's uncertainties

Love is where they are" 

Play the game  here:  https://galengames.itch.io/snow-angel

-Liv/LunaMakaio - writer, young warthog and embarrassing Raphael fan.