I still haven’t made an official announcement about Reflections mod, but I can start blogging about it, as I like to share my game development experience.
Reflections’ story will take place in Gemlik, Turkey. Gemlik is an harbor city, which is 14 miles away from my hometown. I’m writing my full script, which will include another different way of storytelling, and again I’ll use real locations and history as I did in White Night.
However, I’ve run into a problem where I would use Gemlik’s real history for my script. The sources on the net are not reliable, and worse, they are variable. And I thought… “Since I’m still in college, which has one of the best and biggest libraries in Turkey, why no go check it?” And that’s how all started.
I used the online search function of our library to see if there is anything I can use, anything at all. I felt lucky because there was a book about Gemlik’s history and geography. After class, I went to the library to see this book with Call Number DS51.G465 O75 1947.
DS section in library was in the B block, which is a little desolate. Block A of our library is quite lively and all kind of new publications are there. However, block B holds old book, and there is a deep old book smell there.
The thing is, DS section was basement level of the block B, and that’s when things started to get weird.
Main entrance is for block A, and one can only get to block B by entresol or underground passage. I unintentionally chose underground passage, where there was no one but a cold wind. I walked into the block B only to see two old man talking to each other. One was sitting behind the helpdesk, while other one was across him. They didn’t seem to notice me, and I didn’t want to cut their chat.
When I went to DS51 section, all books were quite large and old. I spent twenty minutes and didn’t find the book. I was going to ask old men if they knew about the book I was searching. In last moment, I turned back, looked at the shelfs, and there was ‘another’ DS51 section at the far back side of hall. I was surprised, and had a feeling that I was going to find what I was looking for. And I did:
I immediately sat in the closest chair and started to read the history. Then I realized I couldn’t take notes of all the details, I needed a copy of those pages. I went to the old man to ask if I could take a photocopy. When I approached them, they both quieten down and looked at me. I knew they knew, and they knew I knew they knew. It was an awkward moment, but it wasn’t like I was searching for real Necronomicon.
Or was I?
Gemlik has a really interesting history, that’s all I can say for now.