"SO, WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW?":
 

Before discussing all of the new features, content, and gameplay variations you can expect to see from Chapter 2, it's important to know that Chapter 2 will probably be the most "concrete" chapter throughout the Night Spasm saga. By concrete, I mean it will serve as the true starting foundation of Night Spasm's consistency.

 

While Chapter 1 serves as the introduction to the main Night Spasm storyline, Chapter 2 will serve as the introduction to Night Spasm's main concepts. Anyone who has completed Chapter 1 knows Night Spasm is a heavily choice-based game with many storyline outcomes to experience intentionally or unknowingly. Chapter 2 will not only take that concept further, introduce new game mechanics, and provide an immense amount of new lore to study, but it will submerge you deeper into Night Spasm's purpose as a game.

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Because there's a lot of foreshadowing involved in Night Spasm, it was difficult for us to really create a foundation that would skyrocket the game from beginning to end, hence the reason for such an early beta release back in 2020 (which we like to call "the year of happy introverts"). But after many updates, and a bit of luck on our side, we managed to make the foundation we were aiming for! What was once a foggy future is now a clean horizon, a half-blank canvas that makes us go "Heh, this is gonna be awesome". We've developed such a fleshed-out engine that each upcoming chapter will practically program itself!

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Wouldn't it be great if a game could code itself in real time? That would make a horrifying concept, wouldn't it?

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Now, besides the new technical foundation seen inside Night Spasm, it's important to look at what's on the OUTSIDE, or in other words, the flow of Night Spasm.

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Night Spasm is a game of twists, turns, and rulebreaking, but in order to keep the game's progression consistent and understandable, each chapter follows a certain order of gameplay phases:

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1. The Setup Phase

2. The Progression Phase

3. The Choice Phase

4. The Outcome Phase

5. The Aftermath Phase

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First, you have the Setup Phase, the beginning of the chapter which drives the main plot forward. The Setup Phase is more story-based than tutorial-based, but the beginning of each chapter usually has a few new mechanics to introduce before the action really begins. In Chapter 2's case, there's a lot to be learned, but everything is extremely self-explanatory and similar to certain mechanics you've (hopefully) already mastered.

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Second, you have the Progression Phase, the part of the story that lets you roam far and free, like a butterfly with unrestricted access to a jetpack. This is where you're given chances to start, continue, and maybe end any side stories you purposefully or accidentally come across. It's a chance to collect items, grind battles, expand your base, and do whatever it is you want to do before setting out on the TRUE adventure of the chapter.

 

Chapter 2's Progression Phase takes place at Klipiston Island, a central area of the Island you'll frequently visit throughout the chapters. Klipiston is where all of your former side stories continue. Whenever you begin a side story in any chapter, the characters involved will eventually wait for you somewhere in Klipiston, allowing you to either continue, ignore, or sometimes cancel a side story. So long as you've progressed a side story enough to the point where you can continue it in Klipiston, each side story will alter your storyline in multiple ways, usually during significant moments of the main storyline.

 

The influence of a side story differs based on what part of the side story you're currently at, whether you've ignored it at Klipiston, are in the middle of progressing the side story, or have completed the side story​ (some of which include multiple endings to choose from). Sometimes NOT beginning a side story can affect your timeline! Better yet, certain side stories can even combine together under rare conditions, forming special moments most players won't even see in their first playthrough!

 

Now THAT'S what a role-playing game is all about!

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Third in the list of phases is the Choice Phase, very similar to the Progression Phase. However, unlike the phase before it, the Choice Phase prompts you with unavoidable dilemmas! And as you'd expect, they aren't easy choices. A battle between you and your beliefs, the Choice Phase significantly impacts the future of your playthrough both immediately and in due time. Furthermore, this is the phase of the chapter usually influenced by your progress on specific side stories. The Choice Phase is generally linear exploration-wise, meaning once you've begun the phase, the only way out is finishing the chapter, leading you to the Outcome Phase.

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The Outcome Phase is the ultimate summary of each chapter, where the benefits and consequences of your actions come to light... or dark too, I suppose. The Outcome Phase puts the pieces of everything you just experienced and blends them all into the main storyline... or should I say "a" storyline, as the results of the Outcome Phase can create quite a dynamic shift in your timeline. Side stories greatly influence this phase of the chapter too, but you probably guessed that already.

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And thus, after the metaphorical curtains of the chapter fall, they're immediately opened back up again for the Aftermath Phase, a phase similar to the Progression Phase but with your former choices applied to your timeline. It's a chance to backtrack to anything you may have missed, progress side stories even further, and see how the Island has changed, for better or for worse. It's the perfect time to unwind and contemplate the adventure that awaits you in the next chapter.

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Although, if you're the curious type, there may be something unusual out there to find, but I wouldn't go around snooping in places you don't belong. You might regret it, no matter how skilled you are at combat...

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Speaking of curiosity, you may have realized the phases I just mentioned don't sound too accurate to Chapter 1's flow. The truth is, Chapter 1 loosely follows the 5-phase system, which leads me to my next point.

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For reference, this is how Chapter 1 fits into the 5-phase system:

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1. Opening cutscene and Teaching Garden (Setup).

2. Exploring Region A1 (Progression).

3. Invading Dark Region A1 (Choice).

4. Fighting the Congo Snake Queen (Outcome).

5. Reuniting with MOG (Aftermath).

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Chapter 1, being the first chapter and all, didn't really offer a lot of room for storyline alterations, all because the story had to be designed in a way that left plenty of room for timeline alterations. Besides, with so much to remember from the Setup Phase, we figured it would be best if we introduced major timeline alterations in Chapter 2 so as to not overwhelm players (besides, a few secrets are fun here and there). In return, we focussed on the possibilities brought about by side stories, all of which will affect Chapter 2's main storyline in some way. A lot of players seem to enjoy the side stories more than the main story as of right now, so we're happy to say it's only going to get better from here!

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In conclusion, the 5-phase system helps us focus on what Night Spasm is all about:

 

Making choices matter.

 

I hope this overly-detailed explanation gives you a better idea of what to expect from ALL future chapters. And as a reward for reading this far already, here's an upside-down H...

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H

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Now it's time for the good stuff! Let's take a look at Chapter 2's new features, shall we? I already know what's included, but I'm still excited!

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THE FEATURES OF CHAPTER 2:

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• Exploring the Island:

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It would take a lot of footsteps to get from Region A1 to Klipiston, especially since you'd have to learn how to walk on water. Luckily for you, the Island has quite a variety of watercraft to choose from, and MOG knows the perfect man to get you such a thing! He's fun to talk to, underwhelmingly charming, and even a playable character at one point, but beyond that, he's your ticket to Klipiston and the keeper of a world-renowned ship. Even if nobody knows about the ship, it will always be world-renowned in his eyes!