Contents:
- Introduction
- Free Comics
- Free Video
- Free Galleries
Welcome to the Freezone
Hey there, wanderer—glad you made it this far. The Freezone is your first peek into the world of Dark Times, and it’s packed with goodies to get you hooked.
Here’s what you’ll find:
📖 The first two chapters of Episode 1, where the story kicks off and the world begins to unravel.
🧟 A standalone short story featuring the one and only Hal Grymm—the most feared bounty hunter of the apocalypse.
🎨 A bunch of videos and artwork from earlier versions of Dark Times—think of it as a time capsule of how far we’ve come.
You’ll get a real sense of how the story has grown and changed over time. And here’s the cool part: where it goes next is up to our patrons. Supporters don’t just fund the project—they help steer it.
So dive in, explore, and if you’re into what we’re building, consider joining us on Patreon and becoming part of the team shaping the future of Dark Times.
Free Comics
(Just click on the image to open the comic)
1) A Nun on the Run – Chapter 1
A Nun on the Run – Chapter 1
2) A Nun on the Run – Chapter 2
This was actually the first chapter I made so it was in effect my first attempt at a comic. I was really pleased with the overall look of the chapter. I was still experimenting with how to do the speed and motion lines so they look a bit icky but I was very happy with the noir lighting effect I got.
(Episode 1 – A nun on the Run continues in the Patreon Zone.)
3) Once upon a Time in the Apocalypse
A stand alone story about how the young vampire, Hal Grymm, became the most feared bounty hunter of the apocalypse. This was originally planned as just a short scene – a gunfight between Hal and his bounty – but I guess I got carried away and it ended up as a complete back story.
Video
Episode 1 – A nun on the Run (version 1)
When I first came up with Dark Times, I imagined it as an animated comic book. I even built a whole visual novel using Ren’Py, packed with animations and cool effects.
The only snag? Comic fans weren’t really into visual novels… and visual novel fans wanted something more interactive. So yeah—getting readers was a bit of a struggle.
The video below is basically a playthrough of that original Ren’Py version, so you can get a feel for where it all started. (37.5 minutes)
Introduction to the Dark Times Universe (version 1)
This animated intro comes from the original Ren’Py visual novel version of Dark Times. It was part of my first attempt at bringing the universe to life—back when the project looked (and felt) pretty different from where it’s at now.
I’m including it here alongside the game walkthrough video so you can see how the whole concept has evolved over time. It’s rough around the edges, but hey—it’s where it all began!
