Kimdracula: Act One

Fangs, Feelings, and Antique Jewelry

A supernatural queer romance that explores intimacy, identity, and the struggle to heal from generational and romantic wounds. A story of longing, recovery, and seductive danger, Kimdracula is a visual novel that asks: Can desire save us, or will it be the thing that ruins us?

Giving New Love a Try

Since being disowned by her family and left desolate without any support to complete her degree, spunky human Kim has centered her life on picking up the pieces of her fractured world and building a found family in the post-vampire town of Hoboken, New Jersey.

Dawn, a prickly vampire, has resisted the embracing care of many around her, both vampires and humans alike. She has grown comfortable in solitude as self-preservation when left raw from the near-fatal separation of her hive and her 2,000-year-old ex-wife. Solace and silence are all she seeks in this town, but relying on others might be her only source of survival… lest she reverts to what her ex considers “their nature”.

As Kim’s unwavering charm and undeniable attraction break the centuries-old walls that Dawn has put up, Dawn is reminded that the small spark of a new romance can ignite a fire.

Where Did This Story Come From?

I developed Dawn and Kim at a point in my life where I was recovering from the end of a 3-year-long, extremely toxic relationship. At that point, I met someone new who had restored my hope of finding reliable companionship but challenged the toxic defense mechanisms that had developed from my past. It came from a moment in my life where I felt cursed with both physical and emotional scars of a past relationship that felt alienating. At that moment, the allegorical use of vampirism deeply related to me.

As I began to allow a new love in my life to sprout, I channeled those positive lessons into the narrative growth I intended for Dawn. The constant contextual presence of Amaka, Dawn’s former lover, reflected my experience with the overwhelming reminders of a past relationship as I tried to divorce myself from a life I had outgrown.

Having worked on this story for so long and changing so much about both Dawn and Kim, I have (thankfully) grown out of relating to Dawn, but I enjoy using her as a vessel to channel such dynamic experiences in hopes of reaching others trying to move on from toxic enmeshments.

A Tale of Found Family

While Kimdracula is a romance fiction, it is also a tale of platonic bonds, found family, and accepting the love that is willing to find you. The cast, although supporting, is just as significant to the narrative as the protagonists. I applied as much care and priority in their design, writing, and presence in the story. The main characters and their emotional reliance on (or even rejection of) the people around them continue to challenge or affirm their world view, pushing the story forward and forcing Dawn and Kim to meet sooner.

Ren’Py Novice to Pro

Pre-production began in the summer of 2024, but the concept of Kimdracula had been rattling in my mind since 2021, giving me room to fully grasp the intentions of the narrative and storyline. Entering production during the fall of 2024 was an anticipated challenge with no prior experience developing games.

Still, with the diligent guidance of my advisor, Tyler Hutchison, mentors, Lindsay Rollins, Titus McNally, Sloane Donna Smith of Rocket Adrift , and experienced cohort Alex Lee, I could prioritize learning the engine while creating the work efficiently. Spending three months in the fall writing and tweaking the script with Tyler taught me how to make a production schedule and conceptualize the narrative for implementing art and assets before coding.

Alongside this, my weekly meetings with Rocket were like crash courses on Ren’py as an engine to elevate the vision of my story and equally carry the narrative weight alongside the script. I compare the process to sculpting, adding the base layer little by little to make sure the greater structure of the work can stand on its own. With time, I became stronger as a writer and programmer, changing ideas, adding new ones, and exceeding the original expectations set for the game. Having set basic expectations for myself from the start allowed me to flourish as my skills strengthened.

Rather than feeling disappointed if I couldn’t follow through or keep up with requests set early on, I could add more and more because I gave myself room to grow. It was easier to start with “what I can do” and “what Ren’Py allows you to do” and then expand from there.

Kimdracula will follow a three-act structure with release of act one in October 2025. I plan to package the game for crowd-funding or official indie publishing by the second release. I am also seeking collaboration to expand the scope and vision of the game as the story continues, hoping to foster a passionate community of vampire lovers.

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